Category: English

On the day my ex-husband married my best friend, I dressed up to the nines. When my best friend Amber saw me, her face fell. “Valerie, are you trying to steal the spotlight, dressing up even more beautifully than the bride at my wedding? Are you trying to steal my groom?” “Relax, I have absolutely no interest in your fiancé…” The moment I appeared, the groom, Brandon, stared at me, his eyes wide. “Don’t you remember me?” I asked. Brandon stared for a long time, clearly not recognizing me. “You look familiar, but I can’t quite place you. Are you…?” Seeing that he didn’t recognize me, I felt a sense of relief. I smiled and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll remember who I am soon enough.” It seemed three years was enough for Brandon to completely forget what his “deceased wife” looked like. But me? Even if Brandon turned to ash, I would never forget him. I deliberately approached Amber a while ago, getting close to her, all for this very day. Brandon was gazing at me intently, his eyes practically burning a hole through me. Thanks to my significant wealth, I looked younger, more elegant, and refined than ever before. Amber continued her introduction, “Brandon, I told you, Valerie is the Chairwoman of Synergy Corp., one of our city’s most influential emerging entrepreneurs.” Brandon’s eyes lit up even brighter. He stared at me excitedly. “So you’re Ms. Valerie, the one they call the most stunning Chairwoman in the city! You look even better in person than on TV!” “Oh, that’s just hype, really, from some less-than-reputable media,” I replied gracefully. “Mr. Brandon, you are the true up-and-coming talent, absolutely admirable.” Brandon practically trembled with excitement. “Oh, no, no, my business is just small-time compared to yours, Ms. Valerie. You’re a real powerhouse in our city’s business world!” Amber looked a little jealous, glaring at Brandon playfully. “Alright, Brandon, I need to go get my makeup touched up. You should go do whatever you need to do. And don’t even think about plotting anything with my best friend.” Brandon gave a strained laugh. “Hah, what are you talking about? Just go get ready.” He turned back to me, chuckling again, sneaking a glance at my ample chest. “Ms. Valerie, with your successful career and beauty, your boyfriend must be quite a catch, right?” There it was. I was waiting for that question. I smiled and shook my head. “I don’t have a boyfriend.” Brandon’s eyes lit up. He chuckled. “Is Ms. Valerie’s standard just too high? I get it, I bet most ordinary men wouldn’t even catch your eye.” He subtly shifted his gaze to my shapely rear, his look becoming even more brazen. I shook my head. “Actually, my standards are pretty simple. Just someone who truly cares for me.” Brandon’s eyes widened in surprise. “That shouldn’t be hard to find, should it?” I smiled. “It’s both easy and hard, I suppose.” “You’re right. In this vast world, finding someone who truly cares for you isn’t easy,” Brandon nodded, agreeing with me. He then let out a long sigh, a look of melancholy on his face. “My late wife once said she just wanted to marry someone who truly cared for her. She even said marrying me was the right choice, but sadly we… sigh…” Watching him feign such profound grief made my stomach churn. His so-called “late wife” was pushed overboard by him and Amber, working together. Brandon’s “true care” involved hooking up with my “best friend” Amber less than a month after marrying me. Then, to seize the successful company I founded, they conspired to murder me. They tricked me into taking a trip to a South Asian island nation. Out on the ocean that day, they suddenly pushed me overboard. “Just die in peace, you bitch! I’m sick of you, hahahaha…” Brandon laughed hysterically, shoving my head underwater.

“Hold her down! Don’t let her come up!” Amber cheered him on, while also feigning panic. “Oh my God, help! My friend fell into the water! Everyone, please help her, hahahaha…” Only after I stopped struggling and drifted away with the waves did they happily return. After I was declared missing and presumed dead, Brandon inherited my company and assets. So, seeing Brandon pretending to be so heartbroken and sincere now, I felt nothing but utter disgust. I feigned comfort. “The past is the past, Mr. Brandon, you shouldn’t be too sad. Besides, three years have passed, it’s time to move on.” Brandon, however, shook his head. “Ever since her accident, I swore I’d mourn for her for three years, visiting her grave daily. But three years later, I still can’t let go, I just can’t let her go…” Ugh, the jerk was really milking this ‘devoted widower’ act. In reality, after my “accident,” many suspected him of foul play. So, he fabricated this persona of a heartbroken lover, vowing to mourn for me for three years. Yet, in those three years, besides Amber, he’d been through countless other women. As for his supposed daily visits to my grave, they were just occasional photo ops. Meanwhile, after getting my company and assets, he’d skyrocketed to become one of the hottest young talents in the city’s business world. He started to grow tired of Amber and wasn’t in a hurry to marry her. Instead, he was partying every single night, living a lavish lifestyle. If he hadn’t been afraid Amber would expose their plot to murder me, he would have dumped her long ago. These three years, my company had been almost completely drained by him. Plus, with Amber pressuring him, he finally had no choice but to officially marry her. And now he was putting on this elaborate “devoted lover” performance for me. Clearly, he was up to something. I smirked coldly. “You’re about to marry Amber, so you really should let go. Otherwise, it’s not fair to her.” Brandon gave a bitter smile. “I know it’s not fair to Amber, but it’s still hard to let go of my past. To be honest with you, I’m not really eager to marry Amber. Partly because I feel it’s unfair to her.” “Does Amber know that?” I raised an eyebrow, asking. “Of course she knows. We’ve fought about it,” Brandon said, looking helpless. “That’s why I think this wedding of ours is still too rushed.” “If that’s truly the case, then you do have a point,” I nodded. Brandon’s eyes lit up. He secretly peered at my chest again. “By the way, Ms. Valerie, this might be a bit forward, but I can’t help but say, you and my late wife bear quite a resemblance, both in temperament and appearance.” Heh, I’m your so-called “late wife.” How could I not? “Oh, really? What a coincidence,” I said, unfazed, watching the fish begin to bite. “Yes, it’s a remarkable coincidence,” Brandon chuckled, rubbing his hands together. “It’s almost like fate, quite extraordinary.” Hmph, fate? I came here specifically for revenge. I didn’t reply, just sat down. Brandon sat beside me, attentively pouring me a cup of tea. “Ms. Valerie, honestly, looking at you, it’s like looking at my wife. So familiar, so comforting. I just wish this moment could last forever.” Ugh, the shameless jerk. I smirked coldly. “You certainly seem to have a deep affection for your late wife.” Brandon didn’t catch my sarcasm. He chuckled. “Oh, I can’t help it. I just loved her too much.” I looked at him, sneering. “You’re truly a rare devoted man.”

Brandon, thinking I was genuinely praising him, beamed with delight, gesticulating wildly. “Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Valerie! I feel an instant connection with you, truly. My only regret is not meeting you sooner.” “It’s never too late to meet. Any time is the best time,” I said calmly. “I feel an instant connection with you too, Mr. Brandon.” I was speaking the truth, in my own way. “Really? That’s fantastic!” Brandon’s eyes gleamed, thinking I was reciprocating his interest. On stage, Amber called out to Brandon. “Brandon, come here for a second.” Brandon waved his hand dismissively, annoyed, but still walked over. He then spoke to Amber with a serious expression. “Amber, I think we should postpone the wedding, maybe have it later.” Amber’s face instantly changed. Slap! She slapped him across the face. “Brandon, you bastard, are you trying to delay it again?!” Brandon was stunned for a moment. “What are you doing?!” Amber panted, pointing at Brandon. “I’m telling you, Brandon, I’ve given you my final ultimatum. My patience is wearing thin.” Slap! Suddenly, Brandon, enraged, slapped her back. “You bitch, who do you think you are, giving me ultimatums?!” “I’ll kill you!” Amber shrieked hysterically, lunging at Brandon, and they started fighting. Clang! Bang! They went at it, fists and feet flying, a furious brawl. “You bastard! I put up with you messing around with other women, I put up with you not spending money on me, but today, you still want to delay?! I won’t take it anymore!” “How much money have you blown of mine, and you say I don’t spend money on you?!” “Where did your money come from? Half of it was mine to begin with!” “Go to hell!” “No, you go to hell!” They cursed and yelled at each other as they fought. Everyone else was dumbfounded. After a while, family and friends on both sides finally reacted, rushing onto the stage to pull them apart. “You filthy woman, I swear I’ll kill you today!” Brandon was still seething, cursing viciously. His face was covered in scratches from Amber, and his shirt was torn. “Go ahead and kill me, see if I don’t expose your dirty secrets!” Amber screamed at the top of her lungs. Brandon’s face stiffened, a look of apprehension in his eyes. He pointed at Amber. “Fine, fine, you win this round!” The two were dragged backstage by their relatives to fix their appearance. Judging by their “experienced” manner, they clearly fought often. They had reached a point where they despised each other, but as accomplices in my murder, they were two rotten peas in a pod. Brandon emerged from backstage first, rushing eagerly towards me. “Ah, I apologize for that, Ms. Valerie, you saw how Amber’s temper is. I was just trying to discuss something with her…” Brandon said with an awkward smile. He let out a long sigh, looking utterly helpless. “You forced me to do it, and you still have the nerve to talk!” Amber also approached, yelling angrily. She complained to me, looking wronged. “Valerie, I’m telling you, he’s promised me at least ten times these past few years, and every time he goes back on his word. Look, the wedding is happening today, and he still wants to delay it!” I smiled. “He’s also been unable to let go of his ex-wife. Besides, he once vowed to mourn for her for three years…” Amber rolled her eyes. “Please! That’s all just a made-up lie to fool people. He and his ex-wife had a terrible relationship. Less than a month after they got married, he was already sleeping with me…” Slap!

Brandon suddenly slapped Amber hard across the face, roaring with a twisted expression, “What the hell are you babbling about?! Shut up!” “Brandon, I’m not done with you!” Amber immediately lunged at him again. They started fighting once more. By the time everyone separated them again, Amber’s eyes were swollen. Clearly, Amber exposing Brandon’s lies in front of me had made him furious and violent. Many of their guests couldn’t stand it anymore, urging them to perhaps postpone the wedding. After all, it had devolved into such a spectacle, not only incredibly unsightly but devoid of any festive cheer. Brandon, of course, was thrilled with the idea, but Amber was absolutely determined. She pointed at Brandon and yelled: “Brandon, I’m telling you, this wedding has to happen today! Otherwise, you can look forward to jail time!” Brandon fell silent, his face a grim shade of green. Everyone else was bewildered, wondering why Brandon would go to jail if he didn’t marry Amber. With Amber’s insistence, the wedding was set to continue as planned. Amber went backstage to touch up her makeup again. Brandon plopped down, poured himself a glass of water, and gulped it down, looking angry and helpless. But when he saw me watching him, Brandon forced an awkward smile. “Ms. Valerie, Amber was really talking nonsense just now, please don’t take it seriously. I’ve always loved my ex-wife the most.” “You two are fighting like this, why is Amber so set on having the wedding?” I asked. Brandon snorted. “She’s just after my money. She wants to use the wedding to tie me down!” “People can still get divorced after marriage. How would that tie you down?” I pointed out. “We’re different…” Brandon hesitated, then waved his hand. “Never mind, let’s not talk about it. It’s a mood killer.” I nodded, saying nothing more. Brandon chuckled nervously, then cautiously asked, “Ms. Valerie, your business is so huge, would you be interested in partnering with my company? My company is looking for new investments as we prepare to go public.” I smiled slightly, nodding. “It’s not out of the question. Our group is planning to expand into new ventures. If it’s a good fit, we could consider investing in your company.” Brandon immediately leaped up, excited. “That’s wonderful, wonderful! We would really welcome your group’s investment.” Over these three years, that company had been practically hollowed out by Brandon, struggling even to stay afloat, let alone go public. I sneered inwardly, maintaining a calm expression. “Our group is also looking for a new CEO. If you have any suitable candidates, Mr. Brandon, you could recommend them. Of course, they’d need to be someone I can trust.” “Oh, really…” Brandon’s eyes lit up. After a moment’s hesitation, he chuckled nervously. “How about me, Ms. Valerie? I’d like to put myself forward, hahahaha.” “You? I don’t think so,” I chuckled softly. “While I do trust you, you’re marrying Amber, and Amber is my best friend. We need to keep some distance, or our friendship might suffer.” Brandon grew anxious, frowning, looking helpless. “But… that… we don’t need to keep that much distance, do we?” At that moment, the emcee began to speak. “The auspicious time has arrived! Let us welcome the groom…” Brandon hesitated, gave me a regretful look, then turned and walked onto the stage. A little while later, Amber also came onto the stage. Under the officiant’s guidance, the two began to exchange their vows. Just then, a young man strode in from outside, causing a small commotion. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, carrying a large bouquet of vibrant roses. He walked directly towards me, offering the flowers with both hands. “Ms. Valerie, why have you been avoiding me? I heard you were here and came specifically to find you.”

I didn’t take the flowers. Instead, I turned to look at Brandon on the stage. The officiant was asking, “Brandon, do you take Amber to be your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part, and do you pledge your faithfulness to her?” “I don’t!” Brandon suddenly gritted his teeth, interrupting the officiant. “I don’t love Amber at all! I’ve always deeply loved my ex-wife…!” Amber completely erupted. “Brandon, go to hell! Your ex-wife was killed by you…!” Amber’s words instantly sent a wave of shock through the entire venue. Except for me, almost everyone was utterly stunned. Amber pointed at Brandon, swearing loudly. “You bastard! You murdered your own wife with your bare hands, and now you come back pretending to be heartbroken?! Who are you trying to fool?!” “Are you insane?!” Brandon’s face flushed with rage. He slapped Amber, knocking her to the ground. Then he lunged onto Amber, pinning her down, hands around her throat. “You crazy bitch, I’m going to kill you!” Everyone quickly rushed forward in a frantic effort to pull the two apart. Amber coughed violently, pointing furiously at Brandon. “Brandon, you’re finished! You’re absolutely finished!” Brandon glared at Amber with deadly intensity. “You stupid woman! If I’m finished, do you think you’ll be any better off? Has your brain completely rotted away?!” Amber finally seemed to realize the gravity of her words, and suddenly she looked panicked. “Call the police, quickly, call the police!” Some guests couldn’t take it anymore, shouting, “Someone’s going to get killed at this rate!” A few guests had already pulled out their phones. “Don’t call the police! Please, don’t call the police!” Brandon and Amber frantically yelled, trying to stop everyone from calling the police. The crowd paused, confused. Brandon clasped his hands apologetically, forcing a dry laugh. “I’m so sorry, everyone, so sorry. We were just fooling around.” He then kicked Amber. Amber managed a strained smile. “Yes, yes, we were just playing around. Everyone, please don’t call the police.” Many guests were surprised, especially their close friends and family, who looked displeased. “Brandon, what exactly are you two doing?!” Brandon laughed awkwardly. “Misunderstanding, pure misunderstanding! You all know we’re both rather playful. We just wanted to have a unique wedding today, but it completely backfired. So, we won’t be having the wedding after all…” Amber immediately protested angrily. “You think you can just call it off like that?!” Brandon grabbed her throat, gritting his teeth. “Shut up, you! Do you really want to drag us both down with you?!” Amber choked out a few sounds. “You might as well strangle me to death! You won’t get a good ending either…” Brandon released her, pointing at Amber with exasperation. “Stupid woman, truly a stupid woman…” At this point, a guest stepped forward and asked, “Amber, you just said Brandon killed Julia. What exactly happened?” Several other guests quickly chimed in. “Yes, what really happened to Ms. Julia?” They were all my former business partners, and good friends too. “I… I…” Under their questioning, Amber became even more panicked, looking around helplessly, unable to speak. “Hah! What are you all thinking? She’s just talking nonsense,” Brandon quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over. “Julia’s death was a complete accident. The official investigation concluded it was an accident long ago. What’s there to doubt?” He shoved Amber hard. “Go on, explain yourself!” Amber understood, nodding and forcing a dry laugh. “Yes, yes, I was just saying all that in anger. Please don’t take it seriously.” “What goes around comes around. You two better watch yourselves.” The few guests didn’t say anything more.

This wedding had turned into a complete farce. Some guests, including those few, were preparing to leave. Brandon, however, raised his hand and waved, loudly announcing, “Everyone, please don’t leave just yet. I hope you can all stay and witness an even more important event for me.” Everyone looked at him, puzzled. Brandon picked up the bouquet of fresh flowers, which was originally meant for Amber, and walked towards me. Brandon came up to me, staring at the young man who had just presented me with flowers. “May I ask who you are?” His gaze was extremely aggressive. The young man smiled, extending his hand. “Hello, my name is Kevin.” Brandon didn’t shake his hand. He snorted. “Kevin? Never heard of you. I don’t recall you being invited to this wedding today, do I?” Kevin looked a little awkward. “I’m not here for the wedding. I’m here to see Ms. Valerie…” Brandon waved his hand, cutting him off. “Alright, you’re not welcome here. Now, leave.” Kevin’s face turned crimson. He gritted his teeth, then turned and slunk away, utterly humiliated. Truth be told, I didn’t know Kevin very well either, but he had been relentlessly pursuing me. His showing up here today was because I had someone discreetly tip him off that I’d be attending a wedding here. His arrival provided crucial assistance, pushing Brandon over the edge and making him publicly annul the wedding. Watching Kevin leave, Brandon smirked triumphantly, spitting. “What a complete nobody, trying to pursue our Ms. Valerie.” Then, he suddenly put on a fawning smile, presenting the bouquet to me with both hands. “Ms. Valerie, these flowers are for you, to express my most sincere… heartfelt intentions.” The crowd gasped again. Many people couldn’t help but show their disdain. “Brandon, what the hell are you doing?!” Amber erupted again, rushing over and pushing Brandon hard. Brandon replied impatiently, “It’s none of your business!” “None of my business?! You just called off our wedding, then turned around and declared your feelings to another woman! How is that none of my business?!” Amber’s eyes were practically spitting fire. Brandon’s eyes widened. “Don’t talk nonsense! While Ms. Valerie and I do have an instant connection, I’m a man of boundaries. I’m simply expressing my respect to Ms. Valerie, and offering myself to be the CEO of her corporation.” “CEO?” Amber looked confused. “Exactly.” Brandon shook his head proudly. “Ms. Valerie’s company is looking for a new CEO, and I think I’m quite suitable.” “Oh, so you were trying to hook up with Valerie, and that’s why you wanted to dump me, right?!” Amber yelled furiously. “Hook up? We just weren’t compatible, so let’s part ways amicably!” Brandon snorted. Amber then turned her angry gaze on me. “Valerie, what is going on? Are you deliberately trying to break us up? Are you seducing Brandon, aren’t you?!” “You bitch, can you stop talking nonsense?!” Brandon shoved Amber hard. Amber glared at me aggressively. “Alright, Brandon, both of you step aside for a moment. I need to talk to Valerie.” Brandon immediately looked wary. “What do you want to talk to her about?” Amber spoke with some seriousness. “Just move aside, okay? Valerie is my best friend. If you really want to be CEO, you’d better be polite to me, otherwise, one word from me and you’re out of the running.” Brandon scoffed, unconvinced. “You’re really full of yourself. Ms. Valerie has to listen to you? Ms. Valerie and I are good friends with an instant connection. You can’t drive a wedge between us.” “Then move aside!” Amber yelled.

I nodded at Brandon. “Mr. Brandon, perhaps you two should step away for a moment.” Although Brandon was reluctant, he still retreated further. Amber sat down next to me, asking indignantly, “Valerie, what on earth is going on? Are you interested in Brandon? You even want him to be your company’s CEO? Is his canceling the wedding related to you?” I raised an eyebrow, my voice cold. “Do you really think I’d be interested in someone like Brandon?” Amber thought for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face. “You’re right, how could you be interested in him? His company is just an empty shell. Even a dying camel is bigger than a horse, but it’s nothing compared to yours.” I smiled. “Tell me, why are you so determined to marry Brandon when he treats you like this?” Amber giggled. “Do you think I really love him that much? Let me tell you, I’m only after his money. I’m marrying him so I can officially take a share of his assets.” I frowned. “Isn’t that a bit… wrong?” Amber snorted. “What’s wrong with it?! That money was partly mine to begin with! He promised me half back then, but after he got the assets, he actually refused to admit it!” I thought for a moment. “I heard Brandon’s assets were mainly inherited from his ex-wife. Why would he be willing to give you half?” Amber’s face hardened, and she grew wary. “That, I’m not at liberty to tell you. You don’t need to know anyway; it has nothing to do with you.” Then she giggled again. “Valerie, I’m telling you, Brandon has a massive secret that I’m holding over his head, so he can’t possibly shake me off. I don’t mind if you make him CEO, as long as he makes money, I’ll benefit too.” “Can you tell me what kind of leverage you have?” I asked. Amber chuckled dryly. “Still can’t say. After all, it’s the biggest secret between him and me.” I chuckled softly. “Alright, I’m just kidding. Did you really think I’d be interested?” Amber suddenly got a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Oh, right, Valerie, if you’re genuinely interested in Brandon, I wouldn’t oppose you two dating. In fact, I’d support you marrying him. After all, you’re my best friend.” I rolled my eyes at her. Amber cackled. “I’m serious, not joking. As your best friend, I can share Brandon with you.” “Amber, if you say something like that again, don’t blame me for ending our friendship,” I said coldly. Inside, I was scoffing endlessly. Amber was truly a viper. She called me her best friend, claimed to support my marriage to Brandon, but in reality, she was just after my assets, trying to replicate the scheme she and Brandon used to murder me back then. “Alright, alright, I won’t say it again,” Amber chuckled dryly. “I’m going to go take off my makeup now.” With that, she turned and left, giving Brandon a defiant glare as she passed him. Brandon looked somewhat puzzled but ignored her, instead anxiously walking towards me. I secretly turned on the voice recorder I carried with me. “Ms. Valerie, what did she just tell you? She didn’t talk badly about me, did she?” Brandon asked, feigning nonchalance. “Brandon, was your ex-wife Julia killed by you and Amber working together?”

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The year I turned eighteen, my parents were in a car accident on our way to my college move-in day. They died instantly, and I was left paralyzed. My brother, Jake, and his wife saw me as nothing but a burden, so they dumped me at my sister Ava’s doorstep. Luckily, Ava never resented me. I was paralyzed for a decade, and she took care of me for every single one of those ten years. To cover my medical bills, she juggled three jobs a day, her body breaking down from sheer exhaustion. Her husband, Leo, finally snapped: “If you keep looking after your sister, we’re getting a divorce!” Ava didn’t hesitate; she divorced him on the spot. Her selfless actions touched hearts across the internet, and she was dubbed “America’s Most Amazing Sister.” Everyone envied me for having such a wonderful sister. Until I won the lottery and got ten million dollars. But I transferred all of it to my brother, Jake. The entire internet condemned me as ungrateful. A reporter, Mr. Davis, found me: “You’ve been paralyzed for a decade. Your brother hasn’t looked after you for a single day. Your sister, Ava, has stuck by you, taking on a mountain of debt for you, and even sacrificed her marriage. Why didn’t you give her a single penny?” I looked up at Mr. Davis, my voice calm: “Set up hidden cameras in my house for a three-day secret livestream, and you’ll understand why.”

As soon as the hidden cameras were installed, the secret livestream began. Cassandra, my “sister,” walked in after work, sporting heavy dark circles under her eyes. She dragged herself to my bedside, preparing to help me clean up. Seeing a mess beneath me, there wasn’t a flicker of disgust in her eyes, only profound heartache and self-reproach. “Riley, did you have an upset stomach last night?” She touched my forehead, blaming herself. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault; I’ve been so exhausted from work lately that I slept like a rock. I forgot to check on you in the middle of the night and keep your blanket on, leaving you uncomfortable all night…” I watched her silently, not speaking. The live comments, however, exploded: “My God, this sister is incredible! She just got home from work, saw this total mess, and her first reaction was to blame herself.” “Right? If I’d worked all day and came home to that, I’d be fuming!” “She really is America’s Most Amazing Sister; she’s making me tear up!” Cassandra didn’t know about the hidden livestream. She just single-handedly turned me over, preparing to help me to the bathroom for a shower. But she was too tired. Even with all her strength, she struggled to lift me from the bed. Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Cassandra opened it to find my brother, Jake, standing there. Her eyes widened in surprise. “What are you doing here?” Jake had a cigarette dangling from his lips. He said nonchalantly, “If I’m not mistaken, this apartment is the one Mom and Dad gifted Riley when she got into college, right? As Riley’s brother, there’s no big deal if I stay at my sister’s place for a few days, is there?” With that, he just barged in. Cassandra was too exhausted to argue after a long day, so she just told Jake, “Then lend me a hand and help me get Riley to the bathroom. I need to give her a shower!” Jake shot me a disgusted glance, muttering, “That’s sickening, she reeks of pee and poop. No way am I touching her!” Cassandra frowned. “Jake! Riley is your own sister! She just gave you all ten million dollars she won. How can you refuse to even help her?” Jake scoffed. “She gave me the money willingly. You’re not trying to guilt-trip me, are you?” Cassandra sighed. “I respect all of Riley’s decisions. She gave you all her winnings because she wanted you and your wife to live well.” “She’s so good to you; can’t you be a little good to her?” Jake sneered. “What’s the point of being good to her? She’s just a paralyzed invalid, a waste of space for a decade!” “I don’t know why you bother taking care of this useless person every day. She’d be better off dead!” At this sight, the live comments instantly boiled over: “Seriously? Is this guy even human? Wishing his own sister dead right to her face?” “And his sister just handed him ten million dollars!” “I seriously don’t get it. Her sister slaved for a decade taking care of her, went deep into debt, even lost her marriage, and got absolutely nothing in return! Is this sister out of her mind?!” “She’s ungrateful to such an amazing sister but so good to this heartless animal of a brother? Did the paralysis affect her brain too?!”

Jake didn’t help in the end. It took Cassandra over an hour to clean me up. She was drenched in sweat from exhaustion, but she still meticulously changed my clothes, settling me into my wheelchair. “Riley, you must be hungry, right? Sister will go make you dinner now.” Due to extreme fatigue, Cassandra almost fainted when she stood up. But she only paused for a few seconds before forcing herself to walk into the kitchen. Soon, she brought out grilled salmon, a rich beef stew, some steamed greens, and a pot of steaming chicken soup. Cassandra placed the dishes in front of me, then carefully blew on a spoonful of chicken soup to cool it before bringing it to my lips. “Riley, this chicken soup was made from a fresh, organic chicken I specifically bought from a local farm. You always loved this when you were a kid, try some.” I turned my head, my voice cold. “I don’t want to eat.” Cassandra’s eyes were filled with worry. “Riley, you already had an upset stomach. If you don’t eat something to replenish your strength, your body won’t be able to take it.” I looked at her, my tone still distant. “I don’t have an appetite.” Then, I looked at Jake, who was sprawled on the couch playing on his phone, and said softly, “Jake, I want that pastry on the coffee table.” Jake didn’t even look up, saying impatiently, “I bought that for myself. If you want it, push your wheelchair and go buy your own!” Cassandra glared at Jake, then turned to me, her voice gentle. “Riley, eat your dinner first. After that, I’ll go buy you a pastry, okay?” I stubbornly shook my head, refusing to eat the food she made. At this sight, the live comments exploded: “Is this sister crazy? Refusing her sister’s home-cooked meal, but demanding her brother’s pastry?” “I thought she was just confused, but she’s so utterly pathetic. Her brother treated her like that, and she’s still fixated on his stuff?” “Poor sister, she’s putting in so much thankless effort. She worked so hard to make a whole table of food, and Riley won’t even look at it.” “That’s disgusting. The more I watch, the more I think this younger sister is such a terrible person!”

The first day of the livestream ended. The chat was filled with insults directed at me. On the second day, Cassandra got off work a little earlier than usual. As she came in, she held a warm bag in her hand. “Riley, you wanted a pastry yesterday, right? Sister bought it specifically after work. It’s your favorite savory kind, try it quickly.” She handed the pastry to me, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. I glanced at the pastry, my tone indifferent. “I don’t want it now.” A flicker of disappointment and sadness crossed Cassandra’s face. But she forced a smile and said, “What do you want to eat then? Sister will make it for you.” I shot her a cold look. “I don’t want anything you make.” With that, I maneuvered my wheelchair, ready to go to the balcony for some fresh air. As I exited my room, I bumped straight into Jake, who was holding a liquor bottle. The bottle in his hand fell to the floor, and he immediately exploded in rage. “Damn it, are you blind?! You just spilled all my expensive liquor!” He picked up the bottle and forcefully kicked my wheelchair. The wheelchair lurched violently, tipping to one side. “Riley!” Cassandra cried out, rushing forward, shielding me and the wheelchair with her body. Her hand was scraped by the wheelchair, leaving a deep gash, visible to the bone, bleeding profusely. But she ignored the pain, quickly steadying me before turning to Jake, shaken and furious. “Jake! You almost hurt Riley!” Jake glared at me. “She’s useless; she can’t even feel pain. Why are you so worked up?” “This is so annoying! All that good liquor wasted because of her!” Jake grumbled as he stomped back into his room to continue drinking. Cassandra, still shaken, first checked me all over to make sure I was okay. Only after confirming I was unharmed did she endure the pain in her hand to inspect the kicked wheelchair. Finding a buckle somewhat loose, she immediately pulled out her toolbox. She tightened and reinforced it little by little, working late into the night. In the livestream, the comments continued to boil over: “I’m crying. Where can you find a sister this good? Her hand is so badly injured, yet all she cares about is her sister.” “Seriously, why is this amazing sister so unlucky to be stuck with such a blind, heartless invalid of a sister?” “Exactly! Is this sister’s heart made of stone? Her sister has done so much for her, why is she so cold to her?!” “No wonder they say unfortunate people often have something hateful about them. This sister is so hopelessly biased towards her brother, she deserves to be paralyzed!” “This is so suffocating. Sister, just let go! This kind of sister isn’t worth it!” The livestream chat was filled with outrage. Even Mr. Davis, the reporter, called me. “Is this the three-day secret livestream you wanted? Do you know what the chat has been saying about you these past two days?” “Your sister has done so much for you. Aren’t you just asking to be hated?” I glanced at Cassandra, who was quietly tending to her wound in the living room, and said calmly, “There’s one last day.” “Then you’ll know everything.” 　

On the third morning, Cassandra, as usual, came into my room as soon as she woke up. “Riley, how are you feeling today? Is your appetite any better?” She expertly checked my condition while asking softly. I didn’t answer, only glanced indifferently at her bandaged hand. It was still oozing blood. Seeing me silent, Cassandra, as always, massaged my limbs. She moved my joints, preventing muscle atrophy. Her movements were gentle, as if she were tending to a precious treasure. “Riley, look how nice the weather is today.” “After breakfast, I’ll push you outside for a walk. The doctor said outdoor activities are good for your health.” She looked out the window, trying to find topics of conversation. But I remained cold. “No thanks.” Her hand paused slightly, and she said nothing more. After the massage, she fetched warm water, meticulously washed my face and hands, then made me breakfast. The livestream comments continued to scroll: “This sister is still being her same stubborn, lifeless act today. It’s infuriating.” “Exactly! Her sister’s hand is so badly injured, and she still has to take care of her. Does she not even offer a word of concern?” “Honestly disgusting. Some people just don’t deserve kindness!” That day, Cassandra didn’t go to work. She said she wanted to spend quality time with me. After finishing everything, she pushed me to the balcony to bask in the sun. She combed my hair, trimmed my nails, and cleaned my ears. She made sure every inch of me was clean and tidy. After all the chores, she pulled a small stool and sat beside me. Gripping my hand tightly, she began to speak softly. “Riley, do you remember? When we were little, you loved to pull me onto the balcony to sunbathe. You said the sun always made you feel better.” “On my wedding day, you cried so much, clinging to my hand and refusing to let go.” “You once said your biggest wish was for me to be happy…” As she spoke, her eyes welled up. Just then, her phone rang. But she didn’t answer. Instead, she gave me a deep look, then hung up. Then, she looked at me, a faint smile on her face. “Riley, it’s time.” I smiled faintly. This moment, it was finally here. With that, Cassandra straightened up, gave me a cryptic look. And then she did something that stunned every single viewer watching the livestream…

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Not long ago, my girlfriend brought home a stray dog. She completely adored it, even kicking me out of our room so the dog could sleep with her. And that dog, emboldened by her favoritism, not only barked furiously at me and stole my food, but it even bit me. Soon after, I contracted rabies. But just as I was clinging to life, I heard my girlfriend call that dog Caleb. That was the exact name of her first love. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my girlfriend dumped the dog on me to care for. 【1】 “Leo, while I’m away on my business trip, you *have* to take good care of Mochi.” “If anything happens to Mochi, we’re over, do you hear me? We’re done!” As she spoke, Mochi trotted towards me, looking perfectly innocent. Realizing I’d been reborn, I instinctively recoiled. I knew his innocence was an act, but I never in a million years imagined that the dog my girlfriend picked up was actually her first love, Caleb. But now, my inner confusion finally made sense. Why Scarlett, who had always been terrified of dogs, would suddenly pick one up and then treat it better than she ever treated me. And the first time Scarlett brought Mochi home, I noticed his eyes looked more human than dog. Before leaving, Scarlett knelt down, hugged “Mochi” close, her voice sickeningly sweet: “My sweet Mochi, no dog food for you these next few days, okay? Leo will make you your favorite slow-cooked ribs. If you dare eat anything else… Mommy will never, ever talk to you again when I get back.” She stood up, then glared at me, adding: “Especially you, Leo! If you dare feed him dog food, we’re through!” I nodded, my smile perfectly flawless: “Don’t worry. I’ll make it myself.” The moment the door closed, Mochi bared his fangs at me. Him snarling at me? Fine. But what I absolutely couldn’t stand was that he’d constantly sneak into my room and pee when I wasn’t looking. And he never ate dog food. He *demanded* my homemade meals, and not just any meal—he wanted the food right out of *my* bowl! Every time Mochi misbehaved, if I so much as moved to scold him, Scarlett would immediately jump in and blame *me* instead. After being chewed out a few times, I’d become the lowest on the totem pole in my own home. Watching me head towards the kitchen to cook, Mochi finally retracted his fangs. Then, while I was busy cooking, he quietly snuck back and pushed open my bedroom door, which I’d already closed. But this time, I didn’t stop him. After all, this would be his very last time peeing in my room. 【2】 Soon, I had a delicious, fragrant plate of slow-cooked ribs ready. I dished some into a dog bowl, then prepared a plate for myself. While Mochi wasn’t looking, I added a sleeping pill to my own plate. Sure enough, seeing me about to eat, Mochi came trotting over, tail wagging, practically prancing. But he didn’t even glance at his own dog bowl. He went straight for my plate. “Get lost!” Despite my angry shout, Mochi just moved faster. And in three quick gulps, he’d devoured most of the food right out of my plate. Finally, he didn’t forget to kick my plate onto the floor with a paw, then flashed me a disgustingly smug grin. But when he saw the chilling smile on my face, Mochi instantly panicked. He frantically rushed to his water bowl, desperate to drink, but I had already poured out all the water. And the only other place to get water, the bathroom, was locked. Mochi snarled and barked furiously at me, as if demanding to know what I had fed him. Ignoring his furious gaze, I slowly pulled out my phone and dialed the vet. “Hello, I’d like to book a surgery. I’ll bring my dog in for a neuter in about an hour.” Hearing the word “neuter,” Mochi trembled with rage. He barked wildly and lunged at me. But he was just a small dog. Before he could bite me, I kicked him far across the room. Last time, if I hadn’t been so careless, I wouldn’t have been bitten. Kicked by my foot, Mochi instantly lost his temper. He cowered on the floor, making pleading gestures, trying to make me spare him. But in his eyes, I saw only hatred. I gave a cold laugh. “Since you’re my dog now, you have to be neutered.” “It’s for your own good.” Seeing that begging was useless, Mochi immediately tried to bite me again, but the drugs had already started to take effect. He stumbled and collapsed to the floor. I was about to pick him up and take him for the neutering when the doorbell rang. Could Scarlett be back already? A wave of anxiety washed over me as I opened the door. But the moment the door swung open, I froze. 【3】 It wasn’t Scarlett at the door, but a delivery driver. “Hello, Mr. Davies, your package.” I didn’t remember buying anything. As the delivery driver handed over the package, I saw it was an exquisite necklace. Could it be a gift from Scarlett? But something still felt off. The next second, a SnapChat message from Scarlett popped up. “Leo, the necklace I bought for Mochi arrived. Remember to sign for it.” The delivery driver smiled, handing me the delivery slip. “Cash on delivery, that’ll be 30,000 dollars.” “30,000?!” Scarlett bought something so expensive for *that dog*?! And she used *my* money to pay for it?! Keep in mind, in our three years of dating, the most expensive gift she ever gave me was less than two hundred bucks. The thought made my stomach churn with humiliation. I shoved the package back into the delivery driver’s hands. “Forget it. I don’t want it.” With that, I grabbed Mochi by his leg and carried him off to be neutered. I stared at the unconscious Mochi, a bitter, metallic taste flooding my mouth. Disgust, fury, suppressed rage… all tore at my chest, finally condensing into a soft, chilling laugh. “Caleb,” I whispered, “This time, it’s your turn to taste what it’s like to lose your manhood.” Once the surgery was successful, this “first love” would be utterly useless, and Scarlett’s obsession would finally be broken. The vets at the animal hospital were incredibly efficient. By the time I arrived, the surgery was already arranged. Outside the operating room, the vet handed me the consent form. Without hesitation, I signed “Scarlett Davies” and even thoughtfully added a note: “Please make sure it’s completely, irrevocably done. Wouldn’t want any… ‘relapses.’” Just then, Mochi woke up. Seeing the vet preparing for the neutering surgery, he instantly peed himself in terror. I gave a cold smile. “Caleb, you finally woke up, huh?” Hearing me call him by his real name, Mochi froze. Now, only pure fear remained in his eyes. “Woof… woof…” He tried to struggle, but against the professional vet, his resistance was useless. The vet ignored Mochi’s struggles, picking him up and heading towards the operating table. And that’s when my phone rang. It was Scarlett. The moment I answered, Scarlett’s furious shouts erupted from the other end. “Leo! What the hell is wrong with you?!” “I bought a necklace for Mochi! Did I say you could return it?!” I gave a cold laugh. “Scarlett, why should *I* pay for a necklace you bought for a dog?” There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. “Leo, you’re getting bolder by the day.” “I’m coming home now. You’d better explain yourself face-to-face!” But when she opened the apartment door, Scarlett was speechless. “Leo, where did you take Mochi?” I gave a faint smile. “Mochi likes to pee everywhere. Since you won’t control him, I had no choice but to bring him in for neutering.” “He’s already in surgery now…” 【4】 Scarlett’s scream nearly shattered my eardrums. “Leo! Are you out of your damn mind?! Mochi is my son! How dare you ruin him?!” “Where are you right now? Get Mochi back here this instant!” “If you dare let them neuter him, I swear I’ll ruin *you*!” I gripped my phone tightly, my voice as cold as ice: “Scarlett, Mochi is just a stray you picked up. Neutering him is for his own good. What are you getting so worked up about? Is there something you’re hiding?” Scarlett’s voice instantly wavered. “Leo, are you seriously suggesting there’s some secret between me and a dog that you shouldn’t know about?” “Can’t you stop being so perverse?!” I didn’t want to hear her voice anymore, so I just hung up. Soon, Scarlett rushed over, practically kicking down the hospital door. She stormed into the animal hospital, her hair disheveled, her makeup smudged. Her eyes were swollen and red, like two overripe peaches. “Leo, where’s Mochi?” I pointed towards the operating room. She shoved aside a nurse blocking her path and ran straight to the operating room door. But when she saw Mochi, stitched up and weakly curled on the operating table, she froze to the spot, as if struck by lightning. “Mochi…” She stretched out a trembling hand, and the moment her fingertips touched Mochi’s ear, tears streamed down her face like a broken dam. Mochi let out a weak whimper, his tail moving feebly, as if responding to her call. Scarlett whirled around, her nails practically digging into my arm. “Leo! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Mochi is my son! How dare you ruin him?!” I yanked her hand away, my voice as sharp as a scalpel: “Scarlett, it’s just a stray you picked up. Neutering is good for dogs. You need to wake up – you’re raising a dog, not a human!” My words seemed to strike a raw nerve. She suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, a raw, choking sob mixed in with every sound. “Wake up? Leo, *you’re* the one who needs to wake up! You think I don’t know what you’re thinking? You’re jealous of a dog! Jealous that he’s more important than you are!” She lunged at me, tearing at my collar, her face smeared with tears and snot. “You’re actually competing with a *dog* for attention?” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. But at that moment, I was strangely calm. “Scarlett, you’re right. I *am* competing for attention with a dog.” “In your eyes, I’m not even as good as this dog. How can I *not* compete?” It was as if all the strength had been drained from her. She staggered back two steps, collapsing onto the long bench outside the operating room. Mochi struggled to get up, rubbing his wet nose against her palm. But she just stared fixedly at the floor, tears silently splashing onto the tiles. I seized the opportunity to pull out my phone, opening the breakup agreement I’d already prepared. “Scarlett, let’s end this here.”

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That autumn when I was eight, Dad brought me to live with him in the city for school. If I didn’t finish my homework, no dinner. If I scored below 95 on a test, I was made to stand until midnight. Ten minutes of extra sleep on a weekend? There went my entire allowance. “I’m breaking my back on construction sites to pay for your education. You have to be number one!” Dad’s coworkers all praised his strict parenting. Even though I often felt dizzy and lightheaded from hunger. Then came the parent-teacher conference. Other kids’ parents wore smart clothes. I hid in the bathroom stall, listening to the clomp of Dad’s worn-out work boots in the hallway. “Teacher, she only got second place this time. I haven’t let her eat lunch for three days!” A few soft chuckles drifted in from outside the window, from other parents. “Pushing a kid that hard? No wonder his wife left him for someone else.” I bit my lip until it was white, wondering numbly. If Mom had taken me with her back then, would my life have been easier?

Standing in the bathroom stall, I heard Dad’s voice echoing in the hallway. There was a chilling pride in it, as if he was showcasing his unique parenting philosophy. The sneering comment from the other parents outside the window felt like a sharp knife, slicing open the scars I desperately tried to hide. I bit my lip until it was white, tasting a hint of blood. After the conference, Dad led me home in silence. In that small rented room, the walls were yellowed, and the light bulb was dim. He took off his cement-stained jacket, his gaze fixed on my report card. He spoke, his voice low. “Why weren’t you first?” I whispered my reply, my hands trembling slightly beneath the table. “There was one math problem… I made a careless mistake.” At that, he slammed the table, and I jumped to my feet instantly, not daring to lift my head. “Careless? I’m on construction sites, working my fingers to the bone, layers of calluses on my hands. What’s it all for?!” “It’s so you can study hard and make something of yourself!” “And this is how you repay me? With carelessness?” My fingers dug hard into my palm, reopening old scabs until fresh blood welled. My stomach ached with hunger, but I was numb, used to this torture. I really wanted to tell Dad that I was only one point away from first place. Even the teacher praised me for being a motivated student. But why did I seem so worthless in Dad’s eyes? He couldn’t tolerate even the smallest mistake. As I thought this, bitter tears streamed down uncontrollably. I didn’t even dare to cry out loud, only managing muffled sobs. Seeing my tear-streaked face, Dad wasn’t sympathetic; he just got angrier. “Cry, cry, cry! Is crying going to solve anything?!” “Instead of crying here, why don’t you go review your lessons?!” “If you don’t review everything you’ve learned tonight, you won’t get any dinner!” I was going to go hungry again tonight. Even though I’d won a math competition award the day before, and Dad had promised to buy me meat. Now, that promise was off. Alone in the dim little room, I flipped through my books. The enticing aroma of meat seeped through the door crack, flooding my nostrils. My stomach growled painfully, a testament to my suffering. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead and dripped onto my textbook. I finally couldn’t bear it and started to sob silently again. I secretly took out the piggy bank Mom had given me before she left, hugging it and crying over and over. But as I hugged it, a small slip of paper fell out from the coin slot. It was a string of numbers. I stared at the paper, stunned for a long moment. Could this be Mom’s phone number?

“Lily, are you done with your review?” Dad pushed the door open abruptly. I swiftly hid my piggy bank. Luckily, the piggy bank wasn’t big, so I could tuck it into my oversized sleeve. Since Dad never bought me extra clothes, I usually just wore my school uniform or hand-me-downs from relatives. Most didn’t fit properly, hanging loose and baggy on my frame. At least the roomy sleeves were good for hiding things. When Dad opened the door, he was too engrossed in eating his meat to notice me hiding anything. The smell of meat filled my nostrils again, and my stomach groaned in protest. “Your teacher just called me. She said your essay got published in the school newspaper.” “Since we both have tomorrow off, as a reward, I’ll take you to the amusement park.” At the mention of “amusement park,” my eyes widened. I must be dreaming. I quickly pinched myself. It hurt, so much that tears welled in my eyes. I heard my own voice tremble. “Is… is that true?” Dad nodded, picking a piece of meat from between his teeth with his finger. “It’s true. But you still have to finish reviewing all your lessons today!” “A reward is a reward, and punishment is punishment. They don’t mix. Don’t think you can get away with anything!” Even if it meant no dinner tonight, I was ecstatic. Because Dad was finally going to take me out. The next day, standing at the amusement park, gazing at the carousel, I realized I wasn’t dreaming. I clutched the hem of my shirt, my eyes fixed on the carousel’s colorful, blinking lights. When the music started, to my surprise, Dad said, “Go on, ride it.” The horses began to spin, and the wind brushed against my face. The moment I sat on a horse, I couldn’t help but look back for Dad. He stood outside the railing, his worn-out work clothes starkly out of place among the brightly dressed parents. But his gaze was on me, and in his eyes, there was a softness I’d never seen before. When I got off the carousel, I saw cotton candy at a nearby stall. I looked at Dad with pleading eyes, but he refused. “What’s so good about cotton candy? And you’ve already ridden the carousel today.” “That’s enough. Let’s go home.” My head had been spinning a little after the carousel, and Dad had only given me a bowl of porridge. I was feeling a bit low on blood sugar, which was why I wanted cotton candy to steady myself. But Dad’s refusal made me feel even worse. “Dad, no, I’m just having a low blood sugar episode.” Dad suddenly yelled, “Stop using low blood sugar as an excuse! It’s not a real sickness, you’re just being dramatic!” “Let’s go home, now!” Dad’s shout attracted many glances. Someone saw my blood-drained face and kindly suggested, “Your child really looks like she has low blood sugar. You should get her something to eat.” Dad got even angrier. “As if I wouldn’t know if my own child was sick or not? Don’t you dare butt in!” Dad’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Stop your fake sympathy. Go home and do your practice sheets!” My heart plummeted. Turns out, that fleeting happiness was just a carefully orchestrated deception, designed to make me more compliant with my studies. That night, Dad lost his temper again while checking my homework. He slammed my notebook on the floor and roared, “You made a mistake on such a simple problem! The amusement park was a complete waste!” I kept my head down, my gaze falling on the piggy bank under my bed. The slip of paper with the phone number was clutched tightly in my hand. Later that night, Dad’s snoring drifted from the next room. I tiptoed out of bed, grabbing the piggy bank, and sneaked out of the house. At the payphone booth on the corner, I stood on my toes, dropping coins in one by one. The moment the call connected, I choked back tears, unable to speak. A strange yet familiar female voice came through the receiver. “Hello? Who is this?” As soon as I opened my mouth, tears streamed down my face. “Mom, it’s me, Lily.”

I heard a gasp on the other end, and Mom’s voice trembled. “Lily, my Lily, you finally reached out to me.” Hearing her voice again, I was already sobbing uncontrollably. But afraid of being discovered, I couldn’t make a sound, just cried silently. “Mom, can… can you come get me?” “I’ve had enough of living here.” “I miss you so much, Mom.” After suppressing it for so long, I finally spoke my heart. Dad’s suffocating love was truly choking me. Mom listened to my trembling, tearful voice, and her own tone became urgent. “Okay, where are you now? Mom will be right there…” Before Mom could finish, the call was deliberately hung up. I looked at the rough hand pressing the disconnect button, and my whole body started to tremble. The person stood in the shadows, looking down at me. “Lily, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?” Dad’s figure blocked the warm light of the phone booth, his face obscured by shadows, making him look terrifying. I couldn’t make out his expression, only feeling my blood run cold through my veins. “Who were you calling?” Tears welled in my eyes again, my throat felt squeezed, and I couldn’t make a sound. Dad’s voice suddenly rose. “Tell me! Who were you calling? Was it that ungrateful mother of yours?” Afraid of being discovered, I quickly shook my head, denying it. “No, no, it wasn’t, I didn’t…” Standing under the dim light of the phone booth, I looked at Dad’s dark, menacing face, and felt frozen to the core. He snatched the piggy bank I was clutching from my arms—the little piggy bank Mom had secretly given me before she left. “Wasn’t it?” Dad’s voice was cold as ice. “Then tell me, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night with this broken jar?” My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Tears blurred my vision. I could only see Dad’s rough hand gripping the piggy bank, his knuckles white from the grip. He grabbed my arm, so hard I stumbled. “Come back with me.” Back in that rented room, Dad placed the piggy bank heavily on the table, making a dull thud. I stood in the center of the room, head bowed, not daring to look at him. “Kneel.” I obediently knelt on the cold concrete floor, a sharp pain shot through my knees immediately. Dad paced the room, his worn-out work boots clomping on the floor, each step crushing my spirit. “I know you’ve always thought about your mother.” He stopped, his voice filled with suppressed rage. “But she abandoned us long ago. Abandoned you. Understand?” I bit my lower lip, fighting back the tears. My fingers tightened around the hem of my shirt, until they were white and aching. He suddenly raised his voice. “Who am I working so hard for? Huh?” “I worked myself to the bone on that construction site, all so you could make something of yourself, not end up like me!” “But what about you? Sneaking calls in the middle of the night? Are you trying to run off with her?” I abruptly looked up, hastily explaining, “No, Dad! I just, I just…” He took a step closer, his shadow engulfing me. “Just what?” I finally broke down, tears bursting forth. “I just missed her so much…” “I’m hungry every day, and so tired. I try my best, but you’re never satisfied.” “I just wanted to hear Mom’s voice…” His expression softened for a fleeting moment, but quickly hardened again. He picked up the piggy bank, staring at it for a long time. His voice suddenly became very soft. “She left when you were only six. She didn’t even look back.” This was the first time I’d heard Dad voluntarily mention the day Mom left. I held my breath, afraid to interrupt him. “She said she was sick of the hard life.” Dad gave a bitter laugh. “She said I was worthless, and that my child would suffer because of me.” He turned to me, his gaze complex. “I can’t let you end up like she said, worthless your whole life. Do you understand, Lily?” I stared at him, and suddenly noticed deep wrinkles around his eyes and his hair was far grayer than I remembered. He said softly, “I know you hate me, but one day you’ll understand!” “You were still wrong today. Tonight, your punishment is to kneel and do problems. No sleep until you finish!” I thought that by honestly telling Dad my feelings, I would receive his understanding. But my sincerity didn’t awaken the tender fatherly love I hoped for; instead, it led to even harsher punishment. I knelt on the cold, hard concrete, my knees slowly going numb. To save electricity, Dad didn’t even allow me to turn on the light. One tear after another fell onto my exercise book, while from the next room, Dad’s snoring already filled the air. Under the moonlight, my vision blurred with tears, and before I passed out, I thought I saw Mom coming to take me away.

When I woke up again, I found myself slumped over my desk, the sound of the teacher’s lecture in my ears. In my hand was a note. It read: “I saw you overslept so I brought you directly to school. Study hard at school!” “The punishment you didn’t finish last night continues today!” Such a suffocating message could only be from Dad. My stomach twisted in a sharp cramp, and I couldn’t hear a single word the teacher was saying. My deskmate, Chloe, saw my sallow face and colorless lips, and secretly slipped me a small pastry. “Did your dad not let you eat again? Quick, eat this.” I wanted to refuse, but I didn’t even have the strength. Chloe carefully unwrapped the bread for me and placed it in my hand. A wave of warmth welled up in my eyes; even a stranger cared about me so much. But Dad only wanted me to study without eating or sleeping. Just as I was about to put the pastry in my mouth, the teacher at the front of the class suddenly shouted, “Lily Miller, how dare you brazenly eat in class!” “Come with me to the office right now! The rest of you, self-study!” “And the one who gave her the pastry, you come too!” That life-saving pastry still didn’t make it to my mouth. In the teacher’s office, I nearly collapsed. Chloe had to steady me. I was frail as a dried blade of grass, but the teacher seemed not to notice, scolding us relentlessly. “I can’t deal with you two anymore. It’s time to call your parents!” With that, the teacher immediately pulled out her phone to dial. I quickly stepped forward to stop her. “Ms. Davies, I know I was wrong, please don’t call my dad!” “I haven’t eaten properly for days. Chloe just gave it to me because she saw I was so hungry.” “It has nothing to do with her!” Ms. Davies swatted my hand away, and I lost my footing, sprawling onto the floor. “Still trying to argue? Your parents really need to straighten you out!” Soon after, Dad rushed in, covered in dirt from the construction site. Chloe’s mom came with him. The moment Chloe saw her mom, she burst into tears, looking utterly wronged. Chloe’s mom first smiled and apologized to the teacher, then gently comforted Chloe. But my dad? Not only did he not ask for any explanation, he joined the teacher in scolding me even more harshly. “I work my fingers to the bone at the construction site, and all you do is cause trouble!” “When I was a kid, I survived on one bowl of porridge a day, so why can’t you?” “Stop pretending! Get up and apologize to the teacher!” But I didn’t even have the strength to push myself up, and the figures before me began to blur. “I… I just wanted a pastry…” I just wanted a pastry to fill my stomach, why couldn’t I have it? It was just one pastry, what harm could it do if I ate it? Why were these people hounding me so relentlessly? I just wanted a pastry, I just wanted to live. Chloe’s mom saw my distress and, finally unable to bear it, helped me to a chair. She put the pastry back in my hand. But Dad scolded Chloe’s mom. “Why are you, a stranger, interfering with her? She’s just spoiled and needs to be punished severely!” “Eat a pastry? What pastry?!” Dad stepped forward, swatted the pastry away with a slap, and grabbed my collar, pulling me in front of the teacher. “Apologize to the teacher, now!” I finally couldn’t bear it any longer, and tears welled up again. But this time, I didn’t even have the strength to cry. The moment before I collapsed, I heard a gentle voice. “Lily, Mom’s here to take you home!”

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I was the extra kid in my family, the one who didn’t quite fit. My sister, Victoria, was a beauty queen, and my brother, Daniel, was the valedictorian of his high school, the smartest kid in the whole state. Me? I was just… ordinary. The only award I ever won was a participation ribbon in kindergarten. On my eighteenth birthday, I wished to my parents that this New Year’s, I could see the ocean, down south where it’s warm. When winter break came, Mom and Dad proudly showed off the plane tickets they’d already booked. Upon arrival, Daniel and Victoria cheered at the sight of the snow in the North. We stayed at a guesthouse for several days. On New Year’s Day, I woke up early and knocked on my parents’ door, only to find it empty. I checked my phone and saw a picture of them having their New Year’s Eve dinner, a happy family feast. That’s when I realized they had gone home last night. I stood in front of the empty room, a little lost. My first thought was, *What did I do wrong?* Before I could find an answer, footsteps echoed on the stairs behind me. It was Mr. Peterson, the guesthouse owner, coming up. I instinctively apologized, “I’m so sorry, I overslept. I didn’t realize my parents left last night.” Mr. Peterson’s face instantly hardened. I immediately lowered my head, bracing myself for a harsh dressing-down. But the scolding I expected never came. Instead, a large hand gently patted my head, stroking twice, not too hard, not too soft. “How could parents be so careless? Leaving their child behind when they go on vacation? Come on, tell me your parents’ number. I’ll call them and tell them to come back and pick you up!” Feeling the warmth on my head, for some reason, a lie just slipped out: “Don’t call them! This is a challenge my parents left me, to see if I can survive on my own now that I’m an adult.” But I rarely lied, and I nervously looked up, meeting his concerned gaze. “Can you let me stay? I can cook, and I’ll help with chores!” Mr. Peterson frowned, still insistent. “No, we have to contact your parents.” I pulled my ID card from behind my phone case and knelt directly in front of him. “If my parents were worried about me, they’d send me money to get back home. I’m an adult, I can take responsibility for my actions. Please, just don’t send me away!” This wasn’t the first time my parents had left me behind. And I knew that if I contacted them, they would either come back for me or book me a return ticket. But every time I reappeared, safe and sound, their brief flicker of guilt would vanish. Even once, when I told them I almost got lost and taken by strangers, they just told me to stick closer next time I went out. Many times, I wondered if they hated me. Later, I learned it wasn’t hate, just a lack of love. It was barely a fraction of what Victoria and Daniel received. After all, I was just an extra kid, with no special qualities, no reason to keep around. What right did I have to be compared to them? Maria, the guesthouse owner’s wife, was a young woman from the South. When she heard my story, and then that I was the third child in my family, she looked at me with a complex expression and sighed softly. “Working here doesn’t pay much. It’s just sixty bucks a day, but it includes room and board. Are you okay with that?” I stared at her, astonished, then nodded with all my strength. Just being taken in was a luxury, and to get paid? I never expected that. I already had it all planned out. Once I saved up enough money, maybe next holiday, I could go see the ocean down south for real!

“Alright, come on, let’s get to work! First, let’s put up the New Year’s banners!” Mr. Peterson’s voice pulled me back to reality. I looked up at him, incredulous. “I’m allowed to put up the banners?” He frowned, as if he wanted to roll his eyes, but held back. “What’s ‘allowed’ got to do with it? Just get it done quickly so we can eat.” I took the new banners. The red paper smelled of fresh ink, but holding them, it felt unreal. At home, setting up for the holidays – putting up decorations, hanging lanterns – it all had rules. My brother, being the boy, was always the one allowed to do it. My sister, with her good grades and pretty face, was deemed worthy of that honor. I carefully put up the banners. As soon as I finished, a hand pulled me inside. The dining table was laden with steaming dumplings, and a group of people were huddled together, yet they’d left a space for me. I froze. During holidays growing up, I was always stuck in the kitchen helping out with a group of relatives, waiting for everyone else to finish eating before it was our turn. Most times, I wasn’t even allowed to sit at the main table. “Eat, what are you staring at?” Maria put a dumpling in my bowl. Their warmth enveloped me, and as I ate the dumplings, I slowly joined in their conversation. Outside, the kids were setting off sparklers, crackling brightly. Maria pulled out two boxes of small sparklers from a cabinet and handed them to me. “Go play.” I was a little surprised. “I don’t need to work?” “It’s New Year’s, we don’t clean today. We’ll do it tomorrow morning. Go have fun today,” Maria said, smiling as she nudged me. Seeing their insistence, I stepped outside. Watching the kids, much younger than me, freely running around in the night, I couldn’t help but smile. Truth be told, I didn’t like New Year’s. I was never the “golden child” everyone talked about, and in those bustling gatherings, even quietly breathing in a corner felt wrong. But I found that celebrating the holidays away from home for the first time actually felt… freer. Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I quickly checked it. It was a message from the family SnapChat group. My family had posted a group photo. I held my phone for a long time, waiting for Mom and Dad to ask where I was. I let out a long breath, unsure if it was disappointment or a strange sense of relief. I tapped on the photo. Everyone was gathered around Grandma and Grandpa, with Daniel and Victoria standing on either side, smiling brightly. Without me, the picture seemed even more harmonious. Suddenly, I felt a warmth on my back. A thick coat was draped over my shoulders. I turned around. It was Maria. She looked from my phone screen to my face. “Sweetie, are you thinking about home?”

Before I could answer, Maria began to ramble. “My family is from the South too, and I was also the third child.” “Unlike you, I had two older sisters and a younger brother. At home, the holidays were the worst.” “We didn’t have much money, so new clothes always went to my sisters and my brother first. My sisters’ hand-me-downs would eventually come to me. My brother? Well, he was a boy, so he always got new things.” She paused, as if remembering something, then laughed. “Good thing I married far away. I didn’t have to go back home and endure that kind of treatment anymore.” … Listening to Maria’s story, my eyes welled up without me realizing it. But I knew that you shouldn’t cry on New Year’s, or you’d cry all year. I could only look up at the sky, where there was nothing, but my eyes still felt dry and strained. “I guess it’s not that I don’t want to go home.” “It’s just that… I feel a bit like an extra at home. Maybe it’s better not to go back and just cause more trouble.” The following days at the guesthouse were simple and fulfilling, filled with busy work. It wasn’t until the sixth day of the New Year that I received my first message on my phone. I nervously pulled it out, and when I saw it wasn’t from Mom or Dad, but from Jessica, a cousin I wasn’t particularly close to, I couldn’t describe the feeling. Still, I tapped on the chat. “You didn’t have a fight with your parents, did you? I didn’t see you when we went to visit today. I didn’t dare say anything, afraid of causing an argument.” Even through the screen, I could imagine her eager expression, waiting for some drama. “Honestly, you too, there’s no need to constantly compare yourself to your brother and sister. They’re good-looking, smart, and obedient. What do you have to compete with them?” I stared at the words, about to type out the truth. *I was left behind by Mom and Dad in the North.* *I never wanted to compete with Daniel or Victoria.* But before I hit send, I deleted every single word. What would it prove? They might even get upset that my absence ruined their holiday mood if they found out. Better to pretend I didn’t know, and just finish my winter job. Earn some money. Next time they forgot my allowance, I wouldn’t have to go hungry. But I never expected that on the eighth day of the New Year, I would see Aunt Carol and Jessica visiting the guesthouse. They were surprised to see me, wearing an apron and wiping tables, but they still greeted me warmly. “What are you doing here?” “Working here for the winter break,” I said honestly. Aunt Carol looked incredulous. “Your family comes from a pretty well-off background, why do you need to work a winter job?” She added, “I’ll call your parents later and ask them about it.” I didn’t know how to respond, so I didn’t. Aunt Carol and Jessica stayed for three days, and I was on edge for all three. Even as I cleaned their vacated room, I still hadn’t received any messages from Mom or Dad. I gave a self-mocking laugh. Of course. I was old enough now; I should know the difference between empty promises and genuine care. Back then, if Aunt Carol ran into Victoria on the street, she’d immediately call my parents. “Your daughter is so pretty, why let her go out alone? You should spend more time with her, what if she gets taken?” For my matters, it was always “later” or “next time.” When I was little, I used to hope. Later, I thought I had gotten used to it. But at this moment, I realized I still hoped.

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The night Autumn and I got engaged. She was dragged into the restroom and raped. I heard everything from the men’s room. Autumn’s cries were utterly desperate. Her pleas for help were ear-splitting. After I left the restroom. I even saw the man who raped her, a satisfied smirk on his face, pull up his pants and walk away. After that night. Autumn had a mental breakdown, always talking nonsense. Half a month later. The doctors said there was no effective treatment. And I asked Autumn’s family to call off the engagement. In the hospital room. Liam, Autumn’s brother, clenched his fist and punched me in the face. His eyes burned with pure fury, a murderous glint flashing as he grabbed my collar. “You animal, are you even human?” “My sister is like this because she was raped.” “Instead of finding the man who did this to get justice for her.” “You’re backing out, wanting to call off the engagement and abandon her.” “Are you even a man?” … Liam’s shouts were loud. His spit landed on my face. But I didn’t argue back. It was as if I was silently agreeing. “My daughter has always been sweet and sensible since she was a child.” “She chose you out of thousands.” “How could you let her suffer such a wrong?” Eleanor, Autumn’s mother, cried uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face as she glared at me. Especially when she turned around and saw her daughter lying on the bed, staring blankly. Her inner rage had nowhere to go. She walked up and slapped me hard, twice. “Alex, if you’re a man.” “Then find the bastard who raped my Autumn!” Watching Eleanor’s tear-streaked face. I gently shook my head. “I want to call off the engagement.” Liam, standing nearby, suddenly lunged, grabbing my throat. “You piece of trash!” “You want to abandon my sister?” Eleanor pointed a trembling finger at me. “Autumn used to say she was so lucky.” “She found the man who loved her most, besides her family.” “Is this how you love her?” I glanced at Autumn on the hospital bed. Then, my voice flat, I said, “Eleanor, I’m heartbroken about what happened to Autumn, but since it’s already happened, we have to accept reality.” “What reality are you talking about?” “You think my sister is ‘dirty’?” “So you’re calling off the engagement?” “Is that it?” Liam roared at me, his voice like thunder. The look in his eyes right then. He wanted to tear me apart and swallow me whole! Eleanor glared at me intensely. When I nodded. She couldn’t hold back anymore and lunged at me, clawing and screaming. I instinctively tried to dodge. But Liam had my throat. I couldn’t move. Immediately after. Eleanor scratched at my face like a madwoman. I felt a stinging, burning pain all over my face. But compared to the pain on my face. My heart hurt more! Eleanor finally stopped when she saw my face covered in blood. A nurse came in and saw me. She nervously asked if I wanted to call the police. Liam snorted, asking, “You animal, are you going to call the police?” I looked at the nurse and gently shook my head. “You’re bleeding a lot…” “None of your damn business!” Liam scared the nurse away. Just then. The hospital room door opened again. Richard, Autumn’s father, walked in, his face grim. “Dad, this bastard wants to call off the engagement with Autumn!” “He thinks she’s dirty; he wants to abandon her!” Liam immediately tattled to his father. Richard grabbed a chair and, without a word, slammed it into my back. I fell to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. “Ah!” Autumn on the bed suddenly let out a terrified scream. “Sweetie, don’t be scared.” Eleanor immediately rushed over and hugged her daughter tightly. “Mom, he… how is he here?”

Autumn pointed at me. Her eyes filled with panic and fear. Eleanor thought her daughter was angry that I wanted to call off the engagement. “Sweetie, your father is teaching this scum a lesson!” Richard grabbed the chair again, ready to hit me. I was in too much pain to straighten up. Completely unable to resist. “No…” Autumn cried out loudly to stop him. But the chair was already coming down. *Bang!* The thick chair shattered with a thud. And I coughed up blood from the impact. “Dad, don’t hit my husband!” Autumn cried out, her eyes red. “This scumbag isn’t your husband!” Richard said coldly. Then. He walked up to me, knelt down, grabbed my collar, and stared at me with a gaze like a bottomless pit. “Do you know why I’m hitting you?” I didn’t speak. The intense pain made me tremble constantly. “It’s not because you want to break off the engagement with my daughter.” “And it’s certainly not because you want to abandon her.” “It’s because… you’re not human!” He paused. Richard then shared his findings. Apparently, on the night of the engagement. When Autumn was raped. I was actually in the men’s room. A hotel cleaner saw me. In other words. I most likely saw the man who raped Autumn. “Is… is that true?” “He saw him?” Eleanor couldn’t help but rush to her husband. “That’s right.” “He definitely saw him.” Richard said with certainty. “Why did you tell the police you didn’t see the culprit?” Eleanor yanked my hair. Her expression was unusually fierce. “It must have been someone he knew.” “But that person is someone he can’t afford to cross.” “So he didn’t dare tell the police.” “Afraid of retaliation!” Richard said chillingly. “Is that it?!” Eleanor demanded, her voice full of rage. I was in too much pain to speak. But facing their questions. I still forced myself to answer, despite the intense pain. “I… I didn’t see the culprit!” “You’re lying!” Richard stared at me with icy eyes. “The hotel cleaner said so.” “She saw you coming out of the restroom then.” “And another man leaving in a different direction.” “You one hundred percent saw the culprit!” “Why are you afraid to say it?” As Richard finished speaking. Liam suddenly walked over, grabbed my collar, and forcibly pulled me to my feet. Then, without asking a single question. He repeatedly punched me in the face. I was almost unconscious. Only then did he roar at me. “You bastard, just tell us!” “Who was that man?!” Seeing my silence. Liam grew even angrier. “You won’t say, huh?” “I’ll kill you!” The next second. Liam’s face twisted into a snarl as he clamped his hands tightly around my neck. This time, it wasn’t a threat. He genuinely wanted to kill me! I could feel his hands squeezing with all his might!

In mere seconds. The lack of air almost made me pass out. “I want to fly!” At that critical moment. Autumn’s words caught the family’s attention. When they looked over. It nearly scared the life out of them. Autumn had somehow gotten out of bed. She was leaning out the window. Her upper body already dangling outside. “Sweetie!” “Autumn!” They cried out, their faces pale with terror, rushing over to pull Autumn back in. And I got a brief moment to breathe. Seizing the opportunity while their attention was elsewhere. I immediately endured the pain and left the hospital room. That afternoon, my parents came to the hospital to see me. When they learned I supposedly saw the culprit. They all looked at me in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell the police who the culprit was?” “Why did you let Autumn suffer like this?” “Are you even a man?” Seeing the disappointment in my parents’ eyes. I turned my head and remained silent. “Having a son like you.” “It’s a disgrace to our family name, Michael!” My dad angrily got up and left. My mom stayed. But her attitude towards me was noticeably different afterward. I didn’t explain anything about it. The next day. Liam came to see me first thing in the morning. He didn’t hit or curse at me like yesterday. He had clearly changed his strategy. “Alex, you didn’t call the police, did you?” When I shook my head. He let out a long sigh of relief. “Yesterday, our family was a little emotional.” “But you have to understand, the person hurt is our beloved family member.” “We can’t bear for her to suffer any harm, do you understand?” I nodded: “I understand.” “Good then.” Liam sat by my hospital bed. He lit a cigarette. “You don’t mind, do you?” “It’s fine.” Liam took a few deep drags. “Last night, my sister’s mind cleared up a little.” “She said she called you then.” “You picked up, but you didn’t say anything.” “Is that true?” I hummed in affirmation. “Yes, that’s true.” “Then why didn’t you tell the police?” “I forgot.” Liam frowned. “Did you hear her calling for help on the phone?” “I did.” “Then why didn’t you go save her?” “I was drunk at the time and thought she was joking with me.” “You bastard!” Liam’s veins pulsed on his face. He glared at me fiercely: “If you had only believed my sister then, maybe she wouldn’t have been raped. You’re the one who ruined her!” “I’m sorry for what I did to her.” “Since even you know you wronged her, I advise you not to mention calling off the engagement again.” “Also, once you’ve recovered from your injuries, personally go apologize to my parents.” “I’ll think about it.” “Do you even need to think about this?!” Liam was already itching to lay his hands on me again. But then my phone rang. I answered and asked, “Can you recover call recordings?”

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My name is Isabel Rogers. My best friend Freya Gordon yelled at a pregnant woman in the front row on the train for snoring, shouting, “You sleep like a pig. Even your husband would find you disgusting!” “I am Isabel Rogers, a student at New York University. You’ll never get in your whole life!” In my previous life, when I went home during the holidays, I ran into Freya. She said she wanted to see the view outside and swapped seats with me. The pregnant woman in front of her was snoring loudly, so she used my identity to deliberately humiliate her, which led to an argument and caused her to miscarry accidentally. Freya sneered on the side, “It’s better that your child is gone, saves them from suffering with someone as poor as you!” Later, the pregnant woman’s husband came to the school to confront me. “You’re the bitch who caused my wife to miscarry. I’ll kill you!” In the end, he killed me with a knife. Only then did I realize that Freya had impersonated me and planned all this to take my spot for a fully funded study abroad opportunity. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Freya wanted to switch seats with me. Before being killed, I saw Freya looking at me with pity and saying, “Isabel, your death is worth it. After all, with you gone, I can get your fully funded study abroad spot. In your next life, don’t be this stupid again.” I watched myself bleed to death. I never thought that my best friend of over twenty years would frame me, all for a chance to study abroad. When I opened my eyes again, I was surprised to find myself back on the day Freya wanted to switch seats with me. I glanced at my watch; in half an hour, that pregnant woman would have a miscarriage. “Isabel, I want to see the view outside. It doesn’t matter where you sit. How about we switch?” Freya walked over, smiling at me. In my previous life, I really didn’t care where I sat, so I agreed to switch seats with her. I sat in her seat and started sleeping. To sleep well, I even took two melatonin pills and didn’t wake up until the final stop. But I never expected her to argue with the pregnant woman in my name. “You sleep like a pig. Even your husband would feel disgusted seeing you!” “I am Isabel Rogers, a student at New York University. You could never get in your whole life!” Freya complained about the loud snoring of the pregnant woman in front, Melody Reeds, and kept provoking her with words. Melody woke up, looking exhausted and annoyed, and snapped back, “Who are you to boss me around? I’m not snoring on purpose. Do you really have to be so petty?” Freya let out a cold laugh and raised her voice. “This is a public place! Please be mindful and give your baby some proper prenatal education, so they don’t end up as uncivilized as you.” “Besides, I am Isabel Rogers, a student at New York University. If you disrupt my rest and affect my studies, can you afford to compensate me?” Freya repeated my name again, deliberately emphasizing it to leave a stronger impression on Melody. Melody, already in a bad mood due to her pregnancy, was infuriated by Freya. She stood up and pointed at Freya, yelling, “So what if you got into a good university? Does that give you the right to bully people?” “Isabel, right? I’ll remember you! I’ll make you pay for this!” But Freya became even more outrageous, kicking Melody directly in the stomach. Seeing Melody bleeding, Freya calmly took out two bills from her bag, threw them on the ground, and sneered, “It’s better if this child dies, saves them from suffering with someone as poor as you.” After saying that, she picked up her luggage and got off the train early. After Melody’s miscarriage, she was heartbroken and had her husband come to my school to confront me. Completely unaware, I was stabbed several times by him on the spot and bled to death. In the end, Freya used my public-funded study abroad spot and successfully changed her fate. Since I am fortunate to be reborn, I will never let her manipulate me like before.

I gave her a deep look. “No, Freya, my eyes feel strained from reading. I just want to look outside to ease the fatigue.” After speaking, I even rubbed my temples. Freya wanted to say something, but seeing me close my eyes and lean back in the chair, she finally sighed and returned to her seat. Seeing her sit down, I let out a long sigh of relief. This time I didn’t switch seats with her. She won’t cause any more trouble, right? I kept my eyes fixed on Melody in front. All the way to the final stop, Melody only got up twice to use the restroom, and nothing unusual happened. I glanced with satisfaction at the paper I had been writing all the way, then saved it. It seems this time I finally changed my fate. After arriving at the station, I got up, grabbed my luggage, and stepped off the train. After a wonderful holiday at home, I pulled my suitcase and got ready to return to school. Freya cheerfully followed me back to school again. Unlike the previous life, this time she had a different hairstyle. I suddenly had a bad feeling. I couldn’t help but ask, “Freya, why did you cut your hair?” She shrugged. “I like it. The static in winter is too much, so I cut it for a fresher look.” As soon as the words fell, a furious roar suddenly came from the school gate, “Who is Isabel? Get out here!” The husband of the pregnant woman on the train, Peter Reeds, was shouting curses at the school gate, his fierce gaze scanning the girls passing by. “Why are you looking for Isabel? We just started school, she hasn’t returned yet.” A few bold classmates came out to watch. Peter shouted with red-rimmed eyes, “She deliberately provoked my wife! Caused her to miscarry! I want her life in return!” “That was our IVF baby! We were always so careful when traveling, but then we ran into that bitch on the train!” “She hit my wife! My wife held back and didn’t fight back, but when we got to the final stop, we found she was bleeding heavily!” As he spoke, he suddenly sat on the ground, wiping his tears in sorrow. “Isabel is the goddess of our school, how could she do such a thing?” Some classmates around looked at Peter in disbelief. Freya said, “Isabel, look at all those people over there. Let’s go check it out too.” I was about to leave, but she firmly dragged me toward Peter. Her voice was so loud that it instantly grabbed everyone’s attention. Peter spotted us in the crowd at once, and my heart sank suddenly. He was coming straight for me. But this time, I didn’t switch seats with Freya. Why did he still come looking for me? “Are you Isabel?” Peter glared at Freya aggressively. “No, not me! She’s Isabel!” Freya quickly waved her hands in fear and pushed me in front of Peter. Peter looked me up and down, then slowly reached into his pocket. I knew he had a sharp knife in his pocket. In my previous life, I died by his knife.

So, I lunged forward and firmly grabbed his hand. I said, “I am Isabel! You claim I caused your wife to miscarry, but shouldn’t you provide some evidence?” “As long as you can provide evidence, I’ll go to the police station and turn myself in immediately!” Saying that, I glanced at him. He sneered, “Evidence? You think I came unprepared?” Saying that, Peter took out his phone and played a video. His wife Melody was video calling Peter while she ran to the bathroom to vomit due to morning sickness. Suddenly, a burst of cursing came from outside, “Are you stalling because the baby died in your belly?” When she opened the door, the people outside started yelling at Melody for staying in the bathroom too long and delaying others. Peter got furious upon hearing that and immediately started screen recording, asking Melody to point the phone camera at the woman yelling at her. I glanced at the beginning and pointed at Freya, saying, “The person in this video isn’t me, it’s Freya!” “My hair is short, she’s the one with long hair.” Freya said, “Isabel, you did something wrong, and now you want me to take the blame?” She quickly pulled off her hat, her neat short hair fluttering in the wind. Peter said, “I don’t think you’re a good person, trying to frame others. Think carefully about all the awful things she’s done before!” He glanced at Freya’s hair, then at me, and continued playing the video. But the woman in the video was wrapped tightly, her face almost indistinguishable, and her voice was faint and unclear, only barely recognizable as a long-haired woman. “Who do you think you are? How dare you curse my child?” Melody’s hand froze on her belly as she pointed at Freya, trembling with anger. “I’m a student at New York University, Isabel Rogers! You should feel lucky to even talk to me.” Freya smugly shoved her hands into her pockets, her gaze full of provocation. Melody noted the name, stopped arguing with her, and turned to head to her seat. Freya, seeing Melody ignore her, angrily slapped her directly. A deep bloody mark appeared on Melody’s face. Melody was about to fight back when Freya kicked her in the stomach, causing cold sweat to break out on her forehead from the pain. “You still dare to say it wasn’t you? Same hairstyle, same glasses!” Peter stared intently at the screen, then looked at me, his eyes bloodshot. Freya shot me a disdainful glance. “Isabel, you’re usually selfish and mean, complaining to me at home about the pregnant woman in front being annoying and snoring too loudly. I never thought you’d actually beat her to the point of miscarriage!” “Stop being stubborn! Pay what you owe and apologize!” Freya gave me a disgusted look. Peter said, “I don’t want money, I want your life!” His eyes were bloodshot as he pulled a knife from his pocket and lunged at me. I recalled the video on my phone and raised Freya’s hand high. I quickly said, “It wasn’t me who caused your wife to miscarry, it was her! I have evidence! The person in the video wore a ring when they slashed your wife’s face.” “Freya is wearing the exact same ring as in the video, and I never wear any jewelry!”

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The day I, Violet Locke, had a miscarriage, I unexpectedly received a video call from Andrew Chase from five years ago. In the video, Andrew from five years ago, with a trembling and excited voice, proposed to me, asking if I would marry him. After marrying him, he would skip our anniversary for his first love, Tessa Stevens, during her period. He would leave me, passed out from appendicitis pain, on the highway for Tessa’s minor cold. He even forced me to go bungee jumping to vent for Tessa, causing my miscarriage. So I shook my head, my tone indifferent. “I don’t want to.” ***** “Violet, using menstrual blood to fake a miscarriage? You’re disgusting.” On the other end of the line, Andrew mocked coldly, “I suggest you drop those petty schemes for attention. Tessa is pure-hearted. If you dare pull this again, we’ll get a divorce.” He finished speaking and hung up harshly. I opened my mouth but couldn’t say a word. A sharp pain struck my lower abdomen. I instinctively reached out, but touching my flat stomach, I couldn’t stop the sting in my nose. Three hours ago, there was a living little life here. Because I refused to give the design I worked on for half a month to Tessa for the competition, Andrew ignored my cries and struggles and forced me, who has severe acrophobia, to go bungee jumping just to vent for Tessa. After being rescued by the staff, my lower abdomen started to hurt, and blood had already soaked through my skirt. But Andrew didn’t even glance at me, carrying the fainted Tessa and walking away. He killed my child with his own hands and completely destroyed my love for him. After reviewing the final clause of the divorce agreement, I sent it to the lawyer. Just as I was about to get up, my previously black screen phone lit up again—it was a video call from Andrew. With the intention of discussing divorce matters, I answered the call. A five-years-younger Andrew appeared on the video screen, with a proposal flower wall behind him. His eyes were red, and he choked up as he asked me, “Violet, today marks our 1825th day together. Will you marry me?” Looking at my still-living parents in the video background, I felt a wave of dizziness and almost clenched my teeth in hatred. Andrew deliberately targeted my pain. To provoke me, he actually dug out the recordings from that time. I said coldly, “Andrew, this joke isn’t funny.” Andrew’s face turned pale instantly, and he said lines that weren’t in the recording. “What joke? Violet, didn’t you promise me that if I got the company on track at 25, you’d marry me?” As he spoke, he revealed the white rose-shaped tattoo on his wrist. The sarcasm I was about to say got stuck in my throat. A strange thought popped into my mind. This might really be the 25-year-old Andrew who still loves me. Because in the second year after our marriage, Andrew removed this tattoo and replaced it with a French phrase: “To my one and only in this life, Tessa.” ***** Five years ago, Andrew loved me madly. He was a poor student sponsored by our family, hardworking and ambitious. When he pursued me, he didn’t know I was a rich girl. After meeting each other’s parents, he knelt before my mom and dad, thanking them for letting their daughter marry him and promising to make me the happiest woman after marriage. This proposal was also because, during my studies abroad, I was surrounded by many peers from wealthy families. Andrew was insanely jealous. Right after closing a million-dollar deal at the company, he couldn’t wait to propose to me over video. At that time, I was abroad, crying in front of the camera as I said yes. However, six months later, I graduated and returned home for the wedding. A year later, Tessa appeared as a new designer at the onboarding presentation of Andrew’s subsidiary. Two years later, he argued with me for the 160th time because of her. Three years later, he bought her a villa in the city center. Four years later, Tessa accused me of giving her infertility drugs. Andrew didn’t believe my explanation and, to retaliate, took a multimillion-dollar order from Locke Group. Locke Group went completely bankrupt, and my parents eventually jumped to their deaths. Five years later, Andrew used money to elevate Tessa to become the hottest top designer in the country and personally backed her, accusing my portfolio of being a complete copy of Tessa’s. Since then, I was blacklisted in the design industry. And today, I lost my only child. ***** Andrew’s love is the most delicious poison I’ve ever tasted in my life. Now my soul is already riddled with scars. If I had another chance, I wouldn’t want Andrew anymore. “Don’t stay silent, I’m really scared. Wait for me, I’ll book a flight to find you right now.” 25-year-old Andrew was frantic. I just looked at him and smiled faintly. I said, “Andrew, can you ask me one more time?” Andrew burst into tears of joy. “Violet, today marks our 1825th day together. Will you marry me?” In his expectant gaze, I raised the iPad towards the camera, showing hundreds of intimate photos of him at 30 with Tessa. Then, I shook my head, my tone indifferent. “I don’t want to.” “25-year-old Andrew, I am 30-year-old Violet. You may not want to believe it, but the truth is, I am planning to divorce 30-year-old you.” “Because you didn’t keep the vows you made at our wedding. You let me down for another woman.” Hearing this, the light in 25-year-old Andrew’s eyes gradually faded.

A few seconds later, 25-year-old Andrew tightened his face and shook his head. “I don’t believe it, you’re lying to me.” I let out a soft laugh. If it were the 25-year-old me, I probably wouldn’t believe it either. “You will believe it,” I said calmly. At this moment, 30-year-old Andrew pushed the door open and walked in. He glanced around suspiciously. “Who are you talking to?” I looked away, my tone indifferent. “I’m handing over work to a colleague.” Since Andrew accused me of plagiarizing Tessa’s design, I was fired by the company. He coughed awkwardly and handed over the cake he was holding, his tone softening unconsciously. “This is from Tessa. She said girls feel better during their period if they eat something sweet.” I neither moved nor accepted it. A low murmur came through the earphones, “How could he forget? Sweet food only makes Violet’s period pain worse.” Andrew in front of me had already opened the cake box, revealing a taro mousse cake filled with mango chunks. He shoved the fork into my hand and urged, “Hurry up and eat. Tessa was so worried about you that she didn’t even eat properly today.” I held the fork, expressionless, and spoke at the same time as the voice in the earphones, “I’m allergic to mangoes and hate taro the most.” Andrew froze, looking a bit flustered and angry. He scowled. “Whatever, you’re already a 30-year-old woman and still this picky.” At that moment, Tessa called, and his expression instantly softened with affection. “Be good, wait for me.” After saying that, he turned and left without looking back. An hour later, I saw the photo Tessa posted on Instagram. At the racetrack, she held the championship trophy, sitting in Andrew’s arms, smiling freely. Her caption read: [He said, both he and the championship trophy belong to me.] I gave it a like. A muffled voice came through the headphones. “Violet, why aren’t you angry?” I didn’t answer, picked up the cake on the table, and threw it straight into the trash. But I still had an allergic reaction. Late at night, my whole body started itching. The allergy medicine at home was gone, so I had to take a cab to the hospital, only to run into Andrew. He frowned and asked me, “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?” I unlocked my phone and realized he had sent over a dozen messages after I liked the post, explaining that Tessa only made that post because she lost a game. What a lousy lie. I couldn’t be bothered to expose him, so I casually brushed it off, “I fell asleep and didn’t see it.” He stared at the redness on my cheek, seemingly worried. “Didn’t you skip the cake? How did you get an allergic reaction?” The doctor behind me explained, “Being in the same air as the allergen can also cause a reaction.” Andrew instinctively rubbed his fingers, seeming like he wanted to say something, but then Tessa’s soft call came from the ward behind, “Andrew?” Andrew immediately left me and went inside. I scoffed at myself, grabbed the medicine, and turned to leave. Downstairs, I ran into a heavy rainstorm and couldn’t get a cab. Andrew pulled up beside me in his car. Tessa was sitting in the passenger seat, wearing the jacket I bought for Andrew as his 24th birthday gift. In my earphones came a gritted voice, “He’s a jerk!” I found it noisy and casually turned down the volume. Tessa leaned out, looking surprised. “Violet? Why didn’t you let Andrew drive you to the hospital? I just have a slight cough, and he insisted on coming with me for a checkup.” She pouted playfully and looked at Andrew. “I already told you I’m fine.” Andrew gently pinched her nose. “You’re about to join the international designer competition; you can’t afford to have any health issues.” Then he glanced at me and said curtly, “Stop being dramatic. Get in the car.” It’s late at night and hard to get a cab, so I nodded, opened the car door, and got into the back seat, only to find a pair of black lace panties. “Ah! How did this get here?” Tessa’s face turned red as she grabbed it, then pinched Andrew’s waist hard and whispered, “Didn’t you say you put it away?” She blamed him with her words, but her eyes fixed on me, full of provocation and pride. Andrew seemed flustered for a moment when he saw the panties, then took them and casually tossed them into the glove compartment. Tessa then remembered to explain to me, “Violet, don’t overthink it. I had an urgent interview tonight and was in such a rush changing that I accidentally left it behind.” I nodded calmly. “Mm, I understand.” Andrew didn’t expect me to accept such a flawed excuse so calmly. With my usual temper, I would have already had a big fight with him. He carefully added, “Tessa did have an interview today.” “No need to explain. I understand,” I interrupted, signaling him to relax. Andrew got angry. After dropping me off downstairs, he drove away with Tessa at full speed. On my way upstairs, the silent headphones suddenly spoke again, “I’ve never liked Tessa, so why does that jerk treat her like a treasure?” I chuckled, “Because you said Tessa is clean and pure, unlike me and my parents, full of rich people’s arrogance.” In the headphones, 25-year-old Andrew stayed silent for a long time before finally cursing fiercely, “That’s all bullshit.” If my parents were greedy merchants, Andrew wouldn’t have been able to marry me in the first place. It’s all just an excuse he made for his betrayal. “So, give up proposing to me,” I said softly. “Are you wondering why 30-year-old Andrew dares to bully me like this? Because Locke Group went bankrupt, and my parents were driven to death by him.” I slowly unfolded the abortion surgery form and continued, “I’m not on my period today; I had a miscarriage because he forced me to go bungee jumping.”

Andrew went offline in the headset, like a deserter. I thought everything would end there, but to my surprise, I woke up the next day to find myself trending. The trending topic was “Andrew will always only love Violet.” All my friends came to congratulate me, saying Andrew had finally changed his mind and I could be at ease. But my heart sank to the bottom. Because 25-year-old Andrew came online. He laughed smugly through the headphones, “Honey, did you see the trending topic I booked?” “You think this can change everything?” I responded coldly, “You’ll see the consequences soon.” Within ten minutes, that trending topic was forcibly removed. Replacing it was a brand-new entry, “Andrew and Tessa are true love.” Meanwhile, my phone was almost blown up by Andrew’s calls. It wasn’t until I held the divorce papers and arrived downstairs at his company that I finally pressed the answer button. On the other end of the line, he started yelling furiously, “Violet! Don’t you think playing these tricks is disgusting? You know Tessa is in the prime of her career, yet you smear her? How could there be such a filthy, shameless woman like you! Let me tell you, if you keep this nonsense up, let’s just get a divorce!” This is the sentence I was waiting for. Afraid he might change his mind, I quickly said, “Alright, I’m downstairs at your company. Let’s get a divorce.” ***** I waited for him in the café downstairs. What I got instead was his sudden, furious outburst. “Violet, you’re truly despicable!” He stormed in, in front of all the customers, and kicked me hard in the stomach. As I was in so much pain I nearly passed out, he grabbed my hair and yanked me up. He played Tessa’s newly sent voice message right by my ear. “Andrew, Max was stolen by Violet. There’s so much blood and dog fur on the ground. I’m so scared. Max was a keepsake from my grandma. I’m willing to apologize to Violet. Please, I beg you, ask her to return Max to me, okay?” A metallic taste filled my throat as I weakly explained, “I didn’t steal her dog.” What I got in return was an even angrier slap from Andrew. He pointed at me and roared, “Tessa is so kind, would she lie? You’ve done everything to bully and hurt her, and now you’re pretending to want a divorce from me? A gold-digger like you, would you really leave me?” My cheek swelled up badly from the slap. A guest wanted to step in and stop him, but Andrew picked up a cup of scalding coffee and poured it over my head. As I screamed in pain, he told the others, “She’s a mistress, not only seducing me but also stealing my lover’s dog.” His confident tone drew the sympathy of others in the café. “So she’s a shameless mistress. Serves her right!” “Slut! Beat her to death! Better strip her clothes off and throw her out!” ***** In the headphones, Andrew went crazy, shouting shakily, “Impossible, it shouldn’t be like this. Violet, run!” I turned in pain, trying to escape, but was firmly pinned down by the bodyguards he brought. He said, “You’re not leaving until you tell me where Tessa’s dog is.” After he finished speaking, I was roughly shoved into the car by the bodyguards. The vehicle eventually stopped at the cemetery. Andrew grabbed my hair, forcing me to kneel on the ground. Not far away, an excavator was parked beside my parents’ tombstone. My eyes were red. “I didn’t steal the dog!” Tessa appeared in a white dress, tears in her eyes. Her eyes gleamed with excitement, but she pretended to look pitiful. “Violet, please tell me where Max is, okay?” She cried so hard she almost fainted in Andrew’s arms, but the corners of her mouth curved in triumph. She knew I couldn’t possibly give an answer. Andrew’s eyes darkened as he snarled, “This is the price for hurting Tessa. Start digging!” “No!” I struggled desperately, screaming at Andrew, “I really don’t know where her dog went, it wasn’t me.” “Still not talking?” Andrew’s face turned completely dark as he stared at my hands, saying word by word, “Since it was these filthy hands of yours, then let’s ruin them.” A chill instantly ran through my entire body. If my hands are ruined, I’ll never be able to hold a paintbrush again. My hands were pinned by the security guards as Andrew raised the knife at me with a vicious expression. In the headphones, 25-year-old Andrew completely broke down. “Violet, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have proposed to you.” As soon as he finished speaking, everything around instantly changed dramatically. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the Locke Manor.

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Married for five years, I, Joyce Felton, showed signs of a threatened miscarriage, while my husband, Jude Rivers, made headlines for taking wedding photos with his secretary, Summer Fields. I lay in the hospital bed, took a screenshot, and posted on Instagram with the caption: [You two look perfect together, wishing you happiness.] The next second, Jude called. “Joyce, what nonsense are you posting again?! Do you know that because of what you said, Summer is now crying her eyes out? How did you become so vicious?” On the other end of the line came Summer’s pitiful sobbing. My silence completely enraged Jude. He said, “Joyce, if you do something like this again, we’ll get a divorce!” In the past, whenever I heard the word “divorce,” I would always break down in tears and apologize. But this time, I simply replied softly, “Alright.” ***** I walked in carrying a bunch of medication for pregnancy support, only to meet Jude’s cold and gloomy gaze. “Where did you go?” he asked. Before I could speak, he casually glanced at the bag of medicine, a look of realization flashing in his eyes. He sneered and said, “Summer guessed right. You went to the hospital again to get your classmate to write a fake medical record, trying to fake illness to get my attention?” He rubbed his tired temples, sighed, and said helplessly, “Joyce, have you had enough? Hurry up and delete that Instagram post, got it? Stop threatening me with divorce all the time. Don’t think I won’t go through with it!” “Haven’t I explained it to you? That wedding photoshoot was just part of Summer’s variety show segment, for the sake of the show!” He sat steadily on the sofa the entire time. Believing I was faking illness, he didn’t even bother to help me, even though I struggled so much to push the door while clutching my stomach. The taxi ride home drained all my energy. Right now, I just want to follow the doctor’s advice and rest well. Faced with his questioning and accusations, I didn’t break down and explain like I used to. I simply gave him a calm glance, then took out my phone and decisively deleted that post. Then, I showed him my phone. “I deleted it.” Jude obviously didn’t expect me to cooperate like this, and his expression turned a bit complicated. He was somewhat surprised and also dissatisfied. I had no interest in guessing his emotions and turned to grab the medicine, ready to head back to my room. He suddenly smashed the cup on the table and yelled at me, “Joyce, who are you putting on this act for?! Do I have to expose that this medicine is fake?!” He rushed forward, grabbed the medicine bag, rummaged through it for a while, and froze when he saw the unfamiliar doctor’s name on the diagnosis. He murmured, “How could this be? Why isn’t it your classmate?” Leaning against the wall, anger rose in my heart as I lowered my gaze with a cold smile. “Mr. Rivers, did you forget? My classmate was dismissed a year ago because of your secretary.” A year ago, I went to my university classmate who studied medicine because of rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. She said it might be an intestinal obstruction and suggested I get hospitalized early for treatment, possibly requiring surgery if it’s serious. I honestly told Jude, hoping he could take care of me for a few days. Summer smiled and said, “Ms. Felton, I know you mind me often taking up Mr. Rivers’ time, but you can’t fake being sick just to get attention. My grandmother is a doctor, so I know a bit about medicine. You look perfectly healthy, how could you be ill?” Jude, who was originally worried about my health, immediately looked upset upon hearing that. He knew I had a good relationship with that medical student and sneered as he tore up my medical records. He said, “I’d like to see just how serious your illness can be.” Following Summer’s suggestion, he locked me at home and forbade me from going to the hospital. He had the housekeeper prepare medicine personally mixed by Summer every day. However, on the third day of taking that medicine, I had a high fever, fell unconscious, and vomited blood. If the housekeeper hadn’t secretly taken me to the emergency room under pressure, I might have died. But Jude, who rushed over, not only didn’t feel sorry for me but instead comforted the tearful and apologizing Summer. Summer said, “I’m sorry, Ms. Felton, it’s all my fault for being too hasty and giving the wrong prescription.” Jude scolded me, “Are you stupid? Didn’t you check the effects before taking the medicine?” My classmate couldn’t stand it anymore and pointed at Jude, yelling, “Are you crazy? You let your wife take any random prescription? Do you just want her to die early so you can marry your lover?” Because of this sentence, Jude believed that I conspired with my classmate to set up a trap, intending to ruin Summer’s reputation. Jude is a nationally renowned professor and a close friend of the hospital director. The outcome was that my originally treatable intestine was removed due to necrosis, and my doctor friend was also dismissed. After this incident, I completely gave up on Jude.

Jude seemed to recall this incident as well, and the furious expression on his face gradually calmed down. He cleared his throat lightly and placed the medicine on the table. Then, as if changing the subject, he smiled, picked up a bag of cold breakfast from the dining table, and said, “I happened to pass by the restaurant we used to frequent on my way back. Isn’t this your favorite?” I looked at him coldly, but I couldn’t help laughing inside. He had just finished a half-month-long research conference. Meanwhile, Summer’s Instagram was full of pictures of Jude taking her to top-notch restaurants. But when it came to me, he only bought me cheap snacks. Am I someone so cheap that I can be brushed off like this? The dull pain in my lower abdomen persisted, and I really couldn’t be bothered to argue with him anymore. I said, “Jude, 20-year-old Joyce was willing to eat this with you because she liked you. “But now, I’m 30, and I don’t like you anymore.” After saying that, I turned to leave. Jude wanted to say something but was interrupted by a sudden message. He ignored me and turned to the balcony to handle his business. I locked the bedroom door, wrapped my chilly body in the blanket, trying to absorb some warmth. The next second, I fell into a dream filled with memories. Jude and I once shared a long period of love and affection. I was a pampered rich girl, and he was a sponsored poor student. But he was smart and ambitious. We met during a hiking event organized by the school. That day, halfway through the hike, a sudden downpour came, and I almost slipped off a cliff, but he grabbed me just in time. At that time, he was tall, with a strong build from working part-time at an auto repair shop for a long time. He was amused by my tearful expression, his deep eyes full of laughter. He said, as long as he’s here, nothing will happen to me. He kept his word; during the rest of the hike that day, he stayed by my side, protecting me. He even helped me scare away the snake I feared most. After that day, we started interacting more and more. On my 20th birthday, he took me to a fancy restaurant with the money he had saved for a long time. Back then, he wasn’t familiar with table manners, yet with a flushed face, he pulled a diamond necklace out of his suit pocket. He promised me, “Joyce, I will do my best to give you a good life!” Later, he really did it. On the day he became a professor, he proposed to me. But in the fourth year of our marriage, Summer appeared. All the beauty withered away. Suddenly, a loud bang, and the bedroom door was violently kicked open.

I was trapped in a nightmare, terrified, and the next second, Jude yanked my hair hard and dragged me off the bed. I clutched my lower abdomen in fear, but still, the hard floor struck it with sharp pain. This child was unexpected, but because of him, there was a glimmer of hope in my bleak life. I trembled as I said, “My baby! Jude, my stomach hurts!” He stared at me coldly, his tone icy. “It’s all because of the post you made! Now Summer is being cursed on trending searches. Issue a statement immediately, saying we divorced long ago and you’re the ex-wife.” I clutched my lower abdomen and let out a bitter laugh. “Jude, don’t go too far. I can make the post, but only after we officially finalize the divorce.” Jude angrily smashed the couple’s ceramic mug on the dressing table. He pointed at my nose and yelled, “Joyce, don’t be ungrateful!” Ceramic shards cut my instep, and blood gushed out, quickly staining the floor red. Due to blood loss, I felt dizzy, and the only thought in my mind was that the baby must be okay! I grabbed Jude’s shirt corner and pleaded, “Please, my stomach hurts so much, take me to the hospital quickly!” Jude sneered and shook off my hand, saying coldly, “Stop acting. Do you think using the baby to threaten me still works? I’m tired of this trick long ago.” I closed my eyes and gave a bitter smile. Yes, ever since Summer appeared, I’ve been trapped in the darkest time of my life. At that time, Jude was almost constantly revolving around her. To save my marriage, I had to fake a pregnancy to trick Jude into coming home. At first, he believed it a few times. Later, Summer smiled and revealed a medical report, exposing the fact that I wasn’t pregnant at all. But after Jude left me in anger, I actually got pregnant. However, this time, when he saw my pregnancy report, he no longer cared. ***** Excessive blood loss caused the dizziness to intensify. I gritted my teeth and struggled to get up, but Jude, who just came back with the medicine, pressed me down. With a grim face, he sprinkled all the hemostatic powder on the wound. The intense pain made me scream, and cold sweat instantly soaked my entire back. He casually tossed the empty bottle aside and coldly warned, “Don’t play tricks. Until you explain clearly, you’re not going anywhere.” I wanted to explain, but the injury on my foot not only didn’t ease but also caused chills all over, and the sinking feeling in my lower abdomen grew stronger. Terrified, I grabbed the medicine bottle to check and found it wasn’t for stopping bleeding at all. “This isn’t a hemostatic medicine!” I threw the bottle away with trembling hands. Jude’s face turned pale instantly. Realizing things were out of control, he quickly stepped forward to help me out the door. His Maybach was parked at the doorstep. That car had only ever been used to drive Summer to and from work. Usually, I could only drive the old Ford. Jude once said that since I often needed to go to the hospital for check-ups, it wasn’t suitable to drive such an expensive car. Summer’s health was fragile, and driving that old car wasn’t good for her. This time, he hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t say anything to belittle me. When he opened the passenger door for me, I instinctively sat in the back seat. There was only one reason. The passenger seat was blatantly decorated with a cartoon sticker saying “Mr. Rivers’ Precious Seat.” Jude coughed awkwardly. “Summer is just a kid.” I held my lower abdomen and nodded calmly. “Mm, I understand. Go ahead and drive.” Jude pressed his lips together, seemingly displeased with my reaction. He drove towards the hospital, glancing at my expression countless times through the rearview mirror along the way. I kept my eyes closed the whole time, enduring the pain. The car got onto the highway, but Jude suddenly received a video call from Summer.

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To make me miscarry, my 7-year-old son Leo Brown deliberately made me step on a toy car and fall. When I woke up, Leo’s grandmother Amelia Brown scolded me for bringing bad luck, while my husband Matthew Brown looked at me coldly. He said, “How could you be so careless? Now, we’ve lost our child. Who can you blame?” Leo hid behind Matthew without a trace of guilt. He said, “Grandma said as long as the baby in your belly dies, Dad will marry Ms. Price, and the daughter in Ms. Price’s belly will be my sister.” I completely lost all hope, left behind a divorce agreement and a document severing the mother-son relationship, and left. I no longer want such a husband and son. ***** I just woke up, and Amelia’s scolding was ringing in my ears. She said, “Do you really think being pregnant makes you a queen? You do nothing at home all day. You deserve to fall.” I instinctively touched my belly. My once swollen belly had become flat. My tears fell silently. Amelia was still blaming me, saying I slipped because I argued with her. She said, “Chloe, you’re just someone who brings us bad luck.” Chloe Morgan is my name. Matthew arrived late. He unhappily stopped the still nagging Amelia and said, “Enough. Since it already happened, stop talking about it.” I looked into his cold eyes and asked, “Do you also think it’s my fault?” Leo stood behind Matthew, holding his favorite toy car. I clearly remember that I accidentally stepped on Leo’s toy car while arguing with Amelia, which caused me to fall. The intense pain made me pass out instantly. The baby I had carried for five difficult months turned into a pool of blood and left me. But the person who caused my miscarriage was still behind Matthew, secretly making faces at me. Leo said, “Grandma said as long as your baby dies, Dad will marry Ms. Price, and the daughter in Ms. Price’s belly will be my sister.” I couldn’t believe these were the words my own son said to me. I was shaking with anger, pointing at Leo and asking Matthew, “Matthew, did you hear that? It was your son on purpose.” Matthew directly scolded me, “How could you be so careless? Now, our child is gone. And you blame it on my son? He’s just a kid! How could he intentionally harm you?” His accusations left me completely disappointed. I thought Matthew would care about me a little. Turns out, I was overthinking. At that moment, Matthew’s phone rang. It was a special ringtone he had set for someone. He answered the phone. Immediately, a soft female voice came through. “Matthew, my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable. Could you come and check on me?” This is the person he can’t forget, Mia Price. Matthew didn’t hesitate at all and left me, who had just miscarried, behind. Leo was also worried about Mia, so he went along. Immediately, Amelia left angrily as well. I suddenly felt so pathetic. My husband and son could both abandon me for another woman. I closed my eyes wearily, with only one thought in my mind. I want a divorce. Not long after, I saw Mia’s social media post. The photo showed a man’s hands peeling shrimp. His fingers were long and well-defined. I instantly recognized these as Matthew’s hands. I’ve been married to him for 7 years, but he never did these things for me. Matthew is a genius pianist, and he has always valued his hands greatly. Our only trip was our honeymoon after we got married. At that time, we brought two heavy suitcases. Since I had done my nails, it was inconvenient for me to carry them. Matthew coldly said, “Chloe, my hands are for playing the piano, not for carrying luggage.” In the end, I had to carry the suitcases alone the whole time. My nails split in the middle, and it was very painful. But Matthew didn’t feel sorry for me at all; instead, he blamed me for being too vain and insisting on getting my nails done. But now, his hands can peel shrimp for Mia. Turns out, it’s not that his hands are too noble, but that I’m not worthy enough for him to do these things. I numbly flipped to the next picture. In the photo, Mia was feeding Leo a piece of carrot with a fork. The caption read: [He’s such a good kid, not picky at all.] Leo is actually very picky. To balance his nutrition, I specifically added carrots to the meatballs to make it easier for him to eat. But he threw a tantrum and scattered the meatballs all over the floor. When Matthew came back from overtime, he clung to Matthew’s leg, crying, “Mom’s mean. I don’t like carrots, but she made me eat them.” Amelia also criticized me for forcing Leo to eat something he doesn’t like. I couldn’t argue back, and Matthew didn’t say a word, giving me the cold shoulder for a week. But now, Leo willingly eats the carrots fed by Mia. He truly is Matthew’s son; they even like the same woman. I closed my phone in disappointment, feeling utterly cold inside. I don’t want a husband and son like this anymore.

The day I was discharged, no one came to pick me up. My lower abdomen still hurts. While hailing a cab at the hospital entrance, I got splashed with dirty water by a passing car. As soon as I got home, I saw a harmonious scene. Matthew was holding Mia, looking at her tenderly. Leo sat on the other side of Mia, curiously touching her slightly rounded belly. He asked, “Ms. Price, don’t babies kick inside their mom’s belly? Why didn’t she kick me?” Mia pinched Leo’s cheek and said with a smile, “She’s still tiny and can’t kick yet. Leo, just wait a little longer.” The three of them looked like a happy family, while I, standing at the door, felt completely out of place. Seeing me return, Leo said disdainfully, “Did you come back from the dump? Why are you so dirty and smelly?” He exaggeratedly pinched his nose, while Mia covered her mouth, giggling. Matthew frowned and asked, “How did you end up like this?” I clenched my fingers tightly until my nails dug deep into my flesh, and the pain brought me back to my senses. I looked at the man I had loved for nearly 10 years, with no emotion left in my eyes. I said, “Matthew, let’s get a divorce.” As if he thought he misheard, Matthew asked me, “What did you say?” I firmly repeated, “I said, let’s get a divorce. I’ll make way for Mia so she and the baby won’t suffer anymore.” A hint of mockery flashed in Matthew’s eyes. He sneered and said, “Chloe, since when did you learn these cheap tricks? Let me tell you, they don’t work on me.” At this moment, Mia stood up, then walked over to me and grabbed my hand. She gently persuaded me, “Chloe, don’t misunderstand. I never thought of breaking you two apart. I have no relatives or friends in New York, and Matthew is the only one I know, so I asked him for help. If you don’t like it, I won’t ask him anymore.” I gently pulled my hand back, but Mia suddenly fell backward, as if I had pushed her. Matthew immediately became furious. He supported Mia and yelled at me, “Chloe, Mia is pregnant. How could you push her?” Leo also ran up to me and punched me hard. He said, “Bad mommy, you can’t bully Ms. Price. Just because you lost your baby doesn’t mean you can bully Ms. Price.” A 7-year-old child used all his strength to hit me. My already aching stomach hurt even more from his punches. But this pain was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. I pushed Leo away and sneered, “Don’t worry. No one will ever hurt your beloved woman again.” After saying that, I went straight upstairs. Matthew and Leo only had Mia in their eyes and hearts, completely ignoring me. In the 7 years of marriage, I almost only bought things for Matthew and Leo. There are very few things in this house that belong to me. I can pack all of them into a 28-inch suitcase. I threw the signed divorce agreement and the letter severing mother-son ties on the bed. Then, I took off the plain ring from my left ring finger and placed it on that pile of papers. This plain ring is the only piece of jewelry Matthew bought me in our 7 years of marriage. It was something he casually bought at the counter just to get through the wedding when we first got married. But even such a simple ring, I cherished it for 7 years. The moment I took off the ring, the last bit of attachment I had for Matthew was completely gone. At this moment, my phone received a message. It was Amelia who sent a photo in the family group chat of four hands playing the piano together. On the black and white piano keys, the two pairs of hands both had couple rings on their left ring fingers. This was a photo of Matthew and Mia at a concert while I was hospitalized. After posting the photo, Amelia even praised: [Look at Matthew and Mia. They are just perfect for each other!] Matthew’s other family members also joined in the teasing. I watched coldly, then sent a thumbs-up emoji in the group chat. In an instant, the lively group chat fell silent. Amelia even deleted all the previous messages she had sent. I didn’t want to deal with them anymore, so I left the group chat. When I came downstairs with my luggage, Matthew was staring at me coldly. He said, “My mom just posted a photo. Did you really need to leave the group chat?” Mia’s eyes were red too, pretending to look pitiful. She said, “Chloe, Matthew and I have always been piano partners. This time, I’m just a special guest for him. Don’t be mad.” I let out a cold snort and walked out resolutely. I said coldly, “Matthew, remember to sign the divorce papers.” At that moment, a “thud” sounded at my feet. I looked down and saw a cracked ruby pendant. I turned around and saw Leo’s eyes cold and full of disgust. I could hardly imagine this was the look my own child gave me. Leo said, “It’s best if you, this bad woman, leave and never come back. I don’t want your trash anymore.” I gave a bitter smile, looking at the ruby pendant on the ground. Back then, I had a difficult labor giving birth to Leo. As a result, Leo often fell ill as a child. To bless him with safety and health, I went to the church locals said was most favored by the divine and went through great effort to buy this ruby pendant. But now, Leo treats it like trash and throws it away. I nodded and said, “Alright, I don’t like you anymore either.” A son like this doesn’t deserve my love.

Actually, I should never have expected anything from this marriage. I always knew Matthew didn’t love me. My parents passed away early, and it was Matthew’s grandfather, Lincoln Brown, who supported me, helping me finish college and become a teacher. The first time I went to the Brown Villa, I fell in love with Matthew. Lincoln didn’t care about family background, thought I was dependable, and often teased me and Matthew, saying he wanted me to marry Matthew. But I always heard about Matthew and Mia’s passionate love story. They dated from high school to college. Both were skilled at piano and widely recognized as the perfect couple. However, after Matthew’s father passed away unexpectedly, Lincoln’s health quickly declined. Matthew needed to take over the family business, while Mia insisted on going abroad for her music dreams. And just like that, they broke up. Because of this, I, who often visited and cared for Lincoln, had the chance to get closer to Matthew. Lincoln’s dying wish was to see Matthew get married. Matthew was forced to marry me. Later, we had Leo. I don’t understand music, so Matthew always found me vulgar. As a result, even Leo looked down on me for not understanding art. Later, Mia went through a failed marriage abroad and then returned to New York alone. The legendary perfect couple reunited for a collaboration after many years. Matthew’s love for her reignited. Leo is very much like him. The woman he likes, Leo likes too. Leo mentioned Mia more than once in front of me, saying she was elegant and beautiful, unlike me—crude and ignorant. Hearing my son say that, I was heartbroken. But gradually, I got used to it and became numb to Matthew and Leo’s preference for Mia. I finally realized that my marriage to Matthew was a mistake from the start. We might as well cut ties. After leaving the Brown Villa, I lived in the school’s faculty dormitory. Matthew didn’t come looking for me, probably thinking I was still sulking. I took out the Volunteer Teaching application form that the school had given to all teachers earlier. Before, because I was pregnant with my second child, I had no intention of joining Volunteer Teaching. But now, I resolutely submitted my application to Principal Owen Adams to participate in Volunteer Teaching in the mountains. I came from the mountains, so I want to help the kids there step out of the mountains too. Owen looked at me with concern. Seeing my determination, he eventually approved my application. The day I left, the kids in my class were very reluctant to see me go. Actually, apart from an unhappy marriage, I was very happy at school. Owen highly valued my abilities, and my students admired me greatly. Before, I trapped myself in an unhappy family. The next day, I messaged Matthew to meet me at the Courthouse to handle the divorce paperwork. But I waited until evening, and he never showed up. It was only then that I saw his performance with Mia had made the news again. Everyone was praising them as the perfect duo. Even Leo showed an admiring look toward Mia during the interview. He said, “Ms. Price is really beautiful. She and Dad are a perfect match.” So, I said goodbye to my colleagues and students, then boarded the bus heading to the mountains. After a few days of bumpy travel, I arrived in the mountains for Volunteer Teaching. The children here are poor but very simple and sincere. To welcome us teachers, they even specially prepared roasted potatoes. The conditions in the mountains are tough. After just a few days, I was bitten by insects and experienced vomiting and diarrhea due to not adapting well to the environment. However, with the help of the students and local villagers, I gradually got used to life in the mountains. But on my fifth day in the mountains, an earthquake struck the area. I shielded the students as they fled and sought shelter, but my path was blocked by falling slabs, leaving me trapped in the rubble. At this moment, Mia had just finished playing a piece and was gracefully taking a bow on stage. Matthew in the audience led the applause, his eyes full of admiration. After Mia stepped off the stage, she took Matthew’s arm, and they faced the interview together. Mid-interview, Matthew’s phone kept vibrating. The phone showed it was Chloe calling. Mia frowned slightly but then softly said, “Matthew, why don’t you take the call? She might have something urgent.” Matthew hung up the phone in disgust. He said, “She just wants to make peace. What could she possibly want?” It wasn’t until the tenth ring that he impatiently answered. A stranger’s voice came from the other end. “Hello, are you Ms. Morgan’s husband, Mr. Brown? A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Humboldt County, and the area where Ms. Morgan is located was hit the hardest.”

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