Category: English

After three grueling rounds of IVF, my family was overjoyed when I finally got pregnant. My parents even made me special broth with organic chicken they’d never normally buy. My husband Liam treated me like glass, always urging me to rest. Not wanting him to overwork, I secretly took a bakery delivery job to help with bills. That’s how I ended up outside an upscale restaurant—and saw them. My parents, who should have been working sanitation jobs, were dressed in designer clothes. And Liam was tenderly serving abalone to another woman, Cathy. “Cathy, darling,” he said softly, “Eliza is five months along. Our baby will be here soon.” My father slid her the keys to a new Mercedes. My mother fastened a diamond necklace around her neck. “Happy birthday, sweet girl,” Mom said lovingly. “We know the egg retrieval was hard on you.” “You can’t have children,” Dad added gently. “We had to ask you to let Eliza marry Liam. Once your baby arrives, our family will be complete.” Cathy lifted her chin like a princess. “Mom, Dad, you’ve done more than enough letting the maid’s child use our name.” Liam laughed coldly. “If she weren’t carrying Cathy’s baby, I wouldn’t even look at her.” The cake in my hands suddenly felt heavy. My heart plunged into a cold, dark abyss. It was all a lie—my parents’ love, Liam’s devotion. Even I was the lie. 01 “I’ve already had the divorce papers drawn up,” Liam was saying, his voice a gentle murmur that sent a blade of ice through my veins. “Once we have the baby, I’ll find some excuse to get rid of her.” His next words were for Cathy. “And I’ll give you the wedding of the century. Cathy, you will be the most beautiful bride in the world.” It was the dead of winter, and my hands were numb with cold, tinged a raw, angry red. But the chill biting at my skin was nothing compared to the frost crystallizing around my heart. I clutched my swollen belly, my eyes vacant, staring at the people who were once my family, now a gallery of cruel strangers. I was frozen in place. “Hey, delivery girl!” Cathy’s sharp voice cut through my daze. “What are you staring at? Get in here! God, are you stupid?” I flinched, quickly pulling my head down and hiding my face deeper inside the surgical mask I wore for deliveries. “H-hello,” I stammered. “This is the cake for Miss Sterling. Could you please sign for it?” My father, who had always been so kind to me, now frowned with disdain. He waved his hand at me as if shooing away a stray dog. “Get out of here. You’re filthy. Don’t you dare get our daughter’s cake dirty!” “Sweetheart, it’s from your favorite bakery,” my mother cooed, not even sparing me a glance as she lovingly carried the cake to Cathy. “Come on, let’s cut it.” The words on the card, which I had personally written just hours before, stabbed at my heart: “Happy Birthday, our darling. Mom and Dad will love you forever.” So this rush order, this custom cake, was from my parents for their daughter. Just two days ago, it was my birthday. Liam had said he was working late, trying to earn more money for the baby. My parents had shown up with a single, smashed slice of cake, and I had felt so loved, so happy, that I ate every last, slightly sour bite of it. “Happy birthday, sweetheart!” Confetti cannons exploded in a shower of glittering color. My eyes burned as I watched the people I loved most in the world celebrate Cathy. A primal scream of betrayal rose in my throat, but then I caught my reflection in a nearby mirror. My clothes were soaked with rain and sleet. Compared to Cathy in her stunning designer dress, I looked like something you’d scrape off the bottom of your shoe. In that instant, all my courage evaporated. I turned to flee, to escape this nightmare. “Wait!” A smirk played on Cathy’s lips as she glided toward me, a slice of cake on a small plate. “You’re pregnant, and life must be hard for you,” she said, her voice dripping with false pity. “Here, take this. You deserve a little treat.” Liam chuckled. “See? Our Cathy has a heart of gold.” Then he turned his gaze to me, and his tone instantly turned to ice. “Well? Take it. Don’t be ungrateful.” My hand trembled as I raised my eyes. Cathy stared down at me, a flicker of pure malice in her eyes. It was then I knew. She recognized me. I moved like a robot, reaching for the plate to thank her. But before my fingers could even brush against hers, Cathy let out a sharp cry and threw herself backward. My mind went blank. Before I could process what had happened, a stinging pain exploded across my cheek. My father had slapped me, so hard that I tasted blood. “You psycho!” he roared. “How dare you touch my daughter!” Liam caught Cathy just in time, relief washing over his face before it hardened into a mask of fury directed at me. “You bitch! Cathy was being kind to you, and you pushed her? That’s it, you’re fired! You’ll never work in this town again!” “My baby, are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?” my mother fussed, her eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen before, a tenderness that was never for me. I clutched my swelling face, my voice a raw whisper as I tried to explain, over and over, that I hadn’t done anything. No one listened. Cathy wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck, her voice a sickly-sweet whine. “Oh, Liam, darling~ I’m fine. I’m sure she didn’t mean it. Just let her go.” As the security guards dragged me out, I instinctively glanced back one last time. My husband, Liam, was holding Cathy in a tight embrace, refusing to let her go. My parents were fussing over her, their faces etched with worry, telling her to be careful. What a perfect family. I swallowed the bitter lump rising in my throat and placed a hand on my stomach, whispering to the life inside me. “Baby… Mommy has to figure some things out.” 02 It was nearly ten o’clock by the time I dragged my exhausted, rain-soaked body back to our small, run-down apartment. I quickly hid my work uniform under the bed and sat in the dark, my mind reeling. I was just supposed to be a cashier at the bakery. But they were short-staffed today, so I’d volunteered to do the delivery. I never imagined it would lead me to a truth that would shatter my world. My parents weren’t poor. My husband, the low-level employee who was always “working overtime,” was a CEO, a “Mr. Collins” whom everyone respected. And they had another daughter. A daughter I never knew existed. Why? Why would they construct such an elaborate lie? Was it all just to get this baby? Was my entire life, my entire family, nothing more than a cruel fiction? My hands clenched into fists, my knuckles turning white. Tears, hot and silent, streamed down my face. “Sweetheart, we’re home! Look what we brought you!” My father was back in his faded, worn-out work shirt, his face once again the kind, familiar one I had always known. He led me to the dining table, a warm smile on his face. “Honey,” he called to my mom, “let’s heat up the food. Our girl must be starving. The baby needs to eat!” My mother bustled around, quickly reheating the dishes and setting them carefully in front of me. “Eliza, your dad’s boss treated everyone to dinner tonight. We packed up the leftovers for you,” she said. “Come on, eat up. It’s all good stuff, things you’ve never tried before.” “Don’t wait for Liam,” my dad added. “He’s still burning the midnight oil at the office. We already ate. You go ahead.” I forced a smile and looked down at the so-called “good stuff.” It was the scraps left over from Cathy’s birthday dinner. I thought back to all the late-night “treats” my parents used to bring me—half a slice of fancy dessert, a few crab legs. They were all just leftovers from their secret life, their secret dinners with their real daughter. Looking at my parents’ expectant faces, my heart felt like it was being pricked by a thousand tiny needles. What was I to them? A dog that could be satisfied with scraps from their table? “I already ate,” I lied, my voice flat. “I’m not hungry.” I retreated to the cramped silence of my bedroom. “What’s gotten into her today?” I heard my mother whisper. “Just leave her be,” Dad replied. “Pregnancy hormones, you know? Let’s just give her some space.” I sat in the dark for a long time before opening my phone. My fingers trembled as, for the first time ever, I typed my parents’ full names—Jonathan and Anne Sterling—into the search bar. The screen filled with photos and articles. The most recent one was from last week: “Jonathan Sterling, CEO of Sterling Industries, and wife Anne attend the annual charity gala.” The bold headline and the glossy photograph shattered the last of my illusions. Ever since I could remember, my parents had told me we were poor because I had accidentally started a fire that burned down our house when I was a child. I never questioned it. I just worked harder, paying for my own tuition with scholarships and part-time jobs. But the truth was staring me in the face. My parents weren’t sanitation workers. Our family wasn’t poor. They just weren’t raising me. I slid down the wall, a wave of nausea and despair washing over me. As if sensing my turmoil, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I doubled over, my face pale, trying to breathe through it. “Eliza? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Liam was home. He rushed to my side, his face a mask of concern as he gently placed a hand on my belly. “Is it the baby? Let me take you to the hospital!” I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. Why are you back so early?” “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, all alone here while you’re pregnant,” he said, his eyes sparkling with a sincerity that used to make my heart melt. But now, all I could see was the fresh, crimson love bite just above his collarbone. And then, a faint, sickly-sweet scent wafted towards me. It was Cathy’s perfume. 03 Later that night, Liam held me as we slept, just like he always did. But I wasn’t sleeping. My eyes were wide open in the dark. I carefully lifted his phone from the nightstand. The lock screen was a photo of us on our wedding day. The password was my birthday. Nothing had changed. I scrolled through his messages, his apps, looking for anything. Finally, I found it: a second, hidden social media account. And there she was, under the contact name “My Sweetheart.” Cathy. I only had to read a few days’ worth of messages before the tears started to flow, silent and unstoppable, soaking my pillow. All those times Liam was “working,” he was with her. While I was enduring painful injections for the IVF treatments, he was buying her designer bags. I had never traveled, never taken a vacation, because we were always “saving money.” But Liam had taken Cathy skiing in Aspen one day and to see the fireworks in Times Square the next. He had placed her on a pedestal, worshipped her, spoiled her, all while forgetting that I was his wife. But then again, this marriage was never about me. It was a scam, a conspiracy to steal a child. I cried until I had no tears left. The next morning, I booked an appointment for an amniocentesis. Even now, a sliver of hope remained. My parents were fake, my husband was fake, but this tiny life kicking inside me… I couldn’t believe that was a lie, too. Later that day, after the test, I stared at the paper the doctor handed me, a deep chill spreading through my entire body. When my eyes focused on the number—a 0% probability—my fingernails dug into my palms. The sting of breaking skin was nothing compared to the suffocating agony ripping through my chest. The child wasn’t mine. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Doctor,” I said, my voice hollow, “I’d like to schedule an abortion. As soon as possible.” “But… you’re quite far along,” she said gently. “There are risks. Are you absolutely sure?” I nodded, my lips barely moving. “I’m sure. I accept the risks.” As I waited for the procedure, I stared blankly at the ceiling tiles. My parents had introduced me to Liam right after college. I was hesitant at first, but the moment I saw him—his handsome face, his cool yet gentle eyes—I was completely enchanted. In that instant, the world went silent, and a single thought echoed in my mind: It’s him. For him, I gave up a scholarship to study abroad. I stayed home, by his side, by our parents’ side. When he told me he was infertile, I quit my job and devoted myself to IVF, to the endless cycle of pills and injections. I truly believed that once our baby was born, everything would finally be perfect. “Mom, Dad, I’m fine! I just twisted my ankle a little, that’s all~” Cathy’s cloying voice shattered my thoughts. I looked up and saw them—my parents, walking down the hospital corridor, their arms linked with hers. Our eyes met. A flash of awkwardness crossed their faces, and they instantly dropped Cathy’s hands. “Mom, Dad,” she whined, feigning confusion. “I thought you were at work. Who is she? Why is she calling you Mom and Dad?” My father stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. My mother quickly jumped in. “She’s the daughter of a coworker. Her mom asked us to check in on her. Don’t worry about it, sweetheart.” I let out a soft, cold laugh. “Really? Anyone watching would think you three were the real family.” Just then, Liam came out of a nearby room. He heard my words, and his face darkened. “Eliza, is that any way to talk to your parents? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you trust them anymore?” he snapped. “I came with them because I was worried. Stop making trouble. Mom, Dad, Cathy, let’s go.” As they turned to leave, Cathy shot me a triumphant, hateful glare. She mouthed two words at me. I knew what they were. You mutt. Moments later, as I was being wheeled into the operating room, I saw Liam leading Cathy out of her own appointment, a full check-up. He glanced in my direction for a split second, a look of relief crossing his face. She’s gone? he must have thought. She probably finished her check-up and went home. When it was all over, my hair was plastered to my forehead with cold sweat. I placed a hand on my now-flat stomach, and my heart felt like it had been carved out of my chest. Before I left, I asked the nurse for the embryo. The tiny, palm-sized specimen jar. Since it wasn’t mine, I would give it back to them.

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The System told me to babysit the gloomy male lead. After the female lead left, everyone steered clear of the lunatic, Ethan Blackwood, but I stepped up to the challenge. Ethan was afraid of the dark and demanded I sleep next to him. Yet, he would brutally shove me off the bed, fracturing my hip. For over a thousand nights, he only allowed me to curl up on the cold floor beside his bed, leaving me with chronic pain. He craved classic dumplings from an old shop. I brought them back at 3 a.m., and in his haste, the boiling soup spilled, searing the back of my hand. He barely glanced at it: “The soup is ruined. Feed it to the dog.” In our circle, they all laughed, calling me Ethan Blackwood’s collared dog—the one he couldn’t chase away. I never denied it. Finally, the female lead returned. They laughed, saying I was a ‘simp’ who got nothing in the end. But they didn’t know that on this day, the System was about to grant my wish. 1 Ethan’s ‘one that got away,’ Clara Hayes, was back in the country. Everyone was waiting to see the downfall of the ‘simp,’ me. I, however, was celebrating that the mission was finally complete. Hearing the news, I immediately typed up my resignation letter. Just as I raised my hand to knock, I heard Ethan talking to his assistant. “Mr. Blackwood, I’ve confirmed. Ms. Hayes lands at Southfield Airport at 7 p.m. tonight.” “Good. Pack that aquamarine necklace for me.” “But didn’t you order that for Miss Alexa? ” Ethan’s knuckles rapped against the desk, the sound sharp in the empty office. “Order her something else. I decide what happens to things in my possession.” “Don’t forget to put 99 yellow roses in the car.” I knocked and walked straight in. The two men snapped their heads up. Ethan’s deep eyes focused on me. His perfectly tailored suit outlined his powerful physique. Assistant Carl looked at me with pity and sympathy. I smiled and nodded at him. I had personally hired him. He was one of the few who understood my situation. I placed the resignation letter on the desk. The document went directly under Ethan’s gaze. “Mr. Blackwood, I need your signature on this file.” Ethan scoffed, giving Carl a look. Carl wisely retreated. “Don’t play games, Alexa. Don’t try the ‘hard to get’ routine.” “I don’t have time for your drama today.” He stood up. His imposing figure created a strong pressure as he closed the distance between us. He leaned in, his breath hitting my cheek, sending a chill through me. “Know your place. Where else can you go if you leave Blackwood Corp? You clawed your way up and cling to me for a reason you know well.” My face remained expressionless. I kept up my professional smile. Ethan suddenly gripped my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his scrutinizing gaze, his tone laced with mockery and certainty. “You’ve been doing a great job for the past three years, haven’t you?” “You’ve always been rational. Don’t do anything foolish. It won’t benefit a person like you.” With that, he released my chin, leaving immediate red marks on my pale skin. He tore up my resignation letter. The shredded pieces landed behind me. “Mr. Blackwood, I have only professional respect, not affection, for you. Besides, employee turnover is normal.” My voice was swallowed by the sound of his door slamming shut. ________________________________________ 2 Back at the Blackwood mansion, I immediately started packing my suitcase and checking flights out of the country. In three years, I hadn’t accumulated much. One suitcase held everything. A knock sounded. I opened the door to see Ethan’s sister, Layla. She saw the suitcase, her eyes widening. She spoke hesitantly. “Alexa, did you find out Clara Hayes is back…?” Three years ago, Ethan crashed his car while chasing Clara. He was in a coma for three months. The company fell into chaos. Clara never looked back, disappearing overseas, leaving Ethan to wake up and rage domestically. Layla was only fifteen then. She couldn’t handle the external pressure and hid in her room, covering her ears to escape Ethan’s hysterical shouts. Just as she was about to break, I appeared. As per the System’s arrangement, I became the granddaughter of Mr. Blackwood Sr.’s late mentor. I presented Mr. Blackwood Sr.’s last will, appointing me as his business consultant, and parachuted into Blackwood Corp. Everyone thought I was an incompetent outsider, waiting for me to fail. But I calmed Layla, stabilized the company’s shareholders, and personally oversaw Ethan’s recovery. I made everything appear to be back on track. Layla was looking at me, breathing heavily, terrified that I might show any sign of anger. Realizing this, Layla frantically called her brother. “Ethan! Where are you? Come home now!” “What is it?” Ethan’s cold voice betrayed slight impatience, mixed with the sound of airport announcements on the other end. “It’s…” Layla glanced at me, then continued, “It’s Alexa’s birthday today! We promised to celebrate with her! The day isn’t over yet, there’s still time!” Ethan paused briefly. He had clearly forgotten. “Tell her I’ll make it up to her with a gift.” “If you don’t come back now, Alexa is going to leave!” Layla’s voice became tearful. “Did she brainwash you too? Layla, are you helping her lie to me? Don’t forget whose sister you are.” Layla called again, but the line was busy. She turned to me, frustrated. “Sister Alexa, I’m sorry… my brother doesn’t mean it.” “Layla, you should listen to your brother. Your brother and I just have an employer-employee relationship. Ms. Hayes is the one meant to be with Mr. Blackwood.” I smiled faintly and advised her. “No way! You’re as stubborn as my brother.” Layla gave me a look of exasperation, her cheeks puffed out. She was genuinely frustrated on my behalf. I guided Layla back to her room. “It’s late. You need to sleep.” Finally, Layla was settled. I heard the System broadcast. $$Host, Clara Hayes has returned. Congratulations on completing the mission. Your wish is about to be granted.$$ I let out a breath of relief. I pulled my suitcase out of the Blackwood mansion. Taking one last look at the place I’d endured for three years. ________________________________________ 3 It was late. I arrived at a two-story house in the suburbs. I had purchased this property a year ago. The former owner was a kind, honest middle-aged woman. It was raining heavily that day, a cold, damp winter evening. Ethan had thrown me out onto a muddy street. “Go home yourself if you dare.” The cold seeped into my bones, giving me chronic pain. When the weather changed, I couldn’t even stand straight. Ethan, however, believed it was just a ploy for his sympathy. He sat in his car, enjoying my miserable, desperate state, then drove away as I pleaded. My phone was dead. I had to walk back, holding my aching hip, in the pouring rain. I collapsed on the roadside shortly after and was found by the homeowner. Learning her son was sick, and she needed to sell the house quickly for his treatment. I bought the house for twenty thousand dollars above the market price. Thinking back, I didn’t even have a room of my own at the Blackwood mansion. After purchasing it, I renovated the house to match the simple, elegant style of Liam Chen, with plenty of green plants. The rightmost room was filled with gifts I had prepared for Liam. Three years ago, Liam fell into a coma after an attack, becoming vegetative. After running across the country for doctors proved futile, the System found me. It promised to grant me one wish upon completion of the mission. It gave me hope. Sleeping in a soft bed, I had my first good dream in three years. In the dream, Liam woke up, and we were just as happy as before. I checked my phone. People who enjoyed my misery had texted me. $$Alexa, Ethan posted on his social media. Stop dreaming of replacing Clara Hayes as Mrs. Blackwood. When are you finally going to leave?$$ Ethan had posted his first social media update in three years. The content was just one picture. In the photo, Clara was sitting sideways. Ethan was gazing at her pale profile, his eyes possessive, filled with overwhelming love. Below were rows of congratulations, and naturally, people publicly mocking me. Half the messages in my phone were pity, half were glee. I ignored them all. I didn’t care before, and I certainly didn’t care now. There was only one person I cared about from the beginning to the end. Thinking of the elegant, gentle, and refined Liam Chen, my eyes felt hot and moist. I clutched the clothes over my chest, suppressing the turbulent, bittersweet emotions. I couldn’t rush back to him just yet. I had to ensure the mission reward was successfully granted. ________________________________________ 4 I showed up at the company as usual to handle the handover procedures. Most of the current Blackwood Corp management were people I had promoted, so they naturally didn’t make things difficult for me. But I didn’t expect Clara Hayes to show up at the company. I smiled and nodded at her, ready to leave. But she quickly walked over to me. Onlookers quietly gathered to watch the drama. “Hilarious! The white moonlight is back. The schemer needs to step aside! Look at her aura; Alexa can’t compete with that!” “She simped for three years and got nothing in the end. Why bother?” “Why bother? If she had succeeded, she would have been the owner of Blackwood Corp. I would have simped too!” Clara looked surprised, her eyes twinkling. “You must be Miss Alexa? I’ve heard about you from many friends. You’re so beautiful. Thank you for taking care of Ethan for me all these years. I don’t know how to repay you.” I put on a polite smile. “You’re too kind, Ms. Hayes. It was just part of my job. Mr. Blackwood paid generously.” “I heard it was your birthday yesterday, Miss Alexa? I’m so sorry, but I felt sick after traveling, and I had to keep Ethan busy all night.” With that, she lightly touched the aquamarine necklace on her neck, a provocative glint in her eyes. “Not at all. Mr. Blackwood’s care for you is expected. I have to go now.” She stopped me. “Miss Alexa, since you’re leaving, make a clean break, alright?” The onlookers’ eyes widened. They didn’t expect the first confrontation between these two to be so dramatic. I smiled faintly at her. “Ms. Hayes, are you that insecure? Don’t worry, I have no interest in a man like him.” But as soon as I got downstairs, Ethan sent me a few texts. One was a photo of Clara and me standing together. In the picture, she stood with red-rimmed eyes, facing me, while I had my back to the camera. It made me look arrogant, perfectly framing me as the bully. “Can your tactics be any more despicable? Get out of the mansion tonight. Don’t stay in the Blackwood house.” I didn’t reply, simply turning off the screen. My pleasure. 5 Things quieted down around me for a while. Until late one night, just as I finished organizing and sending out all my files. As I was getting ready for bed, I received a call from an unknown number. Ethan’s voice was tired and hoarse. He said, “Alexa, come here. I can’t sleep.” “Mr. Blackwood, I have already resigned.” His voice held a hint of anger. “I won’t say it a second time. Get over here.” I hung up. The phone rang again instantly. I blocked the number. After sleeping for less than two hours, a knocking sound came from downstairs. I peered through the peephole and saw Ethan. His face was dark, emitting a cold aura. He looked furious. As if sensing my presence, he leaned into the peephole, a mocking smile on his lips. “Open the door.” I silently opened the door, the usual gentle look replaced by indifference and disgust. “Can I help you?” Seeing this, Ethan irritably tugged at his tie. His eyes were shadowed with sleeplessness. He tried to walk past me, but I blocked him. He scanned the room and scoffed. “You can only live in a place like this after leaving me? Come back with me now.” “Don’t make me say it a second time, Alexa. My patience is wearing thin.” Seeing I was still unmoved, anger flared in Ethan’s dark eyes. He forcefully grabbed my arm, trying to drag me to his car. I pulled out the paring knife I had hidden in my sleeve and slashed the back of his hand. He yelped in pain and let go, looking shocked and disbelieving. “You stabbed me?”

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I wasn’t sick, but I chewed an entire box of antacids like jelly beans. It was because, in my previous life, my roommate, Lina Wells, who couldn’t handle a dash of pepper, transferred all the side effects of her extreme spicy food challenges onto me. She would coolly swallow the Hellfire Buldak Ramen, while I writhed in the dorm room with stomach spasms. She rocketed to fame as an “Eating Challenge Queen,” while my tongue was scorched raw and ulcerated; even drinking water felt like swallowing razor blades. I cried, begging my boyfriend, Brad Wilson, to save me, but he angrily shoved my hand away. “I think you’re just jealous she’s famous! You secretly ate spicy chips and messed up your stomach, and now you’re trying to blame her!” After that, Lina became utterly brazen. Right in front of me, she took on challenges involving the Carolina Reaper, tear-gas mustard, demon noodles, and even industrial-grade capsaicin. I instantly hemorrhaged from my orifices and collapsed into a coma. Doctors scoured my reports but could never find the specific pathology, concluding it was a complete physical breakdown due to extreme psychological stress. Later, I died a painful death from massive gastrointestinal bleeding and multi-organ failure. Lina, however, became a food influencer raking in millions a year, and she lived happily ever after with my ex, Brad. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she signed up for her first spicy challenge. Chapter 1 “Girls, the grand prize for this Hellfire Buldak Ramen challenge is fifty thousand bucks!” My roommate, Lina, waved her phone, showing us the fiery red contest poster. She adjusted her hair in the mirror. “Jenna,” she said to me, “what do you think? If I win, I’ll be the first food content creator influencer at our school.” The other roommates laughed. “Lina, come on. Last time we got hot pot, you asked for the broth to be clear water. You want to take on extreme spice?” Lina’s face flushed. She looked at me, seeking affirmation. In the last life, I sincerely warned her that her stomach was sensitive and that eating such intense food would ruin her health. She gave me a grateful smile then, only to transfer the sheer hell of the burning pain entirely onto me during the challenge. This time, looking at her expectant eyes, the smile on my face grew wider. “Go for it! Why wouldn’t you?” I hopped off my bed, walked over, and linked my arm through hers. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’ll be famous overnight.” Lina looked stunned, clearly not expecting that reaction. Ignoring her surprise, I pulled her toward the door, speaking loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. “Guys, Lina from our dorm is joining the Spicy King Challenge! She’s going to make our English department proud!” Heads immediately popped out of doorways down the hall, all staring at Lina in surprise. “No way! Lina’s doing it?” “That’s savage! We have to go cheer her on!” I pushed her gently toward the crowd, smiling. “Lina is the hope of our dorm. She’s always been secretly amazing at handling spice, but she’s just modest and doesn’t like to show off.” “This time, for the honor of our department, she’s decided to unleash her full power!” In the crowd, a younger student, who was filming a vlog on her phone, had her eyes light up and immediately turned her camera on us. I subtly clocked the camera. My smile deepened. The cheers and attention made it impossible for Lina to back down. She loved being the center of attention. She straightened her back and stated confidently, “Of course! I always keep my word!” Her calculating eyes focused on me. “After all, Jenna, you’ve helped me so much. This time, I have to achieve something big and not disappoint you.” I just smiled, saying nothing. When she tried to get close, I subtly stepped back half a pace, ensuring no skin-to-skin contact. Chapter 2 The moment I stepped into the classroom, I was shoved against the door. “Jenna, are you crazy?!” My boyfriend, Brad, was furious, his face white. “You know how sensitive Lina’s stomach is, right? She can’t handle any spice!” “As her friend, instead of talking her out of it, you egged her on in front of everyone, putting her on the spot! What are you planning, exactly?!” I shoved him away. “She said she was going, she said she could win. Who are you, an outsider, to lecture me?” “And listen up, Brad, I’m your girlfriend, not Lina!” Clap, clap, clap— A crisp round of applause came from the doorway. Our academic advisor, Professor Hayes, stood there, nodding at me with a smile. “Jenna Li is absolutely right.” Professor Hayes adjusted his glasses, his eyes sharp and shrewd. “This is precisely the time for encouragement. This is not only a fantastic opportunity for Lina, but also a great PR opportunity for our English Department.” Brad’s fists were tightly clenched. “But what if she fails? The entire school will laugh at her! Her reputation will be ruined!” I watched Brad, flushed with anxiety over Lina, and almost burst out laughing at his pathetic loyalty. The advisor sighed with a look of disappointment. “If she fails, we’ll spin it as Lina being brave for taking on a challenge, emphasizing that participation matters most. It’s normal for young people to be impulsive. Either way, our department gets attention, and we gain valuable publicity material for this year’s Outstanding Department evaluation.” “If she succeeds, even better. We’ll have a famous influencer come from our department, which is a massive benefit for recruitment and promotion.” Brad, who had just been yelling at me, was now speechless. The advisor gave him a warning look. “This concerns the honor of our department, Brad. As a student council executive, you need to understand your priorities and not mess things up.” Brad’s attempt to stand up for Lina was extinguished by that bucket of cold water. After the advisor left, Brad looked at me with open disgust. “You know Lina can’t handle it, but you just watched her walk into the fire. You truly disgust me.” “I’m warning you, if anything happens to Lina, I will never let you get away with it!” Watching his spineless reaction, I truly felt blind for loving him in my past life. I sneered, “Let’s break up then.” Brad looked startled. “What? I was just saying that in anger. If Lina…” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to his excuses. I shoved him out of the classroom and slammed the door shut. “Don’t force me to go to your parents!” Outside the door, Brad’s voice instantly cut off, followed by his stomping retreat. His parents were traditional, elderly teachers who prized reputation above all else. If they knew he was causing a scene with me, his official girlfriend, over another girl, they would absolutely ground him for life. Chapter 3 Three days later, the Spicy King Challenge took place as planned. On stage, Lina, under the bright lights, finished an entire bowl of Buldak Ramen drenched in red spicy oil without changing her expression. The audience erupted in thunderous applause. That evening, I was studying in the library when a familiar, agonizing cramp hit my stomach. I bit down hard on my lip, cold sweat immediately soaking my shirt. The pain was identical to what I felt in my previous life. But this time, I hadn’t touched Lina once, hadn’t even taken a sip of water she offered, yet the pain was here. I realized this wasn’t simple contact contagion, but a more bizarre, parasitic “Harm Transfer.” I immediately rushed to the ER and got an emergency appointment. The results came back quickly—acute gastric mucosal lesions with erosive bleeding. My phone rang. It was Brad. He sounded excited: “Lina won! Our whole club is throwing a celebration party for her now. Hurry up and come cover the bill!” I covered my mouth, struggling to suppress a groan of pain. “I have a fever, I’m not well. I can’t make it.” Lina’s smug, gloating voice cut in from the other end. “Jenna, it’s just a little cold, what are you worried about? If anything’s wrong, you have to tell me, okay? I’ll have Brad drive you to the hospital.” She clearly knew I was suffering. I forced back the surging nausea. “I really appreciate your concern, my dear roommate.” “Lina, you’re just too nice!” another girl’s voice chimed in. “If Jenna hadn’t pushed you to do it, you wouldn’t have had to take such a huge risk. If I were you, I’d stop being friends with her!” I didn’t care for their performance. I hung up immediately and turned off my phone. Overnight, Lina, just like in my previous life, became the talk of the campus. She struck while the iron was hot, announcing a month-long “Ultimate Spice Challenge,” taking on the Carolina Reaper, tear-gas mustard, and demon noodles. To make her show even more dramatic, I took a week off school, claiming illness. I went to the hospital every day for endoscopies and medication. My medical reports grew worse by the day, going from mucosal lesions to gastric ulcers, then to a perforated stomach. The doctors and nurses who examined me looked at me with an expression that shifted from sympathy to sheer perplexity. Lying in the hospital bed, I read about strange, worldwide phenomena. Combining the two “transfer” experiences, I gradually pieced together the full picture of this bizarre ability: it was a parasitic form of “Harm Transfer.” When Lina consumed a stimulant, she could transfer the physical pain to me. I tried to concentrate and resist, but my body’s instinctual reaction made it impossible to completely block. I realized that to fully reject the transfer, I needed a much stronger mental anchor. Chapter 4 A week later, I swallowed several painkillers and dragged my weak body back to school. The moment I entered the dorm, Lina gasped at my pale face. “Oh my gosh, Jenna! What happened to you? I haven’t seen you in a week, and you look so run down!” She moved to reach out and touch my forehead. I instinctively took a step back, looking at her warily. A lackey standing behind Lina immediately rolled her eyes at me with disdain. “Psh, she still thinks she’s hot stuff. Lina is the most popular person in school now. Who even remembers her?” “Lina is being nice by worrying about you, and you won’t even accept it. You’re so ungrateful!” She fawned over Lina: “Lina, it’s only been a week, and you already have over 100k followers! I bet you’ll be a million-follower VIP soon!” Lina clearly enjoyed the flattery, smiling with false humility. “Jenna, if you’re uncomfortable, you must tell me. I have some clout now, I can help you contact the best gastroenterologist and get you an expedited appointment.” “Getting her an expedited appointment is just wasting medical resources.” Brad’s voice cut in from the doorway. Seeing my sickly appearance, the disgust in his eyes deepened. “How did you let yourself get into such a mess?” Lina suddenly shrieked, pointing at my lips. “Oh my God! Jenna, what happened to your mouth? It’s covered in sores!” “It looks like canker sores, really severe ones!” Instantly, everyone in the room focused on my face. I subconsciously covered my mouth with my hand and backed away. “I’m fine, don’t come near me!” A hand suddenly reached out and brutally pulled my arm away. My mouth, which was severely ulcerated from chronic acid reflux, was fully exposed to everyone. Lina’s lackey gasped dramatically, covering her mouth. “Aren’t you that girl who was diagnosed with severe oral herpes at the campus clinic a few days ago? Oh my God, you’re Lina’s roommate!” “That’s contagious!” Lina immediately put on a serious face and reprimanded her. “Don’t say that! I forbid you from slandering my roommate!” But the other girl quickly defended herself. “It’s true! My cousin is an intern at the county hospital. She saw your file with her own eyes! It’s her! She’s probably embarrassed and didn’t dare to tell the dorm!” Brad backed away two steps in horror. I was trembling all over, tears welling up in my eyes. I looked helplessly at Lina. “Lina, you’re so successful now, you must be able to help me, right?” “Please, save me. I don’t want to be disfigured.” In my past life, I knelt and begged her to stop, but she showed no mercy. In this life, she wouldn’t either. She smirked triumphantly, about to utter some high-and-mighty rejection. Suddenly, a man in a suit burst into the room and grabbed a handful of Lina’s hair. “You liar! Give me back my company’s reputation!” “Why did you pull this fake publicity stunt?! I want you to compensate us for our losses!” The man was the marketing manager for the sponsor of last week’s Spicy King Challenge—a quick-serve food company. Lina shrieked, struggling. She asked, completely confused, “What are you talking about? Didn’t I help you promote your product?” Slap, slap! The manager slapped Lina across the face, his face crimson with rage. “Promote? My poor company is being dragged online as a scam! They’re saying our product isn’t even spicy, and we hired an actress! We’re being exposed!” In the corner, my lips slowly curled into a smile. Seeing this, Brad grabbed my arm and demanded, “You did this, didn’t you?!”

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My girlfriend landed an offer from a Fortune 500 company. I jokingly told her that my mountains of debt made me unworthy of her brilliant future. She nodded and immediately broke up with me. Before I could explain, she had deleted and blocked me. But… I said I had mansions of debt! As in, a mountain of sprawling, luxurious estates! 1. Scrolling through my social media feed, I saw a photo my girlfriend, Clara, had posted. It was an internship offer from a publicly traded company. It was just a branch office, but the prospects were incredible. Her caption read: “Internship ready.” The comments were a chorus of praise and congratulations: “Wow, Clara, you’re a rockstar!” “Are you even sleeping at night? Your future is so bright!” “OMG, Clara, you’re too good for your boyfriend now!!!” My thumb froze on the screen. A knot formed in my stomach. I was her boyfriend, yet I was finding out this huge news from a social media post, just like everyone else. She had been so busy with her job search lately. Whenever I asked, she’d brush me off with an irritated, “Don’t bother me, I have my own pace.” “It’s a secret right now.” “I’m not telling you.” I tried to be understanding, to respect her process, and swallowed all my questions. But the more I thought about it, the worse I felt. Maybe… maybe she wanted me to ask her directly? With that thought, I immediately texted her. “Babe, you got the offer? My girl is amazing!” “You can finally relax. How about I treat you to a celebratory dinner tomorrow? Your choice of place.” 2. I sent the text, but my phone remained silent. I refreshed her feed and saw she had replied to several other comments. “Thanks, girl!” “Love you~” The replies were warm and enthusiastic. Half an hour later, Clara finally texted back. Two cold, dismissive words: “No thanks.” I stared at the screen, confused, and sent a question mark. “?” “Bad mood? Want me to come pick you up?” The message went unanswered, sinking into a digital void. My thesis advisor was hounding me for revisions, so I put my phone away and tried not to overthink it. By the time I picked it up again, it was eight o’clock. The chat window was unchanged—no reply. The unease in my stomach grew, a tiny flame of anxiety licking at my insides. I waited another thirty minutes, clutching my phone, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. How could someone be so persistent in the face of such coldness? I couldn’t take it anymore. I typed furiously, my frustration seeping into the words: “Oh, you got the offer? Congrats.” “Funny how I had to find out about something this big along with the rest of your followers.” The next second, my phone rang. It was Clara. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm. “You finally—” My words were cut off by a deafening roar of noise from her end. The clinking of glasses, the raucous laughter of men and women, someone shouting what might have been a song. “Clara,” I said, my voice dropping. “Where are you? Why is it so loud?” I could hear her faint breathing, and then, the piercing sound of someone egging her on. “Clara, what are you waiting for? Just say it!” “Yeah, is he really going to stop you from moving on to bigger and better things?” “If you don’t say it, we’ll say it for you!” It was the voices of her so-called best friends. My heart sank. So, her coldness all day… it wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was intentional. She finally spoke, her tone icy. “Liam, if I remember correctly—you told me your family has ‘mountains of debt,’ right?” 3. I remembered. One tipsy evening a month ago, I had my arm around her and said, half-joking, “My family… we have mansions of debt.” My words had been slurred. She must have misheard “mansions” as “mountains.” But three years… three years of love and commitment… was all of that erased by a single drunken misunderstanding? A strange impulse took hold of me. I wanted to test her. I decided to play along. “That’s right. My family has mountains of debt. I’m not good enough for your brilliant future. But…” A sharp, undisguised scoff came from the other end. “Yeah,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I think so too. Let’s break up.” “My friends are right. We were never a good match.” “You’re not on my level. Look at you. It’s almost May, and you haven’t even finished your thesis. I already have an offer. We’re on different wavelengths, and the gap is only going to get wider.” “Don’t make this pathetic by clinging.” Before I could say another word, she hung up. I tried calling back—the line was busy. She had blocked me. So, that was it? I’d been dumped, just like that, off the edge of a cliff? But what I had said was… mansions of debt. As in, a mountain of sprawling, luxurious estates. In three years, I had never let her spend a single penny. How could she possibly think I was poor? And the thesis… I hadn’t finished it because I had chosen the most difficult topic, a challenge I relished. I preferred to take my time and do it right. How could she have misunderstood me so completely? Three years, and she had never truly known me at all. 4. After the breakup, I felt like I was suffocating. I called my best friend, Ben, and we went out for a drink. I told him the whole story. He covered his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. “Seriously, Liam. You are the most low-key rich kid I have ever met.” I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. “As long as I’m comfortable, what’s the point of brand names?” Ben clapped me on the shoulder. “Getting dumped sucks, man. But dodging a gold digger? That’s a win. Just wait. When she finds out who you really are, she’s going to regret this so hard.” I gave him a wry smile. “She blocked me. How is she ever going to find out?” “Did you even look at her offer letter?” Ben raised an eyebrow. “The company she’s interning at? It’s a subsidiary of your family’s corporation.” I blinked, the realization dawning on me. “No wonder the name sounded familiar.” Ben roared with laughter. “I get it. So many companies under the family umbrella, you can’t even keep track, right?” I didn’t answer, just tilted my head back and downed my drink. Three years of my life, traded for a brutal, sudden breakup. The irony was laughable. Through a drunken haze, my phone buzzed. I squinted at the notification and froze. It was from Clara’s best friend, Jessica. “Liam, are you okay?” I frowned and sent a question mark. She immediately sent a screenshot of Clara’s latest post: a perfectly curated selfie with the caption, “Hello, freedom. Hello, future.” When I didn’t reply, Jessica sent a voice message. I pressed play. Her voice was saccharine sweet. “Clara is just so impulsive… Did you two really break up? Did she block you? If you want to say anything to her, I can pass along the message for you~” She even followed it up with a cute cat emoji. I stared at the screen and sneered. Jessica was the biggest pot-stirrer of the group. Her voice was the loudest on the phone call, cheering Clara on. Did she really think I wouldn’t recognize it just because she was putting on a sweet act? I replied with three words: “Don’t need it.” Then, I blocked her. Now that I saw Clara for who she really was, there was no reason to have any contact with the fake people she surrounded herself with. I didn’t give it another thought. 5. Occasionally, thoughts of Clara would still surface. But my thesis defense was looming. My days were a blur of research, experiments, and my advisor’s feedback. When you’re running on fumes, there’s not much energy left for heartbreak. Before I knew it, it was June. The campus was filled with graduating seniors in caps and gowns, most of whom had their futures figured out. My dorm mates were heading off to tech giants or studying abroad. Compared to them, I was a step behind. But I wasn’t worried. I gave my older brother a call. He laughed on the other end. “So? Are you going to start your own business, or are you coming back to take over the company?” “The family business is fine with you at the helm,” I said, testing the waters. “I want to try starting something on my own.” “That’s great,” he said warmly. “But you can’t just build a business on paper. How about this: there’s a subsidiary that’s been underperforming for a few years. Go there, work as an intern in the tech department. Start from the bottom, and see if you can figure out what the problem is.” I had been looking for direction, and this was the perfect opportunity to gain experience and help my brother out. I agreed immediately. I just never expected fate to have such a twisted sense of humor. The subsidiary was, of course, the same one where Clara was interning. She was in marketing. I was in tech. 6. On my first day, I got a taste of the intern life. The department manager dumped all the tedious, grunt work on me. From organizing spreadsheets to proofreading data, I was so busy I barely had time to breathe. Fortunately, the work wasn’t difficult for me. What was strange, though, was that the other new intern, Evan, had it easy. He had a light workload, and the manager was constantly checking in on him, asking if he needed anything. Was Evan the manager’s nephew or something? It wasn’t until I overheard a conversation in the breakroom that I understood. “Did you hear? The CEO’s son is interning here!” “Really? Which department? He’s so low-key…” “Wow, if I could catch his eye, I’d be set for life.” I took a sip of my coffee and unconsciously touched my nose. The CEO’s son might be rich, but he wasn’t stupid. What were these people thinking? Then, I thought of the ex-girlfriend who had dumped me for being “poor,” and I couldn’t help but shake my head. Just as I was about to leave, I heard them continue. “But a rich kid would be wearing designer clothes, right? None of the new interns are dressed like that. The most expensive thing I’ve seen is on Liam, that thousand-dollar shirt of his—but he wears the same one every day.” I glanced down at my shirt and had to laugh. I just happened to love the cut and feel of this particular brand, so I had bought the entire collection. Another voice immediately shot back, “It’s definitely not him! It has to be Evan—he has the same last name as the CEO! None of the other new interns are named Vance.” The coffee cup in my hand stilled. Suddenly, it all made sense. No wonder the manager was fawning over Evan. I narrowed my eyes. Being mistaken for someone else wasn’t so bad. It was the perfect opportunity to see just how many opportunistic, shallow people were hiding in this company. 7. That night, exhausted, I collapsed onto my king-sized bed. My phone vibrated with a friend request. Without looking closely, I assumed it was a coworker and accepted. The moment I did, a string of messages flooded in: “Liam! Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only adding you because I have something important to discuss.” The familiar tone made me grimace. “Clara?” She replied instantly: “It’s been a month, and you’re still not over me? I know I’m irresistible.” “But let me be clear. Don’t think you can win me back just by following me to this company. You look pathetic when you’re this desperate. We are never, ever getting back together.” I stared at the screen, speechless. I had never realized how narcissistic she was. If she hadn’t changed her profile picture and username, I would have never accepted the request. I couldn’t resist sending a sarcastic emoji. “Relax, I have zero interest in getting back together. As for being at the same company—pure coincidence.” Clara: “It better be.” “If there’s nothing else, let’s just delete each other.” I had no desire to drag this out. In my opinion, a good ex is a dead ex. But Clara quickly typed back: “Wait!” “I need to ask you about someone—the new guy at the desk next to you, Evan. Do you know him well?” I finally understood. The only reason she had contacted me was to get information about Evan. “So, you only added me to ask about him?” She seemed flustered, sending an angry emoji. “What’s wrong with that? We have a work project together. Can’t I ask a simple question?” I almost laughed out loud. What kind of important work project could two interns possibly have together? Not wanting to waste another word, I blocked her. 8. The following days were a blur of work. The manager started assigning me Evan’s tasks as well, under the guise of “giving the new guy more experience.” Meanwhile, the supposed “prince” of the company spent his days scrolling through his phone and accepting gifts. Many of the young female employees tried to get his attention. “Evan, I bought too much coffee. You can have this one!” “Evan, you don’t drive? You take the subway? Me too! I love the subway! We should ride together after work!” “Evan, there’s a new Japanese restaurant that just opened. Want to go after work?” Among the crowd of admirers, I spotted Clara. She was clearly dressed to impress. The click-clack of her heels grew closer, pausing for a moment beside my desk. The familiar scent of her rose-scented shampoo—her favorite—wafted over. She didn’t even glance at me. The moment she saw Evan, her face broke into a dazzling smile, her eyes curving into gentle crescents. “Evan, there’s a new movie out this weekend. I have an extra ticket. Want to go?” Clara was beautiful. Especially among the other young women, she seemed to glow. Evan’s eyes lit up, and he agreed without a second thought. Clara tossed her hair and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor. She never looked at me once. Watching her leave, I was suddenly reminded of the first time I saw her. It was at the university’s welcome gala. She was on stage, dancing in a faded cotton dress. The spotlight hit her, and she shone like a swan. No fancy makeup, no beautiful dress.

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Everyone in the industry knows I’m the ex-girlfriend that top singer Jax “The King” Ryder despises most. On a reality show, a junior idol casually turned on the car stereo, playing the default playlist. The first song was mine. Two seconds into the intro, Jax, sitting in the passenger seat, said coldly: “Trash. Skip it.” The idol skipped it. The next song was mine. He skipped it again. Still my song. Jax’s face was dark. He glanced at the driver and sighed: “Kid, you’re young, but your taste is terrible.” The idol hesitated, then weakly spoke up: “Uh, Jax… this is your car, and that’s your playlist, dude.” Jax: “—Wait, what?!” 1 Jax and I are the Entertainment Industry’s Most Famous Opposing Exes. Our track record is legendary. Since we debuted, roughly one-third of our songs have been diss tracks aimed at each other. I don’t remember who started it. All I know is: he drops one, I drop one. He drops one, I drop one… Hatred is the number one driver of production. Fueled by Jax’s taunts, I managed to release ten albums in two years. When we were dating, only our closest friends knew. But nothing escapes the all-seeing eye of the internet. Our songs never named names, but when fans mashed our lyrics together, every single line sounded like a public feud. #JaxAndLena: Hollywood’s Pure-Hate CP #JaxAndLena: Did They Dig Up Each Other’s Ancestors? #JaxAndLena: Why Did They Break Up? How Can They Hate This Much? These kinds of twisted, viral hashtags kept hitting the trending list. As long as we were breathing, the drama continued. Jax and I consistently topped the charts as the Hottest Male and Female Artists for over a year. Then, at the end of the year, the platform invited us to accept an award. The host asked: “To both of you, now that you’ve achieved such success, is there anyone specific you want to thank?” I listed everyone dutifully: “I thank my family, my friends, my agent, my fans…” Jax, however, looked right at me: “I want to thank my ex-girlfriend for dumping me back then. She gave me endless inspiration for heartbreak songs. She is…” His lips curled slightly, a fake, chilling smile. “…my Muse.” Online, he calls me “a golem freshly chipped out of a horror movie” and “Picasso’s abstract painting brought to life.” And now, offline, I’m his Muse? That smug jerk. Always with the passive-aggression. On the drive home, I wrote a new song: Muse is just your cheap fake tear Packing up lies to hide your fear Washed up, voice cracked, who’s to blame here? Better go home and disappear Your inspo jumped ship when you lost me New album’s dead, not a mystery You got dumped, that’s your destiny That night, I immediately posted the new song demo and a teaser for my new album on Instagram. Fans went wild and immediately tagged Jax. It wasn’t until late that night that His Royal Highness, Jax, finally logged on. He first liked my post, then added a comment that was both friendly and aggressively passive: [6.] [Lena Shaw, you just wait. ‘Smiley Face’] 2 Making Jax miserable always makes me happy. I slept until noon. My agent, Deb, called, saying I had to attend a red-carpet gala. Deb gave me a warning beforehand: “I heard Jax is going to be there, too.” “If you don’t want to buy an annual subscription to the trending list, just be mature, say hello, and at least pretend to be civil.” I thought Deb was overreacting. With so many artists there, we probably wouldn’t even cross paths. I was wrong. The organizers, sent from hell, seated me right next to Jax! The moment I sat down, a figure quickly dropped into the seat beside me. He wore a dark blue bespoke suit, emphasizing his broad shoulders and long legs. His sculpted face looked, well, decent. Seeing the cameras flash in the distance and remembering Deb’s urgent plea, I forced a smile. Just pretend to be friendly? I can be the friendliest person here. “Good evening, Mr. Muse.” “Well, look who it is, Miss Rhyme-Time,” Jax smirked. “What, did you suddenly learn to be human? You’re actually saying hello to me?” See? You can’t give this guy an inch! The event was being live-streamed. As the camera swept over us, the comments section went ballistic: [Mr. Muse and Miss Rhyme-Time are in the same frame! Please lock the camera on them!] [Dark blue suit paired with a deep blue gown. What a beautiful couple.] [Please, Jax and Lena, date again! Just do it for my entertainment.] Truth be told, people in the industry are the biggest gossips. Since I walked in, several people had already subtly asked me what the deal was between Jax and me. Right now, I could feel countless eyes boring into us. Jax was uncomfortable under the scrutiny, too. He turned his head slightly, his ear tips turning red. I silently looked down— Wow, this table is so… table-y. Hahaha… In the comments, my fans and Jax’s fans were already locked in a fierce battle. But a strange new sentiment was starting to emerge. [Don’t you guys think Jax and Lena look like they’re just cold-shouldering each other out of hate?] [What is hate? Hate is just love that couldn’t handle the pressure.] [I feel like all their hatred is just them hating that the other person didn’t love them enough.] [A healthy relationship is nice, but a messed-up one has a certain flavor. Those who don’t get it are missing out!] 3 I couldn’t take it anymore. I scanned the room, looking for someone to swap seats with. “Sitting next to me is that much of a sacrifice for you, Miss Shaw?” I glared at Jax. “Mind your own business.” I didn’t know many people well. After searching for a long time, I still felt awkward asking for help. Ugh. Just endure it. Jax, seeing my defeated slump, looked even more smug: “I told you, give up. Being stuck with me is your destiny.” … Psycho. “Lena, want to swap seats with me?” A familiar voice called out. I turned around. Alec Sterling, the famous actor, was standing behind me. “Thank you, thank you! Thank you so much, Alec! You are saving me!” I stood up. “Hey, you…” Jax subconsciously grabbed my wrist. “What? You’ll miss me?” “Hah,” he scoffed, his mouth twitching as he slowly let go. “Please, get away from me. I couldn’t be happier.” [Lena stood up, and he instantly reached for her. See that? He’s panicked.] [Oh God, who dares to walk between Jax and Alec? The air pressure is so low, it feels like everything within a hundred feet is freezing.] [Rumor has it Lena and Alec dated, too. Judging by Jax’s dark-as-asphalt face, the rumors must be true.] [Rivals seeing rivals, the tension is real.] [I envy Lena. She has great taste. Everyone she dated is a total knockout.] That’s total misinformation. Alec is my aunt’s son—my cousin. My parents were overseas and neglected me, so I grew up at my aunt’s house. Alec is basically my brother. He starred in the music video for my new single a while ago, and we were briefly linked by the press. Jax still doesn’t know the truth about us. But I certainly wasn’t going to tell him. Alec was rushing to another commitment and had to leave before the event ended. Before leaving, he reminded me about my aunt’s birthday party next week. “Bro, what kind of gift would make Aunt Kathy happy?” “I think bringing a boyfriend home would make her happiest.” I pouted. “She’s always pushing. I just haven’t found anyone suitable.” “Oh, I see,” Alec chuckled. “I thought maybe you couldn’t get over your ex.” “No way! I haven’t liked him for ages!” Alec cleared his throat, nodding toward the space behind me. I turned around. I was met with Jax’s intense, resentful gaze. If looks could be lasers, my dear cousin would have two holes burned through him right now. [I won’t say who’s jealous, but I can smell the sourness through the screen.] [Jax: Alec, I will monitor you forever! Forever!] [Lena, go comfort him! I think he’s about to shatter.] I squinted and smiled. Then, out of the camera’s view, I subtly flipped him the bird. Heh heh! Jax shot me a furious glare. He turned away, his face pale with anger, his lips pressed into a tight, straight line. He didn’t look my way again. Little man. Can’t handle a joke. 4 One should never get carried away. Too excited from teasing Jax, I forgot I was wearing four-inch heels and twisted my ankle. My ride, of course, broke down halfway. I was hobbling alone through the dark underground parking garage. It was a truly pathetic sight. “Well, look at Ms. Shaw. Enjoying a midnight stroll barefoot?” A black Lexus SUV stopped in front of me. The rear window lowered. “Stroll, my butt. Can’t you see I twisted my ankle?” Jax looked at my swollen ankle, his brow furrowing. “No one picking you up? “Get in.” I held onto my dress stubbornly. “I don’t need your trouble. I can walk out and get a cab myself.” “Lena, are you getting in or not?” “No.” “Fine. Tough girl. Even tougher than when you dumped me.” The next second, Jax opened his door and lifted me over his shoulder. “You—” The sudden lift startled me. “Jax, you jerk, put me down!” He tossed me into the back seat, roughly. He then pulled out a tube of muscle rub from the glove compartment. “Take your shoe off.” “What are you doing?” “Stop talking. What do you think I’m doing? I’m going to steal your heels and sell them on eBay, okay?” Me: “…” Jax started applying the ointment, gently massaging the swollen area. It felt good. But it tickled, and I instinctively flinched. “Why are you flinching? What part of you haven’t I touched?” “Shut up, you.” “Cough, cough, cough…” A fit of violent coughing came from the front seat. “Jax, watch your words. I’m right here.” I leaned forward. “Leo! Is that you? Long time no see!” Leo is Jax’s personal assistant and has been with him for years. When Jax and I broke up, he went on a drunken bender at a bar. Leo went to pick him up, and Jax threw up all over him. Since then, Leo’s salary has tripled. So, in a way, I was the patron saint of Leo’s career. “Long time no see, Lena.” Leo is usually shy and reserved, but today he was unusually enthusiastic, asking about my life. Jax kept glaring at Leo, winking and twitching his eyebrows. I was confused. “Is your eyebrow spasming?” “Oh!” Leo suddenly understood. “Right, Lena, do you have a boyfriend right now?” If I said yes, I’d be lying. If I said no, I’d look defeated in front of my ex. I was trying to figure out how to answer. Jax interjected snidely: “Even if she does, they probably broke up. A boyfriend who runs off before his girlfriend even leaves and can’t pick her up when she twists her ankle? Useless.” I realized they were talking about Alec. I couldn’t blame Jax for the misunderstanding. I did ask Alec to pretend to be my boyfriend once just to tick Jax off. “We are not dating. Don’t spread rumors. I don’t want to be constantly trending. Got it?” “Oh, so they did break up.” Whatever. Let him think what he wants. I looked down at my phone and suddenly heard an uncontrollable burst of laughter beside me. I looked up, catching a glimpse of a fleeting smile on Jax’s face. “What are you laughing at?” “I wasn’t.” “Yes, you were! I saw it!” “Your eyes are messed up. Go get them checked.” “Want to bet? Bet your life!” “You get on your knees and beg me, and I’ll take the bet.” … Leo quietly raised the privacy screen in the front seat. This is too much.

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I intentionally picked the same college as my sworn rival. The day my acceptance letter arrived, I smugly showed it off to him. “Same college, huh? Leo Han, as long as I’m around, you’ll never be number one. You’ll be stuck underneath me your whole life.” Leo smiled but said nothing. I was furious at his lack of reaction. But at the graduation dinner that night, scrolling text suddenly flashed across my vision: [Sweetheart Jane is an adult today! Time for some romance, yay~] [Our girl thinks Leo is always provoking her, but that creep has been deliberately tanking his scores the whole time.] [Being ‘stuck underneath’ her for life? He’d kill for that.] I was so shocked I nearly dropped my wine glass. I looked up and met Leo Han’s soft, yet intense, hazel eyes. He gently steadied me. His clear voice, laced with seduction, whispered in my ear: “Sweetheart, want to try a different way of keeping me down?” 01 A few lines of text refreshed before my eyes. [Sweetheart Jane is finally an adult. Leo can finally stop acting like a saint.] [He’ll probably confess tonight. Little Leo has been holding back for years; it’s time for the fireworks.] I choked on the soda I’d just sipped. What the heck? Little Leo? Was that what I thought it was? My friend, Shelly, patted my back. “Slow down. No one’s racing you.” “Hey, watch my bag. I’m hitting the restroom.” I quickly nodded, relieved when Shelly walked away. I rubbed my eyes, and the text vanished. Weird. Had I been studying too hard? Was I losing it? [Sweetheart Jane looks a little dazed. So cute.] [When is Leo Han going to show up? If he doesn’t hurry, someone else is going to confess to her.] I thought, Holy cow, it’s not a hallucination. 02 [Ugh, I wish Sweetheart would figure it out already. Every time Leo tries to flirt, she thinks he’s provoking her. That wasn’t provocation, girl, it was foreplay!] I thought, Leo Han flirting with me? Impossible. That guy only ever showed up with a perfect test paper and condescended: “Want me to explain this one? You got it wrong twice.” I was already mad at myself for the mistake, and he just added fuel to the fire. Do you call that flirting? Take that ‘flirting’ and shove it! [That manipulative bastard even controlled his score on the final exams just to keep her happy.] [When Sweetheart showed off the day before yesterday, saying she’d ‘keep him down’ forever, he probably nearly climaxed right there.] I thought, Is this a respectable comment section? This is terrifying. I reached for my glass to calm my nerves. My foot slipped, and I stumbled as I turned. I quickly grabbed the back of the chair, but at the same time, a hand caught my waist. It tickled. I turned my head and met Leo Han’s slightly curved hazel eyes. He wore a crisp white button-down, emphasizing his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Standing there, he was the picture of a charming villain. His clear voice, when he finally spoke, was laced with mockery. “What’s the matter? You can’t stand still the moment I show up?” 03 Leo Han was a psychopath. A simple slip of the foot became something flirtatious in his mouth. I rolled my eyes. “Get lost. Stay away from me. I hate looking at you.” Leo didn’t retreat; he advanced, trapping me between the table and his body. “Why the sudden hate again? Aren’t you happy you scored two points higher than me?” I was happy, but the streaming comments said he had controlled his score. That meant I hadn’t truly won. What was there to be happy about? I pushed him, creating distance. “I just hate looking at you. You annoy me.” Leo raised an eyebrow and finally stepped back. “Fine.” I looked at him suspiciously. Why was he being so compliant? The next second, he grabbed a glass and took a sip of water. I thought, Oh. He was thirsty. He wore that stiff shirt, so he was probably overheating. Wait, why does that glass look familiar? Oh my God! “You jerk! That’s my glass! Can’t you use a new one, Leo Han?” 04 [He’s doing it on purpose, Sweetheart! Can’t you see? Did someone take away her ability to recognize flirting? Why does she think everything he does is a challenge?] [Also, stop yelling at him! It’s not intimidating. You’re just rewarding him.] I frowned. Screaming at him rewards him? Was he a masochist? Leo slowly put the glass down, water still clinging to his lips, making his pale mouth look slightly tempting. “My bad. I didn’t notice. I just grabbed the closest one.” He took my hand and gently placed the glass back in it. “Don’t be mad. Here.” My palm was suddenly burned by the heat—I couldn’t tell if it was the water temperature or Leo’s body heat. It was strange. My heart pounded a little faster. Suddenly, a nervous male voice spoke behind me. “Sue… Susan? Do you have a minute? Can you step outside? I need to talk to you…” 05 [Wow, this guy is bold. Asking Sweetheart out right in front of Leo Han.] [Leo was going to take things slow so he wouldn’t scare her, but this rival just activated his psycho mode.] I shivered. I looked up and met Leo’s noncommittal gaze. “Go ahead,” he said. His tone was normal, but it sent a chill down my spine. I took two tentative steps toward the boy, but Leo’s gaze darkened. I immediately backed up, smiling politely at the guy. “Sorry, I have something I need to handle. I can’t leave right now.” Leo was acting totally weird today, and combined with these warning signs from the comments, I wasn’t taking any risks. What if the comments were right, and he really was a psychopath who would lock me up? I’d read enough books to know how those stories ended. I activated my Level One Security, sent the boy away, and held my glass, keeping a safe distance from Leo. Shelly came back from the restroom, looked at me, and tilted her head. “Huh? Didn’t you just show me that hairpin this morning? You bought it this afternoon? Are they local? The delivery was fast!” “Huh? What hairpin?” Shelly made me look down and took a delicate strawberry clip from my hair. “This one.” My eyes widened. “Where did that come from? I haven’t bought it yet!” Shelly said, “Uh… you don’t know?” She scanned the room, saw Leo, and understood. “Leo probably clipped it on you. He loves giving you those little gifts.”

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1 My mother and Jenna were on the sofa when a news report came on. The anchor, visibly upset, announced that a boot camp had abused its students, leading to a quiet, depressed girl’s death. Before it finished, Jenna laughed. “Kids are so fragile these days. A few smacks and they die? They just need discipline.” My mother agreed, feeding her a chip. “Exactly. My Chloe was the same, always pretending to be depressed. But since I sent her to that camp, she’s improved. She even writes letters now.” As she spoke, she took my blood-stained final letter and, without reading it, tore it up and threw it away. A sharp pain tore through my soul. Mom, if you knew the dead girl was me, would you feel satisfied? If so, I’m glad. It’s the last thing I can do for you. … My younger brother, Leo, came home from skipping class to play basketball, bursting through the door and making a beeline for the kitchen fridge. He grabbed a can of Coke and started chugging it down. Mom immediately dropped the chips and hurried over with a damp towel for him. She gently wiped the sweat from his brow, her voice full of adoration. “Oh, look at our Leo, all grown up! With a body like that, you could be a model. Who cares about school? Tell your homeroom teacher it doesn’t matter if you’re at the bottom of the class. You’re destined for great things.” After finishing his Coke, Leo glanced around the house. “Is that useless girl not here? No wonder I can drink this out in the open. Where’d she go?” Mom scoffed, the disdain in her eyes impossible to hide. “Hmph. Sent her off to a behavioral boot camp. That sister of yours has a stubborn streak that needs to be broken. The camp and her school have called a few times, but I haven’t bothered to answer. So annoying.” Hearing those words, my ghostly form, standing right beside them, flickered with a sudden awareness. A fragile hope sparked within me. If Mom had just answered the teacher’s call, maybe they would have brought my body home. Just bring me home. Lay me to rest. Then I wouldn’t have to be a lost soul, forever trapped in this place. The thought filled me with a desperate longing. Talking about me always irritated Mom, but with Leo in front of her, her expression softened back into that of a loving, gentle mother. “She’s not like you. You might not get good grades, but you’re a good, sweet boy. Your sister, on the other hand… always walking around with a face like death, like someone owes her a million dollars. What good are her grades then?” “It’s so frustrating,” she went on. “Last weekend, I went to her parent-teacher conference. Her teacher told me I should pay more attention to her, that she seemed a little depressed. As if we’re neglectful parents or something.” Jenna stood up, passionately agreeing. “Exactly! It’s not like you starve her or anything. She’s just faking this depression to make you look bad!” She covered her mouth with her hand, a mischievous smirk on her face. “No offense, but don’t you think your Chloe is just like those girls we used to hate in high school? The ones who acted all fragile and innocent just to get all the guys to fall for them?” Mom erupted in laughter, her body shaking. “You know, you’re right. What rotten luck, giving birth to a two-faced little actress. Who else has my luck?” Ashley, the girl with the worst grades in our class, couldn’t stand me. She hated that I did well, and she especially hated that her favorite biology teacher always praised me in class. One day, during the long lunch break, she dragged me into a bathroom stall. Her eyes were filled with contempt as she grabbed my chest, her fingers digging in hard. “No wonder all the guys in class are obsessed with you, writing you all those love letters. You’re just a little slut who developed faster than the rest of us, huh?” She leaned in, her voice a cruel whisper. “What do you do at night? Get yourself off under the covers?” I kept my head down, too scared to say anything. A curtain of dark hair fell over my eyes, hiding the world from my view. But my silent, submissive posture only seemed to infuriate her more. “Still faking it! You think playing the innocent victim is going to make me feel sorry for you? A girl knows a girl.” She raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face, her eyes blazing with hatred. “You’d better watch yourself. Stop putting on that slutty act. The next time I see you asking my favorite teacher a question, it won’t be just a slap.” The incident left me with deep psychological scars. From that day on, I grew more and more withdrawn. I avoided eye contact. I was afraid to speak more than a few words to anyone, terrified of accidentally setting someone off. That was why my homeroom teacher thought I was depressed. After the parent-teacher conference, she had pulled my mother aside, her voice filled with genuine concern, suggesting she take me somewhere to relax. But what awaited me outside the school gates were words far more painful than any slap or taunt. In the car, after my mother asked why I was so quiet and I tried to explain, she just laughed. Jenna, sitting in the passenger seat touching up her makeup, smirked. Her voice dripped with disdain. “What, is depression some kind of fashion statement for you kids now? Everyone’s got some kind of psychological issue. If you ask me, you just haven’t been hit enough.” She turned around, looking down at me as I cried silently in the back seat. “Besides, if you’re getting bullied and people are spreading rumors about you, don’t you think maybe, just maybe, you’re part of the problem?” “Look at you right now. Who are you trying to fool with this weak, pathetic act? Playing the victim. If you ask me, you had it coming.” My mother heard the venom in Jenna’s words and froze for a second. She glanced back at me, a flicker of pity and regret in her eyes. Her lips parted as if to say something, but no words came out. Jenna caught the look instantly. “Tsk,” she clicked her tongue, her face hardening. “Don’t you dare feel sorry for her. That’s not how you raise a kid. You’ve got to stamp out these dramatic tendencies, or you’ll end up with a manipulative little monster on your hands.” “I know a great behavioral boot camp I can recommend,” she said. “Thirty-four hundred a session. Send your daughter there for a good workout. She’ll come back obedient as a lamb. You can thank me later.” Ever since their school days, my mother had been the least popular one in their friend group, while Jenna was the undisputed queen bee. There were a few years, before I started elementary school, when I remember being cherished by my mother. The memories are hazy, but I recall sunlight warming my skin as I sat on a grassy lawn. My mother’s face was wreathed in smiles as she lifted me high into the air, her perfect teeth flashing as she cooed and made me laugh. Her perfume was the sweet scent of summer peaches, and I would giggle uncontrollably, a carefree little duckling. Then, one day, Jenna saw me, and the ridicule began. “Look at the way your daughter stares. Did you see that? She was totally checking out that cute guy.” My mother was stunned. As a mother, she knew her five-year-old daughter was simply captivated by the colorful pinwheel the man was holding. But the thought that her friend, the one she was always trying so hard to please, was actually talking to her, made her fold. She went along with it, her voice timid. “You’re right. Already looking at boys. So shameless.” The memories tumbled through my mind, fragmented and sharp. I suddenly remembered my first day at the boot camp. The first thing the instructors made us do was shave our heads on the drill ground. Some of the girls refused. Their punishment was a cattle prod that left no visible marks. One of the older male instructors zapped a girl in front of him, sending her crashing to the ground. He leered at her crumpled form. “Listen up. Any girl sent here is not some pampered little princess anymore. You need to remember your place. You’re nothing but filth in this camp.” “Follow the rules, you get to eat. Don’t, and all that’s waiting for you is pain.” The terrified girl choked back her tears. Her hands trembled as she picked up the electric clippers and began hacking away at her own hair. Her beautiful, waist-length locks fell to the ground in clumps, until she looked like one of the shorn, docile sheep from my childhood memories of the countryside. What’s the difference, I wondered, between us and livestock here? In that moment, I knew. This wasn’t just some ordinary boot camp. It was a hell designed to break our spirits and trample our dignity. For dinner that evening, we were given a small bowl of white rice with a spoonful of white sugar sprinkled on top. A few girls who had been there longer than us devoured their food like starving animals, their eyes vacant as they mechanically shoveled the rice into their mouths, like robots performing a programmed task. Even though I wasn’t hungry, I copied them, forcing mouthfuls of rice down my throat. In a strange and hostile place, the best way to avoid trouble is to blend in, to not stand out. The rain outside hammered against the glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows, a dense, rhythmic drumming like a thousand tiny nails. A sudden clap of thunder startled me, pulling me from my memories. I looked down at myself and realized my form was so transparent, almost like I was made of rain. For some reason, after death, my spirit was confined to this house. I think it was because of my last words. The agonizing, desperate cry echoed in my ears again, and I trembled uncontrollably. I was so scared. I curled my spiritual form into a ball and hid in the closet. But the wish I made as I died still reverberated around me: “I want to go home. Mom, I want to come home.” In the living room, Jenna was lying with her head in my mother’s lap, whining like a child for Mom to peel grapes for her. She was a completely different person from the one who had slapped me at the camp. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring. The sudden shrill of the phone cut through the air. My mother glanced at the caller ID and her face lit up. But the voice on the other end, my father’s voice, was tight with urgency. “Where’s Chloe? Isn’t she home? Why are the police telling me to fly back? They said they couldn’t reach you. Chloe… they said something happened to her, but they wouldn’t say what over the phone.” My mother panicked at his accusatory tone. Her eyes darted around the room as she scrambled for an excuse. “Chloe? She’s right here at home! She’s fine! You must have gotten a scam call.” Hearing my father’s voice, a warmth spread through a cold corner of my heart. My nose stung, and I felt something wet drip down my face. Can ghosts cry? My father had been working in London ever since I was in elementary school. He only came home for the holidays, and every time, he would bring me beautiful dresses and special layer cakes from the city. His voice trembled now, low and terrifying. He demanded she start a video call and show him where I was. “Where is she? Why can’t I see her?” “You said Chloe was at home! Where is she? What have you been doing all day? How can you not even take care of your own daughter? Did you send her to one of those awful boot camps?” “The police said she was hurt at a camp. They told me to come back immediately.” Hearing that my father already knew part of the truth, Mom finally started to panic for real. But she quickly composed herself, forcing a casual tone. “Chloe’s just at a camp to learn some social skills. A little scrape is no big deal. She wrote home just a few days ago saying everything was fine. I just finished reading it today and threw it in the trash.” As she spoke, she rushed toward the trash can, intending to fish out the letter and show it to him. “Chloe’s a timid little thing, she wouldn’t even fight back if someone hit her. I’m sure she’s fine…” She reached into the trash can to retrieve the letter she had torn to pieces. My heart, or what was left of it, swelled with anticipation. I was sure that once she saw the letter, she would come get me. They would piece me back together. And then I could finally leave this place that held my soul captive and be reborn. But just as her fingers were about to touch the paper… The unthinkable happened.

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When my biological father, James Sterling, finally found me, I was on my knees begging on the street. It was the dead of winter. While the imposter, Chloe Sterling, was bundled up in a thick designer puffer jacket, I was in rags, my skin mottled purple from the biting cold. In my past life, I never wanted to fight her. Yet, she killed my dog, stole my parents’ love, and seized the inheritance that should have been mine. In the end, I was brutalized to death, all thanks to her orchestration. Now, my real dad held me tight, swearing to make everything up to me. I stared coldly at Chloe, who was holding my biological mother’s hand not far away, and smirked. Where should I start dissecting this snake? Chapter 1 My father carefully placed me into the passenger seat and cranked up the heat. Chloe, seeing me take her usual spot, pursed her lips and glared at me before turning to bury her face in my mother’s coat. “Mom… it’s hot…” I looked at my mother, putting on a desperate, pathetic expression of yearning for maternal affection. My birth mother’s heart twitched with guilt, but she still looked down to comfort Chloe. “Honey, maybe turn the heat down a bit?” I sneered internally. Look at this. This is my mother. For me, she has only guilt. All her love belongs to Chloe. “Luna has been freezing. She can’t get cold again,” my father frowned, disagreeing. He glanced at me, limp in the seat, barely breathing, and panicked. He touched my forehead. “Burning up! We need to get to the hospital, now!” At the hospital, they ran a full checkup. When the nurse came to draw blood, I rolled up my sleeve, exposing my arm. My skin, tanned dark from exposure, was a tapestry of scars. Burns, whip marks, old wounds layered under fresh ones. Not a single patch of unblemished skin. All gifts from my adoptive parents. They forced me to beg. If I didn’t bring back enough money, I got beaten. They even talked about selling my organs. I had to beg on my knees, sobbing that I could fetch a good bride price later, before they let it go. Zero dignity. And I shouldn’t have suffered any of this. It was my adoptive parents who secretly switched me and Chloe at birth, swapping our lives. Seeing my arm, Chloe screamed and buried her head in Mom’s chest. “Mommy! A ghost! Ahhh!” I flinched violently. The needle slipped, and blood gushed out. “Enough!” My father glared at Chloe with genuine anger. “Luna, I will find the best doctors in the world. You will heal.” I lowered my head. In my past life, I didn’t want to worry them. I always wore long sleeves and pants, even in summer. They just thought I was weird. This time, I’ll make sure their hearts bleed for me. The results came back: severe malnutrition, anemia, widespread skin infections, chronic pneumonia. My father clenched the report, trembling with rage. After calming down, he hugged me tight. “Luna, don’t worry. Those animals who hurt you… I won’t let a single one go!” I didn’t look at Chloe, but I knew she was sweating bullets. After all, those “animals” were her biological parents. If her real parents went to jail, her little act would be over. I stayed silent for a long moment, then spoke with a mix of hesitation and concern. “Father, Mom and Dad… I mean, Uncle and Auntie raised me for eighteen years. If you go after them, it might hurt your reputation. It’s a family scandal… I don’t want to make things difficult for you. You bringing me home is already enough for me. Let the past go.” Every word was calculated, distant yet forbearing. A hot tear landed on my cheek. My father patted my head, moved. “Luna, you are so sensible.” On the way back, my father arranged everything: a nanny, a driver, even a personal nutritionist and therapist. In the rearview mirror, I saw Chloe’s face twisted in jealousy. These were perks even she, the pampered princess, never had. This was the treatment for the real Sterling heiress. I smirked. If I’m right, the drama starts tonight. Chapter 2 We arrived at the Sterling mansion. My little brother, Max, came bounding out. He gave huge bear hugs to Mom, Dad, and Chloe, completely ignoring me. Mom looked at me awkwardly. I smiled. No surprise there. In my past life, Chloe painted me as a hypocritical villain, telling Max I was there to steal our parents’ love. A ten-year-old kid naturally hated me. Worse, the day I brought my dog, Dodo, home in my last life, Chloe framed Dodo for biting Max. Dad was furious. He slammed Dodo to death right in front of me and slapped me when I cried. My puppy was four months old. Even if he bit someone, it wouldn’t even break the skin. How could he hurt Max? “Max, this is your real big sister,” Mom said gently, pulling Max’s hand. Max clung to Chloe, eyes wide and glaring. “What smelly sister? I don’t want her! I only have one sister!” Chloe squeezed out some tears right on cue. “Mom, Dad… now that Luna is back, will you kick me out? Sob… I only have you guys… please don’t send me away. I’ll be good. I won’t fight with Luna for anything.” Mom, soft-hearted as always, hugged Chloe and wiped her tears. “Of course not! Mommy loves you most. How could I send you away?” Dad stood there, smoking, deep in thought. Chloe was clever. Playing the victim perfectly, making my return look like I was wrecking their happy family. I squeezed out two tears of my own and stepped forward, grabbing Chloe and Mom’s hands. “Forget Mom, even I couldn’t bear for you to leave, sister. Besides, your biological parents haven’t been found yet. Why not wait until then? I’m new here and don’t know how to be a good daughter. I still need you to teach me, sister.” Seeing me so cautious and obedient, Dad looked pained again. “Chloe can stay for now. I’ll have someone investigate her background.” He didn’t say she could stay forever, but he didn’t kick her out. Compared to my last life where he promised we’d be a “happy family of five,” this was a huge improvement. I winked at Chloe. Step one of killing a snake: Marinate it in fear. This is just the beginning, Chloe. I’m going to personally drag you into the hell I crawled out of. Back in my room, I finished the bird’s nest soup and supplements the nutritionist prepared. I put on silk pajamas and lay in the soft bed, plotting. It was time to bring Dodo back. Thinking of his death made my stomach cramp. Chloe told Dad that he loved citrus scents, so I sprayed Dodo with Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin. Turns out, Dad was allergic to citrus. He sneezed constantly, never got close to Dodo, and scolded me, banning the dog from the house. The next day, Chloe brought Dodo inside, pinched Max until he screamed, and blamed the dog. Dodo died. I was kicked out, crying in the rain with his cold body all night. Chloe walked up to me with an umbrella, smiling. “Sister, I heard the dog meat place on the west side is great. Dodo was so well-fed, he must taste delicious, right?” I snapped. I strangled her. Just as I was about to finish her off, Dad showed up and knocked me out. When I woke up, I was deaf in my right ear from the blow. Someone filmed my attack on Chloe and posted it online. The internet called me a psychopath, a monster, and told me to die. I closed my eyes, pushing the memories away. Dad had already transferred me to a new school. Tomorrow, the battlefield shifts to the classroom. Chapter 3 In the morning, the nanny brought me several outfits. All of them were garish clashes of red and green, purple and orange. I glanced at her coolly. So, she’s Chloe’s dog too. In my last life, I was too timid to refuse. I wore these clown outfits to school, embarrassing my parents and getting mocked by classmates. This time, I was prepared. I pulled out a black, understated suit I bought myself. High ponytail, pearl clip. Classy. Low-key. The nanny looked honest, but I saw the ambition in her dull eyes. Last time, she pretended to be my ally, teaching me all the wrong things while feeding info to Chloe. Chloe used her to turn me into a “vulgar redneck.” Seeing her face made my blood boil, but I kept my cool. I smiled, eyes curving into crescents. “Auntie, grab me a bag of dried crab snacks. I’ll eat them after breakfast.” The nanny nodded and left. In the dining room, the family was already eating. Chloe was wearing a pink Chanel-style jacket, a white pleated skirt, and a pearl necklace. She was laughing while feeding Max sweet soup. I raised an eyebrow. Dressing like that for school? She’s really trying hard to sell the “rich princess” image. Too bad Dad hates flashy, frivolous styles. He prefers my vibe. Sure enough, Dad’s expression softened when he saw me. Chloe, seeing me, immediately piped up with fake concern. “Sister, in the Sterling family, we wait for everyone before eating. You’re late, the food is cold.” The nanny told me breakfast was at 7:30. It was 7:20. I clutched my chest, feigning weakness. “Thanks for reminding me, sister. But my health is poor, and the doctor said I need eight hours of sleep. I got back late yesterday… I’m so sorry to keep you waiting.” Mom and Dad immediately waved it off, eyes full of pity. I poured the crab snacks the nanny brought onto a plate. Suddenly, a pair of chubby hands snatched them. Max shoved the snacks into his mouth, crunching loudly, staring at me with triumphant, beady eyes. What a brat. Fighting over food. Dad frowned, about to scold him, but Mom laughed it off. Halfway through the meal, Max suddenly turned pale. He clutched his stomach and slid off the chair. “Max! Max, what’s wrong?! Don’t scare Mommy!” Mom was hysterical. Dad stayed calm, grabbed the car keys, and rushed Max to the hospital. Max was sent to the ER. Outside, Dad comforted a sobbing Mom. Chloe spoke up, voice trembling. “It was the crabs! Luna, how could you be so cruel? Poisoning a child! Max might not like you, but he’s your brother! Aren’t you afraid of breaking Mom and Dad’s hearts?” She turned to me, eyes wide with disbelief and tears. Her accusation lit a fuse in Mom. She lunged at me. Slap! My face burned and swelled instantly. Her eyes were cold, like I was her enemy, not her daughter. Dad stood aside, watching coldly. My heart ached dully. If you never saw me as a daughter, why bring me back? In my last life, I only realized the truth as I was dying. I was just a pawn. Businessmen value profit over parting. Their “family love” is just a mask. They wanted a perfect doll. Between the broken me and the exquisite Chloe, the choice was obvious. Last time, I craved love and acceptance, and I lost everything. This time, I only want revenge, money, and power. I looked at Dad, eyes misty, voice trembling. “I didn’t do it.” “I didn’t hurt him. I wanted to eat those snacks myself. He snatched them.” Chapter 4 Dad looked conflicted. The doctor walked out, sighing. “Who is the family?” Dad raised his hand. “How is my son? Poisoning?” “Poisoning? No. Kids have sensitive stomachs; he just choked on the dry crab. He’s fine now. But—you can’t mix tangerines and white radishes! Don’t you parents have common sense? That causes goiters!” “We didn’t give him that!” Dad protested. “Impossible. We asked the kid, he’s been eating it for a while. You people are so careless!” Dad’s face darkened. Max was watched by the nanny, and the nutritionist wouldn’t make that mistake. The only suspect… was the sweet soup Chloe made for him. Dad realized it too. He glared at Chloe, whose face was draining of color. “Father, I didn’t…” Mom stood there, torn between worry, guilt, and grief. Ignoring the drama, I walked into the ward. Max was lying there, rosy-cheeked, eyes tight shut. I sat down and poked his face. “Get up, Max. Stop faking.” His lashes fluttered, but he didn’t open his eyes. I continued, “Max, you ate those crab snacks on purpose, didn’t you? Looks like you were bullying me, but really, you knew Chloe’s soup was bad news. She’s too good at acting, so you had to cause a scene to expose her, right?” Max’s eyes popped open. He sat up like a spring. “How did you know?!” I pinched his nose. “Because I’m your real sister. Why didn’t you just tell Mom and Dad?” He pouted. “Real sister, so what? If it wasn’t an accident, she’d hurt me worse…” “Is it because when you told on her before, no one believed you, and they blamed you for not loving your sister?” Max went silent. I knew I hit the mark. I sighed and hugged him. “Max, remember this. I came back not to hurt you, but to protect you and kick that snake out. You can always trust me.” Chloe’s crying echoed from the hallway. After a long silence, Max spoke, and I felt my shoulder get wet. “I’m sorry.” Parents eventually figured it out. Chloe, in the name of love, had been feeding Max a toxic combo to make him sickly so he couldn’t compete for the inheritance. Dad was disappointed. He cut off one of her credit cards. Moving her from Dad’s heart wasn’t going to be easy. The next day, I went to school with Chloe. Dad transferred me to Class A at B City Foreign Language School—Chloe’s class. In my last life, Chloe promised to take care of me but sabotaged me at every turn. First day intros? She asked what talents I had. I turned red and said “nothing,” becoming the laughingstock for three years. I didn’t know English. In an all-English class, the teacher asked me questions, and Chloe translated them wrong on purpose, making the teacher hate me. They framed me for stealing, slapped me… I remember it all. I lowered my eyes to hide the hate. Chloe, you’re in for a surprise. Chapter 5 To save face, Dad told the school I was a daughter raised by my grandparents in the countryside, kept out of the public eye. When the teacher introduced me, I started my self-introduction in flawless, Oxford-accented English. In my last life, to please my parents, I spent countless nights practicing English. To them, it was worthless. Luckily, no effort is ever truly wasted. Chloe interrupted, feigning innocence. “Luna, what talents do you have? Tell us so we can play together!” I smiled at her. “Chloe, you’re so silly. We’re family. Don’t you know what I can do?” Chloe’s face stiffened. I ignored her and addressed the class confidently. “I’ve loved piano since I was small. I’m proficient in Go, calligraphy, and painting. Ballet, Latin dance, swimming, skiing—I can do them all. You’re all welcome to come over and see.” In my last life, people said I was timid, nothing like a Sterling. So I learned everything. Whatever Chloe could do, I learned. Whatever she couldn’t, I learned too. But Dad just called me a cheap imitation. Well, now I’ll use everything you despised to slap you in the face. Chloe leaned back, eyes full of suspicion. And… anticipation. Calculating the date, Dad should be planning my “Welcome Home” banquet soon. Good. Time to strike back. Even though I knew the high school curriculum by heart, I didn’t slack off. I studied hard while watching Chloe like a hawk. Chloe was chatting with her bestie, Jessica Liu. “Chloe, where did this sister come from?” “Luna… her status is special. She just came home recently.” Chloe hesitated, acting like she needed courage to speak, tears welling up. What a move. “Special status.” In rich families, that means illegitimate. A bastard child brought home means she’s dangerous enough to threaten the legitimate heir. She was implying I was the homewrecker’s daughter. Jessica, a hothead with a big mouth, exploded. Rumors spread like wildfire. Everywhere I went, I heard insults. “A bastard competing with the real princess? Does she deserve it?” “Born from a mistress, born cheap.” Then came the bullying. They called me names. Asked my price for a night. They tore my homework, wrote curses on the walls. They stalked me, investigated me… even tried to assault me. It was a carnival of cruelty. That day, Chloe led a group of girls dressed like punks to block me in the bathroom. They laughed, grabbing my arms. Long nails dug into my skin, drawing blood. Chloe, looking arrogant, kicked me in the stomach with her metal-tipped heels. I doubled over in pain, looking up with fake confusion. “Sister, how did I offend you? Why are you doing this?” Chloe’s exquisite face twisted. “Don’t think just because Dad spoils you, I can’t touch you. Blood related? So what? I am the only Miss Sterling! Listen, bitch, you are my dog. I own you.” She signaled, and the girls ripped my clothes. Chloe stood over me, taking photos with her phone. “This is just a warning. Next time, it won’t be this simple.” She slapped me, then stomped on me with her heels before storming out. I curled up, coughing, but a smile crept onto my lips. Sister, thanks for the “gift.” What should I get you in return?

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So, I had to hit the ER over the weekend. Just my luck, my ex-husband was the doctor on duty. He glanced at my test results, didn’t even lift his head, and sneered, “Three years, and you still can’t find a man to come with you to the hospital?” I stayed silent, staring at the ceiling tiles, trying not to pass out from the pain. He kept going. “Get a family member here. You need surgery. I need to discuss the procedure with someone responsible.” “Don’t try to find me later. We’re divorced.” The next day. A chart-topping pop star. A billionaire heir. A genius race car driver. Three dangerously handsome men show up in my hospital room at the same time. Taking turns grilling him about my condition and treatment plan. His eye twitched, fighting to keep a professional face while looking like he was about to cry. “Tell me… these three men are all your ‘family’?” “Yep. Does the hospital have a rule against having more than three family members?” 1 I took an Uber to the ER over the weekend. Never thought I’d run into my ex-husband working the shift. Looking at the man in front of me—white coat, gold-rimmed glasses, face like stone—my heart felt worse than my stomach. Divorced for three years. Didn’t expect to reunite like this. Dr. Julian Vance looked at the clipboard, head down. He told me to lie on the exam table. Then his long fingers gently pressed on my lower abdomen. “Hurts here? Anywhere else? Is it a cramping pain or intermittent?” I turned my face away, not wanting to look at him. “Sharp, twisting pain.” His cold voice drifted down from the fluorescent lights above. “Probably appendicitis. Needs to come out. But there’s an issue…” He stopped. Looked up at my pale face. Frowned. “You’re not in good shape. I suggest surgery ASAP to relieve the pain.” “Where’s your current husband?” When I didn’t answer, he started scribbling on my chart again. Finally, he looked me in the eye, voice dripping with icy sarcasm. “Three years. Still haven’t found a guy to hold your hand at the doctor’s?” I kept quiet, staring at the ceiling, fighting the pain. He scoffed. “Stop playing dead. Just medical advice. Get a family member here now. You need surgery. I need to go over the options with them.” “And don’t look at me for support. We’re divorced.” I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Seriously, Julian? Three years and you’re still this full of yourself? I’d pick literally anyone over a washed-up has-been like you.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I didn’t even get to see his face turn purple. I passed out from the pain. Appendicitis isn’t a disease, but man, it feels like it’s killing you. 2 When I woke up, I was in a hospital room. Vague voices floated into my ears. “We still haven’t reached her family. Poor thing. Doesn’t look old, probably married, right? She’s got a ring, but where’s the husband?” “Who knows? Even if she has no family, what about friends? Not a single visitor. Must be a lonely life.” “Hey, I saw Dr. Vance handled her admission himself. Seemed kinda personal. Maybe she’s stalking him? I heard him asking about her husband…” “Shh! Don’t be ridiculous. Dr. Vance? With her? His girlfriend is that rich girl with class. His first love. They’re solid. Don’t drag him down with just anyone.” I couldn’t take it anymore. They weren’t whispering. They were broadcasting right next to my ear. Just as I was about to say something, I heard Julian’s voice. “Don’t discuss patients in the ward.” Great. So you were there the whole time. Listened to the whole thing, let them trash me to boost your ego, huh? Divorced, and he’s still dating that trust-fund “first love”? Makes sense. He fought so hard for the divorce just to be with his “white moonlight.” Thinking back to that rainy night, seeing them entangled in the doorway… makes me want to puke. Julian walked to my bedside, tone flat. “If you’re worried about your family seeing me and getting the wrong idea, I can step out. There are other doctors on rotation. As long as…” Suddenly, a man rushed into the room, gasping for air. Dressed like a hypebeast, mask and cap on. You’d think a celebrity just walked in. He instantly grabbed everyone’s attention. “No need, doc. I’m family. Can you brief me on my wife’s condition?” Julian turned, saw the guy. Then whipped back to glare at me. “You remarried? This guy is really your husband?” I paused, tilting my head. “Family, I guess. We had a beach wedding.” The masked man walked up to me. Smiling eyes, like peach blossoms. He looked Julian up and down. Then, shockingly, extended a hand. “Hi, Dr. Vance. I’m her husband, Leo Starling. You can discuss the surgery with me.” Julian sized up the man who was just as tall as him. Even with the mask, the eyes were stunning. Clearly a looker. Julian’s voice turned colder. “You sure you’re the husband? She came alone yesterday, passed out cold. You weren’t exactly by her side.” Before Leo could reply, I jumped in. “He’s busy. Packed schedule. I didn’t tell him.” Julian’s mouth tightened, face darkening. “What kind of job is so busy he can’t care about his wife’s health?” “Your taste in men is getting worse.” I cut him off. “Dr. Vance, aren’t you crossing a line? We’re just doctor and patient.” Next second, my hand was gripped tight. Leo pulled down his mask. A top-tier handsome face leaned in close. “Aw, babe, don’t be mad. It’s my fault.” “I called you all night. Just finished my concert and caught the red-eye back.” “Don’t fight with the doctor. If he scolds me, fine. If he scolds me, he can’t scold you.” The tea was piping hot. Julian looked like he swallowed a lemon. The nurses nearly screamed. “It’s really Leo Starling! OMG! I watched his music show! He’s even hotter in person! I love his new song! I heard he was married, didn’t know it was true! His wife is right here!” The chatter in the ward was getting louder. Julian took a deep breath. Glared at me. “Family members cannot disturb the patient’s rest.” Leo didn’t even look up. “Then get my wife a VIP suite.” Julian: “No beds.” Leo narrowed his eyes: “Then we transfer.” Julian gritted his teeth: “She needs surgery immediately.” Sparks were flying. Even the nurse noticed the weird vibe. “Dr. Vance, you seem really invested in this patient. Are you friends?” “No.” Julian denied it instantly. 3 Hearing that, Leo slowly turned his head. Tears welled up in those pretty eyes. “Boohoo, wifey, do you have a terrible disease? Trying to hide it and break up with me? I won’t allow it! We have money! We can cure anything!” “No! We’ll go abroad! If we can’t cure it, I’ll die with you!” Seeing him script a whole K-drama in his head, I pushed his face away. “Fix your brain first. It’s appendicitis.” Tears still in his eyes, he threw himself on me, hugging me tight. “Just appendicitis? Bad appendix! Nasty appendix! We’re not playing with it anymore!” I winced in pain and pinched his side. “Leo, stop acting like a moron or get out!” Leo had his fun. The nurses were suppressing squeals. “Ahhh, he’s so cute! He’s even hotter than Dr. Vance! They’re so in love!” Dr. Vance stared at Leo’s hands on me. His gaze turned icy. He dropped a stiff sentence. “Come to my office later. I’ll explain the afternoon surgery.” As soon as Julian left, Leo whispered in my ear with a smirk. “Ex-hubby got mad and ran away.” I rolled my eyes. “So? You better stop groping me.” I moved his hand off my waist. Leo sat on the stool, looking pathetic, peeling an apple for me. “Can’t a husband touch his wife?” I rolled my eyes at him again. Whispering a correction: “Technically, we just have a contract.” Leo’s starry eyes shimmered. Like he was about to cry again. “Oh. So you’ve always just seen me as a Contract Beast, not a man?” 4 I looked at him, headache brewing. My Contract Beast No. 1, Leo Starling. Current human identity: A pop idol who debuted three years ago. Got famous for his voice and skills, but exploded because of that face. In this world, Beastkin and humans coexist. But normal people don’t know. Only a few researchers do. My family has a secret. If a woman reaches adulthood without a partner, the family assigns her three Contract Beasts. In plain English— If you’re 25 and single, the family forces three hot Beastkin dudes on you. They look human, have human identities. But they can only bond with you. It starts as a Servant Contract. If you choose one, it becomes a Lover Contract. Naturally, all the males want the Lover Contract. Servants can’t control their own lives. Lovers… well, if the human dies, they die too. It’s romantic like that. Leo was assigned to me three years ago, right after I divorced Julian. I knew the family’s game. He’s still a servant, trying to charm his way into a promotion. I forced a smile and pinched his cheek. “Idols dating? Shouldn’t you just retire? Where’s your professional integrity?” “I’m a singer, not a face model. My agency doesn’t ban dating. Besides, if you give me the Lover Contract, I’ll quit everything. Stay home, raise the kids.” Leo said it casually, but his tone was dead serious. I avoided his gaze. Coughing twice. “Thirsty. Water, please.” Leo trotted off happily. Nurses kept peeking in. Worried about paparazzi and crazy fan girls, I asked Julian for a private room. Being surrounded by hemorrhoid patients wasn’t ideal. Julian rejected it cold. “No private rooms. Stay or transfer.” “Forgot to mention, surgery is at 1 PM.” Great. 100% holding a grudge. Petty ex. Allowed to date his rich girl, but I can’t have a pop star? If the other two show up, will he explode? Leo insisted on waiting until my surgery was done. His assistant was blowing up his phone. He had a show to film tonight. Julian was the lead surgeon. Blue mask, surgical cap. Just those handsome eyes showing. Right before anesthesia, he “casually” chatted. “Is he good to you?” Silence in the OR. He continued, pretending not to care. “With his job, he must be busy. Can he eat with you every Friday? Watch a movie every week?” My mouth twitched. “Do I have to answer, Doc?” Julian’s amber eyes dimmed. “Just chatting. Want coconut chicken later?” I almost lost it. Dude, I’m getting my appendix out. You’re talking about men and chicken? I wanted to ask if he got possessed after the divorce. Next second, the drugs hit. Lights out. Vaguely, I remembered what he meant. I chased Julian five years ago. He was an intern. used every trick in the book to get his WeChat. Chased him for three months. Made him my boyfriend. Married him two years later. He was busy. But every week, we had date night. Dinner, walk, movie. He’d hold me when I fell asleep halfway through. How long did the happy days last? Less than a year and a half… We started fighting. Why? I forgot. I just remember… Julian didn’t love me. There was always his “first love” between us. 5 Wheeled out of surgery. Leo wasn’t on his phone. He was right there, looking worried. Rushed over to hold my hand. Julian blocked him. Anesthesia was wearing off. I cracked an eye open. Leo didn’t get mad. Just sighed. “Moon, get well soon. I have a show to film. Can’t stay. Didn’t hire a nurse… guessing the others got the news. You won’t lack care.” He meant the other two beasts. Before leaving, Leo patted Julian’s shoulder. Julian looked exhausted. “Tough break, Ex-Hubby. But you gotta get in line. Way back.” Julian looked weirded out. Leo strutted off. His manager had already bribed everyone in the ward to keep quiet. Julian looked grim. Tucked me in. “How did you fall for a guy like that? Do you only look at faces? Do you know his character? Is he considerate?” “You seem very concerned about my taste in men. Jealous?” I asked weakly. Julian looked at me. Nurse staring nearby. He feigned indifference. “You can’t be alone. Need a caregiver until the catheter is out. Want to hire one? I’m… free these next two days…” Knock on the door. A pretty woman in a Chanel suit stood there. Pale face. “Julian! I couldn’t reach you. My friend felt sick while we were shopping for wedding favors. Can you check her?” She walked in. Saw me lying there, half-dead. Eyebrows raised. Smile froze. Nurse gasped. “It’s Ms. Gold! Dr. Vance’s fiancée! They’re wedding prepping!” “Did she hear something? I heard she keeps him on a tight leash.” “I heard Dr. Vance is divorced. His ex-wife took a payout and left. Dumped him for money.” The gossip was getting wild. Ms. Gold covered her mouth in fake shock. “Is that Luna Lin? Are you sick? Did Julian operate on you? Where’s your family? No one here?” She walked over, grabbing my hand with fake sympathy. “You should have said something! I would’ve told Julian to take extra care of you. He’s a Chief now. Even if you’re divorced, we can be friends, right?” Fake smile. Loud voice. Making sure everyone heard. Julian frowned, pulling her away. “Leave the room. Take your friend to my office. I’ll be there after rounds.” She nodded, playing the victim. “Okay, okay. I won’t disturb your work. Just business, I know.” Emphasizing “business.” Implying his care for me was just professional obligation. I was too tired for this. “Whatever. If you really care, wire me twenty grand.” Ms. Gold froze. Julian almost laughed. Suddenly, the door burst open. A team of professional caregivers marched in. Behind them, a man in a custom suit. Sharp features, mixed race, handsome in a cold, aristocratic way. Different league entirely. I closed my eyes. Damon Cross. Contract Beast No. 2. Identity: Heir to a conglomerate. Controls half the city’s economy. Walking romance novel trope. I swear, my family breeds these guys based on Wattpad tags.

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1 My fiancée was pregnant with her male colleague’s child. And she was due any day now. She walked through the door after a business trip, her belly swollen and round, just as I was putting the finishing touches on our new home. My voice was a raw tear in the quiet room as I demanded an explanation. She looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. “He was just a sperm donor, Ethan. When it comes to you, my conscience is clear.” Then, before I could even process the words, she left with that same colleague to go pick out a Children’s Day gift for the baby. I immediately sent a message to the family group chat: The wedding is off. But everyone, absolutely everyone, thought I was overreacting. Dia’s mother, Helen, texted me, her tone patient and condescending: Dia is beautiful and highly educated. Genes like that should be passed on. Think of it as a contribution to the world. Her father, Mark, was more blunt: She didn’t cheat on you. Why are you making a federal case out of it? My own father nearly had a heart attack. You stubborn fool! Do you know what a perfect match this is? You’re throwing it all away? My mother was sobbing over the phone. If you call this off, no one will ever marry you! “Then I’ll never get married!” I yelled back, my eyes burning. But a moment later, a message from someone else lit up my screen: So, Ethan. When do I get my promotion? … That evening, Dia came in, gently supported by the arm of her colleague, Leo. They were carrying a massive box overflowing with toys for their unborn child. They exchanged a look, their faces glowing with the shared joy of impending parenthood. When he saw me, Leo smiled and held out a small, gift-wrapped box. “Ethan, I picked this out especially for you. I didn’t realize how much this was bothering you… Please, accept this as my apology.” I didn’t even look at it. I swept it from his hand and tossed it directly into the trash can. Leo’s smile froze. Tears welled in his eyes and began to stream down his face. “Ethan… I… I’m so sorry.” He choked on a sob and hid behind Dia. Dia immediately stepped in front of him, a shield against my anger. She looked at me with weary exasperation. “Ethan, don’t be like this.” “Leo was just participating in a company initiative to donate superior genetic material. Besides, his mother has lung cancer, and her dying wish is to see a grandchild… and I happened to want a child as exceptional as he is.” “We’re just colleagues. That’s all.” “Colleagues?” My voice shook. “Do colleagues text each other ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ every single day? Do colleagues share a private music playlist? Do colleagues take the fall for each other at work dinners and then go miles out of the way to drive each other home?” She pinched the bridge of her nose, exhausted. “Here we go again. I’ve explained all of this. You’re the one who’s always so paranoid, always overthinking things.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Her explanations were pathetic. Normal office chatter. A senior just looking out for a junior. They were full of holes, but I had chosen to believe them, again and again. Five years. I couldn’t let five years of my life end like this. Gritting my teeth, I pointed at her belly, pushing her. “Fine. Let’s say I’m overthinking it. Let’s say I’ve misunderstood everything.” “Get rid of the child. Then I’ll pretend none of this ever happened, and the wedding will go on as planned.” “No way!” Dia’s voice shot up, sharp and furious, before she visibly reined it in. “The child is Leo’s. I don’t have the right to decide its fate.” Leo’s face went chalk-white. He dropped to his knees in front of me with a soft thud. His hands protectively cradled Dia’s stomach, his voice thick with tears. “Ethan, there’s nothing going on between Dia and me. The baby… he’s eight months old. I can feel him kicking my hand right now. I can’t… I can’t…” He wept uncontrollably, his whole body trembling. Dia’s face was a mask of conflict. After a few agonizing seconds, her resolve crumbled. She helped him to his feet, a tired, defeated smile on her face. “Ethan, asking me to get rid of the baby now… that’s like asking me to rip out his heart.” I stared at her, a cold smirk twisting my lips. “What’s the matter? Does it hurt to see him so upset?” Dia flinched, her expression turning to one of pain. “I never thought you could be so cruel. If this is your condition for marriage, then we’re clearly not meant to be… Let’s break up.” “Ethan, Dia is innocent! Don’t take your anger out on her!” Leo suddenly wailed. “Blame me! I can’t bear to lose the baby… but I’ll prove our innocence with my life!” Before the words were even out of his mouth, he bolted for the balcony, making a show of climbing over the railing. My heart leaped into my throat. I lunged forward. But Dia was faster, scrambling after him in a panic. Before either of us could reach him, Leo collapsed onto the floor, sobbing so hard he could barely breathe. Dia threw her arms around him, her own body shaking. After a long moment, she looked up, her eyes like chips of ice fixed on me. “Ethan! Your baseless accusations almost killed Leo!” She looked at me as if I were a stranger. “Leo’s mother is dying! Are you trying to kill him, too? You can stand there and watch, cold and unmoved, but I can’t.” Her voice trembled with rage. Gently, she helped Leo to his feet and turned to face me. “Get out of the way,” she commanded. I was frozen. “I didn’t mean…” “Leo… the baby… I think he’s coming,” Dia suddenly gasped, her eyes rolling back as she fainted. “Dia!” Leo’s face was a deathly white. He shoved me aside with surprising force, scooped Dia into his arms, and sprinted out the door. I stumbled and fell to the floor, biting my lip so hard I could taste blood, but it did nothing to stop the icy chill spreading through my chest. I stared at the ceiling until dawn. Finally, my phone lit up. It was a message from Dia. I was just panicked last night. I said some things I didn’t mean. Ethan, I’m sorry. A bitter sting filled my nose, and tears flooded my eyes. For years, she was always the first to apologize after a fight, and I’d always let her have the easy way out. But this was different. This was a line I could never uncross. Before I could reply, another message came through. It was a photo of her with a newborn baby. She was cradling the tiny infant, her gaze soft and filled with a tenderness I had never seen. I went into labor early. Natural birth, but the baby is healthy. He looks just like Leo. I have to stay in the hospital for three days. Let’s just postpone the wedding by a week. I can’t deal with it right now. Every single word was a needle in my heart. Numbly, I stood up and began to tear down the wedding decorations. I took a pair of scissors and shredded her wedding dress into ribbons. My hands shook as I packed my bags. Just as I zipped my suitcase shut, Dia’s mother, Helen, walked in, her face beaming. “Dia asked me to bring her some clothes at the hospital. And of course, this new grandma is dying to meet her granddaughter.” When I didn’t respond, she linked her arm through mine affectionately. “Ethan, dear, I know Dia was wrong not to tell you. It was embarrassing for you. But at the end of the day, it’s not like she committed a mortal sin, right?” “I know how much you two love each other. You can’t let a little thing like this break you up. What you said in the group chat was just said in anger. Let’s forget all about it.” “Come on. Come to the hospital with me. Give Dia a chance to make it right, and we can put this all behind us.” I let her pull me along like a zombie. The next thing I knew, I was standing outside a hospital room. Leo was asleep on a cot, his pale face streaked with tears. The birth had clearly taken a lot out of him. Dia was holding the baby, humming a soft lullaby. Dia’s father, Mark, was actually smiling. “Dia’s a flight attendant. Let’s name the baby Skylar. She can carry on the legacy!” “Don’t be ridiculous,” Helen chided. “You can’t give a girl a name like that.” She reached for the baby, eager to hold her. Dia turned away. “Mom, you don’t know how to hold her. You’ll hurt her.” Her eyes caught sight of me, and she lit up. “Ethan, come see her! Look at her tiny hands and feet. Isn’t she adorable?” She leaned down to kiss the baby, then stopped abruptly, looking flustered like a child caught doing something wrong. “Oh, no, no. Mommy can’t give you her germs.” I’d never seen this playful, clumsy side of her before. This was her as a new mother: awkward and overflowing with love. She was desperate to show her joy to the world, but I was the one person who shouldn’t have been included in it. I forced a stiff smile and turned to leave. But Dia grabbed my arm, carefully holding the baby out for me to see. “Ethan, look. Her nose and her mouth… aren’t they the spitting image of Leo?” I glanced down. The tiny face was indeed a perfect miniature of Leo’s. The resemblance was a physical pain, a sharp jab to my eyes. A lump formed in my throat. I coldly pushed the swaddled infant away. Looking at Dia’s expectant face, I refused to give her the reaction she wanted. “Get it away from me. It’s ugly. I can’t stand looking at it.” The baby let out a piercing wail. Dia’s expression instantly turned to ice as she soothed the crying child. Helen’s glare was like a knife. “You’re the ugly one here!” Mark pointed to the door. “You’re not welcome. Get out!” I didn’t even realize Leo had woken up. “Ethan…” He looked pleadingly at Dia’s parents. “I’d like to speak with Ethan alone for a moment.” Once the door was closed, Leo’s face was a mask of apology. “Ethan, I don’t want to break you and Dia up. She really loves you. The truth is… that night, Dia was drunk, and we…” A roar filled my ears. “It wasn’t a donation?” He looked away. “Dia wanted to keep it from you. She was afraid you’d be upset.” “By the time she found out she was pregnant, it was already three months along. She was furious, said she was going to get rid of it. But my mother’s condition was getting worse, and she just wanted to know my line would continue. Dia felt sorry for me, so she agreed to keep the baby.” “So why are you telling me now?” I stared at him, my voice flat. “Why not just lie to me forever?” He clearly hadn’t expected me to call his bluff. His expression shifted, and he fell silent. I laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “Well, Dia and I have broken up now. Your child has been born. The three of you can live happily ever after. What else could you possibly want?” His expression twisted, a strange, triumphant smile playing on his lips. The next second, he deliberately rolled off the cot and fell to the floor with a heavy thud. He immediately started screaming in terror. “Ethan, I know I was wrong! Please, don’t hit me!” I was completely stunned. Before I could even react, I was violently yanked backward. CRACK! A searing pain exploded across my cheek. I tasted blood. Mark’s face was purple with rage as he pointed a trembling finger at me. “You bastard! You think you can start a riot in a hospital?” He raised his hand to hit me again, but Dia stopped him. “Dad, he’s my fiancé. I’ll handle this.” She led me into the hallway and gently applied an ice pack to my swollen face. I stared at the floor, mumbling, “I didn’t push him…” “Mm,” was all she said. No anger, no questions. I knew her too well. That silence was the loudest denial. If she believed me, she would have fought for me. If she didn’t, she said nothing. But if she didn’t believe me, why was she being so gentle? Tears escaped my eyes, falling onto the back of her hand. She flinched as if burned and snatched her hand away. She stood up. “If you’re just going to stay here and upset Leo and the baby, you should go home.” I grabbed the hem of her shirt, my voice cracking. “Just believe me this one time. Please?” She sighed, a deep, shuddering sound, and pried my fingers off her shirt, one by one. It was the gesture of someone who had given up completely. “Ethan, I can overlook what you’ve done. That’s how much I love you. But the least you could do is be honest with me.” A familiar ringtone shattered the silence—the sickly-sweet pop song she’d set as Leo’s custom ringer. How much further must I go to reach your heart… How much longer ‘til I can be close to you… I’d once asked her, “Isn’t it a little inappropriate to have a custom ringtone for a male colleague?” She had looked at me, bewildered. “Leo likes the song. It was nothing. Don’t overthink it.” I watched as she answered the call and walked away without a backward glance. I sat on the bench, my face throbbing, and started to laugh and cry at the same time, like a man who’d just been given a terminal diagnosis. She wanted honesty? Had she ever been honest with me? I went back to our apartment to get my suitcase. I was about to head to my parents’ place when a video call from them came through. My father was clutching his chest, his finger shaking as he pointed at the screen. “The Andersons just told us you went on a rampage at the hospital and attacked Leo while he was looking after Dia! What the hell is wrong with you? The hospital director is a friend of mine! He messaged the group chat asking what’s going on! You’ve completely humiliated our family!” He started gasping for breath, and my mother rushed to give him his medication. She turned to glare at me. “Dia explained everything. She and that young man are just colleagues. Why do you have to push them together like this?” She noticed the bruise on my face and sneered. “Serves you right.” “What did I do wrong?” I took a deep, shuddering breath, my voice hoarse. “Why do you believe them over me?” “Believe what? You haven’t said anything!” they yelled in unison. Looking at their unforgiving faces, all the fight went out of me. “Forget it.” I hung up before they could see my tears. I couldn’t bear to hear them say it again: Is crying all you know how to do? In that moment, I had nowhere to go. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Clara. So, Ethan. When do I get my promotion? Now. I typed it without a second thought. Clara had been a hopeless case in high school, always at the bottom of the class. Then, in our senior year, she transformed, studying relentlessly to get into the same university as me. What followed were years of her chasing me. A hundred confessions, a hundred rejections. Who would want to date a slacker who seemed proud of her bad grades? It didn’t matter that she was beautiful enough to stop your heart. After graduation, Dia and I got together. Clara moved to Switzerland to study, but the messages never stopped. Daily check-ins, little stories about her life, and the recurring question every few days: When do I get my promotion? I never replied, but she was like a tireless machine, never giving up. Thinking of this, I sent another message. We get married in three days. You’re the bride. You want the job or not? BANG! The apartment door was kicked open. Dia stood there, her face a thundercloud, her eyes locked on me. “Ethan! What the hell did you do to my clothes?” “What—” “Shut up!” She lunged at me, grabbing my wrist and slamming me against the wall. I had never seen her like this. Her eyes were bloodshot, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “I held the baby wearing the pajamas you brought me. Within ten minutes, she broke out in a full-body rash and went into respiratory failure! She’s in the ICU right now!” “She’s a newborn baby, Ethan! You give me a goddamn explanation!” “I didn’t do anything!” My wrist ached in her iron grip. I struggled. “Let go of—” Her hand flew toward my face. I instinctively flinched, turning my head. There was a sickening crunch as her fist slammed into the wall right beside my ear. When I opened my eyes, I saw blood trickling from her knuckles. My voice shook. “Dia… were you… were you really going to hit me?” She seemed to snap out of her rage, her grip loosening. She pulled me into a hug, her voice frantic. “Ethan, I… I panicked. I’m so sorry.” “I told you, I can forgive you for anything. But this time you’ve gone too far. Leo is a mess, he keeps saying he wants to die with the baby. Please, just go to him, get on your knees, and apologize. Will you do that?” A hot tear splashed onto my neck. “Just do it for me. I promise you, if you just apologize, we can still get married.” This was the woman who didn’t shed a tear when she broke three ribs in flight training. Now, she was crying. A woman only cries when she has a weakness. Leo and the baby were her weakness. I looked at her trembling shoulders and smiled. “Fine. I’ll go apologize.” She let out a breath, visibly relieved. “Let’s go to the hospital now.” She reached for my hand. I pulled away, my face a blank mask. “I can walk on my own.” “Okay,” she nodded, then added anxiously, “Hurry. I’m worried Leo is going to have a breakdown…” We had just reached the ICU waiting area when Leo fell to his knees, clutching my legs. “Ethan, please, you can take my life, just let the baby be okay.” He was sobbing hysterically. I was so tired of the act I could have laughed. I tried to pull him up. “Stop the performance. I should be the one kneeling. I’m begging you, your highness, to let me go. I don’t want Dia anymore. She’s all yours.” He looked up, a flash of triumph in his eyes before it was replaced by terror. “No, that’s not it. Dia will always be yours. I would never dare… I just want to live a quiet life with my baby.” “Get up!” I had lost all patience. He grabbed my hand. I yanked it away in disgust. He used the momentum to fall backward, his head hitting the linoleum with a loud crack. He let out a piercing shriek. “That’s enough!” Dia rushed over to help him up, looking at me like I was a monster. “Ethan, if you don’t want to apologize, then don’t come here! Leo has been up all night, he hasn’t eaten or slept. Our baby is fighting for her life, and you have the nerve to bully him?” I looked down, at a complete loss for words. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t believe me anyway, would she? After a long silence, Dia laughed, a bitter, self-mocking sound. “Then again, what am I expecting? I saw you hurt him and the baby with my own eyes, time and time again. Just go home. You’re only making things worse here.” “The baby’s parents, I need to speak with you!” a doctor called out. Without a backward glance, Dia led Leo toward the doctor. The doctor shot me a disapproving look. “Bystanders, please keep the noise down.” That’s right. They were the parents. I was just a bystander. A superfluous extra. Twice in one day, I had come to this hospital only to humiliate myself. In their eyes, I must seem like a vicious, unhinged maniac. All the strength drained out of me. I staggered backward, right into a warm, steady embrace. Clara held me, her voice trembling with excitement. “So, Ethan. Is the promotion effective immediately?”

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