Category: English

The morning after my one-night stand with Damian Thorne, my private photos were plastered all over the internet. Everyone scorned me, mocking how a seemingly poised and elegant dancer could be so wild and reckless behind closed doors. I cried as I confronted Damian, demanding an explanation, but he humiliated me in public. “I just wanted to see what a prima ballerina was like in bed. Thought it would be amazing, but it was nothing special.” “Scarlett Hayes is the only one for me. What we had? Just a game.” He wrapped his arm around Scarlett Hayes, the very dancer who’d lost to me in every international competition we’d ever faced off in. His expression was smug and utterly contemptuous. It was then I realized: his three years of passionate pursuit of me had been nothing more than an elaborate plot to get back at me for Scarlett! Overnight, I plummeted from grace, branded a whore everyone could mock. Meanwhile, Damian openly paraded Scarlett everywhere, spoiling her rotten, treating her like a goddess. Three months later, he seemed to remember me, asking almost casually, “By the way, is Aurora Reed still begging for me to come back?” “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Reed is married. To your most hated rival.”

As I stumbled out of the Thorne mansion, my assistant, Chloe, called. “Aurora, the ballet company informed me that my reputation made me unsuitable for the lead role in Swan Lake. They even sent a termination letter…” “All my endorsements are bailing, and they’re suing me for damages!” “Please, Aurora, go beg Mr. Thorne! Everyone saw how desperately he loved you for three years. He’d never let you endure such humiliation!” Hearing Chloe’s choked voice, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. But even if I opened my mouth, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. The man who orchestrated my ruin, who sent me spiraling to rock bottom, was Damian himself. The sweeter our past moments, the crueler my reality now. His so-called love at first sight? A lie. His undying love? A lie too. His three years of passionate pursuit, his countless extravagant gestures, his endless nights by my side – it was all just an elaborate trap meant for me. Once he’d taken my virginity and helped his beloved deal me the ultimate blow, I became useless trash, tossed aside without a second thought. Only last night, he’d held me so tenderly, his whispers of love echoing in my ears, kissing my forehead again and again. “Aurora, you are the woman I, Damian Thorne, love most in this life. I want you to stay by my side forever.” “After tonight, I’ll go back and reject the arranged marriage my family had planned for me. I’ll tell them you’re the woman I’m going to marry.” “I’ll throw you a lavish wedding of the century that everyone will envy, and make you my cherished Mrs. Thorne, okay?” I was so moved, I almost told him that I was the sole heiress of the powerful Reed Corporation, whom his family had desperately tried to arrange a marriage with. I’d only kept it a secret to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer. I truly believed that when he returned to his family and discovered this, he’d be even more thrilled, convinced we were a match made in heaven. But instead, it became the most exquisite irony against myself. Fated love? Just a cruel performance. From the very beginning, it was a complete sham. Damian never loved me, so how could he ever betray me? I hung up the phone, lost in thought, and tripped in a puddle, falling hard. Seeing me sprawled on the pavement, covered in mud, everyone around me burst into scornful laughter. “Isn’t that the high and mighty Aurora Reed, the prima ballerina? Looks like Mr. Thorne was done with her, and now she can’t even walk straight!” One of the rich guys I’d turned down, Blake Morrison, leered at me, his eyes slithering over my body like a snake. “Since Mr. Thorne doesn’t want you, why not consider me?” “My fortune isn’t as grand as his, but I can certainly afford a few cheap thrills like you!” As they humiliated me, Damian stood behind them, arm wrapped around Scarlett, whispering intimately to her, not lifting a finger to defend me. Seeing that, any last shred of affection I had for him evaporated. But just as I struggled to my feet, preparing to leave, a saccharine voice suddenly chimed in from behind me. “Damian, I lost one of the diamond earrings you gave me. Aurora was the only one near us earlier…”

Scarlett Hayes pouted, her brow furrowed in a pitiful display, touching her half-bare earlobe. “If it were any other jewelry, it wouldn’t matter, but it’s the special gift you gave me for my eighteenth birthday. I’ve always treasured it like my life. If it’s lost, I’ll cry for ages…” Damian gently rubbed her shoulder, comforting her, then shot me a cold glare. “Aurora Reed, be smart, hand it over now.” “Otherwise, if my men find it, things will get messy.” Through gritted teeth, I spat, “Damian, I’m not as despicable as you think!” “When I said I was breaking up with you, I didn’t even take a single thing you ever gave me. Why would I take her earring?!” The onlookers snickered, whispering that I was just a struggling dancer, living off my performances, with no right to act so high and mighty. They claimed I must have hidden away plenty of Thorne family jewels. Damian scoffed, looking too impatient to deal with me. He casually waved over two bodyguards. “Go. Search her thoroughly. Don’t hold back.” In that moment, my heart was pierced by a thousand arrows, I couldn’t breathe from the pain. After three years together, I refused to believe Damian didn’t know my character. But just to get back at me for Scarlett, he was willing to let me be branded a thief, all to humiliate me further! When the bodyguards’ hands reached for me, I slapped them away. “Don’t touch me!” In front of everyone, I emptied my bag, throwing it on the ground. “You want to search? Go ahead! If you find anything that isn’t mine, I’ll pay you back a hundredfold!” My belongings spilled onto the ground: only a few simple makeup items and some ointment and bandages for dance bruises. Amidst the mocking jeers about my meager possessions, the bodyguards meticulously searched everything, flipping my bag inside and out three or four times. Finally, they shook their heads at Damian. Damian frowned slightly, then lowered his head, gently coaxing Scarlett. “It’s okay if we can’t find it. I’ll buy you another set, no, a hundred sets of couture jewelry, how about that?” Scarlett pouted and shook her head. “No, Damian, that was your first gift to me, it has so much meaning. No other jewelry can replace it!” “Besides, Ms. Reed hasn’t been searched completely yet, has she? She’s still wearing so many layers of clothes…” Looking at her venomous smile, I could hardly believe these words were coming from another woman, let alone a dancer. “Scarlett Hayes, don’t push it!” “No matter how low I’ve fallen, Scarlett, you can’t use a cheap earring to humiliate me!” “Since you’re accusing me of stealing, fine! I’ll call the police. Let them figure out who’s right and who’s wrong!” Just as I reached for my phone, Damian motioned for his bodyguards to snatch it directly from me. “Aurora Reed, this is the Thorne estate. You play by my rules.” “Every piece of clothing on your body was given to you by me. Since you insist on a clean break, you’ll return it all.” “Men, strip her, piece by piece!”

The late autumn night in Blackwood City was cold and desolate. I was held down in front of the Thorne mansion gates, and in front of the entire city’s elite and the flashing cameras of the media, my clothes were stripped off piece by piece. With each garment removed, shrill whistles and mocking laughter erupted. Before long, I was bare except for my underwear and a sheer silk slip. Even my stockings and shoes were gone. The biting wind whipped my hair, sticking it to my tear-streaked face. I felt utterly humiliated. Anyone with half a brain could see there was nowhere left on my body to hide any jewelry. I hugged myself, tears streaming down my face, and looked at Damian. “It’s come to this, can you stop now, Damian?” “All this time we were together, I never asked you for anything.” “Just this once, please, I’m begging you, leave me some shred of dignity. Can you?” The bodyguards hesitated, their gazes turning to Damian for instruction. Damian sat regally at the center of the courtyard banquet, his handsome face was cast in stark relief by the lights, half in shadow, half illuminated. His expression was unreadable. “Since that’s the case, then…” He hadn’t even finished his sentence when Scarlett giggled, cutting him off. “Since she’s already stripped this far, why not strip completely? That way, Ms. Reed’s innocence can be fully proven, don’t you agree, everyone?” If this were before, everyone in Blackwood City knew how utterly obsessed Damian was with me, and no one would have dared disrespect me. But now, they all knew I was just a discarded woman, and Scarlett Hayes was the apple of Damian’s eye. They all nodded in agreement with her. “Exactly! I bet that slip of hers could hide plenty more!”

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend’s work error cost the company $100 million. Her first move was to fabricate evidence, trying to frame the new intern to take the fall for her. I desperately held back my boyfriend, who was about to commit perjury for her. “Don’t go! A hundred million dollars is no small matter. The police will eventually trace it back to you, and then it won’t just be your career, your entire life will be over!” Under my pressure, my boyfriend told the truth about what happened. For this, he earned the appreciation of the company executives and rose quickly through the ranks. Meanwhile, his childhood friend was convicted of corporate misconduct and sentenced. Unable to cope, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. My boyfriend calmly, almost unnervingly so, handled her funeral arrangements and proposed to me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of her death, he took me to her grave. He pulled out a dagger and started slicing into my body, one cut after another. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive nerves. He looked at me, a bloody mess, and gave a sinister grin. “If I had committed perjury for Chloe back then, she would still be alive. If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Die! Bitch! Go join Chloe in her grave!” I died, consumed by hatred. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my boyfriend, looking anxious and ready to commit perjury for Chloe. I smiled. He didn’t know that the new intern was the chairman’s only daughter. And the chairman? He was a notoriously doting father…

“Ryan, you personally reviewed the Summit Tech contract. Tell me, whose signature is at the bottom of that contract, mine or Ava’s?!” Chloe’s pleading, almost childish tone snapped me back to reality. I glanced at Ava, the company’s new intern, standing beside us, looking lost and overwhelmed. It hit me then: I’d really been reborn. In my previous life, it was at this exact moment that I stopped Ryan, forcing him to tell the truth when the executives questioned him. I later found out that Ava was actually the chairman’s daughter. Because of this, Ryan gained favor with the company’s upper management and was promoted to Vice President that very year. Chloe, however, was prosecuted by the company for corporate misconduct. It was her mistake from the start. If she’d just had a better attitude, there might have been room for leniency, but she chose to be stubborn until the very end. Eventually, due to cyberbullying and immense pressure from the company, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. Ryan calmly handled her funeral and married me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of Chloe’s death, he took me to her grave. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive parts of my body. He held the dripping knife, his eyes filled with ruthless cruelty and hatred. “If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Today is Chloe’s anniversary, and your corpse is the best gift I can give her!” I watched my own blood drain away, dying, consumed by hatred in excruciating pain. “Eleanor, what’s wrong with you? Why are you holding onto me?” Ryan’s impatient voice pulled my thoughts back. I looked down, then snatched my hand away from Ryan as if I’d been electrocuted. Ryan smoothed out his shirt, which I’d clutched and wrinkled, his voice laced with a threat. “Eleanor, don’t you dare meddle! Chloe’s in trouble, and I can’t just abandon her. Don’t be petty and jealous, I’m telling you…” “I don’t care.” I cut Ryan off before he could finish. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, but Chloe’s sobs didn’t give him time to think any further. He pulled Chloe along and headed for the door. “Don’t worry, Chloe. That contract was definitely signed by Ava. Come on, let’s go to Legal and clear this up. I’ll testify for you!” Ava, tears welling in her eyes, rushed after them. As she left, her helpless gaze swept over me, making my heart clench. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Reborn, I had to seize control. With that thought, I bolted towards the surveillance room. It seemed Ryan had been prepared; the surveillance footage of Chloe signing the contract had been deleted. Luckily, I’d learned some tech skills on my own for work. After thirty frantic minutes, I finally managed to recover the footage and back it up to my phone. Just as I let out a sigh of relief, the surveillance room door was violently pushed open. “Eleanor, there’s trouble in the main conference room! The new intern is threatening to jump!” I rushed over with my colleague. As I entered, I saw Ava, her face streaked with tears, standing by the open window, trembling and sobbing. “That contract really wasn’t signed by me! I need to see the surveillance footage! Otherwise, I’ll jump!” Everyone was at a loss for what to do, when Chloe suddenly stepped forward. She pointed at the shaking Ava and blurted out, “Go on, jump! If you really jump, then everyone will believe you!” Ava’s eyes were filled with despair. She looked at Ryan, her voice hoarse. “I need to see the footage…” “See what?! That exact segment of the footage was deleted! Ava, I bet you deleted it yourself, didn’t you? Didn’t think you’d be such a schemer for someone so young!” As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she and Ryan exchanged a quick, knowing glance, their eyes filled with a triumphant smirk that their plan was about to succeed. Accusations from colleagues echoed in my ears. “Young lady, you can’t behave like this. If you made a mistake, admit it. What’s with this suicide threat?” “Yeah! If it wasn’t you, why was that footage deleted?” “Just admit it! Otherwise, we’ll all have to share the blame for this loss!” The crowd was quick to turn, indeed. I was frantically trying to figure out what to do, when a furious roar suddenly came from outside the door. “What’s all this commotion?!”

The person who arrived was Mr. Henderson, the General Manager of the Legal Department. Seeing the executive, Chloe immediately stepped forward and pointed at Ava. “Mr. Henderson, this new intern messed up the contract, causing the company a $100 million loss! Now she’s making a scene, threatening to jump!” Mr. Henderson looked at Ryan, who stood nearby. “Ryan, you’re always in charge of contract approvals. Is what she’s saying true?” Ryan nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s true! The contract submitted definitely has Ava’s signature!” “Mr. Henderson, it really wasn’t me! I need to see the contract! Otherwise, I’ll jump right now!” Ava sobbed as she looked at Mr. Henderson, a flicker of determination visible in her helpless eyes. As a high-ranking executive, Mr. Henderson was skilled at reading people. Even though Ava was just an intern, this was a human life at stake. He frowned and looked at the colleague responsible for surveillance. “Go, pull up the footage…” Before Mr. Henderson could finish, Ryan interrupted him and quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Henderson, that segment of the footage was deleted by Ava herself…” “I didn’t delete it! It wasn’t me!” Ava’s emotions grew more frantic. The tension and exhaustion made her shake like a leaf. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she stumbled backward, tilting towards the open window! A collective scream erupted from the crowd, while a gleam of delight flashed in Chloe and Ryan’s eyes. Eight years ago, the memory of being bullied by senior employees when I was an intern at this company flashed before my eyes. There was no time for hesitation. I sprang forward and grabbed Ava’s wrist. Then, I looked at Mr. Henderson, gritting my teeth. “I have the footage!” I followed Mr. Henderson to his office, walking past Ryan and Chloe, whose eyes were filled with threats and unease. As I passed Ryan, he grabbed my wrist. “Eleanor, I’m telling you, don’t meddle!” I yanked my hand free, and once in the office, I placed the surveillance footage directly in front of Mr. Henderson. “Mr. Henderson, I just recovered this footage from the surveillance room. The person who originally signed that contract wasn’t Ava at all, it was Chloe!” As the footage played, Mr. Henderson’s face grew paler and paler. He slammed his fist on the table. “Those two have some nerve! Not admitting their own mistakes! And almost causing someone’s death!” “Mr. Henderson, I believe this matter must be severely punished, otherwise wouldn’t it encourage such a culture of cronyism? And that’s a $100 million loss!” Seizing on Mr. Henderson’s rising anger, I quickly offered my two cents. “More importantly…” I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “that new intern’s last name is Sterling…” Mr. Henderson’s hesitant gaze froze instantly after hearing my last words. He swallowed nervously, repeatedly. After a long moment, he grabbed my hand. “Eleanor, you truly saved my life!” I knew very well that without using Ava as leverage, the company would be reluctant to impose severe penalties. Just like in my previous life, the company had initially given Chloe a chance to settle. But now, once Mr. Henderson knew Ava’s identity, it meant that Ryan’s career was completely over… Watching Mr. Henderson storm out, I felt a sudden wave of relief. Without the status and power he had in my previous life, this time, no matter how unwilling Ryan was, he wouldn’t be able to cause any serious trouble. I took a deep breath and stepped out. As I pushed open the office door, I bumped into Ava, her face still streaked with tears. Seeing me, she kept nodding profusely in thanks. Finally, she placed a faded, yellowed hair clip in my hand. “Eleanor, I’m leaving the company today. You keep working hard here. If you ever run into trouble, just take this to the highest executive with the last name Sterling. He’ll definitely help you!” With that, she turned and ran off. I sighed, carefully placing the hair clip in my pocket. Though it was just a faded, yellowed clip, I knew that in this life, this might be the turning point of my destiny… A cool breeze swept by, sending a shiver down my spine. The scene of Ryan’s insane retaliation from my previous life suddenly flashed in my mind. Thinking about the life I was still entangled in with Ryan, I immediately called a car and headed towards our shared apartment. But as soon as I stepped out of the company building, I was surrounded by a group of security guards. Ryan and Chloe strode towards me, following closely behind Mr. Henderson. Mr. Henderson, who had been so profoundly grateful to me moments ago, now looked at me with a grim expression.

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The Imposter, My Wife, And A Deadly Secret On our fifth wedding anniversary, my beloved wife was hit by a car right in front of me. All our friends and family, who had gathered to celebrate, rushed towards my wife, lying in a pool of blood. But I, a doctor, immediately gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the female driver who had only fainted from shock. Mr. Hayes, my father-in-law, was enraged. He grabbed my collar, pointing at his brutally injured daughter. “Look closely! That’s the woman who worked so hard for you all these years! Why aren’t you saving her first?” Our relatives surged forward, ready to teach the driver a lesson. Yet, I, the guy everyone jokingly called a ‘devoted husband,’ pulled the female driver into my arms, shielding her tightly. “I’m not saving her, because she doesn’t deserve it!” Mrs. Hayes, my mother-in-law, cradled Elara Hayes, who was covered in blood, and screamed at me, her voice raw. “If you hadn’t mentioned those artisanal croissants from that little French bakery on the corner, Elara wouldn’t have gone out to get them and ended up like this! Do you have any conscience at all?” Seeing the takeout bag still clutched tightly in Elara’s hand in her final moments, my heart clenched. The party hadn’t even started, and I’d just casually mentioned it. It was close to the bakery we loved most after we got married, and I’d said I really missed the taste. Without a word, she’d left our friends and family and hurried out to buy them. “We’ve been apart for so long, and you finally came home and wanted these. Of course, I had to get them for you!” Just a second ago, her gentle smile had been floating before my eyes. Now, only a terrifying mask of blood remained. The croissants lay scattered on the ground, still steaming, many stained with blood, a truly horrifying sight. But my face regained its usual cold indifference. I turned to the driver in my arms, gently brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “Just because she was getting me croissants, does that mean this driver deserves to be scared unconscious for hitting her? She just bled a little; look at this girl, her face is ghost-white!” Everyone gasped, unable to believe these words came from me, the man always seen as deeply in love with Elara. My brother-in-law, Cameron Hayes, charged forward like a madman, landing a punch square on my face. “Is that even a human thing to say?! My sister was in the crosswalk, she wasn’t breaking any rules! This woman ran a red light and plowed right into her! You won’t save your critically injured wife, but you’re publicly kissing this guilty bitch? You’re an animal!” Liam Miller, my assistant, who had always respected me, quickly stepped in front of me, trying to explain. “Everyone, calm down! I’ve already called an ambulance from our hospital! Boss must have seen that this person’s injuries were lighter, and he could manage them, so he prioritized CPR. And Mrs. Hayes’s injuries are too severe, requiring specialized equipment, so he made this choice. Please, everyone, stay rational!” Hearing the medical student speak, everyone froze, unsure whether to believe him. Liam looked at me, his face full of expectation. “Boss, please, explain it to them! You’re about to be promoted to Chief next month, this is no time for jokes!” I gave him a grateful look, but still shook my head. “Liam, thank you, but I’m not saving her because of a judgment about the severity of her condition. I simply don’t want to save her.” This time, even the strangers watching were furious. “Damn it, are you even a man?! Not saving your own wife but holding another woman? Did you fall for her because she drives a fancy car?” “Your wife was in that accident *for you*! How can you be so cold-blooded?” “How can you just stand there watching your wife’s breathing get weaker, doesn’t your conscience bother you?” The light in Liam’s eyes instantly shattered. “But… why? Don’t you remember when I first joined the clinic, you told me yourself that saving lives and healing the sick isn’t just a job, it’s how we build up good karma, so that one day, when our loved ones are in peril, someone will be there to save them! But today, you had the chance to personally save her, how can you just watch Mrs. Hayes die?” My heart ached, but I forced a faint smile, pointing at Elara. “Who said she’s the one I love most? I made a casual remark, and she rushed out to buy something without a thought for the consequences, even showing off by crossing the street recklessly. Isn’t it her own fault she got hit?” Our relatives erupted in fury. If the ambulance hadn’t arrived, they probably would have torn me limb from limb. Watching them frantically guide the paramedics toward Elara, I, however, rushed ahead, carrying the female driver directly into the ambulance. “Don’t mind them, let’s go!”

Because I was a well-known figure at the hospital, the ambulance driver recognized me and assumed the woman in my arms was a critical patient. He immediately floored the accelerator and sped off, completely oblivious to the frantic shouts and curses of our relatives behind us. When they arrived later in another ambulance, they saw me standing outside the ICU and rushed over, full of righteous indignation. Mrs. Hayes grabbed my collar and pounded my chest. “Alex Sterling, are you even human?! You came from nothing, but we never looked down on you. Elara went with you on that three-year assignment to that godforsaken desert town, just to help you build your career, enduring all the hardships! You developed kidney failure there, and it was Elara who donated a kidney to save your life! You’d barely returned to enjoy some peace when you were assigned away for another year for a promotion, leaving her to manage everything at home alone! We finally welcomed you back to celebrate your wedding anniversary, How could you steal her ambulance and leave her critically injured, all for the enemy who harmed her?” Watching the battered and bruised Elara being wheeled into the emergency room, I merely shrugged. “Well, you brought her here, didn’t you? That female driver has no family. If I don’t take care of her, am I supposed to just watch her die?” Cameron shoved me hard. “You’re full of it! That bitch doesn’t even have a scratch, she just fainted from a guilty conscience! How can she compare to my sister?” Mr. Hayes swung an old man’s punch, and my lip split and started to bleed. “Are you blind or heartless? How could my daughter have fallen for such an ungrateful jerk?!” The commotion alarmed Dr. Ben Carter, a good friend of mine who was on duty. He frowned and walked out. Seeing a group of people angrily surrounding me, he quickly spoke up for me. “What are you all doing? This is a hospital, what kind of behavior is this, yelling and screaming? Dr. Sterling is known throughout our hospital as a devoted husband; I was on assignment with him. He always said he felt sorry for his wife, wanting to FaceTime her every day, and sending her anything good he ate. How can you all gang up on him like this?!” He then pulled me away from the punches, his face worried. “Dr. Sterling, Mrs. Hayes is indeed seriously…” But I waved my hand. “Don’t talk about her. How’s that female driver?” A flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Carter’s eyes, then his brow relaxed. “You’re worried the perpetrator might be in trouble and you won’t be able to hold her accountable, right? Don’t worry, she just fainted from shock, and she probably didn’t sleep well last night, which is why she hasn’t woken up. After all, Mrs. Hayes is the difficult case…” I waved my hand again, interrupting him. “Forget about her. You must ensure that driver receives the best care!” Mr. Hayes clutched his chest, his beard trembling with rage. “See?! What ‘good husband,’ what ‘devoted wife’! He’s just an ungrateful monster!” Dr. Carter’s eyes instantly filled with disappointment. He shook his head and handed me a phone. “Mrs. Hayes loved you so much, even setting your picture as her lock screen, and this is how you treat her! Don’t you get tired of acting so loving in front of me every day?” Other colleagues, having heard the commotion, rushed over. Because I had always been an admired role model at the hospital, they quickly restrained the agitated Dr. Carter. “You and Dr. Sterling have always been close, and he’s always kind to people. Now that something’s happened in his family, don’t make things worse!” I took the opportunity to unlock the phone. Sure enough, the lock screen displayed a picture of me looking dashing during my assignment. Everyone’s eyes fell on the phone. Our relatives couldn’t help but look distraught, bursting into tears. “Elara has been through so much! She must have made it through this past year relying on this photo! Who would have thought that the man she yearned for was a complete jerk?!” Mrs. Hayes, tears streaming down her face, snatched the phone, but then suddenly clutched her mouth and let out a shriek. “No, this isn’t my daughter’s phone!”

Everyone was startled. Dr. Carter quickly explained. “That shouldn’t be right, the paramedics brought it over, and the lock screen photo is still Dr. Sterling…” He suddenly looked at me, shocked. “This is… that female driver’s phone?” My other colleagues, who had been hesitant about my behavior, unconsciously took a step back, distancing themselves from me. “Dr. Sterling, you’ve always said you felt guilty about Mrs. Hayes, that she suffered a lot for you. How could you stoop to such despicable acts?” “No wonder he didn’t care about Mrs. Hayes, only about that driver. How can a man like this still be a role model for us to learn from?!” “He even sent his mistress back first to monopolize rescue resources, almost causing Mrs. Hayes to miss the critical window for rescue. It’s disgusting!” But I didn’t care. I pulled out my special personnel identification. “Enough with the chatter, saving lives is paramount. With this ID, I have priority treatment privileges. All the best equipment and rooms are to be allocated to that female driver. If she’s not comfortable, I’ll hold you all accountable!” Everyone stared at me in disbelief. Even the onlookers couldn’t stand it, raising their phones to record me. “Are you insane? That bitch is just tired, but your wife is dying!” “Doctors should treat all patients equally! How dare you use privileges to hog medical resources for your mistress?! We’re exposing you, you scumbag!” “He’s even stealing life-saving resources from his own wife! He’s an animal!” The commotion was so great it alerted the hospital administrators. They came down, heard the full story, and slammed their hands on a table, furious. “Dr. Sterling, we all believed you possessed a noble spirit, and your wife was gracious and devoted. Your promotion wasn’t just due to our regard for you, but also an affirmation of your wife’s sacrifices. But with your current misconduct, how can you face the hospital and your family who have supported you?!” I remained calm, raising an eyebrow. “You yourselves said that as doctors, we should treat all patients equally. Now, if I choose not to save her and prioritize a stranger, why is that wrong? Who is truly hypocritical here, me or you?” The administrators were left utterly speechless, shaking their heads with disappointment. “We truly misjudged you! You don’t deserve the Chief’s position!” Suddenly, Liam, who had rushed into the emergency room to save Mrs. Hayes the moment we arrived, walked out, his eyes red. He handed me a blood-stained ultrasound report, his face filled with sorrow. “Boss, open your eyes and look at this carefully. It was just found in Mrs. Hayes’s clothes. She’s been pregnant for over a month, and she probably wanted to tell you today! But after suffering such severe injuries today, the baby can’t be saved! I’ve followed you for so long, I don’t believe you’re such a heartless person! I’ll never forget the deep affection on your face when you invited me to your and Mrs. Hayes’s wedding anniversary! You’ve been a doctor for so many years, but yesterday afternoon you swapped your shift for the first time just to buy Mrs. Hayes an anniversary gift. That’s when I knew you truly loved her, how could you betray her?! Just tell the truth, do you really know this driver? Or is someone trying to frame you out of jealousy, knowing you’re about to become Chief?” My nose stung. I knew I hadn’t misjudged him; my devoted apprentice’s kindness would indeed make him a good doctor. But at this moment, I could only take a deep breath, smile, and shake my head. “No one is framing me, I just really want to save this female driver. As for the baby, if it couldn’t be born, it just proves it had a short life; no one else is to blame!” Liam froze, shaking his head in disbelief. Just then, the ICU nurse wheeled out the still-sleeping female driver.

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My mom always said I was born a dummy. By the age of three, I still couldn’t say “Mom.” She dragged me to the clinic for an evaluation. The specialists in white coats asked endless questions, handing me little blocks to stack. I was actually doing pretty well, but then mom pinched my upper thigh so hard under the table that my vision swam. I screamed and burst into tears. I shoved the stacked blocks over, drooling everywhere. The certificate was approved quickly. an intellectual disability. My mom clutched that document, looking happier than if she’d won the lottery. She pinched my cheek, smiling. “Mommy’s little fool, from now on, I’m counting on you!” I nodded eagerly, my face stretched in a vacant grin. I didn’t really know what that piece of paper meant. But I knew that the meager $350 a month in disability benefits would be enough for Mom and me to eat meat. And that was enough. …… When I was six, my neighbor, Leo, went to school with a brand-new backpack. The colorful backpack seemed to shimmer, making my eyes ache with longing. I clung to the door frame, drooling onto the floor, a desperate ache scratching at my heart. I whispered to Mom, “Mom, can I go to school?” She was counting the month’s benefits money. She snapped her head up, her gaze cutting through me like a knife. “What for? You’re a dummy. Going to school would be a waste of money, wouldn’t it?” I wiped my drool, my voice even softer, a barely audible whisper. “I’m not a dummy…” She sprang to her feet, yanking my ear until tears welled in my eyes. Her breath was hot against my face as she hissed. “Shut up! Say you’re not a dummy one more time, and you’ll go to bed without dinner!” She rummaged through Daniel’s old, smelly clothes, pulling some out for me to wear. Then she smeared mud all over my face and hands, black dirt under my fingernails, and finally sighed in relief. “Remember,” she said, her voice low and sharp. “Outside these walls, you’re a fool. Fools don’t get to be clean. They don’t get to be smart. They don’t get to go to school.” From that day on, I, Daisy, became the undisputed ‘little dummy’ of our small town.

The other kids in town saw me like I was the plague, scattering whenever they spotted me. “Run! Dummy Daisy is coming! Stupidity is contagious!” Sometimes they couldn’t get away fast enough, and rocks would come flying. My forehead bled, warm and sticky, blurring my vision. Everything was red. I cried my way home. Mom was cooking by the stove, she didn’t even turn her head. “What’s there to cry about? So what if a dummy gets hit a couple of times? It won’t kill you.” She pulled up her apron and roughly wiped my face. Blood and mud mixed, forming scabs that caked my face, making me even dirtier. She looked at my face, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes. “That’s good. Now you really look like a dummy.” From then on, I couldn’t have friends, couldn’t wear clean clothes, and couldn’t look at anything with words. I secretly peeled off discarded newspapers and magazines she used to patch holes in the walls, hiding them in the woodpile to read. By the faint glow from the fireplace, I’d slowly decipher one word after another. When she found out, she burned them all. Sparks flew onto my hand, blistering my skin with thumb-sized burns. “What are you looking at? Can you even understand? Remember, you’re a dummy! Have you ever seen a dummy read?” Her eyes were wide, cold, filled only with stark terror. She was terrified of me becoming normal, terrified of losing that meager income. Days turned into years. The disability benefits rose from $350 to $500, then to $800. My perceived disability became Mom’s and my most stable source of income, and her lifeline, clutched tightly in her hand. When I was twelve, a Social Worker, Mr. Hayes, came to our town, visiting house by house. When he arrived at our place, he frowned, looking at me cowering in the corner, dirty and smelly. He offered me an apple, asking gently, “Little one, how old are you?”

The apple was red and shiny, emitting a sweet, fresh scent—something I’d never tasted before. I looked at him, almost blurting out. twelve years old. But Mom stood right behind him, staring intently at me, her lips silently forming a word. I knew the word. Dummy. I immediately understood. I took the apple, giggling stupidly. I bit into it, skin and core, chewing loudly. Drool ran down my chin, dripping onto my dirty clothes. Mr. Hayes sighed, shook his head, and left. That night, Mom cooked me an egg as a reward. She peeled the shell, saying, “Daisy, you did well today. Mom knew you weren’t completely dumb, you still knew how to pretend.” The egg white was tender, but the yolk choked me, making me stretch my neck. My heart ached with a bitter, sour feeling, like something was stuck in my throat. So Mom knew I was pretending. She knew everything. This whole act, from beginning to end, wasn’t just me performing. Pretending to be a dummy became an unspoken secret between Mom and me, our most cruel tug-of-war. She needed me to be a dummy to maintain that money she was becoming increasingly dependent on. I needed to pretend to be a dummy to earn occasional rewards and a moment of peace. Like an egg, a pear, or a piece of clothing that wasn’t quite so tattered, and her brief, gentle demeanor. But she was also constantly on guard, afraid I’d become too smart, afraid I’d slip from her control. If I showed even a hint of curiosity about books, she’d violently destroy anything with writing, as if those words were poison. I secretly used a stick to write letters on the ground. When she found out, she’d grab a broom and chase me half through the town, shouting for everyone to hear. “A dummy trying to read? Don’t get ahead of yourself!” I’d be covered in bruises. But at night, she’d come in with some pain relief balm. She’d roughly rub my bruises, her eyes red, her voice hoarse, saying. “Daisy, don’t blame Mom. Mom has no choice, we’re poor. Without that money, we’d starve. Just help Mom out…” Sometimes, she’d look at my clear, intelligent eyes, so unlike a dummy’s, and suddenly panic, shaking my shoulders hard. “Did you remember? You’re a dummy! You were born a dummy! You’ll be a dummy your whole life!” She sounded like she was trying to convince me, but more so, like she was trying to convince herself, trying to drown out the doubt and unease in her heart.

On my eighteenth birthday, the disability benefits rose to $1,200. At the same time, the Community Director Ms. Jenkins brought news. The policy had changed, and adult individuals with disabilities might require reassessment. Mom completely panicked. That $1,200 was no longer just welfare; it was her mental anchor for eighteen years, her shield against all her misfortunes. She looked at me, her expression unreadable. At eighteen, even in my tattered clothes, my face deliberately smudged, I couldn’t hide the delicate features and overly serene gaze that didn’t belong to a dummy. “Daisy,” she called me for the first time in such a soft tone, with a trembling voice that was almost a plea, “One last time, help Mom one more time. Just get through this assessment, and Mom will never force you again.” She dressed me in the most ragged, dirtiest clothes, smeared some old chicken feed in my hair, and repeatedly coached me. “If they ask your name, just drool and grin stupidly. If they ask what one plus one equals, just say it equals apple…” On the day of the assessment, it wasn’t just Ms. Jenkins, but also professional-looking doctors in white coats. My heart pounded, my palms were slick with sweat. I knew this might be my only chance to escape the identity of a dummy. Mom stood behind the doctor, her hands tightly twisting the hem of her shirt, her eyes filled with a humble plea and an undeniable threat. The doctor took out a picture book, pointing at a cat and asking, “What’s this?” I looked at the lazy cat in the picture, then at Mom. Mom’s lips were trembling slightly, her face pale. I opened my mouth, and every single day of the past eighteen years flashed through my mind. The rocks hitting my head, the burned newspapers, the smelly clothes, the occasional eggs she gave me, her back as she secretly cried at night, and that $1200. These images intertwined into a giant net, binding me tightly. I took a deep breath, as if summoning all my strength, and facing the picture, I spread my lips into a horribly twisted grin. Then I made a sound that shocked everyone present… “Woof! Woof woof!” I barked like a puppy, stuck out my tongue like a puppy, and finally pointed at the cat in the picture, looking at the doctor with a face full of innocence. The doctor froze, his pen hovering over the assessment form. Ms. Jenkins turned her face away, unable to watch. My mom, however, let out a heavy sigh of relief, almost collapsing, bracing herself against the wall. The assessment passed without a hitch. The certificate was saved, and so was the money. That night, Mom cooked a table full of dishes, fish and meat, more lavish than ever before. She placed the largest piece of braised pork on my plate, but she didn’t eat any herself. She just watched me, her eyes holding a strange, empty sense of relief, as if she had won something, yet lost so much more. “Eat, Daisy,” she said. “Everything will be fine now.” I ate the meat, but it tasted like ash. Because I knew, it was far from over.

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After three years of marriage, I still wasn’t pregnant. My mother-in-law, Martha Thorne, whispered to my husband Ryan behind my back. “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’t give you a child? Divorce her now!” But Ryan always stood firm. “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I are happy. Even if we can’t have our own children, we can always adopt. If you say one more word about this, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’s words warmed my heart. When Martha kept pushing, Ryan finally pulled out a medical report showing he was the infertile one. Confronted with the evidence, Martha apologized to me, but Ryan still sent her away. I knew there was nothing wrong with Ryan. When I asked him why he’d lied, he simply said, “Loving you means accepting everything about you.” He added that he really loved children and perhaps we could adopt. I agreed. Years later, I had raised our adopted son into a celebrated child actor. Then a woman appeared at our door,claiming to be his birth mother. Before I could even speak, Ryan immediately announced to everyone, “Since his birth mother has come forward, we should give him back.” He turned to me, waiting for my refusal. The world knew I loved that boy more than my own life. But if I refused, I would become a “child-stealing villain” and be destroyed by the public outrage. So, I smiled and said, “No problem. He’s yours.”

Even before we got married, Martha always hinted that I was too fragile to have children. Yet, she was always incredibly kind to me. Every day, she’d prepare nutritious, delicious meals and deliver them to my office. The best part? They actually tasted amazing. Martha even told me to eat as much as I wanted, promising I wouldn’t gain weight. Honestly, back then, Martha truly felt like the mother I never had. I actually met her first. She’d been hit by a car, and I took her to the hospital, covering her medical bills. She clutched my hand and insisted, “Don’t worry, I won’t try to scam you. My son will be here soon and he’ll pay you back.” Later, her son arrived. Canvas shoes, jeans paired with a white shirt, neat short hair – he radiated sunshine. I’ m a total sucker for good looks, and I was immediately smitten. So I often visited Martha, hoping to spend more time with him. But Martha warned me that our financial backgrounds were worlds apart and urged me to reconsider carefully. Ryan himself confessed that he liked me a lot but didn’t dare to pursue it because our family statuses were too different. Still, I fell head-over-heels for him, without a second thought. He was sunny, positive, and then so sophisticated and intelligent with his glasses on at work. He met every single one of my criteria for a partner. We eventually got married, and Martha moved in with us. I grew up without a mother, and Martha truly showered me with maternal love. I spent more time with her every day after coming home than I did with my own husband. But I never imagined I’ d overhear her in the study doorway, telling Ryan, “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’ t give you a child? Divorce her now!” The moment I heard those words, tears streamed down my face. Because for three years, I had truly thought of her as my mother. And from what I knew of her, she wasn’t a rigid or old-fashioned person. So why, just because we didn’t have children, was she pushing Ryan to divorce me? “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I have a great relationship. Even if we can’t have kids, we can always adopt. If you say something like that one more time, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’ s frustrated voice echoed. My heavy heart finally began to settle a little. I didn’t dare to listen any further, even trying to reassure myself that Martha just wanted a grandchild too badly, that she was still a good person, and I should just try harder to have children. But the next morning, as I was eating breakfast, Martha suddenly sat down opposite me. She slammed her bowl onto the dining table with excessive force, then spoke in a harsh, biting tone, “My Ryan is supposed to carry on the Thorne family name! You can’ t have kids, so stop monopolizing him. Divorce him already! We’ll make you leave with absolutely nothing, we won’t ask for a dime from you!”

As she spoke, I forced a smile at her, telling myself that what I heard last night hadn’t happened. But what greeted me was still her almost degrading words. “Mom, I’ve always considered you…” “Don’t call me Mom. I’m not privileged enough to be the mother of a high-society princess like you.” “They say no one can have it all. Look at you – such a good family background, but you lost your mother young, and then your dad died too.” “Have you ever considered that the wealth you have now is just a trade-off for your parents’ deaths?” Martha’s next words made me burst into tears. I had always considered her my mother, yet she was hurting me like this. Just then, Ryan walked over, his face grim. He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. He whispered soothingly, “Evelyn, don’t listen to her nonsense. To me, you’re the most important person. No one compares to you. So what if we can’t have kids? As long as I can be with you, I’ll be content.” Ryan’s words made my anxious heart finally begin to settle. At least someone cared about me. Then, Ryan pulled a medical report from his pocket and pushed it towards Martha. “It’s my problem, not Evelyn’s. Don’t make things difficult for her!” Martha froze, her hand trembling as she picked up the report. Ryan cupped my face and asked, “Evelyn, I can’t have kids. Will you divorce me?” I shook my head, crying as I did so. Ryan continued, “We can adopt a child.” He said that as long as we could be together, no problem was truly a problem. Then, ignoring my objections, he sent Martha away. Later, I discovered the medical report was fake. Ryan then confessed the truth to me – he simply couldn’t stand to see me wronged, so he fabricated it for Martha. I was touched beyond words, feeling so lucky to have him. Some time after that, Martha passed away. When Ryan and I returned, he cried terribly. The villagers said Martha died of a broken heart. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I knew my presence was part of her grief. I kept vigil in the mourning hall, fainting several times from crying. Finally, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, took me back home. After returning, Ryan suggested we adopt a child, and I agreed. Then, he brought home a five-year-old boy, naming him Leo Hayes, after my family name. But Ryan and I were both very busy with work, so we couldn’t care for Leo very well. That’ s when Ryan’s ‘cousin,’ Vanessa Reed, came from out of town. Vanessa’s personality was very similar to Martha’s – always taking good care of people. But no matter how busy I was, I always made sure to have Leo with me often. I even had him sit in on company board meetings. Leo was incredibly bright and talented at everything. I often said he was quite like Ryan, who was also a person of extraordinary talent. As the company hit a bottleneck and urgently needed to expand into new ventures, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, joined me. He was a talent agent with over a dozen aspiring stars. He told me a few of them had potential, and with some development, they could at least support an entertainment company’s initial stages, even if they didn’t become A-listers. So, I got the board’s approval to establish “Evelyn Hayes Entertainment” and began producing web series. Web series were still exploding in popularity, with low barriers to entry, low costs, and minimal demands for acting or production quality. Even the scripts could be simplistic, even absurdly over-the-top. As long as they delivered intense satisfaction or heartbreaking drama, they would quickly generate revenue. Seeing Leo’s talent, I brought him to set with me. His schooling didn’t suffer; he had a private tutor following us. This made Ryan a bit unhappy. He kept saying that a child’s most important thing was still their studies. Even Vanessa chimed in, saying children should focus on school. I told them that my ability to grow the company to its current size proved my judgment was good, and I had my own ideas about Leo’ s education. After all, this house was still my house, so they didn’t say anything more. Leo didn’t disappoint me. His small guest roles were astonishing. I even created social media accounts for Leo, where he’d post daily updates, including photos of his tutor helping him with homework on set. Leo never missed a chance to post about his perfect life online and the adoration for his mom. Every video ended the same way, with him beaming at the camera, “I love your most, my most beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes!” I never held back on promoting Leo, taking him to various events, and posting about him daily on my own social media.

After one project wrapped, Julian Brooks drove Leo and me home. Since Julian joined me, he’d been living at the villa. Ryan had expressed jealousy, but I told him to be more understanding, as Julian was his cousin. Besides, if Vanessa could live with us, why couldn’t Julian? When we arrived, Ryan had just gotten off work and was preparing dinner in the kitchen. He immediately rushed out, wanting to hug me, but I stepped away. “Bad allergies lately. You’ve got a strong scent on you.” I offered a wry smile. Ryan asked anxiously, “Is the set environment that bad?” “Oh yes,” I said. “So many people are heavy smokers, it’s so smoky and suffocating every day.” I chuckled lightly. Ryan then knelt down, trying to pick up Leo. “Come here, son, let Dad give you a hug.” Leo said expressionlessly, “Dad, I’m really tired. I’m going to bed.” Then he walked off. Ryan’s face dropped a little, and he gave an awkward laugh. “Evelyn, look, the child isn’t even close to me anymore.” “As long as you’re close to me,” I said, smiling. Ryan didn’t say anything more, instead turning to Julian. “Julian, let’s have a drink tonight.” “Sounds good, Ryan,” Julian replied with a smile. He was a man who seemed very refined, and his modesty came from deep within. His kindness towards people was also very genuine. I said to Julian, “Come to my study, let’s discuss the new project.” “Alright.” Julian nodded at Ryan and followed me to the study. About an hour later, dinner was ready. Our family sat at the dining table, but Vanessa Reed was eating in the kitchen. I glanced at Vanessa’s back and said, “Vanessa, why aren’t you eating with us?” “Evelyn, although I’m Ryan’ s cousin, I’ m still the nanny. I…” I waved my hand, cutting her off. “Even as a nanny, you can sit at the table with us. We don’t have so many rules in this house.” Vanessa then came over and sat beside Leo, constantly putting food on his plate. Leo frowned. “Aunt Vanessa, you should use serving forks for that.” He pushed his plate forward, refusing to eat it, as if it was dirty. I looked at him and said, “Go get another plate yourself.” Leo nodded, smiling, and immediately went. Vanessa quickly apologized, “Evelyn, see? I don’t know the rules.” “You’ll get used to it,” I said, smiling. Later, a well-known screenwriter brought me a script. The new script was a slice-of-life drama from a child’s perspective, and the screenwriter suggested that Leo would be perfect for the lead role. I agreed. The web series took half a year to film. After its release on major platforms, it instantly garnered immense popularity. Especially Leo, who directly became America’ s sweetheart, the nation’ s son. And all sorts of film offers came flooding in. Leo was a sensation and even major directors started extending offers. I accepted a film for Leo and invested in the production. After the film was released, its popularity remained high. Leo’s acting skills were once again recognized. Every time Ryan came home and saw Leo, his eyes were full of pride. He’d always say, “That’s my son!” Vanessa would also exclaim excitedly, “Wonderful! Someone’s bringing glory to the Thorne name!” Ryan would frown and say, “Don’t say that randomly, it’s the Hayes family!” Vanessa quickly apologized, “Right, right, my mistake.” I smiled at them and said, “We’re all family, there’ s no ‘yours’ and ‘mine’.” However, Leo’s rise had been too smooth; it was time for him to take a break and mature. So, Leo personally announced he was temporarily withdrawing from acting to focus on his studies. But to thank his fans of all ages, he announced a grand farewell party—with tickets given away through a lottery system. The party would be held on the Lakeview Island in Sterling City. This island had once been the economic backbone of my family, the Hayes family. The food court there had been incredibly successful. But later, due to sewage issues and a company transition, I shut down the food court. And when I decided to open the entertainment company, I developed Lakeview Island into a film studio complex. On the day of the party, Lakeview Island was buzzing with guests, and Leo’s fans were the most numerous. Leo sang, danced, and played the piano on stage. He showed everyone that he not only could act but had many other talents. Holding the microphone, Leo told everyone in the audience, “I owe everything I am today to my beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes, who raised me so well!” Then, I also stepped onto the stage, and the applause from the audience grew even more enthusiastic. But just at that moment, Vanessa Reed suddenly rushed onto the stage. Holding a microphone in her left hand and a document in her right, she declared to the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have to reveal the truth! Leo is actually my son. Evelyn Hayes stole my son!”

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In my first life, I, Lyra, was the Dragon Crown Princess. Yet, I fell in love with a common black snake, Dorian. I willingly gave him my precious dragon scales-a piece of my very essence-so he could fully transform into a dragon. But the moment he transformed, he plunged a sword into my heart. Then, he turned and knelt before my sister, pledging his allegiance to her. It was then I realized Dorian had always been my sister Celeste’s puppet. “Sister,” Celeste had said, “You have no ambition. You care more for love than power. What future could the Dragonkin have in your hands?” “The throne belongs to the strong!” If only you had told me you wanted the position earlier, I would have gladly handed it to you. Why did it have to cost me my life? Consumed by rage, I drew my last breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I first met Dorian. This time, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms and immediately named her the new Dragon Crown Princess. Ditching that burdensome duty, I chose a low-ranking white snake, named Kian. But he was by far the most stunning in his human form. I brought him back to my chambers. Every day, I indulged in beauty and savored fine wines. Celeste ruled well. The Dragonkin prospered. But when the Archdemons came to slaughter our kind, and I fought until my strength was gone, Kian suddenly unleashed an immense power, transforming on the spot into a majestic Golden-scaled Divine Dragon. His power shook the very foundations of the heavens. …

“There are many exceptional young talents among our Dragonkin.” King Theron’s voice, thick with authority, boomed in my ears. I looked up to see Father pointing behind me, his tone grave. “So, Lyra, are you truly going to forsake your own kind for this mere black snake as your consort?” I followed Father’s gaze and turned, meeting a pair of cold, indifferent eyes. A shiver ran through me. The agonizing pain of Dorian’s sword piercing my chest in my previous life washed over me. In a split second, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms. “Father, this black snake, Dorian, is dignified and composed. He’s exactly Celeste’s type. I was choosing him for her.” My actions, so completely different from my past life, stunned both Celeste and Dorian. After the initial shock, Celeste’s face twisted into utter bewilderment. My heart sank. Celeste must have been reborn too! I remembered the sorrow and resentment in Celeste’s eyes when she killed me in my past life. Though anger still simmered within me, it was largely overshadowed by a profound sense of melancholy. Mother had passed away early, and we sisters had supported each other through childhood. If only she had told me earlier that she coveted the title of Crown Princess, I would have gladly handed it over. Why would it ever have come to sisters betraying each other so cruelly? I swallowed down the bitter lump in my throat and unclasped the dragon-crested pendant from my waist, the symbol of the Crown Princess, pressing it into Celeste’s hand. “My powers are… adequate, my spirit is free, and I loathe being bound by rules.” “Celeste, with her sharp mind and unyielding spirit, is far more capable than me of shouldering the future of the Dragonkin.” “Today, I, Lyra, willingly relinquish my title as Crown Princess. From this moment on, Celeste shall be the future ruler of the Dragonkin!”

I was speaking the truth. My designation as Crown Princess was merely due to being the elder. Ever since I became Crown Princess, I was not only forced to cultivate diligently but also had to follow Father, learning to manage tribal affairs. I never had a moment’s peace. Life was utterly miserable. Celeste, on the other hand, with no one to push her, still devoted herself to cultivation and study all day long. I once lamented that Celeste didn’t know how to enjoy life. Reborn, if she wanted it, I would grant her wish. The two esteemed elders of the Dragonkin exchanged glances, then quickly bowed to Celeste, proclaiming “Long live the Crown Princess!” As if fearing I would change my mind. It seemed my struggles as Crown Princess were as painful for them to watch as they were for me to endure. Father, however, roared, “Nonsense!” “Lyra, you are the elder sister. Protecting the Dragonkin is your responsibility! How can you push it onto your sister, Celeste?” “Besides, Celeste is devoted to her cultivation; she has no interest in becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” Celeste, without a word, fastened the dragon-crested necklace around her neck, then bowed solemnly to Father. “No, Father. I want to be Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” “I cultivate diligently every day precisely to protect our people.” Hearing Celeste’s words, the elders all looked relieved, but Father’s face grew even colder. “There’s an order to succession! The Crown Princess must be Lyra!” I couldn’t help but frown. Father had always doted on Celeste. Now that I was voluntarily abdicating, he should have been pleased. Celeste showed no surprise, her expression abnormally calm. She asked in a low voice, “Sister is willing to step down. I am capable of holding the position of Crown Princess.” “The clan elders also approve. Why do you repeatedly object, Father?” I noticed that her eyes held none of the childlike reverence she once had for Father. The two elders were utterly baffled, and the surrounding Dragonkin began to whisper. They didn’t understand why Father was so adamant against Celeste becoming Crown Princess. I was very curious myself. Father softened his expression. “To become Crown Princess, one must choose a soul-bonded consort to cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts.” “Celeste, the black snake Lyra carelessly pushed to you is too lowly. He is far beneath you.” “How about this: the matter of the Crown Princess will be postponed for now. We can discuss it again after I find suitable consorts for both of you.” Dorian, who had been silently standing behind Celeste, serving as a mere backdrop, suddenly changed expression. He looked at Celeste anxiously, his eyes filled with unconcealed affection. So Dorian was already in love with Celeste at this point. No wonder he was so cold towards me. In my past life, I was trapped in the position of Crown Princess, already living a stifled existence, and still forced by Father to find a soul-bonded consort. I couldn’t help but feel a rebellious urge.

Father looked down on Dorian, so I insisted on him. The more Father loathed Dorian, the more I used every means to make Dorian happy. I even gifted Dorian the Dragonkin’s most vital dragon scales right in front of Father. When Father stormed off in a huff, I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. Thinking back, I didn’t truly harbor much affection for Dorian. Just as I was lost in thought, Celeste took Dorian’s hand. “Father, Dorian is my fated companion, destined to be soul-bonded with me.” Celeste and Dorian cut their palms, and threads of blood wove into a glowing Fateseal, gradually appearing between them. The two elders were ecstatic. “Princess Celeste’s and the black snake Dorian’s Fateseals are perfectly aligned!” “When they cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts together, their progress will advance by leaps and bounds!” From that moment, all the Dragonkin present supported Celeste as the Crown Princess. Father, left with no grounds for objection, stood there with a gloomy expression, silent. Celeste glanced at me with an unreadable expression, then firmly declared. “Father, rest assured. Should the Dragonkin ever face crisis, I will fight with all my might.” “Anything Sister can do, I can do too!” My suspicion deepened. Celeste’s tone suggested as if such a crisis for the Dragonkin were an actual possibility. But who in this world dared to provoke the Dragonkin? However, the most important thing right now was to shed this burdensome Crown Princess title. “Celeste has chosen her consort, now it’s my turn to pick.” I scanned the gathering, then languidly gestured towards a corner on the right. “He looks good. Handsome, just my type.” I was pointing to a man in white robes, with a striking face, fair skin, and perfectly sculpted lips. Much more handsome than Dorian. Father’s face grew even uglier. “A mere white snake, barely transformed, he’s even worse than your sister’s black snake.” I replied languidly, “As long as he’s good-looking.” I used my magic to summon him directly before me, took his hand, and led him back to my palace. With the heavy burden of Crown Princess lifted, I completely let loose. Each day, I listened to new songs from the human world, savored fine wines and exquisite foods, and enjoyed the ministrations of my white snake. Kian, the white snake, was handsome and gentle in nature. My days were spent indulging in beauty and fine wines, living a life of utter freedom and pleasure. Meanwhile, Celeste, after becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin, cultivated the Draconic Divinity Arts with Dorian. In just half a month, she became the strongest among the younger generation of Dragonkin. Dorian also successfully transformed into a dragon. The entire Dragon Palace was filled with joy. The two elders specifically sought me out, commending my sensibility for letting Celeste become Crown Princess. Before leaving, they also advised me not to fall into despair, but to continue cultivating. At the very least, I should ensure Kian transformed into a dragon. After all, Dragons live for millennia, but a mere snake-shifter only for a few centuries. I leaned back languidly, asking Kian, “Do you want to transform into a dragon? If so, I’ll have some potent elixirs sent over tomorrow to aid your cultivation.” Cultivating diligently myself was out of the question. If he wanted to transform, I’d simply provide him with elixirs to achieve it. Kian looked at me with a soft smile. “As I am now is perfectly fine.” Just then, the palace doors burst open. Mara, Celeste’s maid, her face pale, stumbled in. “Princess Lyra, the Crown Princess was ambushed by Archdemons while patrolling the border and is gravely wounded!” “Before she lost consciousness, she kept calling your name.” Clang! The wine cup in my hand dropped, spilling its contents across the floor.

My breath hitched. “Take me to her.” I thought the bond between my sister and me had long since shattered. Yet, hearing she was gravely wounded, the ache and worry in my heart were no less than in my past life. The maid led the way, with Kian and I following behind her. But after walking for a while, I noticed we were veering further and further off course. I realized something was wrong. “Where are you taking me?” The maid respectfully replied, “To meet the Crown Princess, of course.” I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Is that so?” The next moment, I decisively struck, summoning my sword and thrusting it directly at the maid. Just as my sword was about to pierce her body, a sinister black mist erupted from her, blasting my sword away. When the black mist dissipated, the maid was gone, replaced by a dark-robed figure wreathed in menacing dark energy. I was utterly shocked. It was Archdemon Malakor himself! A century ago, he had infiltrated the Dragonkin. My mother had perished by his hand, protecting Celeste and me. My heart seethed with hatred, but I also understood the gravity of the situation. I shoved Kian. “I’m no match for him. Even with all my strength, I can only hold him off for half a minute.” “Run! Go warn Father and Celeste!” With that, I launched my attack at Archdemon Malakor. He met my assault with a cold sneer. “Today, I will surely take you back to the Archdemon realm and destroy that thing inside you!” I fought with everything I had, but alas, my body was weak, and my powers were woefully insufficient. I was defeated in just a few moves. Archdemon Malakor struck me with a powerful blow to the chest, sending me crashing to the ground, barely clinging to life. I turned my head and saw Kian still standing rooted to the spot, staring intently at Archdemon Malakor. I was so furious I nearly coughed up blood. The next moment, Archdemon Malakor’s sinister gaze locked onto me, and a colossal hand formed of dark energy reached directly for my throat. It seemed I wouldn’t escape death today. “Stop!” With a furious roar, King Theron appeared with his guards, surrounding Archdemon Malakor. Archdemon Malakor surveyed them, completely unfazed. “King Theron, you are no match for me.” “However, I only came to the Dragonkin today for Lyra.” “If you hand her over to me, I promise the Archdemons will not invade the Dragonkin for a thousand years.” “Lyra is a useless pawn; trading her for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin is a very worthwhile deal.” Father’s gaze was heavy, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. I knew Father was swayed by the Archdemon’s offer; he wanted to sacrifice me for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin. A wave of desolation washed over my heart. Archdemon Malakor sneered, his form shifting, and in an instant, he was before me, reaching for my collar. Suddenly, Kian, the white snake, shot into the air. The next moment, dazzling golden light erupted, and dragon might pulsed through the air-a Golden-scaled Divine Dragon had appeared! “How dare you insult my master!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299319”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

During my senior year, I was staying with my aunt’s family when my cousin Blake put me on blast online. All because I accidentally picked up a piece of meat from our dinner. He cried hysterically, claiming that not only was I freeloading at his house, but I also cherry-picked all the meat from the dishes, leaving him malnourished! The internet did the rest. I was trending within hours. Everyone called me a leech, a parasite, a shameless mooch. The comments screamed: Get out of their house! So, I decided to humor them. That very day, I packed my bags and moved out. But then my aunt and her family came begging me to return. After all, without me there, they’d no longer receive the $15,000 monthly allowance my mother sent for my living expenses! I never imagined that with a monthly allowance of fifteen thousand dollars, I’d get cyberbullied over a single piece of meat. Watching Blake’s tearful video on the trending topics list, my body trembled with fury. “His parents are always away working out of town, so I felt bad for him and agreed when Mom suggested he come live with us.” “But why does he have to treat me so badly?” “It’s bad enough he’s living here for free, but he always takes the best food!” “I was so tired from studying today, and Mom specially made my favorite stir-fry. But he ate all the meat from the entire dish! I didn’t even get one piece!” “It’s not that I care about a plate of meat, it’s just… I feel so wronged. I’ve been so good to him, why can’t he show some empathy? I always share everything with him, but he just hogs all the good stuff and now I’m practically malnourished!” “Why am I so unlucky to have such a cousin…” In the video, Blake’s eyes were bloodshot and brimming with tears, as if I had truly tormented him. My parents both worked for a highly classified agency, which meant they rarely had time for me. As I entered my senior year, my aunt, Sarah, specifically sought us out, saying her house was right across from the school, and suggested I move in. It would be perfect for me and Blake to focus on our college applications and final exams together. Mom thought it would be better for me to stay with relatives and have someone look after me, rather than living alone at school, so she agreed. To ensure I was comfortable, Mom sent Aunt Sarah fifteen thousand dollars every month for my room, board, and daily expenses. But on my very first day at Aunt Sarah’s house, Blake shoved a “House Rules” list at me. 1. Do not touch any personal belongings without permission. 2. Lights out by 10 PM. 3. Showers no longer than five minutes. 4. Air conditioning usage limited to two hours per day. 5. Avoid bothering anyone; if someone is in a bad mood, you must stay out of sight. … After all, I was living under their roof, so I always made sure to prioritize their family’s comfort and needs. For the past six months, I had strictly followed every rule. I even proactively did chores every day and diligently tutored Blake, who was failing his classes. At the dinner table, I rarely ever reached for the meat dishes, always feeling like they were reserved for the hosts. Until this one time. I was eating dinner and reviewing English vocabulary, distracted, and accidentally picked up a piece of meat. Blake immediately slammed his fork down. At the time, I thought he was just in a bad mood and didn’t think much of it. Not until I saw that trending video. In the video, Blake tearfully accused me, painting me as a lazy, selfish “vampire freeloading relative” who constantly bullied their family. The comment section exploded. Tens of thousands of comments were cursing me out. “Kids these days are so disrespectful! How can he be so arrogant when he’s living under someone else’s roof?” “Freeloaders are worse than beggars. Their skin is thicker than a fortress wall! And they feel entitled to suck others dry, as if people owe them something.” “Why keep such an oblivious leech around? Kick him out already!” Blake replied. “I wish I could be tough, but he’s my cousin, after all. I can’t really kick him out, can I? I guess I’ll just have to tolerate it!” My hands trembled with a simmering rage. Fifteen thousand dollars a month for living expenses! That was enough for me to stay in a five-star hotel every day and eat gourmet meals for every single sitting! I wasn’t going to stick around to be hated. I immediately packed my bags and moved out of their house. After calling my teacher and arranging to stay at the school dorms, I sent a message to my mom. “Mom, I’ve moved out of Aunt Sarah’s and into the school dorms. You can just transfer my allowance directly to my bank account from now on.”

The moment she received my message, my mom called right away. “Alex, why did you suddenly move out of Aunt Sarah’s house? Is something wrong?” Hearing the tension in her voice, my nose stung, and I felt incredibly wronged. My aunt, Sarah, was my mom’s only sister. Mom had always been incredibly generous to her. When Aunt Sarah mentioned Uncle Michael had lost his job, Mom immediately pulled some strings and arranged a well-paid, low-stress position for him. Knowing Aunt Sarah struggled commuting on her scooter, Mom, without a second thought, bought her a brand-new Mercedes-Benz. Even the house Aunt Sarah’s family lived in now was paid for by my mom. I didn’t want to worry my mom, nor did I want to ruin the relationship between the sisters, so I just vaguely said that living at school would give me more time to study. After hanging up, I returned to school. The moment I reached the dorm room the teacher had assigned me, I heard my roommate, Jake, speak up with a snide, mocking tone. “Well, well, well, isn’t it the freeloading vampire who always pigs out on meat? Did someone finally kick you out?” Jake was Blake’s little minion. He’d always subtly targeted me before, but I hadn’t thought much of it. Now, it seemed it was all connected to Blake. Jake’s shrill voice instantly drew students from other dorm rooms. In a flash, everyone started pointing fingers and whispering about me. “No wonder he didn’t live at school, he was mooching off his aunt’s family!” “How disgusting, the freeloading vampire on the trending list is in our class. How embarrassing!” “Some people are just poor and pretentious. If you’re living under someone else’s roof, why can’t you just act like a grateful guest? Why fight with your hosts over food?” Amidst the chorus of mockery, Blake rushed over from his aunt’s house, looking displeased. “Cousin, why are you so sensitive? People just said a few truthful things online, is that really enough to make you throw a fit and run away?” “You’ve been mooching off us for so long, and now you pull this stunt. Are you deliberately trying to make everyone think our family bullied you?” I looked at his condescending face and suddenly found it all a bit laughable. “You think I’m taking advantage of you by staying at your house?” Blake snorted, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious?” “Do you know how expensive things are these days?” “Do you know how much money your free room and board for the past few months has cost my family?” As he finished, Jake immediately chimed in. “That’s just shameless! Everyone in our class knows how well-off Blake’s family is. He kindly took you in, and not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also audacious enough to act like you’re royalty?” “I think you’re just taking advantage of Blake’s good nature, riding roughshod over him and bullying him!” It was truly absurd. Before I moved into Aunt Sarah’s house, Blake was just an unremarkable background character at school. His monthly allowance of barely a hundred bucks meant he couldn’t even afford to join class outings. But ever since his family started getting my mom’s fifteen thousand dollars a month, the boy who once couldn’t afford a decent shirt now flaunted designer clothes and flashy jewelry every day. With money in his pocket, he immediately became active in class, frequently treating his classmates to lavish spending sprees with his massive allowance. Seeing him spend money without batting an eye, everyone naturally assumed Blake was a generous scion of a wealthy family. And I, always low-key, slowly became the “cheapskate,” “freeloading relative” everyone gossiped about. I looked at Blake, and firmly reminded him. “I advise you to go home and ask your mom, clearly, whether or not I’m truly living there for free!”

Blake didn’t hesitate. “Don’t you dare try to use my mom to pressure me!” “Your parents are always working out of town, so poor they can’t even come home for years at a time. Do you honestly think they could afford to send you an allowance?” “I thought you’d be grateful like a dog for freeloading at my house, but I never expected you to be so ungrateful!” My parents’ work was highly specialized, and hardly anyone knew what they did. But that didn’t mean my family was poor! In fact, ever since I could remember, Aunt Sarah’s family had been benefiting from my family’s generosity. What right did he have to think I was taking advantage of his family? Blake’s words made everyone dislike me even more. “Some people are just poor and dramatic! They can’t even manage to be a good leech!” “Exactly! They kindly provide him food and shelter, but he freeloads, picks out the best food, and even makes Blake so malnourished, it’s disgusting!” “I hate poor relatives like him the most. No ability but thick-skinned, like a disgusting bloodsucking tick you can’t shake off!” “Blake, you’re just too kind. You should keep your distance from shameless vampires like Alex, don’t let him tarnish your reputation as a rich heir!” Their words, one after another, praised Blake to the skies while demeaning me completely. Blake’s lips curved into an undeniable smirk as he basked in the compliments. “If only certain shameless poor people were half as sensible as you all!” Then, he looked at me, and condescendingly offered. “Alright, alright, I’ll forgive you this time, seeing as you’re poor and have never had anything good to eat!” “Now, stop making a scene with your luggage and come home with me!” I chuckled lightly, my voice cold. “No thanks. From now on, I’m staying at school!” With that, I ignored Blake, calmly made my bed, and settled into the dorm room. I thought my refusal would bring me some peace. But the next day after school, Aunt Sarah suddenly showed up. She waited downstairs by the academic building, walked straight towards me through the bustling crowd, and spoke with a worried expression. “Alex, I saw the video online. Blake was being foolish, and I’ve already talked to him.” “It’s your senior year, a crucial time. Who will take care of you if you live at school?” “Come on, come home with me. Don’t let this affect your studies and health.” Looking at the genuine concern in Aunt Sarah’s eyes, for a moment, I couldn’t tell if she was truly worried about me or just about that fifteen thousand dollar allowance. If she genuinely cared, why had she never told Blake that my mom paid fifteen thousand dollars a month, allowing Blake to humiliate me endlessly? I looked at Aunt Sarah, my voice calm. “No need, Aunt Sarah. I’m doing just fine at school.” My refusal instantly annoyed Blake. “Alex, don’t be so ungrateful! My mom came personally to ask you back, what more do you want?” “Do you expect our whole family to get on our knees and beg you to stay at our house?” His voice was sharp and loud. It immediately drew everyone’s attention. In an instant, everyone started shouting at me. “Alex, you’re so ungrateful! Your aunt is being the bigger person, personally inviting you back, and you’re still putting on airs?” “Exactly! You were the one who was rude first, and now that they’re overlooking your mistakes, why are you still playing the victim?” “The poorer you are, the more you cling to your pride! Do you really think you’re some rich heir?” Knowing the situation was gaining traction, Jake even pulled out his phone and started a live stream, pointing it at me. “Everyone, look! The freeloading cousin who’s been all over the trending topics these past two days is causing trouble again!” “His aunt is worried about him living alone at school affecting his health and studies, so she specially came to school to invite him home. But not only is he ungrateful for her kindness, he’s putting on a show and refusing to go back!” “He’s probably trying to act like a victim to gain sympathy and get people to beg him to live for free!” With Jake’s exaggerated commentary, the live stream’s chat was flooded with insults. “Poor people just love to play the victim while still trying to grab benefits, acting all high and mighty as if that hides their greedy, disgusting nature!” “Why even bother with such a freeloading relative? Let him die out in the streets!” “I hate these poor relatives the most. My dad went bankrupt because of his freeloading relatives. These bloodsucking relatives should just drop dead!” Facing the public’s curses, I solemnly explained. “I wasn’t living for free at my aunt’s house. My mom paid for my living expenses.” Hearing this, the students present scoffed. “How ridiculous! With your family’s situation, can they even afford living expenses?” “Exactly! Look how shabbily he’s dressed. His mom probably just collects garbage, and pays for his living expenses with a pile of junk every month!” “That meager amount wouldn’t even buy a pair of socks for Blake, the rich heir! How can you even say that with a straight face?” The surrounding students burst into laughter. The live stream chat was also plastered with messages calling me a clown. Blake scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension. “Still talking about living expenses? How much could your parents, who are too poor to even afford a train ticket home, possibly give you? A hundred? Two hundred?” I looked at him, enunciating each word. “Fifteen thousand.” “Fifteen thousand dollars a month for living expenses.”

The moment the words left my mouth, the place erupted in massive laughter. “Fifteen thousand dollars a month? Are you insane?” “Poor people are just pathetic, they’ll say any lie for the sake of appearances!” “LOL, he must be so poor he’s hallucinating. Fifteen thousand a month? Why not a hundred million?” The live stream chat scrolled wildly, everyone calling me a liar, saying I was delusionally rich. Blake, looking smug, sneered. “Alex, you really do love making a fool of yourself, don’t you? With your pathetic appearance, have you ever even seen fifteen thousand dollars?” Facing the endless laughter and mockery, I suppressed my anger, looked at Aunt Sarah, and spoke firmly. “Aunt Sarah, please clarify for everyone. Does my mom send you fifteen thousand dollars every month for my living expenses?” Seeing my serious question, the entire area instantly fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Aunt Sarah. Aunt Sarah looked at me with a complicated expression for a moment, then slowly said. “Alex, I know you want to save face and regain your dignity, but… but your family truly hasn’t given us any living expenses.” “I don’t want to embarrass you, but I can’t lie for you either!” I stared at Aunt Sarah in disbelief, as if struck by lightning. I had personally seen her receive my mom’s transfers! Why was she lying?! Hearing Aunt Sarah’s answer, the mockery grew even louder. “See! I told you he was lying!” “How disgusting, taking advantage of his aunt’s kindness, then trying to force her to lie for him?” “No wonder he refused to go back with his aunt. He was waiting for this moment! If his aunt had actually, for his sake, admitted to receiving the fifteen grand, he’d probably extort her relentlessly later!” “He’s utterly shameless! Not only does he freeload off others, but he also tries to exploit their kindness for his own gain!” Laughter and insults surged like a tidal wave. The live stream chat was even more ruthless, full of curses and condemnations. Blake glared at me with pure disgust, his voice full of hatred. “Alex, aren’t you ashamed? You’ve been freeloading at our house for so long, and now you want to extort money from us?” Then, he turned to Aunt Sarah. “Mom, let’s settle this with him today, so he can’t spread rumors later that we mistreated him!” Aunt Sarah’s face flashed with panic. She tried to stop him. “Blake, just let it go…” “No, we can’t!” Blake insisted. “Isn’t he so stubborn? Didn’t he brag about giving our family fifteen thousand dollars for living expenses? Today, I’m going to expose him!” He pulled out his phone and began calculating earnestly. “Listen, our house is across from a top high school, a prime school district! Renting out one room would be at least three hundred dollars a month!” “Your three meals a day, at least ten dollars a day, that’s three hundred dollars a month!” “Utilities – water, electricity, gas, property fees – split among us, that’s a hundred dollars a month for you!” “Plus Mom doing your laundry and cooking every day, let’s say a nanny fee of eight hundred dollars a month!” “300 + 300 + 100 + 800 = 1500 dollars a month. You stayed at our house for three months, so 1,500 dollars a month multiplied by three months is 4,500 dollars.” After calculating, Blake looked down at me, extended his hand, and said coldly. “Business is business, even among family. Hand over that 4,500 dollars right now!” “After that, you can live wherever you want. We won’t care if you die out there!” At this, everyone gloated. “That’s what you get for bragging! Now you’re speechless, huh?” “LOL, didn’t your family give you fifteen thousand a month for living expenses? What are you waiting for? Pay up!” “Exactly! Could it be your parents didn’t collect enough garbage today and can’t afford it?” The live stream chat was also flooded with insults, mocking me for bragging and telling me to pay up. Aunt Sarah stood to the side, her lips moving, but ultimately she remained silent. I looked at the mother and son, and the last shred of warmth in my heart was completely extinguished. Under everyone’s gaze, I calmly took out my phone, my voice icy. “Alright, since you want to settle accounts with me, let’s do it, item by item, and make it crystal clear.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299305”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

I landed a huge deal at the end of the year, bringing in a five-million-dollar bonus. The company, in a gesture of goodwill, allowed me, eight months pregnant, to start my maternity leave early. My mother-in-law, Brenda, asked why I wasn’t going to work. Lying on the couch, I joked, “With the company cutting back, I was laid off.” “Guess I’ll just be a stay-at-home wife and mom from now on.” To my shock, Brenda immediately slapped my heavily pregnant belly. “Then why aren’t you off your butt doing laundry and cooking?!” “Just because you’re carrying a girl, you think you can freeload?!” Mark, my husband, happened to walk in, pulling Brenda into the nursery. Feeling completely wronged, I opened the hidden camera feed they didn’t know about, wanting to see whose side Mark would take. But what I uncovered were chilling secret after chilling secret. 0 Brenda, flung a raw, mud-caked potato at me, hitting my eight-month pregnant belly with a dull thud. A sharp, searing pain shot through me. “Ashley! I’ve been wanting to tell you for ages, but I’ve been holding my tongue!” “Parading around, all dressed up every day! Anyone who didn’t know you were going to work would think you were soliciting on the street! What kind of boss would keep such a loose woman?!” The sudden outburst stunned me. Three months ago, Mark said my pregnancy was progressing, and Brenda would come to take care of me. “I’m often on business trips. I’d feel better with Mom here.” Indeed, after Mark’s promotion, his business trips became exceptionally frequent. Considering it would be inconvenient to be alone, and that my previous short visits with Brenda had been smooth enough, I happily agreed. Brenda had, in fact, been meticulously caring for me during this time, preparing every meal herself. When I tried to help, she’d shoo me out of the kitchen. “You’re busy with work. Cooking is a small thing, don’t worry about it.” I thought I’d never have to face mother-in-law conflicts in this lifetime, but one joke turned Brenda into a completely different person. “Your elder is speaking to you! Don’t you know to stand up?!” “You orphan trash! No wonder you have no manners!” Her words stopped me cold, just as I was about to explain, piercing me to the core. My parents died in an accident when I was fifteen. The first time I visited Mark’s family, Brenda held my hand, her eyes full of pity. “My biggest regret in life is not having a daughter. From now on, you’re my own daughter!” At that time, I thought I finally had a family again. So over the years, even when Brenda and I had a clash of values, I tried my best to compromise and adapt. I couldn’t understand why a single sentence could make her completely transform like this?! I was still reeling when Brenda started nagging again, full of discontent. “Living in the city is expensive! Now it’ll all fall on my son!” Seeing me still dazed, Brenda slapped my lower back. “You still have the nerve to lie there?!” The slap was incredibly forceful, sending me sprawling off the couch, my knees hitting the floor with a heavy thud. My first instinct was to clutch my aching belly, desperate to explain. I’d just managed to call out “Brenda,” when Brenda had already settled onto the couch, placing her smelly feet right on my back! Her weight, about 170 pounds, pressed down deliberately, leaving me unable to move. “Brenda?! What are you doing?!” I was utterly shocked and bewildered. Brenda snorted. “Teaching you the rules of being a daughter-in-law in my family, of course!” “Mark used to say you made good money, so for my son, I tolerated you, you damn girl, for so long!” “Now you don’t make money anymore! You better cut the attitude from now on!” “Let me tell you! I’ve been furious since the first day I arrived! You threw out a whole pot of stewed chicken I brought!”

Knowing Brenda was coming, I’d spent two days cleaning the house from top to bottom. New bedding, fresh fruits, and vegetables piled high on the table. Brenda didn’t come empty-handed either, carrying a plastic bag filled with stewed chicken. “Free-range chicken! You can’t get this in the city!” “For Ashley to regain her strength!” At the time, Mark grumbled that his mom was making unnecessary trouble, but I smiled, accepted everything, and thanked her profusely. However, after the long train journey, the chicken was already spoiled and rotten. “The chicken was spoiled, didn’t Mark tell you?” But before I could finish, Brenda kicked me to the ground. “Still daring to talk back! You beggar, choosing your food! Just because you’re carrying a girl, you think you’re some kind of queen?!” I frowned, about to argue, when the front door suddenly opened. Mark, who was smiling and looking at his phone a second ago, froze in his tracks, frowning at the scene. “What’s going on?” Before I could speak, Brenda cut in. “Go ask your wonderful wife! She got herself fired!” “My poor son, such a tough life! He finally started making something of himself, and now he’s stuck with a freeloader!” “I, as his mother, said a few words, and she’s sticking her neck out, talking back!” “Ashley, let me tell you! This is the only time! If you dare to do this again, get out of this house!” Mark frowned, looking at me. “You got fired?” I was carrying his child, kicked to the ground by his mother, and he didn’t try to help me up. Instead, his first question was about being fired. Looking at my husband of three years, a chill ran through me, and I didn’t want to explain anything. “If you also think I’m a freeloader, then talk to your mom and figure out which of us should get out of my house.” When we got married, Mark’s family wasn’t well off. This house was my parents’ inheritance. An eight-month pregnant woman, not only bullied by her mother-in-law but also told to get out of her own home. Lying in bed, tears of injustice streamed down my face. Hearing Mark pull Brenda into the nursery, I suddenly remembered the hidden camera I’d installed two days ago. It was for keeping an eye on the baby later, and I hadn’t had a chance to tell Mark or Brenda. I thought I’d see how Mark would mediate the conflict between Brenda and me, but when I opened the feed, I heard an earth-shattering secret. It sent chills down my spine. “You said she might get a promotion and a raise by the end of the year! Now look, she got fired!” “She’s about to give birth, and she is too. You’re supporting two families on one salary, my heart aches for you, son!” Brenda’s face was full of annoyance, and she even dabbed at her eyes. She? Two families? Could Mark have another family behind my back?! Thinking of his frequent business trips recently, a sinking feeling of dread suddenly gripped me. In my late pregnancy, I had frequent bathroom trips at night. Several times, I’d caught Mark sitting on the toilet with a strange smile on his face. Sometimes he’d be so engrossed in his phone that he wouldn’t even notice me come in, then he’d almost drop his phone when he saw me. His explanation was that work stress kept him awake, and he scrolled through funny videos, not wanting to disturb my sleep in bed. I wasn’t without my suspicions, but Mark would casually hand me his phone. “Look, look! I think your pregnancy hormones are just acting up, making you paranoid!” Checking his phone, I didn’t find anything, so I had to let it go. I quickly continued listening, but Mark didn’t respond directly, only saying, “A few days ago, I asked her team members, and they did say she had a good chance of closing a big deal and getting a promotion. How could she just get fired?” “Could it be she closed the deal, earned the money, and just doesn’t want us to know?” “I’ll double-check.” My scalp tingled. Mark had secretly contacted my team members?! And I knew nothing about it!

Realizing this, I quickly created a private group chat and added all my team members. Being an orphan, I cherished human connections deeply. We shared profits generously, and my chosen team members clicked really well with me. They proudly called themselves my “chosen family.” [If Mark contacts any of you, stick to the same story! The big deal didn’t go through! I was fired by the company!] [All] I stared at my phone screen, seconds stretching into an eternity, terrified Mark would get a response before me. Sure enough, after a few ‘received’ messages, my assistant Sarah replied: [Ashley, is this a surprise for Mark? Mark just asked me, almost blew your cover! Got it! I’m going to play hard to get with the info!] After a sigh of relief, I sent another message. [My marriage is in crisis. More details when I have time, but for now, if Mark contacts any of you, you MUST stick to the same story!] This time, almost instantly, no one asked any questions. A flood of “Got it” messages appeared. I deleted the group chat. On the surveillance feed, I saw Mark frowning at his phone, muttering a curse. “That useless Ashley really screwed up the deal and got fired!” Brenda also grew anxious. “Chloe is about to give birth! I promised her a $15,000-a-month luxury post-birth recovery suite!” When I first got pregnant, I also wanted a postpartum recovery suite, but Brenda refused outright when she heard the $5,000-a-month price. “Outsiders can’t take care of you as well as family! With me here, why waste that money!” Chloe? I suddenly remembered once when I’d forgotten some documents at home. When I returned to get them, Brenda was at home, chatting and laughing with a young pregnant woman. The table was laden with expensive fruits I’d bought, and the two had made a huge mess. Brenda had said she was a distant niece, Chloe, who came to the city for her prenatal check-ups! No wonder I’d felt an inexplicable hostility from Chloe back then, and her words had been full of snide remarks. When I’d vented to Mark about it, he’d just said I was being petty. So, they had boldly brought his mistress into my home! On the recorded feed, Mark said another word, then turned and left. Brenda, left alone, rolled her eyes in annoyance, muttering under her breath, “I gave her so much medicine! Why hasn’t that useless burden miscarried yet?!” “Could the medicine be fake? No, it can’t be, I paid a lot of money to Dr. Peterson in the village for it…” A cold sweat drenched me instantly. Brenda had been drugging me! Just as I was shaking with fear, the bedroom door was pushed open the next second! The moment Mark walked in, I frantically exited the surveillance app on my phone. Looking at the husband before me, my heart hammered against my ribs. Just now, I had clearly heard Mark say on the recording: “The house is her pre-marital property, so let’s wait until we’ve swapped houses before divorcing.” “If she plays nice, fine. Otherwise, a pregnant woman with no family to back her up… if we don’t press charges, who’d care what happens to her?” A while ago, Mark had said the house would feel small after the baby was born, and he wanted to sell this one to get a bigger house. Two hours earlier, I’d been daydreaming that with the bonus, we could not only get a bigger house but also take Mark and Brenda on a lavish trip. But I never imagined that the path to happiness I’d envisioned was actually a trap designed to destroy me! Mark’s once somewhat handsome face now seemed sinister and cruel. No wonder he’d been so extraordinarily attentive after learning I was an orphan. He’d had this plan all along!

“Honey, you really got fired? Them firing you while pregnant is a violation of labor law, I’ll go talk to your boss!” I quickly stopped him. “No!” Under Mark’s suspicious gaze, I tried to keep my voice steady. “It was my fault for losing the order. If it weren’t for me working tirelessly without complaint all these years and being pregnant, the company would have pursued damages and compensation.” “Millions in compensation. Our life savings wouldn’t cover it.” Mark frowned even deeper. He just grabbed my phone and dialed my boss’s number. “I’ll ask, I can’t let you be wronged.” As the phone rang, my heart nearly pounded out of my chest. The next second, the call connected, and my boss’s impatient voice came through. “Ashley! I’ve already made it clear to you! The company not pursuing charges is already the best outcome for you! Don’t even dream of compensation!” Luckily, I was quick-witted. While I was recording the surveillance earlier, I had briefly explained my predicament to my boss. My boss was a fierce businesswoman who hated scumbags, and she immediately said the company would stand firmly by me. After hanging up, Mark stared at my pale face, brushing back my sweat-soaked strands of hair. “Honey, why are you so nervous?” “So what if you lost your job? I can still support you. Mom just felt the pressure of me being the sole breadwinner. She’s going through menopause and prone to emotional breakdowns. For my sake, just let it go.” “Perfect, now you have time. The sales agent for that house we liked has called several times for us to sign the contract. No time like the present, let’s go today! It’ll wash away your bad luck from losing your job!” Mark, without a word, pulled me and Brenda to the sales office. To my surprise, Chloe was already waiting there! Brenda intimately linked arms with her as soon as she got out of the car. “I called Chloe to come along, for her advice.” Chloe puffed out her belly, showing off. “Mark, Auntie Brenda was worried about your taste, so she asked me to come and approve. You don’t mind, do you~” She’d been like this at home too. “Ashley, don’t just rely on being pregnant and make my aunt do all the work.” “My Mark works hard for his money, Ashley, you need to learn to be thrifty! Look at all these packages! You’re married, who are you dressing up for?” “I’m just direct~ Don’t mind me, Ashley~ I’m only saying this for your family’s good.” At the time, I thought she was just jealous of Mark and my good life, spouting sour grapes, so I paid her no mind. After marriage, I had always played the role of a devoted wife and dutiful daughter-in-law. Even Mark had forgotten that an orphan girl had clawed her way to the top—I wasn’t someone to be easily taken advantage of. New and old resentments flared, and my face hardened. “Even if I did mind, you’d still cling on like an irritating rash, wouldn’t you?” My sudden counterattack stunned both Brenda and Mark. Chloe pouted petulantly, looking at them, stomping her foot and huffing. Brenda immediately glared at me. “You’re rebelling! You uncultured brat! Who gave you permission to speak to a relative like that!” For the first time, I talked back without backing down. “I’m buying a house, and a distant relative who has nothing to do with this comes here bossing around. Who’s really uncultured?!” My voice wasn’t quiet, drawing stares and whispers from the onlookers. Mark frowned and pulled me. “Can’t you just let it go?! It’s not that big a deal!” “No matter what, you can’t talk back to my mom!” I coldly shrugged off his arm. “Then listen to your mom. Let your mom pay for the house too.”

Mark’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?! We already agreed to sell this house and put extra money down to upgrade, didn’t we? You saw the upgrade contract last time! Besides, where would my mom, a stay-at-home mom with no job, get the money?! Alright, alright! I know you’re still holding a grudge about what happened earlier!” “My mom has diligently taken care of you all this time! And just because she said a few words, you’re so unforgiving! Fine, fine! I’ll apologize for her, okay?!” Seeing the onlookers pointing and whispering, Brenda’s eyes darted. “I knew it, getting old means becoming a burden! It’s all my fault! All my damn fault! For running my mouth and annoying my daughter-in-law! I’ll just slap my own mouth off!” Brenda feigned slapping herself, but Chloe quickly intervened. “Auntie! Blame me, I’m young and foolish, I spoke out of turn and upset Ashley! Ashley, I’ll kneel and apologize to you! Please, for my aunt’s sake, she’s old! Don’t bully her anymore!” Chloe started to kneel, but Mark quickly caught her. “Chloe! You’re pregnant!” “You absolutely can’t get emotional!” Mark glared at me. “Ashley! Are you only happy when you make everyone miserable?!” “Getting a bigger house is for both of us, it should be a happy occasion! You just have to make everyone unhappy!” As he lectured me, he seemed to forget that I was also a pregnant woman about to deliver, and I couldn’t get emotional. Mark was still holding Chloe’s arm, frowning. “Alright! Stop making a scene! Aren’t you embarrassed with all these people watching?! Let’s just sign the contract first!” The sales manager, fearing his commission slipping away, eagerly handed the prepared contract to Mark. Just as Mark was about to sign, I snatched the contract away. “How come this purchase agreement only has your name on it?” Brenda, who moments ago was playing the victim, now glared, eyes wide. “What kind of talk is that?! Mark is the head of the household, if not his name, whose name should be on it, yours?!” Mark reached out to grab the contract. “Everything after marriage is marital property, whose name it’s under doesn’t matter!” I held the contract further away. “If it doesn’t matter, then why not put only my name on it?” Mark’s eyebrows furrowed, and he glared. “Ashley! What is wrong with you today! Can you stop being so unreasonable?! You can’t just make the whole family miserable just because you lost your job!” I sneered, staring into his eyes. “Your ‘whole family’ refers to you, your mom, and your mistress Chloe with her bastard child in her belly, right?!” My words dropped, and the crowd of onlookers erupted in gasps. Chloe reacted first, shrieking in a high-pitched voice. “You’re slandering my good name!” “If you don’t clear my name today, I’ll die here with my baby to prove my innocence!” Brenda plopped onto the floor, wailing. “Ashley, I know you despise this old woman, take your anger out on me, I don’t mind a little suffering! But you two must be well!” “To openly slander a woman’s good name, you’re trying to drive her to her death!” I watched her thrashing on the ground and shouted back even louder. “Selling my pre-marital assets! To buy a big house for his mistress and her bastard child!” “Who’s really trying to drive someone to their death?!” Mark’s face went white, his jaw clenched so hard the veins on his forehead pulsed. “What nonsense are you spewing?! Just because you’re out of a job, you’re full of suppressed anger with nowhere to vent?!” “I won’t change houses today, is that enough?! Let’s go home and talk about this!” With that, Mark grabbed my arm and tried to drag me out. If he managed to get me into the car today, my fate would be sealed! I struggled desperately, but Mark’s hand was like a vice clamping my wrist. I shouted for help to the people around me, but Brenda yelled, “This is our family business! Stay out of it! Don’t get mixed up in our family drama!” Just as I was about to be dragged out the door, a panting figure blocked our way, forcefully pushing Mark’s grip away, and shielding me behind them. “Who dares touch my Ashley!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299306”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

My husband and I shared a lifetime of love, only to be reborn together in the 80s. Driven by the hope of rekindling our past, I waited for him at the dance hall where we first met, for two agonizing years. As I watched him confidently stride toward me, my heart swelled with joy. I reached out, ready to embrace a new life, a new beginning, with him. But his steps carried him right past me, stopping instead before the manager’s daughter. “May I have this dance with you?” Turns out, he’d decided he wanted a different partner entirely. “Scarlett, you’ve checked the door at least ten times. Who are you waiting for? All these gorgeous men here, and not a single one catches your eye?” I barely registered Chloe’s words, my gaze fixed intently on the entrance. I was reborn. And today, this very day, was when I first met my husband, Dylan. In our past life, Dylan and I were the epitome of a power couple. We started from nothing, building our lives together for over sixty years. We were poor, we argued, we fought, we cried, we fussed, we complained, but we never once talked about breaking up. At our lowest, we split the last piece of bread, huddling together for warmth. After we got wealthy, we moved into a mansion, never forgetting to help our family and friends. We walked through life hand in hand, a model couple everyone envied. On my deathbed, I asked him, “If we could be reborn, would you still ask me to dance that day?” He kissed me without hesitation. I closed my eyes with a smile, ending that life. So in this life, When other men showed interest – no matter how capable or handsome they were – I rejected them all. I was waiting for Dylan. I was going to be his wife again. I never attended the company singles mixers. I told my frantic parents that I had someone special in my heart, and he’d be joining our company this time next year. My parents thought I was out of my mind. So I waited, year after year. Dylan, who should have joined the company in 1986, only appeared in 1988. That’s when I learned he’d spent two years in the military. In our previous life, Dylan had often lamented not having served in the army. Now, he’d actually taken two years to do it. I guessed he must have been reborn too. When I heard Dylan was attending the singles dance, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was the first to sign up. Even though it was two years later, I wore the same red polka-dot dress as in my past life and got a fresh perm. I politely turned down every man who asked for a dance, sitting in the waiting area, my eyes glued to the door. Today, I was finally going to properly greet him. “That’s our company’s new engineer.” “Looks like he just came back from the military too~ You can tell; he’s got that military bearing.” Chloe nudged my arm, pointing towards the main entrance. That familiar figure entered my view. The restless music in the dance hall seemed to slow to half speed. Slightly disheveled short hair, a sharp jawline, he glanced left and right as if searching. The moment our eyes met, he gave a shy smile, revealing his signature grin. He walked through the crowd, heading towards me, just like in our past life. Twenty-four-year-old Dylan still made my heart flutter. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding as he drew closer. I raised my arm, ready to embrace the happiness of this new life. My hand, suspended in mid-air, froze. He walked past me, towards Chloe, who was standing behind me. “Hello, miss, may I have this dance with you?”

Chloe looked flustered, her face instantly flushing crimson. Colleagues around us, loving the drama, started to hoot. “Dylan’s new to the company, Chloe, don’t crush his confidence!” “Yeah, just dance with him!” Chloe found it hard to refuse and reached out, letting her hand rest on Dylan’s. Dylan took Chloe’s hand, and they walked onto the dance floor. The crowd cheered. I sat there, stunned. No matter how loud the music was, I couldn’t hear a thing. Dylan hadn’t even spared me a glance; his steps had marched directly to Chloe. In that first life, was it Chloe he wanted to ask to dance? I scrambled out of there. The sky opened up, pouring rain, and memories from my previous life flooded my mind. In my past life, Chloe had invited me to that singles dance. She’d picked out my entire outfit, from head to toe. Her favorite red polka-dot dress, her signature 80s perm. We were similar in height and build. Dressed up, we looked almost like twins. I didn’t know how to dance, so I just sat in a corner. Dylan came straight up to me, head bowed, and asked me in front of everyone, “Hello, miss, may I have this dance with you?” The stage lights were dim. He didn’t dare to look up. When I didn’t move, he bravely spoke again, “I’ve liked you for a long time. Please, dance with me!” That was the first time I truly heard my own heartbeat. I’d secretly liked Dylan for ages, and being suddenly confessed to by the man I adored left me flustered. I mechanically reached out my hand, my mind a blank, and replied, “I like you too.” My colleagues around us started to cheer. Only then did Dylan finally look up and meet my eyes. Back then, I couldn’t read the shock in Dylan’s eyes; I thought it was surprise. After that dance, I became more proactive in pursuing Dylan, and he never refused me. It seemed everyone at the company assumed we were a couple. Marriage and children followed naturally, a course of least resistance. Even though he was always distant, I just figured that was his personality. But then I thought of the fervent look in his eyes just now on the dance floor. Turns out, Dylan had wanted to ask Chloe to dance from the very beginning. I remembered Chloe once saying she had a weakness for guys in uniform. So, the first thing Dylan did after being reborn was to join the military. What he called his “regret” actually pointed to Chloe. Dylan, like me, had a clear purpose in being reborn. Only, the objects of our affections had changed. I went home in the rain, caught a fever, and my parents worried outside my door for days. Once I recovered, I calmly announced, “Mom and Dad, I’m ready for blind dates.” Dylan in this life seemed like a completely different person. In our previous life, he was always cautious. He’d think everything through before acting. But in this life, he practically moved his desk next to Chloe’s. As if he wanted to tell everyone at the company that he liked Chloe. His forwardness and intensity were something I’d never witnessed. In our previous life, if I even walked a little too close to him at the company, he’d try to keep his distance. “We work at the same place. People will talk.” I didn’t know what kind of “talk” he meant, but now, he’d already been warned several times by the supervisor. Yet, he didn’t reduce his closeness to Chloe. Chloe was my best friend, and she couldn’t help but complain to me about Dylan. “He’s so annoying! Dylan, he’s stuck to me like glue, he’s everywhere!” “You don’t like him? I saw you accept his gifts and go to the movies with him.” “Accepting gifts means we’re together? Plenty of guys send me stuff.” Chloe had many suitors. Even though Dylan had returned from two years in the military, his other prospects weren’t exactly stellar. Chloe shared the imported chocolate Dylan had bought her with everyone. As I held a piece in my hand, a pang of envy struck me. Back then, when I was pregnant and craved a sweet chocolate, he’d say that when starting a business, every penny counted. And with a baby on the way, money would be tight everywhere. No matter what I wanted, he always had a thousand reasons not to give it to me. But now, if Chloe simply said she wanted some, he’d buy her so many boxes, more than she could ever eat. Turns out, whether there was love or not had always been crystal clear. It was just my love-struck self, blinded and deluded, who chose to ignore it all.

One day at work, feeling a bit lightheaded, I opened a bar of chocolate Chloe had given me and ate a piece. “How dare you eat that?” This was the first time Dylan had spoken to me since being reborn. But his next action was to slap the chocolate out of my hand. “That’s for Chloe! Where did you steal it from?!” His words chilled me to the bone. He actually accused me of “stealing.” “What are you doing?! I gave this to Scarlett myself!” Chloe immediately stepped in to protect me. Dylan gave an awkward laugh. “Oh, right. My bad then…” “Chloe, this chocolate is really expensive. It cost me half my salary. Could you maybe eat it yourself?” “I can give it to whoever I want! What’s it to you?! Scarlett, let’s go, I’ll take you out to eat!” When Dylan said “steal,” the look in his eyes was like he was looking at a complete stranger. He didn’t even consider that I might have been reborn too. After all, we’d spent sixty years together, started a business, built a home, raised children. Even if there was no love, surely there was some family bond. His cold tone towards me, laced with hatred, as if he feared I’d contaminate him. He even begrudged me something he’d given to someone else. “So, Chloe, when are you and Dylan going to make it official?” Chloe sighed, adding some food to my bowl. “His family background is pretty bad. Besides his military service, he doesn’t have much else going for him. I’m still thinking about it.” Despite her words, less than two months later, the news that Dylan and Chloe were an item spread throughout the company. Many said Dylan was chasing Chloe because she was the company Manager’s daughter, hoping to be a gold digger and climb the ladder fast. But Dylan, to show his “true love,” got a tattoo of Chloe’s face on his arm. I remembered how in our past life, when our son got a tattoo of my photo and his, Dylan had ripped into him, humiliating him. And now he was using that exact same move to chase Chloe. Chloe’s parents were even more disgusted by Dylan’s behavior, especially with the rumors of him being a gold digger spreading through the company. Chloe’s parents ordered them to break up immediately. But young people are like that; the more you try to stop them, the more they cling to each other. To prove he wasn’t a gold digger, Dylan swore he’d buy Chloe a proper house in the city, outright, by next month. Listening to the gossip, a question suddenly struck me. Dylan, from a poor background, where would he get the money to buy a house? And he set himself a deadline for next month? Wait, what?! I suddenly remembered that next month, the city was hosting the first National Bridal Gown Design Competition. In my past life, I entered it on a whim. My design won the gold prize and was bought by an industry expert for a staggering fifty thousand dollars. That was fifty thousand dollars in the 80s. That money later became the seed fund for Dylan’s and my business. My mind raced. In my previous life, I only submitted the design sketches. If I could actually produce the gown, wouldn’t I earn even more? I worked overtime for over a month, burning the midnight oil. The moment I arrived at the competition venue, I heard exclamations of admiration. “Who designed this? It’s a work of art!” “This level of skill could compete on the world stage!” “I totally underestimated Dylan! This intricate craftsmanship is absolutely masterful.” … The praises kept coming. I looked towards the huddle of people. A gown identical to my design from the previous life was on a model. The intricate details, the choice of jewels, the lace patterns—everything was identical. The only difference was, this piece was credited to “Dylan.” I’d forgotten that in my previous life, he had seen this award-winning design countless times, often using it as a company endorsement for various projects. I looked at Dylan, and our eyes met. I had no intention of questioning him, but his eyes were full of provocation. He then turned to all the contestants present and declared, “Competitions should be about sincerity. I think those who only bring sketches shouldn’t even bother!” “My work started over a month ago; every stitch is a piece of my heart!” He was clearly implying that I, just like in the previous life, had only brought design sketches. The onlookers praised his dedication, and those who had only brought sketches lowered their heads in shame. My mom, who came to help me, saw Dylan’s work and instantly panicked. “Honey, how is his work identical to yours?” Mom’s words were overheard by Dylan and the people around him. There was a moment of silence. Dylan then seized his chance. “Scarlett! We’re from the same company. You weren’t peeking while I was designing, were you?” “This is a major competition! Is someone already cheating in the very first year?!” Dylan was clearly prepared, firing off a barrage of accusations. Mom, furious, immediately opened my bag and started arguing with him. “This is my daughter’s hard work! Who is the real copycat?!” My gown had just been finished this morning. The basting stitches were still in, and the threads weren’t even trimmed. This immediately solidified the accusations of me being a “copycat.” The whispers grew louder, people pointing at me, trying to prevent me from competing. Even Chloe, standing beside Dylan, looked at me as if I were a thief. If I hadn’t lived through a previous life and seen every kind of situation, I would have fled right then! But I remained unfazed, my expression calm. I registered, filled out the forms. Seeing my composure, Dylan feigned concern. “Forget it, I guess Scarlett was just blinded by ambition. We’re all colleagues; let’s give her some slack.” “Designs can sometimes be similar. I believe she didn’t do it on purpose this time.” He played both the good guy and the bad guy, pretending to be magnanimous despite being wronged. The crowd’s approval of Dylan soared. “For fairness, Scarlett, your piece isn’t even finished, and it’s identical to mine. You should just withdraw from the competition to save yourself further embarrassment!” I suddenly smiled. “Dylan, I never said this was my competition entry.”

“She’s been exposed, hasn’t she? Is she just making things up now?” “It’s barely been a month of prep time! One person making an entire finished bridal gown is already incredibly difficult!” I ignored the whispers around me. I calmly asked the judging panel for five mannequins. Returning to my competition spot, Mom and I calmly pulled out clothing bags. I was prepared. I was here to make money, and every piece at this competition would be sold. The more, the better. Having lived a lifetime, I’d spent sixty years in fashion. I’d made ten gowns in a single month before. Even though the tools weren’t as advanced in this life, my sixty years of skill were still sharp. Some onlookers scoffed, “Can she really win by sheer volume?” People were still whispering, but as my gowns were placed one by one on the mannequins, everyone fell silent. My past life’s design was an intricate, heavily embroidered gown, extremely complex to recreate. That’s why I left it for last, to make it if I could, and skip it if I couldn’t. All my focus in this life had been on these five designs. Each one was an award-winning design that hadn’t yet appeared in this era. Elegant, grand, and minimalist – a standard that wouldn’t be outdated even in that time. When the five dresses were perfectly displayed, everyone was speechless. The judging began. All the judges lingered for a long time in front of my designs. They asked me about my design philosophy, my inspiration, and I answered them honestly. Actually, long before those contestants stopped gossiping about me, I already knew the answer in my heart. But to my dismay, first place still went to Dylan’s intricately crafted gown. The contestants who had mocked me earlier now offered consolation. “Chloe’s dad is one of the organizers. We all think your designs were better.” Dylan, holding his medal, shot me a triumphant glance. “Copying is copying. Trying to win by quantity is just pathetic. How utterly ridiculous.” But then, Dylan’s smile faltered. The next awards, second place, third place, all the way to sixth place, They all went to me. The judges commented, “The works are mature, with a unique style. While they show echoes of the first-place design, they are more refined. The only drawback is that as bridal gowns, they are perhaps too minimalist; the mainstream still prefers more decoration.” The room fell completely quiet. Anyone who knew anything about design understood. Decorations can be added later, but the fundamental design and cut of the garment are what truly matter. Dylan’s cool demeanor finally crumbled. I calmly gave my acceptance speech, focusing on one key point: “They are available for purchase.” Several judges’ eyes lit up with interest. My creations were right here. Whether they were copied or not, everyone could judge for themselves. Even Chloe understood, giving Dylan a disgusted look before directly leaving the venue. Dylan stubbornly stayed. He needed to make money. The auction began with the first-place design. Dylan’s piece started at $10,000, and Chloe’s father bid it up to $15,000. But the price wouldn’t go any higher; no one else raised their paddle. In my past life, this gown sold for fifty thousand! Had that person not shown up? I felt a little worried. Would my gowns not sell for much now? When it was my turn, Chloe’s father privately approached me. “Scarlett, if your designs could stay with the company, I’d promote you and give you a raise.” I didn’t know how to respond. Just then, my gowns went up for auction. All five pieces at once. “$50,000!” “$150,000!” “$200,000!” Everyone frantically raised their paddles. The price per piece had long surpassed Dylan’s $15,000. I grew more excited; I hadn’t expected such an incredible response to these five pieces. Dylan stood in front of his own gown, his face growing darker and darker. “$500,000!”

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After my husband Julian Blackwood got a heart transplant, he fell for a widow seven years his senior. At my birthday party, he gave her my seat at the head of the table. “Audrey doesn’t like chocolate. Change the cake to strawberry.” I stood up, face set in stone, and walked out, leaving behind the obedient wife I used to be. He roared after me, “Why are you being so unreasonable? My new heart makes me love her—can’t you try to understand?” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. The truth he never learned was that the donor had loved me since the very beginning. As I was about to leave, Julian’s hand clamped down on my wrist. “Audrey, give your design drafts to Serena Thorne. She needs a new piece for her show the day after tomorrow, to legitimize her name.” Those design drafts were the culmination of three years of my hard work. He knew exactly what they cost me, yet he said tonelessly, “I’ll compensate you.” How could he compensate for all my years of sacrifice and humiliation? I only remembered that a month ago, I refused to rig the new artist award in Serena’s favor. In retaliation, he posted my private photos all over the internet. I pulled out my design drafts and my USB drive, then formatted my computer right there, in front of everyone. I offered my congratulations obediently. “I wish you great success.” Julian’s expression softened at my words. “Audrey, this is how you should always be—obedient and sensible. As long as you’re good, I can give you anything you want.” But the next second, Serena clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. Julian immediately shoved me aside, and he was doting on her, practically falling over himself. His movements were careful, yet clumsy. His panic and helplessness were plain for everyone to see. They watched me, smirking, their eyes full of mockery. They weren’t the only ones who looked down on me. I looked down on myself, too. Three days prior, I suddenly started bleeding down there. Julian was just about to leave to take Serena out for a candlelight dinner. I crawled to his feet, a long trail of blood marking my path behind me. The man ignored my desperate plea, forcefully pulling his pant leg free from my desperate grip. Just before I completely gave up hope, Julian turned back. He frowned at the bloodstains behind me, pinched his nose, and ordered, “Clean up the mess, and get her a fresh change of clothes. Serena gets sick to her stomach at the smell of blood.” I silently turned to leave, only to be violently pushed to the ground by him. The champagne tower and cake toppled onto me, leaving me utterly humiliated. “Kneel.”

Before I could even speak, I was dragged in front of him. “You deliberately made her uncomfortable, made a scene, and messed up this place.” “If you didn’t want to give her the design drafts, you should have just said so. Why resort to such despicable methods, causing her to have an attack? Is this how you ‘repay’ her?” Repay a debt. Repay a debt. Publicly slapping me was ‘repaying a debt.’ Making love in my bed was ‘repaying a debt.’ Tying me, six months pregnant, to a freefall ride was ‘repaying a debt.’ Thinking of this, I resigned myself and knelt, striking my head hard against the glass shards on the floor three times, the sounds echoing through the room. “Is this enough?” I said, my voice hoarse. Seeing my humiliated state, Julian’s breathing grew heavier. “Stop faking it, Audrey. No one here is going to sneak you information, and no one’s going to back you up.” “Cut out that repulsive look on your face.” I couldn’t be bothered to explain. As soon as Serena on the sofa seemed to recover, Julian immediately pushed me away and swept her into his arms. Julian rushed upstairs. I limped towards the door. Catching a glimpse of a faint figure in my memory, I quickened my pace. Before I could even speak, a dull thud hit me from behind, and then I lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, the air was thick with the smell of disinfectant. I was being held down, kneeling by the door of a hospital room. From a distance, I vaguely heard the housekeeper’s trembling voice. “Sir, Madam just had a miscarriage a few days ago, and her knees are still wounded. The floor is so cold, she won’t be able to bear it.” “The doctor also said Miss Serena’s condition isn’t serious. It’s better to let Madam treat her wounds first.” “Enough.” A cold glare silenced the housekeeper. “Audrey won’t kneel at the door, and Serena won’t be able to sleep.” “It’s just a minor procedure, she’s been through it before.” The familiar scent of pine grew stronger. I closed my eyes, tears falling silently. “Don’t cry.” “Just bear with it a little longer. I have her lover’s heart. I need to compensate her.” His voice was coaxing, filled with tenderness, but it only made me sick. Two hours passed, and I was swaying precariously. Suddenly, Serena in the hospital room let out a whimpering cry. Julian’s expression, which had softened slightly, immediately hardened. “Hold her down. She must kneel until Serena wakes up tomorrow morning.” The nurse, unable to bear it, said that if the wounds on my knees weren’t treated, they could easily become infected and lead to necrosis or even amputation. The man didn’t hesitate. “Do as I say.” “Sir…” I raised a hand to stop the housekeeper who was about to speak up for me, enunciating each word. “It’s fine. I’ll kneel. I owe her, I should repay my debt.” “After I finish kneeling, we’ll have nothing more to do with each other.” After I spoke, the man didn’t agree. Instead, he furiously gripped my face. “Who are you putting on this show for? Don’t play these mind games with me, Audrey. You’re thirty, not eighteen.” “I just want to repay a debt. Do you really need to act so pitiful?” Serena’s cries were just a murmur in her sleep. Julian immediately plastered a smile on his face and went to her side. I don’t know how much time passed, but my world plunged into darkness again. When I woke up again, Julian was asleep by my bedside, my hand clutched in his. Feeling the steady beat of his heart, my eyes welled up, as if the catastrophe had never happened. I pulled my hand back, waking him. He reached out to check my forehead. “When did you wake up? Are you still uncomfortable?” I simply turned away. “You made me miss my flight.” Julian had never seen me so distant, and an awkward silence lingered for a while. When he saw me booking another flight on my phone, he couldn’t help but ask. “Where are you going for work?” In the past, he would never have asked so much. Before, even a little bit of concern from him would have thrilled me. Now, it just annoyed me. “None of your business.” “I’ve spoiled you too much, you’re getting completely out of control.” “Can’t you learn to be a little gentle, like Serena?” He just kept rambling on and on. Annoyed, I simply closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. He stormed out, leaving the hospital room in shambles. The moment he left, I opened my phone and switched to another app. I just clicked it open, and hundreds of messages flooded in.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299308”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn