Category: English

Everyone in NYC knew Jaxson Reed, the Reed family heir, was head-over-heels for me. He’d shamelessly flaunt our relationship, talking about starting a huge family with me, and every time he did, I’d blush fiercely. To make his dreams come true, after every intimate moment, I’d secretly spend half an hour trying every old wives’ tale in the book. That was until a few days ago. Jaxson had too much to drink at a party. When I went to pick him up, one of his buddies, clearly wasted, pointed at me and slurred, “You, and Jaxson’s ex, and his ex before that—you’re all just stand-ins for his first love.” It turns out Jaxson and Seraphina Thorne were high school sweethearts. The year he loved her most, Seraphina broke up with him and moved abroad without a second thought. He got lost in the past, becoming a playboy, dating one girlfriend after another. And every single one of them, including me, carried Seraphina’s shadow. Even his refusal to inherit the family business after graduation, opting to be a race car driver instead, was because of something Seraphina had said years ago: “Race car drivers are so hot! My future husband *has* to be a race car driver.” Six years of my youth, six years of my genuine heart, all just a cruel illusion. In that moment, I made the decision to return home and accept a family arrangement. I was done with Jaxson. I wouldn’t, *couldn’t*, love him anymore. My soft voice cut through the silent night, clearer than I expected. “Liam, I’ve agreed to the family arrangement.” My brother, Liam Parker, on the other end of the line, finally breathed a sigh of relief. “So you’re finally ready to break up with that boyfriend of yours? After all these years, he wouldn’t even come home to meet Mom and Dad. I always knew you two wouldn’t last.” Hearing his confident tone, I lowered my eyes and mumbled a quiet agreement. “I was wrong before. I’ll wrap things up here as soon as possible. You can handle the wedding arrangements; just give me half a month.” “Don’t worry about the wedding, we’ll take care of everything. You just need to be back in time. This time, Mom, Dad, and I carefully selected your partner. He comes from a good family, has a great personality, and he’s handsome. He’ll definitely impress you.” “Oh, and when you come back for the wedding, remember to invite someone for me. My best buddy, Jaxson Reed. You lived with him for a while when you went to college in NYC, didn’t you? He took good care of you back then, so make sure to invite him to the wedding.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. After a long silence, I finally whispered, “He can’t make it.” Before I finished speaking, the door swung open. With a quick flick of my wrist, I hung up the phone and looked up at Jaxson, who had just returned. He raised an eyebrow, a cocky, arrogant grin spreading across his face. “I can’t make it? Can’t make it where?” *My wedding.* I answered him in my head. But on the surface, I remained calm, seemingly unaffected by anything. My voice was flat. “Nothing.” Jaxson didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, casually unbuttoning his black shirt. “Just talking to your brother?” I hummed in response, getting up to go to the bedroom, but he pulled my hand, circling me into his embrace. His hot breath brushed against my ear, and an electric tension sparked between us. “So, did you tell him what we are?” I managed a small laugh, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Didn’t you want to keep it a secret?” “Not that I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t. Knowing your brother, if he found out his best friend was dating his precious sister, he’d probably fly to NYC tonight and beat me to a pulp.” Listening to his joking tone, my eyelashes trembled slightly, but my voice remained calm. “So, in your heart, am I your girlfriend?” Jaxson raised an eyebrow, surprised by my sudden question. “Not my girlfriend? We’ve lived together for six years! Not my girlfriend? I come home and immediately hug you? Not my girlfriend, and I do *this* to you?” As he spoke, his warm lips brushed against my neck. My body tensed instantly, and I quickly turned my head, dodging his kiss. “I… I don’t feel well today.” Jaxson mistook my discomfort for shyness and chuckled. “My little girlfriend, we’ve been together so long, why are you still so shy?” He ruffled my hair, then turned and headed to the bathroom. Listening to his receding footsteps, I finally repeated the question to myself. *Girlfriend?* *Shouldn’t it be… stand-in?* I first met Jaxson eight years ago. He and Liam were college roommates, and because they were close, Liam would occasionally bring him home to play video games. It was puppy love at first sight; I instantly fell for the cool, lazy, devastatingly handsome older brother. Later, I graduated high school, and Jaxson also graduated and returned to his hometown in NYC. Longing to be near him, I defied my family’s objections and secretly applied to a university in his city. Because I was pretty and had been harassed by bad boys in high school, Liam didn’t feel safe leaving me alone in a new city. He entrusted me to Jaxson, his best friend, and arranged for me to stay in his apartment. At first, we didn’t have much interaction. I was busy with school, and Jaxson was busy with racing, and busy with dating—he changed girlfriends almost every three days. That was until my sophomore year, when Jaxson came home completely drunk. I stumbled around, trying my best to take care of him. Late that night, looking at him seemingly asleep on the couch, I was overcome by an impulse. I reached out, wanting to smooth away the frown lines on his face. The moment my skin touched his, his tightly closed eyes suddenly opened. Jaxson lazily lifted his eyelids, his voice low and magnetic. “You like me?” Caught off guard, my face flushed, and I sprang to my feet. “N-no…” He smiled languidly. “Don’t like me? Then why does your face get so red every time you see me, little sister?” I hadn’t realized he knew about my stolen glances. Before I could figure out what to do, he chuckled, cupped the back of my head, and pressed a light kiss on my lips. I melted into that tender, lingering kiss, utterly lost. After that passionate night, my once-peaceful life changed dramatically. Jaxson, who had been a wandering spirit, seemed to settle down, focusing solely on our relationship. I repeatedly refused my parents’ and Liam’s demands for me to return home for an arranged marriage, stubbornly staying in NYC, by his side. Every time, Liam would ask me, “Who’s in NYC that makes you stay there for six years and never come back?” Each time, I wanted to reveal my relationship with Jaxson, to tell everyone that I was dating my brother’s best friend. But Jaxson always stopped me. I never understood why, until now. It was because I was merely a stand-in for his first love. He didn’t love me at all. The next day, my biological clock woke me up at seven sharp. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Jaxson tidying his shirt in front of the mirror. His routine was usually reversed; seeing him up this early was a first in my memory. Hearing my footsteps, he turned to me and asked, “How do I look, little sis? Handsome today?” He was a natural model; even a simple black shirt usually looked great on him. Today, he’d made a special effort, and he was undeniably handsome, capable of charming any girl with just a lazy glance. I didn’t know why he was suddenly so concerned about his appearance. Normally, my heart would pound, but now I just calmly nodded. “Yeah, very handsome.” Jaxson didn’t notice my odd behavior. He curved his lips. “I have a party today. Be a good girl and stay home. I’ll bring you dessert when I get back.” With that, he turned and left. After his retreating figure disappeared, I went to pour myself a glass of water, noticing his phone left on the table. As I picked it up, I accidentally hit the power button. The screen lit up, revealing a new message. From someone saved as “Sera.” “Jax, it’s been eight years. I’m really looking forward to the party today. Are you?” My steps faltered at the sight of the message. So, his first love was back in town today. No wonder he was up so early, dressed so meticulously, with a noticeable glow about him. The next second, the front door swung open. Jaxson, who had turned back midway, suddenly returned to grab his phone. Before leaving, he glanced at the screen’s content, his steps pausing slightly, and he couldn’t help but look at me, who was eating breakfast. “Did you just look at my phone?” I looked up, my gaze calm. “No, why?” He finally smiled, as if relieved, said “Nothing,” and left again. This was the first time I felt I couldn’t read him. His heart was clearly with his first love; all his girlfriends were stand-ins for Seraphina. Logically, he shouldn’t care if I discovered the truth. So why did he care if I found out? Was he afraid of losing me? I didn’t want to delude myself into thinking he still harbored any love for me. Besides, I knew the loss was already a done deal. After breakfast, I sat down at my computer and opened my drawing software. I’m a graphic novelist, and with the wedding coming up, I probably wouldn’t be able to work for a long time. While I still had free time, I planned to finish all my remaining drafts. After a morning of work, I packed up half a day’s worth of progress and sent it to my editor, then had lunch. In the afternoon, taking advantage of the nice weather, I started decluttering. Couple’s mugs, keychains, scarves, jackets… I’d bought them little by little over the years, filling a large box. Every time I saw these items, I remembered the helpless look on Jaxson’s face when I’d gotten something new and insisted he wear or use it. “These are all just little girl’s trinkets. Do you really want your Jax to wear these out and be laughed at by his buddies?” Remembering those words, I dragged the box downstairs and tossed everything, box and all, into the trash bin. *Now it’s better. No one will laugh anymore.* Done with the swift disposal, I was about to go back inside when I turned around and bumped into a cool, firm embrace. Jaxson, who had returned without my knowing, put one arm around my shoulder and used the other to brush away my sweat-soaked bangs. “What did you throw away? Why are you all sweaty?” “Just useless trash.” I gave a casual excuse, and Jaxson didn’t suspect a thing. He pulled me upstairs. The moment the elevator doors opened, the sanitation truck rumbled by. Watching the box of items being taken away, I finally averted my gaze. *Trash. What kind of trash was that? Anyone who looked closely would have noticed, but he didn’t ask anything. It was only because he didn’t care.* A flicker of self-mockery crossed my eyes. My peripheral vision caught the unwavering smile on his face, and I paused. Jaxson had a pair of incredibly captivating eyes, and when he smiled, it was impossible to look away. Perhaps knowing this, he usually had a smile on his face. Others might think he was good-natured, but only I knew that his smile was superficial; it never reached his eyes. But today, all day long, when he smiled, his eyes held genuine happiness. Seeing Seraphina must have made him truly happy. As soon as we walked in, Jaxson noticed how empty the apartment felt. He looked around, a surprised expression on his face. “Did we get robbed? Why does it feel like so many things are missing? Where are the mugs? The throw pillows are gone too?” I was about to answer, but Jaxson’s phone buzzed several times. He glanced at the messages, quickly forgot about it, and walked into the study. Before closing the door, he instructed, “Hazel, I have something to do. You go to bed first, don’t wait up for me.” I didn’t ask anything and went to my bedroom alone. The clock on the wall struck midnight. My phone, tucked under my pillow, vibrated wildly. “Happy Birthday, Hazel!” “Happy 23rd Birthday, baby Hazel! Remember to eat cake!” Scrolling down, it was a stream of birthday wishes. My dad, mom, Liam, friends, classmates—everyone, even those thousands of miles away, had sent their blessings. Everyone except my boyfriend, who was just a few feet away, and seemed to have completely forgotten. *Because he had more important things to do.* I closed the half-watched movie on my laptop and clicked the constantly popping-up SnapChat icon in the bottom right corner. It was Jaxson chatting with Seraphina. He didn’t know his SnapChat was logged in on the laptop, and I could see all their conversations. I watched as they talked, from the past to the present, and then about the future. In the long, dense stream of messages, Jaxson never once mentioned me. *Of course. After all, I was just a stand-in, a mere comfort. Why would he mention me?* I watched the constantly refreshing dialogue and pressed the power-off button. I had no dreams that night. The next morning, I was woken by the doorbell. I rubbed my eyes as I walked into the living room and saw Jaxson, who had woken up at some point, holding a bouquet of flowers and a birthday cake. “Hazel, did you order a cake? Why the sudden craving?” A few seconds of silence filled the room before I spoke softly. “It’s my birthday. My friends probably had it delivered.” Jaxson froze. He instinctively looked at the wall calendar and realized it was July 12th. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. He quickly put down the items and gently guided me back to the bedroom. “It’s your birthday today. Let’s go out on a date. What do you want to eat?” “No need. Let’s just celebrate at home.” I declined his suggestion. But Jaxson insisted we go out to celebrate, even pulling a dress from the closet and handing it to me. I couldn’t argue with him, so I washed up and went out with him. We went to our favorite restaurant for brunch, then watched the latest movie, and browsed around the mall. In the middle of it, I went to the restroom. When I came back, I saw him on the phone, asking someone at home to order a very expensive necklace. It was the same necklace I’d seen in a magazine half a month ago and instantly fallen in love with. Watching his eager expression, a storm of emotions brewed inside me. I didn’t quite understand what was going on in his head. He remembered a necklace I’d only glanced at, yet he completely forgot my most important birthday. Couldn’t he tell what truly mattered? On second thought, he probably could. Before Seraphina returned, he used me, his stand-in, as a substitute for his affection, paying attention to me in every way. But after Seraphina’s return, all his attention shifted to her. So, anything related to me was simply forgotten. I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for the rest of the morning, finding little interest in anything. Jaxson noticed my distraction and ruffled my hair. “Little birthday girl, why do you seem unhappy? Aren’t you satisfied with my plans today?” Now that I thought about it, he always loved to ruffle my hair. Subconsciously, he probably always treated me more like a sister than a lover. I shook my head, about to say I was tired and wanted to go home, but Jaxson hailed a car and gave the driver the address of a mountain retreat. Seeing my surprised look, he raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you always said you wanted to meet my friends? Everyone’s free today. I’ll take you to meet them. Will that make you happier?” This unexpected change of plans left me slightly stunned. In the past, Jaxson was unwilling to meet my family or friends, so I thought I’d try to meet his. But each time, he’d come up with various excuses to refuse. Over time, I stopped bringing it up. Now that I was about to leave NYC, he wanted to take me, probably out of a flicker of guilt. *The irony of it all, really.* I quietly watched the scenery flashing by outside the window, ultimately saying nothing. The taxi stopped halfway up the mountain. Jaxson took my hand and led me into the retreat, pushing open the heavy doors. *Bang, bang!* Confetti and streamers rained down from above. A crowd of people rushed out, shouting “Happy Birthday!” with huge grins. Seeing the commotion, Jaxson immediately pulled me into his arms, brushing the streamers from my hair while shooing away a few of his eager buddies. “Watch it, don’t scare my girl. She’s a bit…” His words trailed off abruptly. He stared at a familiar face in the crowd, his expression suddenly changing. Seraphina, however, looked completely at ease, smiling as she approached. “Jax, it’s been so many years since I moved abroad. I haven’t been to a group event in ages! This morning, I heard you were celebrating your girlfriend’s birthday, so I thought I’d join in. You don’t mind, do you?” Jaxson’s eyes scanned the room, cold and sharp. Everyone present lost the courage to meet his gaze, quickly looking away, pretending it had nothing to do with them. Just as the atmosphere threatened to turn frosty, I politely extended my hand and introduced myself. “Welcome. Nice to meet you. I’m Hazel Parker.” Seraphina stared at me for a long moment, then, as if realizing something, she smiled faintly and shook my hand. “Hello, I’m Seraphina Thorne, Jax’s… friend.” “Hazel, has anyone ever told you we look a little alike?”

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**Chapter 1** After I swallowed the milk Seraphina herself handed me, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. My consciousness began to slip away, detaching from my body. I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt myself arrive in an unfamiliar place. All I could hear was a faint, familiar voice near my ear. “Seraphina, are you insane? Are you really going to secretly remove Asher’s kidney and give it to Caleb?” It was Valerie, Seraphina’s best friend. “He’s the only match,” Seraphina’s voice was terrifyingly calm. “Caleb’s condition is life-threatening; there’s no time to wait.” “As for Asher… I’ll compensate him. Didn’t he want me to marry him? After the surgery, I’ll propose. I’ll never divorce him, not in this lifetime.” A glass vial smashed against the floor. Valerie practically screamed, “What good is any compensation when he’s missing a kidney?! I swear, has Caleb hypnotized you? Years ago, during that terrible accident, you crippled your legs saving him, lost your inheritance, and he just turned around and ran off with another woman! During that time, Asher was the one by your side, taking care of you. To give you your treatments, he used himself as a guinea pig, leaving his legs black and blue with bruises! To find a cure, he knelt outside a renowned doctor’s door for a whole month!” “Now Caleb is back. As soon as he saw you healthy and in charge of the company again, he started fawning all over you. Then, when he found out you were pregnant with Asher’s child, he threw a tantrum. The moment he cried, you immediately took abortion pills and terminated your first child! Asher still believes he accidentally failed to protect your baby and was depressed for three whole months!” “And now, you’re actually going to remove his kidney and give it to Caleb?!” “That’s enough!” Seraphina’s voice suddenly rose. “I know Asher loves me, loves me enough to give everything. And Caleb? He’s selfish, greedy, and vain. But I love Caleb. I love him like a madwoman!” “Then what about Asher? What is he?!” “He’s nothing! My mind is made up. No one can talk me out of this today. I *will* take his kidney!” The moment those words fell, I felt the surgical blade slice into my skin. The anesthesiologist clearly underestimated my drug tolerance. Every single inch of pain was starkly clear, terrifyingly real. But compared to the physical pain, what hurt more was the heart in my chest, being slowly torn to pieces. I had loved Seraphina for ten years. From sixteen to twenty-six, my youth, my affection, my everything, I gave to her. I watched her love Caleb, watched her become obsessed with Caleb, watched her fall apart after Caleb abandoned her. I stayed by her side through the darkest days of her disability, enduring her outbursts and her gloom, even being pushed to the ground and bruising my knees when she lost control. Yet I never once complained. I just silently picked myself up and continued to care for her. I thought, one day, she would finally turn and see me. But it turned out… in her eyes, I was utterly worthless. Ten years, a whole decade. Even after everything we’d been through, she still only loved Caleb. Because of a single word from Caleb, she was ruthless enough to abort our child! And because Caleb needed a kidney, she hid it from me, and had mine taken for him! I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt something being violently torn from my body— It was my kidney, and it was all ten years of my love! When I woke again, the strong scent of disinfectant in the room stung my eyes. “You’re awake?” A deep, alluring female voice came from the doorway. My body stiffened, and I slowly raised my gaze. Seraphina stood in the doorway, backlit, her tall figure cast in a cool, stark silhouette. She walked closer, her slender, long legs beneath her white dress, each step feeling like a stomp on my heart. She sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke my face. Her thumb brushed away a tear from the corner of my eye, and she frowned slightly. “Does it hurt a lot?” I looked at her, my heart feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tight, the pain almost suffocating me. How could she… ask me if it hurt, so gently? How could she, after personally carving out my kidney and terminating our child, sit before me so nonchalantly, looking at me with such a concerned expression? “What… happened to me?” I asked, my voice impossibly hoarse. Seraphina’s expression remained unchanged, her tone soft. “You had a sudden appendicitis attack. The surgery is over.” Appendicitis? I laughed, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. She couldn’t even bother to come up with a convincing lie. Seeing my tears fall so fiercely, endlessly, she didn’t notice anything amiss. She simply thought I was in great pain and quickly said she would go find a doctor for me, then hurried away. But once she left, she never came back. Three hours later, a nurse pushed the door open to change my IV, whispering as she did: “Ms. Seraphina is so devoted to Mr. Caleb! She stayed up all night with him, and then, just now, she heard Mr. Caleb woke up and wanted porridge from that old-school diner across town. She rushed out to get it herself, even in this downpour…” Hearing that, I couldn’t hold back; tears welled up and spilled over again. So that was why she didn’t return. She was so certain I loved her, so sure I wouldn’t be mad, that she couldn’t even bother to send a text message as a token explanation. Seraphina, do you think I’m some kind of pathetic doormat? What makes you think I’d love you without any shred of self-respect? I stared out the window, my tears finally dried up. I don’t know how much time passed, but after the nurse left, I pulled out my phone. My fingertip hovered on the screen for a second, then dialed a number. The call connected. A low, languid female voice answered, “Mr. Asher?” I took a deep breath, my voice soft, but clear. “Scarlett, are you… interested in marrying me?” There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Did you dial the wrong number? I’m not Seraphina.” “I know.” I clutched my phone, my knuckles white. “I’m asking you.” “I don’t want to marry Seraphina anymore.” Scarlett seemed intrigued, her tone slow and deliberate. “Oh? And what makes you think… I’d marry you?” I closed my eyes, my voice calm. “Because you’ve always despised Seraphina.” “And because—” I paused, enunciating each word, “—the side-profile photo on your desk… that’s me.” **Chapter 2** A deathly silence. After an eternity, I heard the faint click of a lighter opening and closing on the other end. Scarlett’s soft voice, laced with the scent of tobacco, asked, “How did you know?” I gazed at the sterile white ceiling of the hospital room, the fluid in the IV bag dripping steadily, like a countdown to my vanishing devotion. “You just need to answer: Are you willing or not?” Silence hung on the line for two seconds. Then, the woman finally spoke. Her tone carried an indefinable emotion, and I could hear her breathing quicken slightly. “Come to me within seven days, and we’ll register our marriage.” “And—” she paused, “—after you marry me, you can never have any involvement with Seraphina again.” I closed my eyes, my voice soft yet resolute. “I won’t.” “In seven days, I’ll never see her again.” After hanging up, I immediately booked a flight to Seaside City for seven days later. That was Scarlett’s territory. … The rest of the day, Seraphina never reappeared. Only a caregiver pushed the door open, respectfully saying, “Mr. Asher, Ms. Seraphina’s company has been extremely busy lately, so she asked us to look after you.” I gave a faint “hm,” not bothering to call her bluff. I knew Seraphina wasn’t busy. She was by Caleb’s bedside, never leaving him. It wasn’t until the day I was discharged that Seraphina finally showed up. She wore a form-fitting long dress, her eyes showing a hint of fatigue, yet she was still breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing me packed and standing at the hospital room door, she quickly walked over, reaching out to take my bag, her voice apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Asher. Company matters have been overwhelming lately, and besides… I was preparing a surprise, which is why I couldn’t be here with you.” I dodged her hand, clutching my own bag as I walked forward. “What surprise?” Seraphina’s lips curved upward slightly, a rare softness in her eyes. “I’m taking you somewhere.” Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a luxurious hotel. I followed Seraphina inside. The moment she pushed open the banquet hall doors, my eyes were met with a sea of roses and candlelight— It was a proposal! Guests turned, their gazes focusing on me. Seraphina took my hand and led me to the center, then took a diamond ring from her pocket. “Asher.” She looked up at him, her voice deep and serious. “Will you marry me?” I stared at her, my heart feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tight. How desperately I’d once longed for this moment. But now, looking at the exquisite, glittering diamond ring, all I felt was an overwhelming sense of irony. This proposal, which I’d waited for so long, had been bought with my own kidney! I was about to refuse when the banquet hall doors suddenly burst open— “Excuse me, I’m late.” A weak, breathy voice spoke. I turned and saw Caleb standing at the doorway, pale, dressed in a white shirt, tears glistening in his eyes. “Seraphina, Asher.” Caleb walked over, his voice choked with emotion. “What happened back then, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have been pestering Seraphina lately. I interrupted you both… So this time, when I heard about your proposal, I made sure to come and offer my blessings.” As he spoke, he pulled out two elegant gift boxes from his bag and handed them to Seraphina and me. “I wish you both… happiness.” With that, he turned to leave, but after only two steps, his body swayed suddenly, and he dramatically “collapsed” to the floor. “Caleb!” Seraphina’s face instantly changed. She abruptly stood up and rushed over without hesitation, helping Caleb up. She even forgot she was in the middle of proposing to me. Forgot that the un-given diamond ring was still clutched in her hand. The guests instantly erupted in a flurry of whispers— “Tsk, tsk, there she goes again… The moment Ms. Seraphina sees Caleb, everyone else just disappears from her eyes.” “Asher’s been by her side for so many years, and he still can’t compare to a single glance from Caleb.” “The only one she’s ever truly loved is Caleb.” I stood rooted to the spot, my fingertips digging deep into my palms. I watched Seraphina carry Caleb away in a rush, watched Caleb, nestled in Seraphina’s arms, subtly mouth a message to me— “You’ll never be better than me.” Amateurish acting. But Seraphina didn’t even hesitate to believe it, without a single doubt.

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男友是个渣男？我转身嫁给亿万富翁！ My Boyfriend’s a Jerk? I’m Marrying a Billionaire! **Chapter 1** After seven years of secretly dating my best friend’s brother, news of his engagement to a powerful heiress spread like wildfire. But the bride wasn’t me. I rushed to Julian Collins’s private room, my hand reaching for the door, when his friend’s voice spilled out. “Jules, you finally got what you wanted. Your first love is back, and your families even sealed the deal with a business alliance marriage. This must be the happiest day of your life, right? That stand-in girlfriend of yours should be ditched. You’re ruthless, using even your own sister’s best friend as a replacement.” My body froze, as if doused in ice water, head to toe. Through the door, I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the casual indifference in his voice. “Just wait. The girl is too in love with me; she can’t leave. If I tell her the truth now, she’ll probably cry herself to death. I’ll break it to her later.” We’d been together secretly for seven years. He spoiled me rotten, but he always refused to make our relationship public. At first, he’d smiled and said, “Rory, just wait. If Mia knew I ‘stole’ her best friend, she’d kill me.” Later, after I graduated college and became his assistant, he said, “Rory, just wait. Office romances always end messy, and I didn’t want you to deal with all the gossip.” I believed every excuse he gave, playing the role of his secret girlfriend for years, unseen, unheard. But now, I’d heard it with my own ears. The real reason he didn’t want to go public had nothing to do with any of that. It was simply because he’d never loved me. It was because, from the very beginning, he’d only seen me as a stand-in! Seeing the people inside about to come out, I stumbled back, desperately scrambling to get away. I ran all the way back to the villa, straight to Julian Collins’s private study. It was a room he’d never allowed me near, no matter how much I pleaded or how curious I was. Now, I flung the door open. On the desk lay dozens of photo albums. I walked over, picked one up, and flipped through it. They were all photos of the same woman. She looked about 70-80% like me, but it wasn’t me. I figured she was his long-lost love, the Alice Corporation heiress he was about to marry. In the drawer, there was a thick stack of flight tickets—thousands of them. Flipping through the dates, I realized that in the seven years Julian and I had been together, he’d flown abroad almost every week. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who he was going to see. The room he forbade me from entering was filled with his love for another woman. My eyes burned, brimming with tears. After a long moment, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Laughing at how foolish I was, how stupid, and how utterly ridiculous! All seven years of love had been nothing but a cruel deception. Just then, my phone suddenly rang. It was my dad. “Aurora, how are you coming along with that arranged marriage? You’ve been away since college, never coming back. Your dad knows you have a boyfriend over there, but after all these years, has he ever come back with you to meet me? The man I picked for you is one in a million…” He rambled on, trying to convince me as usual. But this time, before he could even finish, I choked back my tears and cut him off. “Dad, I’m sorry. I’m willing to go through with the marriage.” My sudden agreement stunned him. Mr. Evans was silent for a long moment before realizing I’d finally given in. “Are you… are you serious?” “Yes, I am. And this time, I’m staying back East for good. I won’t leave again.” My dad exclaimed “Good!” several times, delighted, then gave a few more instructions before hanging up. I carefully put everything I’d disturbed back in place and quietly left the room. As I reached the living room, the front door suddenly opened, revealing the face I’d loved for seven years. Julian saw my swollen eyes. He quickly offered me a jewelry box, his voice soft and soothing. “I knew you’d cry. You saw the engagement news, didn’t you?” “The engagement is fake, just for a business deal. We’re putting on an act for a while. I’m not really marrying Seraphina.” His gentle eyes met mine, but I didn’t hear a single word he said. I already knew the truth. So, of course, I knew he was lying. I casually placed the gift on a nearby table and calmly nodded. “Okay.” Whether his engagement was fake, I didn’t know. But my upcoming marriage? That was very, very real. **Chapter 2** Julian had prepared himself for a long session of coaxing, but he never expected me to be so calm. A flicker of unease crossed his face. “Rory, you’re not mad?” “You said it’s fake, so why would I be mad?” Hearing me say that, the heavy weight in his chest lifted. He instinctively pulled me into his arms, his hand sliding possessively to my waist. But as his fingers traced upward under my shirt, I grabbed his hand. He froze, his question unasked, as I pulled free from his embrace. “I’m not feeling great tonight. Let’s just skip it.” “Period cramps?” Julian didn’t push it. He just rubbed my lower back and held me all night. The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. I didn’t dwell on it. After showering, I took a taxi to the office, heading straight to HR. I picked up a resignation letter, then slipped it into a pile of documents that needed signing before heading upstairs to the CEO’s office. But the scene before me made me freeze. Julian, the man who always seemed so untouchable, was kneeling on the floor, gently massaging the woman’s feet. He’d taken off her heels and placed them aside, then softly picked up a pair of flats and helped her put them on. “You must be tired from those heels. You don’t need to be perfect around me; I just want you to be comfortable.” Hearing my entrance, both of them turned to look. They saw me, frozen in the doorway. Julian’s face instantly changed, but he quickly regained his composure. He hadn’t even spoken yet when Seraphina, beside him, frowned and said, “Jules, your assistant is so rude. She just walks in without knocking?” My mouth opened, words of explanation ready, but nothing came out. How could I explain? How could I say that was once a privilege Julian had given me? But now that he had a fiancée, how could I even mention such a thing? I turned to Julian. His eyes darted away. He cleared his throat, his tone suddenly all business. “What are you doing here?” “Mr. Collins, there are a few documents that need your signature.” After a moment of silence, I handed him all the documents. I watched as he took them, skimming each page, signing his name with swift, practiced strokes. As he reached the last page, I couldn’t help but press my lips together. It was my resignation. “Ah!” Just as I worried whether he would agree to sign, a sudden gasp erupted. I looked towards the sound to see Seraphina’s teacup overturned, scalding hot water spilling onto my hand. It stung so badly my eyes welled up with tears; I must have looked so pathetic. Julian panicked instantly. He didn’t even glance at the documents, just scribbled his signature on the last page. Then he scooped Seraphina into his arms and practically ran out of the office. Watching their figures disappear behind the door, my heart felt incredibly complex. I didn’t know whether to be sad that he cared so much about Seraphina that a small injury made him lose all reason, signing documents without even looking. Or if I should be grateful that Seraphina got hurt at just the right moment, prompting Julian to sign my resignation so decisively. I gathered the signed documents, then, holding my resignation form, I went back to HR. “Since Mr. Collins has approved it, you can leave after the one-month process is complete.” I nodded. As I returned to the assistant’s office, my phone buzzed repeatedly with new messages. It was from the colleagues who had gone to the hospital with Julian, chatting in the SnapChat group. “Mr. Collins is so good to Miss Seraphina! Just a scalded hand, and he booked her a whole private floor at the hospital!” “Right? Right? Miss Seraphina said she wanted something to eat, and no matter how far, he immediately sent someone to get it!” “Did you see the way Mr. Collins looked at Miss Seraphina? I’ve never seen him look at anyone with such tenderness! It looks like the Collins Group is about to get a new First Lady!” … Reading the messages, I let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Julian truly loved Seraphina. He loved her so much that when Seraphina went abroad to pursue her dreams, he flew out to see her every month, and it still wasn’t enough. He even found me to be her stand-in, to ease his longing. Now that Seraphina was back, he immediately got engaged to her, giving her the public acknowledgment I’d waited seven years for. A bitter ache spread through my chest. I shut off my phone, not wanting to see anymore. **Chapter 3** After working for a while at my desk, it was lunchtime. Just as I was about to head downstairs, my dad called again. “Aurora, since you’ve agreed to the marriage, when are you coming home? I need to arrange the wedding.” “In a month. My resignation process takes a month.” Thinking of the resignation I’d just handed in, I answered honestly. I heard my dad say “Good” before hanging up. Seeing this, my other colleagues in the office crowded around, a flurry of questions and comments. Their voices were filled with unconcealed surprise. “Aurora, you’re leaving? Why?” I paused, then didn’t hide anything. “I’m going home to get married.” “So sudden?” “To whom? I never heard you had a boyfriend.” “Your hometown is back East, right? Once you leave, who knows when we’ll see each other again. Let’s have dinner after work, a farewell party for you!” I smiled at their chatter and didn’t refuse. After dinner with my colleagues that evening, I was about to hail a taxi when a Maybach suddenly pulled up beside me. The window slowly rolled down, revealing Julian’s face. “Get in.” He was blunt, but I didn’t obediently get into the car as he expected. Instead, I started walking down the street, as if I hadn’t seen him, trying to hail another cab. Julian’s expression tightened. He quickly started the car and followed me, which caused most taxis to deliberately ignore me. After the third taxi was squeezed out, I finally stopped, exasperated. I opened his car door and got in, met with his somewhat helpless face. “Rory, I already explained, didn’t I? Seraphina and I are just putting on an act. Why are you mad again?” “I’m not mad.” I stared straight ahead, my voice completely calm. But he refused to believe me. “If you’re not mad, why didn’t you get in the car earlier?” I paused, then a faint, mocking smile touched my lips. “Didn’t you say yourself that our relationship had to be a secret? My colleagues are around. If they saw us, how would it stay a secret?” Julian didn’t get angry at the biting sarcasm in my voice. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips. He pinched my cheek. “Still saying you’re not mad? You clearly care. Seraphina and I truly have nothing going on; it’s all just an act. I’m not actually marrying her. Don’t keep giving me the cold shoulder. Once all this is over, I’ll declare that you’re the one I truly love, in front of everyone, okay?” He expected my emotional tears, but instead, I just stared at him directly. After a long moment, I finally spoke. “Really?” My stare made him flinch. He unconsciously shifted his gaze and didn’t answer. I just thought, *Figures.* Even if he had answered, we both knew those words would be nothing but a lie to string me along. Julian not marrying Seraphina was a lie. Julian going public with me was also a lie. But it was fine. I had already decided to leave, so at this moment, I wasn’t so heartbroken. The next day, as I arrived at work, I suddenly received a SnapChat message from Julian, telling me to go to a bridal boutique. Julian was my boss, so I couldn’t refuse. I called a taxi and headed over. As I reached the entrance, I immediately spotted Julian’s unmistakable Maybach. I walked straight towards it without stopping. The car window was down, revealing two people passionately kissing inside. Hearing my approach, Seraphina, blushing fiercely, pushed him away. “Stop it, someone’s coming…” The moment he looked up and saw me, Julian’s expression froze. Seraphina had specifically used his phone to call an assistant to help her try on wedding dresses today. She just hadn’t expected the assistant she called to be me. He leaned in, whispering to soothe Seraphina. “Let’s get someone else. She’s young and clumsy; she won’t take good care of you.” Seraphina’s smirk played on her lips as she looked at me. “No, I think she’s perfectly fine. You let me use your phone to call an assistant. I thought anyone could be called. What, is she an exception?” Julian still couldn’t refuse Seraphina. Or rather, he never outright refused her demands. Even when she deliberately humiliated and tormented me throughout the wedding dress fitting, he just sat there watching, never saying a word to stop her. For example, Seraphina forced me to kneel for half an hour, helping her try on wedding shoes. For example, Seraphina made me run errands for food again and again, from one end of the city to the other. And for example, Seraphina made me hold up every wedding dress she tried on, until my arms trembled, without letting me put them down. Julian looked at my flustered and humiliated state. A flicker of something—discomfort? guilt?—crossed his face. Seraphina, noticing his expression, pouted playfully and looked at him. “Jules, do you think I’m being too hard on her?” He finally hardened his expression. When he looked at Seraphina, his eyes were full of tenderness. “No, darling. Isn’t that what assistants are for?” **Chapter 4** After coaxing Seraphina for a while longer, Julian’s phone suddenly rang. He stood up, pointed at his phone, indicating he needed to take a call, then turned and left. As soon as he was out of earshot, Seraphina’s gaze shifted to me in the full-length mirror, still holding up a wedding dress behind her. A mocking smile played on her lips. “Yesterday, when I saw you, I was curious why you looked so much like me. Now I know. You’re my stand-in, aren’t you? But I’d advise you to drop any foolish notions. After all, Jules and I are getting married.” My voice was calm; I didn’t even lift my head. “Don’t worry. I won’t fight you for him.” Seraphina let out a dismissive snort, clearly not believing me. She was about to speak when a sales associate approached. “Miss Seraphina, the wedding dress and shoes have been selected. Only the matching jewelry is left. Would you like to choose it now?” She nodded, but after a cursory glance at the jewelry laid out by the associate, Seraphina remained unsatisfied and asked for new options. She looked through everything, but still nothing caught her eye. Just as the staff looked flustered, her gaze shifted and landed on the necklace around my neck. Her eyes lit up. Her voice turned imperious, brooking no argument. “I like yours. How much? Sell it to me.” I froze, my hand instinctively went to the silver, diamond-studded planet necklace around my neck. My face instantly hardened. “I won’t sell it.” “I said I like it, so it has to be mine.” As if my refusal was unexpected, Seraphina’s face stiffened for a moment. She reached out and tried to yank it off me. I was completely caught off guard. Seraphina yanked the necklace from my neck. I ignored the sharp sting from my neck. As I reached out to try and snatch the necklace back, it, unable to withstand the tug-of-war, snapped. The planet pendant clattered to the floor, shattering into a million pieces. My mind went completely blank. My hand shot out, connecting with her face in a resounding slap. A bright red handprint instantly appeared on Seraphina’s face. She touched her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You dare hit me?!” Julian walked in on this exact scene. His expression changed instantly. He quickly strode forward and shoved me away. “Aurora, what the hell?!” I couldn’t react fast enough. He shoved me, and I fell, my forehead cracking against the corner of a table. A sharp crack. Excruciating pain exploded in my head. I touched my forehead, and my fingers came away sticky, crimson red. I looked up at Julian, my breath ragged. But the man who’d just made me bleed was now anxiously cradling another woman, listening intently to her tearful accusations. “I just thought Miss Assistant’s necklace was pretty and wanted to buy it, but I accidentally broke it, and then she hit me…” Following Seraphina’s pointing finger, Julian also saw the shattered necklace. His expression froze for a moment, but then he looked at me, his eyes carrying a hint of impatience. “It’s just a trinket, what’s the big deal? Did you really have to hit her?” His accusation was the final blow that shattered me, making my eyes well up instantly. I didn’t answer. I just quietly moved to where the necklace lay shattered and began picking up the pieces, one by one. *A trinket?* He knew. He knew it was my mother’s last gift! I remembered the winter we first started dating. I’d accidentally lost the necklace in the snow. He’d trudged through the snow, flashlight beam cutting through the darkness, searching for it all night. The next day, he was burning up with a fever, all because of the cold. My heart ached as I hugged him, crying for a long time. Yet, he, the one who was sick, was the one comforting me. “I can’t stand to see you cry. Never mind one day, I’d search for three days, ten days, just to find it for you. Don’t cry. Just wear it carefully from now on and don’t lose it again.” But now, my necklace was broken, and he said it was just a trinket. Julian, if you never loved me, why did you ever bother with me? Julian left, carrying Seraphina. I was left alone, crouching on the floor, my eyes red, picking up every single fragment before stumbling out. The next few days, I took some time off and got a few stitches at the hospital. Julian didn’t come home during those days. The day my wound healed, my best friend, Mia, called me. “Rory, I saw a pair of earrings in Paris that I thought would be perfect for you. I’m back in town today. Why don’t you come over to my place for dinner, and I’ll give you your gift!” I was already going home and needed to say goodbye to Mia anyway. So, I didn’t refuse. I quickly got ready, using a thick layer of foundation to cover the wound on my forehead, making sure no abnormalities were visible before heading out. When we met, Mia was exceptionally excited. She linked her arm through mine and pulled me inside, chatting enthusiastically about her travels. I listened quietly. After she’d given me the gift and we’d finished dinner, I finally told her I was going home to get married. Mia was thunderstruck by the sudden news. “No way, Rory! Why so sudden? What about that boyfriend of yours?” I shook my head. “I dumped him.” Seeing my crestfallen look, Mia didn’t know the whole story, but she guessed I’d been mistreated. She was both angry and heartbroken. She quickly hugged me. “Good riddance! You should’ve dumped him! What kind of boyfriend doesn’t go public after dating for so many years?” “It’s all his fault for breaking your heart, making you run home for an arranged marriage. Rory, you’re my best friend! It’s so far back East. Once you go back, when will we ever see each other again?” Thinking of the impending separation, both our spirits sank. Finally, Mia became overwhelmed with emotion and hugged me, burying her face in my shoulder. Julian walked in just as we were like this. He looked exasperated. “You’re grown women. Still hugging and crying?” Mia straightened up, her eyes red. “Rory’s going back home to get married! What’s wrong with crying?”

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**Chapter 1** Everyone told me I was lucky to marry someone like Julian Hayes. He’d settled down for me, covered grand plazas in flowers to confess his love. I used to believe I was truly lucky, and I accepted his devotion without a second thought. But less than a year into our marriage, he found new bedmates. I was forced into arguments with him, and our relationship grew colder, more distant. It wasn’t until the ninety-ninth time he abandoned me for his latest fling that I finally decided to let go. I handed him the divorce papers while Julian was busy sweet-talking his fifty-second mistress on the phone. “Julian, let’s get a divorce.” “Sign these. In a month, once the waiting period is over, we’ll be strangers.” He grunted, took the papers, and without even glancing at them, flipped to the last page. Casually, he scrawled his name. Done, he stood up, grabbed his jacket, still murmuring sweet nothings to the woman on the other end of the line. “Alright, alright, I’m coming to you now, okay?” He was already at the door when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back to me. “Oh, Delilah, what was it you just had me sign?” You signed it first, and *then* you ask? My lips twisted into a cynical smile. “Divor…” Before I could finish, Julian waved a dismissive hand. “You know what, if you want to buy a house, just buy it. No need to bring me separate agreements to sign. I’m busy trying to make someone happy. I’ve been home with you for days, and my little girl is throwing a fit, you know?” That’s when it hit me. He hadn’t heard a single word I’d said. He thought it was a property purchase agreement. Of course. In our worst fights, my favorite thing to do was buy entire blocks of mansions with Julian’s money. The real estate market was on its last legs, but I poured billions into it anyway, just to lash out at him and my own raw pain. Back then, I still held onto hope for him. That lingering bit of love made me unable to accept the fact that his heart had strayed, pushing me to despair. Yeah, how *did* his heart stray? I still remembered our first meeting, at a bar. I was there to pick up a friend and happened to catch Julian, who was stumbling drunk and about to fall. I kindly helped him steady himself. He just looked at me once, and that was it. He was smitten. Julian Hayes’s name echoed through our social circles. Heir to one of the most powerful families on the East Coast, with a devilishly handsome, carefree face, he changed girlfriends faster than he changed clothes, leaving a trail of broken hearts across the city. I didn’t want to be another one of them, nor did I want to get involved with such a playboy. So, I flat-out rejected him. Who would have thought he wouldn’t give up? Instead, he fixed his sights on me, relentlessly pursuing me, as if he couldn’t see anyone else. Romantic flower displays covering entire squares on Valentine’s Day, all-night fireworks over the ocean just to make me smile, his constant presence when I felt lost… My heart, which had never truly fluttered before, surrendered to his relentless, overwhelming pursuit. After we became official, he stopped juggling different women, focusing solely on me, always letting me know his whereabouts no matter where he went. Everyone said Julian had changed completely for me. I believed it too. So when he knelt, tears in his eyes, and proposed, I joyfully said yes. But less than a year into our marriage, Julian started getting entangled with other women again. We fought countless times. Countless times I stood in our shattered living room, screaming hysterically, like a lunatic, while he massaged his temples, utterly exhausted. Finally, he suggested we “do our own thing, and come back to the family when we’d had enough.” “Delilah, I love you very much, but being with just one person for a lifetime, it gets boring.” “Let’s just do our own thing. Neither of us is allowed to fall in love with anyone outside, and when we’ve had enough fun, we’ll come back home and be a family again, okay?” I refused to agree, but he ignored me, sticking to his plan. Slowly, I broke down too. I also started seeing a handsome college student, Liam Maxwell. At first, I just wanted to spite Julian. But Liam would gently call me “sis” and pamper me. He’d be there at my beck and call whenever I felt utterly alone, and he’d stay by my side, eyes red-rimmed, when I was critically injured in a car accident, accompanying me to follow-up check-ups. The young man was pure and genuine. Over time, my heart, once riddled with wounds, slowly began to heal thanks to him. I thought about offering him a house or a check, but he wanted none of it. He only wanted to marry me. “Sis, divorce him. Try being with me.” Love filled the young man’s eyes, so clear and bright, reflecting a complete version of me. A version of me that had been tormented and bruised by that marriage. Yet, in his eyes, at that moment, I seemed to glow. In that instant, I was suddenly inspired. Life should be lived to the fullest. Even kids know to replace a broken toy. But all these years, these years of mad entanglement with Julian, what had I been doing? So, I said yes. I agreed to be with Liam. And to finally end this shattered, unbearable marriage. **Chapter 2** Not long after Julian left, I received a FaceTime call from Liam. He was in the kitchen, wearing a white shirt, cooking. His bangs gently covered his forehead, and his eyelashes curled slightly, making him look fragile and soft. “Sis, are you divorced yet?” Even though I was several years older and had experienced a lot more, every time I saw that young face, I couldn’t help but blush and feel my heart race. With a face like that, it was no wonder the girls at his school still chased him even after being rejected. I cleared my throat. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. We just have to wait a month, and then we’ll have nothing to do with each other.” Hearing that, Liam’s handsome lips curved into a slight smile. He murmured, “Since you’ll have nothing to do with him, then during this time, Sis, you mustn’t let him touch you. I’ll be checking.” I hadn’t expected him to say something like that. My face flushed slightly, and I sternly replied, “Don’t be silly, you’re just a kid.” Liam looked at me, undisguised possessiveness in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a wronged expression. “Sis, I’m only young in age. In other areas… I’m not small.” Afraid the conversation would stray too far, I quickly cut him off, said a few soothing words, and finally persuaded Liam to quietly hang up the phone. The boy was perfect in every way, except… He was so clingy. After hanging up, I went out and bought a calendar. For an entire month, I practically counted the days. Every day that passed, I’d tear off a page. From October 1st to the 10th, Julian never once came home. But I knew where he’d been, who he’d seen, and what he’d been doing. His new girlfriend, Chloe Miller, an intern at his company, would subtly flaunt their whereabouts daily on her Ins stories. One day they’d be having afternoon tea at a fancy restaurant, the next they’d be playing golf. If they weren’t admiring city lights from a mountaintop villa, they were sharing a hot tub. It was strange, though. Given Julian’s promiscuous nature, he would never waste so much time on one woman. His previous conquests, all sorts of different women, had lasted a month at most before he grew bored. But this Chloe Miller, I didn’t know what her secret was, but three months later, he still wasn’t tired of her. Perhaps this extended shelf life gave her confidence. Unlike other women, she wasn’t content to stay in her place. Instead, she actively added me on SnapChat, subtly provoking me in this way. I didn’t really care for her little games. I was getting a divorce; why would I bother with any of that? These past few days, with nothing else to do, I’d cleaned out everything in the house. The carefully chosen razor, the suits ironed and arranged daily, the limited edition Patek Philippe watch I’d stayed up all night to snag… No matter the value or size, anything he owned that I had given him, I packed up and threw away. Along with them, I discarded all the grievances I’d suffered in this marriage and the genuine feelings I once had for Julian. I had decided to say goodbye to the past and start a new life. Two more days passed, and Julian finally came home. He looked at the noticeably emptier villa and frowned. “Delilah, you threw away my stuff?” I was flipping through a magazine. I hummed in affirmation. “Yeah, I did.” “I bought them. I can throw them away if I want to. Is there a problem? Besides, you never come home, so you wouldn’t even use them.” Julian thought I was still angry about the last incident and deliberately speaking sarcastically. He walked over and sat beside me, coaxing me nonchalantly. “Didn’t we agree, before, that we’d do our own thing outside, and never truly fall for anyone else? Why are you suddenly bothered by it again?” It was the same old casual line. No matter what he did, he always found all sorts of excuses to explain himself. And I, his wife, could only passively accept all the pain he brought, unable to even voice a single complaint. But now, I no longer wanted to argue with him over these trivial matters. I snapped the magazine shut, stood up, and walked upstairs, my voice utterly cold. “You’re overthinking. I couldn’t care less.” Julian immediately assumed I was pretending indifference. He stood up and grabbed my hand. Then, under my impatient gaze, he pulled an invitation from his pocket and placed it in my palm. “Don’t be angry. I’ll take you to an auction tomorrow. Bid on whatever you like, just to cheer you up, okay?” I instinctively wanted to decline. But my eyes caught sight of the Sotheby’s logo on the invitation, and I changed my mind. I agreed. I was getting a divorce anyway. Spending his money to have some fun wouldn’t be so bad. **Chapter 3** At 5 PM, Julian’s car arrived promptly at the villa entrance. I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs. Just as I was about to open the car door, I saw a familiar face. It was Chloe Miller. She was sitting in the passenger seat, hugging a large bag of snacks and drinks, greeting me with a feigned innocent expression. “Mrs. Hayes, I get car sick. Would you mind sitting in the back today?” Seeing the fleeting triumph in her eyes, I lowered my gaze, my peripheral vision catching a dashboard ornament. It was a custom Hello Kitty, with a line of text printed on the butterfly on its head: “Chloe’s Princess Ride!” Seeing I remained silent and didn’t move, Julian knew I was upset again. He murmured coaxingly, “Chloe hasn’t been to an auction before. I’m just taking her to see what it’s like. She’s delicate, Delilah, just humor her.” Humor her? Of course, I could. I didn’t even want him anymore. It was just a seat; I could let that go. I chuckled softly and got into the back seat. Throughout the drive, Chloe munched on various cakes and snacks. Then, she used her own spoon to feed Julian, flaunting their affection as if no one else was there. They chatted endlessly about everything under the sun, her amusing comments and occasional pouts keeping a constant smile on his lips. From beginning to end, I didn’t even spare them a glance, instead rolling down the window to enjoy the autumn scenery outside. When we arrived at our destination, after only a few steps, Chloe whined that her high heels were pinching her feet. Julian chuckled, calling her delicate, but without a word, he took her to the nearest department store, personally selecting flats and helping her try on pair after pair. Watching him half-kneeling, tenderly checking the softness of the shoes, I couldn’t help but recall how, just half a month ago, when I had a high fever and felt like I was burning up, he refused to even get me a glass of water, maintaining his aloof demeanor. She truly was his little princess, pampered in a completely different way. But I used to be the one he held dear and cherished. Back then, I was reluctant to accept his pursuit, so I deliberately challenged him, saying I’d consider it if he could get me that special artisanal cake from the farthest part of the city. That part of the city was almost a whole city away from my place, and it was snowing heavily that day. Any sensible person would know I was intentionally making it difficult for him. But he got into his car without hesitation, spent five entire hours, and presented the still-warm cake to me, carefully held in his arms. Later, I often wondered why, if his love wasn’t fake then, he could change so quickly. Now, looking back, he didn’t change. I just hadn’t seen clearly back then. I hadn’t seen his playboy nature, his true self. No one can make a playboy settle down. I gave a self-deprecating chuckle and entered the venue with my invitation. The first item was already on the block by the time Julian finally came in with Chloe. The auction and dinner were held simultaneously. The tables were laden with exquisite delicacies and fresh, seasonal crabs. As soon as she sat down, Chloe’s eyes landed on the crabs, and she pestered Julian, saying she wanted to eat them right away. Julian smiled wryly, smoothed out her skirt, then politely declined the waiter’s offer of help. He condescended to pick up the tools, meticulously prepared her meal, and placed it before her. Watching his refined and attentive manner, Chloe’s eyes sparkled with endless admiration. I, however, just watched silently. Then I saw Chloe casually point to an emerald jewelry set on the stage after finishing her crab, and Julian raised his paddle. “Bidder number 17 bids three hundred million!” The price sent a ripple of astonishment through the room. No one dared to challenge it, and gasps echoed from every corner. Soon, the dinner reached its intermission. Many guests, holding their champagne flutes, drifted towards table 17, seemingly eager to curry favor. They saw Julian’s doting affection for Chloe and surrounded her with flattery, constantly addressing her with respectful titles like “Mrs. Hayes.” Julian looked up at me and casually reminded them, “You’ve got it wrong. *She* is my wife.” Instantly, the mistaken guests looked embarrassed and quickly corrected themselves. I remained silent, paying no mind to their surprised or pitying glances. They hadn’t actually been wrong. Soon, I wouldn’t be Mrs. Hayes anymore. And given Julian’s doting affection for Chloe, he might even marry her as soon as the divorce papers were finalized. After a brief break, the second half of the auction featured antiques. I wasn’t interested in those, so after bidding on a few of the most expensive pieces, I left early. I had just reached the elevator when I heard Chloe’s syrupy voice behind me. “Mrs. Hayes, can we talk?” I paused. “There’s nothing for you and I to…” Before I could finish, I saw Chloe’s hand fly up. *Smack!* The next second, a harsh slap landed squarely on my face. **Chapter 4** The slap was delivered with full force, and my face immediately flushed crimson. I instinctively clutched my cheek, my head ringing, a blank void in my mind. “Chloe Miller! What do you think you’re doing?!” Once I regained my senses, fury flared in my chest. I raised my hand, intending to slap her back. But my slap never reached Chloe’s face. Julian intervened, catching my wrist. Julian clutched my wrist, his voice laced with suppressed anger. “Delilah, Chloe didn’t provoke you, why would you hit her?” I sharply pulled back my tingling hand, my voice trembling. “*I* hit *her*? Julian, ask any of these bystanders who hit who first!” At that, Chloe immediately adopted a pitiful expression, tears welling in her eyes. “Julian, you said I was timid and needed to find opportunities to build my courage. I just wanted to try slapping the CEO’s wife in public to get over my fear, otherwise, I couldn’t find a suitable chance. But Mrs. Hayes was so fierce just now, I was so scared, boohoohoohoo.” Understanding the convoluted reasoning, Julian frowned. “I told you to build your courage, but why would you hit someone?” “And of all people, Delilah?!” Chloe sniffled, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls. “I’m so sorry, I’m just so silly. You said Mrs. Hayes had a good temper, and I thought she wouldn’t get angry if I hit her, but I didn’t expect…” Seeing her cry, Julian’s heart melted. He forgot all about being angry, wiping her tears away and comforting her. “It’s okay, no one’s blaming you. Don’t cry, sweetie.” Watching the scene unfold before me, I felt a mix of anger and pain, finally unable to hold back my sharp reprimand. “Julian Hayes, *I’m* the one who was hit! How dare you forgive her on my behalf? And Chloe Miller, why are you playing the innocent victim? Who would ever think of hitting someone to ‘build courage’?” Chloe shivered, frightened by my outburst, and began to wail even more heartbreakingly, struggling for breath, on the verge of fainting. Julian’s heart ached for her. He said nonchalantly, “She’s just a little girl, how hard could she possibly hit you? Do you really have to be so petty? She’s practically crying herself unconscious now, Delilah, that’s enough.” With that, he picked up Chloe and left. I never imagined he would say such a thing. I was utterly incredulous, as if plunged into an icy abyss. In the end, I don’t know how I got home. I kept telling myself not to cry, so I held back my tears the entire way, my eyes eventually bloodshot. Upon returning home, the housekeeper gasped at the red mark on my face, immediately asking what had happened, if I had been bullied, and wanted to call Julian to make him come back and demand justice for me. “No need,” I softly stopped her. All her pain, he had personally given her. I sat by the window, applying an ice pack for an hour. Just as the swelling on my face began to subside, I received a SnapChat message from Chloe. “Mrs. Hayes, are you home yet? I’m at the hospital too. Julian was so worried about me. I just fainted, and he booked the entire VIP floor, calling over a dozen doctors to examine me.” “Oh, how’s your injury? It’s all my fault for hitting you too hard. It must hurt, right? Why don’t you come to the hospital now? I’ll be generous and let you have one of my doctors to check if you’ll be disfigured.” I just glanced at it and immediately forwarded it to Julian. It wasn’t until past midnight that he replied with a few words. “Chloe meant well.” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. The next second, I sent him a voice message. “Protecting her so fiercely? Why not marry her right now? I’ll step aside, and even wish you both a long and happy life together.” This time, Julian replied instantly. “Delilah, why are you saying angry things again? I’ve told you countless times, my wife will only ever be you. These other people are just fun. Don’t overthink it, okay? Get some rest. I’ll be back to be with you tomorrow.” Reading that message, I felt all the strength drain from my body, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over me. I gave a self-deprecating laugh, unwilling to waste any more time on his meaningless excuses, and turned off my phone.

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Everyone knew I was the one who relentlessly pursued Julian. To help him secure a deal, I drank until my stomach bled. One word from him, and I’d drop everything to bring him his jacket. Even when he continuously maintained ties with his ex, I didn’t care. No one knew that what I truly cared about was the beating heart in his chest – the heart of the man I truly loved. But I never imagined I’d gotten it all wrong. **Chapter 1** “Ms. Avery, we made a mistake. The recipient of your boyfriend’s heart wasn’t Sterling Corp’s CEO, Mr. Julian. It was someone else entirely. That person is currently in Silverport.” The voice on the other end of the line was filled with apologies. I stayed silent for a long time before finally speaking, hearing the nervous thumping of their heart through the phone. “I understand.” As I pressed the hang-up button, my room door burst open. Julian stormed in, his face etched with anxiety. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the exit. “You’re coming with me!” Without a single explanation, Julian forcefully dragged me into the car. He sped through countless red lights, the only sounds were the roaring wind and the engine’s deafening drone. His fingers drummed incessantly on the steering wheel, a soft, repetitive tap that betrayed his undeniable agitation. I felt a slight daze, my mind replaying every moment from our first meeting until now. I’d put all my effort into chasing Julian, relentlessly pursuing him until he finally agreed to marry me. But whether it was taking our wedding photos, exchanging rings, or even our first night together, he had always been distant, as if nothing truly mattered to him. He had never displayed such uncontrolled emotion before. The only person who could evoke such raw emotion from him must be *her*. Minutes later, the car finally screeched to a halt. I stepped out, realizing Julian had brought me to a hospital. Upon asking, I learned that Seraphina, his childhood sweetheart and the woman he’d always secretly loved and idealized, had been in a car accident and desperately needed blood. And my blood type happened to match hers. Seeing that I had arrived, the nurse, equally anxious, grabbed my arm and began to pull me towards the blood donation room. But I suddenly stopped, turning to face Julian. “Julian, I can donate this blood, but you have to answer one question for me.” Julian, torn between urgency and impatience, instinctively assumed I was going to ask about Seraphina. “I’ll tell you about my relationship with Seraphina later.” To his surprise, I shook my head. “That’s not what I want to ask.” I didn’t care about his relationship with Seraphina. After all, he was never the one I truly loved. In my entire life, I had only loved one man. But that man had died in a multi-car pile-up, saving me. After his death, his heart was donated according to his wishes. To continue feeling my love’s heartbeat, I searched relentlessly, eventually finding my way to the recipient—Sterling Corp’s CEO, Julian. From that moment on, I pursued him with a fiery passion. Everyone knew I was head over heels for him, and I earned the reputation of being a devoted and infatuated follower in our circle. Yet, he remained utterly unmoved. Later, through my own investigation, I discovered he had a childhood sweetheart, a woman he had grown up with. She was the golden girl, blessed with talent and charm, and everyone expected them to end up together. Julian loved her, but when he tried to confess, Seraphina shut him down with a simple, “Let’s always be good friends.” Then, she moved abroad and had many boyfriends, but he never gave up hope of her returning to him. He rejected everyone for her, including me, who was madly chasing him. It wasn’t until he saw a picture of her kissing her boyfriend on Ins that he, out of spite, finally accepted my confession and married me. “I only have one question: Four years ago, you had a heart transplant. What was the donor’s name?” Julian frowned, unsure of my intention, but perhaps worried about Seraphina’s condition, he chose to answer. “I only know his last name was Kane.” Kane. That was a completely different name from Liam. It seemed I truly had made a mistake. “Understood. Thank you.” I nodded, not asking anything further, and turned to follow the nurse into the blood donation room. But for some reason, Julian, watching my retreating back, felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of panic. Just as I fully stepped into the room, he couldn’t help but call out, “Why are you asking that?” My expression remained neutral, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. “Just confirming.” Confirming that I no longer wanted him. The needle pierced my vein, and blood flowed through the tube into the blood bag. As I donated blood, I used my free hand to pull out my phone and send a message to my lawyer. **[Please draft a divorce agreement for me. I want a divorce!]** **Chapter 2** After donating blood, I felt lightheaded and dizzy. Leaning against the wall, I walked out to find Julian standing by the gurney where Seraphina had just been wheeled out of the operating room. He held her hand tightly, whispering something to her, his expression tender, his eyes filled with adoration. He never once thought to ask about his own wife, about how I was feeling or if I was okay. Naturally, he didn’t notice that I had already returned home by myself. Back at the villa, I went straight to the kitchen. Already anemic, and having given so much blood today, my face was still pale. I wanted to make a warm drink to ease my discomfort, but just as I finished pouring it into a bowl, my strength gave out. With a crash, the bowl shattered into a million pieces. In that instant, I, who had remained expressionless through countless insults and humiliations over the years, suddenly felt my eyes well up. “Liam,” I whispered, “without you, I really can’t do anything right.” The spilled tea flowed to my feet. I looked up at the dark liquid, and suddenly, memories of the past flooded my mind. Back then, I had the best love of my life. Back then, my love wasn’t dead. I was always cold, and my periods brought unbearable cramps. Liam would always be so thoughtful, brewing me a warm ginger tea, blowing on it until it was the perfect temperature before gently feeding it to me. Sometimes, I’d be stubborn and pout, and he’d pull me into his arms, using his warm hands to soothe my stomach, telling me it would make the pain go away. When I was irritable and everything annoyed me, he’d quietly sit by my side, letting me hit him, letting me scold him. Afterward, he’d still tenderly rub my hands, asking if I’d hurt myself. I crouched down, picking up the broken shards one by one. Suddenly, a sharp sting shot through my fingertip. I looked up and saw a cut, a trail of blood appearing. Whether it was the pain, or something else entirely, tears streamed down my face, splashing onto the floor. “How could I not have noticed something was wrong? You loved me so much, but Julian was always distant, that heart never beat passionately for me.” I gathered all the fragments and threw them into the trash bin, then smiled. “But it doesn’t matter. We’ll be together again soon.” Julian still didn’t come home the next day. After freshening up, I left to meet my lawyer. Sitting across the table, a drafted divorce agreement lay before me. “Ms. Avery, once both spouses sign this divorce agreement and a one-month waiting period passes, the divorce will be final.” Hearing the lawyer’s words, I thought of Julian, who hadn’t even returned home today, and asked, “Can I sign on his behalf?” “Ms. Avery, that’s absolutely not allowed!” The lawyer immediately shook his head. Seeing his firm refusal, I quickly said, “My husband wants a divorce too, he just doesn’t have time to come. I’m just signing on his behalf. If you don’t believe me, I’ll call him.” With that, I pulled out my phone, found Julian’s number, and dialed. After a long series of beeps, he finally answered. I spoke without even a greeting. “I need to discuss something with you…” My words were cut off by his cool, emotionless voice on the other end. “I’m busy. Just do whatever you need to. No discussion necessary.” Then, I heard another female voice. Without a moment’s hesitation, I recognized Seraphina’s sweet, slightly whiny tone. “Julian, the medicine is so bitter… Do I have to drink it?” As the call disconnected, I faintly heard Julian’s response, a tenderness in his voice he had never once shown me. “No, you have to drink it if you want to get better quickly.” I looked at the lawyer. Hearing Julian’s indifferent attitude, the lawyer finally conceded, nodding his agreement to allow me to sign on Julian’s behalf. With permission granted, I let out a silent sigh of relief and then signed Julian’s name on the divorce agreement. Leaving the law firm, I tapped my phone, booking a flight to Silverport for one month from now. Julian didn’t return home until a week later. It was late at night when he finally came back to the room, covered in dust and a chill. I was half-asleep and didn’t react much to his return. It wasn’t until the bed beside me dipped slightly, and he naturally pulled me into his arms, that I fully woke up. I pushed him away and shifted to the other side of the bed. Julian, rejected for the first time, looked momentarily stunned. The next second, he frowned. “Don’t you usually need to hear my heartbeat to fall asleep?” In our three years of marriage, I rarely made demands of Julian, but even so, the only thing he ever agreed to was this. We had just gotten married then; besides a marriage certificate, he had given me nothing. But I didn’t care. Afterward, I would simply lean into his arms, pressing my ear close to his heart. He asked me why I liked to lean on him like that. I looked up, my eyes shining with affection and love in the moonlight. “Because I love hearing your heartbeat. Can I always fall asleep listening to your heart from now on?” Perhaps the intensity of love in my eyes when I made that request made it impossible for him to refuse. For some reason, he actually agreed. And that habit had continued until now. Whenever he was present, I would instinctively snuggle into his arms, resting my head near his heart. But now, after a moment of stunned silence, I shook my head and said, “No, it’s fine.” **Chapter 3** I rolled over, facing away from him. Julian looked at my curled-up silhouette in the moonlight, a strange feeling stirring within him. This was the first time I hadn’t depended on him so completely. He didn’t like me, so he should have been happy that I was no longer clinging to him. Yet, he felt no joy at all, only an inexplicable emptiness deep inside. *He’s just used to me leaning into his arms, completely dependent on him,* he told himself, trying to rationalize the feeling. The next day, I woke up quite late. When I went downstairs after freshening up, I was surprised to find Julian hadn’t left yet. I blurted out, “Aren’t you going to the hospital to be with Ms. Seraphina today?” Normally, he might have been impatient at such a question, but at that moment, he secretly felt a sigh of relief. *Her behavior yesterday was clearly jealousy over Seraphina.* “Seraphina is just a friend. She had an accident right after coming back to the country, so I just took extra care of her. She’s been discharged now.” He explained patiently, a rare occurrence. He paused, then added, “Didn’t you want me to take you to see the sunset? I haven’t been able to spend time with you these past few days, so as compensation, I’ll take you today.” “No, it’s fine.” Having realized my mistake and now on the verge of divorce, I naturally had no intention of continuing to do these meaningless things with him. I instinctively refused, but he, believing his plan was perfectly reasonable, simply had the car brought around. Dragged along and settled into the car, I stopped arguing and just sat there quietly. The car drove towards the outskirts, quickly reaching its destination. But just as we arrived at the mountaintop, Julian’s phone rang. He picked it up, and the screen flashed, clearly displaying “Seraphina.” After a brief conversation, he hesitated for a moment after hanging up, then got back into the car. He left me with only a short sentence, “I’ll be back to pick you up later.” Despite his words, I waited for a long time. The sun began to set, the twilight faded, and he still didn’t return. There were no taxis on the mountain, and I didn’t bother calling Julian to ask if he was still coming. I simply started walking down the mountain alone. The mountain was high, and the path was steep. Even though it wasn’t a muddy trail, by the time I reached the bottom, my feet were covered in blisters. I pulled out my phone to call for a taxi back to the villa, but then I received a message from one of Julian’s friends from his social circle. **[Urgent. Come to The Obsidian Club.]** Most of Julian’s friends looked down on me, “Mrs. Avery,” who had supposedly chased him for two years before finally marrying him. They rarely contacted me directly, so when I saw the message, I didn’t hesitate. I hailed a taxi and headed straight for The Obsidian Club. It wasn’t that I was particularly worried about Julian; I just feared that if anything happened to him during this time, it might complicate the divorce. But when I found the private room based on the address they sent, I pushed the door open to step inside, and suddenly, a rope appeared beneath my feet. Caught off guard, I tripped and fell, my head hitting the nearby stool with a heavy thud. The pain made me instantly dizzy. My hand flew to my head, and I felt something sticky and warm. The group in the room watched my embarrassment unfold, yet they showed no signs of letting up. The next second, the door slammed shut, and a bucket of water tipped over. *Splash!* A cascade of cold water poured over my head, soaking me completely. “Hahahaha, look at her, all drenched! Doesn’t she look like a dog?” “Hey, don’t say that, Jax, your description is actually pretty spot on!” The room erupted in laughter, their words filled with derision and mockery. The air conditioning in the room was blasting. My damp clothes clung to my skin, and a cold gust of wind made me shiver. Water droplets dripping from my hair blurred my vision. Finally realizing it was nothing more than a cruel prank, my expression didn’t change. I simply wiped my face casually amidst their jeers. Seeing my lack of reaction, some found it boring, while others decided it wasn’t provocative enough. They pulled out a phone and played a surveillance video for me. “Hey, pathetic stalker, we called you here to tell you that Julian’s white moonlight is back.” I looked up. The content on the phone screen was playing right then. It appeared to be in another room. Julian was half-kneeling, massaging Seraphina’s ankle, his face filled with tender affection. “See that? Julian ditched you today to throw a welcome party for Seraphina. She just twisted her ankle a little, and he immediately scooped her up, so worried! Have you ever gotten that kind of treatment in all these years? Don’t hog the space here. Be sensible and give up your spot, or else being kicked out won’t look good.” The friends kept on with their relentless taunts. I struggled to my feet, doing my best to ignore the pain in my foot. My eyes were deep as I looked at them, my voice calm and steady. “Don’t worry, I’ll give up my spot. Because I don’t like him either.”

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I really did brave the storm with him. For eight years we were together, only for me to discover he was already married to someone else. It was his first love, the same woman who abandoned him after he lost his sight. For eight years, I was by his side, tending to him, I even knelt outside a renowned doctor’s office for days, begging him to help. But my eight years of devotion meant less than a single word from her. I chuckled, a bitter, self-deprecating sound. I dialed a number. “I accept your terms.” ### Chapter One Inside the Maybach, Julian Hayes was kissing me, stealing my breath and my senses. My clothes were gone, scattered somewhere, but Julian remained impeccably dressed. The stark contrast between us made my cheeks flush crimson. Julian reached out, encircling my waist, and murmured, his voice a low chuckle, “The soundproofing is up. The driver can’t hear anything, and he wouldn’t dare to. What are you blushing about, hmm?” I watched as the usually aloof man’s movements grew more fervent. I embraced him, my eyes filled with love. Just as the wave of pleasure surged, climbing rapidly towards its peak, it was abruptly cut short by a sudden phone ring. Julian frowned, annoyed by the interruption during such an intimate moment, but he picked up when he saw the caller ID. I gasped, catching a glimpse of the contact name. It was Leo, his best friend from his inner circle. “Julian, you’re out of your mind—” Julian’s brow furrowed slightly as he cut him off in flawless Italian. “Not convenient. Speak in Italian.” There was a deep sigh on the other end. After a long pause, Leo’s voice came through in Italian. “You actually registered your marriage with Seraphina? What in God’s name are you thinking? You lost your sight saving her all those years ago! She abandoned you at your lowest point, ran off with another man, and almost ruined you! And now you’re back with her?” Those foreign words automatically converted into English in my mind. When I finally processed what he was saying, a cold dread spread through me, like plunging into an ice bath. Julian, however, didn’t notice my abnormal reaction. “If I don’t marry her, her family will force her to marry an old man. I can’t bear to see her suffer that kind of humiliation.” “What about Chloe? She was the only one with you when you lost your sight! She’s been by your side for so many years, loving you so much she almost gave you her heart! We all saw it!” Leo’s voice was filled with barely contained fury. Julian remained detached. “I’ll find a way to keep it a secret. She’ll never know.” “How long can you hide it? A lifetime? Doesn’t Chloe want to marry you?” The more Julian listened, the more irritated he became, his tone growing urgent. “You need to suppress the news of Seraphina and me registering our marriage. Don’t tell anyone. In a while, I’ll prepare a fake marriage certificate for Chloe.” With that, he hung up, unwilling to hear any more of Leo’s nonsense. When he looked down again, Julian dropped his phone and resumed his assault on me. My entire body trembled uncontrollably. As we both reached climax and began to straighten our clothes, my lips parted. I was about to speak when his phone buzzed again. It was a SnapChat notification, a special alert. Julian picked it up, glanced at the screen, and then instructed the driver to stop. “Chloe, something urgent came up at the office. Could you get off here and take a cab home?” I said nothing, just nodded silently, and opened the car door. The black Maybach sped away like a flash of lightning. I stood on the roadside, staring blankly at the bustling street, no longer able to hold back the tears that streamed down my face. No one knew that to bridge the distance between Julian and me, I had long since learned Italian. So, every word he and Leo exchanged, I understood. Each phrase echoed in my ears, like countless sharp blades piercing deep into my heart. And with the disillusionment of my love, those dusty memories all flooded back into my mind. Julian Hayes was a high-born young master, and I was the daughter of their housekeeper. That year, my mother and I stepped into the opulent Hayes family mansion. There, I saw Julian, elegantly playing the piano bathed in sunlight. I had never heard such beautiful music, nor had I ever seen such a handsome boy. With just one glance, the name Julian Hayes was etched deep into my heart. I never told anyone about the person hidden in my heart. This wasn’t just because of the huge disparity in our social classes, but also because I knew Julian’s heart already belonged to someone else. That girl was Seraphina. They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts. He never hid his affection for her, cherishing her like a precious gem, guarding her in the palm of his hand. At seventeen, Julian even lost his sight in a car accident while saving Seraphina. But from that day on, Seraphina vanished completely, never reappearing at the Hayes mansion. She even started dating someone new. The Hayes family had other grandchildren, but Julian’s parents were constantly busy with their careers, with no time to care for their son who could no longer see. Julian was sent to a remote family estate in the countryside, left alone and isolated. It was I who volunteered to be transferred to the old estate, looking after him personally for seven years. When I was twenty-three, I pleaded relentlessly for days outside a renowned doctor’s office, refusing to leave until he agreed to perform the surgery that finally restored Julian’s eyesight. He broke free from long-term stagnation, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, achieving astonishing success that made the world take notice. In just one year, Julian returned to the top, becoming the heir to Hayes Industries. I was the one who accompanied him through winter and summer, I was the one who accompanied him from deep night to dawn, I was the one who helped him endure those difficult seven years. Kissing him, embracing him, sleeping with him… it was all me. But I never imagined that the first thing he would do after regaining power was to marry Seraphina, the very woman who had abandoned him! Over the years, I pushed myself relentlessly to keep up with him. But no matter what I became, Julian’s parents always felt I wasn’t good enough for their son, trying multiple times to pay me off and make me leave. Julian always argued with his family for me, and I never wanted to disappoint him, so I never thought of leaving. Until today. I didn’t want to stay by his side anymore. So I wiped away my tears, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number. “Mrs. Hayes, I accept your offer of fifty million. I’ll leave Julian Hayes forever!” ### Chapter Two On the other end of the line, Mrs. Hayes instantly became ecstatic. “You’ve finally come to your senses? That’s wonderful. You’re just a housekeeper’s daughter; how could you possibly be worthy of my son, the heir of Hayes Industries? Where are you now? Come over quickly, we’ll sign the agreement.” I chuckled derisively as I looked at the address she impatiently sent me. I hailed a cab. Upon arriving at the café, Mrs. Hayes asked me many questions. After I answered each one, she showed a satisfied expression, then took out an agreement and pushed it towards me. “Black and white, no regrets once you sign. I’ll transfer half the money to your account immediately, and the other half will be transferred the day you leave. You must promise that once you receive the money, you’ll never appear before Julian Hayes again, understood?” My eyelashes trembled as I looked at the astronomical compensation written in the agreement. I certainly wouldn’t reappear. Not in this life, nor the next. I never wanted to see Julian Hayes again. So, without hesitation, I picked up the pen and decisively signed my name. Mrs. Hayes finally relaxed. She put away the agreement, stood up, and gave a final instruction. “I’m giving you two weeks. You can change your name or move abroad, whatever you choose. You must find a way for Julian to never see you again.” “I understand, Mrs. Hayes. You can rest assured.” After watching Mrs. Hayes leave, I returned home. Making sure Julian Hayes would never see me again was simple. The Hayes family had deep roots in the country, a powerful legacy spanning generations. It was an unspoken rule, almost a family tradition, that key members couldn’t establish permanent residence abroad. It was about preserving their power and influence, their name, their empire. If I immigrated, Julian would never be able to see me again. After spending most of the night researching overseas information, I finally decided to immigrate to Australia. Once decided, I picked up my phone to check the time, only to see a new SnapChat story notification. I opened it, and it was Seraphina’s post with nine photos. The top three were selfies of her holding roses, the middle three were marriage certificates, and the bottom three showed intertwined hands. I knew that since Julian wanted to keep the marriage a secret, he would never let Seraphina post about it. Yet she still did, and she posted it with settings to ensure only I could see it, a blatant taunt. I played along and liked the post. As soon as I exited SnapChat, I received a message from Julian. “Chloe, I’m going on a business trip. I won’t be back for a few days.” I replied with “Okay,” put down my phone, and went to wash up. The next day, I woke up early to handle my immigration paperwork. Since I was in a hurry, I specifically applied for expedited processing. The staff promised it would be done within half a month, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. After getting in the car, I scrolled through Seraphina’s SnapChat again. This time, half of Julian’s body was visible. They were holding hands, looking at new houses, and finally settled on a villa in the exclusive Silverwood Estates. Just like yesterday, I clicked “like.” On the third day, I went to my company and resigned. After carrying my belongings home, I saw Seraphina’s SnapChat story. She was already wearing a wedding dress, a dazzling diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger. As always, I tapped the heart icon, then buried myself under my duvet. On the fourth day, I woke up to a new SnapChat update, fresh content again. This time, the camera was focused on wedding photos hanging in their new home. I stared at them for a long while before snapping back to reality. I liked the post as usual, then put on makeup and went out to have a farewell dinner with a few good friends. In the evening, I returned with several boxes and threw away everything related to Julian. All the gifts he had given me over the years, our matching toothbrushes and cups, the photos we had taken together… Nothing was left. It all went into the trash bin. By the time I finished, it was late at night. I was about to turn off the lights and rest when Julian suddenly returned. He froze as soon as he saw the empty room, his brows furrowed. “Why are so many things missing from the house?” “I didn’t like them anymore, so I threw them out. I’ll buy new ones later.” Julian nodded, took off his clothes, and tossed them onto the sofa, but his gaze was drawn to the boxes beside it. “You quit your job?” He paused, then saw the documents on the coffee table. “Why are your identification documents out all of a sudden?” “I was too tired and wanted to rest for a while, so I resigned. The identification documents are because I have some paperwork to take care of.” I explained each point, putting the documents into my bag. Seeing how calm I was, Julian didn’t think much of it. He pulled me into his embrace, his voice tender. “I’ve been busy these past few days and haven’t had time to be with you. Your birthday is in a couple of days. Shall I take you to the auction house tomorrow to pick out some gifts?” I didn’t refuse. The next day, as soon as we settled into our seats in the main hall, I saw Seraphina. She sashayed over to us and sat in the empty seat next to Julian. All evening, Julian kept his head turned towards me, talking, not sparing a glance for the woman beside him. After the auction ended, he didn’t linger, pulling me downstairs with him. Before heading home, I went to the restroom. As I came out, I saw Seraphina cornered in the stairwell by a group of arrogant trust fund kids, who were openly mocking her. “Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Seraphina. You ungratefully abandoned Julian Hayes back then, and now you’ve fallen to this. Wouldn’t you say this is karma?” “I heard your father is forcing you to marry an old man with one foot in the grave. You’re still quite beautiful. Why don’t you come with us? We’d certainly appreciate you more…” The rest of his sentence was cut short. Julian descended from upstairs, his face thunderous, and kicked the young men. ### Chapter Three Then, he pinned the leader to the ground, punching him repeatedly, relentlessly, leaving them all bloody and pleading for mercy. “We’re sorry, Mr. Hayes! We were wrong! Please, be merciful and spare us!” “Get out! If you ever dare to show your faces in front of her again, you’ll face the consequences!” His furious roar sent them scrambling away, practically tripping over themselves in fear. Many onlookers had gathered in the stairwell. Julian ignored their prying glances, helped Seraphina to her feet. “Are you hurt?” Seraphina collapsed into his arms, sobbing dramatically, tears streaming down her face. “I twisted my ankle, it hurts so much.” Julian’s eyes darkened. He scooped her up, pushed through the crowd, and quickly left. To protect the woman in his arms, he held out an arm, accidentally pushing me to the ground in the process. My head hit the hard steps, opening a gash that bled profusely, startling the onlookers. “You’re bleeding from your head! Quick, call an ambulance!” My face contorted in pain, cold sweat breaking out all over my body. Warm blood seeped from my fingers, dripping onto my eyelashes, each drop feeling impossibly heavy. I watched Julian’s retreating figure, not bothering to look back, and a bitter taste filled my mouth. Before, if I’d accidentally cut my finger while preparing soup for him, he would worry for ages, insisting on calling a doctor, terrified I’d be left with a scar. I’d find him overreacting, but he would lower his head, kiss my hand, and tenderly whisper, “Chloe, you are the person I hold most dear. If you get hurt, I hurt more than you. Now that our lives are getting better, you don’t need to do these things anymore. Your hand will soon wear the ring I give you, and a scar wouldn’t look pretty.” Now, I was hurt, and he ignored me. And the ring he promised to me was now on someone else’s hand. The ambulance took me to the hospital. I registered, saw the doctor, and picked up my medication all by myself, not getting home until late at night. That night, the pain kept me from closing my eyes, tossing and turning restlessly. Julian Hayes didn’t come home. The next morning, I dragged my exhausted body up to change my dressing and saw Seraphina’s SnapChat story. It was a video of Julian half-kneeling, rubbing and applying medicine to her foot. I watched it several times, my eyes welling up, and unknowingly fell asleep. When I woke up again, it was dark outside. My phone on the pillow vibrated incessantly. I answered the call, and Julian’s voice listed an address. “Riverside Manor, private room 703. Come over now.” I hesitated for a moment before getting out of bed. I washed up quickly and headed over. As I pushed open the private room door, the first person I saw was Seraphina. Her eyes were red, looking like a wronged little bunny, utterly pitiful. Julian gazed at her steadily, saying nothing, his face etched with a pensive, solemn expression. The room was silent for a long time. Finally, I couldn’t help but speak. “Why did you call me here?” Julian straightened up, clasping his hands together, assuming the posture of a man in charge. “Chloe, were those punks yesterday, the ones bothering Seraphina, sent by you deliberately?” I froze. I instinctively glanced at Seraphina and caught a fleeting look of triumph in her eyes. In that instant, I understood that this was all probably Seraphina’s self-directed drama. I chuckled, a self-deprecating sound. “It wasn’t me. I don’t know them, and I have no interest in doing such a thing.” Julian’s expression didn’t soften with my explanation. He lowered his gaze, his voice calm. “Chloe, the moment Seraphina decided to leave me all those years ago, I completely let her go. You’ve been with me for seven years; you should know who is in my heart now. Seraphina’s family is struggling, and anyone can take advantage of her vulnerability, but it shouldn’t be you. You don’t need to make things difficult for her for my sake.” At this, my heart lurched. I couldn’t help but recall his agonizing cries in the middle of the night, the times I ran around with him, seeking doctors and cures, his silent despair when he was misdiagnosed and told he would never see again… The favored son of fate, who lost his sight completely for a girl. But those desperate days and nights, seven whole years, were now brushed aside so lightly, as if they had never happened. Finally, I thought of the marriage certificate, sealed with an official stamp, between him and Seraphina. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Yes, seven years together. How is it that only now do I know who is truly in your heart?” Julian’s eyes narrowed at my words. “What do you mean?” I shook my head, a self-mocking smile twisting my lips. “It means, I’m just a housekeeper’s daughter. What power or connections do I have to round up a group of men to bully a young lady?” Even though I laid everything out clearly, Julian still didn’t believe me. I was tired. I took a deep breath and gave up on explaining. “Since you don’t believe me, then just tell me directly. What do you want me to do?” Julian pressed his temples. “Apologize, Chloe. When you’ve done something wrong, you should say you’re sorry.” At that moment, Seraphina, who had been looking pitiful for a long time, suddenly spoke. “No need for an apology. If you’re truly sorry, just drink all this wine.” ### Chapter Four On the table, bottles of amber whiskey were arranged. My gaze drifted up to Julian, silently asking for a definite answer. But the dim lighting obscured his expression. In the overwhelming silence, I felt a sudden lack of oxygen. I gasped for air, and many past memories flashed through my mind. When Julian first moved into the old estate, because he couldn’t see, he numbed himself with alcohol every day. Worried about his health, I constantly tried to stop him, but he never listened. Until one time, when he was drunk, he sneered, pushing several bottles of wine towards me. “Now even a housekeeper’s daughter dares to lecture me? Am I truly a fallen phoenix, worse than a chicken? Fine, you drink all this, and I’ll listen to you.” I wanted to tell him I didn’t mean it that way, I wasn’t lecturing him. I was… worried about him. So, even though I was allergic to alcohol, for his sake, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I picked up a bottle and downed it. Within minutes, I was rushed to the hospital. When I woke up, I saw him sitting by my bedside, his face dark as he said, “I was the one who was drunk, not you! You knew you were allergic to alcohol, why would you gamble with your life?” I only answered one sentence. “Because I was worried about you, Master Julian. Your eyes will see again someday. Even if they don’t, I’ll stay with you for life. So, please don’t give up, okay?” From that day on, Julian gave up drinking. For years afterward, not a single alcohol bottle could be found in the house. Thinking about it, I started to smile, but my eyes shimmered with tears. I didn’t explain further. I leaned down, picked up a packet of mustard powder nearby, and poured it into the wine glass, my voice resolute. “Just these drinks? How can that show sincerity? I’ll add a penalty to myself, is that enough?” With that, I raised the glass and tilted my head back, pouring it into my mouth, one glass after another. The pungent and bitter taste spread from my lips down, filling my stomach, reaching but never quite touching my heart. It wasn wasn’t until the seventh glass that Julian, unable to bear it any longer, finally called out. “Enough!” Looking at the dozen or so unfinished glasses, I smiled. “This is enough? So, I’ve apologized? Is that enough to please your beloved?” Hearing this, Julian abruptly stood up and grabbed my hand. His usually expressionless face was now so dark it looked like it could drip water. “You know I didn’t mean it that way! Chloe, I told you, Seraphina and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. The Hayes family won’t approve of me marrying you. If you do something so outrageous, people will seize on it, and I just don’t want you to be troubled or criticized!” Julian spoke with righteous indignation, his words sounding perfectly reasonable. But I laughed out loud. The Hayes family disapproves of me, a low-born housekeeper’s daughter. Would they approve of Seraphina, who repaid kindness with malice, marrying into the family? Yet, despite a thousand difficulties ahead, he still married her just because she said the word, didn’t he? Everything was just an excuse for not loving enough! I didn’t want to say any more pointless words. I shook off his hand and turned to leave. Just as I reached the door, my body swayed, and I passed out. “Chloe!” Julian’s heart gave a violent lurch. He rushed forward without hesitation, scooped me up, and was about to leave. Seraphina quickly grabbed his sleeve, calling out to him with a choked cry, “Julian, I feel a little dizzy.” Julian stopped. But only for a few seconds. He then strode away, leaving only a sentence behind. “I need to take Chloe to the hospital. Call an assistant to look after you.” When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital. Julian, who hadn’t slept all night, finally relaxed when he saw my eyes open. We looked at each other for a long time, neither of us speaking. Julian poured a glass of warm water and handed it to me, tucked in my blankets, then got up to call the doctor for a recheck, patiently noting down all the precautions. He postponed several urgent meetings. Seeing his secretary waiting anxiously at the door, I finally spoke. “You should go. I can take care of myself. These things shouldn’t be your responsibility anyway.” Julian paused, his hand holding a knife, his voice slow. “Everything I do is my responsibility, Chloe. Have you forgotten? All those years ago, you took care of me just like this.” A flicker of confusion crossed my eyes. Back then, because he was blind, he was abandoned by his wealthy family like a discarded pawn. Only I would teach him Braille, which I taught myself every day, accompany him to classes, take him out to sunbathe, prepare all sorts of delicious food for him… It was as if I’d secretly claimed the moon for myself, and my once dull life became as bright as day. And those seven years that passed were the most precious, joyful times of my life. Unfortunately, the moon didn’t belong to me, and I couldn’t go back to the past. In the afternoon, the doctor took me into the examination room. Half an hour later, the nurse helped me back to my room. As I pushed open the door, Julian was holding my phone, his brows furrowed, speaking to Mrs. Hayes in an icy tone. “I told you, Chloe and I genuinely love each other. We are mutually devoted. I don’t care about her family background, and you don’t need to waste any more effort. I will marry her, and she will not leave me.” Hearing the movement, he looked up at me. The next second, he heard Mrs. Hayes’s puzzled voice from the other end. “What do you mean she won’t leave? Don’t you know? Chloe already agreed to go abroad a few days ago…”

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On the day of our civil wedding, my boyfriend, Julian Blackwood, had me kicked out of the courthouse, then walked in with his childhood sweetheart. He looked at me with an indifferent shrug: “Seraphina’s child needs his birth registered. Once we’re divorced, I’ll marry you.” Everyone expected me, so deeply in love, to willingly wait another month for him. After all, I had waited seven years. But that very night, I accepted an arranged marriage abroad. And vanished from his world. Three years later, I returned to the country with my husband for a family remembrance trip. Asher had a sudden business emergency, so he arranged for someone from his domestic branch to pick me up. I never imagined I’d run into Julian Blackwood, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. “You’ve played this game long enough. It’s time to come back… Seraphina’s child is starting kindergarten soon, you can handle the pick-ups and drop-offs.” In the arrival hall, I spotted someone holding a sign with my English name. Walking closer, I realized it was my ex-boyfriend, Julian, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. He was with Seraphina Hayes and a few of his buddies, all craning their necks, eagerly peering into the crowd. “Julian, isn’t that your simping ex, Elara?” Julian looked surprised to see me, but quickly masked it, feigning nonchalance. “See? I told you she’d come crawling back.” They all snickered, turning their attention to me: “Elara just vanished without a word back then. Now that Julian’s made it big, she’s probably crying herself to sleep every night, filled with regret!” “But Elara, if you’re trying to stage a ‘chance encounter,’ why are you wearing casual clothes? Didn’t you bother to spruce yourself up?” “Don’t tell me without Julian, you can’t even afford decent clothes? Look how low you’ve fallen!” I used to meticulously apply my most exquisite makeup and choose the most flattering clothes, always presenting my best self whenever I met Julian. But now, there was no need. My husband didn’t allow me to wear makeup while pregnant and insisted I wear whatever was comfortable. This casual outfit was custom-made for me by someone he specifically hired. Still, listening to them, I realized they only knew my English name but had no idea *I* was the person they were supposed to be picking up. Seeing me remain silent, someone I used to be close with quickly tried to smooth things over. “Elara, it’s good you’re back. Julian has actually been looking for you all these years… asking around for any news!” Julian’s smile froze, but he quickly composed himself, speaking as if nothing had happened. “Seraphina’s child is starting kindergarten soon. You can be in charge of picking him up and dropping him off.” Julian was still as self-important and arrogant as ever. But I was no longer the girl who used to endlessly tolerate him. Seeing him again, all that was left in my heart was annoyance. Unwilling to waste time with them, I was about to reveal my identity when Seraphina spoke first: “Elara, please don’t blame Julian. He’s just trying to take care of you. After all, who knows what you’ve been doing out there for three years?” “Now that you’re looking so run-down and poor, even if he wanted to give you my personal assistant job, you couldn’t handle it.” “Don’t worry, just help me take care of my son. Nobody will look down on you for that.” Three years, and Seraphina was still so haughty, still capable of making me frown in disgust. Julian, however, misinterpreted my reaction, thinking I was still jealous and angry over him. A flicker of triumph crossed his eyes. “Alright, you’re obviously not making it out there, so what airs are you putting on?” “Just take care of the child and stop causing trouble. You need to recognize your place.” “Don’t worry, there’s still a room for the nanny at my house.” At his words, the people around us immediately broke into mocking laughter. “Elara, see how good Julian is to you? He’s worried you’d suffer out there, so he’s arranged your food and lodging.” “He’s just asking you to help Seraphina with the child—isn’t that way better than your current impoverished life? Why aren’t you thanking Julian?” Seraphina touched her earring, feigning concern. “Elara, don’t worry. If my son is naughty and disobedient, I’ll help you discipline him. I won’t let you be wronged.” Julian chuckled, giving me a dismissive glance.

“Wronged? What’s there to be wronged about? She disappeared over such a small matter back then. Now she’s back because she couldn’t make it on her own. A little hardship is what she deserves.” My heart practically stopped at those words. Even now, did he still think getting married to Seraphina was a “small matter”? The Julian who once loved me was long gone. He was no longer the boy who, despite his own injuries, carried me across half the city. Nor the young man who, with nothing, loudly proclaimed his love and promised me everything. And certainly not the successful man who once willingly cooked for me with his own hands. But it was fine. It was all in the past, no need to dwell on it. After all, I was about to have my second child. Pushing down my thoughts, I really didn’t want to waste time bickering with them here. It was pointless. I looked at Julian, my voice calm. “Aren’t you here to pick me up? Let’s go.” The scene went silent for a moment. They exchanged glances, then suddenly burst into laughter. Seraphina scoffed, her voice cold. “Wait for *you*? You think you’re worthy?!” She pointed at the sign. “Look closely, we’re waiting for Helina. Do you even know who that is?” That was my English name. Of course, I knew. “Helina is Mrs. Montgomery, the lady of the Montgomery family, Mr. Montgomery’s rightful wife.” “Mr. Montgomery is a fierce decision-maker in the business world, but personally, he’s a true romantic. Rumor has it he didn’t marry for years because he was waiting for Helina.” “Everyone in our circle knows it’s better to curry favor with Mrs. Montgomery than with Mr. Montgomery. Mrs. Montgomery is the apple of his eye.” Hearing their chattering, a happy smile touched my lips. Three years into our marriage, Asher’s business had grown exponentially, and his reputation as a doting husband had only gotten louder. Seraphina, always wanting to one-up me, seized the opportunity to show off: “To win Mrs. Montgomery’s heart, Mr. Montgomery once bought a ‘True Love Forever’ bracelet at Christie’s, valued at 20 million… dollars.” “Mrs. Montgomery is the envy of women everywhere.” She paused, then pointed at my wrist, her voice shrill. “It’s this one!” The crowd suddenly fell silent, everyone staring at my bracelet. Julian roughly grabbed my hand, scrutinizing it for a moment, then sneered. “Pretty good fake! Which broke delivery guy got this for you? Gifting knock-offs, seriously.” “Trash.” I yanked my hand away from him, a faint smile playing on my lips as I gently caressed the bracelet. Seeing my happy smile, Julian’s pupils constricted. He grabbed my wrist again, violently ripping the bracelet off. I hadn’t expected such a sudden move and he succeeded in one swift motion.

Seraphina stepped forward, examining the bracelet. She took it from Julian’s hand and toyed with it. “It’s definitely more exquisite than the fake I bought, but I’d never wear it out. People would laugh.” “Foreign knock-offs really are different; the texture is quite nice.” “Or, are you saying, Elara, that *you* are Helina, the legendary Mrs. Montgomery?!” At her words, the surrounding group burst into laughter. After all, to them, it was utterly ridiculous. Asher Montgomery was a globally renowned financial genius, ruthless and decisive in the business world. And I, three years ago, was still hanging out with them, a nobody Julian had rejected at the courthouse. It was impossible to imagine. Seraphina swung the bracelet around on her finger. “Elara, let me have this bracelet. I’ll pay double.” Fearing she might drop it, I quickly said, “Give me back my bracelet! Asher gave me that…” Before I could finish, Julian slapped me so hard my head snapped to the side, and blood welled at the corner of my mouth. “Shut up!” Julian looked at me, infuriated. “Elara, Mr. Montgomery’s name isn’t something you get to casually utter. How dare you spread rumors about being involved with him? Are you trying to get me killed?” Julian’s buddies also looked indignant, glaring at me. “Elara, do you have any idea how hard we fought to get the chance to pick up Mrs. Montgomery today?” “Julian’s company was acquired by Mr. Montgomery last year. We’re all dependent on Mr. Montgomery for our very livelihood. Only by currying favor with Mrs. Montgomery can Julian’s position be secure.” “Now you’re here spreading rumors about being involved with Mr. Montgomery? Are you trying to ruin Julian?” I wiped the blood from my lip, slowly turning my head to meet Julian’s gaze.

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My mother was killed by my husband’s childhood sweetheart. My husband, Alex Miller, a top-tier attorney, didn’t hesitate. He immediately took the woman he’d grown up with to court. But the final verdict was that Mom had staged the accident. Eight lawsuits, eight crushing defeats. Yet, Alex never gave up. Ashley Evans cried, questioning him: “We grew up together! Do you really have to keep hounding me?” Finally, after the tenth brutal defeat, he found me, his face gaunt, his beard scruffy. “There’s really no evidence to convict Ashley, Chloe. Let’s just lay Mom to rest.” I cried into his arms all night. The next day, I kidnapped Ashley Evans and started a live stream to the entire internet. I smiled at the camera: “Alex, you have ten chances to submit the real evidence. Otherwise…” With one swift cut, I severed Ashley’s pinky finger: “You’ll personally be piecing your childhood sweetheart back together!” The live stream shot up to over a hundred thousand viewers almost instantly. Ashley Evans was gagged and tied to a chair. I stood behind her, a knife in my hand, a smile on my face. Everyone watched, tense. The most anxious of them all was my husband, Alex Miller. “Chloe! There’s truly nothing suspicious about Mom’s accident! I checked thoroughly!” He yelled at me through the camera. I watched his panicked face on the big screen in the room, shaking my head with a smile: “No, you haven’t submitted all the confirmed evidence to the police yet.” The live chat exploded: [Is this woman out of her mind? Doesn’t ten lost lawsuits prove anything?] [She’s paranoid, isn’t she? Won’t be satisfied unless the driver is charged with premeditated murder?] [Her husband is a top-tier attorney! He charges seven-figure retainers for cases, and he’s impossible to book! He dropped all his other cases to fight ten lawsuits for her! That’s more than enough!] Watching the overwhelming support for him, Alex’s expression softened. His voice grew more confident: “Chloe! The facts are clear, the evidence is plain. I don’t know what else I’m supposed to submit. “Your current actions constitute a serious criminal offense! Release Ashley immediately, and I’ll defend you!” I said nothing. I grabbed Ashley’s ear and swiftly sliced it off. Alex’s expression froze. I held the ear up, dangling it for the camera: “Do you think I’m kidding?” Alex’s face turned deathly pale as he stared at the camera: “You… you’ve completely lost it!” I casually tossed the ear to the floor. The golden retriever immediately pounced on it, wagging its tail. “One.” I held up a single finger. “Alex Miller, ten lost lawsuits, ten concealments. You also have ten chances to submit the evidence you’ve hidden all ten times to all these viewers. Each time, I’ll give you ten minutes.” [??? Is she crazy? Submit what if there’s no evidence?] [Don’t drag us innocent viewers into this! We’re not just going to side with whoever’s mom died, okay?] [Besides, maybe your mom really did try to stage an accident and it went wrong? Ashley is the victim here, okay?] I watched the comments scroll wildly. Most people were accusing me of being deluded, refusing to accept the verdict of ten trials. [She’s just trying to extort money! Like mother, like daughter, a big scammer raising a little scammer! Mom failed, now the daughter continues the scam!] [Where are the police? Track her down quickly! Otherwise, this poor girl is going to be killed by this fraud!] The police also sent a private message: [We have located you. Immediately put down your weapon and surrender!] I just sneered. I had already asked my best friend to handle the technical side. My location was unstable, impossible to pinpoint, not even a general area. A cheap trick. Sure enough, minute after minute passed, and there was no movement from the police. The online viewers grew frantic, flooding the police’s social media with messages. The police station’s phone lines were even jammed by the anxious callers. Left with no choice, the police issued a statement, acknowledging the unknown location. They stated they were mobilizing top technical personnel to pinpoint me. I glanced at my watch. I pressed the knife against Ashley’s trembling face: “Ready, my dear?” “Wait!” Alex stopped my movement, cold sweat beading on his forehead: “I’ll submit…”

The evidence was submitted quickly. I glanced at it. It was new evidence, as expected. But just one look, and I spun around, plunging a pencil into Ashley’s right eye socket. “Mmph! Mmph!!” Ashley was gagged, but she still managed to make sounds. She tilted her head back in agony, blood gushing from her eye socket, her left eye streaming tears. “Chloe!!” Alex lunged closer to the camera: “I’ve already submitted it! How dare you do that!” I held the printed new evidence up to the camera, shaking it: “Do you take me for a fool? It looks convincing, but this alone isn’t enough to convict Ashley of premeditated murder!” I threw the evidence to the floor, stepping on it, staring coldly into the camera: “Alex, playing games won’t work.” Alex’s face paled even further. The online crowd was enraged: [Your mom just messed up her own scam! Submitting evidence of premeditated murder would be perjury!] [Everyone in the legal world knows Alex Miller’s stellar reputation! YOU’RE the one committing murder!] [Release the hostage!] I just smiled, glancing at my watch: “My dear, you have six minutes left.” Alex leaned on the table, glaring intensely at the camera: “The case is closed, there are no objections! What do you want me to submit?!” “You know what.” I stared back at the camera, my voice cold: “If you truly love your childhood sweetheart enough, then submit the real evidence quickly!” Alex gritted his teeth savagely: “If I had intended to deceive you, I would’ve just pointed you to some amateur lawyer! Why would I waste years fighting ten appeals for you?!” I raised my chin: “Only you know that.” The online insults against me grew fiercer. Countless people accused me of being a heartless monster, betraying my husband. The police’s negotiation team kept sending me private messages. I just sat beside Ashley, surrounded by a pool of blood, watching my watch. “Time’s up.” I stood. Ashley stared at me in terror with her one remaining eye. “Chloe!” A familiar voice echoed. I spun around. A familiar face stood before the camera. “Uncle Robert!” I froze. “Chloe, I’ve thoroughly analyzed your mother’s case. Things really aren’t as you think.”

The knife hovered over Ashley’s brow. I frowned: “Uncle Robert, what are you talking about?” Uncle Robert stood before the camera, righteous indignation in his voice: “As a forensic analyst, I’ve analyzed your mother’s case no less than ten times. This matter, indeed, was your mother’s fault.” I stared at the camera in disbelief: “Uncle Robert, are you saying my mom staged an accident?” Uncle Robert sighed: “Chloe, you must respect the facts. The crime scene analysis unequivocally indicates that.” “I think you’re the one not respecting facts!” I pointed at the camera: “She was your sister! Your own sister! “Back when we were so poor we couldn’t even afford food, Mom would return a hundred-dollar bill a stranger dropped. “From the day I was born, she taught me kindness. You’ve known her for nearly fifty years, and you actually think that of her!” Uncle Robert frowned: “Chloe, people change.” I laughed. I ripped off the cloth gagging Ashley: “I think you’re the one who’s changed.” “Help…” Ashley couldn’t even finish her word before I clamped her jaw, forcing her mouth open. Pliers reached into her mouth, one, two, three. The floor was littered with the teeth I’d wrenched from her mouth. “Ah!!” Ashley’s screams were bone-chilling. Uncle Robert leaned closer to the camera: “Enough! Stop it! Chloe! Stop it now!!” After pulling out the last tooth, Ashley collapsed, her mouth a bloody mess, her body trembling uncontrollably. “Ashley…” Uncle Robert’s pupils trembled. I glared directly into the camera: “What, Uncle Robert? You knew her all along?” Uncle Robert paused, then immediately regained his righteous expression: “Chloe! You’re a disgrace to your mother’s memory!” I chuckled, glancing at my watch: “You’ve already wasted three chances. “Fourth chance, ten minutes. Timer, start.” I sat back down on the chair beside Ashley, calmly twirling the pliers. Alex paced frantically in front of the camera. With thirty seconds left, I began to count down: “29, 28, 27…” “There’s no such thing as evidence of premeditated murder! What do you want me to submit?!” Alex was losing his mind. The online crowd was also indignant: [If there was, anyone would have submitted it by now! Isn’t she forcing Alex Miller to commit perjury?] [Exactly! Forcing Alex to ruin his career!] [This woman is utterly malicious!] “5, 4…” “Chloe!!” “3, 2…” “Chloe, come to your senses!” “1…” “Mommy!” A small, childish voice piped up. I froze, quickly standing up: “Leo…”

“Mommy!” Leo’s tiny, tear-streaked face appeared on camera, sobbing. “Leo, did Daddy bring you here?” I had specifically told my best friend not to involve the child in this. Could my friend have… “Mommy! Grandma really did run into Ms. Ashley’s car on purpose!” My pupils constricted. The online viewers grew even more displeased: [Chloe, look at what you’ve done! Such a young child forced to face all this!] [Even her child is speaking out, Chloe! Are you still going to be delusional? This is your own son!] I tightened my grip on the knife: “Leo, that’s your Grandma! The Grandma who sang you lullabies, the Grandma who broke her own leg chasing off a kidnapper to save you!” Leo cried: “Grandma really said she was going to stage an accident with Ms. Ashley! Leo isn’t lying! Leo really isn’t lying! Mommy, please let Ms. Ashley go, okay?” Alex pulled Leo into his arms: “Chloe! Are you going to doubt even your own child’s words?!” I gritted my teeth: “What did you teach him to say?” [??? Seriously, does she have a mental illness?] [Finally, I know where those idiotic male leads who never believe the female protagonist in novels come from. Art truly imitates life.] “Chloe! If you won’t listen to Leo, who *will* convince you?!” Alex was righteously indignant. I just grabbed Ashley’s hair, forcing her ravaged face towards the camera. The knife tip gently grazed her skin. I chuckled: “Alex, did you think that all this time during the appeals, I hadn’t noticed you secretly messaging her at night?” Alex’s eyes widened suddenly. “Fourth chance, gone!” I raised the knife high above Ashley’s left eye. “Mommy!!” Leo held up a letter: “Grandma told me to give you this before she left!” The knife tip stopped less than a millimeter from Ashley’s eyeball. “Mom?” I stared in disbelief at the letter Leo offered. It clearly stated that Mom, unable to bear the torment of cancer, planned to leave this world in such a manner.

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My husband transferred the deed of a multi-million dollar mansion to his intern, Amber Thorne. Amber flaunted the property deed on SnapChat: “So grateful for my amazing CEO’s care! This little pup finally has a place to call home in NYC. ❤️” The sophisticated oil paintings in the room were replaced with cheap, cutesy landscape prints. I immediately called Leo Sterling. “Explain this. How did my mansion become someone else’s?” Leo’s nonchalant voice came through the phone: “Amber doesn’t have a place in NYC. We have so many houses; we won’t miss this one.” “You have ten minutes to transfer the property back and restore everything to how it was!” Leo hung up and didn’t reply. Three minutes later, Sterling Enterprises’ partners all withdrew their investments. If he wasn’t willing to fix the problem, I wouldn’t mind destroying Sterling Enterprises! Leo still hadn’t contacted me, but Grandpa Sterling called first. “Aurora, did that brat Leo upset you? Don’t you worry, my family has six other eligible grandsons. If he’s being an idiot, just pick another! But please, don’t take it out on Sterling Enterprises!” I sneered, “Grandpa Sterling, your grandson gave my mansion to a manipulative intern. Would you tolerate that?” A few seconds of silence, then a gritted voice: “That ignorant idiot! Aurora, don’t worry, I’ll make him return the house right away.” Soon, Leo burst into the office. “Aurora Blackwood, have you lost your mind? For a damn mansion, you actually contacted Grandpa and tried to replace me as the heir to this company!” “When did you become so vicious?!” So that’s how he saw me. I gazed out at the rainy window, a chill spreading from my fingertips to my heart. “That mansion was bought with our joint marital assets. Without my permission, you had no right to give it to anyone else.” “Leo Sterling, transfer the property back immediately, and that includes all my paintings. Not one can be missing.” “Otherwise, Sterling Enterprises will lose much, much more!” Leo fell silent. He knew I always kept my word. If he didn’t do as I said today, I would truly cut off all of Sterling Enterprises’ partnerships. Finally, he sighed helplessly, “Fine, I promise.” Then he pressed his lips together, his eyes burning as he looked at me. This was his usual trick. Every time he made a mistake, he’d put on this expression. In the past, whenever he looked like that, I would always rush into his arms and hug him tight. But now, I simply instructed my assistant to show him out. As a married man, if he couldn’t even maintain the most basic boundaries, I had no reason to indulge him. Soon, the property deed was changed back and returned. I smashed his favorite antique vase and sent him a picture of the broken pieces on the floor. “Leo Sterling, you know my temper. Don’t let it happen again!” He didn’t reply. I knew he was angry. But he was the one who crossed the line; he couldn’t blame me.

The next day, right after the board meeting, I received a call from the project director. “Ms. Blackwood, something’s come up with the Northbrook project!” When I arrived on site, I found out that Amber Thorne had offended Commissioner Davies with her rude remarks. This project, a city council initiative, was a joint venture between Blackwood Corp and Sterling Enterprises. How could Leo entrust such a crucial meeting to an inexperienced intern? I immediately apologized to Commissioner Davies. He let it go, out of respect for me. But just as I was about to fire Amber, Leo burst into the conference room. “Aurora Blackwood, Amber Thorne is my intern. You have no right to fire her!” “You’re so irrational and blindly retaliating; it honestly disgusts me!” He didn’t ask for reasons, just pointed at me and yelled. The gentle, charming man he once was, now glaring at me for another woman. I put down the documents and looked at him calmly. “Mr. Sterling, please clarify your identity.” “First, you are my husband. Where do you put my reputation when you stand up for another woman?” “Second, you are the head of Sterling Enterprises. Do you really think Amber Thorne is qualified to handle such an important partnership?” “Ask everyone here, am I being irrational?!” Leo’s face went pale, his fists clenched tight, knuckles turning white. The air in the conference room seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath. I looked at Amber Thorne. “Come on, tell us yourself. What did you do to Commissioner Davies during the meeting?” Amber hung her head, unable to utter a word for a long time. I pulled out the surveillance footage from that day and handed it to Leo. The screen showed Amber Thorne yelling at Commissioner Davies, calling him a condescending jerk, and then pouring a cup of coffee over his head. Amber quickly tried to defend herself, “Leo, he insulted me, that’s why I…” I crossed my legs and looked up at her. “You got several of the project data points wrong. He was kindly correcting you. You call that an insult?” But Leo was still defending her. “Amber is also new to such a major meeting. She might have been nervous and misspoke.” “No harm was done. Just for my sake, give her another chance.” I looked at Leo’s pleading eyes and suddenly found it incredibly laughable. “You have two choices: either fire her, or Blackwood Corp withdraws from this project.” Leo panicked. He knew this partnership was primarily based on my influence. If Blackwood Corp pulled out, the project would definitely be lost. Grandpa Sterling was already extremely displeased with him, and his six brothers were all waiting in the wings. His position as CEO of Sterling Enterprises was likely at risk. But just as he was about to make a tough decision, Amber started to sob. “Leo, it’s my fault… I shouldn’t have acted on impulse and betrayed your trust.” “But Commissioner Davies, he… he said you only got where you are by clinging to the Blackwood family, he said you were just a parasite…” “I just couldn’t stand it, that’s why…” “I know I caused you trouble. I’ll go to HR and resign now. Don’t make it difficult…” She started to walk out, but Leo grabbed her arm. “Stop! I won’t let you leave!” Watching this scene, my heart suddenly twisted with a sharp pain. The man who once promised me a lifetime together was now confronting me for another woman. I was in no mood to argue with them anymore. I called security and had them escorted out.

My persistence angered Grandpa Sterling, who immediately ordered Amber Thorne’s termination. To compensate her, Leo took her shopping for bags. After circling the luxury brand section, Amber finally stopped in front of a globally limited edition Hermès Birkin bag. Her eyes full of greed, she said, “Leo, this bag is so exquisite!” “But a bag of this caliber is probably only for socialites and wealthy ladies. How could someone as ordinary as me deserve it?” Her mouth said she didn’t deserve it, but her fingers clutched the bag strap tightly, refusing to let go. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re excellent. One day you’ll stand at the top and look down on everything!” “I’ll buy you this bag. Let it be your motivation.” Just then, the store manager hurried over. “I’m so sorry, this bag was reserved by Ms. Blackwood. You two can look at our other…” “Aurora Blackwood?” Amber spun around, seeing me emerge from the VIP room. A flicker of hatred crossed her face, quickly replaced by a humble expression. “Ms. Blackwood, you have excellent taste. This bag truly suits you. Someone like me is perfectly fine with a regular style.” “That’s just how the world is. I could work my entire life, give it my all, and still not even touch Ms. Blackwood’s shoelaces.” “But Ms. Blackwood is different. She was born to look down on everything.” “How could I possibly deserve this bag? Leo, let’s go.” Leo frowned at her words. “You’re both human. What makes her so superior? Don’t belittle yourself.” He turned to me, anger blazing in his eyes. “Aurora Blackwood, do you have to stomp on everyone to be satisfied?” “Amber has fought her way to where she is now through her own efforts. Someone like you, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, can’t even compare to one of her fingers!” “You’re nothing but a petty, spiteful person!” Me, a petty person? I almost laughed at the absurdity. “What does her effort have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to her, so don’t question me.” “And I reserved this bag half a year ago. Is there a problem with me coming to pick it up today?” Leo sneered, “You have a dozen bags in your closet. Will you die without this one?” He suddenly pulled out his black card and slammed it on the counter. “Today, I insist on this bag!” I looked at his hand trembling with rage, and suddenly felt a profound sense of mockery. “Leo Sterling, have you forgotten? Every single cent on your card belongs to the Blackwood family, doesn’t it?” His face instantly turned ashen. Many families wanted to marry into the Blackwood family, but it was his relentless pursuit that swayed me. “Just marry me, and I’ll love you well, I’ll never betray you.” I thought I had finally found true love, so I chose to marry him. After our marriage, I even used Blackwood Corp’s assets to support Sterling Enterprises. I had always thought that in marriage, we were one. As long as we loved each other, money didn’t matter. But I never imagined he would trample our marriage into the dirt for an intern.

Because of the bag incident, he was angry and didn’t come home for several days. It wasn’t until Grandpa Sterling arrived with his six other grandsons that Leo finally panicked. He moved back that very night. That night, Amber Thorne suddenly called, crying uncontrollably. “Leo, please, beg Ms. Blackwood for me. Tell her not to make things difficult for me.” “I really can’t keep going…” Leo quickly comforted her. “What happened? What did she do to you?!” “Leo, now all the companies are refusing to hire me. Ms. Blackwood must have put in a word.” “Please, beg Ms. Blackwood to let me go. I’m just an ant; I have no right to contend with her.” Leo’s brow furrowed. He turned and glared at me. “Don’t be scared, no one will bully you when I’m here!” After hanging up, he grabbed my collar, his eyes bloodshot. “Aren’t you going too far? Do you have to push Amber to the brink?!” “She’s just a young girl trying to make her way in the world, hardworking and ambitious.” “Don’t think that just because you have a few stinking dollars, you can treat others as nothing!” I pushed his hand away and looked at him calmly. “Leo Sterling, this is the second time. Three strikes, and you’re out. Do you know the consequences if there’s a third?” “I didn’t do those things, nor would I stoop so low. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.” He glowered at me, then slammed the door shut and left. He only left one sentence: “I must have been blind to marry you.” My heart felt as if it was being squeezed by a pair of large hands, tearing me apart. The person I once cherished as my most precious possession now looked at me with such disgust. I, Aurora Blackwood, always so proud, had actually come to this. Leo ignored Grandpa Sterling’s pressure and openly brought Amber Thorne to various events. In the blink of an eye, Amber became a rising star in our social circle. Everyone tacitly accepted their relationship. Leo not only didn’t clarify, but he also took Amber to play golf every week and spent hours alone with her in the private lounge. It was even rumored that he replaced our wedding photo on his office desk with a picture of him and Amber. Good. Very good. The man who swore to be devoted to me had completely died. Since he was the first to violate our contract, he couldn’t blame me for being merciless. Leo Sterling, betraying me deserves a price! I had my lawyer draft the divorce papers and personally delivered them to Sterling Enterprises. Pushing open the CEO’s office door, I found Leo leaning over, guiding Amber Thorne through document revisions, their faces almost touching.

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A notice suddenly appeared on my car’s windshield: 【Hey, neighbor from the same floor! My SUV is just too big, and my assigned parking spot is a nightmare to get into. I scouted around and your spot is perfect – spacious, super close to the elevator, and we’re neighbors, so it’s convenient! Please, as soon as you see this, add me on SnapChat so we can discuss switching spots and solve my parking problem.】 A phone number was left at the bottom. Of course, I ignored it. But then, almost immediately, I got a new friend request on SnapChat. 【Parking spot switch!】 I replied: 【Wow, the audacity! You’ve got some serious nerve.】 Less than three minutes later, my door was pounded on. I checked my doorbell camera. A man and a woman, with a chunky kid, were standing right outside my apartment. The man was banging his fist on the door, shouting, “Open up! What did you mean by that reply?! Come out and explain yourself!” I activated the intercom, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Can’t understand English, huh? Maybe ask your kid to teach you, or just look it up in a dictionary.” The man kicked my door. “Come out, you coward! Say it to my face!” I ignored the delusional couple. The woman put her hands on her hips and started guilt-tripping. “Our parking spot is tiny! It takes forever to park our car every day, making my husband late for work and our kid late for school! Can you afford to pay for that?!” The man chimed in, “You seriously don’t know how hard it is to park in our spot? We’ve scraped our car how many times already? Are you blind? Your car is tiny, taking up such a huge spot is a waste of resources! Come out and switch with us, now!” Their brazen, self-righteous attitude, despite being completely in the wrong, actually made me laugh. I immediately called the police, then spoke through the intercom. “Just wait. The cavalry, your personal judge and jury, will be here soon to sort you out.” And those people actually believed me. The man directed his wife, “Go back and grab two chairs. We’ll sit right here by her door and wait. We’re not leaving until this parking spot issue is resolved today.” The woman quickly returned with three chairs. The three of them genuinely sat down right in front of my door. The couple buried their heads in their phones. Their son wanted to play too, but they both lectured him. “Do you know why we can’t be home right now? And you’re still thinking about playing on your phone? If we don’t switch spots, you’ll be late for school every morning and everyone will laugh at you! Got it?” Leo immediately threw a fit, rolling on the ground and wailing. “I don’t want to be laughed at for being late! I want to go home and watch Paw Patrol!” His mom smiled and said, “Just tell the lady inside to come out quickly. If she switches spots with us, you can go home and watch Paw Patrol, and you’ll never be late again.” Leo rolled over to my door and started banging and kicking. “Open up! Open up quickly and switch parking spots!” Just then, the police arrived. The woman and the kid rushed over. “Officer, you’re here!” The officer asked, “Who called 911?” I opened my front door. “That would be me.”

I explained the whole situation, how the family of three had blocked my door. The key point was that they wanted to trade their tight $10,000 parking spot for my spacious $30,000 flat-level spot right by the elevator. The officer looked utterly bewildered. The family of three then tried to get him to side with them. “Officer, tell us, we’re neighbors, we should help each other out. Her car is small, but her spot is huge. Our car is big, but our spot is tiny. Wouldn’t switching be a win-win? Not only did she refuse, but she also called my husband names, said he had a big ego! Is that the behavior of a civilized person?!” The officer frowned. “Parking spots in this complex are bought with real money. Harper’s large spot is definitely worth more than your compact spot. If you want to switch, you need to negotiate amicably. You can’t just block someone’s door and force them! That’s against the law, do you understand?” The woman pinched her son, and he opened his mouth and let out an ear-splitting wail. The woman put on a distressed face. “Officer, we tried to negotiate, but she ignored us and even insulted us! If we don’t solve this parking problem, our normal lives will be affected! We had no other choice!” The officer’s face turned cold, his tone stern. “This is illegal! If you continue, we’ll have to take you to the station and detain you.” The couple looked incredibly reluctant, but they were clearly scared of being taken away. “We’ll go home now.” The officer gave them a few more strict warnings, then left. I was about to close my door too. Suddenly, Brad picked up a chair and shouted, “You just wait! You’re choosing the hard way! You think I can’t deal with you, huh?! Just you watch!” I glanced at him. Tiffany immediately jumped forward, pointing a finger at my nose and shrieking, “That’s my husband! Where are you looking?! If you keep staring, I’ll pluck your eyeballs out!” I took one look at her husband, who was five-foot-five and weighed 180 pounds, and quipped, “Talk about an inflated price for a pig.” Then I shut my door.

The next morning, I ran into Sarah, my neighbor from 1002, in the elevator. There are three units on each floor in our building. Sarah is also a single woman. We know each other, but we’re usually busy with work, so we don’t interact much. She hesitated, then asked, “Are the people from 1003 giving you trouble?” I nodded. She immediately looked distressed and warned me, “You need to be very careful. That family is incredibly difficult to deal with.” I asked, “Have they bothered you too?” Sarah’s face was a picture of exasperation. “I’m a preschool teacher, and their son, Leo, is in my class.” She showed me her SnapChat chat history. My jaw literally dropped, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The couple who’d been pounding on my door, Brad and Tiffany, were not only leeching off Sarah’s WiFi but were also treating her like their personal, unpaid babysitter. 【Sarah, our Leo isn’t very good at wiping his butt. You need to check him every time he poops and clean him up.】 【Leo said you criticized him today? We’re neighbors, and you’re not only not showing him favoritism, but you’re criticizing him? He hit someone because he’s got strong motor skills! Sarah, you *must* apologize to Leo formally, or we’ll go to the school and the Board of Education to complain.】 【Sarah, our Leo says he doesn’t like the food the school cook makes. Please change it to something Leo likes as soon as possible.】 … I was utterly stunned. Were they treating her like a genie, making wishes, or their family slave? How could they ask for anything and everything? I looked at Sarah. “You didn’t actually do all that, did you?” She said, frustrated, “If I didn’t listen, they’d come to the school, block the classroom door, make a scene, and complain about me to the principal.” I couldn’t believe it. “So you actually did what they asked?” Sarah looked like she was about to spit blood. “I’m up for a big promotion this year, and there’s only one spot, so the competition is fierce. If they cause a scene at the school a few times, I’ll lose my eligibility.” I immediately understood her frustration. I said sympathetically, “Sister, you’re in such a terrible situation!” She shook her head. “I just wanted to warn you that family is completely unreasonable and incredibly difficult. Be careful.” I was about to speak when the elevator doors opened, and Tiffany’s voice rang out from outside. “1001! Did you call my husband a pig yesterday?!” I rolled my eyes. What kind of brain did she have? It took her all night to figure that out? Her expression twisted, then she looked at me with a sneer. Before I could say anything, she turned to Sarah. “Sarah, didn’t I tell you Leo hasn’t been eating carrots lately? What’s going on? Why were there still carrots in the school lunch yesterday? And his most hated onions?!” Sarah replied weakly and perfunctorily, “I’ll pay attention today.” The crazy woman wasn’t done. “Is this your attitude as a teacher and a neighbor? Sarah, I’m just telling you, you’re not particularly pretty, and if you don’t make yourself more likable, how will you ever get married? You’ll end up an old maid, and when you’re old, who will take care of you? You could die in your apartment and rot away, and no one would even know.” Sarah clenched her fists, but she didn’t dare to speak. I scoffed. “Does her mouth have a direct line to her colon, just spewing out crap?” 3 Sarah’s face flushed crimson. Tiffany didn’t quite understand, but her son, Leo, rushed over, ready to hit me. “How dare you talk about my mom like that, you bitch! I’ll beat you to death!” I swiftly stepped back, and he swung at air, tumbling hard onto the floor. He opened his mouth and wailed. Tiffany immediately started cursing. “You bitch, you little whore, you hussy! How dare you hit our only son, the heir to the Liu family! I’m not done with you!” I pointed to the camera above. “I’ll call the police. Let’s see who’s doing the hitting.” She reached out to grab me, but I slapped her hand away. I realized I was going to be late for work, so I didn’t bother to argue with the crazy mother and son. I walked past them, got in my car, and drove off. I thought my attitude had made it clear to the delusional couple that I wasn’t a pushover like Sarah. I thought this whole thing was over. But when I got home from work, I saw that the Brad’s SUV was parked in my spot. Brad was standing by the elevator, and when he saw me, he smirked provocatively. “I parked my car here. What are you gonna do about it?” He turned and stepped into the elevator right in front of me. Just as the elevator doors closed, he was still grinning at me, showing off his stained yellow teeth. Oh, really? Fine. It seemed I was still too easygoing! I first contacted the building management. As expected, they sounded really helpless. “Ms. Harper, all the residents in your building have reported various issues with that family. But we don’t have law enforcement authority, and that family is completely brazen. Last time, they almost physically attacked our staff. I’ll arrange for staff and security to go talk to them now, but it’s unlikely to solve the problem. Please be prepared.” I hung up the phone and suddenly felt excited. Brad’s family, weren’t they just those infamous crazy neighbors you read about online? All those little tricks I had saved in my notes might actually come in handy! My work had been pretty dull lately, not much fun. I first called my studio, telling them my work hours would be flexible for a while. Then I exported and saved the dashcam footage of Brad occupying my parking spot and intentionally provoking me. After that, I made a U-turn and drove out. When I returned, my trunk was filled with bags of cement. Brad’s car was indeed still sitting comfortably in my parking spot, not moving an inch. I asked the building management, and they said they had talked to Tiffany, who claimed our two families had agreed to switch spots and told them to mind their own business. I told the management not to worry about their apology. I hung up and went to find the security guards, asking them to help me surround my parking spot with bags of cement, front and back. The two security guards initially looked a bit reluctant, but as soon as they saw the license plate number of the car in my spot, their faces lit up with excitement. Like they’d been given an energy drink, they quickly blocked off the spot. They did an even better job than I asked, ensuring the car parked in the spot definitely couldn’t get out. I offered them cigarettes, but they refused, only accepting bottled water. They chugged it down, shaking their heads, and practically skipped away. Wow, it was clear just how much Brad’s family was hated. I was basically doing God’s work. After I got home, I happily watched some reality TV and went to sleep. I dreamt of the crazy couple next door kneeling and begging me for mercy.

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