Category: English

It was the third year of my marriage to Adrian. He was 35. I was barely 21, just a senior in college. I hadn’t even decided if I wanted to be a full-time housewife. Then I overheard him casually chatting with a bunch of big shots in his industry: “Chloe is nothing but her youth. “Honestly, she’s not as sophisticated as Vivian. “I’m starting to regret getting married. Bagging a young girl costs so little, but now a divorce would be too costly.” That same day, I handed him the divorce papers. When he saw the words “relinquishing all marital assets” in black and white, he let out a long sigh of relief. Then, feigning generosity, he said: “I’ll transfer twenty million to you, as compensation.” I smiled and refused: “I’m young; I can afford to play the long game.” He had no idea that my brother, Christian, was one of the wealthiest men in New York. All these years, Adrian had only managed to climb into those elite circles thanks to Christian’s backing. Divorcing me? His losses had only just begun.

My senior year internship. Just so I could see my handsome husband a little more each day. I resolutely chose Adrian’s company. As an ordinary intern. I was so low-key that Adrian didn’t even know I was there. I was afraid of bothering him, of distracting him. Occasionally, I’d hear other interns discussing Adrian. I’d listen carefully, never joining in. “CEO Adrian is so hot, 35 is truly a man’s prime.” “Too bad he’s married. His wife is apparently just some ordinary young girl.” “Ugh, why am I not that lucky…” When I was 18. Adrian, to express his sincerity. Declared on our first date that he was serious about marriage. He gave me the engagement ring right then and there. I responded with fervent love. We got married after only a year of dating. It was impulsive and intoxicating. Sweet and blissful. He gave me a dream romance beyond imagination. His CEO-style love was intense, overpowering, sweeping me off my feet so fast I couldn’t think straight. If I hadn’t come to his company for this internship. I might never have discovered his secrets. Vivian. Adrian’s secretary. Sexy and beautiful, a typical mature woman. She often traveled with Adrian on business trips and accompanied him to social events. She handled all of the company’s affairs, big and small, and even knew the company better than Adrian himself. So. Before they knew Adrian was married. Everyone in the company assumed Vivian was his wife. In the cafeteria, I’d hear old employees who’d worked alongside Vivian grumble. “CEO Adrian must be blind; he has such a stunning woman like Vivian by his side and doesn’t even appreciate her.” “And Vivian even quit her executive position at a listed company to become Adrian’s secretary.” “Just you watch, once the passion fades, Adrian will divorce Chloe eventually and get together with Vivian.” There were many rumors. I never paid them any mind. After all, Adrian and I were passionate every single night. Until one social event, Vivian got drunk and confessed her feelings to Adrian in front of everyone. It was more than just a confession. It was her forcing Adrian to choose. Vivian asked Adrian if he had feelings for her. Adrian remained silent for a long time. Vivian then asked: “If you don’t have feelings for me, then why won’t you approve my resignation letter?!” Adrian’s face was grave, and he responded with one word: “I do.” Then, he looked deeply at Vivian: “I do have feelings for you, I can’t do without you, so I can’t approve your resignation, okay?” Vivian smiled, drank the glass of wine on the table, and walked out with her bag. The air solidified for two seconds. Adrian then chased after her. Those who attended that party were all partners who had worked alongside Adrian and Vivian for years. I didn’t attend. But Penny, a chubby intern friend of mine who loved gossip, filmed the scene and sent it to me privately. Penny asked me: [Do you think something will happen between CEO Adrian and Vivian tonight?] I replied: [Probably not… right.] [They’re grown-ups, they’ve known each other for years, their feelings are so deep, they drank, confessed… you really think nothing’s going to happen?] I typed out a firm line: [Adrian is married; he should know his boundaries. Besides, Vivian doesn’t need to be a mistress!] [You’re right, but we’ll know for sure tomorrow.] I didn’t understand what Penny meant by “we’ll know for sure tomorrow.” But the moment I exited our SnapChat conversation, I knew the answer. Adrian messaged me. He said he wouldn’t be home that night; he had an impromptu social engagement. My heart trembled. Immediately, I called him. At first, no one answered. I called several times in a row. Only then did Adrian pick up. “Babe, my phone was on silent, didn’t hear it. What’s up?” I suppressed my emotions, my fingernails already digging into my flesh. “Honey, are you really not coming home tonight?” “Yeah, a get-together, everyone’s here, can’t make it back. Please understand, babe.” I clenched my teeth, then asked: “Are there any women at your party?” He paused, then chuckled: “No, when did you start checking up on me? Want to FaceTime? I can prove my innocence.” While he was talking. I recognized the tell-tale rustle of expensive sheets against a silk shirt. Before. When our love was wild. I often heard that sound. “Hmm…” A low groan escaped Adrian’s lips. The turmoil in my heart. Dispersed in that very instant. Three years with Adrian, we’d shared countless intimate moments; I knew exactly what that “hmm” meant. It was the involuntary release of someone reaching the peak of pleasure. That one detail. He probably didn’t even notice it himself. Perfect. I didn’t even need to stop his betrayal. The betrayal. It had already happened. I forced a bitter smile: “No need for FaceTime…” I feared it would blind me. “You have fun; I’m going to sleep.” My heart was dead. I was about to hang up. Then Adrian’s voice came from the other end. Hoarse and deep. “Babe, we closed a huge deal tonight. Starting tomorrow, everyone will be working overtime. I might be working very late, so don’t wait for me for dinner for a while.” It was overtime work. Or overtime with Vivian. To me, it no longer mattered.

The call ended. I didn’t sleep a wink. With dark circles under my eyes, I arrived at the company. My mind was still blank when Penny came over to me, eager to continue gossiping about last night. “Something definitely happened between CEO Adrian and Vivian last night.” I frowned slightly. Then she said: “This morning, Adrian’s clothes were all wrinkled, and… he was still wearing yesterday’s outfit. Doesn’t that mean Adrian didn’t go home last night?” I nodded, too tired to praise her keen observation. She continued: “Vivian was also late this morning. When she came in, her face was all smiles. She’s usually so efficient and no-nonsense, but today she was like a completely different person.” I asked her, “How different?” She thought for a moment before articulating: “More radiant, more seductive, more… delicate. See for yourself.” I looked up. I saw Vivian walk in, dressed in a tight, body-hugging skirt. I’d seen that skirt before. I had liked it when Adrian and I were shopping. But they didn’t have my size then, so I just paid the store clerk and pre-ordered it, asking them to send it to Adrian when it arrived. Now it seemed. The item had arrived. But the recipient of the gift had changed. Vivian was in a great mood. She walked in and asked everyone what they wanted to drink, saying it was on her. Everyone cheered excitedly. I sat in the corner, feeling terrible. I tried to numb myself with work. But it didn’t work. I stumbled through until noon. I sat at my desk, eating my takeout. Vivian, meanwhile, carried several bags of exquisite meals into Adrian’s office. She stayed in there. The entire afternoon. She came out again in the evening, almost closing time. Penny next to me tutted, sighing: “The world has truly changed. Out of everyone, Vivian had to fall for a married man. Sam, who sits closer to the CEO’s office, said Vivian practically pounced on Adrian the moment she entered, almost turning the office into a motel!” After that, Penny even sent me Sam’s secretly taken photo. Vivian was sitting on Adrian’s lap, feeding him. Their expressions, their posture. You couldn’t get any more intimate. “I wonder how upset Adrian’s wife would be if she saw this.” Penny whispered softly. Mr. Davies, who sat across from us, frowned. “It’s a couple’s sweet moment, why are you two meddling?” Penny didn’t quite catch Mr. Davies’s meaning and jokingly added: “Right, it’s definitely an *illicit* couple!” Mr. Davies was displeased. He tossed a ledger at Penny: “Since you’re so idle, finish this. You’re not leaving until it’s done.” Penny was stumped. I quietly sent her a message: [Mr. Davies and Vivian go way back. He’s definitely on Vivian’s side, so you shouldn’t say things like that anymore.] Penny replied with a crying emoji. I comforted her: [I’ll help you with that ledger. Let’s finish it quickly and go for some shrimp.] She cheered up again. Later that evening. The two of us finally finished our overtime task and were about to go for shrimp when Mr. Davies called out to us again. “Hard work, you two. Let’s grab a late-night snack together.” Mr. Davies didn’t give us a chance to refuse. He turned and led us to a restaurant near the company. After dinner. We were then taken to a karaoke lounge. We were reluctant. But there was nothing we could do. No one cared about interns. Sitting in a dark corner, the two of us just started playing games. We were so absorbed. We didn’t notice several people gradually entering the private room. Until I heard a familiar voice. Only then did I see Adrian, surrounded by a group of industry big shots, seated at the head of the table. At first, the group discussed projects. Later, they started talking about their private lives. About children, wives, in-laws… and of course, mistresses. “I saw Vivian post on Ins, something about finally being with the one she loves. So, you finally came to your senses and took Vivian into your bed?” Someone asked. I couldn’t help but perk up my ears. Adrian said calmly: “You don’t understand the situation that day. I had no choice. Vivian was pressuring me. If I didn’t take her, she would resign. You know, Vivian has been with the company for so many years; the company can’t function without her. Of course… you could also say I can’t function without her.” “And Vivian is okay being a mistress? Adrian, don’t mess things up for yourself later.” “Yeah, how much effort did you put into marrying that young girl? We all saw it. Let’s not even talk about keeping a mistress outside; if your wife at home found out, wouldn’t it blow up?” “That’s not fair. If Vivian doesn’t mind, why should the other girl?!” “After Adrian pampered her all these years, how could that girl accept going back to an ordinary, simple life? Even if she knew about the mistress, she definitely wouldn’t make a scene. She’d at least keep the title of Mrs. Adrian and live a wealthy life.” Everyone chimed in. The consensus was that as long as Adrian kept Vivian happy and quiet, his wife at home wouldn’t cause too much trouble. They even congratulated Adrian, wishing him well with his two women. Penny listened, her face scrunching up. She couldn’t help but whisper “disgusting” in my ear. Then she added: “Even though Adrian is such a jerk, they do have a point. That girl hasn’t even graduated yet, does she? No family background, no connections. Making a fuss wouldn’t really benefit her. What do you think…” I nodded: “She won’t make a fuss; in this day and age, everyone is civilized.” Everything could be discussed calmly. Even divorce. At this moment. Adrian put down his wine glass and spoke: “Yeah, Chloe is nothing but her youth. Compared to her, Vivian is more sophisticated. “But Vivian’s proud nature, I wonder how long she’ll tolerate this. “I’m starting to regret getting married. A young mistress would’ve been cheaper. Now a divorce would be too costly.” So, he was calculating the loss. Right, Adrian and I were legally married. A divorce would mean splitting his post-marital assets. Then, let Adrian have his wish. I could leave with absolutely nothing. But he would also have to bear the cost of my departure.

When everyone finally dispersed. Vivian drove off with a drunken Adrian. I watched from afar as the two embraced, kissing deeply. Perhaps they had suppressed their desires for too long. Once they got in the car, the car began to rock noticeably. I silently recorded everything that had just happened. Then, I called Christian. “Hey, Chloe, what’s up? Why are you calling me so late?” Christian’s voice instantly touched the softest part of my heart. A quiet sob escaped me. Tears streamed down my face. “Chloe, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” I choked, unable to speak. Christian immediately asked where I was. I vaguely told him an address. Half an hour later, he appeared before me. I was huddled on the curb, shivering. Christian took off his jacket, draped it over me, and sat beside me in silence. “Where’s Adrian?” “He cheated.” Christian froze, his jaw clenching. “Where is he? I’ll kill him.” I held Christian’s hand and shook my head: “No need, that would only dirty your hands.” Christian angrily stomped his foot on the ground! But it wasn’t enough to soothe his anger. He asked me, “Divorce?” I nodded without hesitation. “Could it be a misunderstanding?” I showed Christian all the videos and photos on my phone. Even though I didn’t say anything. Christian had already made his decision. He immediately pulled out his phone and made several calls. One was to contact his lawyer friend to draft a divorce agreement for me. The second was to contact Adrian’s suppliers, telling them that new contracts, if not yet signed, should not be; expiring contracts should not be renewed; and for existing contracts, all discounts should be revoked, and all transactions should be at market price. After making the calls. Christian took my hand: “Come on, let’s go home.” I shook my head, tears still in my eyes: “Before going home, I want to move out first.” Christian didn’t hesitate and drove to the house Adrian and I shared. Adrian had bought the house. I had nothing to be nostalgic about. I had lived there for three years, though, and never expected to leave this way. “If you want this house, I’ll get you the best lawyer to help you keep it.” “No thanks, Christian. Anything associated with Adrian, I feel dirty just thinking about it now.”

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Tiffany said I stole her jewelry. My brother, Brandon, was furious. He didn’t just take me to court; he hired the best lawyers to defend her. I was sentenced to three years. A thief. Before I went in, his lawyer, Mr. Davies, urged him, “Just scare her a little. If she really goes to jail, your sister’s life will be ruined!” Brandon’s face didn’t flinch. “Stealing isn’t a minor offense. She has to learn her lesson.” “As for later, I’ll have her back.” Three years later, I walked out of prison. His eyes were red as he reached out to me. “Now do you know you were wrong? Come on, let’s go home.” But I just stepped back, emotionless, avoiding his hand. I’d found a new brother inside. He believed me. Brandon’s eyes flickered with surprise when I avoided him. But his hand didn’t retract; instead, it reached out again, swift and firm, trying to pull me closer. “Maya, why are you dodging me? Did someone give you a hard time in there?” His voice was thick with emotion, his throat raw. I tried to pull my hand away several times but couldn’t, so I simply said, “No.” He let out a sigh of relief, gripping me tighter. “Good. I saw online it’s not a place for people. As long as you weren’t bullied…” Watching his relieved expression and his reddening eyes, I gave a bitter, mocking smile in my heart. Brandon, aren’t you the one who *insisted* on sending me in? What good is your concern now? He forced a smile, pulling me towards his car, almost pleadingly. “You always loved a good party, right? I’ve got a celebration ready for you.” “Come on, let’s go home.” I glanced back at the prison. I’d met a new brother in there, Reed. He was locked up, falsely accused of financial fraud, and had another month before he was released. We’d already made a pact: I’d pick him up in a month, and we’d start a new life together. Thinking of my dad’s belongings, the only things left from before he passed, I ultimately got into the car with Brandon. On the way, he touched my shaved head, his tone a mix of warning and advice. “Maya, no more stealing, okay? This was your lesson.” I clenched my fingers. Over the past three years, I’d sent countless messages to him through the guards. Telling him I hadn’t stolen anything from Tiffany, that she’d framed me. But he never believed a word. So this time, I wasn’t going to explain anymore. I just nodded obediently, going along with it. “Okay.” He smiled, satisfied, and brought me home. The moment he opened the door, *pop!* Confetti rained down from everywhere. Tiffany, who I hadn’t seen in three years, was holding a party popper, a wide, happy grin on her face. “Welcome home, Maya!” She acted incredibly affectionate, her eyes practically swimming with feigned longing. It was nothing like the hateful, malicious look she’d worn when she’d framed me for theft. I ignored her, brushing past her shoulder as I walked in. Her smile faltered, and she awkwardly looked to Brandon for help. “Why isn’t Maya talking to me? Is she still mad?” Brandon affectionately ruffled her hair. “Maya just got out. She probably hasn’t adjusted yet. It’s not your fault.” I walked into my old bedroom, pulling open the drawer under the bed. Seeing my dad’s old photos and ring still there, I let out a sigh of relief. Brandon stood in the doorway, calling my name softly. “Maya, come out and eat? You’ve lost so much weight, you’re all skin and bones.” I closed the drawer and followed him out. During dinner, Tiffany casually asked, “Maya, what was it like in there? I heard it’s really messy, is that true?” “No, it wasn’t messy. We could read newspapers every day, and after dinner, it was back to our bunks.” “Oh, that’s not so bad then. Not as tough as I imagined.” As she spoke, a flicker of disappointment crossed Tiffany’s face. Brandon peeled a shrimp for me, chuckling. “Now that you’re out, let’s not talk about that anymore. Just something you went through. Time to move on.” Tiffany’s gaze darkened, and she fell silent. A moment later, as if remembering something, she ran back to her bedroom and returned with a small, exquisite box, handing it to me. “Maya, this is a gift for you. Congratulations on getting out!” I didn’t reach for it, continuing to eat my dinner. She didn’t seem to care, smiling as she opened the box. A pearl necklace lay quietly inside, looking incredibly luxurious. But one look was all it took for my pupils to constrict, my blood to run cold. I felt like I’d plunged into an ice bath! Tiffany pushed the necklace closer to me, her face twisting into a grotesque, chilling smile. “What’s wrong, Maya? Didn’t you love this necklace the most? Loved it so much you *stole* it.” “Now I’m giving it to you. Aren’t you happy?”

That pearl necklace was the gift Brandon had given Tiffany. It was also the reason I was locked away for three years. After my father was killed in combat, my mother took the survivor benefits and disappeared, leaving Brandon and me to fend for ourselves. He dropped out of high school, stumbling through so many failures before finally making his business a success. Once he started earning money, he took in Tiffany, who had also lost her father, and brought her home. At first, I disagreed, but Brandon persuaded me. “Tiffany is just as miserable as we were. At least you have me, but she has nothing.” “Maya, be generous. It’s just one more mouth to feed.” But despite his words, Brandon treated her even better than he treated me. He acted as if he was raising a sister from scratch, giving her everything he hadn’t had the chance to give me. Jewelry, accessories, designer bags—Tiffany just had to ask, and he’d buy it. In just two years, he’d spent millions. That was his hard-earned money, money he’d bled for. So many nights he had to go out, entertain clients, drink until his head pounded, then keep going. He even coughed up blood a few times! I hated seeing him waste his money and always urged him not to spend so much. Tiffany resented me for it. She hid the jewelry under my pillow, then cried to Brandon, claiming I had stolen it. Brandon was furious, making me kneel in the rain to apologize. “How could a Maxwell ever raise a daughter like you? Dad was a soldier, and I’ve always been honest, never done anything wrong.” “Out of everyone, you had to take after that mother of ours who stole the money and ran? Did I ever deprive you of food or clothes, that you had to steal?” I was running a high fever, crying and explaining that I hadn’t stolen anything, but he refused to believe me. The next day, he hired the best lawyers and took me to court. He was my own brother, yet he stood in court, testifying against me and supporting Tiffany. In the end, I was sentenced to three years. A thief. Before I went in, relatives, friends, even his own lawyer tried to talk him out of it. I was a girl, after all. Three years in prison would ruin my life. But Brandon wouldn’t listen to anyone. He was willing to alienate them all just to send me in. “Maya won’t be ruined. I work hard for her sake. Even if she is, I’ll take care of her for life.” “But she stole. She has to learn her lesson!” Every month during those three years, he’d come to visit me, asking if I’d learned my lesson. And I never showed my face. I only had the guards relay messages to him: “I didn’t steal anything.” Every time he left, the guards would sigh and tell me: “Your brother doesn’t believe you.” One disappointment after another, slowly, imperceptibly, turned into utter despair. I felt like I was abandoned by the whole world. I used to have my brother’s love, now even that was gone. Seeing that pearl necklace again, I snapped and flipped the box over. The pearls spilled onto the floor, scattering with a clatter as the string snapped, rolling away in every direction. Tiffany was stunned into speechlessness, and Brandon’s face instantly darkened. “Tiffany was being kind, giving you a gift. She’s not even mad at you, so what do you think you’re doing?” I sat in the chair, trembling all over, my face deathly pale. He pulled me up. “Did you think you could just throw a tantrum because you just got out? Pick up those pearls right now and apologize to Tiffany!”

Apologize? How could I possibly apologize? I shoved Brandon away violently, then pushed the door open and ran out. The biting wind was like daggers, and a knot of injustice and sorrow twisted in my chest. I didn’t want to go home. If it weren’t for my dad’s belongings, I wouldn’t have come back with him. I never wanted to be wrongly accused again, never wanted to suffer another moment of injustice! Brandon quickly chased after me, grabbing my wrist. His brow was tightly furrowed as he spoke, his voice full of blame. “Where do you think you’re going? Three years in the slammer and you still haven’t learned your lesson?” I shook him off, unable to hold back anymore, my eyes burning red as I retorted, “Does she give me that necklace out of kindness or malice, Brandon? Can’t you *really* see it?” “I’m your own sister! You already personally sent me to prison once, what else do you want?” “I was doing it for your own good!” His voice turned cold. “If you dare to steal, you must face the consequences. Otherwise, how will you ever change?” “Did you expect me to just stand by and watch you make mistakes, pretending I didn’t see, letting you stray down the wrong path?” His words felt like a heavy hammer had smashed a hole in my heart. When have I ever stolen anything, growing up? What reason would I have to steal Tiffany’s necklace? Why couldn’t he just think properly? Why wouldn’t he believe me? Tears of injustice fell, and three years of despair and pain swept over me. I gave up on explaining, yet again. Brandon looked at my buzz cut, his voice softening as if he was admitting defeat. “Maya, every single thing I did, I did with you in mind. Even though you spent three years in prison, I’ve paved the way for your future.” “My company, everything I’ve built, it’s all for you eventually. I only meant it as a minor punishment. It wouldn’t cause any real harm.” “Come home with me, and stop running off.” He took my hand, pulling me towards the house. I numbly followed him, not saying another word. When we walked through the door, Tiffany saw Brandon bringing me back, and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She hadn’t expected Brandon to still take me in after everything. But I just felt utterly drained, and I retreated to my bedroom, not coming out again. Late that night, Tiffany burst into my room. I sharply opened my eyes, but she thought I was still asleep. She fumbled under my pillow, stuffing something beneath it. I said nothing, nor did I take it out. Tiffany was so desperate, framing me again the moment I returned. I wanted to see if Brandon would choose to believe me this time. Sure enough, the next morning, she cried to Brandon, claiming I had stolen her necklace again. “Maya, if you wanted it, you could have just told me. I even gave you the necklace yesterday, but you didn’t want it.” “Are you just someone who *likes* to steal?” Brandon’s face darkened, and he glared at me, jaw clenched. “You just can’t change, can you?” My heart *thumped*, plunging into a bottomless abyss. Brandon’s words were like a sharp sword, severing the last thread of connection between us. I pulled my lips into a self-deprecating smile. “No, I guess I can’t.” *Slap!* The words had barely left my mouth when Brandon suddenly raised his hand and struck me hard across the face. The fury and disappointment in his eyes threatened to spill over. “How could I have a sister like you!” I was silent for a moment, then, clutching my face, gave a cold, bitter laugh. “I wonder why *I* ended up with a brother like you.” “You!” His finger trembled as he pointed at me, too furious to speak. Before his second slap could land, I dropped to my knees with a *thud*, bowing my head low, a final, painful gesture. “Thank you for dropping out of school to take care of me. From now on, I don’t have a brother.” With that, I stood up, pulled my dad’s belongings from under the bed, and turned to leave. His face hardened, and he snatched the photos and ring from me. “These are Dad’s things. You have no right to take them!” Fine then. I nodded, resigned, and prepared to leave. Brandon bit out, his voice strained from behind me. “You’re someone who’s been to prison! What can you possibly do without me? Starve to death?” I didn’t stop. “Don’t you worry about me.”

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The day before our wedding, Ryan was in a horrific car crash, left in a vegetative state. I waited for ten agonizing years, and finally, he woke up. But his caregiver claimed she was pregnant… and the baby was his. She even brandished a paternity test report. She blew it up all over social media, demanding ten million dollars in compensation. Ryan was so enraged, it killed him. Despair consumed me, and under the crushing weight of cyberbullying, I slit my wrists. That caregiver, though, she took our money and lived a life of luxury. Then, I opened my eyes again. I was back, one week before Ryan woke up. “Audrey, Mr. Ryan’s been doing so much better lately. Today, when you were talking to him, I swear I saw his finger twitch!” Tiffany, the caregiver, her voice sickeningly familiar, jolted me wide awake. She was turned away, wiping Ryan down, and hadn’t noticed my reaction. I watched the seemingly gentle, innocent woman before me, a cold chill shooting through me. Who would’ve thought this seemingly sweet young woman was the monster who destroyed both Ryan and me in my previous life? The hospital room TV was playing a segment on heartwarming global news stories, Ryan’s favorite charity channel. I glanced at the screen: August 8, 2022. I had actually been reborn a week before Ryan woke up! Recalling Tiffany’s words, I quickly composed myself and replied, feigning nonchalance: “No way, you’re just imagining things. I wish he’d wake up soon, too, but he’s been in a coma for ten years.” The day he woke up was the very day she announced her pregnancy. Until I figured out the truth, I couldn’t let her know when he’d stir!

In my past life, the very day Ryan woke up, Tiffany accused him of raping her and getting her pregnant. I didn’t believe it for a second. How could a man who’d been in a coma for ten years possibly get someone pregnant? But Tiffany quickly called the media, thrusting a paternity report into everyone’s faces. She claimed that over a month ago, Ryan had suddenly woken up, molested her, and then relapsed into his coma. She said she’d endured it for so long, waiting for him to wake up again, to expose his wicked face to the world. Tiffany even released a recording from that night. “Mr. Ryan, what are you doing! Don’t touch me!” “Ah! You animal!” After a heated struggle, a man’s disgusting voice echoed in the recording: “Don’t move! I’ve been holding it in for so long, what’s wrong with getting off? Once I’m satisfied, I’ll let you go.” The man’s voice was identical to Ryan’s! According to a tech influencer’s analysis, there were no signs of editing or voice alteration. Instantly, the internet mob drowned us in their condemnation. 【A patient molesting his own caregiver? He’s not human！】 【How can such an animal exist? Is his wife not good enough to satisfy him?】 【The evidence is right there, and they still dare to argue? Just chemically castrate him!】 【The wife is even trying to cover for her husband? I hope I never see these two scumbags, I’ll beat them senseless every time!】 Faced with the recording, no one listened to Ryan’s explanations. His body hadn’t fully recovered after waking up, and he collapsed again. But with the evidence presented, we were powerless to argue. To ensure Ryan could recover without going to jail, I convinced him to sell off some investments, raising ten million dollars for Tiffany. Ryan had been a top-tier client manager at the bank, so his previous investments had earned him a bit of money. But even with the money, Tiffany didn’t let us go. She capitalized on the netizens’ sympathy, becoming an overnight sensation and starting live-stream sales. Every time she began a live stream, she’d use her own story to preach to female viewers about standing up for their rights. She’d tell them not to be afraid if they were violated, presenting herself as a shining example of successful advocacy. She successfully garnered wave after wave of public sympathy, making a fortune. Ryan and I, however, were trapped in endless cyberbullying. Our lives and careers were utterly destroyed. Ryan’s bank fired him because of the scandal, and my flower shop went out of business. Ryan, furious, went to confront Tiffany but was so enraged by her, he died of heart failure. At his funeral, someone leaked the location. Misinformed netizens stormed the site, pelting me with rotten eggs and dousing me in filth. They even scrawled “monster,” “trash,” and “scum” all over his tombstone. Finally, in utter despair, I slit my wrists. Ryan and I had grown up together; I knew his character, he would never do something so immoral. In my past life, we were too easy to exploit, wanting to just pay our way out of trouble. Little did we know, paying the money only confirmed the rape in the netizens’ eyes. This time, I had to change our fate! But what still puzzled me was Tiffany’s pregnancy and that recording. What exactly happened?

After leaving the hospital, I contacted a private investigator, asking him to dig up everything on Tiffany as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, I started making my own preparations, buying a miniature surveillance camera. Then I chose a large bouquet from my flower shop and hid the camera inside it. The next day, that bouquet appeared on Ryan’s bedside table. These days of waiting and watching had left me emotionally and physically drained. For several days, I found nothing unusual about Tiffany, and tomorrow was Ryan’s awakening day. Time was running out! My persistence finally paid off. That night, I finally saw something suspicious on the monitor! Tiffany, in the footage, was lying on the massage chair I’d bought for Ryan, picking a record from the cabinet. She placed it on the record player, and music slowly filled the room. I couldn’t believe all the nice things I’d set up for Ryan in the hospital room, she was enjoying them! Thinking back, the massage chair and record player were all Tiffany’s suggestions, claiming they’d aid Ryan’s recovery. In reality, Ryan had never enjoyed them once. Before long, a man walked into the room. On closer inspection, he looked incredibly familiar. But I just couldn’t place him. The man looked frantic as he entered. “Tiffany, how can you use Ryan’s things? If his wife sees, our whole plan will be ruined!” Why did he know Ryan? And what was this “plan” he was talking about? I frowned, staring at the screen. “Hmph! What’s there to be scared of? Soon, all of this will be ours! Besides, I’m pregnant now, I need to listen to music to cultivate my temperament. Come lie down too, a massage chair that costs tens of thousands of dollars really is something else!” The man ignored her, pointing at Ryan on the bed. “I don’t have your luxury. You need to keep a close eye on him. The moment he wakes up, contact me immediately. I’ll handle the media.” “But this baby, he…” As Tiffany mentioned the baby, I quickly turned up the volume on the monitor. But the man, clearly on edge, rushed over and clamped a hand over her mouth. “Be careful, someone might be listening.” I was disappointed. I didn’t hear any information about Tiffany’s baby. This was likely the key to her pregnancy! Just then, my private investigator called. “From Tiffany’s family background, there’s nothing out of the ordinary, but her personal life is pretty chaotic. She likes to go to bars and hook up with random people, and her dates are always different. But strangely, three months ago, she suddenly stopped going.” Why? Was it because she was pregnant? I asked the private investigator to send me the information he’d found, and I began other preparations. I didn’t sleep a wink that night; after all, tomorrow was going to be a tough fight.

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I had just gotten back to my dorm room from classes when I saw my comforter lying on the floor. On my bed, a stylishly dressed girl was sitting. My roommates were all gathered around her, gushing over her. When she saw me, she pulled out a five-hundred-dollar bill from her designer wallet with a cold, haughty look and tossed it onto the floor: “I’m Willow, I just transferred to your class. I wanted to try out dorm life for the experience. So, this bed is mine now. You can go rent an apartment.” “My dad is Mr. Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corp. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” My heart sank as I looked at the girl in front of me, who bore a striking seven-tenths resemblance to my own father. My dad… he cheated? My dad was famously devoted to his wife and adored his daughter. I never once imagined he could cheat. But this girl in front of me looked so incredibly much like him. I stared blankly at her for a few seconds, then picked up the five-hundred-dollar bill and calmly turned to leave the dorm. Behind me, I heard my roommates whispering: “Scarlett really is just some pathetic loser who’s never seen anything. Five hundred bucks and she’s already losing her mind with happiness!” “Of course! The Sterling Corp heiress wants her bed, that’s like a huge honor for her! She’ll probably post about it on SnapChat to brag later!” “Willow, isn’t that outfit the latest limited edition? I saw the launch, it must be over a million dollars! Your dad is so good to you…” I ignored all the mocking and walked straight to the school parking lot. I slipped into the waiting Rolls-Royce, always on standby, twenty-four-seven: “Home.” Once home, I got out and handed the five hundred dollars to Mr. Davis, the driver: “Find out everything about someone named Willow. Her fingerprints are on this money.” “I want all her information, especially her parents.” After that, I went straight to my parents’ room. The door was ajar, and I immediately saw my mom lying quietly in her specially customized nursing bed. My dad was sitting beside the bed, holding a bowl of porridge, carefully blowing on each spoon to cool it before gently feeding it to my mom. His movements were tender, his gaze so soft it could melt. I had seen this scene for ten years. Ten years ago, my mom was paralyzed in an accident, and my dad had personally taken care of her like this ever since. Even though we had nannies and expensive, top-tier nurses. My dad was never truly at ease. Feeding her, wiping her down, massaging her, turning her over—as long as he was home, he would do these things himself. No matter how busy he was with company affairs, he would always come home on time to be with my mom. Ten years, day in and day out, without a single complaint. My dad was a renowned entrepreneur in the city, and a universally acknowledged model husband. He dedicated all his time and love to my mom and me. So I simply couldn’t fathom that such a wonderful husband and father would cheat, much less have an illegitimate daughter who was my age. Seeing me walk in, a flicker of surprise crossed my dad’s face: “Scarlett? I thought you said you’d be staying at the dorm recently to prepare for your college entrance exams? Why are you back so suddenly?” I looked at him calmly: “Nothing much. Just suddenly wanted to come back and see Mom, and see you too.” I walked over, naturally taking the bowl from my dad’s hand: “I’ll feed her. You can rest for a bit.” My dad didn’t insist. He handed me the bowl, looking at my mom with a pleased smile: “See? Our daughter is so thoughtful.” I lowered my head, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and brought it to my mom’s lips, then casually spoke: “Dad, a pretty interesting girl transferred to our class today.” My dad’s attention was entirely on my mom. He didn’t even lift his head, asking distractedly, “Oh? What’s so interesting about her?” “She looks very familiar, especially her eyes and brows. They’re strikingly similar to yours.” After saying that, I looked deeply at my dad, asking in a calm voice: “Dad, you haven’t secretly had a mistress and a love child, have you?”

At my words, my dad’s head snapped up to look at me: “Scarlett!” “Do you know what you’re saying?” “In my life, Mr. Sterling has only ever had two women in his heart: your mother and you!” “Ten years ago, your mom became like this because she saved me. I owe her my life. How could I possibly do anything to betray her?!” My dad’s voice trembled, his emotions raw, as if he’d been gravely wronged. “Forget a love child. If I ever had even the slightest thought of disrespecting you and your mother, it would be an insult to myself!” Looking into his sincere and honest eyes, my heart sank. He was right. I had seen for over a decade how much my dad loved my mom. And his kindness to me was absolutely flawless. When I was learning to walk, he’d cast aside all pride and dignity, crawling on the floor to let me ride on his back like a horse, just to make me smile. Knowing I was scared of thunder, no matter how busy he was at work, he’d take time off on stormy days to come home and comfort me, telling me: “Scarlett, don’t be afraid. Dad’s here.” When I was seriously ill as a child and diagnosed with kidney failure, he donated his kidney without a moment’s hesitation. Afraid I’d feel burdened, he kept it a secret from me for three whole years, until I discovered it during a medical check-up. He was the best person to me in this world. Could a man who cherished his wife and loved his daughter with his very life really have an illegitimate daughter out there? Thinking this, my tone softened a bit: “Dad, I was just kidding.” My dad sighed and patted my head: “Scarlett, don’t make jokes like that anymore. Remember, your dad values this family, you and your mom, more than his own life!” “I would never, ever do anything to hurt you or your mother in this lifetime.” I nodded, not saying another word. The next day, I went to school as usual. When I reached the classroom, I immediately saw Willow sitting in my seat. She was surrounded by classmates. “Willow, is that pen a Montblanc Artist Series? I saw it in a magazine, it’s so classy!” “Willow, my family’s new resort is having its soft opening this weekend. I’d love to invite you and your friends to come hang out. Everything’s on us! Do you have time?” “Willow, my mom heard that the Sterling Corp heiress transferred to our class, so she specially asked me to give you an unlimited gift card for our supermarket. She hopes we can get to know each other better!” Willow haughtily enjoyed the compliments and flattery from everyone. When she saw me enter, she merely lifted her eyelids, showing no intention of getting up. Instead, my deskmate, Amber, approached me with a smirk and said haughtily: “Scarlett, Willow wants to sit by the window to get some fresh air. Why don’t you give her this spot? You can sit over there.” As she spoke, she pointed to an empty seat in the corner of the classroom, next to the trash can. I stood my ground, silent. Willow glanced at me, her face full of disdain: “Want more money, do you?” She pulled out another five hundred dollars: “Here’s another five hundred. To buy your seat. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” Everyone in the class looked at me with amusement, expecting me to take the money and back down. I glanced at my books, which had been carelessly tossed next to the trash can, and said with an icy expression: “I do have a problem.” “This is my seat. Please get up.” Willow’s expression froze, and she glared at me angrily: “What do you mean?” “It’s just a stupid seat! It’s an honor that I even want it! Do you know who my dad is?!” I spoke coolly: “Mr. Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corp. You said so yesterday.” “So?” “What does that have to do with you occupying my seat without permission and throwing my belongings on the floor?”

The whole class was stunned, looking at me in shock. “Scarlett, do you even know who you’re talking to? Who gave you the guts to speak to Miss Willow that way?” “Exactly! Last night you took five hundred bucks and practically ran out of the dorm. Today you’re acting so tough, are you trying to extort more money?” “She’s just crazy for money! Always trying to scam whenever she gets a chance!” All my classmates publicly accused and cursed me, as if I were the villain who had seized what belonged to others. Willow was so angry she stood up, pointing a finger at my nose: “Scarlett, you dirt-poor nobody, who are you trying to act all high and mighty for in front of me?!” “Don’t you dare test me! My dad can make a call to the school, and you won’t even have a place to study!” I smiled: “You can try.” Willow was so furious she was about to make a call right then and there. Just then, the homeroom teacher, beaming, hurried into the classroom: “Class, I have some great news!” “Willow’s father, a student in our class, has generously supported our school’s education initiatives by donating an entire library to the school!” The teacher’s words instantly set the class abuzz. “An entire library?! Oh my god!” “Willow, your dad is ridiculously generous!” “How much must that cost? Willow, it’s such a privilege to be your classmate!” Listening to everyone’s envious exclamations and flattery, Willow’s lips curled up in a smug smile. She shot me a contemptuous glance: “See? My dad just casually drops a donation, and it’s a whole library. What can you, a hick like you, do against me?” The teacher excitedly continued: “To express our most sincere gratitude, the school has decided to hold a grand donation appreciation ceremony on the sports field tomorrow morning!” “At that time, Willow’s parents, Mr. Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corp, and his wife, will personally attend!” “This is an honor for our entire school!” The classroom erupted in thunderous applause and excited chatter: “So, we’ll get to see the CEO of Sterling Corp and his wife in person tomorrow?” “Oh my gosh, I’m so excited!” “Willow, you’re so beautiful, your mom must be a gorgeous lady too?!” The classroom atmosphere was wild, but my heart grew increasingly bewildered. Donating an entire library. That was indeed a lavish gesture. Even the CEO of Sterling Corp couldn’t be so extravagant. Because Sterling Corp was inherited from my maternal grandfather, and before he passed away, he transferred all the shares to my name. Any major expenditure from the company’s accounts had to be approved with my signature. My dad couldn’t just casually donate an entire building without my authorization.

Just as I was wondering, Mr. Davis, the driver, sent me a message: “Miss Scarlett, I looked into all the information about Willow last night.” “But strangely, her identity is very well protected. I couldn’t find anything.” I didn’t reply. Instead, I looked at Willow, who had a seven-tenths resemblance to my dad. If even Mr. Davis couldn’t find her information, it seemed her identity was indeed out of the ordinary. After school, I immediately went home. As soon as I walked in, I saw my dad personally simmering my mom’s favorite chicken soup. “Scarlett’s home? Come wash your hands and get ready for dinner.” I washed my hands and sat at the table, eating silently. My dad patiently fed my mom, his movements as gentle as if he were tending to a rare treasure. After a while, I finally spoke up: “Dad, our school has an appreciation ceremony tomorrow. Do you know about it?” My dad paused slightly, asking curiously, “What appreciation ceremony?” I slowly explained, “It’s about that transfer student I told you about yesterday. Her dad donated an entire library to the school, and our teacher said they’re holding a school-wide appreciation event to thank them in person.” My dad smiled with satisfaction and nodded: “Donating a library? That’s wonderful! Supporting education is a truly commendable act. It seems your new classmate’s family has a great sense of social responsibility.” I smiled faintly: “Yes, so the school is taking it very seriously. The homeroom teacher requires all students to attend.” Just then, my dad’s phone rang. After hanging up, he looked at me, his face filled with excitement: “Scarlett, Professor Miles, your mom’s specialist doctor, is coming back from overseas tomorrow! He says there’s a new technique abroad that might allow your mom to fully recover! He wants to give your mom a detailed consultation.” “Will you come with me tomorrow? We can both learn about your mom’s future treatment plan!” I paused slightly, then nodded: “Okay, I’ll ask the teacher for leave later. Mom’s health is more important than any school event.” The next morning, I woke up as usual and had breakfast with my dad. He finished his meal with his usual expression, then picked up his briefcase: “Scarlett, I’ve scheduled with Professor Miles for ten o’clock. It’s still early, so I’ll go to the company for a morning meeting first. After you finish eating, you can go to the hospital to talk to Professor Miles. I’ll bring your mom over a bit later.” I nodded obediently, watched my dad hurry off, then changed into workout clothes, put on a baseball cap and a mask, and took a taxi to school. Mid-way, my dad even called me: “Scarlett, are you at the hospital yet?” Standing at the school gate, watching the appreciation ceremony about to begin, I calmly replied: “Yes, I’m already at the hospital, waiting for Professor Miles.” My dad’s voice was natural: “Okay, I should be done here in about half an hour. I’ll come over as soon as I’m finished.” After hanging up, I pulled my cap lower, walked into the school, and blended into the crowd on the sports field. The field was already packed with people. After the principal delivered an enthusiastic speech, he grandly introduced: “Now, let us welcome our esteemed guests today, Mr. Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corp, and his wife, with our warmest applause!” Thunderous applause erupted across the field. As everyone watched expectantly, a distinguished couple, impeccably dressed and radiating extraordinary presence, walked out side-by-side, smiling, and stepped onto the main stage. When I clearly saw their faces, I froze on the spot! The man, wearing an expensive custom suit, with a polished smile, waving to the audience below. It was none other than my father, Mr. Sterling, who had told me earlier that morning he was going to a company meeting! And the woman standing beside him, dressed in an elegant evening gown. She wasn’t any mistress or secret lover I had imagined. It was my mother, who had been paralyzed for ten years…

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The day before my brother’s wedding. I was picking out a dress when Julian suddenly lashed out at me. “I told you she likes the rose-pink one. Why do you always have to steal her spotlight?” I initially thought he was just worried I’d be too dressed up for the wedding, which wouldn’t be appropriate. But Julian continued: “Briar only gets one wedding in her life, and it’s already heartbreaking that she can’t marry the one she loves. Can’t you just let her have this?” I stayed silent for a moment. I didn’t ask Julian why he knew more about my future sister-in-law’s beloved than I did. Instead, I FaceTimed my brother, Alex. Alex was with Briar, trying on her wedding gown. He wore a black groom’s suit, his eyes full of joy. “Clara, Briar wants you and Julian to come over for dinner later.” Julian’s profile briefly appeared in the frame. He didn’t ask for my opinion, just unilaterally agreed. But usually, he never liked coming to my family’s house. The camera flipped. Briar, having changed into her gown, ran out of the dressing room, excitedly tiptoeing to throw her arms around Alex. “Alex, do I look pretty?” Almost simultaneous with Alex’s reply, a very low voice came from behind him. I heard it. “I’ve always known she’s most beautiful when she’s trying to seduce someone.” I looked over. Julian’s calm face still held a hint of resignation. It was as if I’d imagined it. He leaned down, whispering intimately into my ear, trying to appease me. “Come on, I said the wrong thing. Are you still mad?” “How do you want to punish me, Clara? I’ll accept anything, okay?” Thinking of Julian’s endless tricks and manipulation, and still on a video call with Alex, I felt a little uneasy. I turned my face away. My eyes met Briar’s, which seemed to hold a flicker of jealousy. But it was only for a second. Then she smiled. “Clara and her boyfriend seem so in love. Are you two getting married soon?” Alex was still fussing over Briar’s wedding dress, admiring it from every angle. He didn’t even look up. “Julian has been scheming to marry my sister since graduation, but Clara just wants to have fun for a few more years.” My hand, holding the phone, paused. Before, I’d never questioned it. Why did Julian insist I tell everyone I wasn’t ready to marry, when it was he who didn’t want to get married so early? His reason back then was that he didn’t want my parents to misunderstand or dislike him. But now, that excuse felt a bit too flimsy. Alex was led away by a staff member to change clothes. I picked up the rose-pink dress I’d chosen earlier. But before I could say anything, my future sister-in-law’s eyes were already red, her gaze bypassing me. She looked towards Julian behind me. “Clara, can you let me have this dress? “Someone once promised me the perfect dress, but it was snatched away by another.” The hand on my shoulder tightened, almost imperceptibly. This time, it wasn’t just my imagination. “Give it to her.”

After Julian uttered those words, he quickly exited, claiming an urgent matter at the company, his steps hurried. He even wore mismatched slippers. This wasn’t normal. Hesitating for a moment, I grabbed my car keys and headed to Julian’s office building. But before I could even enter the elevator, the receptionist told me Julian had taken the afternoon off; his assistant had just informed her. My hand, hanging at my side, trembled uncontrollably. A terrifying thought flashed through my mind, leaving me ice-cold. I took several deep breaths to regain my strength before heading to the underground parking lot. It was working hours, so the parking lot was eerily quiet. Stifled gasps and moans. They clearly pierced through the silence, reaching my ears. “Are you really going to marry him? He’s Clara’s brother!” The woman was pressed tightly against the man, his hand clamped around her neck. Yet, she was still smiling. “What, Julian, are you jealous? “You were the one who threw me away first. Now, you don’t get a say in who I’m with, no matter what man I choose.” Briar’s constant provocations only deepened the storm brewing in Julian’s eyes. He swiftly captured Briar’s parted lips. The sounds of heavy breathing intensified. The only sounds left in that desolate parking lot were my muffled sobs and raw agony. Julian was cheating. With Briar, the woman about to marry my brother. How could I possibly accept this? I don’t know how much time passed, but the sounds eventually stopped. When I looked again, Julian still hadn’t released Briar. But his voice was much softer than before. “Briar, I’m not stopping you from getting married, but it can’t be Clara’s brother.” “Come on, break it off with him. I can introduce you to someone much better.” Briar’s eyes were red-rimmed, as if he’d been rough with her. “Clara is the woman you love most. Even after three years of being your secret, you still cast me aside for her without a second thought.” “Since you chose her, stop trying to control me.” Julian wasn’t a mild-tempered man. Only with me did he tolerate my yelling and snarky remarks. But now, Briar was receiving the same treatment. I watched. Julian lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, as if making a difficult choice. It was either give her up, or give me up. The moment I knew Julian had betrayed me, a future for us became impossible. But his hesitation, even then, twisted a knife in my gut. The car keys in my hand unconsciously dropped to the ground. I stood there, stunned. My gaze met Julian’s cold eyes, which had instantly darted my way. The next second, he abruptly released Briar, who had been pinned beneath him, his eyes filled with a panic I’d never seen before. I picked up the keys and fled.

All the way there, my tears never stopped. Julian’s black Maybach was relentlessly tailing me. Was he really so afraid I’d expose his affair with Briar? Well, I was going to expose it. I would tell Alex. I would tell him not to marry Briar, that she didn’t truly love him. We had all been tricked. My car pulled up to the bridal shop. Alex was still happily trying on his groom’s suit. Seeing my tear-streaked face, he looked surprised for a moment. I was about to speak when Briar’s call came through. I don’t know what she told him, but Alex’s gaze turned scrutinizing. “Clara, are you trying to tell me that Briar and Julian are involved in an illicit affair?” I didn’t have time to think, just nodded furiously. I desperately spilled the entire truth. “Yes, Alex, Julian cheated! Briar has been his mistress for three years. She deliberately approached you to get revenge on Julian!” My mind gradually cleared. From their earlier conversation, I could sense it. Briar hadn’t moved on from Julian. And Julian, too, seemed to still harbor feelings for her. But to my surprise, Alex’s expression remained calm, and he kept staring at me. A bad feeling crept into my heart. Sure enough, Julian and Briar strode in. “Alex, I suppose Briar has already explained everything to you, right? “Clara and I had a little argument. I ran into Briar on the way to the office. We just said hello, and Clara immediately became suspicious.” Julian spread his arms, making a gesture of utter helplessness. As if I was completely unreasonable. I instantly understood Julian’s meaning. He was convinced I had no proof, twisting the truth to protect Briar. Briar squeezed past me and stood in front of Alex. Her eyes were swollen from crying. “Alex, I know I’m not worthy of you, and Clara doesn’t like me. But she can’t just accuse me of being with… with her boyfriend! Am I really that vile and shameless in her eyes? “Maybe we shouldn’t have this wedding after all. I’m truly terrified!” With that, she cast two fearful glances at me, and instinctively cowered backward. Seeing Briar’s pitiful act, Alex’s heart instantly ached. He pulled her into his embrace. Then, he raised his hand and, without warning, delivered a resounding slap across my face. “Clara, if you ever dare to speak ill of Briar again, I’ll disown you as my sister. This is your only warning.” I was stunned. From birth until now, my parents had never laid a hand on me. But Alex had struck me. Faster than my reaction, though, was Julian’s sudden fist. It landed squarely on Alex’s nose. “The girl I’ve cherished above all else? You think you can lay a hand on her?” Julian exploded with fury, grappling with Alex. Eventually, Alex conceded, raising his hands in surrender. He begrudgingly apologized to me.

Julian dragged me into the car. He drove fast, and from the moment we got in, he never once looked at me. I, too, stared out the window, not uttering a single word. The car pulled over in a deserted suburban area and finally stopped. I thought I would finally get an explanation from him, even if it was a lie. But Julian simply said: “Clara, Briar is a good girl. I won’t let this wedding happen, but not by destroying her reputation like this.” With that, Julian turned his head uncomfortably, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette. Having been with Julian for years, I knew his every move. So, he was capable of guilt, after all. What should I say? Should I curse him, hit him, and then team up with him to stop Alex’s wedding? If none of this had happened, maybe I would have swallowed my pride, doing everything I could to protect Alex first. But now, I wasn’t so willing. “Julian, we’re over.” I would stop this wedding, but I would do it my way. The hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly. The unfinished cigarette fell onto his white shirt, instantly burning a hole. I rarely saw Julian so disheveled. He turned, a look of helplessness on his face. “So, what do I have to do for you to forgive me?” Not everything can be forgiven. At least for me, emotional betrayal is something I can never accept. I gave him a sarcastic look for a long, long time. Julian lowered his head and, feigning remorse, confessed everything. “Briar was someone I met during our first cold war. Her gentle kindness always made me relax; she was like a drug that slowly got me addicted. “But Clara, I never loved her. This time, I was forced to break up with her because she kept pressuring me to leave you.” My broken nails dug into my palm. Yet, I felt no pain. He meant that if Briar had been willing to remain a secret mistress forever, Julian would have hidden her from me for a lifetime? That thought. It made all our beautiful moments together seem ridiculous. I opened the car door. “Julian, I won’t forgive you, and I won’t let Briar off the hook.” Since she was prepared to be the other woman, she should be prepared to face the consequences. Julian narrowed his eyes, his face gradually hardening. “So, you’re still going after her?” So, he was still going to protect her. That day, Julian abandoned me and drove off alone. In the middle of nowhere, as dusk began to fall, he never came back for me.

I didn’t get back to my parents’ house until eleven at night. Alex wasn’t there. I collapsed into Mom’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, my entire body wracked with pain. My parents were terrified and wanted to call Alex back. “No!” I sharply lifted my head from Mom’s embrace, touching my right cheek, which was already swollen. The pain Alex inflicted on me hurt more than Julian’s betrayal. That was my own brother. He chose to believe Briar, whom he’d only known for less than two months, and didn’t believe me. After I had cried enough, I recounted everything that had happened that day. Dad was so angry that he smashed an expensive teacup. He immediately called Alex, announcing the cancellation of tomorrow’s wedding. Alex soon heard the news. After settling Briar and her family, he stormed back home. At that moment, Mom, Dad, and I were sitting on the couch, waiting for him. The instant Alex saw me, he raised his arm, as if he wanted to hit me again, just like earlier that day. But Dad, with a dark expression, kicked him hard in the stomach. “Alex, you’ve really grown up, haven’t you? Daring to lay hands on your own sister? Is this how I raised you?” Alex had just managed to soothe Briar. Then he heard that the family had canceled the wedding, and Briar was crying and insisting on leaving with her family that very night. He had apologized profusely to Briar’s family for a long time before finally calming them down. He truly hated me. Even with Mom protecting me, I could feel Alex’s piercing gaze, as if trying to shoot me down. “Clara, what did Briar ever do to you that you’re so determined to destroy her?” He glared at me, his resentment deepening. “Oh, I get it. You’re not targeting Briar; you’re targeting me.” “Since childhood, you’ve always had to compete with me for everything. You always had to ace every subject, just to make my almost-perfect scores seem inadequate, just to make everyone think I’m not as good as you, to snatch the family business right out of my hands.” When you’ve been hurt enough, nothing seems surprising anymore. Dad’s and Mom’s slaps landed simultaneously on Alex’s face. He laughed maniacally as he stumbled backward. “Just because I’m a boy and not a girl, you always favored her. It was true when we were kids, and it’s still true now. I’ve known it all along.” Alex wiped his eyes, staring directly at us. “Briar is the only woman I’ve ever truly loved. I’m going to marry her tomorrow. If you still want me as your son, then don’t stand in my way.” After Alex left, Mom and Dad remained silent for a long time. Actually, they weren’t just taking my word for it. I had shown them the parking lot video.

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My husband said I wasn’t sexy enough, that in bed I was like a dead fish. He sent me to “The Allure Academy” to learn how to be a better woman. The instructor measured my bust, waist, and hips in front of everyone. “Your husband paid for our Platinum Course, including the Intensive Training Session.” “Men just love a woman with a little edge.” On graduation day, my husband’s face turned ashen watching the video of me and Coach Marcus. I touched my bruised wrist and chuckled softly, “Didn’t you insist I learn this?” “Am I still not ‘good enough’?” Later, he knelt on broken glass, begging me to come home. I raised my bandaged hand for him to see: “Now, all I want is for you to taste the same agonizing torment.” A searing pain exploded, and warm, sticky liquid trickled down my forehead. “…Who are you giving that dead stare to? Elara, I’m spending a fortune on you, not to have you play the saint here! It’s practically bad luck to touch you. Is Liam Chen short on women or what?!” I snapped my head up, my vision a blood-red blur. “What are you looking at?” Enraged, he kicked my shinbone again. The pain was so intense I instantly curled into a ball. “Fake it! Keep faking it!” He grabbed my hair, forcing me to confront my disheveled self in the full-length mirror. “Look at you! What man would even get excited seeing that? Serena was right, you’re just begging for some training!” Serena was right… That phrase felt sickeningly familiar. “Speak!” His patience finally snapped. He shoved me to the ground. The phone rang. A syrupy sweet female voice drifted from the speaker: “…Liam, Elara might just be a bit distant, she probably didn’t mean to reject you… Oh, if only she could be more like me, and know how to make a man happy…” It was Serena. Liam’s chief secretary, and his childhood friend he always considered like a sister. A woman always impeccably made up, her laughter charming, yet she constantly cast a subtle, unsettling shadow over my relationship with Liam. Liam’s eyes flared with even more anger as he shot me a furious glare. “Fine, can’t communicate, huh? I’ve found a great place for you. You’ll learn how to be a real woman!” A flimsy promotional flyer, crumpled into a ball, hit my face with a harsh thud. On the flyer, next to the artfully stylized words “The Allure Academy: Reclaiming Your Feminine Essence,” was a picture of a woman with a perfect smile and captivating eyes. A veritable sensual goddess. “Pack your things!” Liam’s command left no room for argument. “First thing tomorrow, I’m taking you there. Elara, you’d better come back a proper woman!” I wanted to scream back, to smash everything he’d ever given me, to wound him with the sharpest words, just like we used to argue. Instead, I reached out, timidly tugging at his pant leg. My voice was thin, trembling: “…I’ll go, Liam, I’ll go learn…. Please don’t be angry, don’t leave me…” Liam froze for a moment, seemingly surprised by my quick surrender, especially in such a pathetic state. His gaze flickered with a complex emotion, a fleeting hint of remorse, but it was swiftly eclipsed by deeper irritation. He yanked his hand away, though his tone softened imperceptibly: “…Wouldn’t it have been easier to just listen earlier? Pack your things. I’ll take you tomorrow.” He turned and walked away, his back a wall of resolve.

“The Allure Academy” occupied the top floor of a high-rise office building. The interior decor was excessively opulent. The receptionist, with a professionally perfect smile, led Liam and me into a consultation room. A woman in a tailored suit, who introduced herself as Ms. Evelyn Blackwood, greeted us. She looked meticulously polished from head to toe, her eyes appraising everyone with a calculated gaze. “Mr. Chen, we completely understand your concerns.” Ms. Blackwood’s voice was sickeningly sweet, yet her gaze swept over me like a surgeon’s scalpel. “Modern marriages require couples to grow together, especially women. They must constantly maintain their allure and… that is the core philosophy of our courses.” Liam reclined on the sofa, looking relaxed, as if he’d found a kindred spirit: “I just feel like she can’t keep up with me. She’s so dreary all the time, and in bed especially… huff…” He paused, glancing at me with disgust, “Absolutely no passion.” He seemed intent on wounding me with his words. Ms. Blackwood nodded knowingly, then smiled at me, a smile devoid of warmth: “Mrs. Chen, please understand that your husband is your world, your north star. Fulfilling your husband’s every need and maintaining marital harmony is a woman’s greatest value and purpose. Here, we help you rediscover that value.” I lowered my head, staring at the worn-out tips of my faded canvas sneakers, my nails digging deep into my palms. “We’ll conduct a comprehensive initial assessment for Mrs. Chen,” Ms. Blackwood pressed a call button on the table, “including physical form, demeanor, and… a partial obedience assessment. Rest assured, we follow the most scientific procedures.” The door opened, and two women, also in tailored suits with stern expressions, entered. They looked like trained attendants. “Take Mrs. Chen to the assessment room.” Ms. Blackwood instructed. Liam waved his hand, dismissing me like an unnecessary object: “Go on, cooperate with the instructors.” I was pinned to the spot by the casual indifference in his words. Not until the two women took my arms, one on each side, half-forcing me away from the consultation room. Their fingers were strong, digging into my flesh. The assessment room was more spacious than I imagined, with mirrors on all four walls reflecting countless images of my pale, bewildered self. In the center of the room was something resembling an examination table. “Take it off.” The female assistant coach ordered, her face expressionless. My body stiffened, and I instinctively hugged my arms around myself. A flash of memory: Liam shielding me, his cold eyes on anyone who dared disrespect me. But now, the one pushing me here was him. “The initial assessment requires precise body measurements. Anything you’re wearing will interfere with the results.” The other woman added, her eyes devoid of emotion, as if stating the most ordinary fact. Humiliation flooded over me, my cheeks burning. “No… I can’t…” I whispered my protest, tears welling up instantly, fully playing the part of a terrified, weak woman. “You have no choice!” The two assistant coaches stepped forward, roughly tearing at my clothes. Buttons popped, the sound of fabric ripping was jarring. “Let me go! Please! Liam… Liam will be angry if he knows…” I struggled, cried out, revealing my fear of and dependence on my husband, which only made their actions more audacious. “Mr. Chen paid good money for us to make you better and obedient!”

In just a few seconds, I stood naked before the mirrors. Terrified and resigned, I stood in the center of the room, surrounded by reflections of myself. Ms. Blackwood had “casually” mentioned earlier: “Mr. Chen has many excellent female friends around him, like Ms. Serena, who truly understands how to improve herself and maintain her charm. Mrs. Chen, you need to feel a sense of urgency!” The humiliation threatened to drown me. I bit my lip hard, not allowing myself to lose control, just silently weeping, my body trembling slightly. Bust, waist, hips… The feel of the measuring tape cinched against my skin was cold and disgusting. She measured, boldly calling out the data without reservation. The other woman recorded beside her, occasionally adding a comment or two. “Breast dimension is acceptable, but lacks firmness; requires specialized training.” “Waistline shows excess fat, needs management.” “Skin is dry, pigmented, severely lacking daily care.” Their voices, along with the images in the mirror, converged into a public, slow vivisection of my soul. I closed my eyes, but those voices, those cold touches, were inescapable. Liam. It was Liam who sent me here. It was he who condoned, even demanded, all of this. This realization, more than standing here humiliated, tore at my heart. The initial assessment was just day one, just the beginning. The subsequent “courses” were given various names: “Body Sculpting,” “Vocal Allure,” “Captivating Gaze,” “The Art of Service.” All the training pointed to one core objective – how to please a man? Specifically, how to please Liam. “Your gaze should be hesitant, alluring, with a hook, understand?” A male coach roughly lifted my chin with his fingers, his nails scraping painfully against my skin. “Don’t just stare! Dead fish eyes! Start over!” “Your voice! Squeezed from your throat! Can’t you do it? Ever heard a cat purr? Men fall for that!” Another female instructor forcefully slapped my back, “Stand tall! A颤音! A little breathy! Is that talking? That’s a funeral dirge!” They prodded me, scolded me, negated me. Every instruction was outrageously specific, every detail magnified into an unforgivable flaw. — Day three was “Body Awakening.” Day four, the training room was carpeted. Coach Marcus, one of the men present during the initial assessment, was there. He was tall, his eyes always carrying a discerning, critical look, as if he were inspecting goods. “Many women, especially those like you who have long lacked certain… experiences…” He paced in front of me, toying with a slender, gleaming cane in his hand. “Your body is stiff, your nerves numb. It requires some… strong, effective treatment to awaken them, and to establish conditioned reflexes.” He gently tapped my calf with the cane: “Crawl.” I stood rigid, my blood seeming to freeze. “You monsters! You’ll go to any lengths, you’re all going to hell!” “I said, crawl.” The cane lifted, and without warning, with a whistle through the air, it came down hard on the same spot on my calf. “Ah!” The sharp pain made me cry out instantly, my calf feeling as if it had been scalded. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably, my body went limp, and I fell with a thud onto the rough carpet. My knees hit hard, stinging. “See? You can crawl, can’t you?”

Coach Marcus scoffed, using the cane to lift my face. “Look at you, pathetic. What kind of adorable little creature do you resemble?!” Humiliation and fury burned through my insides. I glared at him, defiantly. “Smack!” Another strike, on my other calf, with even more force. The stinging pain shot straight to my head. “Still not moving?!” His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, only cold command, “Or do you want to try something more painful?” The cane swished threateningly before my eyes. My vision blurred with tears, and waves of pain washed over my calves. Before another strike could land, I surrendered. On all fours, like a real animal, I slowly, laboriously began to crawl forward. “Woof… woof…” The sounds were barely audible, choked with uncontrollable sobs. “Didn’t you eat? Louder! And make it sweet!” The cane tapped my back. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and summoned every ounce of strength. I let out a more agonizing, more distorted sound: “Woof woof woof~~” The assistant coaches around me let out low, suppressed chuckles. Coach Marcus poked my forehead with the cane, sneering, “I heard your husband’s secretary, Serena, is better than you in every way – looks, figure, tactics! If you don’t learn properly, someone else will take your place when you go back!” In that moment, something inside me shattered completely. Liam, is this the dog you wanted? Gradually. I became unusually “obedient.” I even cried and asked Ms. Blackwood after a punishment: “Instructor, am I still not doing well enough? Will Liam be dissatisfied?” Ms. Blackwood was pleased with my “transformation,” believing their “therapy” to be highly effective. Liam would occasionally call, and Ms. Blackwood would keep it on speaker. “She’s been performing very well lately, making great progress, learning to listen.” Ms. Blackwood reported. “Hmm.” Liam’s voice was unreadable. “…She hasn’t caused any more trouble, has she?” “Don’t worry, Mr. Chen. She’s perfectly compliant now, she knows who her world revolves around.” “…That’s good.” A brief silence followed from his end of the line. I huddled in the corner, listening to that “hmm” and the silence. Perhaps there was a flicker of hesitation in him, but in the end, he chose to believe in the necessity of this “transformation.” — And only in the dead of night, returning to that cramped, windowless temporary dormitory. Lying on the cold bed, tracing the new scars on my body, would my heart belatedly send a sharp, dense ache. But even that ache would quickly be drowned by overwhelming fatigue. Liam would still call occasionally, not to me, but to Ms. Blackwood to “check on my progress.” Ms. Blackwood always put him on speaker, letting me “eavesdrop.” She called it “feeling your husband’s concern and expectations.” “Her? She’s alright, making a little progress, I guess… but she’s still a bit stubborn, needs a bit more discipline…” “Don’t worry, Mr. Chen, we’ll take good care of her for you. We guarantee you’ll be satisfied when she returns…” “The Intensive Training Session? It’s scheduled for later. That’s our Platinum Course; the results are immediate…” Ms. Blackwood’s voice was laced with a smile, coming through the speaker. I curled up in a corner of the room, hugging my knees, listening to Liam’s occasional, vague affirmations from the other end of the phone, like “Hmm,” “Okay,” “Thank you.” Not a single word asking if I was okay. He only cared about the “result.” A perfectly reshaped, submissive yet sexy wife, molded to his liking. The last faint glimmer of hope, that “he might regret it,” was extinguished. The training entered its final stage. Ms. Blackwood kept me behind after one of her lectures. “Mrs. Chen, congratulations. You’ve barely passed the foundational courses.” Her face still held that standard smile, but her eyes now carried a different, unsettling meaning. “Next, we have a specially added ‘Platinum Course’ just for you – the ‘Intensive Training Session.’” My heart leaped, and a strong, ominous premonition seized me.

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When I got out of prison, Julian grabbed my hand and said, “Evie, I never married anyone else!” I pulled my hand away and said, “Mr. Thorne, weren’t you the one who testified and sent me to prison?” Ten years ago, a female student sponsored by Julian stole my design and won a major prize. They even named my work after their three-year-old child. Julian and I were caught on camera. The headline, ‘Evie Reed Released from Prison, Harassing Julian Thorne,’ immediately shot to the top of trending topics on Ins. The photo showed Julian’s back, making it seem like I was blocking his path. Netizens who had been following my release exploded with outrage. “Seriously, no shame! First thing she does after jail is cling to Mr. Thorne!” “Terrifying, how did they let this psycho out? @Blair Jensen, protect yourself and your child!” “Heard she only attacked because her marriage proposal was rejected!” “Scientists gone wild are even scarier, total psychopath!” Everyone started tagging Blair Jensen. So, she posted a selfie from her lab with a caption. “Don’t worry, everyone, I’m safe and will protect the people who matter most to me.” This carefully orchestrated interaction earned her another wave of public sympathy. I closed Ins, and the next second, my phone rang. No contact name, but that number was etched into my memory. I hung up without a second thought. Once, twice… I dragged the number straight to my blacklist. Then, a text message popped up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it would be like this. I’ll handle the media.” I blacklisted that number too, without hesitation. Just as I put my phone down, it rang again. I didn’t check the caller ID. I picked up, ready to unleash a stream of curses, when a familiar voice spoke. “Evie, darling, the best way to clear your name is to live your life well. I don’t want you affected by all that filth online.” “Our old high school has an intelligent robot model competition coming up, and they need a high-caliber mentor. Are you up for it?” A warmth spread through my eyes instantly. He was my high school teacher, and the one who first ignited my passion for physics. Tears in my eyes, I nodded. “Mr. Henderson, I’ll be there. Thank you so much.” His voice on the phone choked up slightly. “Oh, my dear, I knew you’d rise again.” After hanging up, my heart refused to settle for a long time. Indeed, my life had nothing to do with Julian anymore. Following Mr. Henderson’s instructions, I arrived at the lab right on time. Only to find two students arguing. I paused at the doorway, wanting to hear their side of things. “My thermal dynamic coupling model is absolutely fine, my mom told me so! My mom is Blair Jensen, a celebrated researcher with award-winning theories! Who are you to question her?!” Alex glared, eyes blazing red, at the smaller boy. “I’m not saying the theory is wrong, but this value is too high, it’ll burn out the circuit…” “Bullshit!” Alex suddenly grabbed some materials off the table, ready to hurl them at the other boy. I rushed forward to stop him but accidentally pushed him, sending him sprawling. He froze for two seconds. “Who are you? Why did you push me? I’m calling the cops!” I stared coldly at the boy who looked so much like Julian, yet in his very core, mirrored Blair Jensen. “You’re Alex? Your mom is Blair Jensen, so all her theories are automatically correct?” “Did your mom ever tell you that she stole someone else’s work?” Facing the name that had stained my entire life… I couldn’t hold back. The words were out before I could regret them. But it was too late. The incident escalated, and soon the police were involved. That very night, I was trending again. Everyone said I couldn’t get over Julian, and was now taking revenge on his son. My temporary address was dug up and publicized. My door was plastered with hateful graffiti and curses. There was even a package left, covered in paint and containing razor blades. My landlord told me to leave immediately. As I carried my clothes, which had been tossed on the ground, downstairs, I ran into Julian. “I’m so sorry…” He nervously rubbed the edge of his coat pocket, a picture of helplessness. His head slightly bowed, he stole glances at my face. For a moment, he reminded me of Julian in high school. I closed my eyes, trying to banish those images. “Mr. Thorne, I don’t want to see you ever again. I just want a peaceful life. Please, just disappear.” His eyes reddened, his gaze clouded with unspoken emotions. “Evie, I just wanted to apologize. It’s okay if you can’t forgive me. We’re still old friends, and I can actually help—” “You want to help me? Just stay far away from me.” I met his gaze head-on. “Julian, if I had known that meeting you would bring such utter disaster into my life, I would have never—” He frantically cut me off. “Evie! Don’t say it… Please, I’ll go.” I’d forgotten about that past, a past that could never be reclaimed. It held not only my scars, but his too. Even after all these years. We still knew exactly how to twist the knife, how to hit each other where it hurt the most.

When I first met Julian, he wasn’t the hotshot tech entrepreneur he is today. He was just the quiet kid from the wrong side of the tracks, wearing a faded uniform, bullied by everyone. One day, a few older teens cornered him in an alley, pelting him with plastic water bottles. “Isn’t your grandma a trash collector? We’re helping you out, how are you gonna thank us?” “Filthy garbage brings out filthy kids, you reek!” A surge of compassion overwhelmed me, and I stepped in front of him. “His grandma works hard to send him to school, there’s no shame in that.” “What’s shameful is your parents finding out you’re bullies!” After that, I started sharing half of my mom’s breakfast with him every day. I tutored him, oversaw his studies. We even worked part-time jobs together. He became my constant shadow, my loyal “knight,” looking out for me. In our senior year of college, he bought a silver ring with tiny diamond chips, paid for with money from his part-time jobs. He knelt on one knee in front of me. “Evie, when I make it big, I’ll get you a diamond ring that’ll make this one look tiny. Will you… will you be with me?” Smiling, I slid my finger into the ring. “Okay, Julian. I’ll wait.” On our wedding day, his family kept making him drink, one after another. He drank until his steps faltered and his mind grew hazy. But he still swore an oath to the heavens in front of my parents and relatives. “I, Julian, will only marry Evie in this life, and love only Evie. May I be struck by lightning and never find peace if I break this—” That day, I stopped his foolish vow with a kiss. Amidst the cheers and blessings of our families. I felt like the happiest woman in the world. He continued to be wonderful for years. Even when his company was swamped, he never forgot to surprise me. He even took my parents on trips and helped my relatives’ kids find jobs. He always did his best to be good to me. And that’s how he managed to fool everyone. Blair Jensen was a student I started sponsoring after I began working, someone I personally introduced to him. In the first few years of Julian’s company, he was incredibly busy, constantly on the go. Coming home late at night, he always reeked of smoke and alcohol. “Evie, everyone below me is an absolute idiot…” I massaged his temples, and Blair came to mind. She was smart, diligent, with a stubborn refusal to ever give up visible in her eyes. “Why don’t you let Blair help you? She’s meticulous and trustworthy.” And just like that, Blair joined his company. Because I knew her background so well, she gradually took over some highly confidential, yet mundane, tasks. Julian didn’t have to micromanage her, and sure enough, his workload lessened significantly. He even found time to join me in the lab. Watching me tinker with different machine models, he would hold me from behind, his voice full of emotion. “When I was a kid, I always wished for a superhero to save me, to defeat all the monsters that bullied me.” “But then, I stopped wishing for it.” I turned my head to ask him why. “Because my superhero, you, came into my life in my sophomore year of high school.” From that day on, in addition to my research, I wanted to create a surprise for him. I began integrating the concept of ‘protection’ into my model. As a gift for him. Later, his career took off. Blair became a frequent guest at our home. She often brought documents, sometimes asking me for advice on technical issues. I never held anything back. Our relationship grew closer and closer. She often brought me gifts, and never missed a single one of my birthdays. “Evie, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. Mr. Thorne trusts me, and I would never want to let you down.” My own research was entering its most critical phase. It was my turn to practically live in the lab. She often took Julian’s place, bringing me meals to the lab. I thought she was simply grateful, wanting to repay my kindness. Until that globally recognized model design competition. I saw my work, proudly bearing the name ‘Alex.’ And saw Blair Jensen’s name listed as the sole creator in the project description.

I wanted to ask Julian if he knew. But then I saw a small boy, darting around outside his office. My beloved, with whom I had spent fourteen years. He actually had a three-year-old child with another woman. I stormed into his office. “Julian, is that child outside yours?” He merely lifted his eyes. “Evie, watch your tone and remember where you are.” “My tone? My identity? I am your legal wife!” He leaned back into his leather chair. “Blair gave me a son, Evie. My family name needs an heir. You’ve been unable to have children, so you should understand.” I stared at him, as if seeing him for the very first time. He paused, then pushed a prepared document across the desk. When I saw the words ‘Divorce Agreement’ on it, I ripped it into shreds. I stared in disbelief at the man I had poured my entire life into supporting. I refused to sign. In a rage, I stormed off to my parents’ house. My mother, furious beyond words, burst into Julian’s office and slapped him across the face in front of everyone. “You shameless bastard! Without my daughter, you’d still be rolling in the gutter!” “You ungrateful snake! A total backstabber!” Julian’s eyes turned cold, menacing. “Fine,” he snarled. “Let’s see who can’t live without whom.” That very day, Julian pulled all his investments from my father’s company. Word spread like wildfire. The next day, competitors deliberately undercut my father, snatching contracts with ridiculously low bids. The company’s cash flow dried up, and our partners abandoned us one by one. He even fired our relatives’ children from his company and blacklisted them across the entire industry. Even though those elders were the very people who had once helped him. When he was just starting his company and had no seed money, it was my family who pooled together every last penny for him. But with a flick of his wrist, he was ready to destroy all our lives. My father, consumed by anger, suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. Julian ultimately acquired the company for a ridiculously low price. My mother couldn’t bear the shock and fell ill, never recovering. Julian reappeared, tossing the agreement onto the table in front of me. “Sign it. You walk away with nothing, but you’ll save your parents.” Looking at my father, still in the ICU, I shakily signed my name. As I left that home, clutching the last few things I owned, Blair was waiting at the door. “Evie, this is how it should be. If you’d just given up your place sooner, your parents wouldn’t have ended up like this, would they?” She smirked, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. All the anger and humiliation erupted in that moment. I grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at her. “Get out of my house! Get out!” Instead of backing away, she suddenly grabbed my hand, forcing the knife’s tip sharply into her own abdomen. Julian arrived just in time, pulling her away. Under Julian’s manipulation, all the evidence turned against me. No lawyer dared to take my case. He himself took the witness stand. “I personally witnessed Evie, driven by jealousy, attack Blair with a knife. She has a volatile personality and had threatened Blair multiple times before.” My parents, still in the hospital, heard the news and, despite their fragile health, desperately tried to fight for me. But his heart was set on destroying me. On the day of my final sentencing, my father coughed up a mouthful of blood on the courthouse steps. He couldn’t be saved. Not long after, my mother also passed away. I was sentenced to the maximum ten years for aggravated assault. Yet now, I watched him gather the media, holding a press conference. He released the lab’s surveillance footage. Desperately trying to clear my name. “Evie did not target the child. I will pursue legal action against all online misinformation. Regardless of the truth of what happened that year, I owe her, and I will not allow anyone to slander her.” I don’t know how long passed. A single tear splattered onto the darkened screen of my phone. The screen reflected my own mocking face.

When Blair found me, I was sitting outside a small noodle shop in a rundown part of town, eating a cheap bowl of plain pasta. She pulled up in a sports car, dressed in designer clothes, utterly out of place. “Evie, what are you doing eating in a place like this?” She placed her designer bag on the grimy table, glanced disdainfully at the faded, unidentifiable stool, and remained standing. “Here’s a million dollars. Take it, leave this city, and never show your face to Julian again.” I lowered my head and continued eating my noodles, ignoring her. She didn’t seem annoyed. Leaning slightly forward, she lowered her voice. “Didn’t ten years in prison teach you anything?” “Look at yourself, so unkempt. What part of you could ever be worthy of him now?” I put down my fork, lifting my eyes to her heavily made-up face. I noticed the dark circles under her eyes, clumsily concealed by makeup. Her blush couldn’t hide her pale complexion. She hadn’t been doing well lately. “Blair Jensen, why are you in such a rush? What are you so afraid of?” Her face flickered. “Afraid of you? Evie, look at yourself! Do you really think I’d be scared or jealous of some washed-up, bitter woman who spent ten years in prison?” “Then what’s with the money? In your mind, is Julian, the successful, famous man he is now, only worth a million dollars?” Blair seemed to realize her slip. She clutched her bag tighter, forced a smile, and raised her voice. “You’re mistaken. I just knew you’d be struggling after your release and wanted to help! But since you brought it up, if a million isn’t enough, how much will it take for you to leave us alone?” Her fake concern made me sick to my stomach. I stood up to leave, but she grabbed my jacket by the waist. “Evie, Julian and I have a child who’s already a teenager! Are you still refusing to let go? Do you insist on being a homewrecker?” I yanked hard at my jacket, but she held on tight, refusing to let go. In the struggle, my jacket was torn off, revealing a section of my forearm, marred by a hideous, twisted burn scar. She stared at me, stunned. I quickly snatched my jacket back, accidentally sweeping her bag off the table. Her phone slid out, and I saw it then: she’d clipped a camera onto it. She was livestreaming. “OMG! She has so many scars!” “Must be from getting beaten in prison, serves her right!” “Looks terrifying, not like beatings. Maybe she’s self-harming? No wonder she’s so obsessive!” “Poor Blair, look what she’s been driven to!” The livestream comments were instantly flooded with malicious speculation. I shut off the livestream, not wanting so many strangers peering into my life. The moment the livestream ended, Blair’s expression completely changed. Replaced by pure hatred. “Evie! How dare you show your face here again? You’re a murderer! You tried to kill me ten years ago, and ten years later, you almost killed my son!” “And now you’re stalking my husband, harassing him, trying to destroy my family! If your parents knew how utterly despicable you are, they’d turn over in their graves!” Her chest heaved violently, flecks of spit landing on my face. “Why are you staring at me like that? Am I wrong?”

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We were married two years. He was a loser. I left him—and our newborn daughter—without looking back. Years later, he became a famous forensic pathologist. He found a new, loving stepmom for our daughter. At his celebration, they whispered: “Did Aria think Jaxson would make it big?” “She’s probably busy in some rich guy’s bed.” “If Aria comes back, would he take her?” Six-year-old Lily snapped: “Dad can’t take her back! Lily only knows her new mom!” Jaxson picked her up, shooting a cold glare. “Not on my big day. Don’t say that cursed name.” He didn’t know— The dead woman he was about to dissect? It was me. I floated in mid-air, watching my daughter run intimately into another woman’s arms. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. When I left, she was just a baby. In the blink of an eye, she’d become an adorable little munchkin. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but my hand simply passed through Lily’s body. “Mommy, don’t worry. If the bad lady comes back, Lily will definitely help Mommy chase her away!” The bad lady… I let out a bitter laugh. In her heart, I was already the bad lady. Seraphina smiled, pinching Lily’s little cheek. “Naughty girl, that’s your birth mom.” Lily pouted. “Hmph! Lily doesn’t have a mom who abandoned Dad and me!” I floated in the air, sobbing, beyond words. “No, Lily, Mommy didn’t abandon you. Mommy just had no choice…” The whispers of others drifted into my ears: “Aria was never meant to enjoy a good life. If she’d just stayed with Jaxson a few more years through the hardship, she’d have everything now. Trying to come back? Good luck. Jaxson probably hates her guts, haha!” “Serves her right. Women like her are only fit to be some rich man’s lapdog.” “When Jaxson was at his lowest, she ran off with a rich guy. Seraphina stuck by him all these years. If she came back now, she’d just be the other woman.” “You think she wasn’t the other woman when she was with that rich guy? Give her money, and she’d crawl into anyone’s bed.” Jaxson, standing in the center, gripped his wine glass, his knuckles white. “Shut up.” The laughter died abruptly, smiles frozen on their faces. Someone offered a placating smile. “Sorry, Jaxson. She was your ex-wife, after all. We shouldn’t mock her.” “Right, right, our bad. We won’t talk about Aria anymore.” Jaxson scoffed. “Who said I was mad about that?” Everyone was stunned. He continued, “I just don’t want my wife to hear a cursed name on such a happy day. She’s pregnant.” Everyone gasped, then rushed to congratulate him. “Congratulations! True love finds its way!” “I knew Jaxson wouldn’t ever stand up for that woman!” “Women like her, even getting into the police force was a disgrace. Good thing she fell from grace on her own.” I floated silently in the air, looking back towards Seraphina. They said this woman had stood by Jaxson through his toughest years. I really had no right to say anything. But a sharp pang of bitterness still twisted in my heart.

I once told Jaxson that if he ever became a renowned forensic pathologist, I’d accompany him to interviews, and we’d be the dream team of the force. Now he’d made it, but the woman by his side was no longer me. That day, Jaxson left the banquet blind drunk. On his way home, Caleb, my younger brother, blocked his car. The car window slowly lowered, and Jaxson gave him a hostile glare. Ever since I left, his hatred for me had extended to my brother. Caleb’s face was pale and drawn, and for the first time, he pleaded with Jaxson. “Jaxson, there’s a body. Only you can reconstruct it.” “Don’t you have forensic pathologists in your unit?” “I don’t trust them with it. Only your skills are up to the task.” Jaxson scoffed. “What kind of body would make Captain Mu personally come to me? Couldn’t be Aria, could it?” Caleb’s fists clenched abruptly. He held back for a long time before revealing my identity. “I’m sorry, this is my private request. Name your price.” “Do I look like I’m hurting for cash?” Jaxson’s voice was cold, as if he wasn’t questioning my brother, but the failure he used to be years ago. Caleb’s fists trembled slightly. “What if… what if it is Aria?” Jaxson paused. Then he sneered. “That would be a double celebration.” My brother’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in disbelief. Jaxson’s eyes were a little red from the alcohol, and he curved his lips into a smile. “Did she send you to find me? I hope you, the Mu family, stop messing with me from now on. My current wife and daughter and I are living well, and I don’t want anyone to disturb us. Even if it is Aria, I won’t take the case.” The driver started the car. Caleb frantically tried to stop them, but Jaxson had already raised the window and drove away without a backward glance. Caleb was left standing there alone, slamming his phone to the ground. I floated in the air, watching, wanting to tell him not to bother Jaxson for me. So many of my colleagues couldn’t even retrieve their remains; I was lucky to even have a body, however disfigured. But I couldn’t touch him, couldn’t make a sound. I could only powerlessly watch my brother weep.

The next day, when Jaxson went to work, he saw the body Caleb had asked him to reconstruct. Caleb’s junior forensic pathologist was looking completely overwhelmed by the corpse. Jaxson walked past, pausing at the doorway for a moment. His gaze lingered on the corpse. It was the most severely damaged body he’d ever seen. Almost every part of it was mangled, making reconstruction incredibly difficult. But there hadn’t been any news of such a severe murder case recently… After a moment of thought, he patted the man’s shoulder. “Tell your captain I’ll take his case.” I lay in his studio, watching him put on his gear and gloves, all the naivety of his youth long gone. As I watched, a smile couldn’t help but curve on my lips—this was him. But the more he worked, the graver his expression became. I didn’t know if he’d realized it. The height, arm length, and all other physical data were identical to mine. My hand had already been roughly restored, and he hesitated, then took hold of my wrist. The hand he’d held countless times. With just a gentle grasp, he could find that familiar sensation. His brow furrowed even deeper. But what could that mean? He smiled, shaking his head. “How could it be…” There wasn’t just one person in the world with my hand circumference. Besides, this was a corpse; the measurements surely weren’t the original ones… Just as he was about to let go, his finger brushed against something hard. He looked down. His wedding ring was still on my finger.

Jaxson gasped sharply. He recognized it. Years ago, when we were crammed into a drafty rental, when a single pack of instant noodles had to be stretched into three meals, he’d still managed to save enough for a diamond ring. The day he put the ring on my finger, he watched me admire it happily, a smile tinged with a hint of pain. “We might have nothing now, but I promise I’ll give you a good life someday.” Back then, I’d hugged him and kissed him fiercely. “I know, my amazing forensic pathologist husband!” I let out a bitter laugh—he probably never imagined that the woman who promised to stick by him through thick and thin would leave him with a newborn daughter and vanish, leaving him to work and raise a child alone, wearing himself out so much he ended up in the hospital multiple times. But Jaxson, I had no choice… He carefully removed the ring, holding it between his thumb and forefinger, rotating it under the light, examining it closely. The more he looked, the graver his expression became. It was a design he’d spent half a year choosing; how could he forget it? Quickly taking off his gear, he pulled out his phone with trembling hands and opened his contacts. But my contact information had long been deleted. He took a deep breath, then accurately dialed my old number on the keypad. It connected.

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I was eight months pregnant when photos of Damien’s “kidnapping” went viral. But I grabbed a knife and rushed out the door to save him. Outside, mocking voices sneered: “Only ten minutes left on the bet. Can pregnant Sera really make it? Actually, if your lover apologizes, the bet ends.” But my husband Damien said, “I’m sure Sera will come.” Turns out, the so-called “kidnapping” was just Damien’s twisted bet to protect another woman. He actually risked our eight-month-old baby as the wager! I lowered the blade in my hand, leaning against the wall, trying to calm my ragged breathing. I pulled out my phone, sent a text to an unknown number, then stared blankly at the photos that came back. It was her. The voices inside continued. “It’s quiet out there now. Looks like the outcome is—” Damien sharply cut off the sneering voice. “Time’s not up yet. Sera would risk her life to take on ten men for me. Your thugs are no match for her.” “If it concerns me, she’ll fight tooth and nail to be there.” A round of applause broke out. “Compared to a mere apology, today’s gamble has been absolutely thrilling! Thanks, Mr. Knight, for satisfying my addiction! There’s no bet more exciting than this.” Tears instantly streamed down my face. Back when I was eighteen, Damien burned down the shady club where I was trapped, all for me. It left an indelible scar across his face. He’d said trading his face for my freedom was the best deal he’d ever made. After that, he fought tooth and nail to climb the ranks, vowing to give me a good life. As I watched his scars accumulate, I cast aside my mother’s dying wish and stood by him, transforming with him into the feared Sera, a force to be reckoned with. I truly believed we were the perfect partners, the perfect lovers. Who knew our love had an expiration date, a mere decade? Damien , when I loved you, I’d throw caution to the wind for you. But now, we’re at the end of the line. “Nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen—” The triumphant countdown from inside the door shattered my thoughts. Those ten minutes felt so long, yet so agonizingly short. I slowly rose, and as the countdown hit “zero,” I slammed the door open. In an instant, every eye in the room landed on me. I ignored Damien ‘s surprised, hopeful gaze and marched straight to the only woman in the room. Grabbing her hair, I slammed my palm across her face.

“Sera, how dare you hit me!” Everyone in the room stared at me in shock, while Delilah Thorne clutched her face, her expression one of feigned grievance. My heart was eerily calm, yet I feigned anger. “Is this how you act as an assistant? The boss was ‘kidnapped,’ and you’re standing here completely unharmed? If not you, then who should I hit!” Then, I gestured for my people behind me to step forward. “Teach her a lesson. Let her learn how to be a good assistant.” Delilah Thorne was an assistant Damien had poached with a hefty sum. He’d said our empire eventually needed proper management, that fighting and killing wouldn’t last forever, and he wanted me and our child to live free from worry. Yet, in just eight short months, Damien was willing to abandon me and our child for her! My people, wielding iron rods, advanced step by step. Delilah collapsed in terror behind Damien , clutching his sleeve. “Damien, please! Save me! Sera’s going to kill me—” The iron rods fell. Delilah’s agonized screams echoed through the room. Damien finally couldn’t sit still. Though still bound, he lunged to his feet, gripping one of the iron rods tightly. “Enough, Sera! The girl is young and foolish, but are you too?” “You’re pregnant! What kind of spectacle is this, yelling for blood?” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh inwardly. He didn’t remember I was pregnant when he engineered this ‘kidnapping’ charade, but now that it’s Delilah, he suddenly cares. “Don’t you have anything to explain?” The only sounds were the drip of blood from my blade’s tip and my own ragged breathing. He chuckled lightly, sighed, and tugged at his crumpled collar. “It was all for Knight Enterprises. Don’t you want our child to be born into a better life?” “Mr. Sterling promised that if you’d just come in one second sooner, that prime piece of land on the south side would be ours.” I stared at his casually delivered lie. As if all the fault today lay with my delayed arrival. And he and Delilah were the dedicated, self-sacrificing ones, working tirelessly for Knight Enterprises. “You’re right. I truly don’t understand.” I turned my gaze to the other man involved in the bet. The glint of amusement in his eyes suddenly vanished. I spoke softly, almost airily, “Mr. Sterling, we accept the terms of the bet. Let’s fulfill the true wager now.” Then, under Damien ‘s astonished gaze, I dragged Delilah forward, forcibly slamming her head into the ground. Thud, thud, thud— “Sera! She’s pregnant!” His large hands clamped onto my shoulders, crushing them almost to breaking. I paused for only a split second, then immediately clenched a fist and aimed it at my own belly. My lips curved into a chilling smile as I looked at Damien . “Do you want my baby, or hers?” The grip on my shoulders noticeably loosened. Damien ‘s hands fell to his sides, and he retreated, his eyes devoid of emotion. I pushed down harder with both hands until a dull ache resonated in my belly, then slowly stood up. I snatched a few tissues from the table, wiped the blood from my hands, and tossed them onto Damien with a disgusted flick of my wrist. “You writing the divorce papers, or am I?” Damien ‘s eyes finally wavered. “I’m not divorcing you, Sera. I told you, only death will end us.” No sooner had Damien finished speaking than I snatched the blade from the floor and swung it at him. He stared at the approaching knife, unmoving. His gaze was just like that night eighteen years ago, when he, surrounded by a dozen men, fearlessly lit the gasoline. The blade quickly sliced across his body, instantly staining the suit I’d personally tailored for him with blood. His expression unchanged, he snatched the knife from my hand and tossed it aside. “Sera, one life should be enough to appease your anger.” Delilah’s lower half was soaked in blood. The baby was gone. Watching Damien carry Delilah away, I whispered quietly, “Damien, not one life. Two.” I stayed in the hospital for a full seven days. Damien and Delilah seemed to have vanished from my world. Seizing the moment, I made the call I had always dreaded, contacting the one person I least wanted to see. “I want everyone you’ve placed around Damien.”

On my first night home from the hospital, as I was packing things for the next day’s funeral, Damien suddenly pushed open the door and entered. He paused, seeing me holding a book. Ever since I got pregnant, he’d brought home boxes of books, reading to our child every single day. All because my acceptance letter to my dream university had been destroyed in that fire. He’d said this child would surely make up for my past regrets. I could feel his footsteps become softer as he entered the room. After a long sigh, he snatched the book from my hands and threw a medical report onto my lap. “Sera, are you satisfied now?” The words “Hysterectomy” loomed starkly on the page. “She’s just a young girl, so young! First, you beat her, then forced her to grovel, and now she can’t even be a mother! Sera, you’re truly cruel.” “I’m cruel? Damien , when you made me come ‘save’ you, did you forget my baby was already eight months along?!” “My child didn’t deserve peace, but she deserves your protection? Whoever committed the sin should bear the consequence!” “Damien , I only regret not killing her the day she appeared.” I completely broke down. I lifted my empty nightgown, trembling uncontrollably, and started to rush out to grab a knife. Only then did Damien finally notice my flat stomach. After a moment of shock, he swiftly wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, as if trying to melt me into his body. “Sera, my love, it’s all my fault.” A single tear slid down into my neck. I stiffened, a violent shiver running through me. It was like going back ten years. We’d struggled hand-in-hand out of that inferno, clinging to each other, feeling only the searing heat of each other’s necks. A cold gust of wind snaked up my nightgown, and I snapped back to reality. “Damien —” “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” He turned, pressing my head hard into his chest. It was both comfort and a refusal. He thought I was still the old Sera, easily swayed and fooled. I struggled to push him out of the room. Before I could even close the door, Delilah’s voice drifted in. “Damien, how is it? Give me your phone! I want the whole world to know she’s a worthless bitch!” “Delilah, sweetie—” “Damien , I’m asking you! Where are the pictures? Did she cry and beg you? Did you go soft?” “Damien, the doctor said I can’t have children anymore! Let me in! I want her child to pay for what she did to my baby! Let her taste the agony of a woman’s brokenness…” Seeing Delilah growing more frantic with every word, Damien hastily covered her mouth and led her away, embracing her. I couldn’t see the expression on Damien ‘s face, but I heard the submerged tenderness in his voice. “Don’t be afraid, Delilah, sweetie. I’m here.” “I’ll love you forever.” Five years ago, when I suffered retribution and lost my first child, consumed by an unbearable grief— He’d made the same promise. “Sera, my love, with or without a child, I will love you forever.” But who knew his “forever” would only last a mere decade? My nails dug into my palms, but all I felt was the familiar agony of loss in my womb. A man’s promises truly were cheap and laughable.

The next morning, just as I was about to go downstairs for my child’s funeral, Delilah blocked my way. She stood there in a silk robe, suddenly pulling open her collar to reveal fresh hickeys. Her eyes were filled with mockery. “Sera, don’t think you’ve won. You might never know that Damien never loved you.” “He just couldn’t bear to let me suffer with him. He needed someone to shield me, and he just happened to pick you.” “Now your child is gone, what are you still clinging on here for?” My footsteps faltered, my gaze turning impossibly cold. “What did you just say?” “I said, you’re nothing but my stand-in.” Delilah deliberately emphasized the word “stand-in,” her face radiating malicious triumph. I froze for a second, then saw Delilah, her face contorted in a snarl, pull a dagger from behind her and lunge at me. “Sera, you’ll pay for my baby’s life! Die!” Damien was right behind her, but he was a step too late. As I dodged, Delilah lost her footing and tumbled down the stairs, the dagger clattering brightly on the steps. I took a few steps forward, snatched up the dagger, and lunged at Delilah. By the time Damien caught up, the dagger had already slit Delilah’s throat. Damien ‘s face was grim. He immediately positioned himself in front of Delilah. His eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions. “Sera, this ends now.” “Damien , she said I was your stand-in. Tell me, was she lying?!” My words clearly flustered Damien . Seizing the chance, I raised the dagger and plunged it towards Delilah’s chest again. My wrist was savagely gripped, but I gritted my teeth and forced it down, ignoring the tearing pain as it threatened to shatter. A sharp scream ripped through the air. The dagger ultimately found its mark in Delilah’s chest. Before I could even pull the dagger free, a foot violently kicked me down. My shattered wrist was ground under a leather shoe. I gasped, cold air rasping in my throat from the agony. “Sera, we’re getting a divorce.” How laughable. The man who’d once declared only death would part us now agreed so easily, all for Delilah. Divorce papers were casually tossed onto my body. Then Damien moved to carry Delilah away, but she refused. She steadied herself and stood before me, then dropped a lighter. Flames quickly engulfed the items meant for the funeral home. The books Damien and I had read to our child, the toys we’d picked out together—they were all burning. I wanted to snatch them back, but the fear of flames nailed me to the spot. Leaning against Damien , she laughed mockingly at me. “Sera, that fire ten years ago should have killed you.” And Damien just watched. An endless wave of hatred surged within me. I suddenly collapsed to the floor, bursting into maniacal laughter. “Damien , I haven’t seen you burn in hell yet. How can I possibly leave so easily?” For ten years, my blade was always pointed at others. Now, it’s time for you to feel its edge. “Neither of you is leaving this place today.” The moment I finished speaking, the villa’s main door slammed shut with a resounding bang. “Open it!” Damien kicked the door several times, his face instantly turning ice cold. “Sera, you’re the one who asked for a divorce. Now I’ve agreed, what more do you want? Do you truly want to die?” He scolded me fiercely, all while clutching Delilah tighter. The scar on his face, far from making him look grotesque, only made him seem more dashing in his protective stance. I slowly stood up, then decisively tore apart the divorce papers. “Damien, you said only death would end us. How can I divorce you if you and Delilah aren’t dead?!” A mocking smirk twisted Damien ‘s lips. “Sera, do you really think closing a door can win you this? With just these two people you’ve managed to rope in? I don’t want to argue with you today. Delilah needs a hospital. Open the damn door!” “I said, neither of you is leaving today.” At my words, a cold glint flashed in Damien’s eyes. “Sera, you’re forcing my hand.” He raised a hand, and suddenly dozens of men appeared in the villa. “Kill her.” But Damien ‘s words hung in the air for a long moment, and none of the men moved. His eyes were bloodshot. He repeated his order to the leader, “Kill her! Anyone who dares to disobey me today is an enemy of Damien!” But his answer came in the form of dozens of gun barrels turning to face him. “Without Sera’s direct order, no one leaves!” “Sera? Who the hell is Sera here?” Aside from Damien’s bewildered question, dead silence filled the villa.

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After I lost my memory, the first thing my husband did was take down all our wedding photos from the walls. Then he brought his mistress home, letting her live the life of Mrs. Harding. He even lied to me, telling me I was just the housekeeper. They flirted right in front of me, doing things only a married couple should. But they had no idea I’d already regained my memory. I watched everything they did, silently. A bowl of hot porridge crashed to the floor. The steaming contents and ceramic shards splattered everywhere. “Ah!” Chloe Miller, standing across from me, shrieked, instantly bringing Alex Harding rushing down from upstairs. “What happened?” Chloe immediately threw herself into Alex’s arms, looking utterly distraught. “She can’t even hold a bowl properly, she burned my leg!” Alex looked down at Chloe’s leg, then frowned as he glared at me. “You’re so useless, you can’t even manage this one simple thing…” But he froze when he saw the blood oozing from my leg, where the ceramic shards had cut me. “Are… are you okay?” I swallowed the lump of bitterness in my throat, struggling to push out two words. “I’m fine.” Alex sighed, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. “Wait here, I’ll get the first-aid kit.” Just as Alex was about to leave, Chloe suddenly swayed, a delicate stumble. Alex immediately caught her, his eyes filled with concern. “Alex, I think I twisted my ankle. Can you take me to the hospital, please?” Alex looked conflicted for a moment. Chloe’s brow furrowed slightly, and her lips pouted. She pleaded with him in a sweet, coaxing voice. “I got burned by that hot porridge; it would be awful if it left a scar!” “Alright, alright, you’re impossible to say no to. What can I do, you’re my darling little treasure.” Alex’s eyes were completely filled with adoration for Chloe. Before, I used to think Mr. Alex and Ms. Chloe were so deeply in love, a couple everyone envied. But now, this scene pierced my heart with a searing pain. I was Alex’s wife, for heaven’s sake. Just a month ago, I’d been in a car accident and lost my memory. I’d forgotten everything, including Alex. Yet, because I felt an intense familiarity with Alex, I believed his lies. “Your name is Evelyn Hart, and you’re our housekeeper here at the Harding estate.” The day I returned to the Harding estate and put on the housekeeper’s uniform, he led Chloe by the hand, a smile plastered on his face as he told me: “This is Mrs. Harding.” After I respectfully addressed Chloe as “Mrs. Harding,” they seemed to confirm my complete amnesia. Coupled with the doctor’s prognosis that my memory was unlikely to recover, they became absolutely shameless. They slept in my room, on my bed, shamelessly indulging in intimacy day and night, using my jewelry, my clothes—everything that originally belonged to me. The rose garden that once bloomed just for me in the backyard had been completely dug up. Now, it was Chloe’s private putting green. The custom-made swing chair I’d personally installed in the front yard? During my amnesia, he’d ordered me to chop it down for firewood. I waited on them hand and foot, becoming just another prop in their twisted games. But today, I remembered everything. As all my memories flooded back like a tidal wave, I couldn’t hold onto the bowl of porridge I was handing to Chloe. My eyes burned, and tears welled up uncontrollably. Alex scooped Chloe into his arms and walked out, completely disregarding the wound on my leg. Chloe turned her head, casting a triumphant, taunting glance my way, flaunting her victory. Over the past month, I’d experienced this countless times. And I, like an idiot, had just stared at them with envious eyes. It wasn’t until their figures completely disappeared from my sight that my tears finally broke free. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. They streamed down my face like a broken dam, endless and relentless.

Mrs. Davis, our housekeeper, saw me and stopped her work. She came over with a first-aid kit. She looked at me with a sorrowful expression. “Evelyn… don’t cry, sweetie. Did it burn you badly? Let me put some ointment on it.” She soothed me like a child, helping me sit down. She carefully cleaned the wound on my leg, little by little. Before, in this house, Mrs. Davis was the only one who truly looked after me, besides Alex. She was one of the people I trusted most. But now? She’d teamed up with Alex to deceive me. Every single person in this house, every staff member, had lied to me. I had lived like a fool in the elaborate lie they’d constructed for me. Mrs. Davis looked at me, hesitating, as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t. How I wished she would tell me the truth, so at least one person would be on my side. But she just sighed, choosing to remain silent. “You should rest today, I’ll tell Mr. Alex you’re taking the day off!” “No need, I’ll be fine after a little rest.” I stood up, my steps a little unsteady, and walked away. I returned to the small room I now occupied. This entire wing was for the house staff, without even an en-suite bathroom. Inside the room, I buried myself under the covers and cried even harder. To avoid being heard, I deliberately muffled my sobs. My tears soaked the duvet, but I couldn’t stop crying. I simply couldn’t believe Alex would do this to me. It wasn’t until much later, almost half the day gone, that I finally collected myself. Then, something hit me. Before my amnesia, the house was filled with our photo albums, big and small, and that huge wedding portrait in the master bedroom. Where had they gone? I slipped out of my room, sneaking into a utility closet when the other staff weren’t looking. And just as I suspected, there they were: all the photo albums, big and small, including our wedding portrait. No wonder I could go anywhere in the house, except this one room, which someone always stopped me from entering. I thought I had already accepted the fact of Alex’s betrayal. But seeing these photos, brimming with memories, my eyes welled up again. I could pick up any one of these pictures and tell you exactly when it was taken. Alex used to say, “I don’t want this house to look like I’m alone, so I’ve filled it with photos of us.” I was always a bit camera-shy. But with his encouragement, I gradually became more confident. Now, for Chloe, he had hidden all these albums, erasing every trace of my life in this house. Looking at the wedding photo, where I smiled radiantly in Alex’s arms, I curled my lips in a bitter, sarcastic smile. After a moment, I grabbed a knife from nearby. With one swift cut, I slashed through the wedding photo, dividing Alex and me in two. I kept my half. I remembered his proposal vow. He knelt on one knee, kissing my hand. “I will only ever love Evelyn Hart. I will never cheat or do anything to hurt Evelyn Hart. If I break this promise, I will accept any punishment.” Very well then. Alex, I will punish you by taking myself away from you forever.

Soon after I returned to my room, there was a knock on the door. As I hesitated whether to open it, Alex’s voice drifted in from outside. “You said she was crying earlier?” “Yes, Mr. Alex. Evelyn was crying very hard, it even startled me.” “She didn’t… remember anything, did she? Otherwise, why would a small burn make her cry like that?” Mrs. Davis didn’t have an answer for Alex. “Mr. Alex, if I may be so bold, what you’re doing is so unfair to Evelyn. How heartbroken would she be if she ever regained her memory!” “I know, I’ll think about it. You can go now.” Then I heard footsteps retreating. To avoid giving anything away, I quickly composed myself. I used makeup to conceal the puffiness around my eyes. Putting on my uniform, I left the room and headed to the kitchen to work. Passing through the living room, I saw Alex and Chloe were about to apply ointment. I intended to pretend I hadn’t seen them, but Alex called out to me. “Wait a second.” I stopped, but he didn’t say anything else. He gently took off Chloe’s slipper. “Come here, baby, I’ll put the medicine on for you.” Alex opened a bag, took out two tubes of ointment. He dabbed a little on his fingertip and carefully applied it to Chloe’s wound. His voice was incredibly tender throughout. “Does it hurt, baby?” Chloe didn’t answer him, but Alex gently blew on her wound. Chloe immediately giggled. “Haha, that tickles! Stop it, you know I’m ticklish and you’re doing it on purpose!” This scene stabbed at my heart. Alex used to treat me like that. Once, I tripped and scraped my knee during an 800-meter run. When he saw it, his eyes turned red, and he looked so distressed, almost crying from how much it pained him. He carefully applied medicine for me. Seeing me wince, tears immediately fell from his eyes. He said he never wanted me to suffer even the slightest injury again. But now, he was mercilessly breaking my heart. I turned my head away, unwilling to watch the scene unfold. Finally, they were done. Alex took two more tubes of the same ointment from the bag. “I was going to bring these to your room just now, but I didn’t want to disturb you. Here, this one is for the burn, and this one is to prevent scarring.” But I just took them woodenly, not a single word of his registering with me. “Maybe you should take a few days off?” “No need.” I refused him point-blank. “It was my fault today, for causing Ms. Chloe’s injury. I don’t deserve to rest.” With that, I bowed to Chloe, who was sitting on the sofa, to express my apology. “You don’t need to apologize, it’s just a small injury…” I cut Alex off before he could finish. “Mr. Alex, this is just my duty.” He looked at me with an expression I’d never seen before—one of surprise, and then a hint of troubled thought. He seemed to notice the swelling around my eyes beneath the makeup. “Just be more careful next time. I’m going back to my study.” As soon as Alex left, Chloe stopped me. “Go get me a glass of hot water.” Even though I half-guessed what Chloe was up to, I had no choice but to comply. As I carefully presented the glass of hot water to Chloe, I clearly saw the smirk on her lips. “Here’s your water, Ms. Chloe.” Chloe reached out to take it. Just as I was about to release my grip, she let go too. This time, the entire glass of hot water spilled all over my arm. “Hiss.” I sucked in a sharp breath. The tears I had managed to hold back burst forth again, driven by the searing pain. “Oh dear, how clumsy of me. You should go take care of that.” On the surface, she sounded concerned. But the words she whispered into my ear were laced with malice. “Does it hurt? Good. Now you’ll use all that medicine!” I stood there speechless. In this house now, I was just a housekeeper. What right did I have to yell at her? “I’m sorry.” That apology felt like it drained every ounce of my strength. Tears still in my eyes, I picked up the fallen glass. Then I grabbed a mop and cleaned up the mess on the floor. She watched me the entire time, a smile playing on her lips.

That evening, after I finished cleaning the kitchen, Mrs. Davis asked me to take some hot milk upstairs. Just as I was about to knock, I heard voices from inside. I froze, my hand still. “Were you deliberately trying to spill hot water on Evelyn?” “No! It was her own clumsiness. I didn’t do anything!” “I saw everything from upstairs, you’re still trying to deny it? That was boiling water! Getting angry and scolding her is one thing, but that was too much!” “Oh, Alex, I just couldn’t help but be a little mad. I promise I won’t do it again, okay? Don’t be mad at me.” Chloe’s soft, cooing voice slowly softened Alex’s tone. “Don’t do that again, alright?” “Okay, I promise I won’t. Mwah!” Was this the “never let me get hurt again” he’d spoken of? A few sweet words from another woman, and he’d forgotten all his promises to me. “Chloe, the one-month deadline is almost up. We’ve had enough fun, isn’t it time to return Mrs. Harding’s position to its rightful owner?” My heart clenched violently at his words. “No! I haven’t had enough yet! Didn’t the doctor say she might never regain her memory?” “But, the doctor only said ‘might.’ What if Evelyn remembers?” “Alex, you yourself said you were tired of Evelyn after so many years of marriage. Are you really going back to that boring, bland life after just one month of ‘fun’?” I stood outside the door, my grip tightening on the mug of milk. So he had been tired of me all along. “But…” “No buts, Alex! Didn’t you say you wanted to see me in that lingerie set?” “If you let me keep playing Mrs. Harding, I’ll wear a different one every day, okay?” I heard no reply from him. Only some rustling sounds, then their heavy breathing filled the air. I stood frozen at the door until a tear fell onto the hand holding the milk, snapping me back to reality. I think I knew Alex’s answer now. I went back to my room and started packing. I couldn’t stand to be here anymore. My hand brushed against the two tubes of ointment Alex had given me earlier, still in my pocket. I flung them directly into the trash can. Once most of my things were packed, I lay down on the bed, wrapping myself tightly in the duvet. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about so many things. I didn’t sleep a wink. The next morning, I went to work as usual, planning to sneak out that night. Alex was eating breakfast, looking remarkably refreshed and cheerful. Clearly, he’d been well taken care of last night. Suddenly, Chloe bounced down the stairs. She flung herself into Alex’s arms. “Alex, I’m pregnant!” Alex’s face lit up with pure joy. “Really?” Standing nearby, I saw the pregnancy test stick in Chloe’s hand. I clearly saw two lines on it. My heart gave a sudden, painful lurch. “Of course it’s real! See?” Chloe held the test stick up to Alex’s face. The next second, Alex swept Chloe into a princess carry. He spun her around a few times, cheering excitedly. “That’s wonderful! I’m going to be a dad!” I discreetly slipped away. Right now, I was just an outsider. I kept telling myself, over and over again, It’s fine. It’s fine. Alex had always wanted children. But after all our years of marriage, I hadn’t managed to get pregnant. Now, it’s fine. He got what he always wanted. I returned to my room. But I still couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I had clearly overestimated myself.

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