Category: English

Chris and I were synced up on this Truth-Teller App. The deal was, if either of us lied, the system would automatically deduct $1314.00 from their linked account and transfer it to the other person. My best friend, Chloe, developed it. She asked me to help her beta test it. During our holiday weekend trip to a popular beach town, something felt off. On the train, Chris went to take a call in the restroom. When he came back, his expression was completely wrong. “Who was that?” I asked. He avoided my gaze. “No one. Just a spam call.” The next second, my phone buzzed with a notification: [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] I stared at the message, speechless. Chris saw me staring at my phone, not saying a word, and leaned closer. “What’s up, Jo? What are you so engrossed in?” I turned the phone screen towards him. A muscle in his jaw jumped. “I thought you… usually kept app notifications off?” I didn’t say anything, just watched him. He snatched my phone, his fingers frantically tapping the screen, as if trying to delete the notification. “These apps are getting out of hand now. I’ll help you uninstall it later.” He shoved the phone back into my hand as he spoke. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in my chest. “So, that call just now? It wasn’t a spam call?” Chris’s eyes darted away again. He insisted stubbornly, “It was a spam call!” The words had barely left his mouth. “Ding-dong.” My phone chimed again, a new notification popping up. [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] The air went completely silent. “Joanna!” He practically spat my name through clenched teeth. “Are you using this thing to spy on me?” He accused me outright. I scoffed. “Spy on you?” “Chris, have you forgotten?” “This app was developed by Chloe. She asked me to help her beta test it, and you agreed to link your account.” “What? Now that your lies are exposed, you’re trying to turn the tables on me?” He suddenly sat up straight, frowning at me. “What lie did I tell!?” “It was just a stupid call! What if I don’t want to talk about it?” “Why do you always have to pry into everything? Do you have any respect for my privacy!?” His voice grew louder and louder. Passengers around us cast curious glances our way. “Fine, I won’t ask.” I turned my face away, looking out at the rapidly receding scenery through the window. This holiday, from its very first second, was destined to be unpleasant. Chapter Two When we arrived at the cozy rental we’d booked, Chris was still sulking. He tossed his suitcase onto the floor, then stormed into the bathroom, his face dark, slamming the door shut. I looked at my pale face in the mirror and let out a self-deprecating laugh. My phone vibrated again. It was a message from Chloe. [Hey, babe. Is the app stable? How’s the user experience?] I stared at the words, and almost instinctively replied. [Very stable. The experience… is incredibly stimulating.] Not long after, Chloe called. “What’s wrong, Jo? Your tone sounds off.” I walked out onto the balcony, closed the glass door, and quietly recounted what had just happened. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then, Chloe cautiously spoke. “Joanna, don’t overthink it.” “Chris isn’t like that. Maybe he really has something he can’t talk about?” “Like… maybe family needing money or something. He’s a man, you know, too proud to admit it to you.” Her words sounded reasonable, like she was making excuses for him. “If he’d just been honest, do you really think I wouldn’t help?” “Men have their pride,” Chloe sighed. “Why don’t you talk to him properly later? Don’t let this minor issue affect your relationship.” “If this app makes you uncomfortable, just turn it off. Forget the testing.” After hanging up, the irritation in my heart eased a little. Maybe I really was overthinking things. The bathroom door opened, and Chris walked out, hair still damp, wrapped in a towel. He stood in front of me, hesitated for a moment, then softened his tone. “Joanna, I’m sorry. My attitude was bad earlier.” I looked at him, not speaking. He reached out to hug me, but I stepped aside, avoiding him. His arm froze mid-air, and his face clouded over again. “Ugh! Fine, I’ll tell you. It was just my mom calling for money. I was annoyed and felt embarrassed, so I lied.” He explained, but his eyes wouldn’t meet mine. “Are you serious? You’re still nagging about this?” My heart stirred. I pulled out my phone and tapped open the “Truth-Teller” app. I looked directly into his eyes. “Chris, you just said that your mom called, asking for money, and that’s why you lied to me. Is that true?” A flicker of panic seemed to cross his face, but he quickly composed himself, nodding forcefully. “Yes, it’s true!” My gaze locked on the phone screen. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. My phone stayed quiet. No notification popped up.

A huge weight lifted off my chest, as if instantly. Could it be that I had really misjudged him? He saw my expression soften, and breathed a sigh of relief, pulling me into his arms. “Joanna, stop overthinking. I love you the most.” His voice was gentle, whispering in my ear. I closed my eyes, enveloped in his familiar embrace. Just as I was about to believe him, my phone vibrated subtly again. I snapped my eyes open, pulled away from his embrace, and looked down. It wasn’t an app notification. It was a bank deposit alert. [Your savings account ending in 6689 has received $1314.00.] I froze. Then, another one. [Your savings account ending in 6689 has received $1314.00.] It was the money from the previous two deductions, transferred to my account down to the last cent. This was Chloe’s “penalty disbursement” feature. She’d said that if the other person lied, the deducted money would serve as compensation for emotional damages to the wronged party. I hadn’t even had time to fully process it when Chris’s phone suddenly rang at the worst possible moment. He glanced at the caller ID, his body stiffened noticeably. Then, phone in hand, he hurried to the balcony, locking the glass door behind him. The movement was so smooth, so practiced, it sent a chill down my spine. Through the glass, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I could only see the gentle smile on his face. Chapter Three By evening, a light rain had started in the beach town. Chris returned from his phone call on the balcony, looking inexplicably down. He sat on the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette in silence. I walked over, took the cigarette from his hand, and put it out in the ashtray. “Don’t smoke so much. It’s not good for you.” He looked up at me. “Joanna, let’s go back tomorrow.” I paused. “Why? We just got here today.” “Something urgent came up at work. I have to go back and deal with it.” He stood up and began packing the few clothes he had just unpacked. I watched his back, and the cloud of suspicion in my mind resurfaced. “What kind of emergency requires you to rush back immediately?” I pressed. He paused, his back to me. “Don’t ask. You wouldn’t understand.” Those words again. I walked in front of him, forcing him to look into my eyes. “Chris, look at me.” “Tell me, is what you’re saying right now true?” He sighed, replying helplessly, “Yes.” “Ding-dong.” The familiar chime. [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] Chris suddenly dropped the clothes in his hand and sank onto the bed. “Why…” he murmured, “Why do you have to push me like this?” Watching him like this, I felt a mix of grief and indignation. “Am I pushing you, or are you pushing me?” “Chris, we’ve been together for three years. I thought there were no secrets between us.” “But now? You haven’t told me a single truth!” “I didn’t lie to you!” he suddenly yelled at me. “Everything I said was true! This stupid app is the problem! It’s trying to tear us apart!” He lunged at me, trying to snatch my phone. I held onto it tightly, not letting him succeed. During the struggle, his nail scraped my hand, leaving a stinging red mark. I gasped in pain and released my grip. He grabbed the phone and frantically tried to uninstall the “Truth-Teller” app. But he quickly discovered that the app couldn’t be uninstalled. Chloe had written it, directly embedding it into the system’s core. Unless both of us applied to unbind, it would keep running. He slammed the phone onto the floor. “Crazy! Both of you are crazy!” The phone screen shattered. But the notification was still lit. That night, we lay back to back, neither of us speaking.

I stared wide-eyed until dawn. Chapter Four The next day, we ended our trip early. The atmosphere on the way back was incredibly heavy. Chris wore headphones, eyes closed, refusing any interaction with me. And I, meanwhile, repeatedly looked at the three deduction records on my phone, and the three “emotional damages” payments transferred to my account. A total of $3942.00. How ironic. Back home, Chris slammed the door to the guest room. I sat alone in the living room, my grievance nowhere to go. Chloe messaged again, asking if we had argued. I sent her a photo of my phone with the shattered screen and replied with three words: [You tell me?] She immediately called, her voice full of apologies: “I’m so sorry, Jo. I didn’t know it would be like this… I just wanted to make a fun app, I never thought…” “Chloe, tell me the truth. Why did you really develop this app?” I interrupted her. Another silence on the other end of the phone. “I… it was just a hobby,” she stammered. I sneered. “Really?” I tapped open the app, looking at our two linked profile pictures. “Chloe, did you know Chris was trouble all along? Did you make this app to warn me?” “No! Absolutely not! Jo, don’t overthink things!” she denied frantically. My gut told me she was lying. But I had no proof. Maybe from the beginning, I shouldn’t have agreed to this. That evening, Chris emerged from the guest room, his eyes swollen. He sat down beside me. “Joanna, let’s talk.” I didn’t respond. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said, head bowed. “I shouldn’t have lied to you.” “I admit it. I lied to you.” My heart clenched. “That call, it wasn’t my mom.” “It was… a childhood friend of mine, Mark.” “He got into gambling, owed money to loan sharks, and was being chased by them.” “He called me for help, and I, being soft-hearted, lent him the money we were saving for a car down payment.” He said, looking up. “I was afraid you’d be angry, afraid you’d scold me for not thinking straight, so I didn’t dare tell you.” “Joanna, I really know I messed up. I’ll find a way to get the money back.” His explanation sounded watertight. If this had been before today, I might have softened, might have believed him. But now. I looked at his face and calmly asked the question. “Is everything you just said completely true?” “Cross my heart!” He raised three fingers, swearing solemnly. “May lightning strike me if I’m lying again!” My phone was silent. No deduction. Could it be… that this time, he was finally telling the truth? I looked at him, my heart a mess of conflicting feelings. He cautiously watched my expression, then tentatively took my hand. “Joanna, please forgive me?” “Let’s unbind that app. It feels like a thorn between us. I’m afraid it’ll eventually tear us apart.” I looked at the earnest plea in his eyes, and my resolve started to crumble. Maybe he really did know he messed up. Should I really give him another chance? Just as I was about to nod. Chris’s mom called. I put her on speaker. On the other end, her voice was choked with tears.

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My intern, Tyler, used a deposit transfer function on me. No matter how much money I had in my account, the balance would always revert to fifty dollars. In my last life, all I dreamed of was buying my own apartment near the office. Until I finally saved up half a million dollars for a down payment. When I swiped my card, the real estate agent told me I had insufficient funds. I checked my transaction history, confronted the bank, reported it to the police, but everyone dismissed me as crazy. Because my bank statements showed every single transaction clearly. But these were expenses I, who lived frugally, had never made! I told my colleagues about it, and to my surprise, after seeing my bank statements, a few malicious male colleagues actually taunted me: “Liam frequently spends thousands at a certain bar in the middle of the night! That price perfectly matches a full night with a model!” Faced with such misunderstandings, no matter how much I explained, it was useless. I anonymously posted about it online. Netizens all commented that I was making things up to grab attention for selling products; only one comment advised me to observe my surroundings and see if anyone else’s spending matched my statements. Through careful observation, I indeed discovered that Tyler, the new intern in our department, would cause a deduction from my card every time he made a purchase. Even buying a drink would immediately show up. After identifying my target, I confronted Tyler directly, only to be mocked. He said I was reckless with my money, and trying to blame others for my inability to save was delusional. He even ganged up with company colleagues and had me committed to a mental institution. After two years in the hospital, unable to endure the torment, I finally found an opportunity to escape and jumped into a river to commit suicide. Unexpectedly, when I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before I was going to buy the apartment.

Reborn, the first thing I did was open my banking app to check my balance. Sure enough, only fifty bucks remained. I quickly pieced together the situation. My money, had already been transferred to Tyler’s account through some unknown means he possessed. I wanted nothing more than to drag Tyler down with me, but in my previous life, after my death, seeing my parents’ hair turn white overnight, I regretted it. If I acted impulsively like before, I would only repeat the same mistakes. Just then, Ms. Miller, our department manager, called me over. “Liam, this order might be a bit tricky, but the commission is five thousand dollars! Don’t say I didn’t look out for you, honey!” My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard, almost instinctively. Five thousand dollars. Enough for a month’s rent, with a good chunk left over. But I still refused. “Thanks, Ms. Miller. But for the next month, I don’t want to take any orders.” Ignoring Ms. Miller’s stunned expression, I turned and walked out of the office. Because of the poor soundproofing, the colleagues outside had already heard everything. Immediately, discussions erupted. “Liam’s the company’s sales champion! He used to fight for every order, but he just refused one today?” “Not just today, didn’t you hear him say he wouldn’t take any for the next month?!” Disregarding the gossip around me, I opened my food delivery app, ordered the largest iced americano, and then deducted the last fifty dollars from my card. You should know, in my previous life, I couldn’t even bring myself to buy a dollar coffee from the vending machine. To build a life for myself in this impossibly expensive city, I worked myself to the bone, sacrificing everything. Every day, I’d stay up until two or three in the morning doing client follow-ups, wake up before dawn, and get packed like a sardine on the subway for two grueling hours, just to punch in on time. One late clock-in meant a fifty-dollar deduction. That was nearly a week’s worth of food for me. I dreamed of buying my own apartment near the office, even if it was just a small studio. Every payday, I’d only keep three hundred dollars for living expenses. The rest went straight into my bank account. But I never imagined that the half a million dollars I desperately saved for a down payment would end up in someone else’s pocket! Just then, the office door was flung open. “Guys! Lunch is on me!” Tyler’s boisterous voice instantly filled the room. His face was flushed with excitement, a brand-new Swiss watch glinting on his wrist, looking like a lottery winner who’d just hit big. “Let’s go to The Grand Hotel! Order whatever you want!” The office erupted, and colleagues swarmed around him. “Tyler, did you strike it rich?” “Who’s your sugar daddy?” I didn’t move, just held my coffee, my eyes cold as I watched him. Because I knew, he was spending *my* money. Tyler, surrounded by the crowd, waved his hand, feigning modesty: “Oh, you know, just bought a lottery ticket a couple of days ago, won a small prize.” A nosy colleague immediately pressed him: “How much did you win?”

Tyler glanced at me, a smug smile playing on his lips. “Not much,” he said nonchalantly, “just a few hundred thousand.” A collective gasp echoed through the office. A few hundred thousand was an astronomical sum for us, who barely made five figures a month. But I noticed that from the moment Tyler entered, his gaze kept drifting towards me, purposefully. As if he was observing a lab rat’s reaction. He was watching to see if I had already discovered that my bank card was now useless. I suppressed the hatred churning in my gut, biting back the questions that almost burst from my lips. For now, I couldn’t tip him off. I stood up, forcing a perfectly natural smile, even a hint of envy. “Tyler, congratulations! I’ve got to bask in your good fortune.” Seeing my composed demeanor, a flicker of surprise crossed Tyler’s eyes, then he subtly let out a sigh of relief, clearly feeling guilty. He probably thought I hadn’t noticed the anomaly in my savings yet. As lunchtime approached, Kyle, who sat next to me, suddenly leaned over. “Liam, didn’t you say you’d go house-hunting once you had enough for the down payment? When are you going? I’ll go with you.” At the mention of the apartment, I clenched my fists tightly, my nails almost digging into my flesh. But I quickly relaxed them, maintaining a calm expression. “No rush,” I said. “I lost my ID a couple of days ago, and it takes time to replace it. Besides, house prices are dropping so fast now, I might as well wait and see.” The words were barely out of my mouth when I felt a gaze land on me again. It was Tyler. He was watching me again, his eyes betraying a hint of unconcealed glee. Tyler had only been an intern at the company for two months. He was five foot seven, weighed 180 pounds, had an ordinary face, and ranked last in sales performance. In our sales department, where looks and业绩 mattered, he should have been at the bottom of the food chain. But in my previous life, it was him who used my half a million dollars, first to get full-body liposuction, then plastic surgery. He transformed himself into a charismatic, handsome golden boy that everyone adored. It was also him who used my money to buy loyalty, colluding with a few female colleagues to have me committed to a mental institution, citing my “mental instability.” Recalling the two years of torment in that mental institution, I took another deep breath to calm myself. At noon, Tyler took us to The Grand Hotel for lunch, grandly telling us to order whatever we wanted. I didn’t hold back. I opened the menu and pointed directly to the most expensive pages. “King crab, the biggest one.” “Australian lobster sashimi.” “And this, the French foie gras.” “A bird’s nest soup for everyone, please.” With each dish I ordered, the expressions of my colleagues grew more entertaining. Kyle nudged my arm, whispering, “Liam, isn’t this… a bit too wasteful?” I smiled at him, saying nothing. Spending my own money, how could it be called wasteful? Tyler’s cheek twitched, but in front of everyone, he could only force a smile. “It’s fine, Liam’s our sales champion, he’s worked so hard, he deserves to eat well and recharge.” He grinned brightly. “He still has to eat more and work harder in the future, to create more业绩 for our department!” Before I could speak, a colleague next to me chimed in: “Oh, Tyler, you weren’t here this morning, so you didn’t know. Liam just told Ms. Miller that he’s stopping all his orders for the next month.” The air instantly went quiet. I leisurely wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin and looked up at Tyler. The smile on his face froze, inch by inch. “What did you say?” He glared at me, his voice sharp as he yelled: “Liam, why are you stopping orders?” “What do you mean by this?”

I met Tyler’s almost furious gaze and slowly curved my lips. “Why are you so agitated that I’m stopping orders?” The colleagues around us also exchanged glances, their eyes burning with gossip. “Yeah, Tyler,” Kyle couldn’t help but speak up, “Liam himself isn’t worried, why are you reacting so strongly?” “Exactly, anyone would think you were the one who stopped orders.” The collective whispers were like cold water, instantly snapping Tyler out of his outburst. The ferocity on his face rapidly faded, replaced by a forced expression of extreme concern. “I… I’m just worried about Liam, that’s all!” He raised his voice, as if to sound more sincere. “Didn’t you say you were only a few orders away from your down payment? The Grandview Towers orders are so hard to get, stopping now means losing out on so much money! I’m just feeling bad for you!” He looked on the verge of tears, acting as if it were real. I smiled. “I’m tired, I want to rest.” I casually picked up a spot prawn, slowly peeling its shell. “Besides,” I paused, looking up at him, my gaze pure and harmless, “didn’t you just win a big lottery prize? Hundreds of thousands, right? What if I really am a bit short on my down payment, you… wouldn’t refuse to lend me some, would you?” The air froze again. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Tyler. The color drained from his face instantly, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. I put the peeled shrimp meat into my mouth, slowly adding. “Our generous Tyler, he’d definitely help, right?” He was put on the spot, scorched by everyone’s gaze, and finally, he squeezed out a few words, almost through gritted teeth. “Of… of course I would.” As if afraid I would actually ask, he immediately added, “But, I didn’t win that much, it’s just… just pocket money.” I looked at the new Celine short-sleeved shirt he was wearing, the globally limited Swiss watch on his wrist, and this table full of lavish dishes that could feed an ordinary person for half a year. Indeed. My half a million dollars wouldn’t even last him a few days at this rate. I thoroughly enjoyed that meal. Before leaving, I asked the waiter to pack up all the untouched king crab and lobster. A few colleagues whispered behind my back. “Oh my God, taking leftovers, that’s so tacky, isn’t it?” “Seriously, like he’s never eaten before, so embarrassing.” I heard them but pretended not to, just smiling sweetly at Tyler. “Tyler, look how much you’ve spent. All these good things, it would be such a waste not to take them. I’ll take them home to eat, you don’t mind, do you?” Tyler’s face was a kaleidoscope of emotions. But in front of everyone, he could only grit his teeth and nod. “No… I don’t mind.” Back at the company, I nonchalantly placed the packed containers into the communal fridge, completely ignoring the strange looks from my colleagues. In the afternoon, I knocked on the door of Ms. Davis’s office. “Ms. Davis, I’d like to advance half a month’s salary.” Ms. Davis looked up at me: “By regulation, it requires a manager’s signature, and it’s all processed at the end of the month.” I handed her a pre-prepared application form, already signed. “The manager approved it.” “And, I don’t want a bank transfer.” “Cash only.” If money in my card vanished as if by magic, then cash should be safe, right? An hour later, clutching a hefty stack of bills in an envelope, I returned to my cubicle. This was my base salary for the current month and part of last month’s commission, fifteen thousand dollars. I tucked the envelope into the deepest compartment of my bag, zipping it shut. In my previous life, it was from that half a million that I slowly plunged into the abyss. In this life, I would climb back up from this fifteen thousand. But I hadn’t even settled into my seat, not even five minutes had passed. My right eye began to twitch uncontrollably, a sudden, alarming flutter. *Thump, thump, thump.* Each twitch more violent than the last. A deeply ominous premonition instantly gripped my heart! I quickly unzipped my bag, reaching for that compartment— It was empty! The envelope was still there, but the thick stack of cash inside had vanished! My blood ran cold instantly, every hair on my body standing on end. I hadn’t realized that the deposit transfer method Tyler used on me had no limits whatsoever! Was he trying to cut off all my escape routes? I looked at Tyler not far away, a flicker of glee on his face. I clenched my fists tightly. Good thing I’d already thought of a way to break this cycle! Five minutes later, I had just returned to the office from the restroom when the police arrived. Amidst everyone’s stunned expressions, I stepped forward directly.

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My brother, Liam Thompson, harbored a decade of hatred for me. The last time we argued, I left town alone and unexpectedly found myself caught in an earthquake. Just as a hotel chandelier was about to crash down on me, Liam suddenly appeared, shielding me with his body. “Skye, run! Don’t look back!” The chandelier fell heavily, shattering his spine, yet he looked at me with a relieved smile. “Mom and Dad’s dying wish was for me to take care of you. I did it.” “If there’s a next life, I hope you never appear before our family again.” Someone held me back, forcing me to watch as my brother was completely buried beneath the rubble. That night, having lost my last remaining family member, I didn’t hesitate to leap into the river. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my birth family found me. I saw Liam waiting outside the police station. I walked past him, heading straight for another boy behind him. “Brother,” I called out. “You don’t remember anything at all?” Officer Davies looked at me, pen in hand, unwilling to miss any detail. “Try to think harder. Like, what’s your last name? Roughly where do you live? Who’s in your family?” “You were seven or eight when you were abducted. You should have some memories, logically.” I lowered my gaze, speaking slowly. “I was always beaten there. Once, I was hit on the head, passed out, and when I woke up, I couldn’t remember much.” Officer Davies’s eyes softened with sympathy. She put down her pen. “It’s okay. If you remember anything later, you can always contact us.” I left the police station, about to head towards the temporary lodging they’d arranged for me. But then, I saw a familiar figure rushing toward me. Liam? My heart lurched. In my past life, Liam had only come to pick me up reluctantly after the police contacted the Thompsons. Why was he here already this time? Liam’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he quickly closed the distance between us. I was about to speak, but he beat me to it. “I’m warning you, don’t try to claim any relation. Our family already has a daughter.” It hit me like a ton of bricks. Liam had been reborn too, no wonder… He was afraid I’d return to claim my place, just like in my previous life, so he wanted to stop me first. A bitter ache bloomed in my chest, but I looked up, feigning confusion. “Who are you? What do you mean by ‘our family’?” Liam’s expression turned suspicious. “What game are you playing now?” I pointed to my head and said, straightforwardly, “I really don’t know you. I got hurt here before, and I can’t remember a lot of things.” A flicker of guilt crossed Liam’s eyes when he heard about my injury, but it quickly vanished. “I don’t care if you’re really suffering from amnesia or faking it. All you need to know is that the Thompsons’ house isn’t where you belong.” He paused, then continued. “Even though we’re strangers, I can give you some money and help you find an apartment until you’re an adult, just because I feel sorry for you. As long as you don’t go babbling to the police and disturbing my family.” I shook my head. “Thank you, but I don’t need it.” Ignoring his stunned gaze, I got into the waiting car. I remembered Liam’s smiling face just before he died in my previous life, saying he could finally be reunited with Mom, Dad, and Mia. My heart twisted with an unbearable pang of sorrow. He risked his life to save me. But in his heart, he only ever had one sister… Since they were so happy as a family of four without me, Then let them continue to be happy in this life.

At the lodging, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. Staring at the dark night sky outside the window, memories crashed over me like waves. In my past life, it was also this year that the police rescued me from the remote mountains. I cried, giving them Mom and Dad’s names and address, my heart full of the hope that I was finally going home. But when I was sent back, I found a strange girl in the house. Mom and Dad awkwardly explained that after I was abducted, they were in so much pain that they adopted her. Her name was Mia. They looked at me with complicated expressions, like I was a stranger who had suddenly invaded their lives. They were gentle and affectionate with Mia, as if she were their true daughter. But… but they used to love me the most. I broke down, screaming and shouting until my throat was raw. I pointed at Mia, calling her a thief who had stolen the home that was rightfully mine. Mom and Dad scolded me, saying I was thoughtless. I trembled, crying, my voice hoarse. “But I suffered so much! Why does she get to live in luxury?!” Mom and Dad watched me in silence, their eyes showing both heartache and hesitation. Unexpectedly, that night, Mia left a letter and quietly slipped away. She said she was going back to the orphanage, not wanting the family to break apart because of her. My heart was filled with unease. But Mom and Dad didn’t blame me; they just sighed and said they were going to the orphanage to bring her back. Liam wanted to go with them but was stopped. “You stay home with your sister. She’s finally back, you need to take good care of her.” As it turned out, they never came back. Their car was in an accident on the way to pick up Mia. All three of them were gone. From then on, Liam hated me. He hated me for ten whole years. Thinking of this, my throat constricted, and a familiar sting burned behind my eyes. I wiped away the tears. Now that I couldn’t go back to the Thompson family, I had to think about my future. I was not yet sixteen; I needed a guardian. Suddenly, a name surfaced in my mind. Caleb Maxwell. A skinny boy who always shielded me when we were beaten. In my past life, if it hadn’t been for him, I would have been bought to be a child bride for that family’s dim-witted son. When we were shivering, locked in the pigsty, he wrapped his only remaining clothes around me. “From now on, I’m your brother. I’ll protect you.” We endured countless grueling days together. But later, he was sold to another village. When we were rescued, the police said the people in that village had been freed before us. In my past life, I had wanted to find him. But the sudden changes in my birth family prevented me from doing so. In this life, I decided to find him. The next day, at dawn, I went to the police station. “Officers, I remember where my family lives.” After registering the information, I turned to leave the police station. But Liam Thompson, who had rushed over, grabbed my wrist. “You tricked me again! You really were faking it before!” “Why are you so determined to go back to my family? They don’t want you.” His voice trembled, as if suppressing immense anger. “Don’t you understand? I already have a sister. Mom and Dad dote on her endlessly. They don’t need an extra daughter.” I shook off his hand and continued walking out without a word. Liam was so infuriated by my attitude that his eyes turned bloodshot. He suddenly shouted, “Weren’t you abducted? Why didn’t you just stay in those mountains forever?!” His hysterical outburst was identical to his fury in my previous life, after our parents died, when he pointed his finger at me and screamed, “Why didn’t you die instead of them?” I raised my hand and slapped him hard. *Slap!* The sharp sound silenced him for a moment. “Who do you think you’re talking to?” I stared at him, asking each word distinctly. “Do you think someone who was abducted deserves to die out there?” Liam seemed to snap awake from the slap. He staggered back half a step, regret showing in his eyes. “I’m sorry…” Officer Davies, who had finally had enough, frowned and stepped in front of me. “Excuse me, sir, how can you speak like that? This young lady is looking for her family. It’s not your place to dictate.” Liam was silent for a long moment, then, with a cold face, he grabbed my arm. “You want to go home, don’t you? Come on.” But I pulled my arm free from his grasp, and to his surprise, I hid behind Officer Davies. “Yes, I want to go home, but what does that have to do with you?”

“My brother’s name is Caleb Maxwell, and he lives in S-Province.” I spoke each word clearly to Liam Thompson. Liam froze, then looked at me incredulously. “Skye Thompson, you’ve gotten bold, haven’t you?” “Where did you get a brother named Caleb Maxwell?!” Officer Davies immediately pulled me behind her, protectively, and turned to ask me, “Young lady, do you know him?” I shook my head, my voice very soft. “No, I don’t. And… I’m not Skye Thompson. My last name is Maxwell.” Liam’s expression instantly changed to shock, disbelief written all over his face. Suddenly, he seemed to understand something. “You’re back too, aren’t you?” I lowered my head, clutching the hem of my shirt. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Skye Thompson!” Liam’s eyes blazed with raging hatred. “Do you think playing dumb or pretending to have amnesia will erase the fact that you’re a murderer?” “And you even made up a fake name to trick me,” He scoffed. “What, do you think I’d be worried?” “Let me tell you, keep dreaming.” He took a step closer, his eyes mocking. “Fine. Your brother’s named Caleb Maxwell, right? Then go find him.” He watched me smugly, as if certain I would panic. “You’re insane!” Officer Davies cursed, then pulled me into her patrol car. “Come on, ignore him.” Liam finally panicked, chasing after us and banging on the car window. “Where are you going?!” But he only got a mouthful of exhaust fumes. The car drove for a long time, eventually stopping in front of a garden house. My heart was surprised. I hadn’t expected Caleb’s family to be quite wealthy. This instantly boosted my confidence about relying on him. We walked up and knocked on the door. After a long wait, someone finally opened it. The man standing behind the door was tall and slender, with refined features that held a hint of sickly paleness. His messy hair slightly obscured his eyes, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing thin wrists. Seeing us, he paused. “And you are?” “Brother, I’m your sister!” I rushed straight into his arms. He stiffened, but didn’t immediately push me away. “Skye, are you crazy?!” Liam suddenly rushed up the stairs, pulling me away and angrily pointing at Caleb. “What are you doing! Do you even know who he is? Just throwing yourself into someone’s arms? What if he’s a bad guy?!” Seeing Liam’s dusty, travel-worn appearance, he must have followed us all the way. Just like in my previous life, when he secretly followed me and ultimately risked his life to save me. My gaze lingered on him, unreadable. “He’s my brother. What right do you have to insult my brother?” Liam laughed in exasperation. “He’s your brother? Skye Thompson, do you even have eyes?!” I retorted, word for word, “If he’s not my brother, then are you?” I stared at him, watching as Liam’s mouth opened, the word “yes” almost escaping. But he forcefully stopped himself. He glared at me, then let out a cold laugh. “You almost tricked me there. I told you I’m not your brother. You don’t deserve to be my sister.” A cynical smile tugged at my lips. Officer Davies finally lost her patience, cutting in sharply. “Which one of you is her brother, for goodness sake?!”

The moment I threw myself into Caleb’s arms, He already recognized me. Seeing my pleading eyes, Caleb sighed and turned to Officer Davies. “I’m her brother. Thank you for helping me find my sister.” Liam’s expression turned incredulous. “Fine. Just fine.” He looked at me with a grim face. “This isn’t me forcing you, it’s your own choice. Don’t regret it later.” With that, he turned and left. Watching Liam’s retreating back, a wave of unspeakable bitterness washed over me. Isn’t this exactly what he wanted? For me not to return to his family? Yet why did he look so betrayed? After everyone else had left, I quietly said to Caleb, “I’m sorry, I caused you trouble.” “He’s your biological brother, isn’t he?” Caleb asked. “If you’re having family issues,” Caleb advised, “you should go back once you’ve made up.” I shook my head, memories of my past life flashing through my mind. I couldn’t go back. Just as I was about to speak, my peripheral vision caught sight of an uncollected pill bottle on the table. My stomach dropped when I read the label. Looking at the man whose head was bowed, his expression unreadable, I grabbed Caleb’s hand. “You once told me that if I had no home, you’d be my brother and take care of me for life.” My voice trembled slightly. “Does that promise still stand now?” Caleb was silent for a very long time, so long that I thought time itself had stopped. Finally, he nodded. “It stands.” I happily threw myself into his arms. “Then from today on, you’re my real brother, and I’m your only sister.” I looked up at him. “We’re each other’s family.” “Now… Brother, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten all day.” Caleb clearly paused. “Okay, I’ll go grocery shopping. What do you want to eat?” “Tomato scrambled eggs, and just buy whatever else you like.” I said casually. Caleb nodded and left the house. I took the opportunity to dump all the pills from the table into a drawer. Pretending I knew nothing. However, soon after, there was a knock at the door. “How are you back so quickly?” I opened the door, only to see Liam Thompson standing there, his face grim. “Why are you here?” Liam grabbed my hand without a word, pulling me toward the door. “Come with me.” I shook off his hand. “Where are you taking me?” “Home! Skye Thompson, there’s a limit to how much you can fake amnesia! Do you really want to stay in a strange man’s house with no proper explanation?” Liam’s voice suddenly carried a hint of fatigue. “Since we’re both back, let’s just forget about what happened in the last life. Come home with me and be sensible. Mom and Dad and I won’t mistreat you. Stop trying to compete with Mia…” I cut Liam off. “What if I said my condition for coming home is for Mia to leave? Would you agree?” The air instantly froze. Liam looked at me incredulously, then his eyes filled with hatred. “I knew it! You truly are evil by nature! Why are you so determined to drive Mia out?” “Let me tell you, don’t even dream about it! Mia has been with Mom and Dad for so many years; in their hearts, she’s already like a real daughter!” “See?” I sneered. “I only proposed the idea, and I haven’t even done anything, yet your reaction is so extreme.” “Between Mia and me, it was never fair from the start!” My voice began to tremble. “Did any of you ever consider my feelings? Was I abducted willingly? Do you know how much I suffered during those years I was kidnapped?” “Why should I be magnanimous enough to accept that the love that was originally mine is now split with someone else?” “It was your own fault for being so reckless and getting abducted in the first place!” Liam blurted out. “Who else is to blame?” I suddenly looked up, my gaze sharp as a knife. “Are you sure it was my fault for being reckless?” I took a step closer to him. “Liam Thompson, you’ve lied to everyone for so long, have you actually started believing your own lies?” His face instantly turned ashen. I knew he remembered. When I was seven, Liam insisted on taking me to play in a secluded cornfield. I didn’t want to go into the cornfield, but he called me a coward, shook off my hand, and rushed in himself.

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The perennial singleton, Serena, was asked on a reality show: “Artists your age are already married with children. Why are you still single?” Serena smiled faintly: “Because the man I love already has a devoted wife.” “Oh my god! Who did he marry?!” Serena glanced at me, also a guest on the show. My social media was instantly flooded: “How does it feel to be a homewrecker?” “Are you happy about ruining someone’s life?” “Are you really not going to let your husband go?” I looked at Liam Miller, the investor sitting in the audience: “Honey, they’re asking if I should let you go.” “Oh my god! Serena, the man you love is… Mr. Miller!” Serena darted a glance at Liam, then quickly lowered her eyes, a hint of reluctance in them. The live comments were going wild: 【OMG, she’s so jealous! My heart aches for her!】 【Jade’s triumphant smirk, flaunting Mr. Miller right in front of Serena – isn’t she just rubbing salt in the wound?】 【Um… but Mr. Miller *is* Jade’s husband, right?】 【The commenter above defending a homewrecker? Must be one herself!】 … I simply glanced at Liam, unfazed. Three years of marriage, and no one had ever questioned our relationship. He insisted on investing in any reality show I joined, just in case I was targeted by the crew. If he couldn’t accompany me, he’d double his investment. But as I really looked at Liam, I found his gaze fixed on Serena. His eyes were complex, holding an emotion I couldn’t decipher. My hand, propped against my chin, subtly dropped away. How could I have forgotten? Serena was the one Liam loved first. Back then, Serena was so fresh and ethereal. At an age when other girls would swoon if Liam merely looked their way, only she would disdainfully toss his gifts in the trash, muttering: “Entitled jerk.” Even when she reluctantly agreed to date him, she broke up with him abruptly on the day of our college entrance exams: “You have a bright future ahead. I won’t be joining you on that path.” Liam completely shut down on the spot. It was me, with a face strikingly similar to Serena’s, who approached him: “If she won’t keep you company, I will. I can play any role you want, just pay me.” I became Serena’s stand-in. I made a killing by the side of the wealthy heir. When the Millers demanded he marry, I packed my bags to leave. But he grabbed my hand. The man who had been withdrawn for years declared firmly: “I want her.” I touched his forehead: “Do you even know who I am?” “Jade.” “Not Serena?” He gritted his teeth: “Jade, it’s always been Jade.” I leaned in closer: “Who is Jade to you?” “My wife.” After helping the scion overcome his withdrawal, the Miller family immediately accepted me as their daughter-in-law. Everyone said I was lucky, that I’d snagged a man even A-list actresses couldn’t win over, and I, an industry nobody, had him wrapped around my finger. But now, looking at Liam’s eyes, I wavered— What if Serena came back? Seeing Serena’s shy expression, a lump formed in my throat. “Do I know this woman?” Liam’s words made Serena’s smile freeze. “What does my marriage have to do with you? Do you think you can slander any woman whose husband you fancy? “No wonder Ms. Serena has been in the industry for years and is still just an influencer, without a single award to her name.” Serena’s smile vanished completely. Liam, however, chuckled: “Sorry, my withdrawal just cleared up recently, so I’m not very good with words. Don’t mind me.” “Uh… of course, haha.” Serena’s laugh was worse than a cry. As soon as the recording ended, I rushed into Liam’s arms. The comments had long since shifted from accusing me of being a homewrecker to “JadeLiam forever!” Serena stood nearby, her gaze meeting Liam’s. Sadness, heartache, spilled over. Liam merely gave her a brief glance, then wrapped an arm around my waist and walked away. Back home, I happily scrolled through comments. Then I saw the top trending topic: 【Serena Invites Mr. Miller to Love Swap – EXPLOSIVE!】 I clicked on it. Serena had retweeted the link to the Love Swap reality show, tagging Liam: 【Coming?】 Liam’s reply was the first comment: 【Yes】

“Honey, since she’s slandering you like this, of course I have to make her give up in person. Only if I participate in the Love Swap show and choose only you as my partner will the whole country know her malicious intentions.” I sipped my yogurt pouch, watching Liam. His attitude was earnest, just as it had always been. “Liam,” I said, biting the corner of the pouch, “if you regret it, we can get a divorce… Mm-!” The yogurt mixed in our mouths. He only let me go after kissing me until I was breathless. “Don’t say things like that again. “Besides, doesn’t your bag design need a promotional opportunity?” “Let’s do it!” I nodded instantly. No reality show was more popular than Love Swap; it was wildly popular, even internationally. After all, a group of married/partnered celebrities swap partners to experience different lives, full of taboo and excitement. Liam could spend a fortune promoting me, but it probably wouldn’t compare to this single appearance. Serena’s social media account exploded, with many fans celebrating the ultimate triumph of first love. But Serena merely smiled shyly at the press conference: “How is this a victory? He’s just doing it to advertise for his wife. “For me, just seeing him from afar would finally bring closure to my youthful regrets.” My best friend, Chloe, was fuming: 【She just found out how hard the entertainment industry is and now she’s regretting it, seeing how Jade has Mr. Miller backing her up!】 【Ugh! That manipulative witch!】 But she was immediately attacked by netizens: 【Get this straight, it’s Jade, the homewrecker, who stole our Serena’s man! You’re defending a homewrecker, probably because you’re used to being one, right?】 【LOL, maybe she’s also got her eye on her best friend’s man. Saying Serena’s a manipulative witch? Maybe she just doesn’t want another competitor!】 I immediately stopped Chloe from arguing, to prevent retaliation. At the same time, I collected the IDs of those making outrageous comments and handed them over to our legal team for defamation. While scrolling through Serena’s response video, I suddenly noticed a pair of hawk-like, sharp eyes behind her. I zoomed in. The cold face of Serena’s fiancé, from her arranged marriage, filled the screen. Serena had indeed been single before. But she recently accepted a commercial marriage arrangement from her family, and then, immediately, she eagerly signed up for Love Swap. I knew this man. The biggest jewelry magnate in Silverwood City, the undisputed heir to that dynasty. Seeing the possessive look in his eyes, I sighed— Serena always had such good luck. In her student days, Liam Miller, the East Coast scion, was crazy about her. Now, after a casual arranged marriage, the Silverwood City heir was utterly obsessed with her. I sipped my yogurt pouch, sighing. Just as I was about to put down my phone, another trending topic exploded: 【Liam Miller: Stop pretending】 I quickly clicked on it. Under Serena’s response video, Liam’s comment had soared to the top: 【Stop pretending】 Serena hastily held a press conference to clarify. I was doubled over with laughter, but then accidentally glimpsed Noah Hayes, the Silverwood City heir, in the corner, staring coldly at the camera. His eyes were filled with fierce protection for his fiancée.

The reality show soon began filming. Before choosing whose partner to team up with, the production team arranged a week-long cohabitation period to help them make their choices later. Liam always stayed by my side. Even during group dinners arranged for all the guests, he maintained a respectful distance from any other female guests sitting next to him. Serena was repeatedly arranged to sit beside Liam, but he would simply get up and leave. The crew tried to persuade him: “This is Love Swap, Mr. Miller, you have to follow the rules.” “I’ll cover any penalties.” Liam dropped those words and walked away. Serena bit her lip, her eyes red-rimmed, watching him walk towards my room. Noah Hayes, standing nearby, cast a glance at his fiancée. His eyes held complex emotions. Serena stopped clinging to Liam. Because after watching a few live broadcasts, public opinion on her took a sharp turn: 【Mr. Miller said no, so why is she still pushing? Is she really like that netizen said, she’s struggled enough in the industry and is now envious of Jade having a powerful husband?】 【LOL, isn’t she already clinging to Noah Hayes?】 【How could Noah, that ice king, compare to the rush of young love that could give her a better marriage?】 As if to reinforce this public sentiment, the production team’s treatment of Serena declined. Her meals were downgraded several times, and her screen time was fleeting. One evening, after dinner, as Liam and I were taking a stroll, she dramatically stumbled out of her room, wrapped in just a thin shirt. She fell right at Liam’s feet. The mid-winter chill had her skin red, her nose red, making the tears in her eyes look genuinely pitiful. “Mr. Miller! Save me! I…” She instinctively grabbed Liam’s hand. Seeing me, her hand stiffened. She quickly let go and stumbled back two steps: “I… I didn’t mean it like that, Ms. Jade, please don’t misunderstand, I won’t dare to again…” She choked up, covered her mouth, and turned to flee. Her bare footprints marked the snow. I was stunned. Her performance was so flawless that by the time I processed it, it looked as if I had ordered someone to bully her. She instinctively sought help from Liam but then saw me, the “culprit”… But, given Noah’s intense gaze for Serena, how could he possibly let her suffer? I smiled, a hint of sarcasm on my lips. I turned to observe Liam’s expression. His face was unreadable. “I heard there’s a public outcry against her online. The production team signed a contract so they can’t kick her out, so they’ve just started collectively ostracizing her.” I looked at Liam. He wrapped an arm around my waist, simply mumbling, “Hmm.” That night, before bed, I deliberately asked him: “Do you believe Serena is being bullied?” He looked out at the snowy night sky, letting me rest my head on his arm. “No.” I smiled. After all, Noah was also an investor in the show. I understood that much, and as a businessman, Liam should understand it even better. The next day, for the partner selection segment, I put on beautiful makeup and appeared hand-in-hand with Liam. Serena’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying for a long time. She had never held hands with Noah on camera. Noah stood behind her, arms crossed, watching. His eyes showed deep displeasure. The director’s camera focused on Liam, and the comments went wild with laughter: 【Is this even a choice? Who doesn’t know Mr. Miller is totally devoted to his wife?】 【To be honest, I didn’t come for Love Swap, I came to watch Mr. Miller and Ms. Jade’s sweet romance.】 “I choose…” Liam’s hand slackened. I instinctively reached to tighten my grip, but he directly pushed my hand away: “Serena.” Serena, her eyes red, suddenly looked up, her face filled with disbelief. The comments were a sea of question marks. I also stared at Liam in shock. But he simply walked to Serena’s side.

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My father’s illegitimate daughter, Serena, needed a kidney transplant. And out of our entire family, only I was a match for her. Julian Sterling, my fiancé, usually so composed and refined, had a desperate plea etched across his face. “Astrid, the doctors say you’re her only hope. Serena… she’s fading fast. Please, save her. I’m begging you.” I chuckled softly. “Alright, I’m willing to donate a kidney to her. But I have conditions.” “Our engagement is off. You marry her.” A surge of wild ecstasy instantly bloomed across Serena’s pale face. Their eyes locked in a gaze brimming with affection. I watched, cold and detached. Take it. My kidney, my life, take it all. Reborn into this life, I’d like to see if you’ll still thank me for my ‘generosity’ today. … I looked at Julian. A wave of immense relief washed over him. “Astrid, thank you.” My father let out a long breath, walking over to pat my shoulder, his voice filled with feigned comfort. “Astrid, you’re finally understanding things. We are family, after all, and Serena will never forget this. Don’t worry, even if you and Julian break off your engagement, your father won’t treat you poorly.” Family? I scoffed inwardly. Ever since my mother passed away, and he brought that woman and her daughter into our home, I haven’t had a family. From her hospital bed, Serena squeezed out a few timely tears, her voice weak as she spoke. “Sister, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you and Julian never would have…” “Stop!” I raised a hand to cut off her performance. “Since a decision has been made, let’s skip the pointless theatrics. Julian, our engagement was set by our grandfathers. It needs to be formally dissolved with both families’ elders present.” “Get that done before the surgery.” Julian nodded quickly. “Okay, I’ll contact my grandfather right away.” Watching the three of them, so visibly relieved, even beginning to discuss Julian and Serena’s future as if I were invisible, I turned and walked out of the hospital room, a bitter taste in my mouth. In my previous life, I was trapped in the same moral bind. But I refused. I clung desperately to the engagement, clinging to the title of “Miss [family name, removed to avoid Chinese surname implied]’s daughter,” a status that existed in name only. Mom was gone, the family shattered, so I had to hold onto something, right? Even if it was just a faint hope, a title. How ridiculous. I knew perfectly well that in my father’s eyes, I was nothing compared to his precious daughter by his ‘true love.’ Julian’s love was never mine, Serena was his true north, his distant star. But I was stubbornly unwilling to let go… The result? I lost everything. They bribed the doctors, drugged me, stole my kidney, and the incision was crudely stitched. Julian held my hand, hypocritically promising to compensate me for the rest of my life. Later, I married him as I had wished. After the wedding, my body, ravaged by the surgery, grew worse with each passing day. Meanwhile, Serena, radiant and glowing, stood by Julian’s side. They were a picture of perfect harmony, a true power couple. On my deathbed, Serena stood by my bed, smiling. “Sister, just go peacefully. I’ll make sure to put the family’s assets to good use for you!” Until the moment I closed my eyes, all I could think was, *Why?!* Why do good, kind people meet such an end? And why do the wicked, those who cause so much harm, live so comfortably in the sunlight? Perhaps, there is no justice in this world. If so, this time, I’ll forge my own path. Everything Serena so desperately wants? I’ll give it to her. 2 Within three days, the elders of the Sterling and [Father’s family name, removed] families gathered. Mr. Sterling looked at me, his face etched with guilt. “My dear, our Sterling family has wronged you.” I offered a faint smile, placing the exquisite jade pendant—a family heirloom of emperor green jade, given as our engagement token—on the table. “Mr. Sterling, it’s not your fault. A forced union never truly thrives. I wish Julian and Serena a lifetime of happiness.” My father chimed in with a saccharine smile. “Yes, the children’s choice. As elders, we should simply bless them.” He was practically salivating at the thought of Serena marrying into wealth. From then on, his favorite daughter would live a life of comfort and privilege, and he would gain a powerful ally in his business dealings. The engagement was smoothly dissolved. The next day, I was wheeled into the operating room. Just before the anesthesia took full effect, Serena was rolled in beside me. She looked at me, her eyes gleaming with ill-concealed triumph and provocation. Julian stood beyond the sterile glass, his gaze fixed on Serena, filled with tender concern and adoration. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift into the darkness. In the darkness, I saw my mother. She was as gentle as I remembered, swinging me on a swing, laughing. She whispered to me, “My sweet girl, promise me you’ll always be happy.” Mom, I’m sorry. I don’t think… I can do that anymore. When I woke again, the dream shattered. A searing pain from the incision violently yanked me back to reality. A wave of weakness washed over me. From the doorway, I heard my father and Julian talking in hushed tones. “Serena’s surgery was a success, the doctors say she’s recovering well,” Julian’s voice was filled with relief. “That’s wonderful, truly wonderful!” My father entrusted Serena to Julian. “Julian, I’m entrusting Serena to your care from now on!” “Don’t worry, Richard, I will.” Julian’s voice paused, a hint of hesitation. “By the way, Astrid… what about her?” “Her? Just hire a nurse. Here’s my card, take it. The PIN is Serena’s birthday.” “The money in there is my compensation to her.” Footsteps receded, and the hospital room door gently pushed open. It was Julian. He walked to my bedside, silently placing the bank card on my nightstand. I slowly opened my eyes, my blurred vision meeting his complex gaze. “Astrid…” I looked at the card, a weak, broken scoff escaping my lips. “Take it away.” My voice was hoarse. Julian’s brows furrowed. He reached out as if to check my forehead. “Don’t be childish, your health is what matters.” I sharply turned my head, dodging his touch. The movement pulled at my incision, making me gasp in pain, cold sweat instantly beading on my forehead. “Don’t touch me!” I gritted out. “Julian, who is this act for?” He froze, his hand suspended in mid-air. “I’m not…” “What you are, no longer matters.” I closed my eyes, no longer looking at him, and said, exhausted, “Get out.” After a long moment, I heard a faint sigh, then footsteps receding. I picked up my phone and dialed a number I knew by heart. “Uncle Arthur, my surgery is done.” On the other end, a man’s steady, yet furious voice replied, “Send me your address, I’m coming right away. That scumbag, Richard!” My uncle, Arthur, was my mother’s only brother, and one of the most respected and feared legal minds in the entire city. After my mother’s death, he constantly tried to take me in, but I stubbornly stayed with my father’s family, clinging to that ridiculous obsession. In my previous life, I never dared to contact him until I was dying, afraid of being a burden. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. 3 Half an hour later, Uncle Arthur, accompanied by his assistant and two bodyguards, burst into my hospital room. Seeing my pale face, his eyes immediately welled up, and his fists clenched, knuckles cracking. “How dare they! How *dare* they do this to you!” I offered a weak smile. “Uncle Arthur, don’t be angry. I volunteered.” “You…” Uncle Arthur was too furious to speak, finally letting out a long sigh. “You foolish child. Never mind. Come home with your uncle. No one will ever dare to bully you again!” I nodded, handing him the bank card from my nightstand. “Uncle Arthur, can you check how much money is on this card for me? Then help me get discharged. I don’t want to stay here for another minute.” “Absolutely!” My uncle’s efficiency was unmatched. The card held exactly five million. My father probably thought my kidney was worth precisely that much. I had Uncle Arthur transfer all the money out, then anonymously donate it to a children’s education fund in a rural area. Astrid, I don’t want his dirty money! While processing my discharge, we ran into my father and Julian in the hallway, who were on their way to visit Serena. Seeing Uncle Arthur, my father’s face immediately fell. “Arthur? What are you doing here?” My uncle snorted, shielding me behind him. “If I didn’t come, would I just watch you wolves devour my niece alive?!” “Richard, my sister must have been blind to marry you! She shouldn’t have ‘lifted’ you from obscurity; trash belongs in the trash!” Yes, Mom, you shouldn’t have. My mother, once a vibrant socialite from a prominent family, lived a life of glittering indulgence, adored by all. Yet she fell for my father, then a poor young man. She painstakingly helped him rise to his current position, while she herself, through endless toil, ruined her health and lost her vivacity, her spark. Her best years were spent on my father. All she got in return was his betrayal; only then did she realize he had never loved her, only wanted to climb the social ladder using her. My mother’s later years were spent in endless disappointment and illness, her life extinguished, like a flickering candle. “You!” My father, hit where it hurt, trembled with rage. Julian frowned, stepping forward, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Astrid, how can you be so reckless? The doctors said you need rest. How can you leave the hospital?” I looked up at him, my gaze calm. “Mr. Sterling, we have no connection anymore. My affairs are none of your concern. You should spend more time worrying about your fiancée, who is using *my* kidney.” With that, I turned away from him and said to Uncle Arthur, “Uncle, let’s go.” My uncle helped me, and surrounded by bodyguards, we walked out with our heads held high. Leaving my father and Julian, their faces a mix of green and white. It wasn’t until I arrived at the villa Uncle Arthur had prepared for me that I finally truly relaxed. Every plant and tree here was identical to the old estate where my mother had lived. “Astrid, focus on recovering. I’ll handle the company affairs for you,” Uncle Arthur said gravely, tucking me into bed. “Uncle,” I took his hand, “I also need your help collecting some information.” In my previous life, I only learned a crucial secret just before I died. This time, I intended to strike first. 4 Soon, it was time for Serena and Julian’s engagement ceremony. I walked arm-in-arm with Uncle Arthur, making a grand entrance into the banquet hall.

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Six years of my life, I dedicated to Ryan Sterling, building everything with him from the ground up. It wasn’t until a month before our wedding that I found out I’d been cheated on. The man who’d sworn to marry me had already tied the knot with someone else behind my back. As our wedding day loomed, I suddenly discovered that Ryan Sterling, my boyfriend of many years, was having an affair. It left me utterly bewildered. We’d started a business together, I’d helped him build his fortune from nothing, and we’d accumulated considerable wealth side-by-side. I’d watched him transform from a penniless young man into the successful entrepreneur he was today. But now, it seemed I was no longer the woman he loved wholeheartedly. I knew him when he loved me, so the lack of love was painfully obvious. Should I just cut my losses, quickly divide our assets, and break up? That didn’t feel fair to me. Or should I hold on, dragging things out until our relationship completely withered? That would be a torment for all of us, not just them. So, what was the best solution? My answer was clear: Yes, I could break up with him! But… He owes me, and I’ll make him pay for every single bit of it! They say once you’ve made it to the top, the first thing you do is cut ties with the very people who helped you get there. I never believed that before. Now, I had no choice but to. Discovering Ryan’s infidelity was purely by chance. That day, I happened to be home from a business trip, ready for a deep clean. When I changed the bedsheets, I instinctively removed the pillowcases too. So, when my hand brushed against that red marriage certificate inside the pillowcase, I froze, stunned to my core. Ryan Sterling… he actually got secretly married to someone else? How could this be happening? Tears welled in my eyes. I tried to delude myself, to believe it was all a fake. I desperately searched for any sign of a forgery. But the result was utterly disappointing. Blunt, bold words stared back at me. Holder: Ryan Sterling. Marriage Date: March 15, 2024. The raised official seal was a stark, undeniable reminder that I was the other woman. That day, it was supposed to be our wedding photoshoot. But he’d claimed urgent company business. I, naive fool, had actually believed him, thinking he was truly busy with work. My tears streamed down, uncontrollable. They splattered onto his marriage certificate with another woman. In the photo, their smiles were radiant and blinding. They seemed to mock me, the clown who’d been so easily deceived. I stood there, my fingers clutching the certificate, trembling uncontrollably. Why would Ryan hide this marriage certificate, conceal the fact that he’d betrayed me? Was someone holding something over him, forcing him to marry? Was he left with no choice? Or was he afraid that if I found out the truth, I’d expose his past and destroy everything he’d built? Whatever the reason, it was no excuse for betraying our relationship. Expressionless, I put the marriage certificate back exactly where I found it. I went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. It did absolutely nothing.

After sitting on the sofa for an hour, numb with disbelief. I called Leo Davis, Ryan Sterling’s assistant. I wanted to indirectly figure out what Ryan had been up to lately. When Leo answered, I heard a soft “Shhh” from his end, then the background noise gradually faded. A moment later, he spoke, a hint of a smile in his voice: “Lena, are you looking for Mr. Sterling? Bad timing, he just left to meet a client, he’s not in the office right now.” Meeting a client without his right-hand man? That lie was way too flimsy. I let out a cold laugh: “No, I’m looking for you.” Leo paused, then chuckled, replying: “Lena, anything you need my help with, just say the word.” I tapped my finger lightly on the armrest of the sofa, my voice as cold as ice: “Leo, do you remember how many years it’s been since we first met?” Silence stretched for a few seconds on his end. Then, his voice came back, tinged with a fawning tone: “Of course, it’s been exactly ten years since we met.” I pressed on: “Do you remember who saved you back then, when you were cornered in that alley and getting beaten by a gang?” “It… it was you. You called the police ahead of time and stepped in, stopping that assault, saving me from those thugs, and taking me to the hospital…” Leo stammered out his reply. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could picture his embarrassment. I took a deep breath, suppressing the anger boiling within me. “So, I’m looking for Ryan Sterling now. Is he there?” “…Yes!” “Where are you guys right now?” “The Golden Summit Private Club.” “Room number.” “7008.” I hung up without another word. Driving while this emotional was an accident waiting to happen. So, I opted for a cab to the club. Leo was already waiting for me at the entrance. The moment he saw me step out of the car, he rushed over. He took my bag and guided me towards the elevator. Inside the elevator, he seemed flustered, rubbing his hands together nervously, apologizing awkwardly: “Lena… I’m sorry, I, I really am. Mr. Sterling just met up with some friends today, I was afraid you’d worry, so I said he was seeing a client.” Just friends today. What about all the other times? My face was devoid of emotion. I didn’t bother to reply. If a boyfriend I’d been with for six years could betray our relationship, how could I expect loyalty from a so-called classmate, based on the flimsy ties of an old friendship? Leo escorted me to the private room door, then turned and left. I was about to push the door open, wanting to see with my own eyes who Ryan Sterling had chosen to marry. But the teasing voices drifting from inside the room made me pause, standing quietly by the half-open door. Someone joked, “Mr. Sterling is so virtuous, here we all are with ladies on each arm, and he’s just sitting there drinking juice.” Another person immediately chimed in. “Naturally! Mr. Sterling’s girlfriend is a top student from the Riverton City Music Academy, the campus belle everyone here envies, a truly supportive partner.” “I heard that when Mr. Sterling was just starting his business, he had cash flow problems. His girlfriend found out and didn’t hesitate to quit her job at the music academy, pouring all her savings into helping him. So admirable!” No sooner had the words faded than a man’s voice cut in, sounding quite certain: “You’ve got it all wrong!” It sounded like Sean Peterson, an old friend of Ryan’s. He continued, half-joking, half-serious: “What six-year girlfriend? Who in their right mind dates someone for six years and doesn’t marry them?” “You guys don’t know, do you? He told Lena he wasn’t married yet because he wanted to save up enough money to throw her a lavish wedding. But the truth is, he secretly married someone else two months ago.” “Saying he was forced, that she had something on him… please! Like they say, one’s willing to act, the other’s willing to play along. If he truly didn’t want it, no one could have forced him to drop his pants, right?” Everyone in the room burst into surprised laughter. Ryan, meanwhile, leaned back on the sofa, a smirk playing on his lips. Sean continued to spill the beans: “That girl isn’t even prettier than Lena, and she didn’t even finish high school. She’s just an online influencer from Riverton City. What do you think he’s thinking?” The room fell silent. Sean, growing even more relaxed, crossed one leg over the other, looking completely at ease. “Haven’t you heard that men never truly grow up? I’m just looking for something new, some fresh excitement.” “You wouldn’t know, Lena… she just can’t give me that thrill. She’s always so cold. Now, just thinking about her calm, controlled face makes me lose my appetite.” “Besides, even if she were a goddess, I’ve slept with her for six years, a whole 2190 days. I’m utterly bored.” “If it wasn’t for having to split half my assets with her if we broke up, I would’ve confronted her ages ago.” Hearing these words from Ryan’s own mouth felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me from head to toe. My heart was frozen to the core, the chill seeping into my very bones. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed these words could come from the mouth of the boyfriend who had always been so compliant with my wishes. Some sayings are indeed true. You can never imagine how ruthless a man can become once his heart changes. To him, you’re just a completely superfluous person. I didn’t push the door open and confront him. Instead, I quietly turned and walked away. Even for the sake of the past six years, I chose to preserve some dignity for both of us.

At the club entrance, Leo was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing me approach, he immediately rushed over, a wide, ingratiating smile plastered on his face: “Lena, I didn’t lie to you, did I? Mr. Sterling was just catching up with old friends today.” “As for those girls in the room, they have nothing to do with him. He even specifically asked me to order him juice, so he wouldn’t get drunk and make you worry.” I looked at my old classmate, who had become so smooth and slick. The genuine sincerity that once filled his eyes was long gone. He continued to smile ingratiatingly: “Lena, let me find someone to drive you home. And, I won’t tell Mr. Sterling you were here.” I didn’t refuse his offer. The driver was in Ryan’s business car. Sitting in the back seat, two handprints, one large, one small, were strikingly visible on the window. My heart sank. I stared intently at those tangled handprints, which seemed to whisper the sordid stories that had unfolded here. After getting out of the car, I told the driver: “Thank you for the ride.” “Oh, and by the way, the back window is dirty. Remember to clean it for your boss, Mr. Sterling.” The driver stood there, bewildered and helpless. Soon after I got home, my phone rang. It was Leo, calling specifically. On the other end, his voice was urgent as he explained. He said the handprints on the back seat were accidentally left when he was being affectionate with his new girlfriend, and he repeatedly promised it wouldn’t happen again, begging me not to tell Ryan about it. How ridiculous. He seemed to have forgotten who helped him get to where he was today. But I didn’t expose his lie. Late that night, Ryan finally returned home. I was sitting on the living room sofa, idly watching TV. On the screen, a girl was weeping bitterly: “Why are you doing this to me? You promised you’d marry me, so why are you marrying another woman behind my back?” In the past, I never truly saw Ryan for who he was. Now, I realized I probably hadn’t even seen his worst side. “So late, and you’re still not resting? Are you binging another show?” Ryan asked, his voice cheerful, as he entered, taking off his suit jacket and changing his shoes. I turned my head, gazing at the man I’d been with for six years. At thirty, he had only grown more mature. With a defined jawline and thick, dark short hair, he exuded mature charm and gentlemanly grace. His tall, slender physique, accentuated by his well-fitted suit, made him look even more composed. I had shaped this man, bit by bit. I had accompanied him through his growth, through his entrepreneurship, from nothing to everything, step by step, to where he was today. But now, he had betrayed me, marrying another woman. He took off his suit, draped it over the sofa back, then sat beside me, gently massaging my throbbing temples. “Is your head hurting again?” “Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll take you to the doctor, okay?” “Okay,” I replied softly, subtly moving his hand from my forehead. He didn’t notice my odd behavior. He stood up and said, “I’ll go shower first. I have to go on a business trip tomorrow; it might be for a month.” “Where to?” “Seaside City. Some suppliers there are having issues with contract fulfillment, I need to go talk to them personally.” He spoke smoothly, without a single flaw. I said nothing more, watching him quietly walk back to the bedroom. Only after the bedroom door closed, I walked to the entryway and picked up the jacket and briefcase Ryan had just taken off. I examined them carefully. Inside were a laptop, some business cards, and a few documents. The laptop was password-protected; I couldn’t open it. I flipped through the documents and business cards, finding nothing unusual. Just as I was about to put everything back in the bag, a piece of paper tucked inside the suit jacket caught my eye. It was an ultrasound pregnancy report. The report indicated early pregnancy, 10 weeks. Patient name: Amber Hayes. Patient age: 29. Amber Hayes… I froze. The woman who had married Ryan Sterling. The owner of a newly opened beauty salon in Riverton City. Her image involuntarily surfaced in my mind. An obviously cosmetically enhanced face, a slender build, long flowing hair, a preference for revealing, sexy clothing that showcased her long, pale legs. I remembered seeing her for the first time when I accompanied a friend to her beauty salon for a skin treatment. I’d casually heard her mention that her family background was modest, and she had worked very hard to get where she was. When it was time to pay, she even offered a discount, hoping we would frequent her salon more often. When she said that, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons. It truly left an impression. My hand clutching the pregnancy report slowly tightened. I took out my phone, snapped a picture of the report, then put the items back into the bag.

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My brother sent a SnapChat message meant for his mistress to my phone. “Darling, The Platinum Hotel, 12 AM, sultry red negligee ready.” A cold sneer played on my lips. I immediately SnapChatted him back. “$500,000. Hush money.” My brother called me right away. He started screaming, calling me shameless, accusing me of ripping off my own brother. I just smiled, not bothering to reply. I calmly hung up. Five minutes later, I received a transfer of $500,000 from my brother. And a text message. “Please, don’t tell Chelsea. She’s pregnant, it’s not easy for her right now.” I didn’t reply to his SnapChat. I just calmly transferred $300,000 to my sister-in-law, Chelsea. After she confirmed the transfer, I asked her, “The baby’s five months along, right? You’re pregnant, so you probably can’t get a divorce?” Her reply was swift. “That’s why I’ve decided to abort this child. Brandon doesn’t even like the baby anyway. What about you? What are you going to do?” Me? My gaze fell upon the photo of Brandon and me on the living room coffee table. The picture was taken during our college days, a casual shot snapped by a passerby. But in that instant, our eyes, locked on each other, were filled with such deep affection. Now… A bitter smile touched my lips. “I’m planning on aborting my baby too.” She didn’t reply to my SnapChat immediately. It was half an hour later when her response finally came. “Derek just got home.” “Okay, if you’re also planning to abort, I’ll arrange a private clinic now. What time works best for you?” “Seven days from now. In seven days, it will be Derek and your seventh wedding anniversary. And it will also be Brandon and my third wedding anniversary. We both started on that day, so let’s end on that day too.” She sent an “okay” emoji. As soon as I cleared the chat history, My brother’s SnapChat came through again. “Smart move. Glad you didn’t tell Chelsea.” Smart move? Oh, I’m definitely smart. After all, my dear brother, at eighteen, tore up my acceptance letter to an elite university, destroyed my academic records, and forced me to study abroad. All because the girl who had lived in our house, replacing me for ten years, Sierra, didn’t score as well as I did. She cried. And he, in his blind fury, destroyed the future I had fought so hard to secure for myself. And now, in the third year of my marriage to his best friend, Brandon, and three months into my pregnancy. The woman I’d driven away with my desperate, messy antics was back. Just because she said she still couldn’t forget Brandon. My wonderful brother, he actively orchestrated their affair, constantly creating opportunities to lure Brandon into cheating. I never understood why my brother was so cruel. Was it because when I was lost as a child and later found, I accused him of deliberately abandoning me? When Dad whipped him with a belt until his skin bled, Sierra cried and shielded him. And I, his sister, became his enemy. While Sierra became the apple of his eye. To the point where he was malicious enough to ruin my life, ruin my marriage, just to help Sierra.

Just as I was sinking deep into painful memories, the front door opened. Brandon was back. Seeing me curled up on the sofa, he paused, then instinctively said, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He quickly kicked off his shoes and walked over, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Is the baby bothering you again?” He reached out and stroked my still-flat belly, gently humming a lullaby. Listening to his soft voice, my hands, clutching the blanket, tightened. Sometimes, I couldn’t help but want to confront Brandon and ask him how he managed it. He still smelled of the woman he’d been with, yet he’d made it home by 10 o’clock, the curfew I’d set for him. Then he’d kiss my cheek. Then he’d sit with me, playing educational music for our baby. Well, it made sense. After all, when I was found and brought back to the Vance family, he managed to subtly approach me, listening to my stories of the five years I was lost and the pain I endured. Yet, in the middle of the night, if Sierra called, he’d take her out for a night ride on his motorcycle. He was always so contradictory, unable to let go of me, yet unable to let go of Sierra. Even when my brother’s actions forced me into孤苦无依 (loneliness and helplessness) abroad for college. When I called Mom and Dad again for living expenses, they were busy traveling with Sierra and Derek, ignoring my calls and me. Crying, I made just one call to Brandon. He only heard two sobs before he was on a plane that very night, flying to me, giving me money, and giving me his loving support. But after he returned home, he showed up at our family’s holiday dinner, embracing Sierra, looking like the perfect couple, in our family photo. I honestly thought I had won. After all, when I returned home, I threw a huge fit and practically blackmailed my parents into sending Sierra abroad. I forced Brandon to ultimately choose me. But only now did I realize I had lost. Completely. The pain was so intense that tears welled up and streamed down my face without my conscious control. Seeing me cry, Brandon panicked instantly. “What’s wrong, Cassie? Don’t cry, tell me what’s wrong.” I looked through my teary eyes at the man before me, his eyes full of concern. For a moment, I truly believed I was his whole world. But as he turned to grab tissues for my tears, I saw the dense, unmistakable hickeys on his neck, and my heart clenched. No wonder Brandon had been sleeping in high-collared shirts these past few days. When I was asleep, he was still working in his study. When I woke up, he was already dressed in his suit and tie. I had always thought Brandon was feeling guilty about his betrayal, but at that moment, it hit me. His pathetic attempts to cover his tracks were simply to hide the evidence of his infidelity. But what did he have to hide? Sierra had already threatened me the day she returned, vowing to take back everything that “belonged to her.” So, these past few days, the drawer where I kept my wedding ring was already filled with intimate photos of Brandon and Sierra. Any day Brandon might notice I wasn’t wearing my wedding ring and, on a whim, decide to put it on me, opening that drawer to find them. Yet, the man who used to complain if I didn’t wear my ring for even a day, accusing me of not valuing our marriage, Hadn’t noticed I’d taken off my wedding ring since Sierra returned. I also noticed Brandon’s wedding ring had changed. It was a ring with a similar general design to mine, but the details were completely different. I even snuck it off his finger while he was asleep and saw that the engraving inside the band had changed from B&C (Brandon & Cassie) to B&S (Brandon & Sierra). My heart ached, a suffocating pain. As Brandon reached out with a tissue to wipe my tears, A wave of nausea suddenly hit me. I instinctively slapped his hand away. Brandon froze, the tissue still in his hand. I quickly blurted out an excuse. “Sorry, I think I’m just having morning sickness. I’m going back to bed.” After that, I didn’t spare a glance at Brandon’s expression, fleeing frantically back to my room. The moment the door closed, I collapsed over the toilet, violently vomiting. For the past three months of my pregnancy, this baby had been incredibly considerate; I hadn’t experienced any morning sickness at all. But now it had begun. So, it wasn’t just me who found his disgusting, two-faced act nauseating. My baby felt it too.

I didn’t sleep a wink all night. After the violent vomiting, my stomach even began to ache with a dull, throbbing pain. In the past, I would have rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night. After all, I was a girl who was unloved by my father, unloved by my mother, unloved by my brother. I truly longed for a child whose eyes held only me. But this time, almost self-destructively, I didn’t move. Just as Chelsea said, his father didn’t love him anyway. Maybe his choosing to leave was the best option. Brandon didn’t return to the bedroom that night. I heard the front door close at midnight, and again at six in the morning. Where did Brandon go? It was obvious. After all, at 2 AM last night, I had received photos from Sierra. She and Brandon were snuggled on the bed in what used to be my childhood room. On the bedside table sat my old teddy bear, Barnaby, whom I used to hug to sleep every night. And in front of Barnaby was a photo of Sierra wearing a princess dress. Because, ever since I was lost for five years and returned home after so much hardship, My room had become Sierra’s. My brother had become Sierra’s. My parents had also become Sierra’s. What hurt me the most was that one night, I woke up crying from a nightmare about that cruel, jailed foster father. I crawled out of bed, searching for Mom and Dad, Only to find them, along with my brother, cradling a crying Sierra, whose stomach ached in the middle of the night, their faces filled with worry. “The guest bedroom is drafty, Sierra must have caught a cold and that’s why her stomach hurts.” No sooner had Mom spoken than my brother chimed in, “If Cassie hadn’t come back, Sierra wouldn’t have been kicked out. You see how difficult she is to get along with now, but you two, for the sake of appearances, still refuse to admit it.” “And you gave Sierra’s room to Cassie! Do you even think she deserves it?” As soon as my brother finished speaking, Dad slapped him on the head. “Shut up, don’t let Cassie hear you, or she’ll throw another tantrum.” Afterward, muffled sounds of them comforting Sierra not to cry echoed from the living room. That night, I returned to my room and developed a high fever. But no one among the three outside knew. It wasn’t until I had been in bed for four days, and my cold had naturally subsided, that I proactively suggested moving out of that room which was once mine, and offered to go live with my grandmother. Only then did they seem to realize they hadn’t seen me leave my room for four days. Thinking of the bitter past, a suffocating pain clenched my heart again. I struggled to get out of bed, brushed my teeth, and stepped out of the room, only to see Brandon, wearing an apron, preparing a meal for pregnant women. The sight stung my eyes, making them red-rimmed. Seeing me, Brandon took off his apron and walked towards me. “I saw you had morning sickness last night, so I was afraid of disturbing your rest and slept in the study.” With that, Brandon guided me to sit at the dining table. “I saw online that pregnant women only avoid morning sickness if they eat well.” He then turned to the kitchen to pour me milk. But looking at the breakfast spread on the table, all made with eggs, my heart clenched again. I am allergic to eggs. My eyes welled up once more. The next moment, my SnapChat notification chimed. It was Sierra. “Enjoy the egg feast I had Brandon prepare for you?” “Consider this your reward for sleeping alone last night.” “I hope you and the bastard in your belly end up in the hospital, dead and unburied.” “Oh, and Brandon will probably tell you about a business trip later, but actually, he promised to accompany me to visit my parents’ graves.” “You know, I just got back from abroad, so of course, I have to go back and see my birth parents.” “By the way, your mom, dad, and brother are coming along too.” My fingers holding the phone tightened their grip. After pouring the milk, Brandon walked back to me. He placed the milk on the table, then kissed my cheek, and said, “Honey, I have to go on a business trip today. Something urgent came up with the project in S City.” With that, he reached out and untied his apron. “You and this little troublemaker stay put at home. I’ll be back in a couple of days.” He didn’t care about my pale face. He didn’t care if I’d eaten a single bite of his carefully prepared egg delicacy. He rushed back to the room, grabbed his pre-packed suitcase, and walked out the door. He didn’t even say goodbye to me. He didn’t even ask why my eyes were so red before slamming the door shut. Listening to the lingering thud of the door echoing in the room, tears streamed down my face. And the fork and knife Brandon had given me, without me realizing, had pierced into the flesh of my palm. Scarlet drops ran down the blade, falling one by one into the milky white glass, swirling into a pink cloud.

I sat at the dining table for two full hours that day before I regained my senses. That same day, I called Chelsea and arranged for us to get our abortions earlier than planned. To my surprise, she was just like me; as soon as I suggested it, she agreed. When we met at the private clinic, her face was as ashen as mine. Before I could even ask her what was wrong, She walked over and hugged me tightly, her scalding tears threatening to burn my neck. “Don’t ask, I don’t want to talk about it.” I stroked her trembling back, a pang of sympathy rising in my heart. She and my brother were college sweethearts; she’d poured her heart and soul into pursuing him. I’ll never forget the joy and happiness radiating from her face when my brother brought her home to meet our parents. But in just seven short years. That once innocent, adorable girl had withered like a neglected rose, all the brightness gone from her eyes. After holding me tightly for several minutes, she finally let go. “I’m glad, in my darkest moment, to have someone by my side.” With that, she walked resolutely into the doctor’s office. Watching her back, I wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes without my knowing. Yes, I was glad, in my darkest moment, to at least have someone by my side. Afterward, I mimicked her, Resolutely, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked into another doctor’s office. Three hours later, Chelsea and I lay in the same hospital room. I didn’t speak. She didn’t speak. Only the hollow beeping of the heart monitor echoed in the room. After an unknown amount of time, a choked sob came from behind the white privacy curtain. “Cassie, do you know? I always thought if I aborted the baby, I’d be okay.” “I wouldn’t love your brother anymore, I wouldn’t be in pain anymore. But why, now that the child who was in my belly for five months is gone, do I feel such unbearable grief?” No sooner had she spoken than her heartbroken wailing filled the room. Listening to her sorrowful and despairing cries, I silently shed my own tears. Yes, why did it hurt so much? This was clearly the best choice. His father simply didn’t love him. If I just severed this last tie with that family, I would finally be free from Sierra’s vortex. But why did it hurt so much? My body felt like it was being flayed alive, my heart as if it were being torn into a thousand pieces. Chelsea and I stayed in the hospital for a seven-day post-procedure recovery. During those seven days, the man who constantly declared his love for me down to his very bones, didn’t send me a single SnapChat. He didn’t make a single call. Chelsea’s SnapChat, however, kept pinging. Afraid of her pain, I took her phone. I saw text after text from my brother, Asking her to pick up packages for Sierra. Asking her to go to the jewelry store to pick up the limited-edition bag he’d ordered for Sierra long ago. Tears welled up in my eyes again. Just as my trembling fingers were about to curse him back, Chelsea opened her lifeless eyes. “It’s so pathetic, isn’t it?” “Sometimes I even think I’m pathetic.” “Actually, when I was dating your brother in college, I knew he had a sister he cherished to his very core.” “Every month he’d transfer her money, he’d regularly buy her sanitary pads, and every holiday, he’d leave without a word’s notice.” “Back then, I thought that girl was you, and I was jealous of you for a long time.” “But it wasn’t until I married your brother that I realized that girl wasn’t you. The one he cherished was his sister with no blood relation to him.” “But I was so stupid, so foolishly believing that if I just worked hard enough, if I gave my all, your brother would love me.” “But love isn’t something you can force. Even if I abandoned all my self-respect to please him, to love him, he still wouldn’t love me. He’d rather find countless women who resembled Sierra than love me.” Listening to Chelsea’s choked voice, my heart ached with suffocating pain. I quickly consoled her. “It’s all over now. Once we divorce, we’ll leave this place.” “If you don’t know where to go, you can come with me.” “We don’t need those people who only have Sierra in their hearts, okay?” Chelsea’s voice trembled as she whispered “okay,” then pulled the blanket over her head. Afterward, Chelsea and I stayed in the hospital for another two weeks of post-procedure recovery before being discharged. As soon as we left the hospital, I received a call from Brandon. He told me that my parents wanted to host a family dinner to celebrate Sierra’s birthday. What a ridiculously ironic call. My parents were hosting a family dinner and they notified my husband, not me. And perhaps not only had my parents forgotten, but my husband had also forgotten, that today was my birthday too. My sister-in-law also received a call. She was even worse off than me. My brother, besides informing her to attend the family dinner, Also gave her a series of instructions. To order a cake from the bakery. To prepare a suit and dress shoes for him, and even demanded she pick them up at the airport. They were returning to Mom’s mansion, and he wanted Chelsea to take their luggage home for them first. Seeing my brother’s SnapChat. Chelsea and I exchanged a glance. “Are you ready?” Chelsea nodded. “I’m ready.” So she immediately SnapChatted back to my brother: “I’m busy today. I don’t have time to be your nanny.” The moment her message was sent, my brother’s call came through. His voice filled with reproach and deep impatience.

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The news of the alliance between two top-tier dynasties sent shockwaves through the business world. But on the night of our engagement party, I walked backstage and caught my fiancé, Liam Blackwood, and the “poor student” he’d been sponsoring, in a kiss so passionate it had drawn blood from their lips. “Vicky, it’s not what you think.” Liam fumbled with his shirt buttons, a deep flush creeping up his neck, his ears blazing crimson. I watched, my eyes cold, as the girl beside him frantically tried to cover herself, then let out a scoff. “What excuse are you going to cook up now? Do you think I’m blind? Or just stupid?” I ripped the engagement ring from my finger and flung it at his feet, my voice laced with venom. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Every power player and socialite in the city is watching this engagement party tonight.” “Either you go through with the ceremony as per our agreement, or… the Blackwood family will be facing bankruptcy!” He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding, before reluctantly bending down to pick up the ring. He squeezed out a single, resentful word: “Fine.” The ceremony began. Liam walked onto the stage in a noticeably wrinkled suit. Under the gaze of thousands, he strode past me, completely ignoring me, and handed the ring directly to the girl behind him, who was feigning innocence and helplessness. “Victoria Sterling, the woman I’ve always loved is Holly.” “Even if you destroy the entire Blackwood family, I will *never* marry a gold-digger who schemes her way to the top!” The moment the words left his mouth, the entire hall erupted. A chorus of mockery and the relentless clicking of camera shutters threatened to rip the roof off. And I, Victoria Sterling, became the biggest joke in the room. Watching him lean down and kiss his one true love, my heart died. Since you betrayed me first, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!

“Ms. Sterling, the company’s stock price has plummeted by 30%.” My assistant, Alex, reported, head bowed, voice trembling. I stared at my phone screen. The top five trending topics on Ins were all dominated by the engagement party fiasco. Under the hashtag #HeirDefiesArrangedMarriageForLove, the comments were a furious deluge. “Oh, so she has a few bucks, big deal? He clearly has true love, but she forced him into marriage. Shameless bitch, she deserved to be dumped!” “Good job, Mr. Blackwood! Let that manipulative bitch know what karma feels like!” “Sterling Corp should just collapse. This trash company doesn’t deserve to exist!” Page after page, every single comment was an accusation against me, calling me a monster. I calmly scrolled through them until Liam Blackwood’s latest statement popped up. [Finally free. From now on, I’ll be running towards a new future with the woman I love most.] The accompanying photo was a close-up of him and Holly Thorne, their fingers intertwined. That engagement ring, which should have been ours, was now gleaming on someone else’s hand. I stared at those words for a long time, then a laugh escaped my lips. “Notify the legal department. Immediately initiate the highest level of clawback clauses. Terminate all collaborations with Blackwood Industries!” Alex’s hand visibly trembled, his voice a slight tremor. “Ms. Sterling, shouldn’t we issue a statement first to explain? The entire internet is crucifying us right now…” “What’s there to explain?” I cut him off, slamming my phone onto the desk. “There’s no need to entangle myself further with a man who breaks his word like this.” I rubbed my throbbing temples, sinking deeper into the plush sofa. Memories flashed before my eyes. Five years ago, the Blackwood family was on the brink of bankruptcy. At an auction, Liam made a desperate bid, hoping to save their last ancestral estate. Everyone in the room was just waiting to watch him fail. Only I saw the unconcealed defiance in his eyes. I stepped in, bought the estate, and gifted it to him, free of charge. He had nothing then. He saw me as his last hope, kneeling at my feet, pledging: “Victoria Sterling, if you help the Blackwood family, I’ll do anything for you.” I chuckled softly, helping him up. “Alright, but you’ll have to marry me.” He gritted his teeth in anger, yet his eyes sparkled with a desperate light. To help Blackwood Industries through its crisis, I pushed myself to the limit at countless business dinners, once even ending up with a stomach hemorrhage. He stayed by my hospital bed, his eyes red-rimmed, telling me, “Victoria Sterling, don’t ever do that again.” Looking at his eyes, so full of me, I felt it was all worth it. I thought we were each other’s destined salvation. I used Sterling Corp’s resources and network to help him rebuild his commercial empire. I taught him how to be a competent businessman. Blackwood Industries transformed from a struggling small company into a top-tier multinational corporation. But our relationship, too, began to sour. He started resisting intimacy, rejecting my plans, even yearning for the “purity” of the past. That so-called poor student, Holly Thorne, appeared at precisely that moment. He projected all his obsession with the past onto this girl. A month before the engagement party, I had warned him directly: “Liam Blackwood, the importance of this alliance doesn’t need explaining. I expect you to maintain appropriate boundaries.” He fiddled with his teacup, dismissing me offhandedly. “Don’t make a big deal out of it. I just treat Holly like a little sister.” “Her family is struggling, what’s wrong with me helping her out?” I lowered my voice, reminding him: “She’s an adult. She can work for herself now.” He suddenly smashed his teacup. “That’s different! When did you become so cold-blooded?” “You’re just a soulless corporate shark now, obsessed with profit! Holly is so much purer than you!” It was then that I realized he was no longer the lost and desperate heir who had once needed me. He was now desperate to break free from my control. I chose to compromise, treating him merely as a strategic partner for the alliance. As long as he cooperated, everything would remain the same. But I forgot how easily hearts change, especially men’s. The office door was suddenly flung open. Liam Blackwood burst in, radiating a dangerous aura, with Holly Thorne trailing carefully behind him. I glanced at him, my voice cold. “Something wrong?” Seeing my demeanor, he pulled a document from his bag and slammed it onto my desk. “Let’s call off the engagement.” He coolly pulled Holly down to sit beside him. “Let’s part ways amicably, with some dignity.” I let out a cold laugh. “Liam Blackwood, do you even have the right to say that?” “Where was your dignity yesterday when you publicly humiliated the Sterling family at the engagement party?” I stood up, my fingertips pressed against the conference table, my eyes glinting with icy contempt. “You didn’t just ruin an engagement party; you destroyed three years of strategic partnership between two families.” “You threw away five years of business development in this city. Are you really so clueless?!”

He sneered, a mocking curl on his lips, leaning back into the sofa with an arrogant posture. “Of course I’m not clueless.” “Your eyes are always on profit! You even calculate and plan our engagement party for gain!” Holly tugged at his sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. “Ms. Sterling, please don’t blame Liam. It’s all my fault.” “I just couldn’t control my feelings…” “Shut up!” I snapped, cutting her off sharply. “You don’t have a say in this room!” Holly’s face turned pale, and she immediately fell silent. This scene completely enraged Liam. He shot up, pointing at me, and spat: “Victoria Sterling, that’s enough!” “Don’t think that just because you helped me, you can control me forever!” “I’m telling you, every single day I spent with you was suffocating! You helped the Blackwood family, you socialized and drank for deals, but it was all just to solidify *your* business empire!” “And I was just your most obedient pawn!” Every word was a knife, twisting in my heart. I took a deep breath, meeting his eyes. “So, in your eyes, from the moment I bought that ancestral estate, I was just using you?” “When I used my private jet to fly in top global specialists for your mother’s medical consultation, that was also an act?” “Liam Blackwood, do you even have a heart?” His eyes flickered, a momentary panic in their depths. I smiled, but my eyes were bloodshot. “Liam Blackwood, I’m asking you one last time.” “Did you—” “Yes, I did!” He interrupted me, his face a mask of angry defiance. “Satisfied?” “Do you really need to hear such an over-the-top answer to stop?” With that, he defiantly took Holly’s hand, his other hand resting on her stomach. “However, things are different now.” “Holly is pregnant with my child. I have to take responsibility for them.” The sudden truth hit me like a sledgehammer. It turned out I was just one more pawn in this pathetic cheating couple’s game. The next day, Liam Blackwood wasted no time in holding a press conference. I sat in my office, watching the news footage expressionlessly. Liam’s eyes were bloodshot, his face pale, looking utterly haggard. Holly sat quietly beside him, looking as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. “First, I want to sincerely apologize to all friends concerned about this matter.” His voice was deliberately choked with emotion. “For five years, I’ve been repaying a past kindness, forced to endure the Sterling family’s whims day in and day out!” “My life was carelessly decided by a single contract.” His voice remained hoarse throughout, his demeanor sorrowful. Only when he spoke of Holly did a faint smile touch his lips. “Only Holly truly cares about what *I* want.” He turned his face away, his Adam’s apple bobbing twice. “I admit, Victoria Sterling is indeed an outstanding businesswoman. Blackwood Industries wouldn’t be where it is today without her help.” But the very next second, his words turned sharp: “However, she questioned every client I met, every restaurant I chose.” “Even the evening gowns I wore to galas, the watches on my wrist, were all pre-arranged by her.” “I felt like a puppet without a mind of my own, my entire life lived in the shadow of one woman.” Holly, sensing her cue, appropriately clutched his arm, sobbing, her face a picture of sorrow, and pleaded to the camera: “Liam just wants to live for himself. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer so much.” “Ms. Sterling… I’m sorry. Please, I beg you, show us mercy and let us go.” The flashbulbs below flared, and reporters frantically pressed their shutters. The live stream’s comments exploded, curses filling the entire screen: [OMG! This wealthy heir had it so bad, he was practically a kept man!] [Victoria Sterling, that control freak, go to hell! This kind of bullying, obsessive psycho woman deserves to rot!] [Support Mr. Blackwood’s rebellion! True love can conquer all!] Finally, Liam Blackwood announced the establishment of a new company, completely severing ties with Sterling Corp. “I will rebuild a company my own way.” “This path will surely be difficult, but with Holly, and… our child.” “I won’t feel the slightest bit of hardship.” The press conference ended, and the entire internet was in an uproar. Everyone loves to kick a person when they’re down, and I became the target of public condemnation. Sterling Corp’s headquarters’ phones were bombarded by media calls, and several long-term partners subtly hinted at terminating contracts. They were all terrified of being associated with a negative enterprise. I stared at Liam Blackwood’s hypocritical face on the screen, feeling nothing but nausea. A chilling hatred churned within me. I raised my hand, wiping away the cold dampness on my face, and pressed the phone button. “Notify the legal department, meeting in five minutes.” Alex hesitated, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “Ms. Sterling… is there really no room for reconciliation?” I snorted, my voice terrifyingly calm. “What’s done is done.” “I’m going to make that pathetic cheating couple’s reputation utterly ruined!” “Ms. Sterling.” Sarah, the Legal Director, entered with her elite team. I slammed the prepared documents onto the conference table. “Within thirty minutes, publicly release these three documents on all media platforms.”

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It was the third year I’d been running my flower shop to keep my boyfriend, Leo Donovan, afloat, and he’d just declared bankruptcy. Again. The first time, I’d sold the house my grandma left me for him, paying off $100,000. The second time, I’d dug out the savings account my mom had left for my dowry, and paid off $250,000. This third time, I stared into his lost, vacant eyes, my fingers clutching the number of my billionaire father—the man who, in my mind, had been dead to me for years. I hesitated, wondering if I should dial. But that very night, I accidentally saw a message pop up on a private SnapChat group on his tablet: “Hey Leo, what should we put for the contract amount this time? For the bankruptcy repayment, I mean.” “Put $1.5 million. Otherwise, the little flower girl will just pay it off in one go again. So boring, right?” “Leo always has the best games. I hear the little flower girl keeps the flowers blooming by day and keeps you ‘blooming’ by night. You never get tired of playing with her, huh?” I slowly put down his tablet and dialed my billionaire father. “You just want to force me to take over the family business and marry your protégé, don’t you? Fine. I’ll marry him.” “Send someone to pick me up in three days.” 0

I hung up with Dad. Leo walked back in, a signed IOU clutched in his hand. “Ivy, I’m so sorry. I owe another $1.5 million this time. I’m just useless.” His acting was flawless. That lost look in his eyes, it used to always make me say: “It’s okay, we’ll work through this together. We’ll pay it all back eventually.” But now, I just stared silently at the partial glimpse of a watch peeking from under his cuff. It looked like an ordinary watch, but I’d seen it in a magazine. It was worth $25 million. Leo owned a $25 million watch, yet he couldn’t pay off a $1.5 million debt. I had nothing, but I was ready to take out a predatory loan for him. My genuine feelings for him had become his license to play with me, to manipulate me without a shred of remorse. Seeing my gaze fixed on his wrist, Leo didn’t even flinch. He pulled me into his arms, his expression unchanging. “Just a fake, Ivy. When I’m rich, I’ll buy you anything you want.” He knew I was poor, that I wouldn’t recognize these luxury brands. He didn’t even need to think twice about lying to me. I pulled my gaze away, only to see new messages popping up in the SnapChat group on the tablet, which was still beside me. “Leo, what’s the little girl going to sell to pay off the debt this time? Her flowers, her house, or… herself?” “Women Leo’s ‘played with’ must be quite something. If she’s selling herself, I’ll buy a night first!” The messages that followed were a barrage of vulgar comments and ‘me too’s. Three years with Leo, and I’d bailed him out of bankruptcy twice. The first time, I sold the house my grandma left me. Leo held me close, promising he’d give me a home. But we lived in a dingy basement apartment, paying $400 a month for two years, and then he came back with another IOU for $300,000. I still didn’t blame him. Instead, I pulled out the dowry my mom had saved for me and covered his debts. He knelt before me, swearing that by accepting my dowry, he was my husband, that he’d love and cherish me for life. But his promises? They were all lies, from start to finish. Leo’s attention was drawn by the incessant pinging of his phone. He glanced at me, saw I wasn’t looking, and then confidently opened his phone to scroll through the group messages. Soon, his brow furrowed, and his lips thinned into a hard line. He tapped a few times on the screen, and his message popped up in the group chat: “All of you, back off! Just sit back and enjoy the show!” Leo put his phone down. After a long silence, he pulled me into his arms again, his embrace cloying. “Ivy, I promise this is the last time. Once this debt is paid, I’ll marry you, okay?” I looked at his “sincere” expression and suddenly found it utterly laughable. Who knew I was so invaluable? So much so that a rich playboy would go to such lengths to fool me. Even stooping to talk about marriage. If, at first, I’d wanted to confront him and ask if he found any of this amusing… Now, I didn’t even have the energy to demand answers. I calmly pushed him away. “But Leo, I’m out of money.” Leo froze, probably not expecting that reaction from me. After all, in his mind, I should have been scrambling to find every possible way to pay off his debts. But quickly, his face twisted into an angry scowl. “Ivy, are you like all the others? Do you think I’m a loser? That I’ll never succeed?” “I knew it! I misjudged you!” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. I watched him go, understanding he was trying to bully me into submission. But I didn’t call after him. Instead, I pulled out my phone and blocked every single one of his contacts. Then I picked up the IOU. No lender’s name, no borrower’s signature. Something so obviously fake, and I’d stupidly fallen for it twice. I let out a self-deprecating laugh and called the agent. “Hi, can you help me find a tenant to take over my flower shop on Central Street?” I’d only opened the flower shop to support Leo. Now that I was done with him, there was no point in keeping it open. Besides, I was leaving anyway. 0

The next morning, I stayed home packing my bags. Looking around the cramped, dimly lit rental, there was surprisingly nothing worth taking with me. Discarded birthday cards from a bakery, pretty stones I’d found on the street, rings crumpled from paper… Leo had given me these as “surprises.” Only, every time I’d “unboxed” one, he’d look just as surprised. Now I realized, those “gifts” were probably just something he had someone casually throw together. He probably didn’t even know what was inside. The only decent gift was a necklace he’d bought for $10 from a street vendor after his first “successful” venture. Back then, I thought he was wasting money and was genuinely angry at him for it. But Leo just looked at me with an amused smirk. He called me silly, saying, “What if I actually get rich someday, and you still can’t bring yourself to spend money?” I thought he was being sweet, worried about me back then. Now I know. He really just thought I was stupid. In our dense SnapChat history, there were exactly 517 messages where Leo called me stupid. I’d run across three streets to get him his favorite late-night snacks, and he’d text, “Ivy is such an idiot.” He had a fever, and I draped my only raincoat over him, carrying him to the emergency room. He later wrote, “She’s laughably clueless.” Even when I was lying in his arms, dreaming about our happy future together, he’d still post in the group chat: “Ivy’s hopelessly stupid. So broke, yet she still dreams of a future with me…” Even from those cold words, I could picture the sneer and mockery on his face as he typed them. But it didn’t matter anymore. From now on, there would be no Leo Donovan in Ivy Sterling’s future. I continued packing, but by the end, my large suitcase was still empty. The trash can, however, was overflowing. I took one last look at the place I’d called home for two years. Peeling paint stained with watermarks, a three-legged chair, a bed cobbled together with bricks and planks… When things were a little better, I’d dreamed of making this place truly a home. But Leo always refused. He’d say, “Once we’re rich, we won’t live here anymore, so there’s no point decorating.” I believed every one of his promises, and stupidly waited in this crumbling home for them to come true. Thinking about all of it, I suddenly felt a profound emptiness. I snapped my suitcase shut. The agent called. “Ms. Sterling, I can’t finalize the transfer of the flower shop on my own. You’ll need to speak with the landlord in person.” 0

At three PM, I arrived at the designated office building to meet the agent. Down the opulent hallway, through a slightly ajar door, I saw Leo. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, head bowed, engrossed in his phone. Beside him, a woman, exquisitely dressed, leaned intimately against his shoulder. I recognized her almost instantly. Two days prior, the flower shop had received an order for nine hundred ninety-nine roses. The customer had specifically requested the thorns *not* be removed, so I’d finished the entire arrangement with my hands covered in bleeding pricks. When I personally delivered them by taxi, the recipient was this woman: Celeste Harding. Tucked into the center of the roses was a small card, as requested by the customer: “To my life’s true love, Celeste. Sincerely, LZC.” Only at this moment did the realization hit me: LZC was Leo Donovan. He knew perfectly well that I, desperate for money, wouldn’t turn down such a huge order. So he deliberately made those specific requests, just to watch me run around in circles for him. Thinking about it, I almost laughed, tears welling in my eyes. That day, when I got home, I’d excitedly told Leo about the big money I’d made. When he “tenderly” bandaged my wounds, was he secretly calling me stupid again? Was I just a joke to him? As I wiped away the tears from my eyes, the agent arrived. He saw me standing by the door and asked, puzzled, “Ms. Sterling, the landlord is right inside. Why aren’t you going in?” Tears still blurring my vision, I stared at the agent in shock. “Who did you say? The landlord? Leo Donovan?” The agent looked confused. “Yes! Didn’t you know? That entire block of Central Street, it all belongs to Young Master Donovan.” 0 I looked at Leo’s figure in the distance, and deeply buried, painful memories surged. After I’d paid off Leo’s second bankruptcy, I struggled financially for a long time, unable to even afford rent.

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I went home mid-day to grab some meeting documents, not expecting the projector in our living room to flick on automatically, displaying a single line of text. “Today’s mission: Pleasure yourself with my picture in front of your wife for one hour. Don’t forget to send me the video once you’re done, darling.” The next second, the projector shut off just as quickly. I tried to rationalize it, thinking maybe it was just a hallucination from my late-night work sessions. But that night, after my husband, Julian, the man I’d loved for ten years, fed me warm milk, I distinctly heard him growl a strange woman’s name under his breath. My body, however, felt like my limbs were filled with lead, utterly unable to move. Earlier that evening, when Julian fed me the milk, I’d been wary. I only took a symbolic tiny sip, then quietly poured the rest of the liquid into a potted plant as he turned to leave. But even that tiny sip was enough to paralyze me completely. I closed my eyes, but my hearing became unnaturally sharp. I could feel his warm breath ghost across my ear, then his muffled, suppressed moans began. “Scarlett… *Mmm*… *Ah*…” Knowing exactly what was happening, a wave of unspeakable nausea churned in my stomach. I couldn’t reconcile the man before me with the person I remembered, the one who’d walked with me from nothing to where we were today. The boy who used to blush just from a harmless joke in front of his classmates. The broke student who ate instant ramen for a month just to buy me a limited-edition lipstick. The man who, during the early days of his startup, would hug me and say, “Anya, I promise I’ll give you a good life someday.” Now, he was a high-powered CEO, always so suave, so charming to outsiders. But when I wasn’t looking, this was what he truly was. Time stretched, each second an agonizing eternity. Finally, the suffocating sounds stopped. I heard him sigh, a long, drawn-out breath, followed by the sound of water running in the bathroom. After the water stopped, he returned to bed, a faint scent of dampness clinging to him, and gently pulled me into his arms from behind. The familiar scent of his shower gel enveloped me, yet it only sent a cold shiver down my spine. His warm lips pressed against my cheek, as if nothing had happened at all. “I’ll always love you, Anya. Goodnight.” I froze, caught off guard. Did he truly love me? But the darkness was too quiet, and I couldn’t fight off the exhaustion, eventually slipping into a deep sleep. I woke up the next morning, and the spot beside me was already empty. A sticky note, with Julian’s familiar handwriting, was on the bedside table. “My dearest Anya, the project kicks off today, so I headed in early to prepare. Breakfast is on the table, don’t forget to eat! (＾Ｕ＾)ノ~ＹＯ.” Looking at the note, I felt a moment of disorientation. Everything that happened last night seemed like an absurd nightmare. But then I reached for the vase, pulling out the pinhole camera I’d secretly installed last night. I connected it to my phone, and the video playback from last night reminded me: it wasn’t a dream. The humiliation, the disgust – it was all real. My rationality screamed not to act rashly. I forced myself to calm down, fast-forwarding through the surveillance footage. Thankfully, the camera did capture a glimpse of the girl on his phone screen. I paused the video, zoomed in. The girl on the phone looked delicate, young, with a fragile, pitiful kind of beauty. I recognized that face, though. Her name was Scarlett. She was a professional mourner. Three months ago, at Julian’s mother’s funeral, a funeral team was hired, and this girl had cried the hardest. Anyone who didn’t know might have thought it was her own mother who had passed. I was intrigued by her dedication at the time, so I looked her up. Her parents were abusive, and to escape that home, she studied hard, working as a mourner to pay for her tuition and living expenses. After the funeral, it was me who asked Julian to give that girl twenty thousand dollars. Now, it seemed highly likely that’s when they met. I exited the video and called Julian. But several attempts went straight to voicemail.

Just as I put down my phone, an unknown number called. On the other end, it was a young woman’s voice. “Is this Ms. Sterling? I’d like to talk to you about your husband.” I recognized the voice instantly. It was the mourner. She then gave an address and hung up. I looked it up; it was a café in a secluded, remote area. Initially, I didn’t want to go. But the next second, my phone vibrated, and she sent me a photo. In the picture, I was lying on a bed, disheveled, my eyes unfocused, clearly drugged. My fists clenched, and I decided to go to the meeting. The café was indeed isolated, with barely any customers. I spotted her immediately. Scarlett was wearing a white dress, just as she had on the day I first saw her. Seeing me sit down, she smiled at me, then pulled out a stack of photos. The pictures showed me in various poses while I was unconscious, each one extremely explicit. “Ms. Sterling, you’re calmer than I expected. I assume you already know the whole story from the surveillance footage.” “I suggest you be reasonable and agree to a divorce with nothing. Otherwise, these photos will appear at your company and on all major platforms tomorrow.” I picked up the photos, tearing them into tiny pieces without hesitation. “Expose them, then. But making me leave with nothing? Impossible.” She seemed surprised by my reaction and let out a sneer. “Ms. Sterling, why are you making this difficult? Julian loves me. Why don’t you just graciously step aside?” “Why should I step aside?” I retorted, unable to hold back. Her smile widened, carrying a cruel certainty. “Because he can’t live without me.” The next second, she snapped her fingers. From a dimly lit corner of the café, several tall men emerged and surrounded me. Before I could even react, punches and kicks rained down on me. Pain forced me to curl up. After a brutal beating, they shoved a rag into my mouth and pushed me into a dog cage under the table. Scarlett watched my pathetic state for a while, then, right in front of me, called Julian. “Ten minutes. I want to see you here.” She hung up, not giving him a chance to speak. A faint, uncontrollable flicker of hope ignited in a corner of my heart. After all, Julian and I had loved each other for ten years. Surely, he wouldn’t just stand by and watch me being treated like this. But today was the launch day for his company’s biggest annual project. Julian was a complete workaholic. I remembered one time, during another important project, I simply asked him to come home early because I had a fever, and he gave me the silent treatment for three days. Would he abandon everything and rush here just for Scarlett’s vague command? Time ticked by in the silence, second by agonizing second. Every moment felt like a dull knife slowly carving into my heart. I even started counting in my head. Just as I reached 299, the café door burst open. Hurried, yet steady, footsteps grew louder, stopping right by the table. Through the gaps in the iron cage, I saw a pair of familiar, perfectly polished leather shoes. It was Julian. He actually came. He didn’t even take five minutes. “Master.” Julian’s voice was respectful, laced with a breathless urgency, clearly having run all the way here. “Sit in that chair now. You have ten minutes to relieve yourself.” Scarlett’s voice was like she was ordering a well-trained dog. I heard the chair scrape as it was pulled out. I struggled to reach out my hand, letting Julian step right on my fingers. The excruciating pain made my body tense instantly, and a muffled whimper escaped past the rag in my mouth. Julian’s foot froze.

He seemed to sense something was off, and with a hint of surprise, asked Scarlett: “Is there something under the table?” Julian leaned down, his hand just touching the edge of the tablecloth. Scarlett quickly reached out and pressed down on his wrist. “Don’t move. It’s just a crazy person I ‘borrowed’ from the asylum. She’s in the cage to add a little sensory thrill for you. Don’t worry about it.” Julian paused, glanced at her, and seemed to genuinely believe her, not pressing further. He closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair, still looking perfectly prim and proper. But under the tablecloth, I watched his suit pants, so close to me, and his hand resting on his lap. My stomach churned, a sickening wave of nausea making me want to throw up. I bit down hard on the rag in my mouth, my body thrashing violently within the cramped cage. “Clang!” A crisp sound echoed loudly in the silent café, drawing immediate attention. It was the jade pendant Julian had begged for on 999 steps, specifically for me, that had snapped from my neck. It fell to the ground, rolling to Julian’s feet. Julian’s movements abruptly stopped. He opened his eyes, looking down at the pendant. His face instantly changed. The next second, he ripped aside the heavy tablecloth. I instinctively squinted. He looked into the cage, at me. Our eyes met. I saw the tension in his eyes instantly dissipate, replaced by a long, relieved sigh. Scarlett, beside him, giggled, patting his shoulder. “Why so tense, Julian? I told you, it’s just a crazy person I ‘borrowed’ from the asylum. Did she scare you?” I followed his gaze, seeing my reflection in the café’s clean glass wall. My hair was maliciously matted and disheveled, like dry straw. My clothes were torn and wrinkled, stained with unknown grime. My face was smeared with dirt, and a rag was stuffed in my mouth. I truly looked like a lunatic. No wonder he hadn’t recognized me. That promise, “Even if you turn to ash, I’d recognize you instantly,” was just another lie. I looked at him, whimpering, trying to give him one last chance. “Mmm… mmm-hmm…” Seeing my distress, Scarlett raised her foot and kicked the cage twice. “What’s all that noise about? Keep it up and I’ll cut out your tongue.” The iron cage rattled with a “clang,” hitting me painfully. She then turned back to Julian, smiling. “Since you’ve uncovered her, why waste her? Julian, just pretend she’s Anya, and really let loose.” “Afterward, just make sure to finish on her face, okay?” I stared, wide-eyed in disbelief. Julian’s eyes flashed with a hint of excitement, and he actually started to move. My heart chilled, inch by agonizing inch. As his movements grew faster, I simply turned my head away, noticing a clock on the wall. After seeing the time, I breathed a sigh of relief and began to count down. Three. Two. One. “BANG!” The café door was kicked open. “Don’t move! Everyone, hands in the air!” The voice was loud and authoritative. Scarlett’s sweet smile instantly froze. Julian, who was positioned directly over me, also stiffened. Several uniformed police officers rushed in, quickly taking control of the scene. Soon, the iron cage was opened, and the rag was removed from my mouth. A female officer took off her jacket and draped it over me, softly reassuring me. “It’s okay, don’t be scared.” I was helped to my feet, my legs a bit shaky, but I stood firm. I looked up, meeting Julian’s gaze. He was being held by two officers, his hands raised above his head. As the police wiped the dirt from my face, he saw my features clearly, and his pupils constricted sharply. “Anya?” His voice held a tremor, barely perceptible. “What are you doing here?” I said nothing, just stared at him quietly. I don’t like fighting unprepared battles. Before I came here, I’d already called the police, instructing them that if I didn’t cancel the call in half an hour, they should come to this café to rescue me.

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