Category: English

It was Vicky’s birthday, and I decided to play a little prank. I gave her a gag lottery ticket, guaranteed to win a hundred million dollars. She scratched it open, ecstatic. The very first thing she did was call her male best friend. “Chad! I hit the jackpot! Come over, quick!” “I always said I’d take care of you if I ever got rich!” My gut twisted. I opened my mouth to say it wasn’t real. But then she whirled around, pointing at me, her voice sharp. “We’ve been married for five years, and I realize you don’t understand me at all. I’ve been thinking, let’s just get a divorce.” “Look at Chad. He sent me 999 roses first thing this morning for my birthday. That’s the kind of tenderness and romance I want!” I stood there for a long time, stunned. I put away the real presents I’d prepared for her – a luxury car and a mansion. Was she really so convinced she’d won a hundred million that she wanted to ditch me? Fine. She shouldn’t be surprised by what happens next. …… My brows furrowed. “Are you saying I’m not good enough compared to Chad Hayes?” My wife, Vicky Sterling, froze, probably surprised I was so direct. She looked at me, then carefully tucked the lottery ticket into her purse. She scoffed. “Yes.” “Chad and I have been childhood sweethearts. He’s always been the most important person in my life!” “If you hadn’t tempted my parents with a seven-figure sum back then, do you really think I would’ve agreed to marry you?” It all clicked. Chad Hayes was Vicky’s male best friend. Ever since he came back to town, he’d been constantly lurking around. He was at every birthday party, every weekend shopping trip. He was even at our house when I was away on business. I’d told Vicky countless times how much I hated it. But every time, she’d shoot back, “We have a pure friendship! Why are you so petty and jealous? It’s so annoying when you get like this!” I could never find concrete proof, so I just bit my tongue. I never intended anything beyond a simple joke. The plan was to let her get a little upset before surprising her with the real presents, like the luxury car and house deed. But I never expected that a fake lottery ticket would blow open her true feelings. Male best friend? Pure friendship? It was all a lie. Seeing me silent, her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Now I see things clearly. I don’t want to keep deceiving myself. Let’s go get a divorce today.” “Considering all the years I’ve busted my ass for you, I’ll let you keep this house.” I just found it amusing. I blurted out, “I bought the ticket. Even if it were real, you wouldn’t get to hog it all to yourself, would you?” Hearing that, she clutched her purse tightly and took two steps back, her voice shrill. “Alex Thorne! Are you even a man anymore?!” “You don’t just take back what you’ve given away!” Just then, Chad Hayes, her so-called best friend, rushed in. Vicky saw him and immediately threw herself into his arms. “Chad!” Chad had already heard about Vicky winning a hundred million on the phone. He’d probably also overheard our conversation. He quickly pulled Vicky close, shielding her. “Vicky, give me the ticket. I’ll go cash it in.” “That way, he can’t use marital assets to force you to split it with him.” Vicky nodded frantically. “You’re so thoughtful, Chad! Don’t worry, I’ll divorce him today!” Their voices grew louder, as if afraid I wouldn’t hear. I was trembling with rage. “Vicky Sterling, are you really going to divorce me over a bunch of roses and a lottery ticket?” Chad lifted his chin, sneering. “What’s wrong with roses?” “It’s better than that cheap trinket you gave her last year, right?” “Alex Thorne, Vicky’s not the same woman anymore. You’re a low-class jerk, you don’t deserve her!” I remembered. Last year for her birthday, I’d given her a vintage diamond bracelet. It had cost me over three million dollars, and I’d pulled a lot of strings to get it. Vicky had smiled so sweetly then, saying she loved it, but behind my back, she called it a cheap trinket. This year, to give Vicky an even better life, I’d pulled countless all-nighters, making my company’s business skyrocket. As soon as I closed a deal worth over a hundred million in overseas orders, I immediately ordered her a supercar and a mansion. Now, it seemed, there was no need. I took a deep breath. “Vicky Sterling, you just said you wanted a divorce, right?” “Fine! I agree!”

Everyone froze, including Vicky. She probably thought I’d back down, swallow my pride, and beg for reconciliation like before. “You said it yourself! Everyone here is a witness!” Vicky’s voice had a hint of excitement. Chad leaned in, his smile barely contained. “At least you know your place! Once Vicky and I cash in the prize, we’re getting married right away!” “Vicky! I’m going to give you a wedding of the century! The kind that makes every woman in the world jealous!” Vicky looked at him, her eyes red, tears of gratitude welling up. I just found it amusing. A man using her supposed winnings to give her a “wedding of the century.” And she actually thought he was making a sacrifice for her. I shoved Chad, who was blocking my way. “Get lost.” Then I walked toward the door. “Aren’t you divorcing me? Let’s go right now.” Vicky instantly exploded in anger. She quickly helped the stumbling Chad. “Alex Thorne, how dare you push Chad? Apologize to him, now!” Chad regained his balance and yelled at me, “Who do you think you are?!” “Everyone knows you’ve been living off Vicky’s import-export company all these years. If you really get divorced, you’ll starve!” “With your measly skills, you’re nothing without Vicky!” Actually, the company was mine. For years, I’d made her a CEO just to humor her. Truth was, she was almost never at the office. Her executive presence was strictly for public display. She was so out of the loop, she had no clue I’d just landed a multimillion-dollar contract. But now, none of that mattered anymore. I looked at Vicky, enunciating each word. “Aren’t you coming? Are you afraid I’ll change my mind?” She glared at me fiercely, then patted her purse. “Hmph! Fine, let’s go!” “Once I’m a hundred-millionaire, I’ll buy your pathetic company! Then we’ll see you begging me on your knees!” To make sure everyone witnessed their “love,” they even called a bunch of their trashy friends. This crowd loved clubbing and gossiping. I’d told Vicky countless times to stay away from them. Vicky always agreed, but it turned out she’d been hanging out with them closely in secret. As soon as they saw me, they started whistling. “Look, if it isn’t Vicky’s little simp? What, did she dump him today?” “Vicky and Chad were always meant to be. If you hadn’t shamelessly forced your way in, they would’ve been together ages ago!” “Hah! You actually thought Vicky didn’t want to get pregnant and lose her figure? She just didn’t want your baby!” So that was it. Vicky, her face cold, openly linked arms with Chad and walked into the registry office. Even the clerk handling the divorce looked a little bewildered. I just smiled to myself. The whole process went unusually smoothly. In less than half an hour, we had successfully scheduled our divorce. The actual certificate would be issued a month later. Looking at the stamped divorce application, Vicky shrieked, “I can finally be with the person I love!” Then came a chorus of cheers and shouts of encouragement. “Vicky, congratulations! You should’ve left him sooner!” “Why keep a dog like that? Chad’s way better!” “Chad, you’ve got to celebrate properly with Vicky tonight!” I remained completely unbothered. I just wondered if she’d still be smiling once she found out the lottery ticket was fake.

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I caught my twin sister having an affair with a married man in our bedroom, using “tutoring” as their cover. My scream caught my parents’ attention. In the panicked rush that followed, my mother packed our lives and moved us out. My sister, Mia, coldly cut all ties and sailed into an elite university. But her betrayal was just beginning. At a party, she teamed up with that same man. They poisoned my drink and sold me to a deranged butcher on a remote farm. There, I met my end under relentless torture. When I opened my eyes, I was back to the day I caught my sister cheating. This time, I closed the door gently and walked away. I stood outside the door, holding my breath, my body rigid. Suddenly, my limbs felt weak, and a terrible headache pulsed through me. I instinctively touched my arms and legs. They were still there. But they were supposed to be… “You try to run, I’ll beat you to death.” Deep in the woods, chained up, there was no escape. The bull-like killer glowered, his eyes promising pain. He hoisted my body onto the meat hook, then set about punching and kicking me with savage, measured force. Then, he branded me with a searing red-hot iron, the sizzle echoing in the air. He smashed a hammer against my joints, collarbone, and ribs. My charred skin hung loosely over my shattered bones. Years of constant beatings had left my bones as brittle as rotten firewood. To prevent my escape, he even pierced my feet with long nails. Later, he cut a slice of meat from my body every day. The killer’s knife skills were precise; with each swift cut, the slices were as thin as a cicada’s wing. Even my fingernails were neatly shaved off. My soul left my body, and the crescent moon hung lonely in the sky, a mix of mockery and pity. “Lainey! What are you doing? Get down here and do your chores! Always slacking off. I regret wasting all that money to save you!” A woman’s roar snapped me out of my thoughts. I realized I had reborn. Looking at Mia, flushed and panting slightly in the bedroom, how could I possibly bear to ruin her fun?

“Is your sister’s laundry done?” “Are your dad’s shoes polished?” “Are my clothes ironed?!” The woman speaking was Brenda, the woman I’d called Mom for over a decade in my previous life. I whispered, “No, none of it.” “Look at your sister, she’s tutoring on a holiday. What about you?” Brenda was already at the stairwell. It was exactly like this in my last life. Seeing the scene inside, I screamed, and they were caught red-handed in their panic. Brenda went ballistic, moving the entire family out that very night. Mia cried, vowing never to contact the married man again and promising to focus on her studies. Later, she even thanked me in front of Mom and Dad for “pulling her back from the brink.” After that, she went back to being the good girl in everyone’s eyes, smoothly getting into a top-tier university, as if nothing had happened. After her graduation party, she took me out to karaoke. After a glass of orange juice, Mia sneered, “Do you know? You ruined my love life.” Dazed, the married man’s figure swayed before my eyes. Mia and the married man exchanged a knowing nod and a chilling smile. I became the hotpot meat and handmade sausage on their dinner table… And her? She continued her affair with the married man in college, spreading rumors that I had run off with some random guy. Brenda would tell anyone who’d listen that I brought it all on myself, that it was my fate. Thinking of all this, I clenched my fists and carefully slipped away. Leaving Mia and the married man to continue their “tutoring session.” “Okay, okay, I’m coming right down.”

Mia, at seventeen or eighteen, certainly had endless energy. I finished all the chores, and they were still at it. “With Mia’s drive, I bet she’ll get into an Ivy League school,” Brenda beamed, her face alight with pride. Richard looked up from his newspaper, a look of satisfaction on his face. Then he saw me, just finished with chores, and his expression turned to disgust. “You good-for-nothing idiot, no one will even hire you to clean when you’re older.” In our house, grades decided everything. Richard was the valedictorian of his county, and Brenda was a straight-A student too. Unfortunately, I was the one with bad grades, a typical underachiever. Even more unfortunately, Mia inherited their genes and was also a typical academic overachiever. All suffering stems from comparison. But when the object of comparison is another child, that suffering turns into mockery and bottomless favoritism. When Mia made a mistake, Brenda and Richard would always say, “It’s fine, it’s fine, as long as her grades are good.” When an elderly neighbor fell, I helped her to the hospital. When the neighbor wanted to send a commendation to the school, thinking it might boost grades, they said it was Mia who took the elderly woman to the hospital. “With your grades, even an extra 100 points wouldn’t help. Your sister is different.” Mia wanted to take harp lessons, and they’d say, “Mia has such refined tastes, a true lady.” I wanted to take hip-hop dance classes, and they’d say, “You’re too young to be learning such bad things, not even wearing your pants properly, what kind of dancing is that? It’s practically hooliganism!” In my previous life, I always argued back, always did the opposite. I just had bad grades, but I hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was it that only Mia, with her good grades, could rightfully and naturally enjoy all their favoritism? Yes, those who are favored always feel entitled. This time, before they could even open their mouths, I spoke up. “Mom, from now on, let me do all the chores around the house. Sister needs to get into a top university; we can’t let anything distract her.” Brenda, who was about to continue scolding me, just pursed her lips when she heard this, coldly tossing out, “Everyone has their own destiny. Good luck to you. Sigh, if only we had just Mia.” In my previous life, every time she said that, I’d snap back, “Then don’t have me!” But now, I didn’t want to say a single word. In my current position, angering her would do me no good. I knew, having a second chance, I wouldn’t let myself be a pawn again.

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend, an acclaimed screenwriter, desperately needed a hit script to reclaim her former glory. So my boyfriend, who was also my therapist, handed her the story of my family’s murder. He didn’t tell me when the movie premiered. But I went anyway. On the big screen, my family of three, who were supposed to be the victims, were twisted into evil people who deserved their fate. The ruthless criminal, however, was painted as a pathetic figure, driven to crime by desperation. Watching my nightmare tear through the screen, I dug my nails deep into my palms until I felt the warm blood, biting my own skin just to stay conscious. When the movie ended, Scarlett ascended the stage to a wave of acclaim. With a smile, she linked arms with Liam and addressed the audience. “Everyone, this brilliant mind is not just the city’s top therapist—he’s the muse behind everything you just saw.” The hall erupted once more while the host praised them as a perfect match in talent and grace. Under Liam’s stunned gaze, I slowly raised my hand. “A question, if I may,” I said, “for the muse himself.”

Liam’s expression visibly froze. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to show up. The panic in his eyes? I knew exactly what it meant. Two days ago, we’d planned a trip to a beach resort. But the day before we were supposed to leave, he claimed an urgent company matter came up. He apologized gently, “Audrey, wait for me, just one day. Go ahead without me, I’ll be right there as soon as I’m done.” I believed him. Until my best friend sent me a video, showing Liam and Scarlett appearing together at the movie premiere. Their intimacy was undeniable, like a couple. Forgetting all about the trip, I rushed over, only to see my family of three portrayed as villains in the film. It hit me then. He wasn’t busy; he just wanted to get rid of me. Liam’s eyes met mine, and he quickly looked away, unable to face me. So, he could be scared too. Scared of me knowing, scared of facing my anger. But he still did it, for Scarlett. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Dr. Liam, I’m just curious. The real-life inspiration you, as a therapist, provided to Screenwriter Scarlett for this creative project—where did it truly come from?” I wanted Liam’s explanation. To give him one last chance. Liam’s face went blank for a second. The next, he spoke calmly, “Just an old friend’s experience.” I froze for a few seconds, then let out a low laugh. Liam, I’m always too soft-hearted. Luckily, you’re far more ruthless than I am. I was so foolish. I already knew the answer, but I still wanted to hear how he would lie to me. Liam saw my eyes redden, and his tone was tinged with concern. “I…” Just then, Scarlett’s slightly sharp voice cut him off. “That’s an excellent question, young lady. It seems you’re a true enthusiast of our film. Why don’t I share a bit about Liam and my creative journey?” She launched into her story, oblivious. “The story in the movie was so heavy, I struggled to put pen to paper for a long time.” “Until I met Liam.” Her gaze shifted to Liam, her admiration thick and undeniable. “As a top-tier therapist, he dissected the innermost world of people suffering from PTSD for me. We explored the complexities of human nature, the boundaries of crime and punishment.” “He stayed up countless nights with me. Honestly, without him, this movie wouldn’t have its soul.” She finished, gazing at Liam with deep affection. Liam glanced at me, then immediately looked away as if burned, avoiding my eyes. But he still gave a stiff nod, playing along with Scarlett. Applause erupted from the audience, mixed with envious gasps. “Oh my God, they’re practically soulmates!” I quietly watched his face, a self-deprecating smile on my lips. I’d known Liam for six years, and we’d been together for four. Now, I was just an “old friend.” The scars I’d once confided in him were now discussed with Scarlett. He was using my pain to ingratiate himself with someone else.

When the applause died down a little, I calmed myself. ” ‘A deep dive into the human psyche.’ What a compelling tagline.” “But for Dr. Liam, a professional therapist, to provide a patient’s privacy as material to someone else…” I paused, my voice turning cold. “How does that align with your ethical oath?” As soon as the words left my mouth, the audience, who’d been shipping them just moments before, shifted uneasily. Right, leaking patient privacy—that’s a cardinal sin for a therapist! Reporters reacted quickly, their cameras and microphones zeroing in on Liam on stage. “Dr. Liam, is what this young lady said true?” “Did you really leak a patient’s privacy to Screenwriter Scarlett to use as script material?” Liam panicked, waving his hands frantically, his voice strained. “No! It’s not true! Everyone’s misunderstood, this isn’t a patient’s privacy!” Scarlett immediately jumped in, her voice tinged with grievance. “Our film is based on a real social event; how could it be a patient’s privacy? This young lady must have misunderstood something.” “Oh? Based on a real event?” I smiled. “Then, Screenwriter Scarlett, can you tell everyone where you learned about this ‘real event’?” Back then, due to a mistake by the involved officers, the killer almost escaped. Because of that, the case was hushed up, never reported. Aside from Liam as the source, Scarlett wouldn’t have known. Scarlett’s expression faltered, and she fell silent. She couldn’t say she heard it from Liam, because that would confirm his breach of confidentiality. She could only glare at me ominously. The air grew thick. Scarlett looked pleadingly at Liam. He gave me a deep look, as if making a decision. “The person involved was an old friend of mine. She didn’t want it mentioned again, so I originally didn’t want to say much.” “But since this young lady is so insistent, I’ll explain clearly.” My heart sank. He instinctively chose to protect Scarlett. I was utterly crushed. “My old friend knew the mistakes her parents had made. For years, she carried immense moral pressure and developed severe depression because of it.” “She came to me and confided everything, begging me to find a way to make this public, to warn the world, as an act of atonement for the victims.” He paused, his voice rising a few notches, imbued with a righteous indignation. “So, this is not a breach of confidentiality.” “Scarlett and I are simply helping a poor girl complete her journey of self-redemption.” I stared at Liam, speechless. My heart ached, a pain so intense it almost suffocated me. After my parents’ brutal deaths, I got sick. Depression. Living felt more painful than dying. I’d swallowed sleeping pills, cut my wrists, and stared down from rooftops countless times. Each time, someone pulled me back. Until, after one stomach pump, the doctor couldn’t bear it anymore and called in Liam. He told me I was a survivor, not a criminal. That some people in life are like gifts. With his companionship, I slowly healed. And now, his face had become as repulsive as the killer’s back then. I fought back tears, my voice trembling slightly. “Liam, you truly have no heart.” “So righteous, you’ve made yourself out to be a great hero.” I let out a sudden, hoarse laugh. “But you’ve twisted the truth, inverted right and wrong. When you wake up in the middle of the night, won’t your conscience eat you alive?!”

The crowd grew noisy. “What does she mean by that? Is she saying the movie is maliciously whitewashing a criminal?” “The portrayal of the criminal in the movie did feel uncomfortable.” “Yeah, and the victims were so stereotypical, like the ‘victim blaming’ kind of narrative…” Scarlett heard the murmurs, a flicker of panic in her eyes, and she tightened her grip on Liam’s arm. Seeing this, Liam’s eyes darkened. “Audrey! Do you have to cause a scene in public?!” “Your parents’ incident happened so many years ago. Why can’t you just let it go? Why do you insist on not letting them rest in peace even after death?!” I looked up at him sharply. The way he looked at me—disappointed, angry, and even a hint of resentment. Only the tenderness and care from before were gone. I felt a little dazed. All those years, I’d seen him as my salvation. He’d told me, in his most gentle voice, over and over. “Audrey, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” “Audrey, look, the sun is out. Let’s go sunbathe together, I’ll read you poetry.” I vaguely reached up and touched my face. The bitterness I’d suppressed for too long now coalesced into tears, streaming down my face. Liam saw my tears and froze for a few seconds, a flicker of remorse crossing his face. He instinctively raised his hand, as if to wipe away my tears like countless times before. But then he realized we were too far apart. He was on the stage, bathed in the spotlight; I was in the audience, isolated and alone. He awkwardly lowered his hand. Across the noisy crowd, his lips moved, and I heard him clearly. “Audrey, don’t make a scene. We’ll talk about this at home.” After my entire family had been nailed to a pillar of shame by him and Scarlett. What home was there left for us? I scoffed, curling my lips, and walked step by step onto the stage, addressing Liam. “My parents were slandered as criminals who got what they deserved. You’re the ones not letting them rest in peace! Liam, if it were you, could you let it go?” He opened his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbing with difficulty. He spoke, his voice hoarse, “Audrey, I did it for your own good. Your parents’ story needs more attention, it needs the truth.” Absurd. A short, bitter laugh escaped my throat. “The truth?” “The truth that romanticizes crime and criminals while stepping all over the victims?” “Or the truth where my parents are demonized, my father became an exploitative boss, my mother a homewrecker who stole a husband, and I, a cruel girl who bullied classmates?” My voice suddenly rose. “Liam, how does it feel to feed off our pain?!” The atmosphere around us solidified. Liam’s trembling voice broke the silence. “Audrey, that’s not what I meant. I just got agitated for a moment.” His eyes reddened, as if he truly regretted it. But the next second, he urgently said, “But this movie is very important to Scarlett; it can’t go wrong. Audrey, just back down for now, okay?” “After this, we’ll get married.” I slowly looked up at him, hot tears streaming from the corners of my eyes. But I laughed, my whole body trembling. “Back down? How can I back down?! You know how much pain I’ve been in for the past six years, you know all of it!” Liam heard my laughter, and his tone grew impatient. “Then what exactly do you want?” “Do you want to ruin my career, destroy Scarlett’s most important work, just to be satisfied?” His eyes were filled with disappointment. “When did you become so unreasonable?” I stood frozen. Looking at that face that once brought me so much comfort, I suddenly found it terrifyingly unfamiliar. “In your mind, her slandering my life is called ‘artwork’?” “And I, the victim you’re trampling and exploiting to the bone, am the criminal?” My questions made his face even uglier. He avoided my gaze, no longer daring to look into my eyes. Seeing this, Scarlett frowned, her tone scornful. “Ms. Shaw, why are your words so unpleasant? Liam and I are giving this issue more discussion; we’re documenting it with a film.” A flash of malice darted in her eyes. “Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re that daughter who bullied her classmate and drove someone to suicide.” So, Scarlett knew everything. She just wanted me to admit my identity and humiliate me publicly.

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The world plunged into a Great Freeze, but I had drawn three passes to a secure bunker. Orphaned and alone, I decided to give the passes to my girlfriend and my best friend. Yet, my girlfriend, Ronnie, wasn’t just ungrateful. While I slept, she stole my passes and sold them to a rich man. She teamed up with my friend, Liam, to abduct me, and the two of them started a relationship right in front of me. “You’re an orphan, but you’ve always had it easy, plus you’re an athlete – you might even survive out there!” “Liam is always sick, always getting picked on, and he couldn’t even get a single pass! It’s not fair! Just this once, let him have it!” I screamed and cried, begging Ronnie to at least untie me. But they pretended not to see, leaving me to suffer hypothermia, freezing to death in the desolate suburbs. Later, she leveraged Sterling’s gratitude – the rich man she’d ensnared. Not only did she survive the Great Freeze, but she became an influential figure in the new world, living a life of absolute luxury. Reborn into this life, I returned to the day I drew the passes. Seeing my girlfriend and friend’s eager eyes, tears instantly welled in mine. “I only drew one pass. What are we going to do?”

Heavy snow blocked the roads, and everyone shivered from the cold. Ronnie and Liam’s faces instantly turned pale when they saw the pass in my hand. “O-one? Honey, are you sure you’re not mistaken?” “How is one enough for us? We need at least two…” Ronnie started to speak, then hesitated, her eyes quickly darting to mine. Seeing my somber expression, a sigh of relief escaped her. Liam, on the other hand, burst into tears, leaning his head straight onto Ronnie’s shoulder. “What are we going to do? There’s only one, are we going to die?” He didn’t even try to hide it anymore, openly embracing Ronnie right in front of me. I lifted my gaze to my girlfriend’s flustered face, feigning ignorance. “Liam, you can’t be acting like this, no matter how upset you are. Ronnie is my girlfriend!” A flicker of impatience crossed Liam’s eyes. He was about to speak, but Ronnie quickly pushed him away. As long as I held a pass, she wouldn’t dare argue with me; she’d have to walk on eggshells and treat me like gold. Sure enough, Ronnie sighed, a helpless expression on her face. “You know Liam is timid and sensitive. He’s probably just scared.” “You’re always so disorganized. Just let me hold onto the pass for now, and we’ll figure things out properly when we get back.” I raised an eyebrow, tightening my grip on the pass. “Don’t worry, I’ve always listened to you, and I give you whatever you want.” “We’ve been together for so long, you’re the person I care about most. I’m definitely willing to give you the pass!” Ronnie beamed, nodding eagerly, gesturing for me to hand it over. But I turned my head to Liam, pretending not to see her. “We’re like brothers, and you’ve suffered so much since you were a kid. If it comes to dying, I’ll go with you.” “At least we’ll have each other for company, even in heaven.” Liam’s face instantly darkened. He shoved me away. “What are you talking about, dying?! I’m not dying!” “Ronnie, would you really use this pass yourself and just watch me die?!” “Didn’t you say…” He started to speak, then hesitated, his hand instinctively going to his stomach, his eyes wide with desperate expectation as he looked at Ronnie. Ronnie trembled with fear. She quickly forced a smile and said they’d talk about it when they got back. I feigned annoyance. “The bunker closes in three days. Stop wasting time, decide now!”

The cramped apartment was cluttered with junk. Ronnie, uncharacteristically, suggested she and Liam go take out the trash. In my previous life, I might not have seen through her intentions. She was clearly using the excuse of taking out the trash to quickly appease Liam. I sneered. Now with only one pass left, I was waiting for them to become enemies! I pulled out my phone and quickly added Sterling’s contact information. In my past life, I was too kind, always letting my guard down around them. Ronnie had just been laid off, and Liam hadn’t found a job after graduation. I was barely supporting all three of us on my meager salary. They weren’t grateful at all; they were so audacious that when the emergency supply advisory was issued, they immediately used all our savings to hoard supplies. When I lugged back over a dozen bags of supplies, breathless and exhausted, they wouldn’t even help. They just kept blaming me for wasting money. “We have three mouths to feed; how can you spend money so irrationally! You wasted all our money; how are we supposed to get through this month?!” “I haven’t even bought my suit yet! If this delays my interview, you’ll regret it!” Liam grumbled, not bothering to consider that he was spending *my* money. Ronnie rolled her eyes. “That’s what happens when you’ve always had it easy, never thinking about the consequences.” “I told him I wanted to buy a gaming keyboard this month; it was only a few thousand, and he wouldn’t buy it! Instead, he wasted money on this useless junk!” I was deeply hurt. For the first time, I lost my temper and argued with them. To salvage her ego, Ronnie pulled out Sterling’s contact info and flaunted it right in front of me. “If it weren’t for you, why would I compromise myself like this?” “Now that I’ve finally buttered him up, maybe Sterling will give me a leg up, and I’ll strike it rich soon!” “If even you look down on me and think I can’t do it, then I’ll jump off a building right now!” Ronnie looked so wronged that my heart broke. I apologized profusely, once again letting her manipulate me. But because of that, I remembered Sterling’s contact information. Seeing the “friend request accepted” notification, I felt a slight relief. When they returned, Liam had completely changed his slouchy demeanor. He took my hand and looked at Ronnie. “There’s only one pass left. I thought about it, and I think we should give it to Ronnie.” “You’re right, we’ll have each other for company, and we won’t be too lonely in the end.” I was a little surprised, not expecting Liam to be so generous. But I just smiled, not handing over the pass. “I need to think about it more. After all, I’m the one who drew it, so I have to be responsible for this ticket, and for both of you.” Ronnie immediately grew anxious. Just as I saw her about to snatch it, I looked at Liam. “I’m used to being so careless. Liam is more detail-oriented, so maybe he should keep it safe.” Now, both of them were stunned. Liam glanced at Ronnie, then cautiously took the pass. As night fell, the temperature plummeted. Ronnie had already bundled herself up. I stopped Liam, who was about to go find something to stay warm. “Liam, you deserve this pass more than Ronnie.”

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From childhood, I was fiercely protective of my sister. No one was allowed to hurt her. My uncle used to mock my sister, calling her ‘simple-minded,’ and even encouraged other kids to treat her like a dog, riding on her back. Without a second thought, I squeezed his son’s mouth open and force-fed him pesticide. “You love watching ‘idiots,’ huh? Well, now you’ll have one of your own to watch.” The old bachelor, taking advantage of the twilight quiet, tried to lure my sister into his room with hard candies. I grabbed the cleaver and, with one swift chop, severed his ‘sinful flesh.’ “That pathetic little thing, and he dared to eye my sister? It’s not even enough to get stuck in a dog’s teeth!” The villagers would scatter whenever they saw me, whispering behind my mother’s back that she’d birthed two daughters: one an idiot, the other a lunatic. My parents, terrified I’d cause another death, had no choice but to painfully commit me to an asylum. I was locked away for ten years. When I was finally released, Mom called me, sobbing. “Chloe, please, come to the hospital first. Your sister… she’s barely hanging on.” “Your brother-in-law, just to amuse his mistress, tied her in a dog kennel for three days and three nights. Her body was so mangled, there wasn’t a single unbitten patch of skin.” I said nothing. I hung up the phone, gripped a heavy iron bar, and rushed to the Sterling estate. When Derek Sterling and his mistress returned, I was stirring the meat in the pot, and I flashed them a smile. “Hungry? Dinner’s ready.”

“Oh, how impressive, the idiot can actually cook! I thought you only knew how to beg for scraps in the doghouse.” Vanessa Thorne pinched her nose and circled around me. Seeing no sign of suspicion on her face, a subtle smile played on my lips. It seemed ten years hadn’t changed how much my sister and I resembled each other. That saved me a lot of trouble. I pretended not to hear the sarcasm in Vanessa’s voice, smiling faintly. “After being bitten by the dogs and hospitalized, I feel like my brain’s gotten much sharper. I really have you to thank for that.” She looked at my docile demeanor and immediately let out a piercing laugh. “Derek, did you hear that? She’s actually thanking us for letting the dogs bite her. You married quite a wife, she’s absolutely hilarious!” Derek Sterling, hearing the taunt, struggled to maintain his expression. He eyed me with disgust. “She’s no Mrs. Sterling. Grandma was just sickly back then, and Lily was nothing but a prop to cheer her up, a temporary comfort.” “Vanessa, you know you’re the only one for me.” Derek clasped Vanessa’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with tender affection. Vanessa shot me a glance, her triumph practically overflowing. She purred, “Alright, I know, let’s try Lily’s cooking.” She inhaled the strange aroma and instinctively swallowed. Eagerly, she picked up her fork and speared a large piece of meat. Derek took a bite too, his eyes lighting up. He mumbled, “Can’t believe it, you fool, your cooking’s actually pretty good.” Watching them devour the meal, the smile on my lips widened. Before long, the entire pot of meat was completely empty. Vanessa rubbed her belly, satisfied. She scooped the remaining scraps into a bowl and handed it to me. “Here, take this good stuff to Lucky and Treasure.” Lucky and Treasure were Vanessa and Derek’s dogs, pampered like children for seven years. As I took the bowl, she suddenly snatched it back, pinching her nose in disgust. “You didn’t pee yourself again, did you? You reek.” “Forget it, I’ll feed them myself.” I looked down at the stains on my apron and clicked my tongue. Those two brutes were a handful. Took all my strength to get them settled, and now look, I’m covered in their mess. I wondered if this outfit would ever come clean. Lost in thought, a sudden shriek erupted from the backyard. Vanessa stumbled back inside, her eyes wide with terror. She clutched Derek’s sleeve, her face ashen. “Derek, the backyard’s covered in blood! Lucky and Treasure are gone!” Her voice was on the verge of tears. Derek frowned deeply, then turned to glare at me. “You’ve been home all this time, where are the dogs?” I touched my nose, a childish grin on my face. “Weren’t they what you just ate? You said it was delicious.” 2. At my words, Derek’s mind went blank, and then his stomach churned. Vanessa frantically gagged, practically retching bile. Her eyes bloodshot, she lunged at me. “You bitch, I’ll make you pay for this!” I stood my ground, unmoving, and silently counted to three. Soon, Vanessa and Derek collapsed to the floor, unconscious. I raised an eyebrow in satisfaction. The sedatives from the asylum worked like a charm. When they awoke again, they were bound tightly to chairs. I picked up a pair of scissors and walked straight to Vanessa. Her face contorted in fear as she shrieked, “Lily! What are you doing?!” I ignored her screams, and with a snip, I chopped off her proudly long hair, leaving it uneven and ugly. Vanessa struggled desperately, but in the end, she could only watch her hair fall, tears streaming down her face. I was simply giving her a taste of her own medicine, returning the favor for what she’d done to my sister. After her haircut, I grabbed a bucket of gasoline and poured a circle around them both. Derek’s eyes widened. “You fool, murder is a crime!” I paid him no mind, simply doused them both in the remaining gasoline. They instantly looked like drowned rats. Then, I smiled, a terrifying grin. “You two love playing games, don’t you? Well, today, I’ll play along.” The lighter clicked, igniting. Seeing that I wasn’t joking, Derek’s pupils constricted. He stammered, “Lily, let’s talk this through, don’t do anything rash.” I raised an eyebrow, a light laugh escaping my lips. “Alright, as long as you agree to two conditions.” “First, transfer five million into my account.” “Second, a divorce.” Lily’s body was a mess, she needed skin graft surgery, and the medical bills would be astronomical. The Sterling household was a living hell, a den of vipers. I had to get Lily out of there. Derek readily agreed to the first, but balked at divorce. “That’s impossible. My mother would never agree. She felt like she was dying back then, and marrying you was supposed to save her life.” “Without her blessing, I can’t divorce you.” I clicked my tongue in annoyance. These Sterlings were no good, and full of ridiculous rules. Derek, terrified I’d change my mind, immediately transferred five million into my account. As promised, I untied them. He slumped in the chair, letting out a relieved sigh. Suddenly, he sniffed himself, and his face instantly changed. “This is water.” I looked at him with a knowing smile. “What else would it be? You said it yourself, murder is a crime.” In my years at the asylum, I’d learned not to act impulsively. I wasn’t about to waste my life on scum like them. Derek’s forehead pulsed with anger, and his fists clenched, knuckles cracking. “You bitch.” I waved my phone, displaying their naked photos. “I advise you not to lose your temper. Sterling Enterprises is in its growth phase right now.” “If these photos get out, it won’t just be me who’s embarrassed.” Derek’s face flushed with fury, but he was helpless. Vanessa, just recovering from the shock of her hair being cut, saw the photos on my phone and completely broke down. “Bitch!” She grabbed the scissors from the table, looking ready to fight me to the death. But as soon as she took a step, a searing pain ripped through her stomach. The next second, Vanessa collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony. Watching her suffer, I feigned surprise and slapped my forehead. “Oops, I forgot to tell you.” “Besides sedatives, I also added abortifacients to that pot of dog meat stew.”

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After giving birth to her son, my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance. Furious, and relying on our identical faces, I knocked on David Miller’s bedroom door. I swore to torment her husband and son in her place. Ten years later, my sister returned. She saw her son, Leo, healthy and thriving, thanks to me. And David Miller’s booming business. She sneered, “I’m giving your boyfriend back to you. It’s time you returned the family you stole from me.” By then, my rich ex-boyfriend Julian Vance had long gone bankrupt. “Refuse, and I’ll tell everyone about your dirty secret of seducing your brother-in-law!” I gritted my teeth and accepted it. That night, I booked a flight, and a taxi sped through the streets. But David Miller, in the back seat, pulled me onto his lap: “I’m way more capable than that rich boy. Care to find out?” When my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance, she even sent me an intimate photo of them: [Goodbye, little sister. You couldn’t win against me when we were kids, and you can only admit defeat now that we’re grown up.] I was so angry. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my identical face to my twin sister. That very night, I knocked on David Miller’s door. If she dared to leave her husband and son in *my* city, then don’t blame me for making their lives hell! David Miller was a bit awkward with his wife’s sudden change in demeanor. But at that time, his business was struggling. He probably thought his wife disliked him for not making enough money, so she had a right to be mad. He became even more humble towards me. Every time I reprimanded or even hit him, he would just silently lower his head, promising to give me a good life soon. I knew my brother-in-law was honest. But I never expected him to be so damn spineless. So I turned my attention to bullying her kid. The child was with me until he was three, truly seeing me as his mother. But this mother was very strict. I didn’t give him food or drink, and sometimes I cursed at him. Every time, he would purse his lips, little hands clutching his shirt, looking at me with teary eyes. He’d timidly say, “Mommy, please don’t be angry… Leo will just go to his room by himself. Mommy, please don’t get sick from anger.” …This father and son were exactly alike in their honesty and spinelessness. Until I went to pick him up from kindergarten and saw a group of kids surrounding him, punching and kicking. I completely lost my composure. Only *I* can bully *my* son! And I haven’t even hit him like that myself! I immediately stormed into the principal’s office. The ringleader was the only son of a powerful local CEO. The principal told me to tolerate it, not to make a fuss. I walked right up and slapped that CEO across the face. David Miller apologized to the CEO for a long time; his humble demeanor made my blood boil. I forced the CEO to pay for Leo’s medical expenses, then grabbed the father and son and turned to leave. On the way back, David Miller seemed about to say something, then didn’t. I gave him an annoyed sideways glance: “What? Think I was too impulsive?” “Cough…” He awkwardly cleared his throat: “N-not exactly…” “Then shut up!” I snapped: “Either you make something of yourself so your son never gets bullied again. “Or *I’ll* step in. That’s better than our whole family being spineless!” I never expected David Miller to actually do it. Now, that CEO needs to send many gifts through intermediaries just to get an audience with David Miller. The Miller family truly made a name for themselves in New York. No one dared to bully little Leo anymore. After I stood up for him at the kindergarten that time, I looked at his frail body. I bit my lip, and even though David Miller was still in debt, I personally used my money to buy a lot of nutritional supplements: “Look how skinny you are! You deserve to be bullied! If you don’t eat up and get stronger, don’t call me Mom!” Under the supervision of me, his ‘stepmother,’ little Leo not only gained weight. His body fat percentage was also excellent. At ten years old, the child subtly developed muscles. Whether in terms of physical strength or social standing, no peer dared to lay a hand on him. Everything was perfect. Little Leo treated me as his mother. He’d boast to everyone about my heroic deeds of confronting the CEO in front of the principal. David Miller also treated me as his wife. After achieving success and fame, luxury goods were thrown into my hands without a care. Luxury cars and mansions were showered upon me without restraint. I, a woman who had never seen much money growing up, actually began to harbor the idea of “living like this for the rest of my life.” Until my sister returned. And pulled me out of my beautiful dream with my ‘husband.’

“Honestly, this decade of happiness? You stole every bit of it.” My sister sat opposite me, blowing a smoke ring into the air: “Even though I eloped with your boyfriend back then, my husband and son are still *my* husband and son. That doesn’t give you the right to turn around and take over my family.” She tapped off the cigarette ash: “I won’t pursue the matter of you stealing my things. Now, I’m giving Julian Vance back to you. “You give me back my husband and son.” I clenched my fists— Julian Vance had gone bankrupt a while ago. His financial situation was even tighter than David Miller’s back then. “Sister, you really know how to pick your moments. Stealing your sister’s boyfriend when your husband’s down and out, then coming back to be the rich wife after you’ve had your fill?” *CRASH!* The ashtray slammed to the floor by my feet. My sister lifted her chin: “Is that how you talk to your older sister? “And, Maya Summers, while I might have had a little something with your boyfriend, *you* seduced your brother-in-law and took over my son! “That’s *my* son, whom I just gave birth to! Don’t you think you’re utterly despicable and shameless? “Think about it, which is more disgusting and dirty!” My breath caught. She stood up, came over to me, and looked down on me: “If you dare refuse, I’ll spill all your dirty secrets. Then we’ll see who gets more hate, you or me.” I didn’t really care about getting criticized. Growing up, simply having enough to eat and drink was my only desire. Back when I was dating Julian Vance, didn’t everyone accuse me of only caring about money? I just thought of Leo. The sweet way that kid called me Mom. If this came out, what would he think? What would David Miller think? Taking a deep breath, I spoke: “Give me three days.” My sister frowned. “What for? Don’t I need to pack my bags? “Shouldn’t I clean up the traces I’ve left behind for you? “Don’t I need to write you a briefing about the changes these two have gone through in the last ten years?” My sister’s expression finally softened a bit. She let out a cold sneer: “If you dare to trick me, I promise you’ll regret it!”

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Late at night, my boyfriend texted me, “My dad isn’t happy with you. Let’s break up.” Drunk, I went to beg for him back, making a scene all night. But when I woke up, his dad was lying next to me. The man opened his eyes, grinning at me. “Are you satisfied with me now?” I snapped, annoyed. I was woken up in the morning by a phone call. “Daisy Miller, are you out of your mind? You called me 108 times last night!” His familiar voice came through the receiver. My voice was already choked with tears. “Ryan King, you finally called me back.” “Daisy Miller, we’ve already broken up. My dad doesn’t like you. It’s better a clean break than prolonged pain. I’m not coming back.” “What’s wrong with me? I can change, okay? I’ll change until your dad is satisfied. You know I can’t live without you.” “Uh, but I just don’t have feelings for you anymore.” No feelings anymore. How do you get feelings back? I couldn’t help but cover my face and cry, but my hand landed on rock-hard abs. A deep voice rumbled from beneath me. “If you want to get back with him, you might be more convincing if you got off me first, don’t you think?” That’s when I realized I was sprawled on top of a handsome man. My brain totally froze. I still hadn’t figured out who this man was. Then Ryan King’s voice came from the other end of the phone. “Dad?”

Dad? The man beneath me was his dad? My drunken haze cleared instantly. I hung up the phone in a flash. “Not getting off yet?” The man’s eyes narrowed at me. “Right. Mr. King.” It was, after all, my first time meeting my boyfriend’s dad. I wanted to appear as well-behaved as possible. But then I remembered I wasn’t wearing any clothes, and my resolve deflated. He never mentioned having such a young and handsome dad! “Mr. King? So now you’re well-behaved?” “You weren’t so quiet when you were biting me last night.” Ah! I froze in utter shock. I scrambled off him immediately and frantically started getting dressed. He watched me the entire time. And waited with immense patience until I was fully dressed. Then he asked, “Are you Ryan King’s girlfriend?” “Ex… ex-girlfriend.” I corrected him. “Do you remember anything from last night?” “I forgot.” I stood rigidly by the bed, like a guilty child caught by a strict teacher. “Hm, how do you plan to handle this?” I don’t know. My world just crashed down. Yesterday, I heard Ryan King’s dad was sick, so I planned to show some initiative and visit him, hoping he’d persuade his son not to break up with me. I just had a few drinks. How did I end up causing such a huge disaster? “Uh, Mr. King, please get well soon. I’ll visit you another time.” He glanced at me, then summed it up with one sentence. “Got it. You don’t want to take responsibility.” “No! I mean…” I hung my head. “I was wrong.” He stood up and slowly, methodically dressed. Even though his back was to me, the lines of his back still made my face flush. “I’ll have the driver take you back. My flight is in an hour, so I’m a bit short on time…” “No need!” I quickly averted my gaze. Just as I was about to leave, my eyes caught sight of the torn condom wrappers in the trash can, which were pretty jarring. To destroy the evidence, I swiftly grabbed the trash bag, intending to make a quick escape. The moment I pulled the door open, I bumped right into Ryan King. “Daisy Miller? What are you doing in my dad’s room?”

When he stormed in, my face was bright red, and his dad had just pulled up his pants. My hands and feet instantly turned cold, and my back broke out in a sweat. So this is what it feels like to be caught red-handed. My mind raced. “I heard your dad was sick, so I came to visit.” Ryan King turned to look at his dad. “Dad, is she really here to see you? Or just to annoy you?” “Hm, she visited… and annoyed me.” His dad was smiling. Ryan King looked really angry. “Daisy Miller, I know you’ve been having a hard time lately, but causing a scene at someone else’s house after we broke up is just really off-putting.” “I know!” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.” All I wanted to do now was escape. Just as I was about to leave, he called out to me again. “Wait, what’s that you’re holding?” “A trash bag.” I quickly hid the trash bag a little behind me. Ryan King looked exasperated again. “Daisy Miller, you don’t need to keep visiting my dad and taking out his trash and trying to curry favor. It’s all pointless.” “Honestly, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m sorry. If only you were a little prettier.” Me? We’d dated for three years, and he’d always been so gentle with me, saying I was cute. Now he was complaining I wasn’t pretty enough? My anger flared instantly. I lifted the trash bag in my hand and dumped it over his head. “This trash bag is less full of garbage than you are!” “I came here to break up with you, and the reason is you can’t perform.” Ryan King was instantly triggered. “Who can’t perform? Explain yourself!” “Whatever!” Who cared what he said? I turned and walked away. “Wait, why are there condoms in this trash, and three of them?!” I was already at the door, but my heart still lurched. Had the truth finally been exposed? “Dad, did you bring a woman home, and use the condoms I bought?!”

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Three years after my death, I was an absent guest at my own wedding. My fiancé, Damon Blackwood—the heir to a massive, influential empire—declared passionately before all the media: “Three years ago, Anya saved me in my darkest hour.” “If only she would appear, I promise to eternally fund all expenses for the Anya’s Home orphanage and sponsor the children’s education through Ivy League schools.” My Mom called me dozens of times, getting no answer, and angrily cursed me as an ingrate. My siblings, Leo and Chloe, also messaged, scolding: “Mom only has one biological child, you! Are you really going to hold a grudge against her even now?” Suddenly, I was the cold-blooded monster everyone scorned. It wasn’t until after the wedding that the police found a chest freezer at the demolition site of the old Anya’s Home orphanage. My Mom, the orphanage’s former director, finally discovered the truth. The scattered remains of a woman inside were mine. The body parts strewn across the ground made many guests throw up. Seeing the streaks of gray at Mom’s temples,my eyes welled up. Three years ago, Mom’s orphanage was in financial straits. Coincidentally, Damon Blackwood, the heir to a massive empire, proposed to me, promising a billion dollars in funding. Mom accepted on my behalf. That year, I had just started as a reporter, investigating a major case. Following the trail, we found the Blackwood Corporation. Before I could even share the good news with Mom, I was kidnapped and taken to Damon’s secluded estate. He tortured me for three months, cruelly dismembered my body, and stuffed me into a suitcase. When Mom finally remembered to look for me, he claimed that I had left in a huff because of the arranged marriage and was traveling abroad. Damon himself placed my body in the orphanage’s chest freezer. It remained hidden for three long years. During those three years, the orphanage was rapidly demolished and abandoned. A new orphanage was built in a better location. The day the old orphanage was torn down, Damon mentioned he wanted to see me. Mom sent me dozens of SnapChat messages, but there was no reply. From then on, she grew to hate me. She forbade anyone from speaking my name, searching for me, and even burned all my clothes and books. She wanted to force me to admit my mistake and come home. But my soul is trapped at the place where I was buried, cold and lonely, unable to be reincarnated. Until now, the chest freezer was opened by Mom herself, finally seeing the light of day. I could, at last, look at her one more time. Like I did as a child, trying to touch Mom’s hand, hoping she would recognize me. But she frantically flipped through the names of all the orphans in the registry, comparing each one. “Not Lily… not Rose… and not…” “Phew… this person isn’t one of our orphanage children.” “Director Hayes, think carefully, is there anyone you missed?” Mom paused, her eyes serious. “What exactly happened?” “This is the worst incident our city has seen in ten years! The victim was brutally tortured to death!” Everyone present exchanged uneasy glances, fear and sympathy etched on their faces. Mom sighed and shook her head. Perhaps my spiritual call was too strong, because before leaving, she looked at my body several times. But in the end, she didn’t recognize me. A bitter ache filled my heart, and I started to leave. Then I saw Damon approach. Mom quickly put on a smiling face, gazing at him adoringly. “Damon, dear, Mom is so sorry. The day of great joy has been turned into such an inauspicious mess. Anya is so childish, but luckily you’re so magnanimous. Mom truly needs to thank you!” My siblings, Leo and Chloe, also gathered around Damon, chattering and laughing. “Brother-in-law!” “This case happened at the old orphanage, it won’t affect our new one, will it?” “Don’t worry! My brother-in-law has vast magic powers. he can fix anything!” Mom patted his hand affectionately. “Don’t listen to these little rascals!” “Damon, you must be tired. Come home, Mom will make your favorite ribs!” “Mom is favoring Brother-in-law! I want some too!” “Brother-in-law is so much better! Unlike that heartless Anya, who didn’t even show up for her own wedding.” At the mention of my name, Mom suddenly froze. “That body just now… it looked about Anya’s age…” She didn’t finish before Damon, frowning, interrupted. “Mom, you’re overthinking it!” “Anya and I are still in contact. She’s living it up abroad; she’s just not ready to come home yet.” “Yeah, Sister is living the high life! Who cares about us, right?” My siblings sneered, their words dripping with disgust. Each word was a sharp knife piercing my heart. In the past, I would have been heartbroken for a long time. But now, my mind was a blank. My gaze locked onto the emerald jade pendant hanging from Damon’s neck. Inside it, I knew, lay the truth of my death!

I floated to Mom, wanting to scream and tell her. I hadn’t left in a fit of pique, nor had I abandoned my siblings or the orphanage. To tell her, Damon killed me. To tell her, the jade pendant around Damon’s neck was the evidence of my death! It was the family heirloom Mom had given me! But a veil lay between Mom and me, the living and the dead. She couldn’t hear my injustice, nor could she see my tears. She just clutched her anxious chest, taking Damon home to cook. Three years had passed, and the photo wall at home had changed. My section in the group photo had been removed. The picture of Mom and me, once proudly displayed in the center, was replaced by a snapshot of Damon, laughing, with his arm around Mom. Mom, usually so busy, now busied herself in the kitchen, chopping and dicing, preparing a pot of ribs for Damon. Just like the day I died, Damon arrived with the suitcase containing my remains, tiredly claiming I had stormed off abroad in anger, and he just needed someone to talk to. Mom offered to make him my favorite ribs, apologizing profusely, saying that “my Anya has a difficult temper.” Damon, acting dutifully, helped Mom wash vegetables, a tolerant smile on his face. Just as he had always done with me. I turned my back, unable to watch. Yet, the memory of meeting Damon for the first time flashed in my mind. He was the illegitimate son of the city’s wealthiest magnate, bullied relentlessly at Northwood University. I let him out of the locked bathroom, gave him a blanket. And encouraged him, word by word: “Your birth isn’t something you can control, but you can create everything you desire with your own hands.” I never expected that he would resort to any means necessary, even to the point of getting involved in the underground Industry. I repeatedly urged him to turn from his destructive path, promising I’d stick by him no matter what. But I never expected to be imprisoned in that mansion by his deranged cruelty. Even now, thinking about everything I endured during those three months, my soul still felt phantom pain. At first, he merely inserted needles into my fingertips; seeing I wouldn’t yield, he personally pulled out all my teeth. To conceal my identity, he burned off my skin, whipped me until there wasn’t an inch of unblemished skin. Finally, in a fit of rage, he put me on an industrial cutting table. Three months later, Mom received my letter of severing family ties. But if she had looked closely, she would have seen the handwriting was blurry and shaky. My fingertips were riddled with needles then; I couldn’t even hold a pen. But Mom just tore the letter to shreds in resentment, cursing me as a heartless beast. At this moment, I finally understood that the most painful thing wasn’t death. It was the oblivion and abandonment of those closest to you. I was truly unwilling. Unwilling to sleep in darkness, forever denied justice. Unwilling that my tormentor still walked free, and my loved ones were lost to me. Knowing it was impossible, I still hoped Mom could see me, speak for my injustice, and see justice served. But Mom’s next words, plunged me into an abyss of despair.

Damon lowered his eyes, apologizing softly:”Mom, it’s all my fault.” “If I hadn’t let Anya go abroad then, you wouldn’t be so sad.” Mom lovingly placed the largest rib onto his plate. “This has nothing to do with you.” “Even if Anya hadn’t left, I would have cut ties with her anyway!” Her eyes blazed with a fire that scorched my very soul. As they shared their cozy meal, I gradually understood. This wedding was Mom’s idea, all to secure funding from the Blackwood Corporation, so the orphanage children could afford to study abroad. Mom even admitted herself, she couldn’t bear to part with the children, but felt only annoyance towards me. “I was already too far along when I was pregnant with her, and I couldn’t abandon her, but I absolutely wouldn’t let the children suffer.” “I was an orphan myself, I know how hard it is. Everything she had, I’ll give to the children, doubled!” When Damon proposed to me, Mom not only didn’t worry about my well-being, but urged me to accept. In her eyes, marriage was a win-win: she could get rid of me and secure funding. After hearing their words, my soul felt like it was being ripped in two. My eyes burned with unshed tears, tears of blood. I couldn’t help but remember a thousand nights of my childhood. Remembering Mom, whom I sometimes didn’t see for a month. The day I got into a prestigious high school, Mom bought me a cake to celebrate. But Sam, one of the younger orphans, just stared at it, drooling, and Mom took the cake back to the orphanage. I didn’t get a single bite, bursting into tears, demanding to know why. But she always said:”Anya, what are you getting angry about?” “They’re your younger siblings, can’t they even have a bite?” Mom grabbed my arm and locked me in the chest freezer, telling me to calm down. I stayed there until my homeroom teacher found me the next day and rushed me to the hospital. Outside the emergency room, my guidance counselor called her dozens of times, but Mom never came. It turned out, Mom truly didn’t love me. I finally understood why she didn’t care about my life or death. Why she didn’t even recognize my corpse. It was because she didn’t care! She didn’t remember! I clutched my chest, almost suffocating. Just then, the police called again. Mom’s face paled drastically after she answered.

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Declan Reid was allergic to saliva. To scrape together enough money to marry me, he forced himself to take on kissing scenes. He’d even gone into anaphylactic shock once and ended up in the emergency room. Seeing that my family still wouldn’t budge, I secretly eloped with him to another state to get married. I even spent half my assets to pave his way in the entertainment industry. The day he won the Breakthrough Actor Award, he knelt before the cameras, looking straight at me. “From now on, no matter how famous I become, I swear I will never take another kissing scene. It’s only for my beloved wife.” That night, I received a video. In it, he was passionately kissing Willow Thorne, his face flushed with health. Willow pushed him away, breathless, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Mr. A-Lister, no more allergic reactions to my saliva?” Declan smirked, lifting her hips slightly. “You can try again, see what else I’m not allergic to…” Listening to their breathless sounds in the video, I didn’t even blink. With a flick of my wrist, I uploaded it for the whole internet to see. I posted: “A medical miracle! For all your bodily fluid allergy needs, consult Willow Thorne.”

That video instantly went viral. Declan didn’t come to argue with me until midnight like he used to. Instead, he immediately stepped forward, shouldering all the blame himself. “This is our job. Willow’s a newcomer in the entertainment industry; if you have a problem, direct it at me.” The director quickly clarified. “This was just a screen test we filmed. It was accidentally leaked. They’re completely innocent.” Every time Willow appeared in public, her eyes were teary-red. Netizens, heartbroken, insisted they’d misunderstood the two. Before I knew it, the blame was being squarely placed on me. “It’s all Skylar Harper’s fault, throwing a jealous fit, completely disregarding Declan’s livelihood.” “A public figure spreading rumors? So a celebrity’s wife gets to slander people, huh?” They flooded my social media, attacked my endorsement brands. All my partnerships were canceled. My negotiations for a supporting role were scrapped, and I was downgraded to an extra. Declan immediately released another statement that very night, hiring lawyers to sue those harassing me. “My darling wife can be a little spoiled and willful; it’s not her fault.” “Let’s put this behind us; I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” The topic instantly trended again. My Nana Eleanor, who lived in Miami for retirement, heard the news. She had a severe asthma attack and was rushed to the emergency room. “Declan, Nana’s in the hospital!” I cried, banging on his apartment door. The one who opened it was Willow, wrapped in just a towel, practically half-naked. “What’s with all the noise? If someone dies, just ship ’em off to the mortuary…” Water droplets from her freshly washed hair splashed onto my arm, and a bone-chilling cold instantly spread through me. “What are you talking about?!” Declan roughly pulled her aside. “Wife, we were just discussing the script…” He looked strangely flustered, then stepped aside, letting me see the director and screenwriter inside. “Don’t cry. I’ll go with you.” He wiped away my tears, pulled on his coat, and was about to head out. I was too frantic to speak, just nodding wildly. But the director inside called out to him. “Declan, Willow just threw up blood!” Declan immediately froze. “If you hadn’t picked a fight with her this afternoon, she wouldn’t have been so upset she skipped dinner.” The director grumbled, then scooped Willow up and rushed out of the room. As they passed us, Willow looked over, her eyes glistening. “Declan, it hurts so much…” Declan didn’t move. I was so enraged I lost all composure. “Declan Reid, Nana’s in the emergency room!” “If she hadn’t covered the ninety-million-dollar shortfall for your company, you’d be behind bars right now!” Declan gritted his teeth, then suddenly dropped to his knees, bowing his head in a profound gesture of pleading towards the distance. “Wife, Nana Eleanor still has your parents by her side.” “But Willow came to this city alone to make a name for herself; I’m the only one she can rely on.” Declan started out as a struggling extra; he said no one understood that kind of pain better than him. But he’d forgotten that I, too, had only him to rely on in this city. I couldn’t hail a cab, couldn’t book a flight, and stood crying desperately by the roadside. My parents called at five AM, tearing into me with a torrent of accusations. “You ungrateful wretch, your grandma raised you for nothing!” “You sacrificed seeing her one last time for a man? From this moment forward, you’re no longer a part of the Hayes family!” I choked back a sob, trying to explain, but the line was already dead. Just then, the jumbo screen on the building across the street flashed the morning’s entertainment news. Declan was slumped by Willow’s hospital bed, his hand tightly clasped around hers as he slept. I stared at the screen, calling Declan. It rang once, then he picked up. “Wife, did you make it to Miami?” “How’s Nana?” His voice on the other end sounded tired and weary. I wiped away my tears, my voice flat. “Meet me at the courthouse.”

Declan arrived fifteen minutes later. “Wife, I messed up.” He reached for my hand. I moved aside, pointing at Willow, pale-faced behind him. “We’re getting a divorce, and you brought her along to celebrate, huh?” Declan froze. “Divorce? What are you talking about? I came to take you home…” He realized, turning around. “You idiot, what are you doing following me here?” “It’s freezing out there!” He grumbled as he helped her into his own coat. He didn’t notice I was only wearing a shirt from last night, shivering uncontrollably. Willow whimpered, just crying. “I just wanted to be with you…” Before she could finish, I slapped her hard. Willow clutched her face, stumbled back a few steps, and fell to the ground. “Wife, are you out of your mind?!” Declan couldn’t help but scold me. He followed my gaze to the ground, then fell silent. “This is the sapphire pendant Nana Eleanor gave me.” I picked up that custom-cut sapphire ring. “Declan, didn’t you say the cleaning service lost it?” “So why is it on her hand?” Declan pressed his lips together. “Wife, a bracelet like this is nothing for you.” “So you just steal it to give to other women?!” Declan’s face turned cold. “Steal? Come on. I’ll just compensate you for it.” “Give it back.” He held out his hand. “That was my birthday gift to Willow.” Too fed up to argue, I pointed at the courthouse. “Go inside and get a divorce, and I’ll give it back.” Declan chuckled without humor. “This isn’t New York City, Skylar. And you’re not the untouchable socialite in front of me anymore.” He walked in without hesitation. Willow’s faint voice came from behind him. “I’m not short on expensive jewelry, Skylar.” “But you just love taking what’s not yours, don’t you?” I turned back, a smirk on my face. “You’ll soon find out if what you’ve snatched is a treasure or just worthless trash.” Three months after our divorce, Declan announced his engagement to Willow Thorne. He went to film sets with her every day, staying in the same hotel after work. The internet buzzed, saying Declan had found true love only after his divorce. Maya, my assistant, whispered in my ear. “He’s just after Willow’s family’s real estate empire, isn’t he?” I snapped, “Shut up, Maya. Don’t say another word!” But it was too late. Willow, in her high heels, strode up and slapped Maya, making her nose bleed. “What low-level nobody thinks they can talk to me like that?” The Thorne family did wield considerable power in Hollywood, and I was just a mid-tier actress who’d gotten in thanks to my family’s connections back east. I couldn’t fight her now; I could only swallow my pride and apologize. Willow raised an eyebrow, tossing an invitation from her purse. “Declan and my engagement party, Skylar. You simply must come.” Her entourage was large, and fans gathered outside the hotel. I suppressed my emotions, smiling as I took the invitation. “Of course.” The Thorne family’s engagement party was lavish, attended by dignitaries from all walks of life. I never expected the designer dress I’d just borrowed to be stained the moment I walked in. Willow, somehow, found a few goons to corner me right at the entrance of the Thorne estate. “Beg me, dollface, and I’ll let you pass.” The blond thug, a cigarette dangling from his lips, sauntered closer. The next second, Declan, who had just arrived, landed a punch square on his face. “Who the hell do you think you are, laying your filthy hands on her?!”

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At two in the morning, my mom suddenly called. “Chloe, your sister just had dinner with a friend, and her husband is insisting on a divorce. You *have* to help her.” I managed to lift my heavy eyelids, already knowing what this was about. “Mom, did Samantha have ‘dinner in bed’ with that friend? This is her ninth divorce, and she cheats every single time. What man would put up with being cheated on? I can’t help her.” Less than five minutes after hanging up, my mom called again. “Your sister agreed to the divorce, but she’s so hurt by all of this. As her sister, you need to transfer ten thousand dollars to help her with the emotional trauma.” My sleep-addled brain barely registered what she was saying. I mumbled an agreement and hung up. But in less than half an hour, the phone rang again. “Chloe, your sister wants your husband. You’re divorcing him tomorrow; she’s going to marry Liam.” That woke me up completely. I burst out laughing, furious. “Mom, you’re out of your mind! Liam has been my husband for three years, we’re happily married, and I just got pregnant! Divorce? You can forget about it!” I thought that would be the end of it. But the next morning, as soon as I turned my phone on, over a hundred missed calls popped up.

Seeing over a hundred missed calls, all from my mom, my heart sank. I bolted upright in bed. I thought something terrible had happened. I hurriedly called her back. “Mom, what in the world—” My mom cut me off with a cold laugh. “Well, well, still alive, are we?” “Didn’t die and couldn’t answer the phone? Are you trying to kill me with stress?” Hearing her booming voice, I let out a breath of relief and rubbed my temples. “Mom, I had an early shift today, my phone was off last night. What’s so urgent?” “Your sister is devastated by her divorce, and you had the nerve to turn off your phone and sleep? Have you no heart?” “Raising an ungrateful brat like you, I’d rather have raised a dog! You didn’t answer over a hundred calls. Do you think you’re hot stuff and can just ignore me now?” I sighed, exasperated. “Mom, I didn’t mean that. Samantha’s divorce is her own fault because she cheated. What does that have to do with me?” That sentence seemed to hit a nerve with my mom. Her voice suddenly rose, piercing my eardrums. “What do you mean, ‘it has nothing to do with you’? It’s *your* fault, you little bitch! You didn’t show your sister enough sympathy, and that’s why you’ve ruined her marriage!” I froze for two seconds. A familiar weariness slowly consumed me, and I felt a prickling pain all over my body. It was my fault again. Everything was my fault. Every single time Samantha was unhappy, it was all my fault. When she dropped out of high school to become a mistress and got humiliated and attacked by the wife, it was my fault. When she hung out with the wrong crowd, drank and street-raced, and had eight abortions, it was my fault. When she grew up and manipulated her way into nine marriages, the shortest lasting less than a week. Every time she was caught cheating, it was still my fault. It felt like my very existence, even my breathing, was wrong. After twenty-eight years of being treated like a doormat, I finally snapped. “Mom, if you think I’m such a bitch, then don’t call me again. Just pretend Samantha is your only daughter.” My mom’s voice instantly became shrill. “No! I gave birth to you, why wouldn’t I bother you? You have to give me money, you have to send me on trips, you have to buy me gold and silver! And when I’m old, you’ll be wiping my butt and waiting on me hand and foot 24/7! These are all things a piece of trash like you *should* do! This is your chance to atone!” I laughed, exasperated. “You gave birth to me, but wasn’t Samantha born to you too?” My mom stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world: “Can your sister be compared to you? She was born to live a life of luxury, you were born to serve.” My throat tightened, a painful lump forming. The favoritism, it’s always been there since childhood. I was never chosen, not once. I should have been used to it by now, but my chest still ached and swelled with that familiar bitter sadness. I fought back tears, about to hang up. My mom suddenly ordered, “Grab your ID and marriage certificate and get over here now!” My eyelids jumped. “What are you planning?” “Are you brain-dead? Didn’t I tell you yesterday? You’re divorcing Liam today. Your sister is going to marry him.” I was incredulous, my vision swimming. “Mom, are you insane?! Liam is my husband! Just because Samantha wants him, I have to hand over my own marriage too?” “What are you howling about?” She said impatiently, “Samantha is beautiful and successful. It’s an honor she even looked at your husband! She’s not even bothered that Liam’s ‘used goods’ after three years with you. What right do you have to complain? You’re a useless nobody, always have been, always will be, unlike your sister.” My ears buzzed, and I screamed, furious. “I’d die before I divorce him, and so would Liam!” “Oh really?” My mom chuckled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I already told Liam you were caught sleeping with five men in a hotel last night! He’s rushing back to divorce you right now, so he and Samantha can get married immediately.” I couldn’t believe my ears, tears streaming down my face in sheer anger. “Mom, how could you accuse me of something like that?!” She scoffed dismissively. “If you don’t divorce him, I’ll go to your company and spread rumors. I’ll expose you online, tell everyone you abused and beat me. I’ll drag your name through the mud, make sure no company ever hires you again. Yes, just like those online mobs on Ins and TikTok! You’ll be begging on the streets.”

Without giving me a chance to speak, the phone hung up. I quickly wiped away my tears, requested time off from my boss, and immediately took a taxi to the registry office. On the way, I called Liam. We work at the same company, but in different departments. He’d been busy with a major project recently, often pulling all-nighters, so he’d been sleeping in his office to avoid disturbing my rest. Hearing my choked voice, he immediately comforted me. “I’m already on my way to the registry office. Don’t panic, we’ll talk when I get there.” Liam and I, we’ve been together since high school, from school uniforms to our wedding outfits. Our love story felt so natural. Four years of dating, three years of marriage – we supported and tolerated each other through everything. Hearing his steady voice was like a calming balm. Not long after hanging up, I arrived at the registry office. From a distance, I could already hear my mom relentlessly harassing the staff. “Aren’t you here to solve marriage problems? I’ve already told you, my daughter is a cheater, a shameless hussy who sleeps around with a bunch of men! With proof like that, why aren’t you fast-tracking her divorce?” “What’s taking so long? Is it that hard to just click a few buttons on your computer? Just divorce her! My eldest daughter is waiting to marry her new husband!” This outrageous conversation stunned all the staff members. A young staff member said awkwardly, “Ma’am, we are a public service institution. Everything must be handled according to regulations. We cannot process a divorce without both parties present.” “Why not? If your husband was sleeping around with a bunch of women, would *you* put up with it and not divorce him? I bet you’re just like my daughter, probably begging to sleep with a bunch of men yourself!” The young woman’s face flushed crimson with anger. “Lady, what are you even saying?” “Am I wrong? Unless you understand exactly how she feels, why would you be dragging your feet on this divorce?” “I’m ordering you right now: divorce my youngest daughter and her husband, Liam, immediately! Then issue a marriage certificate for my eldest daughter and Liam! I’m giving you five minutes!” The staff’s faces went rigid. “Ma’am, marriage is a serious matter, you can’t just dictate it with a few words! If you keep causing trouble, we’ll have to call security!” Hearing this, my mom immediately slapped her thigh and theatrically slid to the floor, ready to cause a scene. “I don’t care! If you don’t listen to me today, I’ll cause such a commotion that your registry office will never be quiet! If anyone dares to touch me, I’ll break my arm and leg, and you’ll all be bankrupt from compensation!” I stood at the doorway, my knuckles white from clenching. Watching my mom make such a scene, all to force my divorce, a chill ran through me from head to toe. I walked forward, feeling utterly helpless. “Mom, that’s enough. Stop making a fuss.” Seeing me, my mom immediately sprang up and yanked me toward her. “Perfect timing! Hurry up and tell them you’re a slut who sleeps around with a bunch of guys, and you want an immediate divorce!” I forcefully pulled my hand away, unable to take it anymore. “I didn’t cheat! I am *not* getting divorced!” Hearing this, my mom lunged forward and slapped me across the face. “So you played the slut, and now you don’t want a divorce? How pathetic are you? How did I ever give birth to such a worthless piece of trash? Liam belongs to your sister! You’re getting divorced today, whether you like it or not!” Samantha suddenly appeared from somewhere, yelling, “Sister, I always told you to cherish your marriage! Look at you, you’ve had eight abortions before marriage, and you’re still acting like a slut even after! What man could put up with that? Just hand Liam over! Only a good woman like me deserves him!” Staring at their disgusting faces, listening to the whispers of passersby, I laughed, a bitter, furious sound. When Liam and I got married, my mom and Samantha used to call him a pauper, chase him with brooms, throw cold water on him! They stood at our door, screaming he’d be a beggar his whole life. Because we had no money, we didn’t have a wedding or a banquet. My mom didn’t give me a single dime for a dowry. Now that he’s successful at work and has been promoted to company Vice President, they’re shamelessly trying to snatch my husband. Seeing my silence, my mom tried to hit me again, but her hand was caught mid-swing.

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