Category: English

On our anniversary, my husband, Colonel Elias Vance, lied to me—“urgent mission,” he said. I tracked his car. It wasn’t heading to base, but to the city’s top OB-GYN clinic. I hacked the clinic’s cameras. There he was, holding a pregnant woman, eyes full of tenderness he never gave me. “Elias, have you picked a name for the baby?” she whispered, hand on her belly. “Hope. For our love,” he said. A cold dread hit me. Then I called Military CommandI put the call on speaker and said, “Colonel Elias Vance has deserted. I suspect he’s leaking classified info.” One sentence. It froze General Thompson on the phone and Elias on the screen. On my phone, General Thompson’s voice turned to ice. “Cassandra, Say again?” On the monitor, Elias’s phone rang too. His face twisted at the caller ID. He hung up frantically and immediately tried calling me. I didn’t answer. Instead, I spoke into my phone, each word measured and clear. “Reporting, General Thompson, Elias Vance left home today claiming an urgent mission, but he’s at the city’s OB-GYN clinic. His movements are suspicious, and he’s refusing to answer secure military calls. I suspect him of desertion.” My voice was low, yet it hit like a bombshell. Five seconds of dead air followed. “Cassandra Vance,” General Thompson finally said, his tone sharp and decisive. “Hold your position, secure the area, and stay safe. We are en route.” I hung up and silently watched the monitor. On screen, Elias was in a full-blown panic. He abandoned the woman, Willow Jenkins, frantically dialing my number as he rushed towards the clinic’s entrance. Willow cried out pitifully behind him, “Elias, where are you going? Our baby…” He didn’t even glance back. The tenderness and patience in his eyes had vanished, replaced by sheer terror and volatile rage. But it was too late. Less than ten minutes later, several dark green military SUVs roared to a halt, completely blocking all exits of the clinic. Heavily armed soldiers leaped from the vehicles, their movements swift and their presence intimidating. They stormed into the lobby, pinpointing their target. “Colonel Elias Vance, you’re coming with us!” The black muzzles didn’t waver. Elias raised his hands, his face turning to ash. Two soldiers forced his arms behind his back, clamped on the cuffs, and marched him out. As he passed through the main entrance, he saw me. I stood just outside the glass doors, watching him with cold indifference. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, as if seeing a ghost. “Cassandra!” The roar was pure, twisted fury. “You’re insane! What have you done?! This is a setup!” I answered with a cold sneer. Yes, I know it’s a setup. You didn’t desert. You were just with your mistress, naming your bastard child, while I planned our anniversary. You were just betraying me while I was pregnant. But why should I ever explain for you? When you lied to me and disgraced that uniform, why didn’t you see this coming? The soldiers didn’t give him a chance to protest further. They roughly shoved him into a vehicle. The woman, Willow Jenkins, was also taken away under “protective custody.” She was trembling uncontrollably. As she passed me, she suddenly lunged like a madwoman. “It’s you! You ruined Elias! You bitch!” Two female soldiers quickly intercepted her. I looked at her tear-streaked face and her slightly swollen belly. “Hope,” I whispered, just two words. Willow’s face instantly went white. “Commemorating your love, right?” I smiled, a smile that brought tears to my eyes. “What a beautiful name!” The surrounding commotion faded into irrelevance. The world before me turned to grayscale. Elias Vance, the game has begun. You destroyed my love; I will destroy everything you hold dear.

I was taken back to the military base, not as a spouse, but as a “key informant.” The one who debriefed me was General Thompson, a man nearing fifty with a naturally authoritative presence. “Mrs. Vance, relax. Walk me through everything you observed today.” I held the mug, my hands steady. “Today was my and Elias’s third wedding anniversary. This morning, he said his unit had an urgent mission and rushed out. I immediately felt something was off.” “What felt off?” General Thompson pressed. “He wasn’t in uniform, and he was driving his private car. Also, as he left, I saw a crumpled piece of paper fall from his pocket. It was an appointment slip from the local OB-GYN clinic.” I pulled a crumpled slip of paper from my pocket. Of course, this slip wasn’t his. I’d found it in the trash can in his study. He thought he’d disposed of it cleanly. But he didn’t know that from the day my sense of smell became unusually acute after I got pregnant, I’d noticed a perfume scent on him that wasn’t mine. From that day on, I ceased to be myself and became a hunter. General Thompson took the slip, his expression growing grimmer. “Why did you suspect him of desertion?” This was the core of it all. I let my gaze drop, injecting a carefully measured tremor into my voice. “His behavior has been erratic. Taking encrypted calls late at night, using a separate laptop in his study. When I asked, he said it was for classified intelligence.” “I know the rules. I shouldn’t ask what I’m not supposed to. But today… he lied about a mission to take another woman to her OB-GYN appointment.” “General, if he would lie to the service, what wouldn’t he do?” It was a masterful blend of truth and lies. He did have another laptop, but he used it to play games with his mistress. He did take calls in the middle of the night, but those were his mistress calling to complain about pregnancy sickness. I’d seen all of this clearly through the surveillance cameras at home. But I couldn’t say that. General Thompson’s brows furrowed. “Do you know that woman?” “No,” I shook my head. “But I accessed the clinic’s system. Her name is Willow Jenkins.” “You hacked their system?” General Thompson seemed surprised. “Cybersecurity was my major.” I replied, my tone even. This was my ace in the hole. Not only could I hack into the clinic’s system, but I could also recover all deleted files and chat logs from his “gaming laptop.” General Thompson fell silent. A Special Forces Major, acting clandestinely, deceiving the service, and having a close relationship with an unknown woman. And his wife, a cybersecurity expert, reported him herself. Every element was startling. “Mrs. Vance, the information you’ve provided is highly critical. We will launch an immediate investigation. In the meantime, for your safety, you’ll need to stay at the military guest house.” “I understand. I have only one request.” “I want a divorce.” My tone held no hesitation. “Regardless of the investigation’s outcome, this marriage is over.” General Thompson looked at me, his eyes complex. “Alright, the service will support your reasonable request.” Stepping out of the office, the sun was shining brightly. But I only felt cold. My phone vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number. “Cassandra, you bitch! If you dare to ruin Elias, my mom won’t let you get away with it!” It was Elias’s sister, Sierra Vance. I deleted the text with a blank expression and blocked the number. This was only the beginning. Immediately after, a call came in. It was my mother-in-law. As soon as I answered, a barrage of curses erupted. “Cassandra! What’s wrong with you?! What has Elias ever done to you to deserve this?! You jinx, I should never have agreed to your marriage!” I listened quietly. When she finally ran out of breath, I spoke calmly. “Mom, don’t rush to curse me. You should be more concerned about your unborn grandchild.” The other end of the line went completely silent. “You… what do you mean?” “Colonel Vance was at the clinic with his mistress for her prenatal checkup. The baby’s already three months along. Oh, and they’ve even picked out a name: Hope.” “To commemorate their love.” With every word, I could imagine the blood draining from my proud mother-in-law’s face on the other end of the phone. “You’re lying! Impossible! My son isn’t that kind of man!” she shrieked. “You’ll find out soon enough.” I hung up, letting out a long sigh. The knot of resentment in my chest seemed to loosen a little. Elias, you thought your family was your backing? Soon, they’ll become yet another straw to break your back. 3. I settled into the military guest house. Though called a guest house, its security level was high, with sentries guarding the entrance twenty-four hours a day. I understood. This was both protection and surveillance. Until Elias Vance’s suspicions were cleared, I, as the “primary informant,” couldn’t move freely either. This suited me perfectly. I needed an absolutely safe and quiet environment to prepare my next move. The investigation team came to see me the next day. This time, in addition to General Thompson, there were two sharp-looking middle-aged men I didn’t recognize, dressed in plain clothes. They were from internal security, specifically responsible for internal reviews. “Mrs. Vance, we’ve reviewed the clinic surveillance and conducted preliminary interrogations of Colonel Vance and Willow Jenkins. Colonel Vance insists it was merely a personal conduct issue, and he felt guilty, which is why he panicked.” One of the men spoke, his tone even, but his eyes, like a hawk’s, bore into me. “Willow Jenkins also claims she and Colonel Vance had merely a simple romantic relationship and that she knew nothing about his work.” “Really?” I raised an eyebrow slightly. “A ‘simple romantic relationship’?” I took a USB drive from my bag and placed it on the table. “This contains all the data I recovered from Colonel Vance’s ‘gaming laptop’.” “Including his chat logs with Willow from when they first met until now, every payment he made to her, and even… records of his irregular actions, like using his position to apply for ‘temporary military dependent housing’ for her.” The faces of the three men at the table instantly changed. General Thompson’s expression was one of shock and anger. The two men from internal security showed unconcealed gravity. A personal conduct issue was entirely different from using one’s authority to gain undue benefits for a lover. The former was personal moral decay; the latter was a severe disciplinary violation, a stain on the uniform! “In the chat logs, Willow repeatedly complained to Elias that she didn’t feel safe living alone, and she envied me living on the military base.” I stated calmly, as if narrating someone else’s story. “To placate her, Elias promised her a ‘special talent dependent’ housing slot, claiming she could soon move into a community near the base.” My eyes locked on the General. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but that community is exclusively for families of personnel with exceptional service records?” General Thompson’s lips were tightly pursed, and he remained silent, but a vein pulsed visibly on his forehead. The internal security officers immediately collected the drive. “We will verify this immediately.” After they left, only General Thompson and I remained in the office. “Mrs. Vance…” he sighed, his voice full of weariness. “You… you’ve been through a lot.” I shook my head. “Compared to what I’ve endured, I’m more concerned about the honor of the uniform he wore.” I spoke these words with genuine sincerity. I married Elias not only because I loved him, but also because I admired him. I admired him as a steadfast soldier, a hero defending our nation. But now, he had personally shattered all my reverence. “The service will not tolerate any misconduct and will never wrong a good person,” General Thompson assured me. I nodded and rose to leave. Just as I reached the door, I paused, as if something had suddenly occurred to me, and turned back. My face held a hint of hesitation and uncertainty. “General, there’s something… I’m not sure if I should say it.” “Speak your mind.” “That woman, Willow Jenkins. When I checked her information, I found she has a brother named Brandon Jenkins.” “This Brandon… he appears to have an overseas background. He’s not a local. And the chat logs show Willow telling Elias that her brother was persistently curious about his job. He wasn’t just asking; he was probing for operational details such as training methods, equipment specs.” I chose my words carefully, making myself appear like an ordinary person who had inadvertently stumbled upon a clue but was afraid of saying the wrong thing. “At the time, I thought it might just be family curiosity, and I didn’t pay much attention. But thinking about it now, it feels a bit off.” “I’m afraid… I’m afraid Elias might have been exploited by this woman…” My voice grew softer and softer, finally trailing off with a hint of a sob. This sob was half feigned, half genuine. For my dead love, and for my husband, whom I was about to personally push into the abyss. General Thompson shot up from his chair. The last trace of warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by an unprecedented vigilance and sharpness. “Name and nationality of the brother. Now!” The shift in the room was instantaneous and absolute. This was no longer about misconduct. It wasn’t even about gross abuse of authority. This was now a potential national security breach. A grim smile touched my lips. Checkmate, Elias.

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Someone drugged Michael with a sex drug that night. We ended up in bed, bodies overheating and out of control. Right when I was about to climax, I saw Serena—the woman he actually loved—standing in the doorway, tears running down her face. Three days later, they dragged a woman in a wedding dress out of the river. Serena. Pregnant with Michael’s first child. And he still married me. On our wedding night, he looked me dead in the eyes and sneered, “Happy now?” For the next thirty years, he never touched me again. And before I died, he told me, “I wish I never met you.” Then I opened my eyes—back on the night he was drugged. This time, I gripped my collar tight… and shoved Serena straight into his room. “Stella, help me…”The plea was a hot breath against my ear. Michael’s burning palm locked around my waist, slamming me against the door.. “Stella…” His voice was ragged, his teeth grazing my earlobe. In my past life, this was my fatal mistake. Michael was my parents’ adopted son. He’d doted on me, loved me, since we were children. Seeing the man who had once cherished me above all else now writhing in agony, my mind had gone blank. My fingers had moved to my buttons. Then, I met Serena’s tear-filled eyes in the doorway. Three days later, she was dead, taking two lives with her. Michael’s hatred for me ran bone-deep from that day on. I shoved Michael away. He staggered back, stunned. “Michael, I’ll get you some water.” I pushed the door open. Serena was standing right there, just outside the door. In my past life, I was utterly clueless, believing she was some sweet, innocent girl. If she was truly innocent, how could her timing be so perfect? “You’re just in time.” “What do you mean?” A flicker of panic, quickly hidden, darted in Serena’s eyes. I had no patience for her games. I grabbed her arm and pushed her into the room. “Your precious Serena is here. You two figure it out.” I slammed the door shut. The next second, the door was kicked open from the inside! Michael hadn’t touched her. Instead, he whirled and smashed his fist into the wall mirror. Glass shards sliced his arm, blood welling instantly. He was using pain to claw back his sanity. His bloodshot eyes locked on me, burning with a raw, tearing hatred. “Stella Caldwell, you’re vicious!” He snarled. “Serena is pregnant with my child.” “Did you shove her in here hoping to hurt them both?” How could he possibly know? In my previous life, he clearly didn’t know at this point! The world tilted. My blood ran cold. An absurd and terrifying thought exploded in my mind. He was reborn, too?

“Stella Caldwell!” Michael growled, his voice gritted. “How did I never see how malicious you were?” Michael loomed over me. “I’m marrying Serena in a month. From now on, you will remember your place.” “My place?” I looked up at him. “My sister.” His words were cold and final. “We may not share blood, but you call me Michael. That makes you my sister, and that is all you will ever be.” He paused, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. “And stop with the drugs.” A sudden, sharp laugh escaped me. So he’d always believed I was the one who drugged him. No wonder he hated me for thirty years in my past life. From the very beginning, he had cast me as the vicious woman who would sink to any depth to have him. “Okay.” I nodded, calmly. “I wish you both all the best.” A hint of surprise flashed in Michael’s eyes, as if he hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. But he didn’t know that my parents had left me a safeguard. Michael, if you truly marry anyone else, you’ll lose everything. The ones who loved me most were always Mom and Dad. For now, I’d patiently wait for their wedding. Michael made me personally attend to Serena’s every need, all in the name of “atonement.” “Stella, from today on, you’ll cook for Serena, do her laundry, and take care of everything.” Michael stood in the living room, looking down at me. “Until you’ve truly repented and purged the malice from your heart.” I didn’t resist, just nodded calmly. “Okay.” Michael seemed a little surprised by my compliance, but quickly regained his cold demeanor. Serena sat on the sofa, stroking her still shapeless belly, giving me a gentle smile. “Stella, I’m afraid I’ll be quite a burden these next few days.” Sure enough, she was really looking for trouble for me. She had morning sickness. She insisted I stand beside her with a basin, watching her bend over and dry heave. Vomit splattered on my hand, with a pungent, sour smell. She slumped against the sofa, a peculiar light gleaming in her eyes. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Stella. I’ve made you dirty.” I cleaned the filth from my hands, my heart completely calm. She’d complain her feet were swollen when she walked. I would kneel and massage them, each session lasting over an hour, until my own hands went numb. I endured it all. And eventually, she seemed to find it boring. She didn’t just make things difficult for me when Michael wasn’t around, but she also slandered me when he was. When I handed her the prenatal vitamins, she suddenly stumbled. No, it was a “fake fall.” The scalding liquid splashed all over my hands, instantly causing blisters. The searing pain made my hand tremble, the glass vial fell to the ground, scattering fragments. “Serena!” Michael rushed over like a madman, scooping up Serena, who’d supposedly just “twisted her ankle,” and bellowed at me: “You can’t even stand to see her happy?! You’re trying to hurt her even when she’s just walking carefully?!” I looked at my own hands, burned bright red, blisters rising layer after layer. But Michael didn’t even glance at me. “Michael,” Serena leaned weakly in his arms. “Don’t blame Stella. It was just my own clumsiness.” “Don’t you dare defend her!” Michael seethed. “She did that on purpose!” The pain was excruciating, but I just watched them, my heart a barren landscape of indifference. I already knew this would be the outcome. “Michael,” Serena whispered, her gaze drifting to my neck. “Is that… a ruby? I heard red isn’t good luck for a pregnant woman. It might… clash with the baby’s energy.” “Take that thing off your neck,” his voice was devoid of warmth. That was what Michael gave me for my 16th birthday. My most precious possession. Before I could speak, he reached out and grabbed the chain. The thin silver chain dug into my skin, a stinging pain. Snap! The chain broke. He didn’t even glance at it, casually tossing it into the burning fireplace nearby. The flames instantly swallowed the ruby pendant. It turns out everything I once cherished, in his eyes, was no different from trash. How ironic.

“You’re coming with us to the bridal shop later,” Michael commanded, his arm around Serena at the top of the stairs. On the way to the bridal shop, Serena suddenly clutched her stomach and complained she was hungry. “I’m craving those amazing grilled cheese sandwiches from that old deli on the other side of town,” she said, hooking her arm coquettishly around Michael’s. “But we have to go try on dresses…” Michael immediately understood her meaning and turned to me. “You go get them.” Serena smiled sweetly. “Stella, I’d love them fresh and hot, straight off the grill. Would you mind?” I frowned, looking at the pouring rain outside the car window. Michael looked at me coldly. “What, you don’t even want to do this little thing?” I shook my head, and Michael shoved me out of the car. It was hard to hail a taxi in a heavy rain. I waited in the downpour for half an hour before finally getting one. By the time I reached the deli, I was completely soaked. “I’m sorry, we just ran out of grilled cheese. We’re making a new batch, but it’ll be about an hour,” the staff member said apologetically. But I waited anyway. I didn’t want to get into a pointless argument over this again. An hour later, I was rushing back through the rain with the piping hot takeout container. The rain was even heavier now. Even though I used my jacket to shield the container, rainwater still seeped in. My lips were purple with cold, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. By the time I stumbled back to the bridal shop, Michael and Serena were waiting for me in the lounge area. Seeing my condition, Michael frowned. “What took you so long?” “It’s raining. Traffic was bad,” I explained simply, my hands trembling as I handed the takeout container to Serena. Serena’s foot subtly extended, tripping me. The container flew from my grasp. The hot contents of the sandwich, along with the melted cheese, splattered all over the wedding dress next to Serena. “Ah!” Serena shrieked. “My wedding dress!” The pure white lace was stained a mess. “Stella Caldwell!” Michael roared, kicking the takeout container, sending the remaining hot cheese and sauce splashing all over my legs. The scalding liquid burned my skin through my wet pants. I gasped in pain. “You did that on purpose!” Michael pointed at me, his eyes blazing with fury. “You just can’t stand to see us happy!” “I’m not!” “Are you still trying to argue?!” Michael’s gaze cut into me like a knife. “Get down on your knees!” “What?” “Kneel! Kneel until Serena is no longer upset!” Other customers in the bridal boutique stopped to gawk, their whispers reaching my ears. “What’s going on?” “That poor girl…” I stood there, drenched, the focus of everyone’s stares. In my past life, I would have found it unbearable with shame. But now, I just felt tired. So, so tired. I slowly knelt down. The cold floor instantly made my knees numb. “Michael,”Serena said softly, “It’s okay, Stella didn’t do it on purpose.” “No.” Michael said coldly. “She needs to know what she did wrong.” I knelt there, looking at the shattered pieces of the takeout container on the floor. The rain was still falling. Just like many years ago, that rainy night when I had a high fever and Michael sat by my bed all night. Back then, he would anxiously touch my forehead, tell me stories to coax me to sleep, and gently pat my back when I woke up in the middle of the night. “Don’t be scared, Stella. Michael’s here. I’ll always protect you.” But now, he felt disgusted even looking at me. The rain grew heavier. I knelt on the cold ground, feeling my body temperature slowly draining away. I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt dizzy and my vision blurred.

I lay in the hospital for three days, battling a fever. I nearly died. Michael never came. Not even a text or a call. I closed my eyes. Although I no longer held any hope, my heart still ached a little. Today was Michael’s wedding. I forced my weak body to appear at the Caldwell estate. When Michael saw me, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. “You should be recovering in the hospital.” “I don’t want to miss your big day, Michael,” I said calmly. Serena walked down from upstairs. When she saw me, a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes. “Stella, are you not well yet? Your face looks very bad.” “I’m fine,” I replied without a ripple of emotion. “That’s good.” She walked up to me and said in a low voice. “Oh, by the way, Michael mentioned you’d be helping to host today. He thought it would be more practical if you wore a staff uniform.” She pointed to the black uniform on the sofa. I looked at the ill-fitting staff uniform and suddenly smiled. So they didn’t even want to leave me the last shred of dignity. “Okay.” I picked up the uniform and changed into it right in front of them. Michael looked at me, with a complex emotion in his eyes, like reluctance, and also like relief. But quickly, he shifted his gaze. The banquet hall was full of guests. I stood in the corner in a staff uniform, enduring everyone’s pointing and whispering. “Isn’t that Stella Caldwell? Why is she dressed like that?” “Honestly, what a disgrace.” I listened to their comments with a blank expression, my heart completely calm. The emcee began to host the wedding. “Now, please welcome the bride and groom to exchange rings.” I watched Michael and Serena on stage. They smiled so sweetly, as if there was only each other in the world. The emcee announced with a smile, “I declare, you are officially husband and wife! The groom may now kiss the bride!” Just as Michael leaned in to kiss her, the banquet hall doors swung open. A middle-aged man in a suit walked in, holding a document. “Excuse me for the interruption, everyone.” He walked to the stage, his voice clearly reaching everyone in the banquet hall. “I’m Mr. Hayes, senior legal partner for Caldwell Industries. The late Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell entrusted me with their final wishes.” The entire hall fell silent. Michael frowned. “What is it?” Mr. Hayes unfolded the document. “A supplementary clause specifies that Michael Caldwell will forfeit his entire inheritance upon marrying any woman other than Stella Caldwell.” “What?!” Michael couldn’t believe it. “Effective immediately, all shares and assets of Caldwell Industries will be transferred to Ms. Stella Caldwell.” Mr. Hayes continued, his voice flat and final. “Mr. Michael Caldwell, you have been disinherited.”

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After my chemotherapy, my husband Daniel took me to a party. There, his childhood friend pointed at my bald head and sneered, “You look disgusting. Doesn’t he find you repulsive?” I waited for my husband’s defense. It never came. “Look at you,” he said, his voice dripping with disgust. “You’re an embarrassment.” Even my own son, Leo, screamed, “Ugly hag! Get out!” I had just finished chemotherapy. My hair was gone. I never imagined my husband and son would treat me with such contempt. But he forgot how he’d begged me to marry him on his knees. I filed for divorce. And adopted the son of his greatest rival. “You’re sure about this? You know who his father is.” “It’s fine. Daniel won’t care.” The director’s expression shifted from doubt to pure delight. Since she hadn’t seen Daniel with me recently, she asked no further questions. “Alright, I’ll process the paperwork immediately. You can expect him within days.” I walked out of the orphanage into a heavy downpour. The throbbing pain from my abdomen, a lingering reminder of the surgery, tried to pull me under, but I clung to consciousness, making my way back home. The living room was ablaze with light when I opened the door.  Daniel sat on the sofa, eyes closed, seemingly resting. At the sound of my entrance, his eyes opened and locked with mine. “Where were you?” Clutching my stomach, I barely had the strength to speak. I tried to walk past him and head upstairs. But he grabbed my wrist, and immediately, the potent smell of alcohol enveloped me. “What’s your problem now? Making a scene in front of everyone!” “Skylar was just joking.  Don’t be so petty.” Petty. He knew the chemo took my hair, yet he let her wield it as a weapon against me. He always took her side, making me an outsider in my own marriage. How dare he tell me not to be petty? “Yeah, Skylar’s just telling the truth.Why are you so sensitive, Mon? You embarrassed Dad in front of everyone.” Leo stood nearby, glaring at me with pure disapproval. In that moment, I felt like the entire world was pointing fingers at me, branding me the worst kind of villain. I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. I used to fight back, desperate for them to see me. Now, I finally understood. Their hearts belonged elsewhere. I was done. The fight left me. His grip left a throbbing, swollen bracelet of pain around my wrist. I went still after a brief, silent struggle. Daniel mistook it for surrender, a smug eyebrow lifting in triumph. “Go make me some hangover soup.”With that, he collapsed onto the sofa. A wave of nausea hit me, remembering him toasting with Skylar while I was humiliated. Why should he rest while I, just out of surgery, served him? My decision was final. I bypassed the kitchen and went upstairs. When I opened the bedroom door, Skylar was stepping from the bathroom, draped in Daniel’s shirt. Steam glistened on her skin, the fabric doing little to cover her My bed was buried under her clothes, a suitcase barring the entrance. She gasped and clutched her chest when she saw me. She asked, full of feigned shock and in a sickly sweet voice, “Eliza, what are you doing back?” I scoffed. “Am I interrupting?” I turned on Daniel as he mounted the stairs, his pace unbearably casual. “Daniel. An explanation. Now.” He met my stare, his tone deliberately reasonable.  “Skylar has no one else in the city. Letting her stay a few days is nothing. Are you seriously making a scene about this?” Leo puffed out his chest beside him. “She’s pregnant. She can’t stay in the cold guest room.” Skylar was just out of a divorce and pregnant. Offering help was one thing. But I was recovering from surgery and couldn’t risk a chill.  Why was she sleeping in my room? As if sensing my thoughts, Skylar feigned alarm. “Eliza, Daniel said the guest room was too cold for me, and it wouldn’t be good for the baby, so he let me stay in the master bedroom. You don’t mind, do you?” Her words twisted a knife to my heart. I was the one fresh from surgery, yet his concern was all for Skylar. To excuse her public humiliation of me was one betrayal. To install her in our home was another entirely. A hot, suffocating rage burned in my chest. My fists clenched. The disappointment was absolute, final. I packed a bag and moved toward the guest room. Daniel followed me inside before the door could close. His arm snaked around my waist, his face nuzzling into my neck. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first. Does your incision still hurt?” “You’re just so stubborn.Making a public scene like that… think of my image. I lost my temper, I admit it. Forgive me?” As he spoke, his hand groped for the light switch, leaning in to kiss me. And I understood. He couldn’t bear the sight of me. I wouldn’t let him. My hand shot out and flipped the switch, flooding the room with harsh, unforgiving light. Daniel recoiled, scrambling back from me on the bed. He was already stuttering an apology when a knock cut him off. “Daniel… I’m a little scared. Could you come out and be with me?” I yanked the door open without hesitation, glaring at Skylar, who stood there in a thin nightgown, crying dramatically. “If you’re scared, then get out!” Skylar immediately looked like she’d been grievously wronged. “I’m so sorry, Eliza, I didn’t mean to disturb you two, I… I… If you don’t like me, I’ll leave right now!” With that, she wiped her tears and started to walk downstairs. Daniel immediately panicked. He pushed me aside. The violent shove sent me crashing against the wall, making me gasp in pain. Daniel spun around, roaring at me, “What the hell is wrong with you?! Skylar’s pregnant, how can you be so vicious, trying to force her out?!” “If anything happens to her, you’ll regret it!” He then rushed after her. I struggled to my feet from the cold floor, feeling blood seeping from my incision. The pain made it impossible to stand straight. I hastily cleaned myself up in the bathroom, hoping that with him gone, I could finally get some rest. But in a hazy dream-like state, I was suddenly yanked from my bed. A chilling cold enveloped my entire body. Daniel snarled through gritted teeth, “How dare you sleep?! Don’t you know Skylar’s in the hospital?!” I was dragged to the hospital by Daniel, where Skylar lay in her room surrounded by an array of treats. Seeing us enter, she put on a pathetic, innocent act. “Eliza, I didn’t mean it, please don’t be angry…” I hadn’t even said a word, and Skylar was already offering tearful apologies. But this wasn’t an apology at all. It was clearly her trying to pull the same old trick, making Daniel feel sorry for her again. Her acting was so clumsy, anyone with eyes could see through it. But Daniel, once again, fell for it. He grabbed my arm, his voice sharp and severe. “Apologize to Skylar.” “If you hadn’t upset her and made her leave, how would she have tripped on the stairs?” I was so infuriated by his baseless accusations that I laughed. “What does that have to do with me? You yourself said she fell, didn’t you?” “Daniel, you know perfectly well that I’ve just had surgery and shouldn’t be running around, yet you’ve repeatedly humiliated me. Have you forgotten how I got this illness in the first place?” At my words, Daniel froze. Others might not know, but he knew the truth all too well. Back when he was starting his business, I accompanied him to client meetings. I drank so much every day that I’d vomit blood from my stomach. I was rushed to the emergency room multiple times. It was from that time that my kidneys started having problems. Until this year, when it escalated, and I was diagnosed with early-stage kidney cancer. “I…” Before Daniel could reply, Skylar sat up from her hospital bed. She knelt on the floor, bowing her head repeatedly. “I’m so sorry, Eliza, it’s all my fault, please don’t blame Daniel…” I didn’t understand what she was playing at. The slight regret in Daniel’s eyes flickered and then vanished. He then spoke to me in a cold tone. “Even so, you can’t bully Skylar. She’s innocent.” “You’re just jealous of her beauty, aren’t you? You’re acting like such a shrew…” I couldn’t bear to hear him berate me any longer. The pain in my abdomen started up again. I clutched my stomach and crouched down, sweat beading on my forehead. “Eliza, stop faking it. You see Skylar apologizing to you, so now you’re trying to act pitiful? Get up and apologize to her.” Daniel frowned, showing no concern for my distress. Then, my vision blurred, and I collapsed.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. “Stop pretending. The doctor said you just have low blood sugar. Why are you being so dramatic?” Daniel stood over me, looking down, a hint of impatience in his eyes. I didn’t reply. I didn’t want to talk to him. Daniel couldn’t stand it when I was like this. He snapped, “How long are you going to keep this up? Can’t you learn to be more sensible, like Skylar?” “Keep this up? Daniel, I’m already in this state, what do I have left to ‘keep up’ with you about?” For him, I had undergone chemotherapy at 25. I had become this ghost of my former self, and now he was tired of me. He was disgusted by me. The man who once loved me so deeply had become a cruel stranger, a puppet in her hands. “But you still can’t give Skylar the cold shoulder. She’s pregnant; what if her emotions get out of control and affect the baby?” Mid-sentence, Daniel paused, noticing my pale face. He used to be so concerned about me, but now, because of Skylar, he was yelling at me. Completely forgetting that we had been married for over ten years. He controlled himself. “I was too emotional… Eliza, you know, Skylar’s parents were very good to me. I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer.” I gave a cold laugh. “So I deserve to suffer instead?” “You!” Daniel was choked by my words. “You’re always so willful and defiant. Can’t you learn to be a little more sensible and gentle like Skylar?” He forgot that when we first got together, he used to say he loved my straightforward personality the most. Now that he was tired of it, he blamed me. But it didn’t matter anymore. If he couldn’t stand it. I wasn’t going to force it. “I can’t learn, and I won’t. If you want someone ‘sensible,’ go find her.” “What do you mean?” I looked at him coldly. “Let’s get a divorce.” Daniel’s face instantly darkened. “Divorce? Eliza, do you know what you’re saying?” “I’ll have the divorce papers prepared today. You can leave now.” I had given him his marching orders, but Daniel suddenly became agitated. “Just because I asked you to apologize to Skylar? You’re threatening me with divorce?” He wouldn’t believe it. Ten years into our marriage, I had never once talked about letting go, so Daniel naturally assumed I was just throwing a tantrum. But the truth was, I wasn’t. “Eliza, when did you become so petty?” I ignored him. Daniel gritted his teeth. “Fine, you’d better think this through. If we divorce, I won’t ever remarry you!” “Don’t come crawling back to me then!”

Bang! He slammed the door shut, and silence returned. Daniel didn’t visit me once during my three-day hospital stay. On Ins, Skylar’s updates kept coming. In the photos, Daniel held her hand, tucked into his pocket. Skylar smiled, radiating happiness, her other hand holding Leo’s. The three walked side-by-side under falling snow. The caption read: “With you two, this winter isn’t cold at all.” In the comments, Daniel’s friends were all teasing. “Skylar has him absolutely whipped.” “All that attention on her… how can you not be jealous?” … Those blessings felt like slaps across my face, making me feel ashamed. After all, Daniel and I had been together for so long, and he never allowed me to post pictures of us together on Ins. When I asked why, he’d always say, “What’s the point? It’s enough that we know.” Turns out, it was just because I wasn’t the right person. I put away my phone and checked myself out of the hospital alone. The doctor said my condition was quite good, and with a few more months of consistent care, I could be fully recovered. Before, during my treatment, because I was helping Daniel’s company, I hadn’t gone for physical therapy very often. The healing process had been slow, but now I had all the time in the world to recover. Back home, I started packing my things. The family photos on the wall, the matching family outfits we’d bought in the living room – I threw them all into the trash. When I finished packing, everything fit into a single suitcase. All these years, I had dedicated myself to this family, giving Daniel and Leo everything good, while I couldn’t even bring myself to buy a new dress. Looking back, it was truly laughable. I called my best friend, Chloe, asking her to pick me up.

Once in the car, Chloe asked curiously, “Why are you suddenly separating? Did you two have a fight?” “It wasn’t a fight,” I said, my voice deadpan. “We’re getting a divorce.” Chloe gasped. “Divorce?!” “Yes.” I told her the whole story, and Chloe exclaimed indignantly, “How could he do that to you?! Has he forgotten that if it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be where he is today?!” Daniel and I met on a blind date. His family wasn’t wealthy; he had a critically ill mother. Our family, while not rich, was comfortable. The moment I saw him, his looks captivated me. After getting to know each other, we officially started dating. Back then, Daniel had just graduated from college and was working at a small factory. I would wait for him outside the factory gates every day, come rain or shine, nothing deterred me. And with my daily presence, Daniel gradually opened up his heart. He began to return my affection. That period was probably the most unforgettable time of my life. He said he wanted to start a business, so I took out all my savings to invest in him. To help him build connections, I reached out to every classmate, colleague, and even relative in my contact list. Later, when his studio was established, I accompanied him to client meetings to secure orders. I was put through difficult situations by clients, drinking until my stomach bled and I ended up in the emergency room. That night, Daniel was devastated. He said, “I’m so sorry, Eliza. I promise I’ll make it up to you, I’ll give you a good life.” After that day, he seemed to change. He became ruthless and incredibly driven, stopping at nothing to close deals. Within just one year, his company went public. We built the life we’d always dreamed of. Then Leo was born, and I was sure my long-awaited happiness was complete. Until Skylar appeared, and it all came crashing down. She was Daniel’s first love, his childhood friend. They had dated for five years, eventually breaking up because Daniel couldn’t offer her a future. They weren’t supposed to meet again. But when Skylar interviewed for Daniel’s assistant position, they rekindled their old flame. Yes, rekindled. Even though she knew Daniel was a married man.

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My best friend, Chloe, wanted to set me up with her good friend, Dean. I flat-out refused. But when I finally met him, I fell for him instantly. Soon after, we got married. Yet, when I was six months pregnant, Chloe suddenly dropped a bombshell: “I’ve loaned him to you for all these years. Isn’t it time you gave him back?” I was absolutely stunned. My mind just froze. Today was my OB-GYN appointment, and I was already six months along. Chloe had traveled all the way from out of state to be with me. I was even planning to ask her to be my baby’s godmother. Then she sat down and just threw that sentence at me. Every memory, every past scene, flickered before my eyes, mocking me. The truth was, the signs had always been there. I just chose to ignore them. Whenever we went out, Dean always paid extra attention to Chloe. He knew what she liked, what she hated, and he even knew her menstrual cycle details. “How do you know *everything* about her?” I’d joked. Chloe had chimed in, “We’ve known each other for ages. I’ve dated so many guys, but none of them were as thoughtful as Dean.” “The last time he took me to this awful cake place, I completely lost it right then and there. He had to treat me to dinner for a whole week before I even considered forgiving him.” “And another time, we went hiking, and he twisted his ankle. I had to practically carry him down the mountain.” Back then, I actually thought it was normal. They grew up together, so it made sense they had stories I didn’t know, and being close was fine. Turns out, it wasn’t like that at all. Chloe just dropped that line and walked out. I desperately dialed Dean’s number, hitting redial seven, eight times. He didn’t pick up. It reminded me of another time, when Chloe and I were having dinner at my place. Maybe the meat wasn’t cooked through, because we both got awful food poisoning, throwing up non-stop. I called Dean several times, but he never answered. Chloe eventually got annoyed and said, “Let *me* try!” Her call connected on the very first ring. “What’s up, Chloe? Everything okay?” Chloe complained, “Elara and I have food poisoning! Come pick us up! I called you so many times, and you didn’t answer a single one!” Dean replied so casually, “Didn’t I pick up your very first call?” At the time, I thought he just happened to see her call. It turns out, he just never missed *her* calls. I’m not one to give up easily. On my tenth attempt, Dean finally picked up. His surroundings sounded noisy, and his voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible hint of impatience. Was this how he always sounded when he answered *my* calls? “Why weren’t you picking up?” I asked. “In a meeting. Didn’t I just SnapChat you?” I deliberately said, “Chloe came to my prenatal appointment with me.” He sounded completely unaware of anything, replying naturally, “Hmm, make sure you get everything checked out. Isn’t she complaining about stomach pain lately? Can you book her an endoscopy? She’s such a wreck, completely neglecting herself.” “She didn’t tell me about any stomach pain.” “And you call yourselves best friends? You don’t care about her at all. These past few times we’ve eaten out, she’s said she can’t eat spicy food. It must be her stomach acting up again.” Oh, you truly know her so well. But do you know that *I* don’t eat spicy food either? Chloe can’t live without spice, but I can’t stand a single drop of it. Coincidentally, Dean also loves spicy food. So, I just went along with it, the minority yielding to the majority, and ate spicy meals with them. Seeing how happy they were eating, I guess I didn’t really care about how my own food tasted.

Dean came to pick me up from the hospital. I handed him my check-up report. He didn’t reach for it, just glanced at it casually, then gestured for me to hold it up. “Where’s Chloe? Wasn’t she with you?” “Oh, she said she wasn’t feeling well and went home.” Dean’s hand on the steering wheel paused, then he immediately turned the car around. “Let’s go check on her. I booked a healthy food place; I was just about to take you two. I told Chloe already, it was just a routine check-up, she didn’t need to go through all that trouble.” I stared at his profile. The concern on his face was utterly genuine. It was like he was a completely different person from just moments ago, when he’d coldly swept his gaze over my prenatal report. Things, once they start to show cracks, tend to fall apart completely. Like now. I saw everything through a different lens. I refused to believe he felt nothing for me, and I couldn’t accept even a shred of deceit from him. “Why the sudden healthy food place? I thought you hated bland food.” Dean’s face clouded with annoyance. “You really don’t care about Chloe at all, do you? She’s not feeling well, how can she eat spicy food?” “Oh, my mistake. I thought it was because *I* liked it.” Dean froze for a second, then quickly tried to recover. “Well, of course, it’s because you like it too!” Chloe, of course, didn’t come to the healthy food place. She didn’t even answer her phone. Dean drove me to her house, knocking on her door for half an hour, but no one answered. I stood in the parking lot, watching him call Chloe, then Mr. Peterson, then Mrs. Peterson. Eventually, he confirmed she was just unwell and sleeping at home. Dean finally breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to me. “That scared me to death. I thought something had happened to her.” There was a time I didn’t answer his calls either. It was our first anniversary. He had completely forgotten about it because he was in his hometown, waiting for Chloe to go back to college with him. By the time he remembered, it was the next day. He called me twice, but I didn’t pick up. Chloe, however, kept calling me. When I finally answered, I even heard Dean in the background impatiently asking her, “What could possibly be wrong with her? She’s probably just sleeping in her dorm.” Thinking about it now, it was obvious then who he loved and who he didn’t. I had just been blinded by their shared history, their “childhood friends” narrative. It was my fault for silently allowing a relationship to exist that overshadowed ours. All my fault. I’m an adult. I have to take responsibility for my choices. Elara Harrison, I had made my bet, and I would pay the price. There was one thing I still couldn’t figure out. If they liked each other so much, why didn’t they just get together? Why drag an irrelevant person like me into it? What did I ever do wrong? Looking back on these past few years, the biggest mistake I made was probably letting my delight show on my face the first time Dean appeared. After that, Dean pursued me effortlessly. Yes, he was calm and confident, because he knew he would win me over. My affection for him was obvious, and Chloe was helping us. To pursue me, he traveled over a thousand miles, two or three times a month. I always thought that was love. About six months later, I accepted his pursuit. Now, looking back, there was love, but I just don’t know who it was for. Most of our dates, it wasn’t just us two. It was *three*.

Later, giving up promotions that required travel, getting pregnant and having a baby at the peak of my career – I never thought anything of it. Because I was striding towards what I believed was a happy life. Now, I’ve decided to get a divorce. It’s nothing. What I could embrace, I could also release. My only hesitation was about the baby. My financial capacity was certainly enough to raise a child. But, did I want it to be born without a father? I hadn’t even found my own place in this web of lies; did I want my child to bear the weight of this unknown future? Only by ending this pregnancy could I truly break free from Dean, and from this sickening situation. So, was that why Chloe told me now? She didn’t want me to have this baby, did she? She thought that once I had this child, Dean and I would have an unbreakable bond. And then she and Dean could never truly be together, without lingering resentment. So, in her eyes, I was an insignificant presence in their relationship. This tiny, unborn baby was her true enemy. How laughable and absurd. Maybe my emotions had been too unstable lately. One day, while I was doing an experiment, my stomach seized with a searing pain, and cold sweat slicked my skin. My colleague freaked out and rushed me outside for some fresh air. He reminded me, “I called Dean to pick you up. You should go to the hospital. You’re almost in your third trimester, you can’t be careless.” Dean was usually very meticulous. When I brought him to company gatherings, he’d add everyone’s contact info, saying it was so he could reach me if I was in the lab. By the time Dean arrived at my company, I had already been checked out of the hospital and was walking out. “Come downstairs, Elara, I’ll take you to the hospital.” Before I could say anything, I heard my colleague’s voice on the phone. “Dean, what took you so long? I called you like two hours ago! Elara already took leave and went home.” “I was busy just now. Thanks, Mark, for looking after her. I’m heading back now.” They chatted for a few more moments, then Dean asked me, “Are you home?” “What were you busy with?” He seemed surprised by my question. He paused, then replied, “I was with Chloe.” “What’s wrong with her?” I rarely pressed him on these things, so Dean hadn’t even prepared a flimsy excuse. He countered, “Have you and Chloe been fighting lately?” That question seemed to open an emotional floodgate for him. “I knew you two have been acting weird. You’re usually so close, why haven’t you even mentioned each other?” “Did you do something to upset Chloe?” “She just has a childish temper, you just need to coax her a bit.” “Or I could buy a small gift for you to give her, as an apology, to give her an easy way out.” I thought I couldn’t get any angrier at these two, after all, I’d convinced myself they weren’t worth it. But the thought of them treating me like an idiot and fooling me for so many years made the humiliation and indignation inside me feel like a shaken soda can, ready to explode. “How about I give *you* to her?” I said that and hung up. I regretted it. I had planned to leave. But running away isn’t my style. Fighting back is. I couldn’t give them all the dignity and leave myself with all the pain.

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Before the wedding, I came across my boyfriend Liam’s engagement video with his secretary Chloe online. Furious, I went to find him and overheard his conversation with a friend. “If I don’t marry Chloe, her family will force her to marry some old, ugly man!” “What about your girlfriend Mia?” his friend asked. “She’s been with me for seven years. She can’t live without me.” I sneered and walked away. Later, Liam and I got married on the very same day — but he wasn’t my groom. Our wedding cars passed each other. When he saw me — he completely lost it! “Mom, I’ve agreed to the arranged marriage.” My mom was surprised when she heard I’d agreed. “Didn’t you say you weren’t willing before? Why the sudden change of heart, Summer? Marriage isn’t a game. Whether it’s arranged or not, what matters is your happiness. You need to think carefully, don’t be impulsive.” Hearing my mom’s words, my eyes welled up. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start preparing for the wedding.” Mom knew I was hurting. She paused for a moment, then quickly tried to comfort me. “You and Leo have been together for so long, and he never wanted to make things public, always delaying meeting your dad and me. Your father and I knew you two wouldn’t last.” Mom’s words felt like a thorn piercing my heart. It turns out everyone else saw it clearly; I was the only one blind. “This is the match your father and I picked for you a long time ago. Your parents would never pick anything less than the best. His character and family background are absolutely top-tier. My Summer deserves nothing but the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thank you, Mom. I trust your judgment, and Dad’s.” My mom continued, “So, should we arrange for you two to meet in the next couple of days?” “No need. Just go straight to preparing the wedding.” After I hung up, Leo appeared behind me, I don’t know when. He looked confused, asking, “What wedding? Who’s getting married?” *I am getting married.* I answered him silently in my heart, but the words never made it past my lips. I calmly shook my head. “Nothing, just a friend.” As soon as I spoke, I noticed his expression visibly relax. A bitter pang shot through my heart again. Was he that tense because he thought I was pressuring him into marriage? Or did he think I’d found out about him and Serena getting married? “I brought you your favorite cake from that bakery. Want some now?” In the past, Leo would always bring me something tasty after work. Even if many things weren’t to my taste, I still felt like I was drowning in sweetness. Because I felt the attention of being cherished and fed by the one I loved was far more important than the food itself. But now, looking at that box of cake, I felt nothing but utter mockery. Just moments ago, I’d seen Serena switch her previously private posts to public. After only a few scrolls, I couldn’t bear to look anymore. Only now did I realize how utterly ridiculous I was. That cake, it turns out, was Serena’s favorite. Not just this cake, but all the other nuts and snacks were also Serena’s favorites. Even more tragically, I discovered that Leo’s habit of bringing me food after work only started *after* Serena joined the company. So, Leo, who exactly did you take me for? Was it Summer, or Serena? I swallowed the bitterness and spoke flatly, “I don’t like sweets. They’re too rich. Don’t buy them anymore.” Leo didn’t expect such a reaction. His eyes showed a hint of surprise. “What? You always ate them before.” After all these years together, if he truly cared about me, how could he not have noticed my food preferences? Some words, repeated too many times, lose their meaning and eventually become simple compromise. I didn’t argue further, just casually shrugged. “My tastes have changed recently.”

For several days, Leo seemed incredibly busy—so busy he even forgot my birthday. But I no longer cared. By the time he remembered, my birthday would have long passed. To make it up to me, he bought tickets to my favorite musical. But on the day of the show, he didn’t show up. Instead, I saw Serena flaunting the tickets on her social media. “Just chilling at a concert, it’s so nice to have someone who’s always there to go crazy with you.” Though her face wasn’t visible, I instantly recognized Leo’s hand with the distinctive scar in the photo. He got that scar years ago, saving me. Suddenly, I felt like a clown. I was standing outside in the pouring rain, worrying if something had happened to him, while he and his secretary were in the VIP seats watching the concert. The cold raindrops hit my face, and my heart and body grew colder by the second. Just then, Mom texted me, saying the wedding was set for two weeks later, but if I felt it was too rushed, we could postpone it. I shook my head. “No, this is fine.” The downpour had paralyzed city traffic. I waited a long time but couldn’t get a cab. Leo’s call came much later. “Why aren’t you home?” My voice was calm, devoid of any emotion. “I’m at the theater.” He seemed to remember something suddenly and fell silent for a moment. “I’m sorry, I got held up with something this afternoon. Wait there, I’ll pick you up.” I didn’t refuse, but I also knew he wouldn’t come. Sure enough, the next second, Serena updated her feed again: “Afraid I’d catch a cold from the rain, my CEO husband personally made ginger tea. A man who cooks is the sexiest! I want to marry him!” The photo showed Leo’s back in the kitchen. I took one look and calmly closed the page. The heavy rain still left me with a fever. Using the excuse that I didn’t want to infect Leo, I moved into the guest room. Leo, uncharacteristically, put down his work and stayed home specifically to take care of me. But I felt uncomfortable. “It’s just a small cold. I’m an adult, I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.” He stared at me strangely for a long while. “Didn’t you used to wish I’d be by your side when you were sick? Why are you acting so unusual today?” I lowered my head, forcing a smile. “I was immature then. I’m not anymore.” Leo looked at me with concern. “Summer, are you okay?” “I’m fine. You should go.” He still felt like something was off with me but couldn’t quite pinpoint it. Finally, he just stared at me deeply, sighed, and said, “Okay, get some rest. Call me if you need anything.” After he left, I let out a long breath, lay down, and slept again. When I woke up, I saw Mom had sent me the detailed wedding plan. She also sent me over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to choose. I casually scrolled through them, clicking on large images to examine them, so absorbed that I didn’t even notice Leo suddenly appearing. He snatched my phone, throwing it aside, his brows furrowed in displeasure. “Why are you looking at wedding dresses?” I thought he’d discovered my impending marriage and was about to explain everything. But his next words made me realize how ridiculous my assumption was. “Summer, are you trying to pressure me into marriage? I told you I’d marry you. You don’t need to play these games to hint at it. It’s disgusting.”

“You misunderstood, I’m not…” But he waved his hand, refusing to listen to my explanation. “I have to go. I advise you to stop pulling these stunts and wearing down my feelings for you.” The door slammed shut with a bang, and the entire room fell into a deathly silence. I stood there for a long time, scoffing at myself. Leo, how much feeling do you even have left for me? What’ is there to wear down? Before exiting SnapChat, I casually clicked on the red notification dot. I saw Leo, who never posted on social media, had updated his status. “You’re so wonderful, of course I’ll marry you and keep you by my side. Only then can I truly rest easy.” The post included a solo photo of Serena and their wedding invitation. In less than a minute, a mutual friend commented: “Dude, the bride just smoothly switched like that?” Immediately, Leo’s new post disappeared, but it quickly reappeared on Serena’s social media. Then Leo’s call came in. In the past, I would have already screenshotted it and called him to confront him. But this time, I let the phone ring until it stopped without answering. Perhaps I was just numb. By the time Leo got home, I was already fast asleep. He gently opened the door and walked to my bedside. “Summer, are you asleep? Why didn’t you answer my calls?” I had my back to him and vaguely replied, “I fell asleep accidentally. Didn’t hear it.” Leo breathed a sigh of relief, leaned in close, and reached out to check my forehead temperature. “Still have a fever?” As he got closer, the sickeningly sweet scent of women’s perfume on him made me feel a wave of nausea. I nearly gagged. I instinctively shifted sideways, dodging his touch. His hand froze in mid-air, full of surprise. He tentatively asked, “Summer, did you see something?” I buried myself entirely under the covers, my voice muffled. “No, I just feel awful with this cold. I want to sleep.” After sleeping through to the next day, I finally felt a bit lighter. I started packing my things, gradually erasing my presence in this house. Only then did I realize that, at first, Leo and I had shared our couple’s items. But at some point, he had thrown them all into a corner, collecting dust. There was also an album filled with photos from my travels with Leo, postcards we’d collected together, old train tickets from when we were long-distance, and letters he’d written to me. This album was full of all our memories from these past years. When Leo returned, I was throwing this album into a fire. He rushed over like a madman, snatching the burned album from the flames. Ignoring the pain of his scalded hands, he angrily demanded, “Are you crazy?! Don’t you know how important this album is to us? Why would you burn it?!” Leo rarely got angry with me; this was the first time he’d ever spoken to me so loudly. The concern in his eyes didn’t seem fake, but it was also true that he was secretly marrying someone else. Not wanting to argue with him, I casually said, “The album got moldy and buggy. I’ve backed up everything inside. I’ll just make a new one later.” Hearing that, his anger subsided. As I applied burn cream to his hand, Leo stared at me and suddenly spoke. “Summer, you seem a bit down lately. Is work stress getting to you? I booked a customized trip for you. Go out, relax, clear your head.”

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The night before our wedding, I left my fiancée, Chloe. Her mom needed a huge amount for surgery, so I took on a secret mission to earn the money. I fought to survive under constant gunfire every day. Three years later, after finishing the mission, I planned to come home and marry Chloe. But I found Chloe and my best friend, Dustin，rushed to the ER—their hips pressed tightly together. The next day, scandalous photos of them went viral on Instagram. Right after surgery, Chloe called me in a panic: “Baby, I don’t know who I pissed off! Someone Photoshopped explicit photos of Dustin and me and posted them online! Send me $200,000, and I’ll find the culprit.” I told her, “No need. I already know who leaked the photos.” “What? Baby, you’re back?” “Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up!” “The hospital.” Chloe on the other end suddenly went silent. After a long pause, she asked: “The hospital? Which hospital?” When I told her the hospital’s name, she didn’t know what to say next: “Baby, you didn’t actually believe what people are saying online, did you?” “You entrusted Dustin to look after me. How could he and I do anything to betray you?” “I booked you a hotel, just spend tonight there. I’m still out of town on a business trip, I’ll come back as soon as I finish up and be with you!” Before she even hung up, she’d already sent me the room number for a star-rated hotel. Then she asked me to reimburse her ten thousand dollars. Her usually sweet, innocent voice, which I used to adore, now made my stomach churn. In the past, whenever she sweet-talked me like that, I would have given her anything. But now, the cramping pain in my abdomen and gut surged to my heart, leaving me unable to tell which hurt more! I glanced down at the bandage, already stained with blood, and took a deep breath. My voice was flat: “Just kidding, I won’t be back that quickly.” Chloe, who had sounded worried moments ago, instantly raised her voice: “Leo! Are you crazy? Is that something to joke about? Do you know how much I miss you…” I took a step, wanting to storm to her hospital room door and confront her. How much could she really miss me if she was sleeping with my best friend? But in the end, I didn’t ask anything. I just hung up. She wouldn’t let me come home, and even booked me a hotel. That could only mean there was something at home she didn’t want me to see. But I’m stubborn. Even after being betrayed, I wanted to see the extent of Chloe’s deceit. I hailed a cab and quickly returned to the house. Inside, I heard a child crying. My blood instantly ran cold. Had they even had a child behind my back? Then what was the point of me risking my life for three years to earn money for her mom’s surgery? Just then, I heard Mrs. Davis’s voice, soothing the child: “Shh, Noah, don’t cry. Mommy went to the hospital to help you have a baby sister. If you still want a sister, you have to be good, okay?” “When your daddy comes back, we’ll give him a big surprise!” “Then when will Daddy come home to play with me? Mommy never plays with me, she just wants to have a sister.” A thunderclap exploded in my mind. So, she had a child, made me raise him for three years, and was now planning to have a second one, expecting me to be a complete fool? After all, Chloe wasn’t pregnant when I left. If she had been, she would have used the child to demand money from me endlessly! Rage consumed me. I instinctively entered the door code. The alarm blared, indicating an incorrect password. I froze, my fingertips chilling. When we set the password, Chloe had hooked her arms around my neck, sweet-talking me: “Baby, let’s use the day we met, okay? That way, every time I open the door, it’ll be like meeting you again.” Now, that same door shut me out. Footsteps approached from inside, followed by the sound of the lock turning. The door opened. A little boy, about three years old, looked up at me, his big eyes full of curiosity. “Who are you?” Even with my mental preparation, when I saw the boy’s face, strikingly similar to Dustin’s, a sharp pain pierced my heart. The wound in my abdomen throbbed with my emotional turmoil, and the seeping blood stained my shirt. “Noah, who is it?” Mrs. Davis’s voice grew closer. When she saw me at the door, the smile on her face froze instantly, all color draining away, as if she’d seen a ghost. “You… you’re back?”

Mrs. Davis frantically tried to close the door, but I held it firmly open with my hand. “Mom, I’m home. Aren’t you going to welcome me?” Mrs. Davis knew she couldn’t hide it any longer. She tried to block my view with her body while fumbling for her phone, her hands trembling. “Chloe! Get back here, he’s returned!” She shrieked into the phone. I pushed the door open forcefully and walked in. I scanned the apartment, the one I had poured all my savings into, the one I had decorated with so much hope as our marital home. Aside from the dusty wedding photo on the bedside table, there wasn’t a single trace of me left. Dustin’s suit, ties, and razor were scattered everywhere. Children’s toys lay strewn across the floor. The air was thick with an unfamiliar scent, the smell of another man. My home had long become someone else’s. Memories flooded back. Three years ago, at the airport. Chloe was crying, her face streaked with tears: “Baby, you must come back safe. I’ll wait for you.” “I will, don’t worry. Your mom’s surgery costs… I’ll find a way to get the money as fast as I can.” She nestled into my arms, her voice choked with emotion: “But that mission is too dangerous. Maybe you shouldn’t go? I don’t want you to risk your life for my mom. If something happens to you, how could I live?” At that time, I had nothing. Even if I sold my apartment, I couldn’t raise enough for Mrs. Davis’s surgery. There was no other way but to find a quick way to earn money. Mrs. Davis had shown me great kindness. If not for her giving me a home and sponsoring my college education after my parents died, I might have starved to death on the day I fought wild dogs for scraps. The Davis family wasn’t wealthy. Mrs. Davis raising Chloe and me alone had been incredibly tough. So, when she fell critically ill and needed urgent surgery, I accepted my boss’s overseas assignment. Every day, I walked through hell. Bullets whizzed past my ears, and artillery exploded beside me. Countless times, as I brushed with death, I clutched a photo of Chloe in my pocket. I was incredibly frugal, sending every penny I earned by risking my life back to her. Every time she received money, she would be exceptionally touched: “Baby, thank goodness for you! When you come back, we’ll get married! I miss you so much every night I can’t sleep…” Chloe returned quickly, still in her hospital gown. She rushed through the door, her face a mix of panic and guilt. “Baby! Let me explain!” Chloe stepped forward, reaching for my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her touch. She spoke rapidly: “Noah’s mom passed away during childbirth. Dustin was struggling to raise him alone. While you were gone these three years, he took such good care of my mom and me…” As she spoke, her eyes welled up. “We felt sorry for the child, so we helped look after him, gave him a home. If you were here, you’d do the same, right?” Just then, Noah, clutching a toy car, walked up to me and looked up with his small face: “Daddy, will you play with my car with me?” That single word, “Daddy,” struck me like lightning, making my eardrums hum. For the past three years, neither Chloe nor Dustin had ever mentioned this child to me. That made it hard for me to believe that Noah had nothing to do with Chloe. Meeting my suspicious gaze, Chloe’s face flashed with anger, then she patted Noah. “Noah, be good. Daddy just got home, let him rest for a bit, okay?” She said, then familiarized herself by pinching the soft flesh around my waist: “Baby, look how much Noah likes you. Hurry up and say something!” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh: “I’m not interested in being a dad.” “Where’s Dustin? Weren’t you two at the hospital together?” Chloe’s eyes darted nervously. She quickly denied: “Baby, are you listening to the rumors online? Dustin and I truly have nothing going on…” She didn’t know I was right there when she and Dustin were being loaded into the ambulance, intertwined. It seemed she was afraid Dustin would show up and get beaten by me, so she told him to hide. But I had no interest in raising someone else’s wife and child. I called Dustin directly: “Come get your wife and kid. As for her mom, she’s free to stay or go.” If Mrs. Davis wanted me to support her, out of gratitude, I wouldn’t default on my debt. But I wouldn’t support Chloe and her child anymore. Chloe smashed my phone, instantly jumping up in protest: “Baby, what do you mean? I’m your fiancée, and you’re kicking me out the moment you get home?” “Chloe, if you don’t leave, do you plan to freeload in my house and let me keep being a complete fool supporting the three of you?” My eyes were cold as knives, sweeping over her pale face. My words sent a shiver down her spine. “Baby, it’s not what you think! Dustin and I really didn’t have anything… he was helping me…” “Get out.” I cut her off sharply, pointing to the door. Chloe froze, looking at me as if she were seeing me for the first time. “Leo… you’re telling me to get out?” Her eyes instantly reddened, filled with unbelievable hurt: “We’ve been apart for three years. I thought about you every day, and after finally waiting for you to come back, this is how you treat me?” “You thought about me?” I advanced on her, step by step. The pain in my abdomen brought beads of cold sweat to my forehead, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my heart.

“So much that you slept with Dustin? So much that you had a child with him? So much that you used my money to raise your kid?” “No! Noah, he…” “Shut up!” I pointed to the door, using my last ounce of strength: “Take your things and get out of my house! Now! Immediately!” Chloe looked at my determined expression, the color slowly draining from her face. She bit her lip hard, tears rolling down her cheeks. After a long moment, she snatched her bag from the couch and glared at me fiercely. “Leo! I never thought you’d be such a petty, heartless person!” “I’m leaving! See if you don’t regret this!” She grabbed Noah and Mrs. Davis, stumbling out the door. A loud slam echoed, leaving me in the dead silence of the room. I couldn’t stand, swaying a step, and leaned against the wall. The bloodstain on my abdominal bandage had spread significantly. Excruciating pain tore at my nerves. But it was nothing compared to the utter annihilation of my heart and the anguish of three years wasted. Ten minutes later, I heard a commotion outside, followed by knocking. “Hey, Unit 302, do you have any conscience? How could you kick your wife out? She’s outside with her mom and child, threatening to jump! Aren’t you going to talk her down?” I opened the door. The unfamiliar neighbor saw it was me, and her expression froze. She quickly checked the door number, then shouted into my apartment: “Is her husband home?” It turned out that for the three years I was gone, Chloe and Dustin had presented themselves as a married couple to the neighbors. No wonder the neighbor didn’t recognize me. I hadn’t spent a single day in this apartment after it was renovated, leaving it for that scumbag, Dustin. A life was at stake, and I didn’t have the energy to explain the complicated situation to the neighbor. I quickly took the elevator to the top floor. When Chloe saw me, she started crying even louder. “Baby, why won’t you believe me? You’re kicking me out, aren’t you just trying to force me to die?” “Dustin looked after my mom and me for you, and we helped him with Noah. It was just a mutual help situation, but in your eyes, it’s wrong?” “You don’t like me helping him raise his child? I’ve already sent Noah away, isn’t that enough?” She hung her head, tears falling. That image of her, so humble and downtrodden, was completely different from the spoiled girl I remembered. I stayed silent, yet to speak, when Mrs. Davis suddenly climbed onto the edge of the rooftop. “Baby, Chloe and Dustin are truly innocent. Will I have to prove their innocence with my life, then?” With that, she made to jump. I didn’t want a death on my conscience, so I quickly shouted: “Alright, I believe you.” At my affirmation, Chloe and Mrs. Davis exchanged a quick glance. I couldn’t stomach watching their drama and turned to go home. Late that night, my bedroom door creaked open. Chloe, wearing a nearly transparent black lace nightgown and reeking of perfume, slipped in. “Baby…” Her voice was syrupy sweet, and her hand explored my body. I grabbed her wrist violently, making her cry out in pain. “My wound hasn’t healed. I’m not in the mood.” I stared at her, my eyes devoid of any desire. “Get out.” Her face paled. She was about to say something else when her phone suddenly rang in her bag, cutting her off. She looked as if she’d been burned, rushing back to the guest room to grab her phone, then disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of running water masked her voice. I walked to the bathroom door and, through the crack, heard her broken whispers: “I’ll figure out the money… just wait a little longer…” Just then, my phone screen lit up. A message: bank transfer of 500,000 failed. Chloe was still trying to get money from me for Dustin! It seemed she wouldn’t stop until she’d completely drained me dry! The next morning, several of Chloe’s friends arrived, claiming they wanted to catch up after so long. But their words were all probing: “Leo, you must have made a fortune in the war zone, right? I heard the profits there are huge!” “Chloe will finally have a good life now, you should get a big villa, shouldn’t you?” I gave them vague answers, sending them away disappointed. After they left, I watched Chloe, who was pretending to be busy in the kitchen, and walked over to her. “That 500,000 last night, was that for Dustin?”

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In my past life, after my dad Derek Jansen passed away, the wealthy Archer Smith took in my mom Luna Jansen and me, Vivian Jansen. Archer’s son, Jasper Smith, hated our presence from the start and repeatedly tried to drive us out of the house. To let Luna live peacefully in the Smith Manor, I started desperately trying to please Jasper. Over time, our relationship grew closer, so close that Archer thought I would eventually become Jasper’s wife. Until that day, Luna and Archer were in a car accident while out and died on the spot. Their only wish was for Jasper to marry me. Jasper agreed but never fulfilled it. At thirty, I was still unmarried. And twenty-six-year-old Jasper never mentioned marriage. He sneered and said, “Vivian, your mom seduced my dad, and now you’re trying to seduce me. Do you really think I’d genuinely respect you?” “You and your mom are the most despicable people I’ve ever met! Get out!” I was thrown out in the pouring rain and eventually married a divorced man who pursued me. A year into the marriage, I endured domestic violence and eventually chose to end my life by jumping. When I opened my eyes again, I returned to a time before Luna’s death. She was laying out several photos, asking me who I wanted to go on a blind date with this week. This time, I didn’t refuse and randomly picked one. Under the table, a hand touched my waist. I turned my head and saw 18-year-old Jasper sitting next to me, his face gloomy. Luna asked, “Are you sure it’s this one?” Archer said, “Pretty good, he’s about the same age as Vivian and has a gentle personality.” At the table, Luna and Archer smiled as they discussed, asking me when to meet. Under the table, Jasper’s fingers wandered around my waist. I jolted as if shocked and sprang up. “Tomorrow then! I can meet after work. I’m heading upstairs now.” After speaking, I quickly walked up the stairs and glanced down at the doorway as if sensing something. Jasper was still sitting at the table, staring straight at me. His face remained indifferent, but a dark storm swirled in his eyes. I knew he was angry. Jasper never hides his emotions. I still remember when Derek had just died, and Archer brought Luna and me into the Smith Manor for the first time. Jasper stood gloomily in the center of the living room. His face was pale as he picked up a cup and angrily threw it at us. I instinctively shielded Luna. The cup flew past my cheek, leaving a bruise on my skin. Jasper wore a mocking smile. “Where did this stray dog come from, barging into someone else’s house? So impatient, huh?” Archer was furious and stepped forward to slap him. Jasper’s face turned to the side from the slap, his eyes reddening heavily. He roared, “My mom just died a year ago, and you couldn’t wait to bring these two bitches into the house.” “Aren’t you afraid my mom will crawl out of her coffin to haunt you?” “Jasper!” Archer roared. I didn’t dare to speak. The first meeting was unpleasant. Even though Luna repeatedly emphasized that she and Archer were innocent and would never get married, Jasper still didn’t believe it. He was convinced we were outsiders vying for status and used every means to force us out. He covered our room with photos of his deceased mother, insisted on offering her food before meals, and the mix of burning candles and food smells made everyone at the table look uncomfortable. Luna stood stiffly on the side, at a loss. She stayed awake night after night, crying and blaming herself for staying here, while hesitating whether to stay for my future. Watching her wipe away tears alone in the middle of the night, I silently hugged her from behind. I said, “It’s okay, Mom, I will make Jasper accept us.” From that day on, I started to please him. He insulted me as a “bastard,” and I lowered my head and accepted it. He ordered me to be a servant, cleaning up all his messes, and I did it without complaint. But our relationship never improved. Until one stormy night, only he and I were left at home. The howling wind carried the heavy rain into the house. Startled by the sudden thunder, I hurried to the balcony to gather the drying clothes. When I finally returned with the clothes and shut the window tightly, I suddenly heard those heavy breaths drowned out by the sound of the rain. I froze, slowly walking toward the source of the sound. Before I got there, the figure on the sofa suddenly grabbed the corner of my clothes. Jasper was curled up in the darkest corner of the living room, his back tense, his body trembling uncontrollably. I looked down at his hand clutching my clothes tightly, and asked, “Are you okay?” He shouted, “Get out.” Getting a response, I nodded and turned to leave. At that moment, a lightning bolt suddenly struck, and Jasper screamed, instinctively gripping tighter. I was suddenly pulled down, falling onto him, and in the darkness, I clearly saw his pale face. Fear, terror, humiliation—various emotions intertwined in his eyes, with reddened rims faintly glistening with tears. Our breaths were so close that I could hear the sound of his heartbeat. The veins on his hand bulged as he gritted his teeth, reached out to tightly hold my waist, and whispered, “Don’t go, stay with me.” From that day on, our relationship completely changed.

At that moment, the door was suddenly knocked. I opened the door, it was Jasper. At eighteen, his sharp features still carried a hint of boyish innocence. His outstretched arm, lean yet strong, pressed against the door, stopping me from closing it. He said, “The weather forecast says there will be thunder tonight.” In his youth, he was used to treating me as a sedative. His eyes held little fear, but rather a sense of longing. He asked, “Can you keep me company today too?” I looked at him quietly for a long time, then finally sighed and said, “Jasper, you’re already eighteen. You shouldn’t be afraid of thunder anymore.” “Vivian!” he abruptly interrupted me, anger rising in his eyes as he barged into my room. “What do you mean? Why are you meeting another man? Don’t you want me anymore? You’re my sister.” As he spoke, he had already pinned me against the wall, burying his face skillfully in the crook of my neck. The word “sister” was bitten out heavily by him, filled with grievance and unwillingness. I suddenly found it laughable. I thought, “If he truly had any sincerity, he wouldn’t have made me wait so many years in my past life without ever hearing him mention marriage.” I broke free, my expression cold. “I will always see you as my younger brother. Even if I get married, you will still be my brother.” He looked at me in disbelief, then stormed out angrily and embarrassed. Early the next morning, as dawn broke, I got dressed and prepared to go on a blind date, only to suddenly see a dark figure curled up in front of my door. Jasper looked up at me like a stray dog, his eyes filled with gloom. He stood up and approached me, resting his chin tenderly on my shoulder, murmuring, “Please don’t go on the blind date, okay?” He dragged out the last syllable, as if he were whining. I said, “No.” I didn’t want to say more to him and turned to leave. He knocked over the vase at the door, the crisp sound echoing sharply in the empty villa. I instinctively turned back, only to see him standing amidst the shards as if he felt no pain, tightly clutching a broken piece of porcelain in his hand. Blood dripped from the back of his hand onto the ground, glaringly red. His eyes reddened, and he let out a painful groan, staring straight at me. “I’m hurt.” Maybe he was waiting for me, as usual, to feel sorry and anxiously tend to his wound, just to please him. But now, I had no desire to care about him anymore. I turned away coldly and said, “I’ll get the maid to help you with it.” “Stop!” He finally dropped the pretense, strode forward, grabbed my wrist tightly, and pulled me into his arms. His chest was scorching, pressed against my back. He said, “Vivian, are you trying to get rid of me now? Weren’t you the one chasing after me to please me before?” “What, have you found a new man? Don’t want me anymore?” I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to break free. “Jasper, stop it. I was good to you because I saw you as a brother!” He let out a cold laugh, his eyes dark and menacing. “What brother? Vivian, what kind of sister are you to me? Your mom will never marry my dad in this lifetime, so stop dreaming.” “You’re going on a blind date, right? Then I will too. There are plenty of women like your mom trying to climb into our family, one less won’t matter!” His voice grew louder and almost out of control. I suddenly laughed, forcefully shook off his hand, and said indifferently, “Suit yourself.” Then, I left without looking back. That night when I got home, I could hear fierce arguing coming from the living room from afar. Pushing the door open, I saw Jasper leaning lazily against the wall, watching Archer scold him, “Where did you bring that woman from? And you dare bring her home? Who gave you the nerve!” Jasper caught sight of me from the corner of his eye and casually curled his lips. “Vivian has started going on blind dates, how can I not be anxious? I need to find a girlfriend too.” Archer’s face turned red with anger. Luna quietly approached me and whispered, “Jasper brought several strange women home, and Archer kicked them all out. Archer almost beat Jasper up.” I walked past expressionlessly, pretending I saw nothing. Archer saw me, his expression softened a bit, and he asked, “Vivian, you’re back? How was the blind date today?” I smiled slightly, “Not bad, we get along quite well. This weekend, we planned to go to an art exhibition together; we have similar interests.” Hearing this, Jasper’s face instantly darkened.

Late at night, as I finished washing up and returned to my room, a hand suddenly reached out from the darkness and yanked me into the stairwell. “Vivian.” Jasper’s voice was hoarse, a faint, unreadable smile on his lips as he pressed me against the cold wall with his body. In the cramped space, our breaths intertwined, warm air brushing against my neck. He asked, “Why did you suddenly start ignoring me?” He had probably been drinking, his cheeks flushed unnaturally red. His already captivating eyes were now glistening. He said, “Aren’t I your favorite? Stop going on blind dates with other men, okay?” He slowly leaned in, his lips gently brushing against my cheek. I instinctively tried to dodge, but his large hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. “Jasper, you’re crazy!” I frantically raised my hand to hit his back. Not far away, Luna and Archer had finished packing up and were ready to say goodnight. Hearing their footsteps getting closer, I grew more anxious. “Let go of me, they’ll see us!” “Then admit our relationship.” He suddenly looked up, his gaze a bit clearer but filled with mockery and amusement. “Weren’t you looking forward to letting my dad and the others know before?” “Isn’t this good for us? Anyway, your mom will never marry my dad in this lifetime. Marrying me would fulfill your goal, isn’t that what you want?” He spoke word by word, his tone clearly smiling, yet I saw a trace of instinctive disgust in his struggling eyes. Yeah, he has always thought of me this way and never looked up to me. The stairwell was eerily silent, suffocating me. Not until I heard Luna and Archer enter their rooms did I raise my hand and slap him sharply across the face. I said, “Jasper, I was foolish before. But from now on, I am your sister, and you should show me some respect.” “Don’t worry, I’ll get married right away. My mom and I won’t be in your way anymore.” I pushed him away and walked off without hesitation. I thought I made myself clear this time. No matter how unwilling Jasper was, he should let go. But no one expected that during a family dinner, he actually said in front of everyone, “Dad, I like Vivian, and I want to marry her. You’ll agree, right?” As soon as he said that, everyone was stunned. I quickly looked at Archer. His face darkened, and he sternly shouted, “Jasper, there’s a limit to your nonsense!” Jasper’s face also darkened, no longer casual like before. “I’m not joking.” I suddenly stood up and said, “Jasper! I was just advising you not to get too close to women of unknown background, and this is how you retaliate against me?” I urgently and angrily accused Jasper, successfully making everyone stop believing his words. Archer believed me, thinking Jasper was being reckless and vengeful, and angrily slapped him. Jasper’s head turned from the slap, but he said nothing, his eyes fixed on me, never looking away. My heart was pounding as if it would burst out of my chest, and I turned and fled upstairs. In this life, I want to stay far away from Jasper and never have anything to do with him again. But that night, he barged into my room again. I woke up startled from my sleep, my mind still in a haze. He softly called my name, leaving me dazed, unable to tell if it was the past life or this one. “Sorry, Vivian, don’t marry him.” He suddenly lunged forward, holding me tightly, his voice trembling, his face streaked with tears. His eyes were tightly shut, as if trapped in an inescapable nightmare. One moment he said he wanted to marry me, the next he begged me not to marry someone else, and then he pleaded not to jump. His tears flowed endlessly, soaking the front of my nightgown. I frowned, my tone icy, and grabbed a pillow to throw at him. “Get out!” Jasper suddenly seemed to snap back to reality. He stared at me blankly, confusion in his eyes, followed by a look of struggle and pain. “Vivian?” Seeing him step forward again, I didn’t hesitate and slapped him once more. The moonlight revealed his pale, lifeless face and the cold sweat on his forehead. Tears streaked his face as he stood there dazed, staring at me, unable to snap out of it. After a long while, he murmured, “Are you alive?”

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I, Violet Brown, have been with Albert Paterson for ten years. I said to him, “Albert, I’m pregnant.” The files in his hand dropped, and he frowned unhappily. Albert said, “Stop joking. You should know this is a critical moment for my company’s IPO. I don’t plan to have kids.” I said, “It’s okay. Your career is important.” Then, I smiled gently. Albert didn’t understand what I meant. I’m pregnant, but he’s not the father of my child. ***** Albert’s eyes no longer held their usual gentleness, only impatience remained. It’s like I’m some kind of troublesome burden. Seeing me stand still, he seemed to realize his words were a bit too harsh. He coughed and adjusted his tone. Albert said, “You know, if I don’t have a stable career, how can I give you a good life? Be reasonable. We can’t keep this child. Besides, your health isn’t great to begin with. Maybe if you jump around, run a bit, or take a cold shower, the child will be gone.” I stood there in disbelief. I knew he was heartless, but I never thought he could be this cruel. This is a life. How can it sound like trash he can throw away anytime? I asked, “Can you spare some time to go to the hospital with me?” My heart ached deeply, but I still held on to a glimmer of hope. He impatiently slammed the files on the table. Albert said, “Violet, I think I’ve made myself clear. I’m very busy. Handle this trivial matter on your own, and don’t come to me again.” Saying that, he picked up the phone on the table and transferred some money to me. Albert said, “This is for nutrition.” I stared blankly at the five-figure amount on my phone. The bag he casually bought for Esme Black cost far more than this amount. So, in his heart, my child is just this worthless. At this moment, a woman’s voice rang out. “Albert, why are you so angry?” While we were at a stalemate, Esme pushed the door open and walked in. She walked behind Albert and gently squeezed his shoulders. The two of them completely treated me, the legitimate girlfriend, as part of their flirting. All the changes started two years ago. That day, Albert was in a meeting when he suddenly took a call and left in a hurry. Later, I found out that day, Esme, whom he had always kept in his heart, returned to the country. Of course, he had to drop everything to pick her up. At first, I didn’t take it to heart until Esme became the company’s vice president. I went crazy questioning Albert about their relationship, but he just impatiently explained that they were only friends. I believed him. However, a week later, they walked into a hotel hand in hand under the pretense of a business trip. Since then, Albert rarely stayed at home. At the company, they were even more blatant, going to and leaving work together every day. Everyone at the company thought they were the real couple. I coldly said, “I didn’t expect Ms. Black’s habit of getting cozy with other men hasn’t changed.” Esme’s face instantly turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes. It was as if she had been wronged. Sure enough, Albert’s face turned grim. Albert said, “How can you talk like that? This company owes a lot to Esme’s help. Otherwise, how could you afford such a good life? Instead of thanking her, you dare to talk back to her?” I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking, “Thanks to her?” Did Albert forget how, in the early days of starting the business, I stayed with him working overtime at the company every day, running around for deals, and drinking so much at dinners that I ended up with a stomach bleed?” A deep sadness welled up in my heart as I slowly looked up at him. I asked, “Albert, who is more important, her or me?” Albert didn’t even glance at me. He said, “Since when did you become so unreasonable?” I knew there was no point in continuing the conversation, so I grabbed my bag and walked away. Behind me, Albert was still comforting Esme. He said, “Don’t take it to heart. She’s just like that. What kind of upbringing can an orphan have?” Esme wiped away her tears bravely, then smiled and shook her head. She said, “It’s okay. I know Violet just has a bit of a misunderstanding about me. I just need to work hard to get along with her. She’s your girlfriend. I don’t want to make things difficult for you.” Albert let out a long sigh. He said, “You’re just too considerate.” I really couldn’t listen anymore, so I left without looking back.

On the way home in the car, after hesitating for a long time, I still took out my phone and called my mother, Harper Brown. The international call was a bit unstable, so it took three tries before Harper answered. I said, “Mom, it’s me.” Harper on the other end clearly paused for a moment, her voice tinged with sobs. She said, “How could you be so heartless? I only stopped you from being with that poor boy back then, and you haven’t contacted me for so many years. You really broke my heart.” After I got together with Albert, my parents already didn’t think highly of him. After they investigated him, they were shocked to find out he had hidden the truth from me and that his family actually had hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. My father, Grayson Brown, immediately objected, saying that a man like him was very scheming and I was no match for him. But at that time, I was blinded by love and, despite their objections, resolutely cut off all contact with my family. To this day, Albert still thinks I’m an orphan with no parents. I stayed with him from scratch, step by step helping him pay off the debt. Later, he became a respected CEO, and I became the burden he wanted to discard. I said, “Mom, I’m pregnant.” Hearing what I said, there was a loud crash from Harper’s side, probably from falling to the ground. After a long silence, Harper finally sighed. She said, “Since you’ve decided, come back to Paris in three days. Just let me take care of you.” After hanging up the phone, I felt really upset. I thought, “In this world, being a daughter to my parents is truly the easiest.” I thought, “Albert, since you don’t cherish me, I’m leaving.” When I got home, the house was indeed still empty and cold. Albert’s last visit seemed to be half a month ago. I gave a bitter smile, then put down what I was holding. Just as I was about to freshen up, I suddenly received a message from a friend: [Esme is so shameless, posting something like that on Instagram.] Curiously, I opened Esme’s Instagram, only to be hit directly by a photo. In the photo, she was taking a selfie in the hotel mirror, almost topless. And the man facing away from the camera was holding her tightly. If they were a couple, it would at most be considered a little romance between lovers. But through the scar on the man’s shoulder, I recognized it was Albert, who was supposed to be working overtime. Back when we were in the honeymoon phase, Albert had no money. Our only entertainment was hiking the free mountain next to the cheap rental house. But once, I encountered falling rocks while hiking. At the critical moment when the rock was about to hit my head, Albert forcefully pushed me away. In the end, the rock hit him, leaving this scar. At that time, I was so moved that I cried and secretly vowed to stay with Albert forever. But I never expected a man’s heart to change so quickly. Through blurry tears, I saw the text Esme wrote: [I said this scar was ugly, and he said he’d tattoo it with my name tomorrow.] I suddenly laughed. So, it turns out that what I called love was just me deceiving myself.

The next day, I was the first to arrive at the company. It wasn’t because I loved my job, but because I needed to handle my resignation. Standing in the hallway, I took countless deep breaths to prepare myself mentally. The final step of resignation required the president, Albert, to sign. How should I come up with a reasonable excuse to get his approval? I thought and thought, but still couldn’t figure it out. After pacing around the doorway several times, the office door suddenly opened. Esme said, “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t been so rough last night, how would my back hurt?” Her voice, tinged with laughter, reached my ears. I froze, then looked in the direction of the voice. Albert had a smile on his face, one hand gently resting on Esme’s waist. The gentle expression on his face was something I had never received. However, the moment they saw me, a trace of panic flashed in both their eyes. Esme quickly coughed. She said, “Violet, don’t get the wrong idea. We played badminton together last night, and I twisted my waist.” Although she said that, the blush on her face still made people overthink. I knew she was deliberately provoking me, but I didn’t want to pay attention to them. I just handed the document to Albert. Then, I said, “Sign it.” Albert frowned and looked at me. He said, “Haven’t I already signed all the documents? What new business do you have now?” As he spoke, he was about to flip through the document. My heart instantly tensed up, and my mind was racing. I was thinking about how to answer his question later. But I didn’t expect Esme to snatch the document away the next second. Esme said, “I remember this. It seems like business that should’ve been handled long ago. It’s just that the other partner kept delaying. Now, we can finally get rid of her. Albert, go ahead and sign it.” I immediately realized she was insulting me. Yes, I should have parted ways with Albert long ago. It was always me who didn’t want to leave. Albert said, “So that’s how it is. Then I’m relieved. You’re always reliable.” At this moment, his eyes were filled with affection. He no longer wanted to delve into the contents of the document and simply signed his name. The weight in my heart suddenly lifted. I let out a deep breath. I am finally free. Seeing how relaxed I was, Albert looked a bit puzzled. He asked, “Is this document important to you? Why do you have that expression?” I looked down at the ground. Then, I said, “Of course, it’s very important.” Albert glanced again at the document in my hand. But out of trust for Esme, he didn’t ask anything. Esme clutched her waist in pain, while Albert glanced at me. He asked me tentatively, “Violet, Esme is already in pain. It shouldn’t be a problem if I massage her, right? After all, she still has to negotiate business for the company this afternoon.” I said, “Of course, no problem. You’re good partners, helping each other is the right thing to do.” I smiled very innocently. My goal was achieved. Who would still bother with him? Albert had long been prepared for me to throw a tantrum like before. So seeing me so sensible, he was actually a bit surprised. Albert asked, “Is what you said true?” I nodded generously. Then, I said, “Of course. After all, like you said, without Esme’s hard work, how could I have a good life? I should be grateful.” Albert felt something was off about my words, but he couldn’t figure it out. He just stared at me blankly. I waved my bag and said, “Take good care of Esme. I’m heading home.” Perhaps feeling he went a bit too far, Albert coughed and tried to grab my arm. He said, “I’ll come home tonight to have dinner with you.” I said, “No need. I have plans with friends tonight.” Then, I smiled and pulled my hand away. Then, under Albert’s surprised gaze, I left without looking back.

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My boyfriend Caleb Hamilton is the target I must complete. The System stipulates that as long as he agrees to marry me before my 25th birthday, my mission is considered successful. But he doesn’t love me. Caleb only sees me as a substitute for the woman he loves, Phoebe Hunter. The position of wife in his heart is forever reserved for Phoebe. I know the whole truth, so I’m afraid of making him angry. I just casually mention marriage and don’t dare say more. Until my 25th birthday, this is my last chance. I knelt on the ground covered with roses, trembling as I handed the ring to Caleb. I begged him, “Caleb, will you marry me? Even if it’s fake, even if you’re lying to me, please marry me.” “I’m begging you. Otherwise, I’ll die.” But Caleb just sneered, then picked up a bouquet nearby and slammed it to the ground. He said, “Know your place! You’re just a stand-in, how dare you have such thoughts?” “Listen up. Phoebe is coming back today. Pack your things and get out of here.” “Even if you want to die, do it far away. Don’t let me see it.” Watching Caleb’s resolute departing figure, I slowly revealed a smile. I thought, “Alright. Then I’ll do as you wish.” The System anxiously said in my mind, “Host, hurry and chase after him. This is your last chance.” “If Caleb doesn’t accept your proposal, you really will be erased.” But I just stood there numbly, staring at the door Caleb had slammed shut. I smiled faintly and said in a hoarse voice, “Chase? What’s the point of catching up?” The System said, “But…” I interrupted it, “No buts. He won’t agree. From start to finish, his heart has only ever had Phoebe.” I know this all too well. Caleb’s phone wallpaper is a photo of Phoebe, and his lock screen is a picture of him with Phoebe. All his passwords contain Phoebe’s initials and birthday. Sometimes, even in intimate moments, Caleb holds me and murmurs the name “Phoebe.” I, the official girlfriend, live completely like a shadow. I bent down and picked up the ring buried under the rose petals. The cold touch of the ring feels just like my heart right now. Caleb must be on his way to pick up Phoebe right now. Sure enough, not long after, my phone screen lit up with a breaking news alert: [Billionaire CEO Caleb spotted at the airport, intimately picking up his first love!] Another headline read: [Caleb’s romance revealed, the two share a kiss at the airport. Caleb openly admits, “She is the love of my life!”] The news included a high-definition photo and a short video. Caleb, dressed in a sharp suit, wore a gentle smile I had never seen before, tightly holding a woman with a great figure. That woman was Phoebe. Caleb openly admitted it in front of the reporters’ cameras without any hesitation. He said, “That’s right, she is the woman I’ve loved for ten years.” “Years ago, we had to part ways due to reality. Now, I will never let go of her hand again.” Looking at their tightly held hands in the photo, the comment section completely exploded. [They are such a perfect match! Only such an outstanding woman deserves Mr. Hamilton.] [I heard Ms. Hunter is Mr. Hamilton’s true love. He stayed unmarried for so many years because of her. After waiting so long, he’s finally with her.] Some questioned: [But, how do I remember there was a woman by Mr. Hamilton’s side before, seemed like his girlfriend?] Someone immediately refuted his statement: [What nonsense are you talking about? Everyone knows Mr. Hamilton is devoted and loyal. Even if there were women, they must have been the ones pestering him. They’re disgusting.] This skeptical comment was quickly deleted amid numerous rebuttals. Looking at those harsh words and images, my heart ached deeply. I remembered before, I had cautiously asked him, “Caleb, can we post something on Instagram to let others know we’re together?” Caleb immediately frowned, his tone full of irritation. Caleb said, “Isabella, are you being childish? What’s the point of posting this? My social circle doesn’t need to know about these private matters.” Isabella Ferguson is my name. I tried to explain, “But…” Caleb interrupted me, “Alright, stop. I don’t like this. Don’t bring it up again.” Turns out, it wasn’t that he disliked making the relationship public; he just disliked the fact that the person was me. Turns out, the difference between loving someone and not loving them can be so cruel, so obvious. Caleb could stand in front of the camera without hesitation for Phoebe, declaring his love to the whole world. But he wouldn’t even spare me a tiny, insignificant corner. The System is still trying to make a final effort. It said, “Host, maybe there’s still a chance.” I closed my eyes wearily. Then I said, “Forget it. Let it be.” I thought, “I’m tired. I’m really tired.”

Caleb hosted a grand welcome dinner for Phoebe. At night, fireworks lit up the entire city, almost painting half the sky red. Next, a swarm of drones rose, forming a giant heart and the words “Phoebe, welcome back” in the sky. I thought, “What a grand scene.” “For Phoebe, Caleb really spared no expense or effort.” I quietly looked away, then turned to the small, lonely birthday cake on the table. I bought it, with a single “25” numeral candle on top. I picked up a spoon, scooped a small piece, and put it in my mouth. It tasted so sweet, overly sweet, so much that it left a bitter feeling in my heart. The System said, “Host.” Its voice sounded somewhat weak. I swallowed the bite of cake and stood up. I said, “It’s fine. I’m used to it.” I didn’t want Caleb to feel I was in the way, so I quickly started packing. Luckily, I don’t have much stuff. In this house, I’ve always felt like a temporary guest, afraid to leave too many traces of myself. I didn’t take anything Caleb bought for me, only packed a few old clothes I brought and some small items. By the time I was almost done packing, the clock on the wall had passed midnight. My twenty-fifth birthday had passed. Almost at the same moment, an indescribable weakness suddenly overwhelmed me. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the cold floor. Immediately after, a crushing pain erupted throughout my bones, as if they were being shattered. The System’s purge mechanism began. It’s a rare genetic collapse syndrome, lasting three days, with the pain intensifying each day until I finally succumb in utter agony. I clenched my teeth, trying to prop myself up, but it was useless. The pain engulfed me like a tide, and my vision began to blur. At that moment, the sound of a key turning came from the door. The next second, the door opened. Phoebe walked in, arm in arm with Caleb, smiling. Seeing me slumped on the ground, they both froze for a moment. Phoebe slightly raised her eyebrows, her tone tinged with curiosity. She asked, “Caleb, who is this?” Caleb’s smile instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised disgust and irritation. He frowned deeply, his voice as cold as ice. Caleb asked, “Isabella, why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to pack up and leave immediately?” Before I could say anything, he immediately turned to Phoebe. The coldness on his face melted instantly, and his tone became very gentle. Caleb said, “It’s nothing. She’s just an ignorant servant. I’ll have her leave right now.” Servant? My heart felt like it was pierced by a knife, numbing even the pain in my body for a moment. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I didn’t stay on purpose. But the intense pain only let me make broken sounds. Seeing me like this, Caleb seemed a bit puzzled. He asked, “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?” Maybe because I had never been this miserable, Caleb looked at me with a hint of pity in his eyes. He instinctively took half a step toward me. But the next second, Phoebe’s sudden words interrupted his movement. She said, “Are you feeling unwell and want to stay here to rest?” “Caleb, she’s feeling so awful, how can you kick her out?” Just two sentences made Caleb change his mind, thinking all this was just an act for me to stay here. He stepped back to his original spot, slowly revealing a mocking cold smile. Caleb said, “I really underestimated you. Are you acting in front of me? Who are you pretending to be pitiful for?” “You think this will make me soften and let you stay? Isabella, don’t overestimate yourself.” “I’ll count to three, and you leave willingly. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude.” The intense pain left me unable to argue, not even having the strength to shake my head, only gasping in agony. My silence and misery seemed to anger Caleb even more. He completely lost his patience and directly took out his phone to call his driver. Caleb said, “Come up here and clear out the trash in the guest room along with the person refusing to leave.” Soon, his driver came up. He glanced at me and said, “Sorry, Ms. Ferguson.” Then, he propped up my nearly immobile body with one hand, grabbed my shabby-looking suitcase with the other, and almost dragged me out the door. The suitcase landed by my feet. The door behind me slammed shut, cutting off the bright lights inside and the faint laughter of Caleb and Phoebe. I took one last look at the place I once called “home.” Then, I humbly dragged my suitcase, limping into the dark night.

That night, I tossed and turned in pain on the bed of a cheap motel, unable to sleep. Finally, I made it to dawn and practically crawled out to hail a taxi, heading straight to the hospital. However, the medical level of this world couldn’t identify the cause of genetic collapse syndrome, let alone treat it. The doctor could only prescribe me some painkillers to ease the symptoms. I carried the medicine bag to complete the hospitalization procedures. Every step felt like walking on a knife’s edge, and I looked utterly miserable. Suddenly, a mocking voice came through. “Isn’t this Ms. Ferguson?” I turned around and saw two former colleagues exchange a glance before walking toward me. I remembered them. They were two employees from the neighboring department, always holding a grudge against me. One of them asked hypocritically, “Why are you at the hospital alone? Where’s Mr. Hamilton? Didn’t he come with you?” The other sneered and said, “With her? What are you thinking? Haven’t you seen the news? Mr. Hamilton’s lover is back. Who would care about this impostor?” The first person added, “Exactly. She used connections to get into the company before. Now that her support is gone, shouldn’t she get lost?” I clenched the medicine bag in my hand, my nails almost digging into my palm. When I joined the company, I worked tirelessly to prove my abilities, and everyone could see the results I achieved. But in their eyes, I will always just be someone who “relied on a man to climb up.” On top of that, Caleb never publicly acknowledged me, which only reinforced my “unrecognized” status in their eyes. Before, out of respect for Caleb, these people only dared to talk about me behind my back. Now, they openly insult me to my face without hesitation. But the intense pain made it hard for me to even stand straight, let alone argue back. I could only lower my head and try to walk around them. One of them said, “Why aren’t you talking? Did we hit the mark?” The two of them deliberately blocked my way, speaking in an even harsher tone. The other said, “Without Mr. Hamilton, what are you? Did you really think you were somebody?” “Does she need to report to you?” Suddenly, a cold male voice interrupted. The three of us were stunned at the same time. Turning my head, I saw Caleb standing not far away, frowning tightly with a very unpleasant expression. The two colleagues instantly changed their expressions and didn’t dare to speak anymore. Caleb walked over, his gaze coldly sweeping over the two of them. He said, “Is the company’s project finished? You’re so free to come to the hospital and gossip about others? Do you need me to call your supervisor for a chat?” The two turned pale with fright, and one of them quickly said, “No need, Mr. Hamilton, we’ll leave right away.” Immediately, they almost fled. Caleb’s gaze returned to me. However, his gaze showed no hint of softness, instead filled with even more impatience. Caleb asked me, “Isabella, was I not clear enough yesterday? I told you to get lost and not appear in front of me again. What do you mean by this now?” I wanted to explain that this was just a coincidence, but my throat was so dry I couldn’t make a clear sound. His gaze shifted downward. When he caught sight of the medicine bag in my hand, he frowned deeply. Caleb asked, “What medicine are you holding? Are you really sick?” In that moment, I almost had an absurd illusion. Maybe he still cared about me a little. I struggled to lift my hand, wanting to pass him some of the painkillers I was holding. But my movement was interrupted by an urgent voice. “Caleb.” Phoebe walked out of the nearby consultation room, her face slightly pale. She was holding her chest with one hand, coughing softly twice. Seeing this, Caleb’s attention was instantly drawn completely to her. He immediately turned to her and asked with concern, “Phoebe, how are you? What did the doctor say? Are you still feeling unwell?” Phoebe said weakly, “It’s nothing. I just caught a bit of a cold.” As she spoke, she coughed weakly a few more times. However, her gaze passed over Caleb’s shoulder and landed precisely on me. Phoebe smiled ever so faintly. It was a fleeting, almost imperceptible smile, filled with extreme mockery and smugness. She seemed to be saying, “See? The one he cares about will always be me.” Caleb said with concern, “You’re coughing and still saying you’re fine? Come on. I’ll take you to the ward to rest first.” After saying that, he hurriedly left with Phoebe, without looking back at me or asking me anything. Once again, I was completely left behind, like a ridiculous backdrop. Even though I already knew what choice Caleb would make, I couldn’t help but hold onto hope every time. In the end, I deserve it.

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My husband, Ethan Vance, lost everything and his family was gone, and I just walked away. After he’d rebuilt his empire, I’d come knocking every year. The first year, I held our daughter. He threw fifty thousand dollars at me and told me to get lost. The second year, I brought him my late-stage cancer diagnosis report. He didn’t even glance at it, gave me a hundred thousand, and told me to disappear forever. The third and fourth years, I vanished from this world, just as he’d wished. Until the fifth year, he received a call from our daughter. “Mommy, when are you bringing food? I’m hungry.” “Mommy, I’m so hungry.” I watched our daughter, Grace, sneak back home from the orphanage. She found my old phone, charged it, and started calling, just like I used to. When I was terminally ill, I often ordered takeout, and the delivery riders would always deliver my order last. When Grace was hungry, I’d call to rush the rider. So Grace thought if she just made a call, her little tummy would be full. Now, she dialed, just like me, but she called the emergency contact—Ethan Vance. She called again and again. The dimly lit screen illuminated her innocent face. I wanted to stop her, but my hand passed right through her body. A wave of frustration washed over me. It had been three years. How could I keep forgetting I was just a spirit? “Grace, don’t call him. He won’t answer.” He probably still thought I was just some gold-digger. “Go open the small box on the table. There’s money I left for you in there.” Most of the money I got from Ethan, I put into a trust fund for Grace’s future education and living expenses. I left a thousand dollars in the box for any unexpected needs she might have. As if by some sixth sense, Grace picked up that little box. But then, a crisp, cold voice came from the other end of the phone. “Aurora?” I froze, realizing the call had been going on for a minute already. “Didn’t I tell you to go die somewhere?” His tone was calm, emotionless, just as cruel as ever. I twisted my fingers, feeling a pang of shame to be cursed at by her father, right in front of our daughter. Even if they didn’t know each other. His voice was mocking: “Want more money? Fine, come beg me.” Grace stared at the phone, her eyes shining with delight. Her tiny, sweet voice piped up: “Uncle! When are you bringing me food? I’m hungry!” Silence on the other end for a moment. “Let Aurora answer the phone.” “You mean Mommy?” Grace’s face instantly fell: “But she can’t answer the phone anymore.” Ethan’s voice deepened: “What happened to her?” “Mommy said she’s sleeping.” A four-and-a-half-year-old child had no concept of life and death. A scoff echoed from the other end, clearly not buying such a lame excuse. “Is that so? I’d like to see what new scheme she’s cooking up.” I wanted to smile, but I couldn’t. What new scheme could I possibly be cooking up? Even trying to float over and scare him felt beyond my power. After hanging up, Grace curled up in the corner of the sofa, waiting patiently, a slight curve on her lips. But I was pacing frantically. Ethan hated me so much. What would he do to my daughter? An hour later, there was a knock at the door. My heart lurched: “Don’t open the door, Grace!” Grace had already opened it. Outside, there was no food as she’d expected, only a few security guards in suits. They surveyed the room, found no one else, and took Grace away. “No!” I was helpless, forced to watch my daughter being taken. When Ethan opened his door, he saw Grace, tears streaming down her face. He glanced behind her. “Where’s that woman?”

He was talking about me. I lowered my eyes. I didn’t even deserve a name from him anymore. A security guard reported truthfully: “When we arrived, only the little girl was in the house.” Grace broke free from their grasp and hugged Ethan’s leg. “Uncle, bad guys caught me.” I was shocked. Grace had only met Ethan twice before. She didn’t know Ethan was the father who refused to acknowledge her. But blood ran deep, making her instinctively trust him. Ethan seemed uncomfortable with her hug, frowning as he scoffed: “She’s so cruel, pushing her own bastard child out to face my anger.” I shook my head frantically: “No, Grace isn’t a bastard!” She’s our child. He wouldn’t believe it. After Grace was born, I found out she had the Vance family’s hereditary heart condition, and I had sought him out then. Ethan’s words still echoed in my ears. “Aurora, do you think I’m the same Ethan as before? You fooled me once, do you think you can fool me twice?” “Trying to pin a child you had with some other guy on me?” “Get lost. Here’s twenty thousand. Consider it a buy-out for our five years together.” I said, “It’s not enough.” He didn’t want our daughter, but she needed money for her surgery. Ethan gnashed his teeth in anger: “You really are obsessed with money. Fine, here’s fifty thousand. Because that’s all you’re worth.” Five years of love, reduced to a mere transaction. I knew this would make Ethan despise me even more, but it didn’t matter. Grace had her surgery with that money. She would live a healthy life now, and it was worth it. Now, Ethan asked Grace coldly, “Tell me, where is your mother hiding?” Grace looked up, teary-eyed. Her features were strikingly similar to mine. Ethan seemed a little lost in thought. “Mommy sleeps during the day, and at night, she turns into a star.” At her words, Ethan’s expression hardened, and he pulled his leg away. “Now she’s resorting to playing the victim?” Grace tumbled to the floor. I floated over, using all my strength, but I couldn’t catch her, watching her fall right through my embrace. The little box she clutched tightly also fell. Grace, who hadn’t eaten for two days, struggled twice before finally getting back up. A sharp pang twisted in my chest. Ethan watched coldly from the side, his fists inexplicably clenched. Grace hugged the little box, pretending to be brave, and patted her bottom: “Mommy, it doesn’t hurt.” I was startled, thinking she could see me. Then I remembered I was paralyzed in bed with late-stage stomach cancer. She learned to take care of me when she was two, even picking up plastic bottles while I slept. One day, she got into a fight with a stray dog and came back covered in bruises. I was so worried I coughed up blood. She, instead, smiled and comforted me. Saying it didn’t hurt. Hearing her words, Ethan looked around: “Aurora, come out!” The house was dead silent. I was standing right in front of him, but he couldn’t see me. Ethan waited a moment, found no sign of me. He sneered: “How cruel. To even use a child this big.” “Just send her away.” Ethan left those words and walked into his house. The security guards left Grace on the curb of the busy street. It was already dark. Grace stood there for a moment, lost, in the unfamiliar street. She looked bewildered, asking the little box: “Mommy, which way should I go?” My heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. I could only pray the orphanage would quickly realize Grace was missing. Grace looked at the moon in the sky. “Mommy, can I find you by following the moon?” She was too hungry to walk and fell twice. She stumbled and found a trash can, discovering half a leftover cake. Her eyes lit up. She picked up the stale, sour-smelling piece of cake and eagerly put it into her mouth. I cried, trying to stop her: “Grace, don’t eat that, you’ll get sick!” She couldn’t hear me, but the cake in her hand was suddenly knocked away.

It was Ethan, who had appeared out of nowhere. I hadn’t even noticed him. He looked at the grubby Grace, gritting his teeth: “Aurora, this is how you treat your daughter, huh?” He led Grace into a car parked nearby. Grace cried and screamed, all affection for him gone: “Why won’t you let me eat? You’re a bad guy!” Then, she tried to lick the crumbs from her fingers. Ethan grabbed her hand, wiping her tiny hand clean with a wet wipe, his face a mix of disgust and gentleness: “Didn’t your mother teach you not to pick up things from the ground and eat them?” His movements were gentle yet meticulous. When we were dating, he always took care of me so attentively. My friends used to call him my ‘dad’ boyfriend—so mature and stable. But Grace was as stubborn as I was. When she pushed him away, her little hand slapped him across the face: “I don’t want you, bad guy, to tell me what to do!” I gasped in fright, looking anxiously at Ethan. I saw that he wasn’t angry. He lowered his eyelashes, threw away the wet wipe, and turned his head to the window, avoiding looking at Grace, whose profile was identical to mine. His tone was mocking: “Just as stubborn as your mother, isn’t she? Good thing she’s not mine.” I smiled bitterly. I’m sorry to disappoint you, then. The little box slipped from Grace’s embrace. He bent down to pick it up. He glanced at the dirty wooden box, finding it vaguely familiar. I instinctively wanted to stop him. If he opened it, he would discover the truth from all those years ago. He would live a lifetime of guilt. Better for him to hate me than to feel guilty. But then I looked at Grace, and I hoped she could live under her father’s protection. I was conflicted and nervous. To my surprise, he tossed the wooden box back into Grace’s arms: “What a piece of junk to pick up.” For a moment, I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Ethan took Grace home. He told Martha, the housekeeper, to cook something for her. He glanced at Grace’s bony frame and added, “Make it something easy to digest.” “I don’t know how that woman raised a child. Thin as a rail. Good thing I never married someone like her.” I nodded. I really was an inadequate mother. Ethan sat at the dining table, watching Grace pick out the carrots. He frowned and instinctively said, “Aurora Hayes, no picky eating.” Both he and I froze. “I’ll keep her right here, under my watch. I don’t believe Aurora won’t come to get you.” With those words, Ethan stood up and went upstairs, his back retreating, as if in a hasty retreat. Grace’s eyes lit up: “Really? Will Mommy come get me?” As night fell, Grace refused to sleep in the guest room, insisting on sleeping on the sofa. Martha tried to persuade her, but it was no use. Ethan seemed a little impatient: “Kids are such a bother. Let her be, she can sleep wherever she wants.” Grace slept on the sofa for three days. Ethan, seeing her curled up in a tiny ball, frowned deeply: “Is your mother that cruel to you? Doesn’t she ever let you sleep in a bed?” Grace shook her head: “No way. Mommy’s on the sofa.” Ethan looked bewildered, but I was crying uncontrollably. Because we only had one sofa at home. When I was gravely ill, I often lay on the sofa, drifting in and out of consciousness. Grace thought I was just sleeping. She would quietly crawl into my arms and hug me. Even at the orphanage, Grace liked to stay on the sofa in the reception area, as if sleeping in my arms. Ethan had been working from home lately, often staring blankly at the door. He watched Grace, who was also looking at the door, and asked: “Hey, what’s your name?” “Grace Hayes.” “Grace, your mother abandoned you too.” Grace instantly became a stubborn little beast: “No way! My mommy would never abandon me!” “Is that so? Then why hasn’t she come to pick you up after a whole week?” Just as he finished speaking. The doorbell rang. Ethan immediately stood up, a knowing smile appearing on his face. “Your mother’s here.” Grace scrambled up from the floor, looking expectantly at the door. The door opened. Both of them froze.

Grace pouted: “Liar, it’s not Mommy at all.” The newcomer was a striking girl in a red dress. I had seen her once before, the second time Grace and Ethan met. That was at the women’s health clinic, right after Grace’s surgery. Ethan had emerged with her, looking very intimate. The girl glanced at Grace, confused: “Where did this child come from?” Ethan replied casually: “Just picked her up off the street.” The girl’s eyes widened: “You’re picking up kids now?” She suddenly remembered something, pointing at the flower bed in the yard, furious: “Who pulled up my roses!” My heart ached inexplicably. So, they were already living together. Ethan glanced at Grace, who barely reached his knee. Grace guiltily averted her gaze and went back to the sofa. Ethan sounded disinterested: “It’s just flowers, we can plant more.” Seeing him say that, the girl didn’t press the issue. She followed Ethan into the house. As soon as she sat on the sofa, she covered her nose with her hand: “What’s that strange smell? Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been really sensitive to smells.” I looked at her, shocked, at her still flat stomach. Watching Ethan and Grace’s interactions these past few days, I had still hoped that once he discovered Grace was his child, he would treat her well. But now that he had a child with another woman, what would become of my daughter? Ethan also noticed an unusual smell in the air. He looked at Grace on the sofa. He walked over, lifted Grace, and pulled back the sofa cushion. A pile of food wrapped in plastic bags and seven withered flowers were scattered all over the floor. Both of them were dumbfounded. Ethan’s veins throbbed: “Grace, what are you doing?” Grace cried out: “Don’t touch my things! These are all for Mommy!” I remembered my tiny daughter picking through trash outside. Some kind-hearted people, pitying her, would buy her food. She wouldn’t eat a single bite, always bringing it home for me. At the orphanage, the director caught her a few times and taught her. She learned to eat first herself, then save the best things for me. The other children often avoided Grace because of her smell, not wanting to play with her. Ethan’s gaze was complicated: “Why would you do this?” Grace cried sadly: “Mommy never got to eat any of these good things, and you said Mommy would come to pick me up, so I wanted to save them for when I see her.” Ethan tried to sneer, but couldn’t: “Didn’t she go off to live a good life with some rich guy? What hasn’t she eaten?” Grace shook her head: “No way. Mommy always said she wasn’t hungry.” At first, I said I wasn’t hungry so Grace would eat more. Later, when my illness worsened, I truly couldn’t eat. The girl beside Ethan asked: “Why is there an urn on the floor?” It was the little wooden box that had fallen. Ethan stared blankly: “An urn?” No wonder it looked familiar, like he’d seen it somewhere before. A stack of money and a letter fell out of the box. This letter felt like a thousand pounds. Ethan’s trembling hand tried several times before he finally picked it up. On the envelope was his all-too-familiar handwriting: [To my sweet daughter, Grace]. He opened the envelope. In an instant, his eyes turned red.

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