I was Julian, the Sterling family’s adopted son for eleven years, a fake young master in an elite household.
Then, when I turned twenty-one, the real heir, Asher, returned.
From that moment on, my entire adoptive family showered Asher with affection. Even Chloe, my fiancée, gazed at him with a tenderness that meant she couldn’t bear for him to suffer even a little.
The contrast with me couldn’t have been starker. My adoptive father called me trash, my adoptive mother branded me an ungrateful wretch, my adoptive sister Valerie demanded I vacate my position as the Sterling family’s son for Asher, and my fiancée insisted I hand over the prestigious university placement I’d worked three years to secure.
If I dared to disagree, the torment would begin.
Today, I sought out Chloe precisely because I couldn’t endure the torture any longer. I decided to give in.
The heavy mansion gates finally swung open, and Chloe gazed at me with an icy stare, where I’d been standing, drenched and shivering, for two agonizing hours.
“Chloe, I agree. I’ll give Asher my university placement.”
“It would have been so much easier if you’d just listened earlier,” she said, holding an umbrella over me as she led me inside.
A rare flicker of satisfaction danced in Chloe’s usually aloof eyes.
She poured me a cup of hot water, a fleeting softness on her face. “Julian, it’s good you’ve come to your senses. Your grades are exceptional; missing out on university isn’t really that important.”
“Asher is different. He was stuck in a disadvantaged neighborhood for years. His education suffered, he’s behind in his studies. It’s rare for him to show this ambition, so just help him out this time.”
Chloe’s tone, seemingly gentle yet utterly resolute, conveyed a certainty that I would bend to her will.
I stared at the woman I loved, so close to me, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably. I felt a chill that cut deeper than any rain-soaked cold outside.
This was the woman I had loved for eleven years, my girlfriend, my fiancée.
It was only today that I truly understood. She wasn’t born cold-hearted.
She simply… didn’t love me.
I couldn’t recall anything from my early childhood. From my earliest memories, I grew up in an orphanage. At ten, I was adopted by the Sterling family.
At the time, the Sterlings were heartbroken, having lost their biological son. Even with me, the atmosphere in their home was perpetually somber.
Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were strict parents. They constantly compared me to Asher, hoping I would grow into the perfect rich kid.
Those years were tough. Endless lessons, countless talents to learn, and a constant stream of scolding.
Chloe was the only light in those oppressive years.
She was ethereal, quiet, yet handled everything with effortless grace, approaching perfection.
She was like the most dazzling princess in a crowd, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
The Sterling and Taylor families were close. They’d always spoken of an arranged marriage between our children since we were kids.
When the real Asher went missing, that engagement fell to me, their adopted son.
From ten years old to twenty-one, I knew she was my future fiancée.
I willingly followed Chloe, my every joy and sorrow tied to her.
Chloe never explicitly reciprocated, but she never rejected me either.
She played the part of a suitable fiancée, walking by my side.
I thought she saw the boy who quietly adored her, that she was touched by me, willing to accept my affection, and offering some care in return.
But just as I believed our relationship was growing stronger, Asher returned.
And from that day, everything changed.
The burning heat of the mug in my hands jolted me back to reality. I turned and headed for the bathroom, needing to wash away not just the rain, but everything else.
Chloe stood rooted, watching my back. “Let’s go to the Maldives sometime soon. I’ll take you diving.”
My steps faltered. She always did this—offered a sweet taste just when I thought of giving up, making me reluctant to leave.
But this time, I wasn’t as happy as she expected.
I turned back, my voice cold. “Chloe, I don’t swim. Diving is out of the question.”
Asher was a swimming champion as a child, and enthusiastic about activities like diving and surfing.
It was obvious who Chloe wanted to go to the Maldives with.
Not a hint of embarrassment touched Chloe’s face. She just looked at me, completely composed, and asked, “So, where would you like to go for your vacation? I’ll handle the arrangements.”
It was rare for Chloe to ask for my opinion like that. I didn’t argue further, nor did I answer.
When I emerged from the bathroom, Chloe looked up from her phone and glanced at me. “Are you running a fever?”
I gave a bitter laugh. In the dead of winter, she’d left me outside in the rain for two hours. Of course, I had a fever.
Chloe pulled me to the bed, tucking the blankets around me. “Lie still. I’ll get some medicine.”
She had barely turned when her phone rang.
The next second, I heard Asher’s voice on the other end.
“Chloe, my stomach hurts so bad! I think I’m dying…”
“Wait there! I’m coming right now!”
Hearing his plea, a rare look of panic crossed Chloe’s face.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she walked out, completely forgetting about me, burning up with fever.
The sprawling mansion instantly felt empty. My head throbbed, hazy with fever.
In my daze, my heart ached with a dull, familiar pain.
Love and indifference, they were so painfully clear.
But thankfully, my biological parents had found me not long ago.
I picked up the overseas call I had rejected so many times before.
“About moving to the States, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll finish up my academic research here, and in two weeks, I’ll join you in America.”
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart! We’ll make it up to you, darling. After all these years, we’re finally going to be a family again.”
“For these next two weeks, spend some time with your adoptive parents, say your goodbyes.”
Goodbyes? Would anyone truly care if I left or stayed?
There was no need.
In two weeks, I would pack up everything and silently leave this place!
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After years of a fruitless relationship, today I finally decided to let go.
“Ms. Carter, this is for your pre-booked death service. Your death is scheduled for Leo’s celebration party in three days, by falling into a river. Both you and the baby will be faking your deaths. Please confirm.”
I gently patted the sleeping infant in my arms, then signed my name neatly on the client section of the document.
Everyone in this city knew I was Julian Hayes’s most ardent admirer. I had been obsessed with Julian for eight years, relentlessly chasing him until I finally became Mrs. Hayes.
But they didn’t know that when Julian was five, he gave me his mother’s diamond ring and said he’d marry me when he grew up.
When Julian was fifteen, he solemnly tattooed both our initials over his heart, his voice earnest, “Anya, I want to love you every day, forever.”
At eighteen, Julian risked his life to rush into a burning building to save me. A falling beam struck his head, requiring emergency surgery. The doctors warned he might suffer memory loss. Before the surgery, Julian took off the amulet he’d worn since childhood and placed it on me. “Anya, death can’t separate us, let alone a little memory loss. Wait for me, I promise I’ll remember you!”
“Remember to wear this amulet and never take it off. It’s our token of recognition!”
Later, Julian woke up, but he’d lost all memory from before he was sixteen. He even mistook Seraphina Reed, who secretly loved him, for his girlfriend.
For eight years, I tried everything to make Julian remember. But because Julian’s mother insisted he marry me, he only grew to resent me more. He even said, when I was in labor, nearly dying, “Just tell me when she’s dead, so Seraphina can take her place as Mrs. Hayes.”
That single sentence drained the last shred of affection I had for him.
I held my baby and went to the fake death agency, wanting nothing more than to leave his world forever, never to see him again!
Leaving the agency, I saw a large screen in the mall, looping an interview with Julian. He was holding Seraphina’s hand, his eyes soft. “Seraphina’s son, Lucas, is only three. He needs a father’s love, so we don’t plan on having children for now. I don’t want to upset him.”
Julian’s answer triggered wild cheers from the onlookers.
[Ugh, this ice-cold CEO ignores his own flesh and blood but treats his ex-girlfriend’s kid like a treasure? So devoted and loyal, I’m dying of envy!]
[This is the woman Mr. Hayes fell for at sixteen. Even after she abandoned him when he went blind, he stayed devoted, waiting three years to win her back. Such an open-minded and passionate man is rare!]
[That obsessed stalker thought taking care of the blind Mr. Hayes for three years would win his heart? Those two are true love, alright!]
[Who knows how Anya Carter, that manipulative faker, got her position. She actually thought giving birth to his son would win him back. Mr. Hayes never even looked at her properly, she’s completely deluded!]
[I’ve never seen such a shameless woman. Those two are beautiful and brilliant. She clearly knows Julian only has eyes for Seraphina, yet she clings to the position of Mrs. Hayes. So dark-hearted!]
The cold words of the crowd pierced my heart like sharp swords, leaving it riddled with holes. The pain made it impossible to breathe.
My baby’s cry broke my reverie.
Ignoring everything else, I hurried into a nearby mall, searching for a nursing room to feed my child.
Unfortunately, I ran into Julian again on the first floor, buying toy guns with Seraphina’s son. Julian patiently picked out toys, a rare smile gracing his usually stern face.
The moment our eyes met, Julian’s smile vanished. He spoke coldly, “Can’t you do anything productive for once, instead of spending all day tracking my movements and crying for me to come home?”
“Julian, stop it. Anya is still recovering from childbirth, she’s very weak. This is when she needs care the most. If she doesn’t recover properly, she could suffer long-term health issues.”
Seraphina wrapped her arm possessively around Julian’s, her smile gentle. “Since Anya came to find you, be good and go home with her today.”
“Your baby is almost a month old, and you haven’t held him once as a father. It’s really not right.”
“Hmph, my child? He was just a formality, a duty I had to fulfill for my family. He doesn’t deserve for me to hold him!” Julian affectionately pinched Seraphina’s cheek. “Even if he’s not my own, I feel better holding your son.”
Their argument attracted a crowd of onlookers and hushed whispers.
[Oh my god, isn’t that Mr. Hayes and his wife? This is Anya Carter’s child, one she almost died giving birth to. What Mr. Hayes said is a bit harsh, isn’t it?]
[At least Anya Carter stayed by his side tirelessly for three years when Mr. Hayes was blind. From his tone, it sounds like he wants this woman dead.]
[Yeah, Mr. Hayes is such a jerk. Women are so weak after giving birth, and she’s not getting any care from her husband. So pathetic.]
People always follow the crowd, saying whatever suits the moment. In such scenes, some cursed me, others defended me. I was used to it.
I looked at Julian’s disgusted face, my eyes welling up with tears. He had long forgotten how he risked his life to save me from the fire. Forgotten how he donated bone marrow for me when I had leukemia, defying everyone. Forgotten his promise that we would love each other every day, forever.
The one trapped by those sweet memories wasn’t Julian. It was me.
Luckily, in three days, I would leave his world completely, never to see him again!
Leo’s cries grew more anxious. I felt a surge of panic, pushed past Seraphina, who was blocking my way, and rushed into the nursing room at the end of the aisle.
Behind the door, I heard the sound of a woman falling and a man’s shocked, pained cry.
I focused on feeding Leo, my phone ringing incessantly. It was Julian calling. I decisively turned it off.
After soothing the baby, I left the nursing room to find Julian holding Seraphina, who was resting on a bench. Seraphina had a bandage on her forehead, her eyes filled with tears.
“Julian, please don’t blame Anya. She was just anxious about the baby and accidentally pushed me. She definitely didn’t mean to disfigure me.”
“Hmph, this woman knew you depend on your looks, yet she deliberately pushed you down. How malicious!” Julian’s face was like ice, and he snapped, “Anya Carter, get over here and apologize to her!”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Seraphina demurred, though her eyes gleamed with triumph.
I looked at her, devoid of emotion. I took off the amulet I always wore close to my skin and handed it to her. “I bumped into you today. Take this as my apology.”
At this, Julian’s eyes flashed with confusion, and Seraphina was equally startled, feigning refusal. “Anya, you shouldn’t! This is your most cherished necklace. Keep it!”
“My face is really fine, you don’t have to be so worried.”
“Anya Carter, what trick are you trying to pull now?” Julian suppressed a sudden flicker of unease, frowning in displeasure. “Before, when I told you to return the amulet to Seraphina, you cried hysterically, refusing to give in even if it meant death. Why are you suddenly willing today?”
“I’m not playing any tricks. I just don’t want it anymore.” My expression was indifferent as I held Leo and walked away.
But Julian blocked my path. “Don’t think this reverse psychology will make me agree to go home with you. Are you so desperate for a man you’ve gone crazy? Dream on!”
I placed the amulet in his hand, not sparing him a glance, and walked away. In three days, I would be completely out of his life. Why would I care about an amulet he gave me, or if he wanted to come home?
Julian vaguely felt I had changed, but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He meticulously cleaned the amulet and handed it to Seraphina. “This is my most precious amulet. It’s yours now.”
“Julian, Anya seems upset. You should go back to her,” Seraphina gently advised.
“Whether she’s upset or not, what does it matter to me?” Julian said. “Let’s go!”
…
The clock on the wall struck midnight. Julian still wasn’t home.
In the past, I would have called everyone around him, asking about his whereabouts and persuading him to come home. After all, he’d had two brain surgeries and couldn’t stay up late.
Now, I was busy getting rid of everything, unwilling to waste time on insignificant people. I instructed Martha to inventory all the gifts I had given Julian over the years. They filled five large boxes. There were watches worth tens of thousands of dollars, calligraphy and paintings, and 136 custom-made suits. There were also 238 love letters Julian had once written to me.
I had once tried to use these passionate letters to awaken his love and memories. But I hadn’t known that my roommate, Seraphina, had secretly sabotaged me, delaying my visit to Julian in the hospital. When I rushed to the hospital with the love letters, a conscious Julian was holding Seraphina’s hand tightly. His eyes were full of deep affection. “Seraphina, I’ll be good to you my entire life!”
“I’ll make you a superstar!”
I was shocked and heartbroken, desperately wanting to prove my identity with the love letters and the amulet. Instead, I was met with Julian’s cold accusation, “What a scheming and manipulative woman. How dare you secretly replace my name in the love letters I wrote for Seraphina with yours?”
“And you even deliberately got the same tattoo on your chest as mine and stole the amulet I gave Seraphina?”
“You’re utterly despicable!”
The boy who once loved me so deeply now only believed Seraphina’s fabricated lies, looking at me with nothing but disgust and disdain. No matter how his friends explained, Julian was convinced that I had painstakingly tried to steal Seraphina’s place. He even threatened to cut ties with them if they continued to speak on my behalf!
Thinking about the eight years I spent chasing Julian, the hopeless waiting, and his mockery, tears blurred my vision. If he truly loved me, how could he have no physical memory of me, mistaking someone else for his girlfriend? How could he hurt me so deeply, not giving me an ounce of trust?
Ultimately, Julian didn’t love me enough, which was why he so easily fell for someone else’s manipulation!
I suppressed the bitterness in my heart and tossed my wedding ring into the trash. Then I doused the discarded items with gasoline.
Martha, the housekeeper, retrieved the ring from the trash. “Madam, this is the lily wedding ring Mr. Hayes personally carved for you when he was sixteen. You can’t throw it away!”
“And these gifts and love letters were once Mr. Hayes’s most cherished possessions. He won’t be able to bear it if you burn them.”
“Please give Mr. Hayes more time. He loves you so much, he’ll definitely regain his memory!”
“Whether Julian regains his memory or not, I don’t want him anymore.” I tossed the lit lighter onto the clothes. “The Julian I loved died when he was sixteen. He’s never coming back.”
The soaring flames illuminated my cold eyes, filled with endless sorrow, but more so, with a hopeful anticipation for the future. In 62 hours, I would vanish completely with my son, leaving Julian with absolutely nothing!
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男友是个渣男？我转身嫁给亿万富翁！
My Boyfriend’s a Jerk? I’m Marrying a Billionaire!
**Chapter 1**
After seven years of secretly dating my best friend’s brother, news of his engagement to a powerful heiress spread like wildfire. But the bride wasn’t me.
I rushed to Julian Collins’s private room, my hand reaching for the door, when his friend’s voice spilled out.
“Jules, you finally got what you wanted. Your first love is back, and your families even sealed the deal with a business alliance marriage. This must be the happiest day of your life, right? That stand-in girlfriend of yours should be ditched. You’re ruthless, using even your own sister’s best friend as a replacement.”
My body froze, as if doused in ice water, head to toe.
Through the door, I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the casual indifference in his voice.
“Just wait. The girl is too in love with me; she can’t leave. If I tell her the truth now, she’ll probably cry herself to death. I’ll break it to her later.”
We’d been together secretly for seven years. He spoiled me rotten, but he always refused to make our relationship public.
At first, he’d smiled and said, “Rory, just wait. If Mia knew I ‘stole’ her best friend, she’d kill me.”
Later, after I graduated college and became his assistant, he said, “Rory, just wait. Office romances always end messy, and I didn’t want you to deal with all the gossip.”
I believed every excuse he gave, playing the role of his secret girlfriend for years, unseen, unheard.
But now, I’d heard it with my own ears. The real reason he didn’t want to go public had nothing to do with any of that.
It was simply because he’d never loved me.
It was because, from the very beginning, he’d only seen me as a stand-in!
Seeing the people inside about to come out, I stumbled back, desperately scrambling to get away.
I ran all the way back to the villa, straight to Julian Collins’s private study.
It was a room he’d never allowed me near, no matter how much I pleaded or how curious I was.
Now, I flung the door open.
On the desk lay dozens of photo albums. I walked over, picked one up, and flipped through it. They were all photos of the same woman.
She looked about 70-80% like me, but it wasn’t me.
I figured she was his long-lost love, the Alice Corporation heiress he was about to marry.
In the drawer, there was a thick stack of flight tickets—thousands of them.
Flipping through the dates, I realized that in the seven years Julian and I had been together, he’d flown abroad almost every week. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who he was going to see.
The room he forbade me from entering was filled with his love for another woman.
My eyes burned, brimming with tears. After a long moment, I let out a self-deprecating laugh.
Laughing at how foolish I was, how stupid, and how utterly ridiculous!
All seven years of love had been nothing but a cruel deception.
Just then, my phone suddenly rang.
It was my dad.
“Aurora, how are you coming along with that arranged marriage? You’ve been away since college, never coming back. Your dad knows you have a boyfriend over there, but after all these years, has he ever come back with you to meet me? The man I picked for you is one in a million…”
He rambled on, trying to convince me as usual. But this time, before he could even finish, I choked back my tears and cut him off.
“Dad, I’m sorry. I’m willing to go through with the marriage.”
My sudden agreement stunned him. Mr. Evans was silent for a long moment before realizing I’d finally given in. “Are you… are you serious?”
“Yes, I am. And this time, I’m staying back East for good. I won’t leave again.”
My dad exclaimed “Good!” several times, delighted, then gave a few more instructions before hanging up.
I carefully put everything I’d disturbed back in place and quietly left the room.
As I reached the living room, the front door suddenly opened, revealing the face I’d loved for seven years.
Julian saw my swollen eyes. He quickly offered me a jewelry box, his voice soft and soothing.
“I knew you’d cry. You saw the engagement news, didn’t you?”
“The engagement is fake, just for a business deal. We’re putting on an act for a while. I’m not really marrying Seraphina.”
His gentle eyes met mine, but I didn’t hear a single word he said.
I already knew the truth. So, of course, I knew he was lying.
I casually placed the gift on a nearby table and calmly nodded. “Okay.”
Whether his engagement was fake, I didn’t know. But my upcoming marriage? That was very, very real.
**Chapter 2**
Julian had prepared himself for a long session of coaxing, but he never expected me to be so calm. A flicker of unease crossed his face. “Rory, you’re not mad?”
“You said it’s fake, so why would I be mad?”
Hearing me say that, the heavy weight in his chest lifted. He instinctively pulled me into his arms, his hand sliding possessively to my waist. But as his fingers traced upward under my shirt, I grabbed his hand.
He froze, his question unasked, as I pulled free from his embrace.
“I’m not feeling great tonight. Let’s just skip it.”
“Period cramps?”
Julian didn’t push it. He just rubbed my lower back and held me all night.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed.
I didn’t dwell on it. After showering, I took a taxi to the office, heading straight to HR. I picked up a resignation letter, then slipped it into a pile of documents that needed signing before heading upstairs to the CEO’s office.
But the scene before me made me freeze.
Julian, the man who always seemed so untouchable, was kneeling on the floor, gently massaging the woman’s feet.
He’d taken off her heels and placed them aside, then softly picked up a pair of flats and helped her put them on.
“You must be tired from those heels. You don’t need to be perfect around me; I just want you to be comfortable.”
Hearing my entrance, both of them turned to look. They saw me, frozen in the doorway. Julian’s face instantly changed, but he quickly regained his composure.
He hadn’t even spoken yet when Seraphina, beside him, frowned and said, “Jules, your assistant is so rude. She just walks in without knocking?”
My mouth opened, words of explanation ready, but nothing came out.
How could I explain?
How could I say that was once a privilege Julian had given me? But now that he had a fiancée, how could I even mention such a thing?
I turned to Julian. His eyes darted away. He cleared his throat, his tone suddenly all business. “What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Collins, there are a few documents that need your signature.”
After a moment of silence, I handed him all the documents. I watched as he took them, skimming each page, signing his name with swift, practiced strokes. As he reached the last page, I couldn’t help but press my lips together.
It was my resignation.
“Ah!”
Just as I worried whether he would agree to sign, a sudden gasp erupted. I looked towards the sound to see Seraphina’s teacup overturned, scalding hot water spilling onto my hand. It stung so badly my eyes welled up with tears; I must have looked so pathetic.
Julian panicked instantly. He didn’t even glance at the documents, just scribbled his signature on the last page. Then he scooped Seraphina into his arms and practically ran out of the office.
Watching their figures disappear behind the door, my heart felt incredibly complex.
I didn’t know whether to be sad that he cared so much about Seraphina that a small injury made him lose all reason, signing documents without even looking.
Or if I should be grateful that Seraphina got hurt at just the right moment, prompting Julian to sign my resignation so decisively.
I gathered the signed documents, then, holding my resignation form, I went back to HR.
“Since Mr. Collins has approved it, you can leave after the one-month process is complete.”
I nodded. As I returned to the assistant’s office, my phone buzzed repeatedly with new messages.
It was from the colleagues who had gone to the hospital with Julian, chatting in the SnapChat group.
“Mr. Collins is so good to Miss Seraphina! Just a scalded hand, and he booked her a whole private floor at the hospital!”
“Right? Right? Miss Seraphina said she wanted something to eat, and no matter how far, he immediately sent someone to get it!”
“Did you see the way Mr. Collins looked at Miss Seraphina? I’ve never seen him look at anyone with such tenderness! It looks like the Collins Group is about to get a new First Lady!”
…
Reading the messages, I let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
Julian truly loved Seraphina.
He loved her so much that when Seraphina went abroad to pursue her dreams, he flew out to see her every month, and it still wasn’t enough.
He even found me to be her stand-in, to ease his longing.
Now that Seraphina was back, he immediately got engaged to her, giving her the public acknowledgment I’d waited seven years for.
A bitter ache spread through my chest. I shut off my phone, not wanting to see anymore.
**Chapter 3**
After working for a while at my desk, it was lunchtime. Just as I was about to head downstairs, my dad called again.
“Aurora, since you’ve agreed to the marriage, when are you coming home? I need to arrange the wedding.”
“In a month. My resignation process takes a month.”
Thinking of the resignation I’d just handed in, I answered honestly. I heard my dad say “Good” before hanging up.
Seeing this, my other colleagues in the office crowded around, a flurry of questions and comments. Their voices were filled with unconcealed surprise. “Aurora, you’re leaving? Why?”
I paused, then didn’t hide anything. “I’m going home to get married.”
“So sudden?”
“To whom? I never heard you had a boyfriend.”
“Your hometown is back East, right? Once you leave, who knows when we’ll see each other again. Let’s have dinner after work, a farewell party for you!”
I smiled at their chatter and didn’t refuse.
After dinner with my colleagues that evening, I was about to hail a taxi when a Maybach suddenly pulled up beside me.
The window slowly rolled down, revealing Julian’s face.
“Get in.”
He was blunt, but I didn’t obediently get into the car as he expected. Instead, I started walking down the street, as if I hadn’t seen him, trying to hail another cab.
Julian’s expression tightened. He quickly started the car and followed me, which caused most taxis to deliberately ignore me.
After the third taxi was squeezed out, I finally stopped, exasperated. I opened his car door and got in, met with his somewhat helpless face.
“Rory, I already explained, didn’t I? Seraphina and I are just putting on an act. Why are you mad again?”
“I’m not mad.”
I stared straight ahead, my voice completely calm. But he refused to believe me. “If you’re not mad, why didn’t you get in the car earlier?”
I paused, then a faint, mocking smile touched my lips.
“Didn’t you say yourself that our relationship had to be a secret? My colleagues are around. If they saw us, how would it stay a secret?”
Julian didn’t get angry at the biting sarcasm in my voice. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips.
He pinched my cheek. “Still saying you’re not mad? You clearly care. Seraphina and I truly have nothing going on; it’s all just an act. I’m not actually marrying her. Don’t keep giving me the cold shoulder. Once all this is over, I’ll declare that you’re the one I truly love, in front of everyone, okay?”
He expected my emotional tears, but instead, I just stared at him directly. After a long moment, I finally spoke. “Really?”
My stare made him flinch. He unconsciously shifted his gaze and didn’t answer. I just thought, *Figures.*
Even if he had answered, we both knew those words would be nothing but a lie to string me along.
Julian not marrying Seraphina was a lie. Julian going public with me was also a lie.
But it was fine. I had already decided to leave, so at this moment, I wasn’t so heartbroken.
The next day, as I arrived at work, I suddenly received a SnapChat message from Julian, telling me to go to a bridal boutique.
Julian was my boss, so I couldn’t refuse. I called a taxi and headed over.
As I reached the entrance, I immediately spotted Julian’s unmistakable Maybach.
I walked straight towards it without stopping. The car window was down, revealing two people passionately kissing inside. Hearing my approach, Seraphina, blushing fiercely, pushed him away. “Stop it, someone’s coming…”
The moment he looked up and saw me, Julian’s expression froze.
Seraphina had specifically used his phone to call an assistant to help her try on wedding dresses today. She just hadn’t expected the assistant she called to be me.
He leaned in, whispering to soothe Seraphina. “Let’s get someone else. She’s young and clumsy; she won’t take good care of you.”
Seraphina’s smirk played on her lips as she looked at me. “No, I think she’s perfectly fine. You let me use your phone to call an assistant. I thought anyone could be called. What, is she an exception?”
Julian still couldn’t refuse Seraphina. Or rather, he never outright refused her demands. Even when she deliberately humiliated and tormented me throughout the wedding dress fitting, he just sat there watching, never saying a word to stop her.
For example, Seraphina forced me to kneel for half an hour, helping her try on wedding shoes.
For example, Seraphina made me run errands for food again and again, from one end of the city to the other.
And for example, Seraphina made me hold up every wedding dress she tried on, until my arms trembled, without letting me put them down.
Julian looked at my flustered and humiliated state. A flicker of something—discomfort? guilt?—crossed his face.
Seraphina, noticing his expression, pouted playfully and looked at him. “Jules, do you think I’m being too hard on her?”
He finally hardened his expression. When he looked at Seraphina, his eyes were full of tenderness. “No, darling. Isn’t that what assistants are for?”
**Chapter 4**
After coaxing Seraphina for a while longer, Julian’s phone suddenly rang. He stood up, pointed at his phone, indicating he needed to take a call, then turned and left.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Seraphina’s gaze shifted to me in the full-length mirror, still holding up a wedding dress behind her. A mocking smile played on her lips.
“Yesterday, when I saw you, I was curious why you looked so much like me. Now I know. You’re my stand-in, aren’t you? But I’d advise you to drop any foolish notions. After all, Jules and I are getting married.”
My voice was calm; I didn’t even lift my head. “Don’t worry. I won’t fight you for him.”
Seraphina let out a dismissive snort, clearly not believing me. She was about to speak when a sales associate approached. “Miss Seraphina, the wedding dress and shoes have been selected. Only the matching jewelry is left. Would you like to choose it now?”
She nodded, but after a cursory glance at the jewelry laid out by the associate, Seraphina remained unsatisfied and asked for new options. She looked through everything, but still nothing caught her eye.
Just as the staff looked flustered, her gaze shifted and landed on the necklace around my neck. Her eyes lit up. Her voice turned imperious, brooking no argument. “I like yours. How much? Sell it to me.”
I froze, my hand instinctively went to the silver, diamond-studded planet necklace around my neck. My face instantly hardened. “I won’t sell it.”
“I said I like it, so it has to be mine.” As if my refusal was unexpected, Seraphina’s face stiffened for a moment. She reached out and tried to yank it off me. I was completely caught off guard. Seraphina yanked the necklace from my neck.
I ignored the sharp sting from my neck. As I reached out to try and snatch the necklace back, it, unable to withstand the tug-of-war, snapped. The planet pendant clattered to the floor, shattering into a million pieces.
My mind went completely blank. My hand shot out, connecting with her face in a resounding slap.
A bright red handprint instantly appeared on Seraphina’s face. She touched her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You dare hit me?!”
Julian walked in on this exact scene.
His expression changed instantly. He quickly strode forward and shoved me away. “Aurora, what the hell?!”
I couldn’t react fast enough. He shoved me, and I fell, my forehead cracking against the corner of a table.
A sharp crack. Excruciating pain exploded in my head. I touched my forehead, and my fingers came away sticky, crimson red.
I looked up at Julian, my breath ragged. But the man who’d just made me bleed was now anxiously cradling another woman, listening intently to her tearful accusations.
“I just thought Miss Assistant’s necklace was pretty and wanted to buy it, but I accidentally broke it, and then she hit me…”
Following Seraphina’s pointing finger, Julian also saw the shattered necklace.
His expression froze for a moment, but then he looked at me, his eyes carrying a hint of impatience. “It’s just a trinket, what’s the big deal? Did you really have to hit her?”
His accusation was the final blow that shattered me, making my eyes well up instantly.
I didn’t answer. I just quietly moved to where the necklace lay shattered and began picking up the pieces, one by one.
*A trinket?*
He knew. He knew it was my mother’s last gift!
I remembered the winter we first started dating. I’d accidentally lost the necklace in the snow. He’d trudged through the snow, flashlight beam cutting through the darkness, searching for it all night. The next day, he was burning up with a fever, all because of the cold.
My heart ached as I hugged him, crying for a long time. Yet, he, the one who was sick, was the one comforting me.
“I can’t stand to see you cry. Never mind one day, I’d search for three days, ten days, just to find it for you. Don’t cry. Just wear it carefully from now on and don’t lose it again.”
But now, my necklace was broken, and he said it was just a trinket.
Julian, if you never loved me, why did you ever bother with me?
Julian left, carrying Seraphina. I was left alone, crouching on the floor, my eyes red, picking up every single fragment before stumbling out.
The next few days, I took some time off and got a few stitches at the hospital.
Julian didn’t come home during those days.
The day my wound healed, my best friend, Mia, called me.
“Rory, I saw a pair of earrings in Paris that I thought would be perfect for you. I’m back in town today. Why don’t you come over to my place for dinner, and I’ll give you your gift!”
I was already going home and needed to say goodbye to Mia anyway.
So, I didn’t refuse. I quickly got ready, using a thick layer of foundation to cover the wound on my forehead, making sure no abnormalities were visible before heading out.
When we met, Mia was exceptionally excited. She linked her arm through mine and pulled me inside, chatting enthusiastically about her travels.
I listened quietly. After she’d given me the gift and we’d finished dinner, I finally told her I was going home to get married.
Mia was thunderstruck by the sudden news.
“No way, Rory! Why so sudden? What about that boyfriend of yours?”
I shook my head. “I dumped him.”
Seeing my crestfallen look, Mia didn’t know the whole story, but she guessed I’d been mistreated.
She was both angry and heartbroken. She quickly hugged me.
“Good riddance! You should’ve dumped him! What kind of boyfriend doesn’t go public after dating for so many years?”
“It’s all his fault for breaking your heart, making you run home for an arranged marriage. Rory, you’re my best friend! It’s so far back East. Once you go back, when will we ever see each other again?”
Thinking of the impending separation, both our spirits sank.
Finally, Mia became overwhelmed with emotion and hugged me, burying her face in my shoulder.
Julian walked in just as we were like this.
He looked exasperated. “You’re grown women. Still hugging and crying?”
Mia straightened up, her eyes red. “Rory’s going back home to get married! What’s wrong with crying?”
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**Chapter 1**
Everyone told me I was lucky to marry someone like Julian Hayes.
He’d settled down for me, covered grand plazas in flowers to confess his love.
I used to believe I was truly lucky, and I accepted his devotion without a second thought.
But less than a year into our marriage, he found new bedmates.
I was forced into arguments with him, and our relationship grew colder, more distant.
It wasn’t until the ninety-ninth time he abandoned me for his latest fling that I finally decided to let go.
I handed him the divorce papers while Julian was busy sweet-talking his fifty-second mistress on the phone.
“Julian, let’s get a divorce.”
“Sign these. In a month, once the waiting period is over, we’ll be strangers.”
He grunted, took the papers, and without even glancing at them, flipped to the last page. Casually, he scrawled his name.
Done, he stood up, grabbed his jacket, still murmuring sweet nothings to the woman on the other end of the line.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming to you now, okay?”
He was already at the door when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back to me. “Oh, Delilah, what was it you just had me sign?”
You signed it first, and *then* you ask?
My lips twisted into a cynical smile.
“Divor…”
Before I could finish, Julian waved a dismissive hand. “You know what, if you want to buy a house, just buy it. No need to bring me separate agreements to sign. I’m busy trying to make someone happy. I’ve been home with you for days, and my little girl is throwing a fit, you know?”
That’s when it hit me. He hadn’t heard a single word I’d said. He thought it was a property purchase agreement.
Of course. In our worst fights, my favorite thing to do was buy entire blocks of mansions with Julian’s money.
The real estate market was on its last legs, but I poured billions into it anyway, just to lash out at him and my own raw pain.
Back then, I still held onto hope for him. That lingering bit of love made me unable to accept the fact that his heart had strayed, pushing me to despair.
Yeah, how *did* his heart stray?
I still remembered our first meeting, at a bar.
I was there to pick up a friend and happened to catch Julian, who was stumbling drunk and about to fall. I kindly helped him steady himself.
He just looked at me once, and that was it. He was smitten.
Julian Hayes’s name echoed through our social circles. Heir to one of the most powerful families on the East Coast, with a devilishly handsome, carefree face, he changed girlfriends faster than he changed clothes, leaving a trail of broken hearts across the city.
I didn’t want to be another one of them, nor did I want to get involved with such a playboy. So, I flat-out rejected him.
Who would have thought he wouldn’t give up? Instead, he fixed his sights on me, relentlessly pursuing me, as if he couldn’t see anyone else.
Romantic flower displays covering entire squares on Valentine’s Day, all-night fireworks over the ocean just to make me smile, his constant presence when I felt lost…
My heart, which had never truly fluttered before, surrendered to his relentless, overwhelming pursuit.
After we became official, he stopped juggling different women, focusing solely on me, always letting me know his whereabouts no matter where he went.
Everyone said Julian had changed completely for me.
I believed it too.
So when he knelt, tears in his eyes, and proposed, I joyfully said yes.
But less than a year into our marriage, Julian started getting entangled with other women again.
We fought countless times. Countless times I stood in our shattered living room, screaming hysterically, like a lunatic, while he massaged his temples, utterly exhausted.
Finally, he suggested we “do our own thing, and come back to the family when we’d had enough.”
“Delilah, I love you very much, but being with just one person for a lifetime, it gets boring.”
“Let’s just do our own thing. Neither of us is allowed to fall in love with anyone outside, and when we’ve had enough fun, we’ll come back home and be a family again, okay?”
I refused to agree, but he ignored me, sticking to his plan.
Slowly, I broke down too. I also started seeing a handsome college student, Liam Maxwell.
At first, I just wanted to spite Julian.
But Liam would gently call me “sis” and pamper me. He’d be there at my beck and call whenever I felt utterly alone, and he’d stay by my side, eyes red-rimmed, when I was critically injured in a car accident, accompanying me to follow-up check-ups.
The young man was pure and genuine. Over time, my heart, once riddled with wounds, slowly began to heal thanks to him.
I thought about offering him a house or a check, but he wanted none of it. He only wanted to marry me.
“Sis, divorce him. Try being with me.”
Love filled the young man’s eyes, so clear and bright, reflecting a complete version of me.
A version of me that had been tormented and bruised by that marriage.
Yet, in his eyes, at that moment, I seemed to glow.
In that instant, I was suddenly inspired. Life should be lived to the fullest. Even kids know to replace a broken toy. But all these years, these years of mad entanglement with Julian, what had I been doing?
So, I said yes.
I agreed to be with Liam.
And to finally end this shattered, unbearable marriage.
**Chapter 2**
Not long after Julian left, I received a FaceTime call from Liam.
He was in the kitchen, wearing a white shirt, cooking. His bangs gently covered his forehead, and his eyelashes curled slightly, making him look fragile and soft.
“Sis, are you divorced yet?”
Even though I was several years older and had experienced a lot more, every time I saw that young face, I couldn’t help but blush and feel my heart race.
With a face like that, it was no wonder the girls at his school still chased him even after being rejected.
I cleared my throat. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. We just have to wait a month, and then we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”
Hearing that, Liam’s handsome lips curved into a slight smile. He murmured, “Since you’ll have nothing to do with him, then during this time, Sis, you mustn’t let him touch you. I’ll be checking.”
I hadn’t expected him to say something like that. My face flushed slightly, and I sternly replied, “Don’t be silly, you’re just a kid.”
Liam looked at me, undisguised possessiveness in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a wronged expression. “Sis, I’m only young in age. In other areas… I’m not small.”
Afraid the conversation would stray too far, I quickly cut him off, said a few soothing words, and finally persuaded Liam to quietly hang up the phone.
The boy was perfect in every way, except…
He was so clingy.
After hanging up, I went out and bought a calendar.
For an entire month, I practically counted the days.
Every day that passed, I’d tear off a page.
From October 1st to the 10th, Julian never once came home.
But I knew where he’d been, who he’d seen, and what he’d been doing.
His new girlfriend, Chloe Miller, an intern at his company, would subtly flaunt their whereabouts daily on her Ins stories.
One day they’d be having afternoon tea at a fancy restaurant, the next they’d be playing golf.
If they weren’t admiring city lights from a mountaintop villa, they were sharing a hot tub.
It was strange, though. Given Julian’s promiscuous nature, he would never waste so much time on one woman.
His previous conquests, all sorts of different women, had lasted a month at most before he grew bored.
But this Chloe Miller, I didn’t know what her secret was, but three months later, he still wasn’t tired of her.
Perhaps this extended shelf life gave her confidence. Unlike other women, she wasn’t content to stay in her place. Instead, she actively added me on SnapChat, subtly provoking me in this way.
I didn’t really care for her little games.
I was getting a divorce; why would I bother with any of that?
These past few days, with nothing else to do, I’d cleaned out everything in the house.
The carefully chosen razor, the suits ironed and arranged daily, the limited edition Patek Philippe watch I’d stayed up all night to snag…
No matter the value or size, anything he owned that I had given him, I packed up and threw away.
Along with them, I discarded all the grievances I’d suffered in this marriage and the genuine feelings I once had for Julian.
I had decided to say goodbye to the past and start a new life.
Two more days passed, and Julian finally came home.
He looked at the noticeably emptier villa and frowned.
“Delilah, you threw away my stuff?”
I was flipping through a magazine. I hummed in affirmation. “Yeah, I did.”
“I bought them. I can throw them away if I want to. Is there a problem? Besides, you never come home, so you wouldn’t even use them.”
Julian thought I was still angry about the last incident and deliberately speaking sarcastically.
He walked over and sat beside me, coaxing me nonchalantly. “Didn’t we agree, before, that we’d do our own thing outside, and never truly fall for anyone else? Why are you suddenly bothered by it again?”
It was the same old casual line.
No matter what he did, he always found all sorts of excuses to explain himself.
And I, his wife, could only passively accept all the pain he brought, unable to even voice a single complaint.
But now, I no longer wanted to argue with him over these trivial matters.
I snapped the magazine shut, stood up, and walked upstairs, my voice utterly cold.
“You’re overthinking. I couldn’t care less.”
Julian immediately assumed I was pretending indifference. He stood up and grabbed my hand.
Then, under my impatient gaze, he pulled an invitation from his pocket and placed it in my palm.
“Don’t be angry. I’ll take you to an auction tomorrow. Bid on whatever you like, just to cheer you up, okay?”
I instinctively wanted to decline.
But my eyes caught sight of the Sotheby’s logo on the invitation, and I changed my mind. I agreed.
I was getting a divorce anyway. Spending his money to have some fun wouldn’t be so bad.
**Chapter 3**
At 5 PM, Julian’s car arrived promptly at the villa entrance.
I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs. Just as I was about to open the car door, I saw a familiar face.
It was Chloe Miller.
She was sitting in the passenger seat, hugging a large bag of snacks and drinks, greeting me with a feigned innocent expression.
“Mrs. Hayes, I get car sick. Would you mind sitting in the back today?”
Seeing the fleeting triumph in her eyes, I lowered my gaze, my peripheral vision catching a dashboard ornament.
It was a custom Hello Kitty, with a line of text printed on the butterfly on its head:
“Chloe’s Princess Ride!”
Seeing I remained silent and didn’t move, Julian knew I was upset again. He murmured coaxingly, “Chloe hasn’t been to an auction before. I’m just taking her to see what it’s like. She’s delicate, Delilah, just humor her.”
Humor her?
Of course, I could. I didn’t even want him anymore. It was just a seat; I could let that go.
I chuckled softly and got into the back seat.
Throughout the drive, Chloe munched on various cakes and snacks.
Then, she used her own spoon to feed Julian, flaunting their affection as if no one else was there.
They chatted endlessly about everything under the sun, her amusing comments and occasional pouts keeping a constant smile on his lips.
From beginning to end, I didn’t even spare them a glance, instead rolling down the window to enjoy the autumn scenery outside.
When we arrived at our destination, after only a few steps, Chloe whined that her high heels were pinching her feet.
Julian chuckled, calling her delicate, but without a word, he took her to the nearest department store, personally selecting flats and helping her try on pair after pair.
Watching him half-kneeling, tenderly checking the softness of the shoes, I couldn’t help but recall how, just half a month ago, when I had a high fever and felt like I was burning up, he refused to even get me a glass of water, maintaining his aloof demeanor.
She truly was his little princess, pampered in a completely different way.
But I used to be the one he held dear and cherished.
Back then, I was reluctant to accept his pursuit, so I deliberately challenged him, saying I’d consider it if he could get me that special artisanal cake from the farthest part of the city.
That part of the city was almost a whole city away from my place, and it was snowing heavily that day. Any sensible person would know I was intentionally making it difficult for him.
But he got into his car without hesitation, spent five entire hours, and presented the still-warm cake to me, carefully held in his arms.
Later, I often wondered why, if his love wasn’t fake then, he could change so quickly.
Now, looking back, he didn’t change.
I just hadn’t seen clearly back then. I hadn’t seen his playboy nature, his true self.
No one can make a playboy settle down.
I gave a self-deprecating chuckle and entered the venue with my invitation.
The first item was already on the block by the time Julian finally came in with Chloe.
The auction and dinner were held simultaneously. The tables were laden with exquisite delicacies and fresh, seasonal crabs.
As soon as she sat down, Chloe’s eyes landed on the crabs, and she pestered Julian, saying she wanted to eat them right away.
Julian smiled wryly, smoothed out her skirt, then politely declined the waiter’s offer of help. He condescended to pick up the tools, meticulously prepared her meal, and placed it before her.
Watching his refined and attentive manner, Chloe’s eyes sparkled with endless admiration.
I, however, just watched silently. Then I saw Chloe casually point to an emerald jewelry set on the stage after finishing her crab, and Julian raised his paddle.
“Bidder number 17 bids three hundred million!”
The price sent a ripple of astonishment through the room. No one dared to challenge it, and gasps echoed from every corner.
Soon, the dinner reached its intermission.
Many guests, holding their champagne flutes, drifted towards table 17, seemingly eager to curry favor.
They saw Julian’s doting affection for Chloe and surrounded her with flattery, constantly addressing her with respectful titles like “Mrs. Hayes.”
Julian looked up at me and casually reminded them,
“You’ve got it wrong. *She* is my wife.”
Instantly, the mistaken guests looked embarrassed and quickly corrected themselves.
I remained silent, paying no mind to their surprised or pitying glances.
They hadn’t actually been wrong.
Soon, I wouldn’t be Mrs. Hayes anymore.
And given Julian’s doting affection for Chloe, he might even marry her as soon as the divorce papers were finalized.
After a brief break, the second half of the auction featured antiques.
I wasn’t interested in those, so after bidding on a few of the most expensive pieces, I left early.
I had just reached the elevator when I heard Chloe’s syrupy voice behind me.
“Mrs. Hayes, can we talk?”
I paused. “There’s nothing for you and I to…”
Before I could finish, I saw Chloe’s hand fly up.
*Smack!*
The next second, a harsh slap landed squarely on my face.
**Chapter 4**
The slap was delivered with full force, and my face immediately flushed crimson.
I instinctively clutched my cheek, my head ringing, a blank void in my mind.
“Chloe Miller! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Once I regained my senses, fury flared in my chest. I raised my hand, intending to slap her back.
But my slap never reached Chloe’s face. Julian intervened, catching my wrist.
Julian clutched my wrist, his voice laced with suppressed anger. “Delilah, Chloe didn’t provoke you, why would you hit her?”
I sharply pulled back my tingling hand, my voice trembling. “*I* hit *her*? Julian, ask any of these bystanders who hit who first!”
At that, Chloe immediately adopted a pitiful expression, tears welling in her eyes.
“Julian, you said I was timid and needed to find opportunities to build my courage. I just wanted to try slapping the CEO’s wife in public to get over my fear, otherwise, I couldn’t find a suitable chance. But Mrs. Hayes was so fierce just now, I was so scared, boohoohoohoo.”
Understanding the convoluted reasoning, Julian frowned. “I told you to build your courage, but why would you hit someone?”
“And of all people, Delilah?!”
Chloe sniffled, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls.
“I’m so sorry, I’m just so silly. You said Mrs. Hayes had a good temper, and I thought she wouldn’t get angry if I hit her, but I didn’t expect…”
Seeing her cry, Julian’s heart melted. He forgot all about being angry, wiping her tears away and comforting her.
“It’s okay, no one’s blaming you. Don’t cry, sweetie.”
Watching the scene unfold before me, I felt a mix of anger and pain, finally unable to hold back my sharp reprimand.
“Julian Hayes, *I’m* the one who was hit! How dare you forgive her on my behalf? And Chloe Miller, why are you playing the innocent victim? Who would ever think of hitting someone to ‘build courage’?”
Chloe shivered, frightened by my outburst, and began to wail even more heartbreakingly, struggling for breath, on the verge of fainting.
Julian’s heart ached for her. He said nonchalantly, “She’s just a little girl, how hard could she possibly hit you? Do you really have to be so petty? She’s practically crying herself unconscious now, Delilah, that’s enough.”
With that, he picked up Chloe and left.
I never imagined he would say such a thing. I was utterly incredulous, as if plunged into an icy abyss.
In the end, I don’t know how I got home.
I kept telling myself not to cry, so I held back my tears the entire way, my eyes eventually bloodshot.
Upon returning home, the housekeeper gasped at the red mark on my face, immediately asking what had happened, if I had been bullied, and wanted to call Julian to make him come back and demand justice for me.
“No need,” I softly stopped her.
All her pain, he had personally given her.
I sat by the window, applying an ice pack for an hour. Just as the swelling on my face began to subside, I received a SnapChat message from Chloe.
“Mrs. Hayes, are you home yet? I’m at the hospital too. Julian was so worried about me. I just fainted, and he booked the entire VIP floor, calling over a dozen doctors to examine me.”
“Oh, how’s your injury? It’s all my fault for hitting you too hard. It must hurt, right? Why don’t you come to the hospital now? I’ll be generous and let you have one of my doctors to check if you’ll be disfigured.”
I just glanced at it and immediately forwarded it to Julian.
It wasn’t until past midnight that he replied with a few words.
“Chloe meant well.”
I laughed, tears streaming down my face.
The next second, I sent him a voice message.
“Protecting her so fiercely? Why not marry her right now? I’ll step aside, and even wish you both a long and happy life together.”
This time, Julian replied instantly.
“Delilah, why are you saying angry things again? I’ve told you countless times, my wife will only ever be you. These other people are just fun. Don’t overthink it, okay? Get some rest. I’ll be back to be with you tomorrow.”
Reading that message, I felt all the strength drain from my body, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over me.
I gave a self-deprecating laugh, unwilling to waste any more time on his meaningless excuses, and turned off my phone.
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Everyone knew I was the one who relentlessly pursued Julian.
To help him secure a deal, I drank until my stomach bled.
One word from him, and I’d drop everything to bring him his jacket.
Even when he continuously maintained ties with his ex, I didn’t care.
No one knew that what I truly cared about was the beating heart in his chest – the heart of the man I truly loved.
But I never imagined I’d gotten it all wrong.
**Chapter 1**
“Ms. Avery, we made a mistake. The recipient of your boyfriend’s heart wasn’t Sterling Corp’s CEO, Mr. Julian. It was someone else entirely. That person is currently in Silverport.”
The voice on the other end of the line was filled with apologies. I stayed silent for a long time before finally speaking, hearing the nervous thumping of their heart through the phone.
“I understand.”
As I pressed the hang-up button, my room door burst open. Julian stormed in, his face etched with anxiety. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the exit.
“You’re coming with me!”
Without a single explanation, Julian forcefully dragged me into the car. He sped through countless red lights, the only sounds were the roaring wind and the engine’s deafening drone. His fingers drummed incessantly on the steering wheel, a soft, repetitive tap that betrayed his undeniable agitation.
I felt a slight daze, my mind replaying every moment from our first meeting until now. I’d put all my effort into chasing Julian, relentlessly pursuing him until he finally agreed to marry me. But whether it was taking our wedding photos, exchanging rings, or even our first night together, he had always been distant, as if nothing truly mattered to him. He had never displayed such uncontrolled emotion before.
The only person who could evoke such raw emotion from him must be *her*.
Minutes later, the car finally screeched to a halt. I stepped out, realizing Julian had brought me to a hospital. Upon asking, I learned that Seraphina, his childhood sweetheart and the woman he’d always secretly loved and idealized, had been in a car accident and desperately needed blood. And my blood type happened to match hers.
Seeing that I had arrived, the nurse, equally anxious, grabbed my arm and began to pull me towards the blood donation room. But I suddenly stopped, turning to face Julian.
“Julian, I can donate this blood, but you have to answer one question for me.”
Julian, torn between urgency and impatience, instinctively assumed I was going to ask about Seraphina. “I’ll tell you about my relationship with Seraphina later.”
To his surprise, I shook my head.
“That’s not what I want to ask.”
I didn’t care about his relationship with Seraphina. After all, he was never the one I truly loved.
In my entire life, I had only loved one man. But that man had died in a multi-car pile-up, saving me. After his death, his heart was donated according to his wishes. To continue feeling my love’s heartbeat, I searched relentlessly, eventually finding my way to the recipient—Sterling Corp’s CEO, Julian.
From that moment on, I pursued him with a fiery passion. Everyone knew I was head over heels for him, and I earned the reputation of being a devoted and infatuated follower in our circle. Yet, he remained utterly unmoved.
Later, through my own investigation, I discovered he had a childhood sweetheart, a woman he had grown up with. She was the golden girl, blessed with talent and charm, and everyone expected them to end up together. Julian loved her, but when he tried to confess, Seraphina shut him down with a simple, “Let’s always be good friends.” Then, she moved abroad and had many boyfriends, but he never gave up hope of her returning to him. He rejected everyone for her, including me, who was madly chasing him.
It wasn’t until he saw a picture of her kissing her boyfriend on Ins that he, out of spite, finally accepted my confession and married me.
“I only have one question: Four years ago, you had a heart transplant. What was the donor’s name?”
Julian frowned, unsure of my intention, but perhaps worried about Seraphina’s condition, he chose to answer.
“I only know his last name was Kane.”
Kane. That was a completely different name from Liam. It seemed I truly had made a mistake.
“Understood. Thank you.” I nodded, not asking anything further, and turned to follow the nurse into the blood donation room. But for some reason, Julian, watching my retreating back, felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of panic.
Just as I fully stepped into the room, he couldn’t help but call out, “Why are you asking that?”
My expression remained neutral, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
“Just confirming.”
Confirming that I no longer wanted him.
The needle pierced my vein, and blood flowed through the tube into the blood bag. As I donated blood, I used my free hand to pull out my phone and send a message to my lawyer.
**[Please draft a divorce agreement for me. I want a divorce!]**
**Chapter 2**
After donating blood, I felt lightheaded and dizzy. Leaning against the wall, I walked out to find Julian standing by the gurney where Seraphina had just been wheeled out of the operating room. He held her hand tightly, whispering something to her, his expression tender, his eyes filled with adoration.
He never once thought to ask about his own wife, about how I was feeling or if I was okay. Naturally, he didn’t notice that I had already returned home by myself.
Back at the villa, I went straight to the kitchen. Already anemic, and having given so much blood today, my face was still pale. I wanted to make a warm drink to ease my discomfort, but just as I finished pouring it into a bowl, my strength gave out. With a crash, the bowl shattered into a million pieces.
In that instant, I, who had remained expressionless through countless insults and humiliations over the years, suddenly felt my eyes well up.
“Liam,” I whispered, “without you, I really can’t do anything right.”
The spilled tea flowed to my feet. I looked up at the dark liquid, and suddenly, memories of the past flooded my mind.
Back then, I had the best love of my life. Back then, my love wasn’t dead.
I was always cold, and my periods brought unbearable cramps. Liam would always be so thoughtful, brewing me a warm ginger tea, blowing on it until it was the perfect temperature before gently feeding it to me. Sometimes, I’d be stubborn and pout, and he’d pull me into his arms, using his warm hands to soothe my stomach, telling me it would make the pain go away. When I was irritable and everything annoyed me, he’d quietly sit by my side, letting me hit him, letting me scold him. Afterward, he’d still tenderly rub my hands, asking if I’d hurt myself.
I crouched down, picking up the broken shards one by one. Suddenly, a sharp sting shot through my fingertip. I looked up and saw a cut, a trail of blood appearing. Whether it was the pain, or something else entirely, tears streamed down my face, splashing onto the floor.
“How could I not have noticed something was wrong? You loved me so much, but Julian was always distant, that heart never beat passionately for me.”
I gathered all the fragments and threw them into the trash bin, then smiled. “But it doesn’t matter. We’ll be together again soon.”
Julian still didn’t come home the next day. After freshening up, I left to meet my lawyer. Sitting across the table, a drafted divorce agreement lay before me.
“Ms. Avery, once both spouses sign this divorce agreement and a one-month waiting period passes, the divorce will be final.”
Hearing the lawyer’s words, I thought of Julian, who hadn’t even returned home today, and asked, “Can I sign on his behalf?”
“Ms. Avery, that’s absolutely not allowed!” The lawyer immediately shook his head.
Seeing his firm refusal, I quickly said, “My husband wants a divorce too, he just doesn’t have time to come. I’m just signing on his behalf. If you don’t believe me, I’ll call him.”
With that, I pulled out my phone, found Julian’s number, and dialed. After a long series of beeps, he finally answered. I spoke without even a greeting.
“I need to discuss something with you…”
My words were cut off by his cool, emotionless voice on the other end. “I’m busy. Just do whatever you need to. No discussion necessary.”
Then, I heard another female voice. Without a moment’s hesitation, I recognized Seraphina’s sweet, slightly whiny tone. “Julian, the medicine is so bitter… Do I have to drink it?”
As the call disconnected, I faintly heard Julian’s response, a tenderness in his voice he had never once shown me. “No, you have to drink it if you want to get better quickly.”
I looked at the lawyer. Hearing Julian’s indifferent attitude, the lawyer finally conceded, nodding his agreement to allow me to sign on Julian’s behalf.
With permission granted, I let out a silent sigh of relief and then signed Julian’s name on the divorce agreement. Leaving the law firm, I tapped my phone, booking a flight to Silverport for one month from now.
Julian didn’t return home until a week later. It was late at night when he finally came back to the room, covered in dust and a chill. I was half-asleep and didn’t react much to his return. It wasn’t until the bed beside me dipped slightly, and he naturally pulled me into his arms, that I fully woke up. I pushed him away and shifted to the other side of the bed.
Julian, rejected for the first time, looked momentarily stunned. The next second, he frowned. “Don’t you usually need to hear my heartbeat to fall asleep?”
In our three years of marriage, I rarely made demands of Julian, but even so, the only thing he ever agreed to was this. We had just gotten married then; besides a marriage certificate, he had given me nothing. But I didn’t care. Afterward, I would simply lean into his arms, pressing my ear close to his heart.
He asked me why I liked to lean on him like that. I looked up, my eyes shining with affection and love in the moonlight. “Because I love hearing your heartbeat. Can I always fall asleep listening to your heart from now on?”
Perhaps the intensity of love in my eyes when I made that request made it impossible for him to refuse. For some reason, he actually agreed. And that habit had continued until now. Whenever he was present, I would instinctively snuggle into his arms, resting my head near his heart.
But now, after a moment of stunned silence, I shook my head and said, “No, it’s fine.”
**Chapter 3**
I rolled over, facing away from him. Julian looked at my curled-up silhouette in the moonlight, a strange feeling stirring within him. This was the first time I hadn’t depended on him so completely. He didn’t like me, so he should have been happy that I was no longer clinging to him. Yet, he felt no joy at all, only an inexplicable emptiness deep inside.
*He’s just used to me leaning into his arms, completely dependent on him,* he told himself, trying to rationalize the feeling.
The next day, I woke up quite late. When I went downstairs after freshening up, I was surprised to find Julian hadn’t left yet. I blurted out, “Aren’t you going to the hospital to be with Ms. Seraphina today?”
Normally, he might have been impatient at such a question, but at that moment, he secretly felt a sigh of relief. *Her behavior yesterday was clearly jealousy over Seraphina.*
“Seraphina is just a friend. She had an accident right after coming back to the country, so I just took extra care of her. She’s been discharged now.”
He explained patiently, a rare occurrence. He paused, then added, “Didn’t you want me to take you to see the sunset? I haven’t been able to spend time with you these past few days, so as compensation, I’ll take you today.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Having realized my mistake and now on the verge of divorce, I naturally had no intention of continuing to do these meaningless things with him. I instinctively refused, but he, believing his plan was perfectly reasonable, simply had the car brought around.
Dragged along and settled into the car, I stopped arguing and just sat there quietly.
The car drove towards the outskirts, quickly reaching its destination. But just as we arrived at the mountaintop, Julian’s phone rang. He picked it up, and the screen flashed, clearly displaying “Seraphina.” After a brief conversation, he hesitated for a moment after hanging up, then got back into the car. He left me with only a short sentence, “I’ll be back to pick you up later.”
Despite his words, I waited for a long time. The sun began to set, the twilight faded, and he still didn’t return. There were no taxis on the mountain, and I didn’t bother calling Julian to ask if he was still coming. I simply started walking down the mountain alone.
The mountain was high, and the path was steep. Even though it wasn’t a muddy trail, by the time I reached the bottom, my feet were covered in blisters. I pulled out my phone to call for a taxi back to the villa, but then I received a message from one of Julian’s friends from his social circle.
**[Urgent. Come to The Obsidian Club.]**
Most of Julian’s friends looked down on me, “Mrs. Avery,” who had supposedly chased him for two years before finally marrying him. They rarely contacted me directly, so when I saw the message, I didn’t hesitate. I hailed a taxi and headed straight for The Obsidian Club. It wasn’t that I was particularly worried about Julian; I just feared that if anything happened to him during this time, it might complicate the divorce.
But when I found the private room based on the address they sent, I pushed the door open to step inside, and suddenly, a rope appeared beneath my feet. Caught off guard, I tripped and fell, my head hitting the nearby stool with a heavy thud. The pain made me instantly dizzy. My hand flew to my head, and I felt something sticky and warm.
The group in the room watched my embarrassment unfold, yet they showed no signs of letting up. The next second, the door slammed shut, and a bucket of water tipped over.
*Splash!*
A cascade of cold water poured over my head, soaking me completely.
“Hahahaha, look at her, all drenched! Doesn’t she look like a dog?”
“Hey, don’t say that, Jax, your description is actually pretty spot on!”
The room erupted in laughter, their words filled with derision and mockery.
The air conditioning in the room was blasting. My damp clothes clung to my skin, and a cold gust of wind made me shiver. Water droplets dripping from my hair blurred my vision. Finally realizing it was nothing more than a cruel prank, my expression didn’t change. I simply wiped my face casually amidst their jeers.
Seeing my lack of reaction, some found it boring, while others decided it wasn’t provocative enough. They pulled out a phone and played a surveillance video for me.
“Hey, pathetic stalker, we called you here to tell you that Julian’s white moonlight is back.”
I looked up. The content on the phone screen was playing right then. It appeared to be in another room. Julian was half-kneeling, massaging Seraphina’s ankle, his face filled with tender affection.
“See that? Julian ditched you today to throw a welcome party for Seraphina. She just twisted her ankle a little, and he immediately scooped her up, so worried! Have you ever gotten that kind of treatment in all these years? Don’t hog the space here. Be sensible and give up your spot, or else being kicked out won’t look good.”
The friends kept on with their relentless taunts. I struggled to my feet, doing my best to ignore the pain in my foot. My eyes were deep as I looked at them, my voice calm and steady.
“Don’t worry, I’ll give up my spot. Because I don’t like him either.”
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I really did brave the storm with him.
For eight years we were together, only for me to discover he was already married to someone else.
It was his first love, the same woman who abandoned him after he lost his sight.
For eight years, I was by his side, tending to him,
I even knelt outside a renowned doctor’s office for days, begging him to help.
But my eight years of devotion meant less than a single word from her.
I chuckled, a bitter, self-deprecating sound. I dialed a number. “I accept your terms.”
### Chapter One
Inside the Maybach, Julian Hayes was kissing me, stealing my breath and my senses.
My clothes were gone, scattered somewhere, but Julian remained impeccably dressed. The stark contrast between us made my cheeks flush crimson.
Julian reached out, encircling my waist, and murmured, his voice a low chuckle, “The soundproofing is up. The driver can’t hear anything, and he wouldn’t dare to. What are you blushing about, hmm?”
I watched as the usually aloof man’s movements grew more fervent. I embraced him, my eyes filled with love. Just as the wave of pleasure surged, climbing rapidly towards its peak, it was abruptly cut short by a sudden phone ring.
Julian frowned, annoyed by the interruption during such an intimate moment, but he picked up when he saw the caller ID.
I gasped, catching a glimpse of the contact name. It was Leo, his best friend from his inner circle.
“Julian, you’re out of your mind—”
Julian’s brow furrowed slightly as he cut him off in flawless Italian. “Not convenient. Speak in Italian.”
There was a deep sigh on the other end. After a long pause, Leo’s voice came through in Italian. “You actually registered your marriage with Seraphina? What in God’s name are you thinking? You lost your sight saving her all those years ago! She abandoned you at your lowest point, ran off with another man, and almost ruined you! And now you’re back with her?”
Those foreign words automatically converted into English in my mind.
When I finally processed what he was saying, a cold dread spread through me, like plunging into an ice bath.
Julian, however, didn’t notice my abnormal reaction. “If I don’t marry her, her family will force her to marry an old man. I can’t bear to see her suffer that kind of humiliation.”
“What about Chloe? She was the only one with you when you lost your sight! She’s been by your side for so many years, loving you so much she almost gave you her heart! We all saw it!” Leo’s voice was filled with barely contained fury.
Julian remained detached. “I’ll find a way to keep it a secret. She’ll never know.”
“How long can you hide it? A lifetime? Doesn’t Chloe want to marry you?”
The more Julian listened, the more irritated he became, his tone growing urgent. “You need to suppress the news of Seraphina and me registering our marriage. Don’t tell anyone. In a while, I’ll prepare a fake marriage certificate for Chloe.”
With that, he hung up, unwilling to hear any more of Leo’s nonsense.
When he looked down again, Julian dropped his phone and resumed his assault on me.
My entire body trembled uncontrollably. As we both reached climax and began to straighten our clothes, my lips parted. I was about to speak when his phone buzzed again.
It was a SnapChat notification, a special alert.
Julian picked it up, glanced at the screen, and then instructed the driver to stop.
“Chloe, something urgent came up at the office. Could you get off here and take a cab home?”
I said nothing, just nodded silently, and opened the car door.
The black Maybach sped away like a flash of lightning.
I stood on the roadside, staring blankly at the bustling street, no longer able to hold back the tears that streamed down my face.
No one knew that to bridge the distance between Julian and me, I had long since learned Italian.
So, every word he and Leo exchanged, I understood.
Each phrase echoed in my ears, like countless sharp blades piercing deep into my heart.
And with the disillusionment of my love, those dusty memories all flooded back into my mind.
Julian Hayes was a high-born young master, and I was the daughter of their housekeeper.
That year, my mother and I stepped into the opulent Hayes family mansion. There, I saw Julian, elegantly playing the piano bathed in sunlight.
I had never heard such beautiful music, nor had I ever seen such a handsome boy.
With just one glance, the name Julian Hayes was etched deep into my heart.
I never told anyone about the person hidden in my heart.
This wasn’t just because of the huge disparity in our social classes, but also because I knew Julian’s heart already belonged to someone else.
That girl was Seraphina. They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts.
He never hid his affection for her, cherishing her like a precious gem, guarding her in the palm of his hand.
At seventeen, Julian even lost his sight in a car accident while saving Seraphina.
But from that day on, Seraphina vanished completely, never reappearing at the Hayes mansion. She even started dating someone new.
The Hayes family had other grandchildren, but Julian’s parents were constantly busy with their careers, with no time to care for their son who could no longer see.
Julian was sent to a remote family estate in the countryside, left alone and isolated.
It was I who volunteered to be transferred to the old estate, looking after him personally for seven years.
When I was twenty-three, I pleaded relentlessly for days outside a renowned doctor’s office, refusing to leave until he agreed to perform the surgery that finally restored Julian’s eyesight.
He broke free from long-term stagnation, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, achieving astonishing success that made the world take notice.
In just one year, Julian returned to the top, becoming the heir to Hayes Industries.
I was the one who accompanied him through winter and summer, I was the one who accompanied him from deep night to dawn, I was the one who helped him endure those difficult seven years.
Kissing him, embracing him, sleeping with him… it was all me.
But I never imagined that the first thing he would do after regaining power was to marry Seraphina, the very woman who had abandoned him!
Over the years, I pushed myself relentlessly to keep up with him.
But no matter what I became, Julian’s parents always felt I wasn’t good enough for their son, trying multiple times to pay me off and make me leave.
Julian always argued with his family for me, and I never wanted to disappoint him, so I never thought of leaving.
Until today.
I didn’t want to stay by his side anymore.
So I wiped away my tears, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number.
“Mrs. Hayes, I accept your offer of fifty million. I’ll leave Julian Hayes forever!”
### Chapter Two
On the other end of the line, Mrs. Hayes instantly became ecstatic.
“You’ve finally come to your senses? That’s wonderful. You’re just a housekeeper’s daughter; how could you possibly be worthy of my son, the heir of Hayes Industries? Where are you now? Come over quickly, we’ll sign the agreement.”
I chuckled derisively as I looked at the address she impatiently sent me. I hailed a cab.
Upon arriving at the café, Mrs. Hayes asked me many questions.
After I answered each one, she showed a satisfied expression, then took out an agreement and pushed it towards me.
“Black and white, no regrets once you sign. I’ll transfer half the money to your account immediately, and the other half will be transferred the day you leave. You must promise that once you receive the money, you’ll never appear before Julian Hayes again, understood?”
My eyelashes trembled as I looked at the astronomical compensation written in the agreement.
I certainly wouldn’t reappear.
Not in this life, nor the next. I never wanted to see Julian Hayes again.
So, without hesitation, I picked up the pen and decisively signed my name.
Mrs. Hayes finally relaxed. She put away the agreement, stood up, and gave a final instruction.
“I’m giving you two weeks. You can change your name or move abroad, whatever you choose. You must find a way for Julian to never see you again.”
“I understand, Mrs. Hayes. You can rest assured.”
After watching Mrs. Hayes leave, I returned home.
Making sure Julian Hayes would never see me again was simple.
The Hayes family had deep roots in the country, a powerful legacy spanning generations. It was an unspoken rule, almost a family tradition, that key members couldn’t establish permanent residence abroad. It was about preserving their power and influence, their name, their empire.
If I immigrated, Julian would never be able to see me again.
After spending most of the night researching overseas information, I finally decided to immigrate to Australia.
Once decided, I picked up my phone to check the time, only to see a new SnapChat story notification.
I opened it, and it was Seraphina’s post with nine photos.
The top three were selfies of her holding roses, the middle three were marriage certificates, and the bottom three showed intertwined hands.
I knew that since Julian wanted to keep the marriage a secret, he would never let Seraphina post about it.
Yet she still did, and she posted it with settings to ensure only I could see it, a blatant taunt.
I played along and liked the post.
As soon as I exited SnapChat, I received a message from Julian.
“Chloe, I’m going on a business trip. I won’t be back for a few days.”
I replied with “Okay,” put down my phone, and went to wash up.
The next day, I woke up early to handle my immigration paperwork.
Since I was in a hurry, I specifically applied for expedited processing.
The staff promised it would be done within half a month, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting in the car, I scrolled through Seraphina’s SnapChat again.
This time, half of Julian’s body was visible.
They were holding hands, looking at new houses, and finally settled on a villa in the exclusive Silverwood Estates.
Just like yesterday, I clicked “like.”
On the third day, I went to my company and resigned.
After carrying my belongings home, I saw Seraphina’s SnapChat story. She was already wearing a wedding dress, a dazzling diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger.
As always, I tapped the heart icon, then buried myself under my duvet.
On the fourth day, I woke up to a new SnapChat update, fresh content again.
This time, the camera was focused on wedding photos hanging in their new home.
I stared at them for a long while before snapping back to reality.
I liked the post as usual, then put on makeup and went out to have a farewell dinner with a few good friends.
In the evening, I returned with several boxes and threw away everything related to Julian.
All the gifts he had given me over the years, our matching toothbrushes and cups, the photos we had taken together…
Nothing was left. It all went into the trash bin.
By the time I finished, it was late at night.
I was about to turn off the lights and rest when Julian suddenly returned.
He froze as soon as he saw the empty room, his brows furrowed.
“Why are so many things missing from the house?”
“I didn’t like them anymore, so I threw them out. I’ll buy new ones later.”
Julian nodded, took off his clothes, and tossed them onto the sofa, but his gaze was drawn to the boxes beside it.
“You quit your job?”
He paused, then saw the documents on the coffee table.
“Why are your identification documents out all of a sudden?”
“I was too tired and wanted to rest for a while, so I resigned. The identification documents are because I have some paperwork to take care of.”
I explained each point, putting the documents into my bag.
Seeing how calm I was, Julian didn’t think much of it. He pulled me into his embrace, his voice tender. “I’ve been busy these past few days and haven’t had time to be with you. Your birthday is in a couple of days. Shall I take you to the auction house tomorrow to pick out some gifts?”
I didn’t refuse.
The next day, as soon as we settled into our seats in the main hall, I saw Seraphina.
She sashayed over to us and sat in the empty seat next to Julian.
All evening, Julian kept his head turned towards me, talking, not sparing a glance for the woman beside him.
After the auction ended, he didn’t linger, pulling me downstairs with him.
Before heading home, I went to the restroom.
As I came out, I saw Seraphina cornered in the stairwell by a group of arrogant trust fund kids, who were openly mocking her.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Seraphina. You ungratefully abandoned Julian Hayes back then, and now you’ve fallen to this. Wouldn’t you say this is karma?”
“I heard your father is forcing you to marry an old man with one foot in the grave. You’re still quite beautiful. Why don’t you come with us? We’d certainly appreciate you more…”
The rest of his sentence was cut short.
Julian descended from upstairs, his face thunderous, and kicked the young men.
### Chapter Three
Then, he pinned the leader to the ground, punching him repeatedly, relentlessly, leaving them all bloody and pleading for mercy.
“We’re sorry, Mr. Hayes! We were wrong! Please, be merciful and spare us!”
“Get out! If you ever dare to show your faces in front of her again, you’ll face the consequences!”
His furious roar sent them scrambling away, practically tripping over themselves in fear.
Many onlookers had gathered in the stairwell.
Julian ignored their prying glances, helped Seraphina to her feet. “Are you hurt?”
Seraphina collapsed into his arms, sobbing dramatically, tears streaming down her face. “I twisted my ankle, it hurts so much.”
Julian’s eyes darkened. He scooped her up, pushed through the crowd, and quickly left.
To protect the woman in his arms, he held out an arm, accidentally pushing me to the ground in the process.
My head hit the hard steps, opening a gash that bled profusely, startling the onlookers.
“You’re bleeding from your head! Quick, call an ambulance!”
My face contorted in pain, cold sweat breaking out all over my body.
Warm blood seeped from my fingers, dripping onto my eyelashes, each drop feeling impossibly heavy.
I watched Julian’s retreating figure, not bothering to look back, and a bitter taste filled my mouth.
Before, if I’d accidentally cut my finger while preparing soup for him, he would worry for ages, insisting on calling a doctor, terrified I’d be left with a scar.
I’d find him overreacting, but he would lower his head, kiss my hand, and tenderly whisper, “Chloe, you are the person I hold most dear. If you get hurt, I hurt more than you. Now that our lives are getting better, you don’t need to do these things anymore. Your hand will soon wear the ring I give you, and a scar wouldn’t look pretty.”
Now, I was hurt, and he ignored me.
And the ring he promised to me was now on someone else’s hand.
The ambulance took me to the hospital.
I registered, saw the doctor, and picked up my medication all by myself, not getting home until late at night.
That night, the pain kept me from closing my eyes, tossing and turning restlessly.
Julian Hayes didn’t come home.
The next morning, I dragged my exhausted body up to change my dressing and saw Seraphina’s SnapChat story.
It was a video of Julian half-kneeling, rubbing and applying medicine to her foot.
I watched it several times, my eyes welling up, and unknowingly fell asleep.
When I woke up again, it was dark outside.
My phone on the pillow vibrated incessantly. I answered the call, and Julian’s voice listed an address.
“Riverside Manor, private room 703. Come over now.”
I hesitated for a moment before getting out of bed.
I washed up quickly and headed over.
As I pushed open the private room door, the first person I saw was Seraphina.
Her eyes were red, looking like a wronged little bunny, utterly pitiful.
Julian gazed at her steadily, saying nothing, his face etched with a pensive, solemn expression.
The room was silent for a long time. Finally, I couldn’t help but speak.
“Why did you call me here?”
Julian straightened up, clasping his hands together, assuming the posture of a man in charge.
“Chloe, were those punks yesterday, the ones bothering Seraphina, sent by you deliberately?”
I froze.
I instinctively glanced at Seraphina and caught a fleeting look of triumph in her eyes.
In that instant, I understood that this was all probably Seraphina’s self-directed drama.
I chuckled, a self-deprecating sound. “It wasn’t me. I don’t know them, and I have no interest in doing such a thing.”
Julian’s expression didn’t soften with my explanation.
He lowered his gaze, his voice calm. “Chloe, the moment Seraphina decided to leave me all those years ago, I completely let her go. You’ve been with me for seven years; you should know who is in my heart now. Seraphina’s family is struggling, and anyone can take advantage of her vulnerability, but it shouldn’t be you. You don’t need to make things difficult for her for my sake.”
At this, my heart lurched.
I couldn’t help but recall his agonizing cries in the middle of the night, the times I ran around with him, seeking doctors and cures, his silent despair when he was misdiagnosed and told he would never see again…
The favored son of fate, who lost his sight completely for a girl.
But those desperate days and nights, seven whole years, were now brushed aside so lightly, as if they had never happened.
Finally, I thought of the marriage certificate, sealed with an official stamp, between him and Seraphina. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Yes, seven years together. How is it that only now do I know who is truly in your heart?”
Julian’s eyes narrowed at my words. “What do you mean?”
I shook my head, a self-mocking smile twisting my lips. “It means, I’m just a housekeeper’s daughter. What power or connections do I have to round up a group of men to bully a young lady?”
Even though I laid everything out clearly, Julian still didn’t believe me.
I was tired. I took a deep breath and gave up on explaining.
“Since you don’t believe me, then just tell me directly. What do you want me to do?”
Julian pressed his temples. “Apologize, Chloe. When you’ve done something wrong, you should say you’re sorry.”
At that moment, Seraphina, who had been looking pitiful for a long time, suddenly spoke.
“No need for an apology. If you’re truly sorry, just drink all this wine.”
### Chapter Four
On the table, bottles of amber whiskey were arranged.
My gaze drifted up to Julian, silently asking for a definite answer.
But the dim lighting obscured his expression.
In the overwhelming silence, I felt a sudden lack of oxygen.
I gasped for air, and many past memories flashed through my mind.
When Julian first moved into the old estate, because he couldn’t see, he numbed himself with alcohol every day.
Worried about his health, I constantly tried to stop him, but he never listened.
Until one time, when he was drunk, he sneered, pushing several bottles of wine towards me.
“Now even a housekeeper’s daughter dares to lecture me? Am I truly a fallen phoenix, worse than a chicken? Fine, you drink all this, and I’ll listen to you.”
I wanted to tell him I didn’t mean it that way, I wasn’t lecturing him. I was… worried about him.
So, even though I was allergic to alcohol, for his sake, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I picked up a bottle and downed it.
Within minutes, I was rushed to the hospital.
When I woke up, I saw him sitting by my bedside, his face dark as he said, “I was the one who was drunk, not you! You knew you were allergic to alcohol, why would you gamble with your life?”
I only answered one sentence.
“Because I was worried about you, Master Julian. Your eyes will see again someday. Even if they don’t, I’ll stay with you for life. So, please don’t give up, okay?”
From that day on, Julian gave up drinking.
For years afterward, not a single alcohol bottle could be found in the house.
Thinking about it, I started to smile, but my eyes shimmered with tears.
I didn’t explain further. I leaned down, picked up a packet of mustard powder nearby, and poured it into the wine glass, my voice resolute.
“Just these drinks? How can that show sincerity? I’ll add a penalty to myself, is that enough?”
With that, I raised the glass and tilted my head back, pouring it into my mouth, one glass after another.
The pungent and bitter taste spread from my lips down, filling my stomach, reaching but never quite touching my heart.
It wasn wasn’t until the seventh glass that Julian, unable to bear it any longer, finally called out.
“Enough!”
Looking at the dozen or so unfinished glasses, I smiled.
“This is enough? So, I’ve apologized? Is that enough to please your beloved?”
Hearing this, Julian abruptly stood up and grabbed my hand.
His usually expressionless face was now so dark it looked like it could drip water.
“You know I didn’t mean it that way! Chloe, I told you, Seraphina and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. The Hayes family won’t approve of me marrying you. If you do something so outrageous, people will seize on it, and I just don’t want you to be troubled or criticized!”
Julian spoke with righteous indignation, his words sounding perfectly reasonable.
But I laughed out loud.
The Hayes family disapproves of me, a low-born housekeeper’s daughter. Would they approve of Seraphina, who repaid kindness with malice, marrying into the family?
Yet, despite a thousand difficulties ahead, he still married her just because she said the word, didn’t he?
Everything was just an excuse for not loving enough!
I didn’t want to say any more pointless words. I shook off his hand and turned to leave.
Just as I reached the door, my body swayed, and I passed out.
“Chloe!”
Julian’s heart gave a violent lurch. He rushed forward without hesitation, scooped me up, and was about to leave.
Seraphina quickly grabbed his sleeve, calling out to him with a choked cry, “Julian, I feel a little dizzy.”
Julian stopped.
But only for a few seconds. He then strode away, leaving only a sentence behind.
“I need to take Chloe to the hospital. Call an assistant to look after you.”
When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital.
Julian, who hadn’t slept all night, finally relaxed when he saw my eyes open.
We looked at each other for a long time, neither of us speaking.
Julian poured a glass of warm water and handed it to me, tucked in my blankets, then got up to call the doctor for a recheck, patiently noting down all the precautions.
He postponed several urgent meetings.
Seeing his secretary waiting anxiously at the door, I finally spoke. “You should go. I can take care of myself. These things shouldn’t be your responsibility anyway.”
Julian paused, his hand holding a knife, his voice slow. “Everything I do is my responsibility, Chloe. Have you forgotten? All those years ago, you took care of me just like this.”
A flicker of confusion crossed my eyes.
Back then, because he was blind, he was abandoned by his wealthy family like a discarded pawn.
Only I would teach him Braille, which I taught myself every day, accompany him to classes, take him out to sunbathe, prepare all sorts of delicious food for him…
It was as if I’d secretly claimed the moon for myself, and my once dull life became as bright as day.
And those seven years that passed were the most precious, joyful times of my life.
Unfortunately, the moon didn’t belong to me, and I couldn’t go back to the past.
In the afternoon, the doctor took me into the examination room.
Half an hour later, the nurse helped me back to my room.
As I pushed open the door, Julian was holding my phone, his brows furrowed, speaking to Mrs. Hayes in an icy tone.
“I told you, Chloe and I genuinely love each other. We are mutually devoted. I don’t care about her family background, and you don’t need to waste any more effort. I will marry her, and she will not leave me.”
Hearing the movement, he looked up at me. The next second, he heard Mrs. Hayes’s puzzled voice from the other end.
“What do you mean she won’t leave? Don’t you know? Chloe already agreed to go abroad a few days ago…”
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**Chapter 1**
After I swallowed the milk Seraphina herself handed me, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. My consciousness began to slip away, detaching from my body.
I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt myself arrive in an unfamiliar place. All I could hear was a faint, familiar voice near my ear.
“Seraphina, are you insane? Are you really going to secretly remove Asher’s kidney and give it to Caleb?”
It was Valerie, Seraphina’s best friend.
“He’s the only match,” Seraphina’s voice was terrifyingly calm. “Caleb’s condition is life-threatening; there’s no time to wait.”
“As for Asher… I’ll compensate him. Didn’t he want me to marry him? After the surgery, I’ll propose. I’ll never divorce him, not in this lifetime.”
A glass vial smashed against the floor. Valerie practically screamed, “What good is any compensation when he’s missing a kidney?! I swear, has Caleb hypnotized you? Years ago, during that terrible accident, you crippled your legs saving him, lost your inheritance, and he just turned around and ran off with another woman! During that time, Asher was the one by your side, taking care of you. To give you your treatments, he used himself as a guinea pig, leaving his legs black and blue with bruises! To find a cure, he knelt outside a renowned doctor’s door for a whole month!”
“Now Caleb is back. As soon as he saw you healthy and in charge of the company again, he started fawning all over you. Then, when he found out you were pregnant with Asher’s child, he threw a tantrum. The moment he cried, you immediately took abortion pills and terminated your first child! Asher still believes he accidentally failed to protect your baby and was depressed for three whole months!”
“And now, you’re actually going to remove his kidney and give it to Caleb?!”
“That’s enough!” Seraphina’s voice suddenly rose. “I know Asher loves me, loves me enough to give everything. And Caleb? He’s selfish, greedy, and vain. But I love Caleb. I love him like a madwoman!”
“Then what about Asher? What is he?!”
“He’s nothing! My mind is made up. No one can talk me out of this today. I *will* take his kidney!”
The moment those words fell, I felt the surgical blade slice into my skin.
The anesthesiologist clearly underestimated my drug tolerance. Every single inch of pain was starkly clear, terrifyingly real.
But compared to the physical pain, what hurt more was the heart in my chest, being slowly torn to pieces.
I had loved Seraphina for ten years.
From sixteen to twenty-six, my youth, my affection, my everything, I gave to her.
I watched her love Caleb, watched her become obsessed with Caleb, watched her fall apart after Caleb abandoned her.
I stayed by her side through the darkest days of her disability, enduring her outbursts and her gloom, even being pushed to the ground and bruising my knees when she lost control. Yet I never once complained. I just silently picked myself up and continued to care for her.
I thought, one day, she would finally turn and see me.
But it turned out… in her eyes, I was utterly worthless.
Ten years, a whole decade. Even after everything we’d been through, she still only loved Caleb.
Because of a single word from Caleb, she was ruthless enough to abort our child!
And because Caleb needed a kidney, she hid it from me, and had mine taken for him!
I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt something being violently torn from my body—
It was my kidney, and it was all ten years of my love!
When I woke again, the strong scent of disinfectant in the room stung my eyes.
“You’re awake?”
A deep, alluring female voice came from the doorway. My body stiffened, and I slowly raised my gaze.
Seraphina stood in the doorway, backlit, her tall figure cast in a cool, stark silhouette.
She walked closer, her slender, long legs beneath her white dress, each step feeling like a stomp on my heart.
She sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke my face. Her thumb brushed away a tear from the corner of my eye, and she frowned slightly. “Does it hurt a lot?”
I looked at her, my heart feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tight, the pain almost suffocating me.
How could she… ask me if it hurt, so gently?
How could she, after personally carving out my kidney and terminating our child, sit before me so nonchalantly, looking at me with such a concerned expression?
“What… happened to me?” I asked, my voice impossibly hoarse.
Seraphina’s expression remained unchanged, her tone soft. “You had a sudden appendicitis attack. The surgery is over.”
Appendicitis?
I laughed, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.
She couldn’t even bother to come up with a convincing lie.
Seeing my tears fall so fiercely, endlessly, she didn’t notice anything amiss. She simply thought I was in great pain and quickly said she would go find a doctor for me, then hurried away.
But once she left, she never came back.
Three hours later, a nurse pushed the door open to change my IV, whispering as she did:
“Ms. Seraphina is so devoted to Mr. Caleb! She stayed up all night with him, and then, just now, she heard Mr. Caleb woke up and wanted porridge from that old-school diner across town. She rushed out to get it herself, even in this downpour…”
Hearing that, I couldn’t hold back; tears welled up and spilled over again.
So that was why she didn’t return.
She was so certain I loved her, so sure I wouldn’t be mad, that she couldn’t even bother to send a text message as a token explanation.
Seraphina, do you think I’m some kind of pathetic doormat? What makes you think I’d love you without any shred of self-respect?
I stared out the window, my tears finally dried up.
I don’t know how much time passed, but after the nurse left, I pulled out my phone. My fingertip hovered on the screen for a second, then dialed a number.
The call connected. A low, languid female voice answered, “Mr. Asher?”
I took a deep breath, my voice soft, but clear. “Scarlett, are you… interested in marrying me?”
There was a moment of silence on the other end.
“Did you dial the wrong number? I’m not Seraphina.”
“I know.” I clutched my phone, my knuckles white. “I’m asking you.”
“I don’t want to marry Seraphina anymore.”
Scarlett seemed intrigued, her tone slow and deliberate. “Oh? And what makes you think… I’d marry you?”
I closed my eyes, my voice calm. “Because you’ve always despised Seraphina.”
“And because—” I paused, enunciating each word, “—the side-profile photo on your desk… that’s me.”
**Chapter 2**
A deathly silence.
After an eternity, I heard the faint click of a lighter opening and closing on the other end. Scarlett’s soft voice, laced with the scent of tobacco, asked, “How did you know?”
I gazed at the sterile white ceiling of the hospital room, the fluid in the IV bag dripping steadily, like a countdown to my vanishing devotion.
“You just need to answer: Are you willing or not?”
Silence hung on the line for two seconds. Then, the woman finally spoke. Her tone carried an indefinable emotion, and I could hear her breathing quicken slightly.
“Come to me within seven days, and we’ll register our marriage.”
“And—” she paused, “—after you marry me, you can never have any involvement with Seraphina again.”
I closed my eyes, my voice soft yet resolute. “I won’t.”
“In seven days, I’ll never see her again.”
After hanging up, I immediately booked a flight to Seaside City for seven days later.
That was Scarlett’s territory.
…
The rest of the day, Seraphina never reappeared.
Only a caregiver pushed the door open, respectfully saying, “Mr. Asher, Ms. Seraphina’s company has been extremely busy lately, so she asked us to look after you.”
I gave a faint “hm,” not bothering to call her bluff.
I knew Seraphina wasn’t busy. She was by Caleb’s bedside, never leaving him.
It wasn’t until the day I was discharged that Seraphina finally showed up.
She wore a form-fitting long dress, her eyes showing a hint of fatigue, yet she was still breathtakingly beautiful.
Seeing me packed and standing at the hospital room door, she quickly walked over, reaching out to take my bag, her voice apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Asher. Company matters have been overwhelming lately, and besides… I was preparing a surprise, which is why I couldn’t be here with you.”
I dodged her hand, clutching my own bag as I walked forward. “What surprise?”
Seraphina’s lips curved upward slightly, a rare softness in her eyes. “I’m taking you somewhere.”
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a luxurious hotel.
I followed Seraphina inside. The moment she pushed open the banquet hall doors, my eyes were met with a sea of roses and candlelight—
It was a proposal!
Guests turned, their gazes focusing on me.
Seraphina took my hand and led me to the center, then took a diamond ring from her pocket.
“Asher.” She looked up at him, her voice deep and serious. “Will you marry me?”
I stared at her, my heart feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tight.
How desperately I’d once longed for this moment.
But now, looking at the exquisite, glittering diamond ring, all I felt was an overwhelming sense of irony.
This proposal, which I’d waited for so long, had been bought with my own kidney!
I was about to refuse when the banquet hall doors suddenly burst open—
“Excuse me, I’m late.”
A weak, breathy voice spoke.
I turned and saw Caleb standing at the doorway, pale, dressed in a white shirt, tears glistening in his eyes.
“Seraphina, Asher.” Caleb walked over, his voice choked with emotion. “What happened back then, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have been pestering Seraphina lately. I interrupted you both… So this time, when I heard about your proposal, I made sure to come and offer my blessings.”
As he spoke, he pulled out two elegant gift boxes from his bag and handed them to Seraphina and me.
“I wish you both… happiness.”
With that, he turned to leave, but after only two steps, his body swayed suddenly, and he dramatically “collapsed” to the floor.
“Caleb!”
Seraphina’s face instantly changed. She abruptly stood up and rushed over without hesitation, helping Caleb up.
She even forgot she was in the middle of proposing to me.
Forgot that the un-given diamond ring was still clutched in her hand.
The guests instantly erupted in a flurry of whispers—
“Tsk, tsk, there she goes again… The moment Ms. Seraphina sees Caleb, everyone else just disappears from her eyes.”
“Asher’s been by her side for so many years, and he still can’t compare to a single glance from Caleb.”
“The only one she’s ever truly loved is Caleb.”
I stood rooted to the spot, my fingertips digging deep into my palms.
I watched Seraphina carry Caleb away in a rush, watched Caleb, nestled in Seraphina’s arms, subtly mouth a message to me—
“You’ll never be better than me.”
Amateurish acting.
But Seraphina didn’t even hesitate to believe it, without a single doubt.
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On my birthday, my boyfriend publicly announced his engagement to someone else in front of the entire company.
I didn’t cry or make a scene. I simply went to him, seeking an explanation.
But then, I overheard his conversation with a friend: “Aren’t you afraid Celeste Miller will be mad if you do this?”
“I can’t help it. If I don’t marry Vanessa, her family will marry her off to some stranger. I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer.”
“Besides, Celeste has been with me for eight years. Everyone knows she’s mine; she has no choice but to wait for me.”
Later, my family arranged a more suitable strategic alliance for me.
To my surprise, my wedding day coincided with his.
As the groom, Jason was restless, plagued by a bad feeling. He told his groomsmen to keep a close eye on the ceremony and make sure I didn’t show up to cause a scene.
At that moment, one of the groomsmen awkwardly said, “Didn’t you know? Celeste Miller is getting married today too…”
“Mom, is Julian Reed’s marriage proposal still on the table?”
At my words, my mother’s hand, holding her teacup, trembled slightly. She looked at me, utterly shocked. “Celeste, why are you asking about that?”
Her eyes held undisguised worry.
Just moments ago, the video of Jason Hayes proposing to Vanessa Scott last night had gone viral online.
Everyone knew a wedding was just around the corner for the Hayes family, but the bride wasn’t me, the woman he’d been dating for eight years.
Seeing my silence, my mother anxiously said, “Celeste, marriage is a big decision. Please don’t act rashly.”
I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and shook my head.
“Mom, I’ve just come to my senses. The fact that you didn’t immediately reject the Reed family’s offer of marriage means you believed he was more reliable than Jason, right? I trust your judgment.”
At this, my mother sighed deeply. “Julian Reed, the youngest son of the Reed family, is indeed quite impressive. But perhaps you two should meet first, and then make a decision?”
“No, you can just arrange it. I’m fine with whatever.”
After discussing this, I had dinner at home and then returned to my own small apartment.
What I didn’t expect was for Jason Hayes to be there.
Hearing the door open, he slowly put down what he was doing and looked over. “Was work busy today? You’re home quite late.”
I changed my shoes and asked him, “Why are you here?”
“I happened to pass by on my way back from a business dinner, so I thought I’d drop in and see you.” Jason approached as he always did, intending to hug me.
As he got closer, I caught a familiar scent of women’s perfume.
It was the perfume Vanessa often wore.
A wave of resistance rose within me. I instinctively stepped back, avoiding his embrace. My nose unexpectedly stung with a sudden ache.
“You’ve seen me. You can go now.”
Jason’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. Hearing my words, a faint smile appeared on his face. “Don’t be silly, Celeste. Weren’t you just asking me to spend more time with you a few days ago? I specifically cleared my schedule to be with you today.”
Yesterday was my birthday. I waited from morning until night, but he didn’t call.
It wasn’t until evening, when I couldn’t bear it anymore and decided to go look for him, that I received a video from an unknown number.
It was a video of Jason proposing to Vanessa in the company, in front of all the employees.
In the video, many people cheered happily.
I couldn’t believe it. I rushed to his company, wanting to hear his explanation directly.
But instead, I accidentally overheard his conversation with his friend.
That’s when I realized that in this game of love, I had become the ultimate fool.
Remembering the things he said last night, my heart felt like it had been brutally stabbed, aching to the point of suffocation.
I looked up at the man before me, his eyes gentle.
My eyes welled up, tears blurring my vision. I didn’t know why, but I felt so awful, like I couldn’t breathe.
Jason saw my tears falling and panicked. He awkwardly wiped the tears from my eyes. “Why are you crying? Who upset you? Tell me, I’ll go take care of them!”
Growing up, Jason Hayes was the neighborhood troublemaker, unruly and incredibly mischievous, often getting chased by his mom with a broom.
I, on the other hand, was a premature baby, and my health wasn’t great when I was little. My parents kept a very strict eye on me.
They rarely let me go out and play with other kids, so I’d just sit by the window, enviously watching them run around freely outside.
Whenever Jason saw me sitting by the window, lost in thought, he’d always sneak over to bring me little snacks, then pinch my chubby cheeks and whisper, “Little sis, when can you come out and play with me?”
In junior high, my health gradually improved, and my parents finally felt comfortable letting me go out.
Back then, he’d always carefully look after me, telling me, “Celeste, if anyone ever bullies you when you’re out, just tell them my name, and they won’t dare bother you.”
From then on, I was never alone when I went out. He’d always accompany me wherever I wanted to go.
If anyone bullied me, he’d be there in an instant, becoming my strong and powerful protector.
When we got to college, we naturally fell into a relationship.
He became even more gentle with me, showering me with all his special affection.
It wasn’t until our junior year that Vanessa Scott’s appearance shattered all the beauty between us.
She was smart, beautiful, efficient, and effortlessly graceful.
She was also Jason’s classmate.
They had a way of communicating that I couldn’t understand.
At first, Jason would help translate for me.
But later, he grew tired of it, saying, “You don’t understand what we’re talking about anyway, so why don’t you go do your own thing?”
They talked about everything, from real life to online, from morning until night.
Meanwhile, my conversations with Jason gradually dwindled to mere snippets.
Friends warned me to pay more attention to their closeness.
I brushed it off, because I believed that even couples deserved their privacy.
I also trusted him; he wouldn’t fall for someone else.
But reality hit me hard.
That night, Jason didn’t leave. He said he was worried about me.
I silently watched him for a long time. “Suit yourself.”
Then, I went back to my room, locking the door just as he tried to follow.
Jason stood outside the door, his eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions. He paused, then said, “Celeste, I’ll be right outside. Come find me when you’ve calmed down, okay?”
I ignored him, scalding tears falling onto my cold hand, spreading a burning sensation.
Jason, I don’t want to love you anymore.
I woke up the next morning, rubbing my throbbing temples, and stepped out of my room.
I saw Jason frantically pulling on his jacket to leave.
“Celeste, I have an urgent matter to deal with right now, so I’m heading out. I’ll pick you up tonight, and we can go out for dinner.”
Without waiting for my response, he rushed out.
He was so fast that before I could even react, he was gone.
I pressed my lips together and looked at the sofa where he had slept, noticing that in his haste, he had left his phone.
I walked over and picked it up.
I was about to send it to him later.
Just then, a message popped up.
Jason hadn’t set a password, so any incoming message was visible.
The message was from someone named “My Sweetie.”
In the photo, Vanessa was sitting disheveled in the emergency room, smiling and flashing a peace sign at the camera.
The message read: “Don’t rush on your way here, drive safely. I’ll wait for you here.”
At that moment, I finally understood why he had been in such a hurry to leave.
I gave a bitter laugh, then called a local courier service to send his phone to his office.
Afterward, I headed to work. I had joined my family’s company right after graduation.
My father, wanting to train me, had me start as a junior staff member.
By now, I had worked my way up to department manager through my own abilities.
As soon as I arrived at the office, my assistant brought over a project proposal. “Ms. Miller, there’s a document here you need to handle. All the procedures are complete; it just needs your signature.”
I took it and read it carefully. It was a project collaborating with the Hayes Group, but I had no recollection of this project whatsoever.
“Did Mr. Miller approve this?”
“No.” My assistant paused, then quickly replied, “Didn’t you say before that for any non-critical collaborations, the Hayes Group was always our first choice?”
That’s when I remembered. I had indeed said something like that, thinking at the time that our two families would eventually become one, and it didn’t matter who earned more or less, so I hadn’t overly scrutinized the project’s profitability.
“Let’s skip this one. Next time, for such matters, prioritize the best option. Company interests come first.”
After working hard all day, I packed up my things after work, planning to check out a newly opened high-end restaurant.
But when I arrived, I found the restaurant was already packed with customers.
Just as I was about to leave, I heard a familiar voice.
“Ms. Miller, are you having dinner here too?”
I turned around to see Vanessa Scott and Jason Hayes sitting at a table, smiling sweetly.
Jason saw me, his expression momentarily freezing, then he quickly said, “I was just about to call you to come have dinner. I can’t believe you’re already here! Come, join us for dinner.”
He waved to a waiter and asked for an extra setting.
I hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and by now I was starving.
So, I decided to stay and sat down.
“Ms. Miller, I remember you like spicy food. Should we order a few more dishes for you?”
I glanced at the table; it was filled entirely with bland, mild dishes.
Jason and I both couldn’t live without spicy food.
He used to say that without chili, a dish was soulless; eating it felt like torture.
Yet now, facing a table full of bland food, he showed no reaction.
Jason gave Vanessa an annoyed look and playfully scolded, “I think *you’re* the one who wants spicy food. Don’t forget what the doctor told you today; you can only eat bland things right now.”
Vanessa, scolded, let out a mischievous huff. “Alright, Bossy Pants, I’ll listen to you, okay?”
Watching their interaction, my heart, which had been torn to shreds, felt strangely calm.
He shook his head helplessly.
“You two start eating. I’m going to make a call.”
As Jason left, the smile on Vanessa’s face slowly faded, and she shot me a challenging glare.
“Celeste Miller, you actually impress me. You know Jason proposed to me, yet you’re still chasing him? You’ve got some nerve.”
Hearing the disdain in her voice, I looked up at her. “Is stealing someone’s boyfriend something to be proud of? Something worth flaunting in public?”
“You…”
Before she could finish, thick smoke suddenly billowed from the restaurant kitchen.
Someone saw it first and screamed in terror, “Fire!”
At those words, the bustling restaurant instantly descended into chaos, everyone scrambling in panic.
I quickly reacted and stood up.
Just as I was about to leave, a figure suddenly crashed into me.
Before I could steady myself, I heard a familiar, anxious voice: “Vanessa, don’t be scared! I’ll get you out of here!”
Jason didn’t stop, quickly pulling Vanessa out. His heart pounded with a sense of relief, a joyous feeling of having escaped disaster. He abruptly hugged her.
“Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re okay…”
As he said this, something suddenly occurred to him.
He sharply turned around and saw me standing not far away, watching them with cold eyes.
His voice caught in his throat, and he stammered, “Celeste, I… I was just so rushed, I didn’t mean to leave you…”
“I know.” I interrupted him coldly.
In that moment he embraced her and left, I clearly realized that the Jason Hayes who once promised to protect me for life had long since changed.
Seeing that I wasn’t angry, he visibly relaxed and offered to drive me home.
“No need. Ms. Scott seems quite shaken. You should take her home first.”
In the days that followed, I stopped contacting Jason.
Instead, I focused on preparing for my wedding.
At that time, I received a message from the designer, so I used my lunch break to pick up my custom-made wedding gown from the store.
It was originally meant for *my* proposal to Jason, but I would never have that day.
As luck would have it, just as I stepped into the store, Vanessa followed right in after me.
She saw the gift box in my hands and looked at the designer arrogantly. “I want to try on that wedding dress.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, this is a custom order for Ms. Miller. Ownership belongs to Ms. Miller.”
Vanessa scoffed disdainfully. “Oh, a custom wedding dress? Acting like you’re getting married soon…”
As she said this, she seemed to realize something and suddenly bristled.
“Are you planning to wear this wedding dress to ruin my wedding?!”
Seeing her frantic demeanor, I couldn’t be bothered with her. “If you’re sick, go get treated. Don’t come here to make a scene.”
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On our tenth wedding anniversary, I flew back from abroad, planning a surprise for my husband, Ryan Sterling.
As I used my black card to retrieve a piece of jewelry, the sales associate, who had been overly enthusiastic moments before, suddenly stiffened.
“Is this *your* black card?”
I frowned, confused and irritated by her sudden change in attitude.
What concern was that of a sales associate like her, whether it was my black card or not?
Even though the primary card was with my husband, using a supplementary card shouldn’t warrant such blatant contempt from a clerk.
“Of course, it’s mine. What’s there to doubt?” I snapped impatiently, urging her to continue.
Tiffany gave me a swift once-over, then retrieved the jewelry.
“You’re Mr. Sterling’s mistress, aren’t you? I’m warning you, get lost! How dare someone like you even associate with Mr. Sterling?”
“I don’t even get a chance to be near him, so who do you think you are?!”
When she handed it to me, she deliberately let go just as I reached for it, sending the exquisite piece crashing to the floor.
I stood there, stunned, unable to react.
But Tiffany had already pulled the mall’s alarm.
“This woman deliberately damaged a million-dollar piece of jewelry! Arrest her!”
Hearing the mention of a million dollars, the security guards immediately sprang to action.
I stared at Tiffany’s baseless accusation, utterly appalled.
“Trying to skip out after destroying jewelry? Grab her!” Tiffany sneered at me, her face contorted with arrogant disdain.
Faced with the sudden, wild accusation, my mind went blank.
Skip out? Destroyed jewelry?
She was the one who couldn’t hold on to it!
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I growled, my brows furrowed, my eyes icy. “You’re the one who lost your grip!”
But the security guards ignored my protests. At Tiffany’s subtle nod, they moved in.
They roughly pinned me to the floor with their batons, and my fingers twisted at an unnatural angle as I fell.
The searing pain in my fingers shot through me.
The excruciating agony instantly drained all color from my face.
“Let go of me!” I struggled desperately on the ground. “This is slander!”
More and more onlookers gathered. All I wanted was to end this absurd disaster as quickly as possible.
“Let me go now! I’m calling the police! Otherwise, prepare for a court summons!”
“You dare call the police? A summons?” Tiffany glared at me, a mocking smirk on her face. “So self-assured despite trying to skip out on a million-dollar bill!”
The surrounding crowd started whispering.
“Her clothes don’t look like she’d skip out on a bill, do they?”
“What do you know? That designer jacket she’s wearing? There’s only one in the world, and it was bought by a foreign collector.”
“Then she’s wearing a knock-off?!”
“How tacky!”
“And she dared to skip out on a bill? Such a huge amount, she should be locked up for ten years!”
Their mocking gazes rained down on me.
The taunting words in my ears were like poisoned darts, piercing me deeply.
“I didn’t break it! Just check the cameras!” My eyes grew colder with anger, every ache in my hands and body tearing at my nerves.
“Cameras?” Tiffany sneered. “How conveniently, the cameras broke yesterday!”
My eyes widened, beginning to bloodshot.
Tiffany continued her righteous accusations.
“I know! You’re the one who sabotaged the cameras, aren’t you?!” Her gaze, like a venomous snake, wrapped around me inch by inch. “Your goal wasn’t to destroy the jewelry, it was to steal it!”
My heart hammered in my chest. How could it be such a coincidence?
My face turned ashen, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
“I have proof!” I suddenly remembered that I was recording a video for my best friend when I entered the store, and my phone was still recording!
“Let go of me! Who the hell do you think you are?” My gaze, cold and certain, pierced the two security guards.
They exchanged a look, hesitated for a moment, then lowered their batons.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in my twisted fingers, I pulled out my phone.
“See for yourselves! This video proves I didn’t break the jewelry!” I played the video, holding it up for everyone to see, my voice laced with ice. “For everything that’s happened today, I’m suing all of you for assault and battery!”
Everyone crowded closer, their suspicious glances turning into looks of disbelief, as if I were insane.
Tiffany was the first to let out a derisive laugh. “This video is all shaky and blurry, completely unclear! You just filmed some random shaky footage beforehand, then blurred it on purpose, hoping to escape your guilt today, didn’t you?!”
The crowd chimed in.
“Exactly! Only the beginning is clear, nothing after that. Do you think we’re idiots?”
“Why waste time? Just send her to the police station!”
Watching the grim-faced security guards slowly advancing, I quickly clicked on the video.
The video was perfectly clear. Why were they all pretending not to see it?
The two guards exchanged a look, then picked up their batons again, pointing them directly at me.
Seeing the sharp ends of their batons, my face went white, and my whole body trembled uncontrollably.
“Wait!” I pulled out my supplementary card, wanting only to escape quickly. I had no desire to deal with these barbarians any longer. After all, a hundred million was negligible to me, but being gawked at like a circus monkey made me intensely uncomfortable! “Just swipe a hundred million. Get it done.”
Tiffany saw me pull out the supplementary card.
Her smug expression twisted into something uglier.
Tiffany scoffed, looking me up and down, then leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially.
“You’re Mr. Sterling’s mistress, aren’t you? I’m warning you, get lost! How dare someone like you even associate with Mr. Sterling?”
“I don’t even get a chance to be near him, so who do you think you are?!”
My heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition instantly flooding my mind.
I didn’t understand what she meant! Mistress?
“Is this *your* card?” she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.
My face showed impatience, my eyes shooting daggers at her. “Of course, it’s mine!”
Tiffany stepped forward and, to my utter shock, slapped me across the face.
She yanked my hair, her eyes filled with disgust. “This is Mr. Sterling’s supplementary card. Who are you to him?”
My ears rang, my breathing grew heavy.
“Ryan Sterling?” My gaze fixed on her. “I’m his wife! What’s the problem?”
Tiffany ignored my cold stare and burst out laughing.
“Wife?” Her eyes were filled with utter disdain. She then pulled out her phone. “*She’s* Mr. Sterling’s wife! You’re just a pickpocket who stole the card, aren’t you?”
My brow twitched, and I instinctively looked at the phone.
When I saw the young woman nestled against Ryan Sterling, my breath caught in my throat. I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning.
The woman intimately embracing my own husband wasn’t me!
My face went ashen. I snatched the phone and examined it carefully, zooming in.
I finally confirmed that the man was indeed Ryan Sterling.
Seeing this, the security guards became completely unrestrained.
They used their batons to violently, humiliatingly, pin my body to the floor.
I couldn’t fight off two grown men and could only retreat, struggling against them.
“Still trying to lie?! Don’t think you can fool *me*!” Saying this, as if to vent his frustration, one of them kicked me hard in the side.
The stabbing pain in my side sent my mind reeling, a blank fog descending.
I gritted my teeth against the agony, my bloodshot eyes fixed on Tiffany.
“You’ll regret this!” I roared, my voice hoarse. “Go get Ryan Sterling here!”
Tiffany walked over, looked down at me, then squatted down and brutally pinched my cheek.
She forced me into a deeply humiliating position, exposed to the gawking crowd.
“You presumptuous little mistress, still daring to ask for Mr. Sterling?” She spat at me, figuratively. “You got all that plastic surgery to hook him! Shameless!”
“And you dare impersonate his real wife?”
She curled her lips, her eyes filled with disgust. “Mr. Sterling has plenty of admirers, and *I* haven’t even made my move yet. You’re certainly not going to!”
I instantly looked at her, my mind feeling as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, churning in chaos.
Did she mean…
Ryan Sterling had more than one mistress?!
I closed my eyes, suppressing the tremor in my heart.
“Ryan Sterling ordered this set of jewelry, but *I’m* the one who signed the receipt! You can check!”
Tiffany’s smile vanished, replaced by a sneer.
“Hardheaded. I said you broke it, so you broke it! What’s there to argue about?”
The security guards hauled me up from the ground, my hands pinned behind my back.
“Enough!” My breathing was heavy, a cold warning in my voice. “Let’s see who dares touch me!”
“I dare!”
A striking figure emerged from the crowd.
My eyes widened as I watched her approach, but seeing the young woman’s face, I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning again.
She was the woman by Ryan Sterling’s side!
More importantly, she bore a striking resemblance to me from ten years ago.
No wonder Tiffany inexplicably accused me of plastic surgery!
Her face was cold. She walked up to me, looked me up and down, then a sharp slap landed across my face.
The stinging pain on my cheek and the metallic taste of blood in my mouth instantly cleared my head.
“Who are you?” My throat was so dry it hurt. It took me a moment to speak.
“Who am I?” She folded her arms, radiating arrogance. “You have the nerve to ask? How dare you impersonate me? Do you have a death wish?!”
She scrutinized my face, then scoffed.
“Sweetie, you think you can climb your way up to Ryan by getting plastic surgery to look like me? You’re just a pathetic copycat.”
My breath hitched. My voice was raspy. “So, you’re Ryan Sterling’s wife?”
She nodded confidently. “Of course. Who else would it be? You?”
Tiffany stood by, a flicker of jealousy in her eyes as she looked at Chloe, but she still stepped forward and bowed her head.
“Mrs. Sterling, you’re finally here! This woman doesn’t know her place, trying to hook up with Mr. Sterling!” Tiffany’s eyes darted, and she smirked. “She even has Mr. Sterling’s supplementary card. I wonder when she stole it!”
Tiffany was fanning the flames, thinking that if I were out of the picture, she would surely succeed in becoming Mr. Sterling’s mistress.
Even being his kept woman would be worth it!
A look of infatuation flashed in Tiffany’s eyes as she thought of that distinguished man.
Chloe’s gaze, sharp as ice, immediately pierced me.
“Are you completely shameless? Flaunting your affair with a married man so openly?” She held out her hand. “Give me back the supplementary card! You shameless thing, trying to use my husband’s money to pay for your jewelry! Ugh!”
The crowd watched the spectacle with relish, adding fuel to the fire.
“OMG, mistresses these days are getting bolder and bolder! Caught by the wife using her husband’s supplementary card, how embarrassing!”
“Exactly! In the old days, she’d be publicly shamed for life!”
“So shameless!”
I turned, my eyes cold, staring at the gossiping crowd.
The sheer coldness and immense pressure radiating from me instantly silenced everyone.
Chloe, hearing this, puffed out her chest with absolute arrogance.
“I see you won’t give up until you’re utterly defeated!”
She then dialed a number.
“Honey,” Chloe said, her voice a soft, injured whimper, radiating vulnerability. “I’m at Sterling Mall, and there’s a crazy woman causing trouble. She insists she’s your wife! You need to come and expose her and teach her a lesson!”
七獎灐嘥幱禽旛鯆躏塠哦墎碤鄕镅灵
The man on the other end of the line paused, sounding confused.
“My wife? What does she look like?” he asked tentatively.
Chloe didn’t notice his hesitation. She sneered, looking me up and down. “She’s hideous. An old woman.”
A faint sigh of relief came from Ryan’s end.
At that moment, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Ryan Sterling.
“Wife, where are you? Miss you.”
A soul-devouring storm raged in my eyes. I gripped my phone tightly to prevent myself from losing control.
“Still in Europe. I’ll be back in a week to see you,” I deliberately replied.
Sure enough, Chloe excitedly hung up the phone.
“Old woman, I’m telling you, my husband is coming right now! You just wait!”
“Oh really?” I looked at her, a strong mocking glint in my eyes.
I wanted to see just how many unspeakable things Ryan Sterling had done over the years, operating behind my back and using my power.
Chloe paused, surprised that I wasn’t afraid.
Then she scoffed, “Heh, scared stiff, are we? You should thank me, otherwise, someone like you would never get to meet a top-tier man like my husband!”
A cold light flashed in my eyes.
“You’re right, I *should* thank you. You’ve helped me see exactly what kind of man he truly is!”
I frowned. I was truly alone here.
“You woman, of all the things to do, why impersonate me?” Chloe smugly touched her smooth, porcelain-like face, a sneer on her lips.
“Look at you, so old. Trying to look like me is just a pathetic copycat.”
My gaze swept over her face, and I let out a cold, dismissive laugh.
But my hands, hanging at my sides, clenched tightly, a barely perceptible tremor running through them.
Suddenly, Tiffany, who was standing beside me, shrieked.
“The store’s centerpiece jewel is gone!” She was frantic, cold sweat streaming down her face.
The previously bored onlookers, who had been losing interest, instantly perked up, their eyes wide with excitement.
They straightened up, staring at us.
Chloe frowned. “What centerpiece jewel?”
Tiffany was panicked and distraught, her voice cracking with tears. “It’s a top-grade emerald piece, worth billions!”
“How could it just disappear?” Chloe said dismissively. “Just a few billion. Why are you so worked up? No ambition.”
Tiffany’s face froze, a flicker of intense jealousy in her eyes.
But she took a deep breath, then her sharp gaze fixed on me.
“Did *you* steal it?!” She suddenly lunged forward, her eyes red, trying to pin the blame on me. “Please, just hand it over! If the centerpiece jewel is lost, we’ll all be ruined trying to pay for it. Please, have pity on us!”
Tiffany cried and pleaded, a sight that would inspire pity in anyone.
I was caught off guard by this sudden, brazen accusation.
“What are you doing?” I rasped. “Framing me once wasn’t enough, so you’re trying again? You’re truly incredibly stupid.”
Chloe, seeing this, sneered.
“Not only a mistress, but a thief too!”
The surrounding crowd started pointing fingers and condemning me.
“Oh my god, she broke a million-dollar piece earlier, and now she dares to steal something worth a billion! She’ll get life imprisonment!”
“I say, just call the police!”
Tiffany’s eyes darted. She seized the opportunity.
“Your bag!” She stepped forward, reaching to snatch my bag. “It must be in your bag!”
I frowned, angrily rebuking her. “How dare you!”
“You’re guilty, aren’t you?!” Tiffany declared, instructing the security guards to restrain me.
The guards, realizing the seriousness of the situation, moved quickly.
This time, they didn’t even give me a chance to resist or struggle. One of them immediately kicked me in the abdomen.
Then, they firmly pinned me to the floor with their batons.
“Let go of me!” I struggled desperately, roaring a warning.
Tiffany seized the opportunity, snatched my bag, and rummaged through it.
“The centerpiece jewel is here!” Tiffany’s face was flushed, her expression excited as she pulled a box from my bag and opened it. “This is what we lost!”
Seeing this, my mind went blank with shock.
But then, I instantly understood.
I narrowed my eyes, looking at Tiffany with a cold smirk. “You set this up, didn’t you?”
No wonder she had been standing so close to me!
She must have been looking for an opportunity to plant the jewelry in my bag!
I struggled with all my might. “Let go of me! I’ll arrange to pay whatever you want!”
Seeing my offer, the security guards finally loosened their grip.
The chill in my eyes intensified. I pulled out my phone and made a call.
At that moment, Chloe glanced at her phone.
With the undeniable air of the rightful wife, she looked down at me, chin raised.
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Seven days after my daughter disappeared, I took the entire preschool hostage.
All 27 students and two teachers were locked inside a classroom.
I announced to the police that if my daughter wasn’t found, I would kill one child every thirty minutes.
Ms. Albright, the preschool principal, wailed hysterically, pleading on her knees before me. “Your daughter went missing, it wasn’t my doing! Why drag other children into this?”
I just glanced at my watch. “Twenty-nine minutes left. Find my daughter, fast.”
I knew she was somewhere in this very preschool.
0
Five minutes ago, Ms. Albright’s attitude had been entirely different—arrogant, even.
I leaned against the door. Inside, the children were still playing, oblivious, only the two female teachers staring at me with terrified eyes.
Outside, Ms. Albright was still pounding on the door, asking irritably, “What the hell do you want?! How is your daughter going missing my problem?! Open the door! It’s almost time for dismissal!”
I frowned, pulled a makeshift gun from my pocket, and without a word, fired a shot behind me.
Ms. Albright instantly fell silent, trembling as she stumbled back a couple of steps.
“You, you’re serious? I’m telling you, this is a crime! I’ll call the police, and holding this many kids hostage will get you shot!”
I scoffed, caressing the gun in my hand. “Go ahead and call them. You’re not qualified to talk to me.”
Five minutes later, siren wails filled the air outside.
A gentle male voice spoke from beyond the door. I knew him: Officer Miller from the local precinct.
He spoke calmly, trying to persuade me logically and emotionally. “Sarah, don’t get agitated. We’re doing everything we can to investigate your daughter’s disappearance. Just release the children, and we can talk, okay?”
I gripped the gun, fighting the urge to laugh.
My daughter, Lily, had been missing for seven whole days, without a trace. What was there to talk about now?
Talk about how many years I’d spend in prison?
I shouted, “I just want to see my daughter! If I don’t see her in thirty minutes, you’ll start seeing other children’s bodies!”
The yard was already cordoned off with police tape. Parents who’d heard the news were crying their eyes out beyond the line.
Worried my gun might harm the hostages, the police not only had to be wary of me but also had to hold back the surging crowd.
Sweat poured down Officer Miller’s face. This was already beyond his pay grade. Detectives and the SWAT team would arrive soon.
Until then, he needed to keep me calm.
“Ms. Lee,” he pleaded, “we understand how you feel, but these children are innocent. You’re their teacher. How can you bear to hurt them?”
The biggest regret of my life was becoming a teacher at this preschool.
If I hadn’t come here, my daughter wouldn’t have disappeared.
I checked the time, speaking coldly. “Twenty-eight minutes left. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, do you?”
Officer Miller said nervously, “We’re doing our best to find her, but it’s not something we can do in a flash.”
I roared, “I told you, she never left this preschool! Search HERE!”
0
Rainbow Haven was a private preschool, not very large.
It consisted of three two-story buildings, with two small playgrounds in the front and back for the children to play freely.
The day Lily disappeared, I searched every inch of that preschool, inside and out. But there was no sign of her.
I asked Ms. Albright to check the surveillance footage, but she claimed the cameras were broken.
What a coincidence. I suspected the principal was involved in my daughter’s disappearance.
Later, I secretly snuck into the monitoring room myself. I watched the footage several times, meticulously, and finally confirmed it: Lily had never left the preschool.
But where could she be within the preschool? I racked my brain, completely baffled.
Officer Miller tried to pacify me from outside. “We’ve already sent people to search. You have to trust the police.”
But I knew he didn’t believe a word I said.
The police had searched the preschool several times initially, but they hadn’t found even a shadow of my daughter.
Outside, the parents’ uncontrollable shouts and pleas merged into a chaotic din, making me uncontrollably agitated.
“What does your kid going missing have to do with us? If you’re so tough, kidnap the principal! What good is kidnapping kids?”
“W-w-w, please release my daughter. She’s so timid and not well. I’m begging you on my knees…”
A mother knelt outside the police tape, covering her face, looking utterly pitiful.
The crowd’s anger surged, demanding the police shoot me.
I picked up the megaphone, ensuring everyone could hear my voice. “I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to know where my daughter is.”
I checked the time. Twenty-five minutes left. Detectives and SWAT had arrived. Snipers might already be in position.
I took a deep breath. “Ms. Albright, you know, don’t you? Where’s my daughter?”
All eyes turned to Ms. Albright, huddled in a corner.
She gritted her teeth, retorting, “How could I possibly know?! Ms. Lee, stop snapping at everyone like a mad dog!”
“Your daughter might have just run away from home. Maybe she went to find her dad…”
Then, as if a thought struck her, she blurted, “Her ex-con dad must be out of prison by now, right? I bet he’s the one who took your girl!”
0
“Absolutely impossible!”
The words burst out of me almost instinctively.
Officer Miller quickly interjected, “We’ve already tried to contact Lily’s father, David, but we haven’t reached him yet.”
“Sarah, we *will* find your daughter. Please, let the children in the room go. I promise you, we will spare no effort to find her.”
“Look at you now. Even if we find your daughter, how could you face her? Do you want her to know both her parents are criminals?”
My resolve wavered for a moment, a flicker of doubt.
A small red ball rolled slowly towards me.
A little girl called out, “Ms. Lee, can you kick it back for me?”
I steadied myself, gently tossing the ball back.
These children had no idea what was happening, still so innocent and lively.
But would my child ever be able to play happily like this again? I couldn’t bear to think.
I glanced at the time, calmly shouting outside, “Eighteen minutes left! Have you found any clues?”
0
The negotiation failed.
Officer Miller sighed. His colleagues were in position, and a specialized negotiator from the state police was ready. The case had exploded across the city. Reporters and social media influencers swarmed like flies to blood.
Command had issued orders: no child was to be harmed. If necessary, I could be taken out.
But Officer Miller still clung to a sliver of hope. He didn’t think things had escalated to that point yet.
Based on his years of experience, the woman didn’t seem like a hardened criminal, but rather a desperate mother driven to extremes by her missing daughter.
“Have they pulled up the surveillance footage? Did that child really not leave the preschool?”
A tech team colleague replied, “We’ve recovered the deleted footage. It shows no sign of Lily leaving the preschool.”
Officer Miller fell into deep thought. Could Lily really still be in the preschool?
But where could she be hidden?
There were no hiding spots in the classrooms. Offices, the principal’s room, the kitchen—they’d all been searched.
What place could they have forgotten?
His colleagues searched inside and out again, but found nothing.
Officer Stevens said exasperatedly, “Did the kid sprout wings and fly away? Otherwise, it makes no sense! Every inch here is covered by cameras, there are no blind spots!”
A light bulb went off in Officer Miller’s head. “Are there cameras in the bathrooms? Search the bathrooms!”
The preschool bathrooms were indoors, and Lily was last seen in the pre-kindergarten class.
But that was exactly where Sarah was holding hostages.
At that moment, my voice rang out again. “Fifteen minutes left! Are you all incompetent idiots?! You can’t even find one child!”
0
I leaned against the wall, my voice laced with sarcasm. “If some VIP loses a watch, you’d tear apart the whole city to find it. But a living, breathing child, for seven whole days, and not a single clue?”
Officer Miller fell silent at my accusation.
“Ms. Lee, maybe your daughter is closer than you think?”
I froze for a moment, unable to immediately grasp his meaning.
My daughter’s last known location was here, but I’d scoured every closet, every bathroom, every corner. There was no trace of her.
“The entire area is covered by surveillance, except for the bathrooms. We suspect your daughter might have been taken through a bathroom.”
“Ms. Lee, surrender! The police will uncover the truth.”
Bathroom, bathroom.
I carefully thought about the bathroom’s layout. The preschool bathrooms were unisex, with only two small stalls and a tiny exhaust fan.
I looked in the direction of the bathrooms, feeling a strange sense of unease.
But I just couldn’t pinpoint what felt odd.
I licked my dry lips. “Ten minutes left. I just want results. If you don’t find my daughter, they’ll all die with her.”
Officer Miller’s eyes were squeezed shut. A detective gave a subtle signal to the sniper behind them, indicating that if an opportunity arose, they should take the shot.
“If my daughter disappeared in the bathroom, then there must be a secret passage connecting the bathroom to the outside, right, officers? I hope you find it soon. Even if you arrest me, it’ll be worth it.”
I had also suspected that my daughter was taken from the bathroom.
But that would require a secret passage, and it would leave clues.
But I was just an ordinary woman. What I couldn’t find, I naturally had to leave to the professionals.
I lowered my gaze. Now, everything was going according to plan.
The second hand on my watch spun relentlessly. I beckoned a small girl over.
I smiled. “Chloe, want to play a game with Ms. Lee?”
0
Five minutes remained. The police were still making futile pleas.
Officer Miller’s throat was raw. “Ms. Lee, please don’t rush! Police forces from across the city are deployed, all helping to find your child!”
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