Category: English

“The test results confirm late-stage stomach cancer. It’s terminal.” My husband Mark didn’t even wait for me to process the news before he shoved me to the floor. “Why waste money on you? Chloe needs it for her business!” I never imagined that on the day I received my terminal diagnosis, my husband would be transferring our life savings to another woman. In desperation, I tried to sell my jewelry, only to learn every piece was fake. “Of course I swapped them out,” Mark sneered. “Did you think I’d let you waste our future on a corpse?” Just as I reached my lowest point, the hospital called. There’d been a system error in the lab. “You’re perfectly healthy, Ms. Miller. The cancer is your husband’s.” “Mark, my hospital admission is tomorrow. Is the money ready?” My husband walked out of the kitchen eating fruit, ignoring me completely. “What money? It’s gone.” I stared, frozen. He’d never spoken to me like this in all our years of marriage. “What do you mean,gone?” “I gave it to Chloe.” He didn’t care about my reaction, already sitting down to continue his meal. Hearing that name stunned me. That was my life savings, my medical fund! How could he do this? And for Chloe Davis! What the hell was happening? Under my frantic questions, he lost his patience. “To fund her business, obviously! It’s an investment! Don’t you know what that means?” Days of psychological torment had left my nerves in shreds. That was the final straw. That broke me. I lunged at him, hitting and kicking, even knocking over the fruit plate. “Mark Thompson! That’s my life savings! How dare you!” The next second, he pushed me hard to the floor, where I landed with a painful thud. “You crazy woman! Chloe needs money for her shop! What’s wrong with me giving it to her?” “You’re in late-stage stomach cancer, it’s incurable! What’s a dying woman fighting a living one for? You can’t expect Mom and me to lose everything, can you?” I sat there, stunned on the floor, seeing my husband as a complete stranger for the first time. Before this, Mark would never have treated me this way. We met in college, navigated our student years together, and eventually walked down the aisle. He never cared that I was an orphan; he even sympathized with how hard I’d worked over the years. Friends and classmates always praised him. How could he have changed so completely? These past few years, he’d been nothing but attentive. We’d never even had such a fierce argument. His drastic change started after our recent routine physical exam. The same exam that found my stomach cancer. Right after that, he gave our entire twenty-thousand-dollar savings to an outsider to start her business. It made me wonder what kind of man I had truly married all these years, or if he was merely wearing a human facade. Mark saw my dazed expression and softened his tone, continuing to explain his reasoning. “We only have twenty thousand dollars saved up. It’s not enough to cure you anyway.” “Better to invest the money in Chloe’s business. Once her capital returns, the money she makes can definitely save you. Sarah, just hold on a little longer. Would I really joke about your life savings?” I scoffed, saying nothing. It was all garbage. After years together, I knew exactly what Mark looked like when he was lying. Mark and Chloe Davis had probably been having an affair for a while. Now that I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he clearly couldn’t be bothered to keep up the charade of a loving husband anymore. I felt a chill of disgust. Just then, Mrs. Thompson walked out from the back room, eyeing me disdainfully. “My son works so hard to keep this family afloat! What have you done all these years?” “And now you’ve got this money-pit disease! Dying is what you deserve!”

“What have I done?! Mom, you haven’t forgotten, have you? I paid half the down payment on this house!” I stood up, looking at the two of them and laughing out loud, finding the whole situation utterly absurd. “What have I done all these years? Why don’t you ask what you and your son have been doing!” “And I won’t even start on his relationship with Chloe Davis!” “Your son’s been jobless, all he does is some light cleaning! A grown man, and sometimes I even have to help him with that! Where exactly has he been ‘working hard’? Do I not have a job? My salary is barely enough to support all of us! So tell me, what have I done?!” Mrs. Thompson’s face was a stormy mess, flickering between expressions, as if she wanted to say something but was silenced by Mark’s glare. I gave a cold laugh and continued, “As for you, Mom, I always thought you were fair, that you’d side with me. But now, it’s clear you’re all cut from the same cloth! You’re the real family! And I guess I’m just…” Before I could finish, Mark slapped me across the face. My ears rang, and I clutched my cheek, glaring at him with fury. Since Mark lost his job, our entire household had relied on my income. He merely tidied up a bit, and suddenly it was his hard work? Where did he even work hard? And now he had the nerve to hit me?! “By rights, half the money in that savings account belongs to me!” They probably expected me to cry, but I stood my ground, protesting loudly, not a trace of fear in my eyes. Are you kidding me? I’m already dying! What do I have to be afraid of?! Hearing me say that, their faces were a sight to behold. They couldn’t refute it, as it was the truth, and couldn’t find an excuse to argue. I pressed on. “You have to give me the money! Otherwise, we’ll go through legal channels. Even if I can’t be saved, I’d rather see the money incinerated than let Chloe Davis touch a single cent!” “No way, Sarah. You can forget about it.” “I won’t give you a single penny.” Mark stared at me with chilling indifference. In his eyes, I couldn’t see a shred of affection for me. “Go ahead and sue for divorce if you’re so brave. But I’m telling you, Sarah, even if you do, I won’t agree. It’s just a cooling-off period, right? I can afford to wait you out!” “Since you’ve pushed it this far, I’ll just wait until you die! Then the money will still be mine!” I fell silent, looking at him in disbelief. Mark thought I was backing down and decided to offer a false comfort. “Sarah, why make such a fuss? Just be a good wife, and I’ll take care of you until the end.” Listening to his absurd words, I only felt regret. How could I have ever fallen for such a man? How could I have been so deluded as to use all my savings to buy a house and marry him? I looked around. This home, once so full of warmth, now felt chillingly cold.

I stood in silence, clenching my fists so tightly that my fingernails almost dug into my palms. Wait for death? No. I absolutely refused to accept such a fate, and I would never allow my money to simply go to Mark and Chloe. I forced myself to calm down, then suddenly remembered I still had gold jewelry. That meant I still had a chance to turn things around. For now, I had to pretend to back down. I claimed I’d been too emotional earlier, that I needed to calm down. The pressure was just too much. I’d even admit that maybe they had a point. After some careful maneuvering, my feigned emotions seemed to sway them. They probably thought, as an orphan, I had no one else to rely on but them. I sat on the bed in the bedroom, scanning the room, waiting quietly, searching for any possible opportunity. Sure enough, Mark had to leave in the afternoon. The moment Mark stepped out of the house, I knew this was my only chance. I quickly and stealthily searched the room, my heart pounding like a drum. However, just as I found the gold jewelry, Mrs. Thompson’s figure abruptly appeared in the doorway, her eyes filled with suspicion and wariness. “What are you doing in here?” Her voice was sharp and grating, like a knife piercing my heart. My mind raced. I quickly tossed the jewelry into the trash can in the corner of the room, then feigned composure, picking up a bag of garbage. “Oh, nothing. Just saw the trash can was full, so I’m taking it out. Mom, didn’t you say Mark works hard? While I’m not feeling too sick, I thought I could help a little.” “After all… I’ll still be relying on the family for my treatment.” Mrs. Thompson stared at me, half-believing, half-doubting, but seemingly found no further evidence to challenge me. She turned and left. I seized the opportunity to escape the room, with only one thought in my mind – to convert these jewels into cash, to at least buy myself a sliver of a chance at life. I walked into the jewelry store full of hope and handed my jewelry to the clerk. The clerk’s verdict was a lightning bolt. My jewels were all fakes, just gold-plated silver with almost no value. My heart plummeted, all hope vanishing in an instant. But I had personally bought these pieces for our wedding! How could this be? The gold-plated silver looked exactly the same! As I stood there, stunned and at a loss, Mrs. Thompson and my husband walked into the jewelry store, their faces alight with triumphant smiles. Mrs. Thompson’s tone dripped with mockery. “I knew you were up to no good! Good thing we were clever enough to have Mark swap out all the jewelry.” Mark, looking smug and calculating, stepped forward, grabbed my arm, and growled, “Good thing I was prepared, or you would have ruined this family! These jewels? I’ve already invested them with Chloe. She’ll make us even more money.” “And these gold-plated trinkets? Consider them your final farewell gift. Our last ‘kindness’ to you. You’re welcome.” His words were like sharp knives, slicing into my heart. I struggled in a rage, trying to break free from his grip. But my body, overcome by a sudden surge of anger, felt weak and powerless. My vision blurred, my ears filled with their mocking laughter and sneers. No! I can’t collapse here! I tried to clench my fists, to gather my strength. But overwhelmed by an indescribable hatred, I suddenly lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, everything around me felt both familiar and strange. I blinked, as if caught in a long dream, unable to discern the line between reality and illusion. All the furnishings in the room remained the same, but I could no longer find the warmth and peace of yesteryear, only a chilling emptiness and endless heartache. This so-called “home,” which I once believed was my safe haven, the final resting place after twenty years of turmoil, had now become the greatest torment of my life. From the moment I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, the atmosphere at home had completely shifted. Laughter and joy were replaced by coldness and distance; I felt like an outsider in my own house. Thinking about this, I let out a self-mocking laugh. Now, in this house, even my collapse wasn’t worth the extra expense of sending me to the hospital. My value, it seemed, had vanished along with that cruel diagnosis. My husband’s voice drifted from the living room, tinged with mockery. “Well, well, awake are we? I thought you’d sleep for days.” His tone carried no trace of concern, only indifference and disdain. He couldn’t even bother to pour me a glass of water. In the past, he would have brought me warm water without a second thought. I lay in bed, closing my eyes, unwilling to engage with his words. Mrs. Thompson joined the emotionless conversation, her laughter harsh and shrill. “You woke up just in time for dinner. You truly are a parasite, good for nothing but eating.” The spicy aroma that had been assaulting my nose told me exactly what was for dinner tonight. Sure enough, when I stepped out of the bedroom, I saw the dining table laden with various chili-loaded dishes. It was their silent taunt, their torment. I took a deep breath, forcing down my discomfort, and approached the table. On the table, red and green chilies intertwined, as if mocking my fate. I gave a cold glance, said nothing. Whether it was psychological or something else, I simply felt nauseous. I turned and went back to my room, leaving their triumphant laughter echoing behind me. In the living room, outside my door, my husband ate with gusto, making loud slurping and smacking sounds, which were particularly grating. He seemed completely oblivious to his own crudeness, and even began to complain. “Mom, next time don’t make the food so spicy. You’re so focused on tormenting your daughter-in-law, you forget about your own son. My stomach’s burning!” Mrs. Thompson, though reluctant, grumbled an acknowledgment. They’re openly saying they’re “tormenting” me now?! How badly do you want me dead! I stood behind the door, listening to everything, my rage and despair intertwined. I couldn’t stand this life anymore. I yelled, “I want a divorce!” My husband’s voice immediately responded, laced with amusement. “Go ahead. I’m not signing anything anyway. Just drag it out. Let’s see how long you can last.” His tone was full of confidence and coldness, as if he had seen right through my intentions. I froze, staring at the closed door, a swirl of emotions churning inside me. I knew that this path-divorcing through legal means-was clearly blocked. Mark’s message was clear. He would torment me like this, waiting for the sickness to sap the last of my strength. But I refused to simply wait for death. If one path was blocked, I would have to forge another.

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Fake daughter Tiffany Reed sneered, offering me a pastry: “Here, sis, try this. It’s specially for you.” I swallowed it without a second thought. That night, she was assaulted by the janitor, her reputation utterly shattered. My brother, Jesiah, wanted to get revenge for his precious Tiffany and tried to push me down the stairs. Instead, I grabbed him and jumped with him. He ended up with two broken legs, condemned to a wheelchair for life. Later, the fake heiress led her crew to bully me at school, brandishing a small knife at my arm. I just gave a chilling smirk and, with a swift move, slashed my own arm. “Elara, here, this pastry is specially for you. Go on, try it.” I just smiled, looking at Tiffany’s face, plastered with fake concern, and the plate of delicate yet ‘enhanced’ cupcakes she held. I was reborn. Back at the recognition party that sealed my tragic fate in my previous life. In my last life, it was this very pastry that led to my defilement, exposed to her mocking onlookers, my reputation ruined. That recognition party became my public trial, and I lived a miserable life with the Hayes, abused to death by her. “Elara, why aren’t you eating? Do you… hate me or something?” Seeing me just staring at the pastry, Tiffany’s eyes instantly welled up, her voice thick with a fake sob. Her pitiful act immediately drew the attention of several guests nearby. They whispered amongst themselves about how the recently acknowledged true heiress was obviously trashy. I reached out, took it, a small smile playing on my lips. “Tiffany, what are you talking about? How could I hate you?” Under her expectant gaze, I opened my mouth and swallowed. At the same time, I silently chanted in my mind: “System, activate damage transfer. Target: Tiffany Reed.” [Command confirmed. Damage transfer activated.] Seeing me eat it, Tiffany’s face immediately bloomed with a vicious, satisfied smile. She affectionately linked her arm through mine. “That’s more like it! We sisters must get along well from now on.” I nodded compliantly, silently calculating the time. Sure enough, a few minutes later, I feigned a sway, clutching my forehead. “Tiffany, I feel a little dizzy.” A flicker of wild glee crossed Tiffany’s eyes. She quickly steadied me, her voice laced with feigned concern. “Are you tired? The party’s too loud. Let me help you to a room upstairs to rest.” I leaned weakly against her, allowing her to guide me out of the ballroom. Just like in my previous life, following the exact same path. She led me to the pre-arranged guest room on the second floor.

Tiffany helped me towards the bed, her voice sickly sweet. “Elara, you lie down for a bit. I’ll get you some water.” But then, her words abruptly stopped. Because she realized that I, who should have been collapsing into her arms, was now standing perfectly straight, looking at her with an icy, piercing gaze. And she herself was suddenly hit with a wave of intense dizziness and a strange, burning heat. “You… how can you be…” She stumbled, then started uncontrollably tearing at the neckline of her elegant dress. I walked up to her, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Tiffany, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Her voice trembled, full of terror. “What… what did you do?” I leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I merely returned what you so thoughtfully prepared for me, Tiffany.” Tiffany tried to say more, but the drug had already clouded her mind. I watched her grotesque display with cold detachment, feeling only pure satisfaction. Footsteps approached from outside. Tiffany’s arranged guest had arrived. Without hesitation, I turned, closed the door, and locked it. Inside the room, only Tiffany, writhing under the drug’s effects, and the newly entered janitor remained. The show had only just begun. Midway through the party, Mrs. Hayes frowned, glancing around. She grabbed my wrist. “Have you seen Tiffany? She said she was going to get you a pastry, but she’s vanished in the blink of an eye.” Mr. Hayes also looked over, a hint of displeasure on his face. “With so many guests here tonight, why is she running off?” I blinked, showing just the right amount of worry. “Tiffany mentioned she wasn’t feeling well earlier, really dizzy. I think she went back to a room to rest.” Mrs. Hayes instantly tensed. “Not feeling well? Why didn’t she say anything sooner?” Mr. and Mrs. Hayes exchanged worried glances and headed straight for the second-floor rooms. Watching their hurried retreat, I mimicked Tiffany’s actions from my past life, raising my voice, my tone overflowing with concern. “Everyone, Tiffany isn’t feeling too well, and my parents are really worried. Should we all go up and check on her? The more people, the better to help out, right?” My words immediately piqued the guests’ interest. The true and fake heiress drama – and the real one is already unwell after just being recognized? Clearly, there’s a story brewing. “Yes, yes, let’s all go see!” “The Hayes sisters truly have a deep bond, don’t they?” A large group of people followed them upstairs in a bustling procession. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were so focused on their precious adopted daughter that they paid no mind to the commotion behind them. Mr. Hayes didn’t even think twice; he just twisted the doorknob to the bedroom. 3. A heavy, cloying scent hit them first. Then, scattered clothes on the floor and two figures entangled on the bed came into view. Tiffany’s hair was disheveled, her face flushed crimson, as she lay intertwined with a man in a janitor’s uniform. Mrs. Hayes’s face went chalk-white. Mr. Hayes roared, “Tiffany, what in the world are you doing?!” Tiffany flinched, startled by his shout, and frantically pulled the covers around herself, while the surrounding guests’ phone cameras flashed incessantly. “Oh my god, it’s actually Tiffany Reed!” “She usually acts so refined. Who knew she was into this kind of wild stuff in private?” “And with a janitor! The Hayes family is going to be a complete joke!” Tiffany’s gaze pierced through the crowd, fixating on my face, her eyes burning with venom. Mr. Hayes trembled with rage, forcing himself to suppress it as he tried to disperse the crowd. “Stop filming! Everyone out! This is a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!” Mrs. Hayes rushed forward, desperate to close the door, but was blocked by several guests who just wanted to gawk, tears streaming down her face in frustration. After finally managing to clear out the guests and close the door. Mr. Hayes yanked Tiffany off the bed and raised his hand to strike her. “Dad, it wasn’t me! It was Elara! She set me up!” Tiffany cried out, scrambling away, her clothes disheveled as she lunged towards my fiancé, Blake Harrison. Blake instinctively caught her, his brow furrowed deeply. Tiffany buried her face in his chest, sobbing, her face streaked with tears. “Blake, you have to believe me! It was Elara! She hates me for taking her place for so many years, for Mom and Dad loving me, for stealing her fiancé – who was supposed to be hers! That’s why she deliberately framed me, she drugged my drink!” Blake looked up at me, his eyes cold and accusing. “Elara, I know you hold a grudge, but using such vicious methods… that’s truly wicked.” Mrs. Hayes also looked at me, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice utterly drenched in disappointment. “Elara, we brought you home to make amends, to compensate you. How could you set up Tiffany like this? How can you be so malicious?” Hah. How familiar those words sounded. In my previous life, when I lay there, my clothes torn, enduring everyone’s contemptuous stares, they had said the exact same thing. They said I was indecent, that I’d seduced the janitor. They asked why, if I was truly innocent, I hadn’t proven it by dying during the assault. Now, with their precious adopted daughter, it’s suddenly *my* malicious heart? I looked at them and suddenly laughed, my voice cutting through the silence. “Tiffany, you say I framed you? I’ve been back with the Hayes family for less than three days. I haven’t even recognized all the staff yet. How could I possibly frame you?” I took a step towards Tiffany, my gaze locked onto her. “You say I drugged you? Where’s the drug? How was it administered? Where’s the proof?” Tiffany was speechless under my barrage of questions, only able to point at me frantically. “It was you! It had to be you! You’re just jealous of me!” “Jealous of you?” I stopped, pulling a tiny USB drive from a hidden pocket in my dress. “Fortunately, the house’s security cameras caught something… special.” Mr. Hayes’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?” I connected the USB drive to the smart TV in the living room. Soon, the screen displayed a clear image. It showed Tiffany, before the party began, sneaking into the kitchen and shaking a small packet of powder into that plate of pastries. Immediately after, there was a crystal-clear audio recording of her whispering in my ear as she helped me upstairs: “Let’s see how you’re going to compete with me for Mom, Dad, and Blake once you eat this and turn into a total mess.” When the video finished, a deathly silence filled the living room. Tiffany’s face was ashen. She shook her head frantically. “Fake! This is fake! She fabricated it!” I lowered my head, my shoulders subtly trembling. “So, Tiffany, you really don’t want me here. If this home can’t make room for me, then I suppose I’ll leave.” I turned, pretending to walk away. Mr. Hayes stopped me, then turned and delivered a stinging slap across Tiffany’s face. Tiffany clutched her cheek, her face a mask of disbelief. “Dad, you hit me… for this bitch?” “Shut up! You still don’t see what you did wrong?!” Mr. Hayes’s face was livid. He pulled out a black card and pressed it into my hand. “Elara, Tiffany was out of line. Take this card. Don’t talk about leaving again.” Mrs. Hayes quickly clasped my hand. “Tiffany was just momentarily confused, playing a prank on you. You’re fine, aren’t you? Let’s not make a big deal of it, girls.” I nodded obediently, tucking the card away. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll listen to both of you, Mom and Dad.” I looked at the cold black card in my hand, a cold laugh bubbling up inside me. “Fine?” “Not make a big deal of it?” In my last life, I paid with my life. I knew Mom and Dad still favored her. But it didn’t matter. The days were long.

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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.

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On my twenty-third birthday, wine loosened my tongue, and I confessed to my guardian. He did not pull away from my kiss. But next morning, he sent me abroad with a cold command: “Erase that night.” Years later, I walked back into his world, a baby resting against my shoulder. He went rigid. “Yours?” he asked, voice barely steady. I nodded, a slow, deliberate smile spreading. “Yes. We just finished her checkup.” Sitting on the plane, I still felt dazed. I never thought that after five years abroad, I would have the chance to come back. After all, Damian had said that in this lifetime, I’d better never appear in front of him again. But it was also he who personally bought me a ticket back home, inviting me to attend his and Seraphina’s wedding anniversary celebration. After two layovers, I finally landed. Uma had been sleeping peacefully on the plane, but once we got off, she started crying. “Mommy, my feet hurt,” she whimpered softly. Hearing Uma’s quiet sobs, I quickly picked her up and walked towards the exit. At the arrival gate, I turned on my phone, ready to call a cab. Just then, my phone rang. Seeing the familiar number on the screen, I fell silent, unsure whether to answer or not. In the end, I didn’t pick up. But a second call came through almost immediately. I sighed and finally answered. Damian’s voice quickly came through. After years without talking, his voice hadn’t changed. “Are you out of the airport? I sent an assistant to pick you up,” Damian said in a businesslike manner, as if we were strangers. I laughed bitterly, “I can get a cab myself.” There was silence for a second; Damian probably didn’t expect me to say that. After all, back then, I had been well taken care of by him. During my years by his side, all my needs were met – I never had to worry about transportation. After a moment of silence, Damian spoke casually, “Let the assistant come anyway. I bought a gift for Seraphina on your behalf, it’s in the trunk. You can bring it directly when you come for dinner.” Damian was still so thoughtful, considering even the gift situation perfectly. Of course, when he spent millions on the venue and commissioned a limited edition diamond to create a unique wedding ring for Seraphina, it was clear how much he loved her. “Alright,” I said, rubbing my forehead and responding softly. Damian didn’t say anything more, but he didn’t hang up either. After a while, Damian finally spoke: “Elara, after five years abroad, I hope you’ve really reflected on things. If you do anything to Seraphina, I won’t let you off easy.” Hearing this, I was stunned. The noise around me seemed to fade away. Damian said he wouldn’t let me off easy. Before I could respond, Damian had already hung up. Actually, Damian could rest assured. I wouldn’t do anything to them. I just wanted to take good care of Uma and find a job. As I left the airport, I lowered my head. The proud 22-year-old me probably couldn’t have imagined that my life would end up in such a miserable state.

I was sent abroad by Damian on my 22nd birthday. That night, I got drunk for the first time in my life. When I was young, my parents died in a cruise ship accident and never returned. Damian naturally took over my care. My relationship with him had always been harmonious. Until I grew older and realized the feelings I had for him were no longer something a niece should have for her uncle. I liked him. But I also knew very clearly there was no future for us. So I kept my emotions locked deep in my heart. If I hadn’t gotten drunk that night, I probably could have kept pretending nothing was wrong. But I confessed. Everything I had hidden slipped out between slurred breaths. Damian heard it all. The usually gentlemanly and refined Damian wasn’t gentle anymore. He grabbed my arm, his voice shaking with anger. “How could you say something so disgusting? Don’t you know I’m your uncle! Blood relation or not—we are only family!” I wanted to explain it was the alcohol, that I would forget it all tomorrow. But at that moment, no explanation could fix anything. All I could do was bow my head and apologize again and again. Damian didn’t calm down. The next day, he resigned from the job I had lined up, and under the pretext of ‘studying abroad,’ sent me to a remote university overseas. He even hired bodyguards to monitor me, cutting off all contact with the outside world. At first, I didn’t understand why he treated me this way. Until a month later, news of Damian’s marriage went viral. Only then did I realize he had always loved someone else. I watched the wedding video repeatedly. When Damian looked at Seraphina, his gaze was gentle and full of love. He had never looked at me that way. From that moment on, I knew the years he kept me by his side were only out of responsibility and sympathy. His only love was Seraphina. “Miss John, please get in the car,” the assistant’s voice pulled me back to reality.

I nodded and got into the car with the sleeping Uma. When he saw Uma, the assistant’s face showed a hint of surprise: “Miss John, this is…?” I made a shushing gesture, afraid our conversation would disturb Uma’s sleep. After sitting in the back seat, I answered softly: “This is my daughter.” The assistant nodded and fell silent. When he drove to our destination, I was stunned. This hotel was where Damian and Seraphina got married. Five years of marriage, he held a wedding anniversary celebration every year, and personally selected gifts for Seraphina. I thought, Damian really cherished Seraphina. In previous years, he didn’t allow me to enter their world. Inviting me back this year was probably just to let me witness their happiness. I numbly got out of the car and saw Seraphina smiling as she walked towards me. Unlike my haggard appearance and simple clothes, Seraphina wore expensive jewelry and perfume, looking well-cared for by Damian. Seraphina’s smile suddenly froze. I knew she had seen Uma in my arms. Sure enough, when she came to my side, Seraphina’s expression was very surprised: “Elara, how did you secretly have a child abroad without telling me? I’ve been married to your uncle for so long, you still treat me like an outsider.” Before I could speak, Seraphina took Uma from my arms without asking. Uma woke up and immediately started crying, struggling not to let Seraphina hold her. I took Uma back from Seraphina and comforted her for a while. Actually, Seraphina knew about my past crush on Damian. Returning this time, I didn’t want to get too involved with Seraphina. But Seraphina still stubbornly wanted to hold Uma. When Seraphina and I arrived at the hotel’s private room, Uma was still crying and wanting me to hold her. Seraphina forced a smile and handed Uma back to me: “Your uncle knows having children isn’t easy. We haven’t thought about having kids these past few years. Seeing you’ve had a daughter, I got too excited.” There were already several people sitting in the room. I wasn’t used to socializing, so I chose a corner seat, and Seraphina sat down next to me. She enthusiastically linked arms with me, introducing me and Uma to the others. The looks others gave me were visibly teasing and probing. I couldn’t stand the strange atmosphere here and said I wanted to go to the restroom. When I came back after washing my face, I heard Seraphina’s voice. Someone asked Seraphina why she brought in an unlucky thing like me. “What unlucky thing, Elara is Damian’s sister. Although she went down the wrong path and tried to seduce Damian before, now that she’s had a child, she definitely won’t make mistakes again.” Hearing Seraphina say this, I just quietly stood at the door of the private room. Yes, in others’ eyes, I was just a madwoman who tried to seduce her uncle, a shameless slut. Uma tugged at my clothes uneasily, and I comforted her before entering the room. Some things have to be faced eventually. I don’t know how long passed, but suddenly everyone in the room stood up. “Mr. John is here!” “Hello, Mr. John!” A group of people crowded around him, while I didn’t move, just sitting in my seat. After a long time, I finally raised my head and looked at Damian. He seemed to have lost some weight. Damian wore a suit, with Seraphina leaning on him. When they looked at each other, their eyes were full of smiles. Damian was surrounded by people and didn’t notice me in the corner. All these years, he who should have been the center of attention still was, while the only one not doing well was me. Suddenly, Seraphina seemed to remember something and pushed Damian with a smile: “Damian, Elara is here too. You uncle and niece haven’t seen each other for so many years, catch up a bit. Elara even brought back a surprise!” Hearing the word “surprise”, Damian remained unmoved, first helping Seraphina sit down and ordering her a glass of milk before raising his eyes to look in my direction. Uma shrank into a ball, looking very wary. Damian obviously saw Uma too, his eyes widening suddenly. “Elara, what is this?” He was asking about Uma. I hadn’t told them about Uma, so when they saw me with her, their expressions were all the same – either surprised or looking like they were watching a show. Seraphina spoke for me: “Damian, this is Elara’s daughter. Isn’t she cute? She looks just like Elara and seems to be a few years old already.” Damian’s gaze fell on Uma, then on me, examining me for a while. Just when I thought Damian wouldn’t pay attention to me anymore, he asked hoarsely, pointing at Uma: “During these years abroad… you got married and had a child?” I raised my head, looking directly at Damian, and nodded. “I got married a while ago. Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

It was very quiet around, no one spoke. Damian stared at me, as if trying to judge whether my words were true or false. Seraphina seemed about to say something, but Damian had already come to stand in front of me: “Where’s your husband?” I pursed my lips: “He’s busy recently, so he didn’t come.” Whispers and snickers sounded around the room, though these guests seemed to restrain their laughter out of respect for Damian. Damian’s face was aJohn, but in the end he didn’t say anything, just sat down next to Seraphina. This meal, I ate without tasting anything. Everyone else was praising how well-matched Damian and Seraphina were, while I just wanted to take Uma to rest early. The rent here wasn’t too expensive, I could still afford it. I didn’t want to go abroad again. The meal ended quickly. I wanted to leave, but Damian stopped me, saying he had something to tell me. In the end, Damian and I stayed in the private room. Seraphina was there too. Damian looked at me coldly, his words as emotionless as his expression. “Elara, since we all have our own families now, I hope you won’t come to bother me in the future.” Seraphina covered the smile at the corner of her lips: “Damian, don’t say that to Elara. She’s a grown woman now, she knows what she shouldn’t do.” The couple sang in harmony, looking particularly in sync. And I was excluded from this synchronization. They never believed the promises I made. But I still nodded and bowed: “I won’t in the future.” They didn’t say anything, and I had already turned to leave with Uma in my arms. Damian called his assistant to send me off, but this time I refused. After returning to the rental apartment with Uma, she suddenly asked me quietly if the uncle and aunt today disliked her. They say children are perceptive and know everything. I shook my head: “They don’t dislike Uma.” They just dislike me. Uma looked like she had many questions she wanted to ask me, but in the end she didn’t, just hugged me and said, mom, you’ve worked hard. The tears I had held back all day seemed about to fall at this moment. But I couldn’t cry in front of Uma. So I tilted my head back, holding back the tears. After putting Uma to sleep, I suddenly received a text message. The sender was Seraphina. “Elara, if you have time, let’s talk.” I frowned and told her she could just text me directly. But Seraphina didn’t send any more messages. Just before bed, I received a call from Seraphina. “I’m downstairs at your place. I just want to ask you one thing.” “Do you have any thoughts of going abroad again recently? Damian and I actually both hope you’ll continue to stay abroad. And your husband is abroad too, right? It’s better for you to go abroad.” I was a bit confused at first, but after realizing, I found it a bit funny. The only thing that could make Seraphina contact me late at night was probably just this. They both hated me to this extent. They couldn’t even stand being in the same country as me. I glanced at Uma sleeping beside me. After going downstairs, I indeed saw Seraphina standing under a streetlight. Standing in front of her, I took a deep breath before looking directly into her eyes: “I don’t plan to go abroad.” Even if just for Uma’s sake, I won’t take her on such a tiring journey again. Seraphina laughed lightly. With no one else around, her gaze finally showed undisguised contempt. “Elara, I know you’re very short on money now. What if I could give you a sum of money, would you be willing to go abroad?”

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I arrived at my daughter Lily’s elementary school expecting a quiet Family Day—only to stop cold at the entrance. There stood my husband, Caleb. He wasn’t alone. He had a little boy resting easily on his hip… and his fingers were laced with Blaire’s, his “childhood friend.” The three of them looked like a perfect family. When Caleb spotted me and Lily, he froze—then slowly pulled his hand away, guilt flashing across his face. I smiled, lifted my chin, and said softly: “Relax, Caleb. I didn’t come to expose you—at least not today.” Blairequickly took her son from Caleb, looking a bit flustered. “Sierra, please don’t be upset. Caleb was just being nice. This kid has grown up without a dad, and today is his special day. Caleb was just helping him out.” I stared at her with a half-smile. “If that’s the case, now that Lily and I are here, shouldn’t you return Caleb to us? We’re the real family of three.” Blaire looked shocked, but her son wasn’t having it. “Dad, you promised to spend today with me and mom!” The five-year-old shot me a fierce glare. I raised an eyebrow. He’s already calling him dad? Before I could respond, Caleb stepped in front of the mom and son, adopting a protective stance. His tone was impatient. “Sierra, you’re a parent too. Shouldn’t you have some empathy? Blaire and I grew up together. I’m just spending one day with them! Do you really have to make a scene?” I laughed bitterly. Was Blaire’s situation my fault? Just then, other parents began arriving with their kids for Family Day. One of them came over to greet us. “Good morning, Leo’s mom and dad! You guys always come together. Not like my husband, who claims he’s too busy for our child.” Blaire awkwardly responded while panic flashed across Caleb’s face. I couldn’t help but confront him. “Caleb, is this what you call just one day?!” He got angry and embarrassed, grabbing my arm. “Sierra, there are a lot of people here. Don’t make a scene!” Then he lowered his voice, glancing at our daughter. “It won’t be good for Lily if this escalates, you know what I mean.” Lily, hearing her name, looked around confused. She didn’t understand what was happening. She just clung to my leg, her tiny hand now sweaty. Feeling her anxiety, I crouched down to pat her little ponytail, speaking softly. “Don’t worry about anything when mommy’s here.” I watched as Caleb walked away with Blaire and Leo. Soon, they were surrounded by a crowd. People were smiling and complimenting Caleb on his success, praising him for becoming a CEO at just over 30. He was full of himself, practically glowing with pride. Blaire looked up at him with admiration, clearly pleased to be seen with him. Leo, still in Caleb’s arms, turned back to me and made a mocking face. I couldn’t help but feel a cold laugh inside. Caleb was certainly getting cocky. Even though I had cut back on my time at the company due to pregnancy and childbirth, I still held 75% of Flying Group’s shares. I was the real boss. He was just riding my coattails, and out of consideration for our marriage, I gave him a manager title. I pulled out my phone and texted HR. “John, remove Caleb from the manager position. Announce it internally next Monday.” Then I messaged the legal team. “Luke, draft a divorce agreement between Caleb and me.” Oh Caleb, if you want to live off me, you better check if I allow it first.

Before long, the Family Day activities kicked off. Families took their seats at prepared tables. Lily looked at Caleb sitting in front of us and asked sadly. “Mommy, why isn’t daddy sitting with us?” I pinched her chubby cheek. She was too young for this drama. “Because mommy is a superhero. Daddy went to help other kids.” Just then, the elementary school teacher announced the first activity – building with blocks. She smiled and said, “The prize for first place is a LEGO spaceship.” Lily’s eyes lit up, and she pointed at the spaceship. “Mommy, I want it!” “Okay, let’s do our best!” As the sand timer ran low, Lily raised her hand and shouted excitedly. “Teacher, we’re done!” The teacher came over, ready to announce the winner when suddenly, a little boy from the front row dashed over. Leo. He knocked over the blocks we built and said arrogantly, “Now first place is mine!” Lily’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at the mess. Angry, she picked up a large block and threw it at Leo. Caleb rushed over, his first words being: “Lily, how could you hit someone?! Apologize to Leo right now.” Lily stood her ground. “No! He pushed over my blocks first! He’s the bad guy!” I firmly supported my daughter. “Caleb, anyone can see who started this. Leo should apologize to Lily!” Blaire joined in, tugging on Caleb’s arm. “Caleb, let’s just drop it. We shouldn’t hold this against the kids.” The elementary school teacher tried to smooth things over, but suddenly Lily burst into tears. “Daddy, why aren’t you protecting me? Why are you scolding me?” Her cry of “Daddy” stunned everyone. They glanced between me, Caleb, and Blaire. Caleb turned red, while Blaire looked like she wanted to say something but held back. At that moment, Leo put his hands on his hips and stood in front of Lily, snarling. “Who’s your daddy? Don’t call him that! This is my dad!” My daughter, frightened, started hiccupping. She cried out, her voice breaking. “Daddy, say something!” My heart ached. I glared fiercely at Caleb, my voice sharp. “Caleb, aren’t you going to explain? Are you just going to let us be misunderstood?” Caleb’s eyes widened. He picked up Leo. “What’s there to explain? Today, I’m Leo’s dad!” He even patted Leo’s head. Instantly, other parents began whispering and pointing at me and my daughter. “Why is that child calling someone dad out of nowhere?!” “I don’t think Lily’s family has ever attended Family Day before. This time only her mom came. Do you think she might be someone’s mistress?!” “I heard this Caleb is a big CEO, super rich. Maybe Lily’s mom is trying to seduce him and got caught by her own daughter.” While my daughter and I faced the gossip, Caleb stood by, comforting Leo. Blaire was off to the side, suppressing a smile as she glanced at me. I hugged my daughter, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and gently patted her back. I wanted to confront that scumbag and his mistress, but this wasn’t the right moment. I couldn’t let my daughter suffer more. Just then, someone trying to flatter Caleb said, “The young master looks just like Mr. Brown. They’re clearly father and son!” I looked up at Caleb. A flash of guilt crossed his face before he laughed it off, while Blaire looked absolutely thrilled. I had seen this mother and son before. How had I not noticed their resemblance? Meanwhile, Lily wouldn’t stop crying. I had to ask the teacher to take us to the rest area so I could calm my daughter down first. In the rest area, I comforted Lily until she gradually fell asleep. I needed to calm my daughter down first. In the lounge area, I comforted Lily until she finally fell asleep. Seeing her swollen eyelids from crying twisted my heart into knots. I quietly stepped out and moved to the hallway corner to call HR and Legal. “John, Luke, bring my marriage certificate and Caleb’s, plus the draft divorce agreement and the dismissal letter to Happy Baby elementary school right now. Hurry!” While I was going over details with them, I suddenly heard a scream. It was my daughter’s voice! My heart dropped instantly. At the end of the hallway, by the bathroom door, Lily was on the ground, sobbing. Leading the attack was Leo, his face twisted in anger: “This is for calling my dad your dad. I’m going to beat you up today!” With that, he kicked Lily in the stomach. Lily cried out in pain, trying to escape, but the boys behind him caught her. “Kids of mistresses deserve a beating!” “My mom said bastards like you should have never been born!” Lily waved her little hands in defense, crying so hard she could hardly breathe: “You’re lying! That’s my daddy! Daddy, Mommy, come save Lily!” “It hurts so much!” “Daddy, Mommy, where are you?!” Seeing this sent a roar through my mind. My blood boiled, and every vein felt ready to burst. When those boys noticed me, they exchanged glances, and seeing my fierce expression, they took off like scared animals. I scooped Lily into my arms, feeling her tremble. I quickly called for an ambulance. “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. Mommy’s here. Mommy’s here.” When the ambulance arrived, other parents watched, curious about what happened. I rushed toward the ambulance, holding my daughter tightly. As I passed, I saw Caleb smiling and playing with blocks alongside Leo, while Blaire wiped sweat from Caleb’s forehead. When he heard the chaos, he looked up, confused. As he started to come over and ask, “What’s going on? What happened to Lily?” Blaire grabbed his hand. “Caleb, you promised to spend the whole day with Leo today. He was so excited when I told him last night!” Caleb froze as I climbed into the ambulance with Lily. Lily was unconscious. The doctors quickly began examining her inside the ambulance. When a female doctor lifted Lily’s dress, her face twisted in shock: “How could anyone be so cruel to such a small child?!” I broke down in tears, panic overtaking me. My baby’s soft skin was marred with blue and purple bruises, including a fist-sized bruise on her side. Her body shook uncontrollably. The doctor’s voice turned urgent: “Quick, get her hooked up to the machines!” Two hours passed as we fought to save Lily. Those hours felt like an eternity. Regret and anger swirled inside me, growing stronger by the minute. My mother cried and scolded me: “How could you let this happen to your child? Look at what she’s been through!” Lily weakly opened her eyes in the hospital bed, IV drip attached. She looked at me, confused: “Mommy, why do they all say Lily is a child that Daddy doesn’t want?” “But Lily has a daddy!” “Why doesn’t Daddy protect Lily anymore?” I kissed her forehead gently and replied: “Mommy will protect Lily forever. You are Mommy’s most precious treasure.” “As for Daddy, we don’t want him anymore.” When I returned to the elementary school, the Family Day activities were wrapping up. Families were busy drawing pictures together. Caleb was coloring patiently, Leo snuggled against him, while Blaire looked pleased taking pictures of them. It was a perfect scene of family happiness. But why was my daughter lying in a hospital while the wrongdoers enjoyed their day?! I stormed over and without hesitation, slapped Blaire hard across the face. The force made her stagger back, hitting the corner of the table with a loud bang. Everyone froze in shock. Caleb shouted: “Sierra, what are you doing?!” He rushed to Blaire, concern in his eyes: “Blaire, are you okay?” Tears streamed down Blaire’s face as she shook her head, playing the victim: “Sierra, did you misunderstand? I’m sorry!” I laughed coldly: “A simple apology won’t cut it!” Just as I raised my hand to slap her again, Caleb stepped in to stop me. I redirected and slapped Caleb across the face instead, leaving a clear red mark. He paused for a second, then exploded in anger: “Sierra, have you lost it? You think I won’t fight back?!” At that moment, the elementary school teacher rushed over, trying to mediate, asking what was going on. I pointed at Leo, gritting my teeth: “This little brat took advantage of my absence and teamed up with others to beat my daughter!” As soon as I finished, Blaire piped up, panicked: “That’s impossible. Leo is a good boy! Caleb, you have to believe me!” I stepped closer: “Impossible? Then why do you think an ambulance just showed up?!” Once again, Caleb stood protectively in front of Blaire and Leo.

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On the night of our wedding anniversary, my husband left me alone in the hospital corridor while he rushed to comfort another woman. The moment I pulled out my own IV and walked into the rain, I knew there was no reason to stay. So I accepted an overseas offer, packed a single suitcase, and left without saying goodbye. And from that moment on, he began searching for someone who no longer existed—the version of me who still loved him. “Ms. Brown, our group welcomes your addition,” Sophia Garcia said joyfully after receiving my definite reply from across the ocean. “When do you plan to start?” I thought for a moment before answering, “I’ll be there in two weeks.” After hanging up, I noticed Caleb Johnson standing behind me with a frown. “Where are you going?” I glanced at him indifferently, “Abroad.” Caleb scoffed coldly, “Don’t be so dramatic, just because it was our fifth wedding anniversary yesterday and I took Blaire with me?” “Threatening to go abroad?” I didn’t explain further. He didn’t know I understood the French conversation between him and Blaire at the French restaurant, where he freely vented his dissatisfaction with me over the past five years, calling me an utterly stupid idiot. “Besides work, doing laundry and cooking, she and I have no common topics to discuss. When I talk about life’s joys, she just rambles about the company’s performance – she has no romance at all. Marrying her is no different than hiring a maid. I really regret marrying her back then.” Blaire laughed in agreement, jokingly asking, “If I hadn’t gone abroad back then, would you have chosen me instead, Caleb?” Caleb sincerely and firmly replied, “Definitely.” In the past, I would have made a scene. But this time, I was surprisingly calm. After finishing the last bite of steak with the waiter’s pitying gaze, I stood up to leave. “You two enjoy your chat. I’ll head home first.” Blaire pretended to stop me, “Sierra, Caleb and I were just discussing work. Don’t overthink it.” I ignored her and kept walking out, only to hear Caleb’s enraged voice, “Don’t mind her, she’s just neurotic!” The only person who caught up to me was the waiter from the restaurant. He looked at me, hesitating to speak, “Ma’am, I think there’s something I should tell you.” I smiled at him, “Thank you, but I understood everything.” I vaguely remember the kind waiter’s final pitying and mournful gaze towards me. It was quite tragic, so this marriage had to end.

After Caleb lectured me and saw I had little reaction, he lost steam and changed the subject. “Blaire plans to join our company. I’m going to have her replace your position. After all, she was a highly regarded studyabroad graduate, more capable than you. If you still want to work, you can be Blaire’s secretary and assist her. Otherwise, just be a full-time housewife at home.” He spoke while observing my expression. Originally planning to resign, I inwardly rejoiced at his words – a pillowcase was indeed offered while I pondered how to explain leaving. Without hesitation, I agreed, “Okay, I’ll resign and let her be the CEO.” Thinking I was speaking angrily in contradiction, Caleb casually reassured me, “Not letting you work is for your own good. How many women envy that lifestyle? I’ll take you on a trip soon to relax.” I shook my head to decline, “If you really cared, you’d accompany me to the orphanage to see the director this week.” Caleb agreed, “Okay, it’s been a while since I last saw the director too.” Caleb and I grew up in the same orphanage. Girls mature faster than boys, so whenever anyone bullied him, I would shield him. Back then, Caleb would blink his bright eyes at me and say, “When we grow up, I’ll protect you instead, Meimei. I’ll treat you well forever.” Unfortunately, forever is too long, and casual promises are too light – Caleb didn’t keep his word. In college, he changed. The dazzling city blinded him, and he fell for Blaire, the French department’s goddess. From the moment Caleb specifically chose French classes for her, I should have realized. But Blaire, with her eye-catching presence, didn’t take a liking to Caleb at first and instead went abroad with a rich heir. Until now, with Caleb’s success and fortune, my once brilliant rose has utterly wilted, highlighting Blaire’s noble beauty. 3 The next day, I went to the office to collect my things. Along the way, employees looked at me with various expressions. Some long-time close colleagues approached me quietly, “Sierra, the CEO brought this woman to your office early and had people move your things out right away. What’s going on?” I nodded to show I understood and patted her hand reassuringly. Entering the office, I saw my belongings had been cleared out, with my wedding photo with Caleb in the trash. Blaire gloated at me, “Sorry, Sierra. Caleb insisted I move in quickly, so people came to clean out first thing this morning.” She lowered her head, feigning surprise at the photo in the trash, “Oh, who carelessly tossed your wedding photo with Caleb?” She picked it up and handed it to me. I took it, removed the photo from the frame, and ripped it to shreds. “No need to pick up soiled things.” From behind came Caleb’s shocked cry, “Sierra, what are you doing? How could you tear up this photo!” He rushed over to gather the torn pieces, trying to reassemble it. But broken things can never fully return to their original state, just like the feelings between Caleb and me. I used to cherish that photo deeply. When we first married while Caleb’s business was just starting, we were poor after buying our wedding rings with no money left over. I told him, “We don’t have to take wedding photos. We can make it up later.” But Caleb said, “I don’t want you to feel shortchanged by marrying me.” To afford that set of portraits, he pulled all-nighters for ten days doing odd jobs. Thinking back, that photo set didn’t actually cost much, just over a thousand dollars – less than one of Caleb’s ties now. Yet it was that photo set that made me marry him regardless, despite knowing about his brief change of heart. But facts proved that once cracks appear, it’s best to let go early.

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Three months before our wedding, Kael suddenly announced online that he and my adopted sister Morwenna would be “living together for a while.” Photos showed her moving into his apartment, her suitcase neatly stacked beside his bed. The caption read: “Family should help each other.” Morwenna replied with a blushing emoji. My mom commented: “Good girl, take care of Kael for Echo. You two look like such a perfect pair.” I typed a single question mark. Kael immediately called. “Don’t overreact,” he snapped. “She needs a place to stay during her pregnancy. I’m just helping her. Once the baby’s born, I’ll come back to you.” Before I could speak, he added, annoyed, “Mom said we should get our marriage license after you give birth to a son anyway. So relax. We’ll have the wedding first. Morwenna staying with me is no big deal.” I gave a quiet “Mm.” Then I opened Instagram, deleted every trace of him, and posted: “I need a new groom. Who’s free?” Kael was the first to comment. [Echo Young, are you insane? You think this stunt will work on me? Stop embarrassing yourself—and stop making things difficult for Morwenna.] Morwenna chimed in immediately. [Sis, please don’t be upset. Kael is only helping my baby have a stable environment. After you and Kael get married, I can move out. My child can even call you mom.] My mom scolded me publicly. [Morwenna’s giving you a baby without you having to suffer through pregnancy. She’s doing you such a big favor—why can’t you appreciate her kindness?] Then came Kael’s friends. [Sister wives! You two can just take turns—Morwenna gets him Mon–Wed–Fri, you Tue–Thu–Sat!] Laughter filled the comments, all at my expense. I stared at the screen, tears hitting the phone one by one. They were the ones crossing the line. Yet somehow, I became the unreasonable one. Ridiculous. They didn’t deserve my tears. I wiped my face, opened the comments again— and one reply caught my eye. Griffin White: “Can I be your new groom?” Griffin and I grew up together. After college graduation, I stayed in the city while he chose to study abroad. We’d avoided each other since I started dating Kael in college. It had been years since we last spoke. As I pondered this, Griffin called me directly. “Echo, I’ve liked you for a long time.” “You know I’ve always hated your adopted sister, so I would never have anything to do with her. I don’t have a bunch of shady friends either. These past few years, I’ve been focused on my career and haven’t dated anyone.” As he spoke, I suddenly received a contract. When I opened it, I saw it was the transfer of rights to all his assets and shares. While I was still in shock, Griffin nervously said: “Echo, this is all the sincerity I have to offer. Will you give me a chance?” My nose stung with emotion. Suddenly, I remembered when we were kids. Our teacher rewarded us with two candies that Griffin loved. He was clearly craving them, but he didn’t eat a single one. He saved both for me. He had always given me his utmost sincerity. I choked up a bit as I said: “I will.” Love had always seemed so elusive. I tried to grasp it, only to end up hurt and scarred. I had thought… I had thought being alone would be fine. But my grandmother’s dying wish was to see me married, to know someone would take care of me after she was gone. Kael wasn’t worthy. But if the groom was Griffin, I think Grandma would be truly at ease. Griffin’s voice was full of joy. “Then I’ll wrap things up at work and come back to marry you within two weeks.” “Echo, you’ll wait for me and won’t change your mind, right?” His tone held a hint of pitiful pleading. It reminded me of when we were kids and I promised to be his bride when we grew up. I made a sound of agreement. Suddenly I felt the urge to cry. “Griffin, let’s pinky swear on it.” After hanging up, my mom pushed open my bedroom door. “Where’s that sapphire necklace your father left you before he died?” I remained silent, not answering. Mom frowned in displeasure. “What’s with that attitude? Your sister just thought it was pretty and wanted to borrow it for a few days. Hurry up and get it out, don’t be so stingy!” Morwenna hung on Mom’s arm, saying dejectedly: “It’s okay, Mom. Sis has never seen me as real family. If she doesn’t want to lend it, I won’t force her.” “She wouldn’t dare refuse! That necklace belonged to my husband, your father. I’m making the decision to give it to you today.” Mom hugged Morwenna and glared sternly at me. “If you don’t hand it over, don’t blame me for having people search your room.” I stared at her blankly, my smile more painful than crying. The once gentle and loving mother in my memories. Had ultimately transformed into this harsh, scolding face in reality. But I was about to leave this place forever anyway. I no longer had the heart to argue pointlessly with her. Silently, I took the sapphire necklace out of its velvet box and handed it to her. Mom smiled with satisfaction. “That’s more like it. Morwenna is your sister, so you as the older one should let her have the nice things.” After Mom left, Morwenna put on the necklace right in front of me. “Sis, don’t blame Mom for favoring me. To be honest, this necklace looks better on me anyway.” “Just like how Kael is more suitable as my boyfriend.” “What belongs to me, others can never have.” Seeing Morwenna’s smug expression, I didn’t say a word. People like her – the more you engage, the more they push it. I picked up my purse and walked past her down the stairs, ignoring her completely. “Ah! Sis, why did you push me…” Morwenna suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I had shoved her as she stumbled towards the stairs. I may despise her, but I instinctively reached out to grab her. After all, falling down over 20 steps was no joke. “Echo Young, you vicious woman!” Kael violently smacked away my hand that was steadying Morwenna’s arm. My hand slammed into the railing with a loud “THUD.” The pain instantly brought cold sweat to my brow. “Kael, thank goodness you came in time, or else I…” Morwenna hid in Kael’s arms, her face streaked with tears and fear. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Kael stroked Morwenna’s head, comforting her softly. “I won’t let anyone bully you.” I looked at my own hand, already bruising and swollen from the impact. Then I looked at Morwenna, who had only gotten a little scare but was being held tight and fussed over by Kael. Suddenly it all felt so ironic. The boy who once showered me with love and promised to treat me well forever. The man who was supposed to marry me in just three months. How could he have changed his heart so suddenly? After soothing Morwenna, Kael glared at me darkly. “I know you’ve been unhappy about me marrying her and having a baby behind your back. You can take it out on me if you want, since I didn’t tell you beforehand.” “But you can’t hurt Morwenna. Her health is fragile, she’s pitiful enough as it is.” “All she wanted was a chance to be a mother. What’s wrong with that? Why should she bear the brunt of your anger?” He pointed at me angrily. “You have to apologize to Morwenna today!” I struggled to control my trembling body. Through gritted teeth I asked: “Then what did I do wrong?” “What exactly did I do wrong?” Kael stared at my reddened eyes, taken aback for a moment. “Never mind, Kael. Even though I almost fell to my death…” “I don’t blame Sis, and I don’t need her to apologize.” “You two are still getting married in the future. I don’t want you to fight because of me.” Morwenna cried pitifully. Kael sighed, looking at her with tender affection. “Morwenna, sometimes your kindness breaks my heart.” He turned to me with cold eyes. “At the end of the day, you’re just jealous of Morwenna. You can’t stand to see her doing better than you.” “I’ll let it slide this time since Morwenna spoke up for you. But if you dare hurt her again, I won’t go easy on you.” He picked Morwenna up in his arms. Before leaving, he looked at me with disappointment and said: “You don’t measure up to your sister at all.” Only I remained in the silent living room. I stared blankly at the withered leaves drifting outside the window. Finally unable to hold back, I crouched down and sobbed into my hands. One last time… This was the last time I would cry over Kael. That afternoon, Kael posted on Instagram. It was a 9-photo collage. The photos showed different corners of a house. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was carefully chosen by me. I just want to give my baby a warm and comfortable home.” Many people offered congratulations in the comments. “Congrats to Mr. Brown on becoming a father so soon!” “So you and Echo are having a shotgun wedding! Congratulations!” “The bride is so lucky to have such a good husband in Kael. So envious!” “I wouldn’t miss your wedding in three months for a billion-dollar deal.” Just as the comment section was buzzing with well-wishes, Morwenna suddenly chimed in: “Please don’t misunderstand, everyone. This isn’t Kael’s marital home, it’s my house.” The comments section instantly fell into awkward silence. I was the first to break it, posting: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” With that, I couldn’t be bothered to see what else they might say. I directly deleted Kael and Morwenna from my friends list. Within minutes, Kael called me. “Echo Young, have you had enough of this tantrum?” I calmly replied: “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” Kael fumed. “That comment you left on my Instagram was clearly trying to smear dirt on Morwenna.” “Do you have to paint her as the other woman to be satisfied?” “If you keep slandering her, we can just call off the wedding!” I listened to his cold, heartless accusations, my heart as still as dead water, unmoved. “Kael Brown, what makes you think I’d still want someone’s sloppy seconds?” I hung up the phone. Perhaps the words “sloppy seconds” stung him. He called me countless times after that. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he bombarded me with messages. I ignored them all. In ten days I would be marrying Griffin. These people would all become part of my past. I had hoped to spend the remaining days coexisting peacefully with them, but I never expected Morwenna to knock over my father’s urn. The ashes scattered on the floor. Not only did she show no remorse, she even let her pet cat urinate on them. Then she looked at me with glee. “Sis, look! The ashes can even be used as kitty litter for my cat!” In that moment, the grief and rage I had been suppressing exploded. I snatched up the baseball bat by the door and swung it viciously at Morwenna. She took one hit and ran away screaming, her face pale. “Echo Young! You’ve really gone too far! How dare you hit your sister!” Mom’s appearance made Morwenna feel like she’d found a savior. She hid behind Mom, trembling. Sobbing, she said: “Mom, I’m scared. Sis tried to kill me!” Mom shielded Morwenna like a mother hen protecting her chick. She berated me harshly: “I’ve let your bullying of your sister slide before, treating it as harmless squabbling. But this time you’ve gone too far.” She was my mother, yet she always stood against me, defending an adopted daughter with no blood relation to her. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than this. I stared at Mom through tear-filled eyes. “She knocked over Dad’s urn!” “That was Dad! My Dad! Why? Why!” Why did they have to destroy the last memento Dad left me, even though I had already been so tolerant? Why didn’t my own mother love me? Morwenna quickly knelt down to explain. “Mom, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry Mom… If Sis won’t forgive me, then I’d rather die!” Morwenna cried heartbrokenly. “Morwenna, don’t you dare-” SLAP! Before I could finish, Mom’s hand struck my face. “Enough!” “It’s just ashes! The person is already dead, are ashes more important than the living?” “If you bully Morwenna again, you can get out of this house.” That slap knocked away the last shred of attachment I had for her. This was for the best. I could leave without any lingering sentiments. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth without sparing another glance at Mom, who stood there stunned. Then I turned and went upstairs. Since Mom thought I was an eyesore, and Morwenna had taken over my room, Rather than stay in this house that no longer had a place for me, I might as well move out. I packed a few clothes quickly. I didn’t take anything else – not the things Mom had given me, nor the expensive gifts from Kael. I didn’t even bring the photos I’d taken with them before. I burned them all. I wasn’t one to dwell on the past. Since I was leaving, I would leave cleanly. As I dragged my suitcase downstairs, Mom was applying medicine to Morwenna’s bruises. She glanced at me coldly. “Just because I scolded you a bit, you’re running away from home? How petty.” “Fine, go stay somewhere else. It’ll give this house some peace and quiet.” “Come back on your wedding day with Kael!” I said nothing, taking one last look at Mom. I wouldn’t tell her I had changed my groom. Nor would I tell her my wedding was in just ten days. Because she was no longer someone I could be close to. And I didn’t want her, or Morwenna and Kael, to show up and ruin my wedding. I called a car on my phone. While waiting, Kael pulled up in his car. “Echo Young, what are you doing with that suitcase?” “Moving out.” Kael frowned. “What for? I already gave that house to Morwenna. Don’t make trouble for her for no reason.” “I’m looking for a new place. Wait until I find one, then you can move.” I said nothing, walking past his car expressionlessly. Kael abruptly grabbed my arm. “Echo, do you have to make things so unpleasant between us? Can’t we be happy like before?” “You cheated on me with my adopted sister, yet you have the gall to hope we can be happy together? Where do you get the nerve?” “Why do you keep harping on about that? I’ve explained it to you countless times. Why are you still being so petty about it? Can’t you be more understanding like Morwenna?” Seeing him blame all the wrongdoing on me, criticizing and belittling me with such a self-righteous look on his face, I witnessed the epitome of shamelessness incarnate. “Since you find Morwenna so understanding, why don’t you just marry her then.” Kael didn’t believe a word I said. After all, everyone knew how much I loved him. They all thought I would never let him go. They certainly wouldn’t believe I would choose to leave when the wedding was so close. Including Kael himself. So he said dismissively: “Fine, you said it yourself. Don’t come crying back to me later when you regret it.” “Kael, you came to see me?” Morwenna’s voice interrupted our conversation as she came out. “Aunt said you had a scare earlier. What happened?” Morwenna pretended to be afraid, glancing at me before nestling into Kael’s arms. “Sis went crazy today, chasing after me with a baseball bat…” Kael’s brows furrowed. He was about to scold me when Morwenna tugged on his sleeve. “Kael, don’t yell at Sis. I don’t blame her anymore. It’s my fault, really. If Mom hadn’t adopted me, I wouldn’t be here bothering her.” “How could it be your fault? She’s the one who’s petty and can’t tolerate others. She’s the one in the wrong.” Kael put his hand on Morwenna’s shoulder in an intimate gesture. “Echo Young, I can overlook you hitting someone this time for Morwenna’s sake. But you must kneel down and apologize to her.” Their shameless act made me laugh in anger. “Apologize to her? Keep dreaming!” My ride had just arrived. I slammed the car door and left without a backward glance. Living in a hotel for the next few days, away from those toxic people and situations, I felt very at ease. But then Mom sent me a text message. “Echo, it’s my birthday today. Come home for a bit. I wasn’t going to let you come, but Morwenna begged me to invite you. Remember to thank her when you see her.” Of course I hadn’t forgotten her birthday. But I would no longer be like before, starting preparations a week in advance to organize the venue and gifts, determined to give her a pleasant birthday celebration. Of course, I wouldn’t be going back either. That place was no longer my home, and she was no longer my mother. Around noon, I was enjoying a nice meal. Probably because she hadn’t seen me show up, Mom impatiently sent another text: “Why aren’t you here yet? Even Kael has arrived. What kind of daughter are you, not showing up for your mother’s birthday?” “I’m not blaming you for not preparing a birthday party for me this year. Are you still upset about that slap?” “Can’t you learn to be kind and forgiving like Morwenna?” I read it with a cold laugh. What kind of birth mother would say such things? It was ruining my appetite. I promptly blocked her number. My phone had barely been quiet for a moment when Kael called. “Where are you? Stop being difficult and hurry over. Otherwise people will think your mom and Morwenna did something to make you skip your own mother’s birthday party.” I replied flatly: “We’ve broken up. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go.” He caught my implied meaning and laughed. “Come on! That thing with your adopted sister was just a joke! How could you take it seriously? You’re the only one I like.” “Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter to me anymore.” “Echo Young, who do you think you are?” Kael snatched the phone from his friend and spoke coldly. “Break up if you want. You’ll be the one regretting it.” I listened expressionlessly, about to hang up. Suddenly his tone softened. “Echo, how can you be so heartless? Leaving just like that, breaking up just like that…” If this had happened before, I definitely would have softened when he spoke to me gently like this. No matter how badly he treated me, I would have easily forgiven him. But now, I was revoking that privilege. So I hung up the phone indifferently and deleted the contact information for all his friends. From now on, we would go our separate ways, never to meet again. Griffin, Sophie and I chatted for a while longer outside the bar. Sophie wanted to take a cab home by herself. She said she didn’t want to be a third wheel. But she had been drinking, and it was so late. How could I let her go alone? So we drove her home first. After she left, only Griffin and I remained in the car. The enclosed space and ambiguous atmosphere Made the temperature rise steadily. My head, already fuzzy from drinking, felt even dizzier. He inched closer to me bit by bit. I bit my lip shyly, not knowing what to do.

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When I died, I watched my husband kneel beside my hospital bed—not out of grief for me, but whispering another woman’s name. Only then did I understand: I was never the one he loved. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my teenage years. This time, before I could say a word, he brushed past me with a cold glance and went straight to the girl he had always chosen. I let him go. I didn’t chase. From that moment on, our fates unraveled into two separate lines. Ten years later, we met again at a luxury charity auction in Ocean City. He arrived in a tailored suit, confidence radiating off him— and she stood by his side like a crown he had finally earned. When he saw me step into the hall by accident, he paused, then said quietly, almost impatiently: “Don’t cling to the past. Even if you wait another decade, I still won’t choose you.” I didn’t respond. I simply walked across the room and picked up my son, who was happily chewing on a macaron. The moment he saw the child’s face, his expression shattered. His hand shot out, gripping mine tremulously. “Why are you doing this?” he demanded, voice hoarse. “Didn’t you say you’d love me for a lifetime?”

I never imagined I would encounter Silas again in this lifetime. At the elite gathering in Ocean City, he stood among the crowd with Daphne, exuding charm and sophistication, showing no trace of his former youthful awkwardness. People around him were all smiles, speaking in flattering tones. “Young Master Silas is truly promising, securing a major project at such a young age!” “Is this your beloved? You both make such a striking couple.” Daphne gazed at Silas with deep affection and said softly. “We’re planning to get married by the end of the year. If you have the time, we’d love for you to join us.” There was another round of congratulations, and someone asked. “I heard you’ve been together for ten years. Why wait until now to get married?” This was something I was curious about too. In the previous life, Silas loved Daphne so much he was willing to die for her. After being given a second chance, he immediately broke up with me. I assumed they would marry right after graduation, but they haven’t even registered yet. Upon hearing this, Silas’s face momentarily stiffened, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “You need a career before family. I want to give Daphne the best life possible.” He looked at Daphne, his eyes filled with tenderness nearly overflowing. In the past, when we were together, I asked him many times when we could get married. It wasn’t until his family pressured him that Silas reluctantly agreed to be with me. It turns out, the difference between love and lack of it can be so obvious. I was about to turn and leave when I noticed a small figure and instinctively followed. “Oops!” Champagne spilled everywhere, and the waiter holding a tray looked at me with discontent. “Where did you come from? Are you blind?” His voice was loud, drawing attention from those around us. Seeing my face, Silas was stunned. “Serena, why are you here?” I lowered my head to apologize to the waiter and explained. “I’m here looking for someone.” Someone curiously asked Silas. “Do you know her, Young Master Silas?” Silas tightened his grip on his wine glass, his gaze darkening. “Yeah, just an ex-girlfriend.” Someone nearby blurted out, “You’ve been together for ten years; I thought you were each other’s first love.” The smile on Daphne’s face faded slightly as she held Silas’s hand and said nonchalantly. “We were young back then, separated for a bit during a fight. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn in their youth?” Silas said nothing, his gaze brushing past me to the waiter. “Charge the damage to my account and let her go.” He stood there, expression calm, not sparing me an extra glance aside from the initial encounter. It seemed he was eager to draw a clear line between us in front of Daphne. The waiter quickly ushered me out. “Young Master Silas is being kind, cleaning up your mess, but there won’t be a next time.” He glanced disdainfully at my wrinkled pajamas. “This isn’t a place for you. Hurry up and leave.” I broke free from his grip and explained politely. “I’m here to find someone. Once I do, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter sneered, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty like you trying to climb up. Do you even have the qualifications to be here? If you keep lingering, I’ll call security!” “Wait.” Silas’s voice came from behind him. He sighed as he looked at me, helplessly. “She’s here to find me. Let me talk to her.” Daphne, standing beside him, asserted her dominance by wrapping her arms around his shoulder. “Serena, Silas and I are about to get married. Anyone with a bit of self-respect wouldn’t come looking for an ex at this point.” Silas’s face darkened slightly, and he couldn’t help but advise me. “Stop holding onto the past. Even if you wait for me for another ten years, I won’t love you.” “When I was with you, it was a mistake. Now that I have the chance to correct it, I hope you can let go of the past soon.” Daphne looked me up and down, a mocking glint in her eyes. “I understand why you would seek out Silas. After all, he’s a renowned entrepreneur now, and there’s no shortage of people trying to cozy up to him.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, Daphne added arrogantly. “You’re a prestigious university graduate, yet you’ve ended up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t even show my face!” Silas frowned, pulling out his phone, his tone growing impatient. “If you feel like you were wronged by our breakup, I can compensate you now.” “Is five hundred thousand enough?” His fingers moved over the screen, then suddenly froze. “You deleted me from your contacts?”

I was puzzled, not understanding why he reacted so strongly. Isn’t it normal to delete an ex’s contact after a breakup? Besides, I have someone at home who’s particularly jealous. If he knew I still had my ex’s contact, he’d probably make a fuss. “Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after our breakup?” Silas’s face turned cold, as if he wanted to say something but held back. I spoke calmly, adding. “I don’t need the breakup compensation.” After facing setback after setback, Silas’s face darkened further, and he spoke coldly. “What are you pretending for? If it weren’t for your current misfortune, I wouldn’t even bother talking to you.” Daphne quickly soothed him with a gentle voice. “Well, she is a prestigious university graduate. Given her current miserable state, let’s just consider helping her.” “Oh Daphne, you’re still so kind. Why bother with a woman like her? Look at her pathetic state, just get lost.” His tone was disdainful, as if forgetting that ten years ago, he was in a worse state than I was. In the previous life, Silas’s family didn’t agree with their son being with Daphne because she was a dubious woman who liked shortcuts. The first time I saw Silas in college, he had just picked Daphne up from a club, forced by his family to break up. During Silas’s most depressed times, I stayed by his side, helping him through. He loved photography, so I used the money I planned to start a business to buy him expensive equipment. Through freezing winters and scorching summers, I, with my frail frame, carried dozens of pounds of gear following him, just hoping to see him smile sincerely. Who would’ve thought it was Silas who confessed to me first? I knew about his past with Daphne and had seen him occasionally stare at their photos in a daze. So when Silas confessed, I seriously asked him. Have you truly moved on from Daphne? At that time, he held me tightly, his tone firm. “Actually, I never loved her. I just saw her as a good friend. It’s you I love, Serena; let’s be together.” We dated for seven years, even his friends were surprised. “He liked Daphne so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last.” But no one knew, Silas repeatedly refused to answer my prompts about marriage. “Serena, I’m against marriage. Can’t we just be like this forever?” Until later, when Silas’s parents pressured him about marriage, he agreed to marry. During our honeymoon, after hearing about Daphne’s car accident, he jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a note. The moment I slipped into critical condition, he rushed into the hospital room— not because of me, but because he had just heard that she was gone. Standing at my bedside, he didn’t even look at my pale face. His trembling hand clutched the edge of my blanket as he whispered, “Daphne… Daphne… why did you leave me…” Not my name. Not once. His voice broke, overflowing with grief that had nothing to do with me. And as I lay there, fading in and out of consciousness, the last of my love for him quietly burned out, turning to ash in my chest. So, after being given a second chance, when Silas wanted to break up, I didn’t stop him. Because I knew, I couldn’t stop it. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Silas’s contact information, thinking there’d be no chance to meet again in this life. But I didn’t expect to encounter them here. I wanted to leave, but Daphne wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “Do you even deserve to speak to me? Look at how you’re dressed, it’s embarrassing!” “Here’s the deal, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people, you can earn a five-figure salary a month.” Someone trying to curry favor with her added with a grin. “This is a hotel in the prime location of Ocean City. Working here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded by people, I couldn’t leave, so I replied helplessly. “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “As a photographer.” I wanted to leave, but Daphne was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone. “Do you think you’re even worthy of talking to me? Look at what you’re wearing—it’s such an embarrassment!” “Here’s an idea: I can get you a job here as a waiter. If you learn to serve people, you could earn a five-figure salary.” Someone nearby, eager to curry favor with her, chimed in with a smile. “This hotel is in a prime Ocean City location. Working here is a rare opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded and unable to move, I reluctantly replied, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “Photography.” As soon as I mentioned photography, Silas glanced at me with a complex expression, his lips twitching slightly. He averted his gaze, his tone indifferent. “How much can you really earn from photography? Hobbies don’t pay the bills. Since we’re all acquaintances, I can set you up with a job.” I was taken aback, then realized he misunderstood me.

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Matteus Blackwood hated me to the core, convinced I was the hit-and-run driver who killed his mother five years ago. He personally sent me to prison, ruining my reputation and my life. After my release, he dragged me back to his mansion, making me the lowest servant, tormenting me day and night. He tore up my sketches, a cruel sneer twisting his lips. “Do murderers even deserve to dream?” he mocked. It wasn’t until my blood stained the floor, until I was clinging to life, that he finally realized— The one who truly killed his mother and escaped justice was the woman he had cherished above all else. Later, he abandoned everything, kneeling outside my door, weeping and begging God to give me back. But I simply leaned weakly against my treating doctor, and whispered to him: “Matteus, I… don’t… for… give.” I once believed Matteus and I would go from high school sweethearts to walking down the aisle. Until three years ago, when his mother died in a car crash, and I became the cold-blooded bystander in his eyes, the one who saw death and fled. Three years of wrongful imprisonment. I spent over a thousand days and nights in that dark place. On the day of my release, the sky hung dull and gray like a dirty rag. I dragged my left leg, severely deformed from an old break maliciously inflicted in prison and left untreated. Every step felt like treading on broken glass, the grinding sound of misaligned bones something only I could hear. My only possession was a thin release paper, its edges softened by sweat. I shivered, cold rain mixing with the coppery tang of pus and blood, soaking my threadbare clothes. A black Maybach, like a phantom, glided to a silent stop before me. The window descended, revealing Matteus’s face, sculpted and cold. Three years hadn’t diminished his arrogance one bit. Instead, they’d added a crushing weight to his presence, making him impossible to look at directly. His gaze, when it landed on me, was laced with venomous hatred, devoid of any past warmth. “Get in.” His voice was devoid of warmth, an unquestionable command. I instinctively recoiled, the sharp pain from my injured leg almost sending me sprawling. “Scarlett,” A cruel curve formed on his lips as he flashed his phone screen – my father, withered and unconscious in a nursing home. “Or would you prefer him to be tossed onto the street to feed the stray dogs tomorrow, for unpaid bills?” My blood ran cold instantly. I could almost hear my heart cracking as it turned to ice. My father was my only weakness. Three years ago, the shock of my imprisonment had left him paralyzed by a stroke. I knew I had no choice. Gritting my teeth, I mustered every ounce of strength, dragging my ruined leg, practically crawling into the car. A small, damp patch of mud stained the luxurious leather seat. He recoiled in disgust, tossing a clean silk handkerchief at me. “Clean it up,” He didn’t even look at me, his gaze fixed on the rain-swept road ahead. “Don’t use your filthy, murderer’s hands to defile my car.” My hands trembled as I took the handkerchief, not to wipe myself, but to meticulously clean the spot where I had sat and the small stain on the floor. My utter subservience seemed to amuse him. He let out a soft, contemptuous scoff. “Scarlett, look at you now. Three years inside, and you haven’t learned a thing. Except how to be utterly pathetic.” I didn’t respond, only bowed my head lower. My stomach churned. Memories of the foul-smelling prison food and the beatings surged back. The car pulled up to the opulent villa I once called “home.” Mrs. Gable, the housemaid, glanced at me, a flicker of surprise in her eyes quickly replaced by silent pity. “Put her in the downstairs staff room, the one converted from the storage closet,” Matteus commanded casually as he shed his coat, as if disposing of trash. “From now on, she’s a servant here. She’ll do the dirtiest, hardest work.” He paused, then added, his voice like ice splintering in my heart: “Scarlett, remember your place. You live only to atone for your sins against my mother, through your suffering.” “Yes, Mr. Blackwood,” Mrs. Gable mumbled. I stood there, head bowed, clutching the release paper so tightly that its edges left white crescent marks on my palm. In the cold, lavish hall, I watched his retreating back as he ascended the stairs. My heart felt instantly frozen, then shattered into dust by a heavy hammer. Matteus, is this truly the ending our love story deserved?

My “servant” life began. Every day, I woke before dawn, dragging my injured leg to clean the vast garden, Scrub the cold floors, and wash mountains of dishes. With every bend, every exertion, excruciating pain shot through my left leg, often leaving me drenched in cold sweat and on the verge of collapsing. My ankle was swollen and shiny, the skin an ominous purplish-blue. The other staff members looked at me with scorn and mockery. “That’s her, the one who killed Mrs. Blackwood. Mr. Blackwood is kind to even let her live.” “Look at her, a cripple. Serves her right.” “She used to think she was the lady of the house. Now she’s beneath even us.” Their whispers, like tiny needles, pricked at me constantly. But I could only remain silent. Here, I had no right to defend myself, no right to resist. Matteus seemed to completely forget my existence, until the evening of the third day. I was struggling to clean the stove in the kitchen when Veronica’s soft, sugary voice floated from behind me. “Honey, I’m craving a coffee, the kind only you can make.” My body stiffened, but I didn’t turn around. “Okay.” Matteus’s deep voice responded. He walked into the kitchen, saw me busy, and his tone instantly turned glacial. “What are you doing here? Get out.” I lowered my head, put down the rag, and prepared to leave. “Wait,” Veronica called out. She walked over to me, a sweet, innocent smile playing on her lips. “Scarlett, long time no see. I heard you were out of prison, and now… a servant here?” She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on my limping leg for a moment, a flash of triumph in her eyes. “Let bygones be bygones,” she said magnanimously, though every word was a barb. “Even though you copied my designs and almost ruined my career, Matteus and I won’t hold it against you. Just focus on your work here.” My nails dug deeply into my palms, reopening old wounds. The sticky, metallic scent of blood mixed with dish soap filled my nostrils. Forget about it? She was the one who stole my sketches, published them first, then had the audacity to accuse *me* of plagiarism! She was the one who fabricated evidence at the crash site, framing me and sending me to prison! I looked up at Matteus, a faint, lingering hope in my eyes. But he only stared back at me, cold and impatient. “She spoke to you. Did you not hear her?” In that moment, the last tiny spark of hope flickered, then died, leaving behind only a pile of cold, dead ashes. “I heard, Miss Hayes.” I lowered my head again, my voice numb. Veronica smiled contentedly, linking her arm intimately with Matteus’s. “Let’s go make coffee. I’m a little tired.” Matteus immediately embraced her, his voice tender in a way I had never heard before. “Of course, you go to the lounge and rest. I’ll be right there.” They walked away together, leaving me alone in the cold kitchen, feeling like a fool. That night, my leg pain was so severe that my movements were slow, and I didn’t finish clearing the trash on time. When Matteus found out, he flew into a rage. “You can’t even do this one small task? Scarlett, did you spend three years in prison just learning how to be lazy?” He ordered the piled-up kitchen waste to be dumped at the entrance of my staff room, then said coldly: “If it’s not cleaned up tonight, you won’t sleep!” That night, dragging my agonizing leg, I toiled in front of the putrid garbage until dawn. The stench of decay in the air made me retch, as if I were back in the endless, unbearable nights of prison. Tears, cold sweat, and pus-laced blood streamed down my face, but I dared not even cry aloud. Matteus, what is your heart made of?

Just as I was about to be swallowed by this boundless darkness, a sliver of light pierced through. That day, I was pruning flowers in the garden when a sudden, tearing pain shot through my left leg. Unable to stand, I collapsed heavily to the ground, the garden shears flying far away. “Are you alright?” A gentle male voice spoke above me. I looked up. Silhouetted against the light, I saw a young man in doctor’s scrubs, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He had a clean-cut and refined aura, and his eyes held concern as he crouched down to look at me. “I… I’m fine.” I tried to get up on my own but failed again due to the pain in my leg. “Don’t move. Your leg is severely injured.” He pressed my arm, his voice firm. “I’m the new family doctor, Dr. Nolan Reid. Let me take a look.” His fingers were warm and dry as he gently pressed my left leg, examining the injury. “It’s an old fracture of the tibia and fibula, severely dislocated, and there are signs of infection. You need immediate surgery, or you could lose the leg, and it might even lead to sepsis.” He spoke gravely, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion and pity. “Why hasn’t this been treated?” Why? I lowered my head bitterly. Because the person who holds my life in their hands simply doesn’t care if I live or die. Dr. Nolan didn’t ask further. He helped me to a nearby bench and skillfully treated the scrapes on my knee from the fall. His movements were gentle, imbued with professional focus and kindness. “Thank you.” I murmured, the long-forgotten kindness making my eyes prickle with tears. He looked at me, his gaze complex. “I’ll inform Mr. Blackwood about your condition.” “No! Don’t!” I instinctively grabbed his sleeve, my eyes wide with terror. “Please, Dr. Nolan, don’t tell him! I’m fine, really!” Dr. Nolan observed my frantic reaction, then sighed after a moment of silence. “Alright. But I have some anti-inflammatory and pain medication here. Take them as prescribed. If the pain is severe at night, you can ice it.” He handed me a small packet of medicine, carefully writing down the dosage and instructions. Just then, a voice, cold as ice shards, cut through the air behind us. “What are you doing?” Matteus stood not far away, his face terrifyingly dark. His gaze, like a knife, flickered between Dr. Nolan and me. It finally settled on my freshly bandaged knee and the small packet of pills in my hand. As if burned, I yanked my hand back, and the pills scattered across the ground. Dr. Nolan stood up, his expression composed. “Mr. Blackwood, this young woman’s leg injury is very serious and requires immediate—” “Dr. Nolan,” Matteus cut him off, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. “Your job is to look after Veronica. As for anyone else who doesn’t matter, don’t waste your concern.” He emphasized the word “doesn’t matter.” He strode over to me, looking down arrogantly, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt and fury. “Scarlett, I truly underestimated you. It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already mastered playing the victim to lure men? Hmm?” He lifted his foot and viciously ground the white pills scattered on the ground. The powder mixed with the dirt, as if crushing the last sliver of hope that had just bloomed within me. “It seems the work here is too easy, leaving you with time for such filthy schemes!” “No, Mr. Blackwood, we were just…” I endured the intense pain and fear, attempting to explain. “Shut up!” He roared, grabbing me roughly. “If your leg is fine, then go pick up all the fallen leaves in the backyard by hand! If you don’t finish, you won’t eat tonight!” My injured leg couldn’t withstand his harsh tug. A sharp pain flared, and I nearly fell again, but he dragged me forcibly towards the backyard. Dr. Nolan tried to intervene: “Mr. Blackwood, her leg can’t be treated this way—” “Dr. Nolan!” Matteus turned, his eyes cold as steel. “Remember your place. Meddle again, and you’re out!” Dr. Nolan froze, watching as Matteus dragged me away like a sack of garbage, his eyes filled with powerless rage. The backyard was covered in thick layers of fallen leaves, reflecting my desolate heart under the gloomy sky. I knelt on the cold, damp ground, picking up leaves one by one. The pain in my left leg surged in waves. The freshly bandaged wound on my knee began to bleed again, staining the withered leaves red. Tears fell silently into the mud. The tiny spark of light Dr. Nolan had brought was utterly, completely crushed by Matteus.

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A video of my boyfriend slow dancing with his secretary at a private charity gala went viral overnight. Not a normal dance—the kind where his hand rested on her waist like it belonged there. The secretary even posted a public confession: “I’ve waited years for the man I love to choose me. Tonight… he finally did.” The comments section exploded: “I’m dying—this chemistry is insane!” “They look like they’ve been secretly in love forever!” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I simply locked my phone and went to find him. That’s when I overheard him talking to a friend behind the stairwell. “What was I supposed to do? Her family’s pushing her into an arranged marriage. If I don’t step in, she’ll be miserable.” “And Aria? You’ve been dating her for years.” “She won’t leave. Seven years is too long for her to walk away now.” Fast forward to our wedding day. Yes—our wedding day. On the same morning he was marrying his secretary, I was slipping into my own wedding dress for someone else. Our wedding cars passed on the road. As tradition, the brides exchanged bouquets through the open windows. The moment he saw my face behind the veil— saw me in white— his expression collapsed completely.

“Mom, I’ve decided to go through with the arranged marriage.” In the dimly lit living room, my voice sounded distant and numb, like it didn’t even belong to me. Hearing my sudden change of heart, my mom was stunned. “You weren’t willing before. Why the sudden change? Aria, marriage isn’t a joke. It doesn’t matter whether it’s arranged or not—what matters is that you’re happy. You need to think this through. Don’t rush into it.” Her words made my chest tighten, and for a moment, my eyes stung with tears. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start planning the wedding.” Mom must’ve sensed how I felt because she paused for a second before softly reassuring me: “You’ve been with Austin for so long, and he still won’t go public with your relationship. He hasn’t even agreed to meet us. Your dad and I have known for a while that things wouldn’t last between you two.” Her words felt like a knife twisting in my chest. It turns out that everyone on the outside could see the truth so clearly. The only fool here was me. “The Ford boy is someone your dad and I carefully picked for you years ago. We made sure he’s a good match. Not only is he from a solid family, but he’s also a man of great character. Aria, you deserve the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Mom. I trust you and Dad’s judgment.” Mom continued, “Do you want us to arrange a meeting with him in the next few days?” “There’s no need. Just go ahead and plan the wedding.” After I hung up the phone, I realized Austin had appeared behind me at some point, holding a small cake. He looked confused. “A wedding? Who’s getting married?” I am. I’m the one who’s getting married. I answered him silently in my heart, but the words never left my lips. Instead, I kept my expression calm and shook my head. “No one. Just a friend.” As soon as I said that, I noticed the tension in his shoulders ease. His face relaxed noticeably, and it made my heart ache all over again. Was he nervous because he thought I was going to pressure him into marrying me? Or was it because he thought I’d found out about him and Aria, his perfect secretary, and assumed they were the ones getting married? “I brought you your favorite cake from that bakery you love. Want to eat it now?” he asked. There was a time when Austin would bring me little treats after work—snacks and desserts he thought I’d enjoy. Even if I didn’t always like them, the thoughtfulness of it made me feel like I was floating in a sugary dream. I felt cherished, loved, remembered. But now, as I stared at the cake in his hands, all I felt was bitter irony. Not long ago, I’d stumbled across Aria’s newly public social media posts. I couldn’t bring myself to scroll far because just a few entries in, the truth hit me like a slap in the face. This cake wasn’t for me. It was Aria’s favorite. Not just this cake—those nuts, those snacks, all the little treats he used to bring me? They were all her favorites too. And the worst part? I realized that his habit of bringing me food only started after Aria joined his company. So, Austin… when you handed me those treats, who were you really thinking of? Was it me, Aria, or was it Aria? Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said flatly, “I don’t like sweets anymore. They’re too much. Don’t buy them for me again.” Austin blinked, clearly surprised by my reaction. “What? That’s not true. You’ve never had a problem eating them before.” We’ve been together for years, and yet, if he really cared about me, how could he not know my preferences by now? Sometimes, you repeat yourself so many times that you grow tired. And eventually, you stop correcting them altogether. I didn’t argue. I simply shrugged and said, “My taste has changed recently.”

For days, Austin had been so busy that he didn’t even remember my birthday. Not that it mattered anymore—it wasn’t like I cared. But then, as if the thought suddenly struck him, he tried to make it up to me by buying tickets to my favorite Broadway musical. It was a wildly popular show, nearly impossible to get tickets for. I hadn’t been able to snag one myself, so when Austin said he had two tickets and invited me, I agreed. On the day of the show, I waited for him. And waited. But instead of Austin, I saw a post from Aria on Instagram, flaunting two tickets to the very same musical. Her caption read: “Bored, so I decided to catch a show. It’s the best feeling to have someone who’s always there for you, no matter what. ” The photo didn’t show their faces, but I recognized the hand in the picture immediately. That scar—it was unmistakable. It was Austin’s, from the time he got hurt saving me years ago. Suddenly, I felt like a complete fool. While I stood outside in the rain, worried something had happened to him, Austin was inside, sitting in VIP seats with his secretary. Ice-cold raindrops pelted my face, soaking through my clothes. The chill worked its way into my bones, but my heart felt even colder than my body. My phone buzzed with a message from my mom. She told me the wedding was set for two weeks from now. If I thought it was too rushed, we could push it back. I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me, and replied, “No need. Let’s keep it as planned.” The heavy rain had brought the city to a standstill. Traffic was a mess, and I couldn’t get a cab no matter how long I waited. Finally, Austin called me. His voice was casual, like nothing was wrong. “Why aren’t you at home?” I kept my tone calm, completely devoid of emotion. “I’m at the Broadway Theater.” There was a pause, as though he’d just remembered something. Then he said, “I’m sorry. Something came up this afternoon, and I couldn’t make it. Stay where you are—I’ll come get you.” I didn’t argue, but I knew he wouldn’t show up. And I was right. A moment later, Aria updated her Instagram again: “He didn’t want me catching a cold in the rain, so he made ginger tea just for me. A man who cooks is the most attractive. �� Can’t wait to marry him!” The photo showed Austin’s back as he stood at the stove, cooking. I stared at the post for a second, then calmly exited the app. The rain left me with a fever and a nasty cold. I used it as an excuse to move out of the master bedroom, claiming I didn’t want to infect Austin. I moved into the guest room instead. For once, he actually stayed home from work to take care of me. But I couldn’t stand it. “It’s just a cold,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I’m an adult. I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.” He frowned and looked at me for a long moment. “You used to want me around the most when you were sick. What’s with the sudden change?” I lowered my head, hiding all the emotions in my eyes, and forced a small smile. “I was immature back then. I’m not like that anymore.” Austin’s brows furrowed with concern. “Aria, are you okay?” “I’m fine. Go on, really.” He didn’t seem convinced, but after staring at me for a while, he finally sighed. “Alright. Call me if you need anything.” As soon as he left, I let out a long breath and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I found another message from my mom. This time, it was the finalized wedding plans. She’d also sent me photos of over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to pick one. I scrolled through the pictures absentmindedly, enlarging them to get a better look. I was so absorbed in the task that I didn’t even notice Austin walk in until he snatched my phone out of my hand and tossed it aside. “What are you doing looking at wedding dresses?” he demanded, his face dark with irritation. For a moment, I thought he’d figured it out—that I was planning my own wedding. I was just about to come clean when his next words stopped me cold. “Aria, is this your way of pressuring me to marry you? I told you I’d marry you eventually. You don’t have to resort to tricks like this—it’s pathetic.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, I’m not—” Before I could finish, Austin waved me off, cutting me short. “I’m busy. I’ll be going now. A word of advice—stop pulling these stunts to wear down what’s left of my feelings for you.” The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the house in complete silence. For a long time, I stood there, unmoving, and then let out a bitter laugh. Austin, how much of your so-called feelings for me are even left? What’s there to wear down anymore? In the past, a misunderstanding like this would have left me devastated, unable to eat or sleep. But now, I quickly pulled myself together. I went back to reviewing the wedding details my mom had sent over. Before closing my messages, I instinctively clicked on the notification dot in my social media app. That’s when I saw it—a rare update from Austin. “When someone this amazing comes into your life, you marry them and keep them close.” The photo was a solo shot of Aria, along with an image of their wedding invitation. Within minutes, one of our mutual friends commented: “Bro, so you’ve already swapped out the bride? That was fast.” Not long after, Austin’s post disappeared. But it reappeared almost immediately on Aria’s Instagram feed instead. Then my phone rang. If this had been the past, I would’ve immediately screenshot the post, called him up, and demanded answers. No argument would have ended without a screaming match. But this time, I let the call ring out. And then ring again. I didn’t answer, not even once. What surprised me the most was that I didn’t feel particularly upset by what I’d just seen. Maybe I’d grown numb. My first thought wasn’t anger or heartbreak—it was mild amusement at the coincidence. Their wedding was scheduled for the same day as mine. When Austin finally came home that night, I was already in bed, pretending to sleep. He tiptoed into the room and stopped by my bedside. “Aria? Are you awake? I tried calling you—why didn’t you answer?” I kept my back to him, my voice muffled and indifferent. “I must’ve fallen asleep. Didn’t hear it.” He sighed in relief and leaned down, reaching out to feel my forehead. “Is your fever gone?” But as he got closer, the cloying scent of women’s perfume—sweet and heavy—hit me like a punch. My stomach churned, and I had to fight the urge to gag. Without thinking, I shifted away from him, dodging his hand. He froze, his hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air. “Aria,” he asked cautiously, “Did you see something?” I buried myself deeper into the blankets, muffling my voice. “No. I’m just not feeling well. I want to sleep.” I slept through the night and woke up feeling lighter, like a weight had been lifted. With a clear head, I started packing up my things, systematically erasing every trace of myself from this house. That’s when I realized how many little “couple’s” items I’d bought over the years. At first, Austin would use them with me. But at some point, without me noticing, he’d stopped. Most of those things had been shoved into some corner, collecting dust. I packed them all into a box and dumped it in the trash. Then I found something else—an old scrapbook. It was filled with photos of our trips together, postcards we’d collected, train tickets from when we were long-distance, and letters he’d written to me. The entire scrapbook was a record of our years together. But after Aria came into the picture, the pages had stopped being filled. There were no more photos, no new memories to add. By the time Austin came home, I was tossing the scrapbook into the fireplace. He rushed in like a madman, pulling the burning book out of the flames with his bare hands. Ignoring the burns on his fingers, he turned to me, furious. “Are you insane? Do you have any idea how important this scrapbook is to us? Why would you burn it!?” Austin rarely ever raised his voice at me. This was the first time he’d spoken to me like this. His anger looked genuine, but so was the fact that he was planning to marry someone else behind my back. I didn’t want to argue with him, so I casually replied, “The scrapbook had gotten moldy and infested with bugs. Don’t worry—I’ve backed up all the photos and mementos. I’ll make a new one eventually.” Hearing this, his anger finally subsided. Later, as I applied ointment to his burn, Austin stared at me with an intensity I couldn’t quite place. “Aria,” he said suddenly, “You’ve seemed off lately. Is work stressing you out? I’ve booked you a personalized vacation package. Take some time off to relax.”

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