Category: English

I was born with a highly sensitive personality. When someone says something harsh to me, I want to cry. When someone scolds me, I want to die. But later, a billionaire heir told me: “You are my princess. I’d give you my life!” Because we’re sensates, every emotion I feel is amplified a hundredfold for him. When his childhood friend made me cry, he tearfully terminated all business partnerships with her family. When his mother slapped me and yelled, “Here’s five million dollars—leave my son now!” I was terrified, and the next second, he had a full-blown panic attack and sent his mother to a nursing home. From that day on, everyone knew his life motto: “If she sheds a single tear, I’ll burn down a city!” But his first love, who had just returned to the country, didn’t know. She kicked down my dorm room door with her people: “How dare a beggar like you seduce Gideon!” The next second, I was dragged toward a dark room, feeling like my life was over… The grip on the back of my neck was tight. As two bodyguards in black suits dragged me toward the abandoned warehouse, students along the way craned their necks to watch. Their whispers felt like tiny needles drilling through my ear canals into my brain. My hypersensitive nerves instantly snapped taut. My fingers clutched at my shirt hem desperately. My heart pounded so hard it felt ready to explode, and my nose stung with the threat of tears. I’d been like this all my life. If someone casually said something harsh, I’d ruminate on it for three days. If someone gave me an impatient look, I’d blame myself endlessly. Not to mention being dragged through a crowd like this, with the entire building’s eyes glued to me. The shame instantly washed over my head. “Still putting on that sullen face? Who are you showing off for?” “Why are you crying? Are you trying to scam me or something?” Lindsay walked up to me in her four-inch stilettos, her fingers painted with bright red nail polish. She raised her hand and—SLAP—struck me across the face in front of everyone. She was Gideon Ashford’s recently returned first love, the spoiled heiress everyone at school knew about. Ten minutes ago, when she’d kicked down my dorm room door, I’d been working on my thesis. I hadn’t even finished typing a sentence before she dumped half a cup of iced Coke over my head. “How dare a beggar like you seduce Gideon?” Her voice wasn’t quiet. Everyone on the entire dorm floor stuck their heads out to watch. Those stares—curious, mocking, eager for drama—swept across my face. Instantly, I felt both humiliated and furious. The words of protest stuck in my throat. I couldn’t open my mouth. Just as I tried to force myself to speak, a surge of tears rushed straight to my brain. The next second, tears filled my eyes. “What are you doing! I’ve already called the police!” My roommate Willow rushed over to stop them, but a bodyguard behind Lindsay shoved her hard against the wall. Her phone crashed to the ground with a loud clatter, the screen shattering into pieces. Lindsay scoffed, stepped over my scattered belongings, and ordered the bodyguards to keep dragging me. “The police?” She laughed arrogantly. “Go ahead and call them. Even if you report this to the United Nations, it won’t matter. My family donated the new lab building to this school. What are you compared to that?” I looked at my thesis papers and materials, now covered in muddy footprints. The grievance hit its breaking point instantly. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. One drop fell onto the back of my hand with a soft plop. I bit my lip, trying not to cry out loud, but my condition made it impossible to control. When Lindsay saw me like this, she mocked me directly: “Oh, what kind of damsel-in-distress act is this?” Just as she raised her hand, her slap about to land on my face— A voice suddenly rang out from the hallway: “Stop!” The man leading them was Gideon Ashford’s executive assistant, Ethan Mitchell. Behind him stood four uniformed security guards in a neat row. Ethan looked at Lindsay with a cold laugh, his voice icy enough to freeze: “Miss Lin, I advise you not to act rashly.” “If anything happens to Miss Carter, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences.” Lindsay froze for two seconds after hearing this, then burst out laughing. She even stepped forward, not the slightest bit afraid. She pointed her finger at Ethan’s nose, her sharp nail almost touching his face, her tone so arrogant it was practically smoking: “Who the hell are you? A dog raised by the Ashford family dares to block my way?” “You’re not afraid of biting off more than you can chew. I’ve known Gideon for over ten years. You’re just an employee—how dare you bluff using his name?” As she cursed, she reached out to push Ethan’s shoulder, glaring at him imperiously: “Get the hell out of my way. Don’t hold up my business. When Gideon gets here, I’ll have him fire you on the spot!”

After Lindsay finished, she turned to me and said: “Lydia Carter, don’t think having an assistant backing you up makes you something special. He’s just a working dog—I don’t even take him seriously!” When Ethan heard this, his expression turned ice-cold. Even the standard smile he’d been maintaining couldn’t stay on his face anymore. After all, no one likes being called a dog. But Lindsay, spoiled as she was, couldn’t read the room at all. She kept mocking me and even started spreading rumors: “Your mom died young, your grandma’s bedridden and paralyzed, you can’t even scrape together tuition—if you weren’t sleeping with men, how could you possibly get on Ashford Corporation’s internship list?” With every sentence she spoke, the whispers around us grew louder. My hypersensitive nerves instantly maxed out to their breaking point. The sounds around me felt like someone had turned on an amplifier. Some students who barely knew me and didn’t understand the situation straight-up believed her lies. “So her family’s that bad off?” “I heard she doesn’t even get meat dishes in the cafeteria. No wonder she’s dirt poor.” “Is what Lindsay’s saying actually true? Ashford Corporation’s internship is so hard to get—how could a poor student with no parents possibly get selected?” “Tsk tsk, she does look pretty innocent. Turns out she’s so loose in private.” My fingers dug hard into my palms until they turned pale. I couldn’t even tell what emotion I was feeling anymore. I wanted to cry because I felt wronged. I was also furious because she was spreading false rumors about me. At the same time, I felt afraid—scared that these rumors would spread. It was true my family was poor. Grandma had been paralyzed from a stroke for five years. Her monthly medical expenses were over four thousand dollars. I worked three part-time jobs during my free time and still had to win scholarships to cover tuition. But I earned that Ashford Corporation internship spot by beating out over three thousand people through five rounds of interviews. I had a clear conscience. But these words stuck in my throat. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. All the blood in my body rushed to my head. My heart pounded like it would explode. My ears buzzed. Ethan, standing beside me, saw my expression change and tears streaming down like they were free. His face instantly shifted. Only he knew what this meant. A year ago, during a board meeting, Mr. Ashford suddenly burst into tears for no apparent reason. Later, he experienced inexplicable fainting spells from terror and anxiety. Every time they checked, they couldn’t find a cause. Even the psychologist suspected Mr. Ashford might have split personality disorder. But Mr. Ashford showed no other symptoms. All his evaluations came back normal. He didn’t seem like someone with so many psychological disorders at all. Then one time, Mr. Ashford came to campus for an inspection visit. I happened to be ostracized by my classmates and was breaking down crying in the classroom. When I cried, he cried even harder. When I felt desperate and anxious, he nearly wanted to die. That’s when they confirmed we could sense each other’s emotions. Even worse, when my emotions collapsed to the extreme, he could potentially go into cardiac arrest. Within the entire Ashford Corporation, only Ethan knew about this. That’s why Gideon had warned him repeatedly to monitor my every move 24/7. If anyone dared make me suffer even the slightest grievance, he should deal with them ruthlessly. Ethan’s voice was tense. He turned and shouted at the security behind him: “What are you standing there for? Confiscate the phones of everyone who filmed videos and gossiped just now. Write down the names of everyone who spread rumors—the legal department will send lawyer’s letters to each of them later!” When Lindsay saw Ethan getting worked up, she became even more pleased: “Oh, don’t tell me you’re also sleeping with this woman? Is that why you’re protecting her so much?” “Watching a dog protect its bone is just too entertaining.” Then she picked up my cloth bag from the side and threw it on the ground. That bag contained my grandma’s imported medication. When she threw the cloth bag down, a white medicine bottle rolled out and shattered into pieces. Light yellow pills scattered all over the floor, covered in dust, completely unusable now. “Go pick them up quick. You dogs love picking things up, don’t you?” Lindsay laughed maliciously, contempt practically overflowing from her eyes.

My fingers trembled violently. I was about to bend down to grab the pills that hadn’t gotten dirty yet. But the shadow of her stiletto heel fell first, crushing the pills viciously. The light yellow powder mixed with dirt, completely ruined beyond any use. “Pick them up, why don’t you? Why’d you stop?” Lindsay laughed until she was doubled over. “Is it not dirty enough? How about you lick it, and I’ll buy you ten bottles? Deal?” I snapped my head up to look at her, my eyes so red they could bleed. Ethan’s face had turned black as ink. He raised his fist and punched one of the bodyguards blocking Lindsay. Having followed Gideon for years, Ethan had professional certification in hand-to-hand combat. Two hired street thugs were no match for him. He took them down in a few moves, leaving them groaning in pain on the ground. The security guards behind him snapped to attention and rushed forward to pin down all of Lindsay’s people. Ethan ran up to me in three quick strides, took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around me, blocking all the prying eyes around us. His voice became as gentle as possible, afraid of triggering me: “Miss Carter, it’s okay now. I’ll have someone get an expert appointment at the hospital right away to buy the exact same medication. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” I leaned against his arm, still trembling. My tears fell on his suit jacket, spreading into small damp spots. I thought this farce was finally over. But I didn’t expect that when Lindsay saw her people being restrained, not only was she not afraid—she laughed even more crazily. The viciousness in her eyes sent chills down people’s spines. “Ethan Mitchell, you’re quite the fighter, aren’t you?” “You think you can protect her? Let me tell you, even if God himself showed up today, he’d have to kneel and beg me!” When Ethan heard her words, his expression darkened further. The killing intent in his voice practically overflowed: “Lindsay Lin, don’t court death. Mr. Ashford will never forgive you!” “Never forgive me?” Lindsay scoffed. Her fingertip swiped across her phone screen twice, then she held it directly in front of my face. The bright screen was blinding. “I’d like to see who won’t forgive whom!” I instinctively looked up at her phone screen. With just one glance, all the blood in my body froze. On the screen was an abandoned old factory building, the floor covered in dust and puddles, not even a window in sight. My grandma was lying on a hard board bed in the middle of the factory. Her withered hand still had an IV needle in it. The IV bag hung from a rusty iron stand beside her, swaying in the wind. You could even see blood backing up in the tube. Two men with full-sleeve tattoos stood nearby, smoking cigarettes and playing games. The camera shook and focused on Grandma’s face. Grandma seemed to hear something. She opened her cloudy eyes and turned her head with difficulty. She opened her mouth, her voice hoarse like sandpaper: “Lydia… Lydia, where are you? Grandma’s so cold…” My mind went “BOOM”—all sounds instantly disappeared. She was my only family in this world. I grew up without parents. Grandma raised me by collecting scraps. After her stroke last year, I worked myself to the bone so I could send her to the best nursing home in the city. I spent most of my salary every month hiring a one-on-one caregiver for her. I just wanted her to be comfortable and stay with me a few more years. Lindsay actually took her from that warm nursing home and threw her in that kind of place. “Look at that. So pitiful.” Lindsay’s voice coiled around me like a venomous snake. “I already bought off the nursing home caregiver. No one knows where your grandma is. Only I know where she is now.” “Get on your knees right now and cut up your face with a box cutter yourself, and I’ll consider letting your grandma go.” “Otherwise, I’ll call my people right now and have them disconnect her IV. When she dies, don’t blame me.” My whole body shook like a leaf. My heart hurt like someone had ripped it out and crushed it in their hand. Tears fell endlessly. Lindsay’s triumphant laughter filled my ears.

When Ethan saw Grandma’s condition on the screen, he reached out to grab Lindsay’s phone. “Lindsay Lin, you’re fucking insane! Illegal detention is a serious crime! If you let her go now, I can still plead for leniency on your behalf. Otherwise, you’ll never get out of prison in this lifetime!” Lindsay dodged sideways and directly hit the call button, putting it on speakerphone. The tattooed man’s careless voice immediately came through: “Boss Lindsay, what’s the call? Should we pull the tube now?” Lindsay lifted her chin and glanced at me, her eyes full of viciousness: “Lydia Carter, you heard him. I’m counting to three. If you don’t kneel, I’ll have them pull the tube right now.” “Three.” “Two.” All the strength drained from my body instantly. Grandma’s coughing came through the speaker, hoarse like a broken bellows. I couldn’t lose her. My knees went soft. I dropped straight to the ground. Lindsay’s voice stopped mid-count. Then she burst into triumphant laughter. “Well, well, how obedient. Now slap yourself. Ten times. One less doesn’t count.” Ethan frantically tried to pull me up: “Miss Carter, don’t kneel! Mr. Ashford will be here any minute! I’ve already sent people to rescue your grandmother!” His phone in his pocket vibrated like crazy. Gideon Ashford’s name flashed urgently on the screen. Just as he was about to answer, Lindsay kicked his wrist. The phone smashed to the ground with a crack. The screen went black. “Mr. Ashford this, Mr. Ashford that. All you talk about is Mr. Ashford. When Gideon gets here, I’ll have him kill you first.” Lindsay sneered and tilted her chin at me: “Hurry up and slap yourself. Don’t waste time. My patience is limited.” I bit my lip and raised my hand to slap myself. “SLAP.” The first strike. I heard the surrounding discussions explode. “SLAP.” The second strike. Lindsay laughed even harder: “Harder! Did you not eat?” People around pulled out their phones to secretly record. Some shook their heads. Some said I deserved it. The third strike. The fourth strike. … By the tenth strike, blood flowed from the corner of my mouth. It ran down my jawline and dripped onto my white hoodie, spreading into a large, glaring red stain. I braced myself against the ground, gasping for breath. My vision was already blurring. My heart hurt with every beat, like someone was stabbing it with a knife. “Not bad. Very obedient.” Lindsay nodded with satisfaction and pulled a box cutter from her bag. She flicked it open with a “click” and threw it on the ground in front of me. “Now, cut up your face. The worse you cut it, the better. If I’m satisfied, I’ll let your grandma go.” I stared at the box cutter. My fingers trembled violently. If I just cut myself, Grandma could live. Seeing me hesitate, Lindsay frowned and kicked my arm: “Hurry up! What are you dragging your feet for? If you don’t do it now, I really will pull the tube!” “What, can’t bear to ruin that face? Still want to use it to seduce men, huh?” I gritted my teeth and reached for the box cutter. The moment the cold blade touched my fingertips, all the grievance, despair, and fear surged up at once. My vision went black. My emotions crashed to the breaking point. Tears mixed with blood fell. I could barely breathe. Just as I gripped the box cutter and was about to cut my face, a thunderous roar suddenly came from the hallway entrance. “STOP!” Everyone turned to look. I also lifted my head. Through my blurred vision, I saw Gideon Ashford standing in the sunlight. His usually meticulously combed hair was a mess. His usually ice-cold face was now covered in tear stains. His eyes were red as if they’d bleed. Tears fell one by one. His lips were white without a trace of color. The area instantly fell silent as death. When Lindsay saw Gideon’s tear-stained face, she thought he’d heard she was being bullied and was crying out of heartache. “Gideon!” She rushed over in her stilettos, her voice sickeningly sweet. “You’re finally here! This woman conspired with Ethan to bully me. Quick, teach her a lesson for me!” Her outstretched hand didn’t even touch the hem of Gideon’s clothes before he dodged sideways. Gideon didn’t spare her a single glance. He walked straight to me and crouched down. His fingertips carefully tucked a blood-stained strand of hair behind my ear. I stared at his reddened eyes, looking at the tear tracks on his face—those were the result of my desperate emotions transmitted to him and amplified a hundredfold. “Gideon Ashford, tell your first love…” “If I collapse… what will happen to you?”

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My grandfather is America’s richest man, and I’m his only grandson. Yet my two sisters let the lover they secretly keep together pretend to be me. Before the group’s centennial celebration began, Wood rushed ahead and sat in the seat reserved for the group’s heir, saying to me with false sympathy: “Sigh~ If it weren’t for Kelly and Chloe insisting I bring you to see the world, a poor student like you would never get through the doors of SUN Group in your lifetime.” “Remember to know your place later and don’t cause me any trouble, or your sisters will definitely beat you into a cripple.” In my previous life, I was threatened by my sisters. Timid and weak, I gave in to Wood at every turn. But now I’ve been reborn. Looking at Wood still spouting nonsense, I directly lifted my foot and kicked him a meter away. “What are you supposed to be? A kept man who dares to lecture me!” My audacious action immediately drew everyone’s attention. Kelly was the first to rush over and pick up Wood with concern, while Chloe raised her hand and slapped me twice across the face. Seeing the lover they’d pampered for years kicked away by me, both sisters were heartbroken. They looked at me with anger burning in their eyes. “Sebastian, you must be tired of living to dare lay hands on our brother!” Looking at my two aggressive sisters, I felt how stupid I’d been before, actually fantasizing they had any sisterly affection for me. I raised my hand and pointed at Wood, who they were protecting in their arms, mocking loudly: “He’s just a kept lover you two support. Does the young master of this group, the grandson of the richest man himself, not have the right to hit him?” Hearing my words, Kelly instantly became furious and pushed me to the ground. Chloe glared at him with displeasure written all over her face. “Smith, Kelly is the group’s future heir. By defying her orders now, are you trying to pack your things and get lost?” Smith’s face instantly turned pale with fear. He looked at me anxiously. “Mr. Sebastian, I have elderly parents and young children who depend on this job to survive. Please don’t make things difficult for me. Come with me outside.” After speaking, Smith signaled the security guards to drag me away quickly. Seeing several people surrounding me, I grabbed a vase from the table and threw it hard. “I’m the only heir to SUN Group. Try touching me and see what happens!”

The sound of the shattering vase and my roar echoed throughout the banquet hall. Hearing this, everyone around burst into mocking laughter. “Looks like he’s seriously ill. First pretending to be the richest man’s grandson, now claiming to be the group’s heir. How ridiculous.” “Right, even if he really were the richest man’s grandson, it wouldn’t be his turn to inherit the group. After all, he has two older sisters ahead of him.” Looking at my two sisters still acting arrogant, I questioned them directly: “Kelly, are you sure you and Chloe have inheritance rights?” Chloe’s eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly recovered and tugged at Kelly’s sleeve. “Kelly, today’s a joyous occasion and the family elders will be coming later. Maybe we should just let it go.” Seeing Chloe like this, I knew she’d remembered her background and was getting scared. After all, my grandfather, America’s richest man, only had my father as his son. After my father passed away, I became his only grandson. My two sisters were just the orphaned children of my father’s sister. After Kelly and Chloe’s parents died, my father couldn’t bear to see his nieces suffer outside, so he brought them back to the Victoria family. He just wanted to see with his own eyes what structural differences existed between living and dead human bodies. And when my two sisters found out, they helped Wood dissect me alive. Even though I’d grown up with my sisters and lived together in the Victoria household for 18 years. But for Wood’s happiness, they not only let him pretend to be me, but also thought up ways every day to help Wood torture me. Now I understand. In Kelly and Chloe’s eyes, family bonds meant nothing. Only love was the most important thing in their hearts. But I’m curious now—when love and power are placed together, what will they choose? Thinking of this, I smiled coldly. “I’ll ask you one last time. Who is the heir to SUN Group?” Before Kelly and Chloe could speak, Malik, the son of one of the group’s business partners, rushed out and punched me. “How outrageous! A sponsored poor student dares to make trouble on SUN Group’s premises. Look at yourself—do you deserve to?” I knew Malik. Not only had he been secretly in love with Kelly, he also fantasized about marrying her every day, becoming the future chairman’s husband. Ever since he heard that Wood was the richest man’s grandson and SUN Group’s heir, he’d spent the past two months following Wood around, flattering him and running errands. He just wanted to build a good relationship with Wood early and leave a good impression on Kelly. Too bad he was flattering the wrong person. Not only was Wood not SUN Group’s heir, he was actually his rival—Kelly’s kept lover of many years. I wasn’t about to take Malik’s slap for nothing, so I lifted my foot and kicked hard at his abdomen. I looked at Wood with disdain and sneered: “I think you’re the one with brain problems. A perfectly good kept man, but you had to show up at this important occasion pretending to be the group’s heir.” I turned to look at Kelly and Chloe, pointing at the door, saying coldly: “Sigh~ Since you insist on playing role-playing games with your lover, then take your lover and get out of my group!”

Kelly and Chloe’s faces turned iron-blue as they looked at me. “Sebastian, let me tell you, we have real power in the group, while you’re still in school. You’re the one who should get lost!” “What’s going on? Why are you all standing here instead of taking your seats?” A dignified, extraordinary-looking middle-aged woman pushed her way in. She was Pablo, the CEO of SUN Group, and also my biological mother. But she rushed to Wood’s side, raising her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. “Wood, don’t cry~ Who bullied you?” “Tell me quickly, I’ll get justice for you right now!” Kelly pointed at me angrily: “Who else but Sebastian, this bastard who doesn’t know his place, would dare to bully Wood right under my nose?” After hearing this, my mother displeased gave me a slap. “Sebastian, you’ve got some nerve, using your position to bully Wood.” “Kneel down and apologize to Wood right now, or you won’t see a penny of living expenses for the next year.” Looking at my mother who blamed me without distinguishing right from wrong, my eyes filled with disappointment. Sure enough, Mother was still the same as in my previous life, blindly favoring Wood along with my two sisters. Although I’d anticipated this, my heart still couldn’t help but ache. I never understood before—I was clearly Mother’s son, while Wood was just my sisters’ plaything. But I was mistakenly whipped twice by Mother, and those two scars are still on my arm today. Afterward, Mother not only stopped letting my two sisters keep Wood, but also used connections to send Wood to America’s best university. Most importantly, Mother issued an ultimatum to my two sisters: If they really liked Wood, they should compete fairly and work hard to marry him into the family. And whoever succeeded in getting Wood would be Mother’s heir. In my previous life, Mother’s abnormal behavior made me very curious, so I secretly investigated Wood’s background. Later I learned that Wood was actually my mother’s first love’s son. Wood looked a lot like his father, and Mother recognized him the first time she saw him. The lethal power of a dead first love was indeed formidable—a similar face was enough to firmly capture my mother’s heart. It was just pitiful for my deceased father, who died without knowing that Mother harbored another man in her heart. Thinking of this, I looked at Mother mockingly. “I won’t apologize!” “But since my two sisters say Wood is their brother, the heir to SUN Group, shouldn’t Mother have something to explain to everyone?” Hearing this, Wood immediately looked at my mother with an aggrieved expression, because he knew Mother feared his tears most. Sure enough, seeing Wood cry until his face turned white, Mother immediately gave me two more slaps. “Explain what? They’re right. Wood is my good son, the heir to SUN Group.” Looking at my mother lying through her teeth, I roared at her directly: “Pablo, how can you face my dead father? Do you dare touch your conscience and say those words again?” “Throw this trash who bullied your brother out.” Looking at my cold, merciless mother, my feelings were mixed. Heh, this was the woman my father loved his whole life? This was the biological mother I’d looked up to for 18 years? I don’t think Father anticipated before he died that after his death, the two daughters he kindly adopted would harm his precious son for a lover. And his wife would not only fail to protect their son, but would drive him out of the house for her first love’s child. At this moment, I truly felt sorrow for myself and my deceased father. I raised my head, meeting Mother’s gaze directly, and said coldly: “This is my family’s SUN Group. It’s not the place for you outsiders to swagger around!” I deliberately said “my family’s” very loudly. As soon as the words left my mouth, Mother flew into a complete rage. She had my two sisters rush up and pin me down, making me unable to move. “Your family’s? How ridiculous!” Then Mother walked behind me, grabbed my neck, and slammed my forehead hard against the glass wall of the hall. “I’ve been managing SUN Group all these years. Why can’t it be Pablo’s? Why can’t I decide the heir?” I held back the tears in my eyes and shouted firmly: “SUN Group is my grandfather’s. I’m the group’s only heir!” “Bang bang bang!” As soon as I finished speaking, my forehead was pushed against the glass wall again. Mother continued roaring: “Sebastian, stop daydreaming! I gave SUN Group to Wood as a betrothal gift last year. Whoever marries Wood gets to inherit SUN Group!” Mother’s words shocked everyone present. People looked at Wood with even more intense gazes. At that moment, an aged but sharp male voice came from behind me. “Pablo, have the guts to say that again! Who is the heir to SUN Group?”

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After my ninety-ninth fight with Peyton, I changed. I got rid of all the bad habits Peyton didn’t like. I stopped checking his phone constantly, stopped asking about his whereabouts, And when I saw the lipstick marks on his shirt, I just calmly put it in the washing machine. But he wasn’t satisfied anymore. He held me with grievance in his eyes: “Why aren’t you keeping tabs on me anymore? You’re still the one I love most.” Love me most? His so-called love meant constantly sleeping with his mistress, letting her bully me until I lost the baby. My five-month pregnancy. Gone. Just like that. Peyton’s love was the most useless thing in the world. I turned around and joined the secret space program at the aviation base. From then on, whether Peyton lived or died had nothing to do with me anymore. Giana’s POV After my ninety-ninth fight with Peyton, I changed. I got rid of all the bad habits Peyton didn’t like. I stopped checking his phone constantly, stopped asking about his whereabouts. When I saw the lipstick marks on his shirt, I just calmly put it in the washing machine. Even when I got into a car accident and the traffic cop wanted to help me contact my family, I stopped him. “I don’t have any family. I can just take a taxi to the hospital myself.” Then, fighting through dizziness and severe shoulder pain, I took a taxi to the hospital alone. But unexpectedly, I ran into Peyton in the hospital corridor. He frowned. “How did you end up like this?” I lowered my eyes. “Just a car accident. You’re busy, don’t worry about me.” “What kind of thing is that to say?” Peyton’s voice turned cold, suddenly angry. “You’re my wife. You got hurt this badly in a car accident. Of course I’m worried about you.” I lifted my gaze to look at him. “Isn’t that what you said? That adults need to solve their own problems, and I shouldn’t bother you with trivial matters.” Peyton froze in place like someone had dumped cold water over his head. He had indeed said those words. When I had a high fever and called him, he’d said it. On my birthday when I waited alone at the restaurant until closing and texted asking if he remembered, he’d said it. During a typhoon when I was trapped at the research institute and asked if he could pick me up, he’d said it too. Now I’d finally learned my lesson. Even though I was injured in a car accident, I no longer turned to him. But he was unhappy about it. “You were in a car accident. How can you act like that’s no big deal?” Peyton irritably loosened his tie. “Come on, I’ll take you to-” Before he could finish, a slender figure came running over. Summer threw her arms around his. Her eyes rimmed red. “Mr. Lancaster, why did you come here? I sprained my wrist and you didn’t even care. You made me look for you forever…” Peyton’s body stiffened slightly. He glanced at me somewhat awkwardly and gently pulled his hand back. “Stand up properly and talk.” Summer seemed to notice me only then. She shrank behind Peyton, her eyes gradually filling with pitiful, vulnerable tears. “Are you still mad at me? I’m sorry. Last time I really didn’t mean to cause your miscarriage…” She was always like this. Apologizing with her mouth while every word precisely stabbed at the most painful spot in my heart. Always looking innocent and pitiful. Never doing anything on purpose. If this were before, I definitely would have lost control. I would have hysterically demanded answers, would have told Summer to get out of my life. But now, I just turned my face away. “I’m going for my examination. Do whatever you want.” Then, leaning against the wall, I walked past them step by step without hesitation. Peyton instinctively wanted to follow. “Giana.” “Mr. Lancaster, this hand hurts so much.” But the moment he stepped forward, Summer suddenly held her injured wrist in front of him. Fragile, anxious tears floated in her eyes. “Do you think this hand is broken…” Peyton’s steps halted. He frowned and said to Summer, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to see the doctor first.” I registered myself and got X-rays taken. Since I had no family, I signed the surgery consent form myself. After the wounds on my forehead and left arm were treated, I was wheeled out of the operating room and transferred to a ward. As the anesthesia wore off, I slowly woke in pain. Faintly, I could hear the nurses talking in hushed voices, all thinking I was pitiful. “So tragic. She was in a car accident, her head was injured and bleeding so much, her left arm is fractured, and there’s no one by her side. Meanwhile that patient named Summer in the VIP room just has a simple sprained wrist, but Mr. Lancaster won’t leave her side for a second. He gives her whatever she wants and coaxes her with a gentle voice.” “Who told her not to know how to cry, make a fuss, and act cute to win sympathy? I heard she’s a scholarship student sponsored by the Lancaster family. Her test scores rank in the top three in the state. Now she’s a key talent the Lancaster family is cultivating. They treasure her like a gem. Of course Mr. Lancaster has to coax her well.” “The way they act, if you didn’t know better, you’d think that Summer patient is Mr. Lancaster’s wife.” Lying in the hospital bed, I gently tugged at the corner of my lips. Perhaps Summer really would soon replace me and become Peyton’s wife. Just then, my phone on the pillow rang. I reached out with my right hand to grab my phone. Seeing it was a call from the Aviation Bureau, I answered. “Miss Morgan, we’ve reviewed your application. Are you certain you want to participate in the Zenith Ladder program? This is a classified national project. Once you join, you’ll need to stay at the aviation base for decades, completely cut off from the outside world. You won’t be able to contact anyone, including your family.” I pressed my lips together and said calmly, “I’m certain.” “Have you discussed this with your family and your husband, Mr. Peyton Lancaster? Does he agree to your participation?” “My parents are no longer alive, and I don’t need Peyton’s consent.” I said flatly, “Because I’ve already filed for divorce. I’ll have my divorce certificate by then. I have no attachments left. This program is perfect for me.”

Giana’s POV “Divorce? Miss Morgan, are you serious?” The person on the other end was shocked. “I remember you and Mr. Lancaster were the most compatible couple in our program back then. Later he left the aerospace field for his family business, and you gave up countless opportunities to stay by his side. Otherwise, with your abilities, you should have become chief aerospace engineer long ago. So many people envied your relationship. How could you…” How could we be divorcing? I gripped the phone, my fingers tightening slightly. Yes, once upon a time, Peyton and I really were the envy of everyone. We’d known each other since school, starting from heated arguments over a data model, then becoming lovers who were a perfect match. From college to marriage, for all these years after our wedding, our relationship had been fulfilling and happy. So when exactly did all of this start to change? Probably from the moment I let her in. Three years ago, I saw a news report about a girl named Summer from a remote area who ranked in the top three in the state but faced dropping out due to poverty. In the photo, the girl’s eyes were clear yet determined, just like my former self who would grasp at every opportunity to climb upward regardless of everything. So I felt compassion and pulled Peyton into discussing sponsoring this girl. Peyton initially thought it was troublesome, but couldn’t resist my insistence and finally agreed. We provided sponsorship in both our names, and when Summer started her freshman year, we brought her from the remote mountains to the bustling city and settled her in our home’s guest room. At first, Summer was timid and quiet, well-behaved and diligent in her studies with excellent grades, very grateful to us. But somehow, after just a year, Summer became more and more dependent on Peyton. Fixing computers, choosing courses, even forgetting an umbrella on rainy days, she would call Peyton for everything. At first, Peyton found it annoying. He complained to me privately a few times, saying the girl didn’t understand boundaries, and suggested renting her a place near campus so she could move out. Back then, I didn’t think it was a big deal. I even advised him to be more tolerant and patient. Still, sponsoring Summer was my act of kindness, and I didn’t want Summer’s presence to affect his mood, so I went to look at apartments. After I made all the arrangements and was preparing to find the right time to tell Summer, Peyton changed his mind and said, “Forget it, don’t make her move. After all, we brought her out here. Making her move out now would make it seem like we don’t want her around.” It was from that day that I vaguely felt something was wrong, yet couldn’t pinpoint what. By the time I finally understood what was wrong, it was too late. When Summer didn’t understand a problem, she went to Peyton. When classmates bullied her, she went to Peyton. When she had a fever or had nightmares, she still went to Peyton. And Peyton went from initial impatience to gradually making caring for her a habit. He would put down his work to pick her up from school, would answer her calls late at night, would stay by her bedside when she was sick. He even remembered Summer’s menstrual cycle clearly. Once, I went to school to visit Summer, only to learn that Summer’s classmates all thought Peyton was Summer’s boyfriend. And Summer had never explained it once, tacitly accepting this relationship. That day I went home and made a huge scene, forcing Summer to move out of their house. I thought that by making Summer move out and cutting off contact, my marriage with Peyton still had a chance to be saved. But I was wrong. Not only did Peyton continue secretly sponsoring Summer behind my back, but he also had more opportunities to spend time alone with her outside. After I found out, Peyton always said impatiently, “Since we brought her out here, we can’t abandon her before she graduates.” “I just feel sorry for her, so I want to take care of her more. Wasn’t it you who told me to be more patient and tolerant with her? How come now you’re the one being so unreasonable and can’t tolerate her?” Only then did I belatedly realize what my moment of compassion had brought upon myself. I tried every method to salvage my marriage with Peyton, but nothing could bring back his increasingly distant heart. Whenever I confronted Summer, became hysterical, acted like a madwoman telling Summer to stay away from their lives, it always drew Peyton’s disgust and displeasure. In just two years, Peyton and I had countless arguments and countless fights because of Summer. Even last month, because of Summer, I lost my five-month-old baby. And Peyton dismissively said about it, “Summer didn’t do it on purpose. Giana, don’t be mad at her. We can have another baby in the future.” My heart, riddled with holes, finally died completely and thoroughly in that moment. He was no longer the Peyton I once knew. “Miss Morgan, are you still listening?” The person from the Aviation Bureau pulled my thoughts back. “If you’re having second thoughts, we can understand. After all, you and Mr. Lancaster loved each other so much…” “I’m not having second thoughts.” I didn’t wait for them to finish speaking before interrupting. “Because I don’t love him anymore.” Suddenly, Peyton pushed the door open. “What did you just say? You don’t love me anymore?” He walked closer step by step, his eyes dark. “Giana, say that again and see what happens!”

Giana’s POV I had my back to the ward door, lying on my side while taking the call. When I heard the door open, I quickly hung up, put down my phone, closed my eyes, and pretended to be asleep. Peyton walked in full of anger, but when he reached the bedside, I had my eyes closed with steady breathing. He frowned and reached out to shake me awake. “Giana, wake up. Were you having a nightmare? I heard you saying something about… not loving anymore?” I slowly opened my eyes. I lowered my gaze and said flatly, “It’s nothing. I just dreamed about our child who was five months along but never got to see this world. In the dream, he asked me why mommy didn’t want him, asked if it was because we didn’t love him.” Peyton’s chest tightened, his breathing becoming somewhat stifled. He sat down on the hospital bed and reached out to pull me into his arms, his voice somewhat strained. “I know losing this child made you very sad, but we can have another one.” After a pause, he added, “In the future, however many you want, we’ll have that many, okay?” I didn’t speak, only feeling that the warmth of that embrace could no longer melt the coldness in my heart. We could have more children, but so what? Having more could never bring back this child I had been so looking forward to. Besides. What Peyton didn’t know was that after losing the baby last month, I had him unknowingly sign a divorce agreement and filed for divorce. Soon, our divorce would be finalized. I pushed him away and asked softly, “Weren’t you keeping Summer company? Why are you here? Is something wrong?” “What are you saying?” Peyton frowned in displeasure, scanning the bandages on my head and the cast on my left arm. “You’re my wife. You were in a car accident and hospitalized with injuries. How could I keep someone else company and leave you alone?” I found his words quite laughable, because I’d already done the examinations myself, gone into the operating room alone to get stitches and have a cast put on. Too lazy to argue with him, my tone remained flat. “I’m not going to die. If you have things to do, go ahead. You don’t need to worry about me. The nurses here are enough.” But Peyton didn’t move. We’d shared a bed for so many years. I could read him with one glance. “Is there something else you want to say?” Peyton’s expression froze, his tone unnatural. “Summer isn’t feeling well. She wants to have the soup you used to make.” I stiffened. I was in a car accident and hospitalized with injuries, yet he came to ask for soup for another woman? That soup was something I’d asked doctors about and tried making again and again, specifically to treat the stomach problems he’d developed when he was young. Trying hard to suppress the emotions rising in my heart, I laughed sarcastically. “Do you want me to go home right now and make soup for her?” “…No, that’s not what I mean.” Peyton also seemed to realize how absurd this request was. He quickly said, “Giana, you don’t have to do it yourself. Just tell me the recipe and I’ll make it when I get back.” Five years of marriage, and he’d never cooked for me once. But now he was willing to make soup for Summer himself. I tugged at the corner of my lips. “Fine. I’ll tell you the recipe. Write it down.” Slowly and deliberately, I told him the recipe. Peyton looked at me. “Giana, you…” “Mr. Lancaster, Miss Summer says her wrist hurts terribly. Do you want to go check on her?” Just then, his assistant’s voice came from outside the door. Peyton’s words were interrupted. He frowned, his tone impatient. “I’m not a doctor. If she’s in pain, can’t you find a doctor to see her?” Though he said this, he still turned and quickly left. Watching the man’s hurried departing figure, I couldn’t describe what I was feeling. Perhaps I was already so used to seeing him anxious about Summer that my numb heart couldn’t stir up any waves. After the soup was made, Peyton had someone bring me a serving too. But I didn’t have it. I lay in bed with my eyes closed, sleeping. However, not long after, Peyton suddenly burst into the ward and yanked me up from the hospital bed. “Giana!” He was dark and menacing, his grip strong enough to crush my bones. “What the hell did you put in that recipe? Summer had the soup and now her stomach hurts terribly! You’d better explain yourself!”

Giana’s POV The yanking made my arm hurt intensely, my vision went black, but I only raised my head to look calmly at the furious man. “There’s nothing wrong with my recipe.” “Nothing wrong?” Peyton’s eyes were dark, the force gripping my wrist intensified. “I followed your recipe exactly when making the soup! If you hadn’t tampered with it, why would Summer be in such severe abdominal pain after drinking it?” His chest heaved as he stared at me, feeling a surge of rage rush to his head. “Giana, what’s happened to you? Summer is someone you chose to sponsor. You were the one who told me to be more patient with her! But now you can’t even tolerate her. You constantly cause trouble for her. And you tried to poison her? When did your heart become so vicious?!” These words were like fine needles stabbing into my already numb heart. Looking at this familiar yet strange face, I suddenly found it somewhat laughable. Five years of marriage, sharing a bed through so many days and nights, yet in his heart, I’d long become this despicable. “Show the recipe to the doctor. Once the doctor sees it, they’ll know whether there’s a problem.” I suppressed the lump in my throat, looking straight into his eyes. “Or do you simply not care what the truth is? You’ve just decided I’m trying to harm her?” Peyton was thrown off by my question, his anger flaring even more. “You’ve long disliked Summer, wishing she would immediately disappear from our world. How can I not suspect you tampered with it?!” I laughed softly. Then I forcefully shook off his grip, picked up the bowl of soup from the bedside table with my right hand, and drank it all in one go. “Peyton,” After finishing, I called his name. “I’ve drunk the soup you made now too. If I really tampered with the recipe, then I’ll soon be just like her. Is that enough?” I watched his pupils contract sharply, then slowly continued, “Or do you think even this isn’t enough. You have to blame me for Summer’s stomach ache and take out enough of your anger on me to be satisfied?” Peyton felt a blockage in his heart. “What do you mean ‘take out my anger’? We’re husband and wife, not enemies. If you have any grievances, you can tell me. Don’t speak in such cold, sarcastic tones.” “You and I have nothing left to say to each other.” I put down the bowl and lay back down with my back to him. “You should go. I want to rest.” “Nothing left to say?” He roared, “Giana, explain yourself! What do you mean by that?!” I lay motionless, completely ignoring him, as if I’d shut him out of my world entirely. “Giana, I…” He opened his mouth, about to say something. “Mr. Lancaster!” The ward door was hastily pushed open. The assistant stood in the doorway, anxiety on his face. “Miss Summer finished having her stomach pumped. She’s in her room crying really hard now, saying she needs to see you.” The assistant’s appearance interrupted what he was about to say. Peyton felt somewhat irritated. “Got it. Go out first.” Then he turned his head, looking at Giana’s thin back, his voice soft and gentle. “Next weekend is Mom’s birthday. Giana, let’s go back together to celebrate Mom’s birthday then, okay?”

Giana’s POV I didn’t answer him. Peyton stared at me. Finally, without saying anything more, he left the ward with an unclear expression. Over the following days, Peyton came to visit me in the ward almost every day, but each time he stayed less than twenty minutes before being called away by phone. I knew some of those calls were work-related, and some were from Summer. And I didn’t make a fuss or care anymore. The second day after I was discharged, it happened to be Peyton’s mother’s birthday. In the evening, Peyton drove me to the Lancaster family estate. The estate was filled with guests. Almost every notable figure in the area had come. But for some reason, when I stepped into the hall, everyone started looking at me strangely. Not understanding, I walked toward Peyton’s mother. “Happy…” “Shut up!” Peyton’s mother’s angry voice suddenly rang out. “Giana, how dare you step through the Lancaster family’s door?” Before I could react, Peyton’s mother had already rushed in front of me and slapped me across the face. The crisp sound made the entire banquet hall completely silent. “You vicious woman!” Peyton’s mother’s eyes were bloodshot, her voice trembling. “You terminated a five-month pregnancy just like that? That was my bloodline! Peyton’s first child! I’ve been hoping and waiting for so many years after you and Peyton married. I finally got this grandson, and you were cruel enough to abort him?!” My face burned with pain, my ears rang, my mind went blank. I covered my face in confusion. “Mom, what are you saying? I didn’t…” “Still trying to deny it!” Peyton’s mother grabbed my hair, her other hand viciously slapping my other cheek. “All these years, how has the Lancaster family wronged you? You knew how much I wanted to hold this grandchild, yet you were so cruel and vicious. Because you had some conflict with Peyton, you terminated the pregnancy in a fit of anger!” “No, I didn’t…” I tried to defend myself and explain, but Peyton’s mother wouldn’t listen at all. She cried heartbrokenly. “The child was five months along, and you could bear to abort him… How can there be such a venomous woman in this world?!” The surrounding gossip washed over me like a tide. “My God, five months… the baby must have been formed, right? How is this different from a murderer?” “I heard it was a boy too. Peyton’s mother waited so many years…” “So heartless. The Lancaster family treated her well. How could she do something like this?” In the struggle, I stumbled and fell, my back hitting the corner of a table. The pain made my vision go black. I struggled to lift my head, trying to find Peyton’s figure in the chaotic crowd. Our child had clearly died in the womb because of Summer, and I had no choice but to abort it. But now, Peyton’s mother was saying I aborted the child? Instinct told me this matter must be related to Peyton. Sure enough, Peyton looked away, too guilty to meet my eyes. In an instant, I understood everything. Peyton’s mother grew more and more furious, ordering through tears, “Someone! Beat her! I’m going to beat this vicious woman to death to pay for the child’s life!” The Lancaster family servants swarmed forward, taking sticks and beating me in a chaotic frenzy. “Beat her to death! Beat her to death!” People in the crowd were shouting, cursing viciously, “Don’t hold back! Beat this vicious woman to death!” The sticks came down. I was instantly beaten bloody. I fell to the ground, blood flowing into my eyes. My entire world turned blood red.

Giana’s POV Curled up, I hazily remembered the day last month when I lost my child. That day was Peyton’s birthday. I’d reserved his favorite restaurant. It was supposed to be just a dinner for two, but Summer showed up uninvited, saying Peyton had taken such good care of her these past years. For his birthday, she wanted to come and offer congratulations to show her gratitude. So Peyton had the server add a chair and let her dine with us. During the meal, I got up to use the restroom. When I came back, I took a sip of the juice on the table. The taste was a bit unusual, but I didn’t think much of it. Unexpectedly, not long after, terrifying suffocation and burning skin itchiness began to spread. Realizing I was having an allergic reaction, I frantically grabbed Peyton’s hand, telling him to take me to the hospital immediately. But just then, a server carrying hot soup somehow slipped, and the entire pot of hot soup splashed toward Summer. “Watch out!” Peyton almost instinctively lunged over, shielding Summer in his arms. The hot soup splashed onto his arm and Summer’s calf. “It hurts so much…” Summer cried with tears streaming down her face, clutching Peyton’s shirt tightly. “Mr. Lancaster, my leg hurts so much…” “Giana, hang in there. I’ll call an ambulance! Summer got scalded. I need to take her to the hospital first. Her injury can’t wait.” Peyton picked up Summer and rushed out of the restaurant without looking back. Leaving me alone, curled up in my seat, breathing becoming more and more difficult. With trembling hands, I dialed 911. Every second waiting for the ambulance felt like torture. In the ambulance, I’d already fallen into semi-consciousness. When I woke again, I was in a hospital operating room. The doctor told me gravely, “Due to your severe allergic reaction triggering violent contractions and oxygen deprivation, the fetus in your belly… has no vital signs. You must immediately undergo induced labor and dilation and curettage surgery, or you’ll be in danger too.” Lying on the operating table, I felt my body and soul being hollowed out together. Later, Peyton angrily investigated the restaurant, looking into my allergic reaction. The truth quickly surfaced. Summer had taken advantage of when no one was paying attention to switch my orange juice with mango juice. Faced with questioning, Summer’s face turned deathly pale, tears streaming down. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to… She was pregnant, I just wanted to be nice to her, so I switched her juice to fresh-squeezed mango juice, saying it was good for pregnant women. But I forgot she was allergic to mangoes…” Seeing Summer crying with red, swollen eyes, looking full of remorse, Peyton softened. He turned to me helplessly and said, “Summer meant well. She didn’t intentionally switch your drink. No one expected it would turn out like this. Giana, what’s happened has happened. Blaming her won’t help. Can you please stop holding it against her?” Grief and fury surged through me, my heart bleeding. “Do you really believe she didn’t do it on purpose?” He frowned and sighed. “Summer is still just a student. She’s just a bit forgetful. Her mind isn’t as complicated as you think. Giana, can you stop always looking at her with such prejudice?” I never imagined that this child we’d long anticipated, his life in Peyton’s heart couldn’t compare to Summer’s few light tears. That was the last time I told Summer to get lost, the last time I had a huge fight with Peyton. Memories tore at my heart. In reality, sticks rained down on me. I couldn’t tell which hurt more. My heart or my body. “Stop, everyone stop!” Suddenly, Peyton rushed over and shielded me. “Who gave you the nerve to lay hands on her?” “Peyton! Get out of the way!” Peyton’s mother was trembling with rage. “This vicious woman killed the child, I…” “Giana was the one carrying the child. If she wanted to abort it, she could abort it. If she wanted to keep it, she could keep it. No one has the right to tell her what to do.” His threatening gaze swept over the servants. “This ends here today. If I see anyone disrespecting Giana again, I won’t let it slide.” His gaze was like a knife. Wherever it fell, servants lowered their heads and retreated, not daring to act out anymore. Peyton didn’t spare another glance at anyone else. He scooped me up horizontally and strode quickly out the Lancaster family gate, driving me to the hospital. In the ward, the doctor disinfected and dressed my wounds. After treating my injuries, the doctor left. Peyton sat down beside me. “Does it hurt?” He asked in a low voice, wanting to reach out and touch my face with heartache. I turned my head away to avoid him. His movement froze. “Giana, I…” He opened his mouth, about to say something. “Mr. Lancaster!” The ward door was hastily pushed open. The assistant stood in the doorway, anxiety on his face. “Miss Summer finished getting her stomach pumped. She’s in her room sobbing, saying she needs to see you.” The assistant interrupted, stopping Peyton from saying what he was about to say. Peyton felt annoyed. “Got it. Go out first.” Then he turned his head, gazing at Giana’s thin back, his voice soft and gentle. “Next weekend is Mom’s birthday. Giana, let’s go back together to celebrate, okay?” “Peyton,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Why did your mother say I lost our five-month-old baby out of spite just because we were fighting?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397289”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Vivian, Ethan’s first love, sent me 99 sex photos of her and Ethan. After that, I became a different person. When he worked overtime late into the night, I no longer left the lights on for him. When he was hospitalized with stomach pain, I no longer went to take care of him. All our close friends thought I was just throwing a tantrum. Even Ethan thought so too. “Serena is an orphan who desperately needs love. How could she possibly leave me?” Yet another time, when Vivian and I were both kidnapped by Ethan’s enemies, he didn’t hesitate to save Vivian first. He left me to have my face slashed by the criminal’s knife. I finally gave up completely. I booked a flight to leave. Ethan, I don’t lack love. I just finally stopped loving you. Serena POV Ever since I saw that kissing selfie of Ethan and Vivian in his old phone, I locked myself in my room and cried for a day and a night. After that, I became a different person. When he worked late, I no longer brought him desserts. When I developed new dessert recipes, I no longer brought them for him to taste. I also stopped texting him every day to ask what time he’d be home, whether he had any missions, or if he’d gotten hurt. That evening, on my way home from closing the shop, I got hit by an electric scooter while crossing the street. My arm was badly scraped, and my knee hit the pavement, bleeding profusely. The driver ran off, and I took a cab to the hospital by myself. When I got to the hospital, the ER doctor examined my wound and frowned. “Car accident? This is serious. You’ll need stitches. Did you come alone?” I nodded slightly, my face pale. The doctor looked at me with some sympathy. “I recommend staying in the hospital for observation for two days. Since you can’t move around easily and don’t have family to take care of you, we can have a nurse arrange a caregiver for you.” “Okay, thank you,” I said quietly. After getting stitched up, a nurse helped me walk to the inpatient ward. As we passed through the ER lobby, I ran into Ethan. The man looked anxious as he accompanied his colleague Vivian to see a doctor. Vivian had a cut several centimeters long on her arm. Apparently, she’d been injured on a mission. Ethan never liked using his position for special treatment. He usually waited in line like everyone else. But right now, he was using the priority lane. “Doctor, please be extra careful. Try not to leave a scar. She’s still young, and girls care about their appearance.” The doctor smiled and nodded. “Is this your girlfriend? Don’t worry, the wound is shallow. If I stitch it well, there won’t be any mark.” Ethan opened his mouth to explain when he caught sight of me. “Serena?” My steps froze. Ethan rushed over in two strides, his eyes sweeping over my bandaged arm and the blood seeping through my pants, his brow furrowing. “It really is you? What are you doing at the hospital?” Before I could answer, the nurse supporting me spoke up. “The patient was just in a car accident. I’m taking her to her room.” “Minor injury,” I said, not wanting to elaborate. “You go ahead and do what you need to do.” Ethan seemed like he wanted to say something. In the past, when I burned my fingertip on a mixer while making whipped cream at the shop, I’d call him just to get some comfort. When I closed late and had to walk home in the dark, I’d video call him and chatter away the entire walk. When a moth flew into the house, I’d scream and hide behind him. After all, in his mind, I was just a pampered little girl who never grew up. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in a car accident?” he asked with a frown. Before I could answer, Ethan explained, unusually defensive. “Vivian got injured on a mission. She’s my subordinate, so it’s my responsibility to bring her here for treatment.” “Yeah, I know,” I nodded. “It’s your responsibility. Go ahead.” Ethan froze. He seemed surprised by my reaction. In the past, I was never like this about Vivian. I would ask him with red-rimmed eyes if he’d gone to accompany Vivian again, would grumble that Vivian was an adult and didn’t need to bother him with everything. Every time, he’d have to explain. Vivian lost her mother. Vivian’s father sacrificed himself taking a bullet meant for him. He owed Vivian’s father his life. Taking care of Vivian was perfectly normal. When he said these things, he often complained that I was immature and petty. Now I finally stopped making a fuss, stopped asking questions, didn’t even have an extra word to say. “Which room?” he asked quietly. “I’ll go with you.” Just as I was about to refuse, Vivian’s tearful voice came from the distance. “Ethan, where are you? It hurts so much…” Hearing this, Ethan instinctively turned and walked toward Vivian, comforting her as he went. “Vivian, don’t be scared. I’m here, I’m coming right now.” After two steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back to say to me, “Let me help her get her wound treated first, then I’ll come find you.” I watched his retreating figure, feeling somewhat dazed. When I cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he said it was nothing, just put a Band-Aid on it yourself, no need to bother others with such things. When my dessert shop was broken into one night, I squatted at the shop entrance trembling, called Ethan, also wanting to hear him say “don’t be scared, I’m here.” But he said, “What’s the point of crying? You should call the police.” Turns out he wasn’t incapable of comforting people. He just wasn’t capable of comforting me. I tugged at the corner of my mouth and forced back the tears that were about to fall. Enduring the pain in my knee, I pulled out my phone and listed my dessert shop on a secondhand marketplace for transfer. The shop, I didn’t want it anymore. The man, I didn’t want him anymore either.

Serena POV That day, Ethan didn’t come back to stay with me as he’d said. The IV drip went until late at night. I pressed the call button myself to have the nurse remove the needle. I also ordered my own dinner delivery. It wasn’t that I was incapable of being independent. Quite the opposite. I grew up in an orphanage and never knew what it was like to be protected by someone. As a child at school, because I was an orphan, I was often excluded by classmates. I didn’t dare make trouble, afraid of causing problems for the orphanage director, so I endured everything by myself. When I was sixteen, on my way back to the orphanage after school, I was cornered in a narrow alley by several men. Those men asked me for money with leering smiles. But where would I have any money? They got angry and reached out to tear my clothes. I was so scared I couldn’t make a sound, could only shrink into the corner. Just when I was about to despair, a young police officer passed by the alley entrance and quickly knocked those men to the ground. The man crouched down, wiped away the tears and snot on my face, and gently comforted me. “Don’t be scared. I’m a police officer. The police will protect you.” Before he left, he tore off a piece of paper and stuffed it into my hand with a string of phone numbers written on it. “If you run into trouble again, call this number.” That man was Ethan. That was the first time in my life someone had protected me. The man’s image was forever carved into my heart. I memorized that string of numbers and kept the paper safe. I always remembered what he said: the police would protect me. From then on, Ethan became my salvation and my faith. Over the years, I quietly followed Ethan’s whereabouts. After graduating from college, I deliberately moved to the city where Ethan was stationed and became a pastry chef. I opened a dessert shop on a street not far from the police station, waiting for an opportunity to openly give him desserts. That day, I carried desserts I’d made myself, handed him that yellowed piece of paper, and gathered my courage to say, “My name is Serena. Can I pursue you?” I thought he would refuse, or at least hesitate. But Ethan looked at me for a moment and said one word: “Okay.” From then on, I became Ethan’s girlfriend. Ethan was busy with work, and I often couldn’t find him. I never complained. I handled everything at home by myself. When the pipes burst, I called a repairman. I paid the water, electricity, and gas bills. When lightbulbs burned out, I climbed a ladder to change them myself. When Ethan worked late, I brought him food in a thermos. I did this for three years. Ethan wasn’t good at being affectionate. He only focused on work, so I came up with explanations for him. Police officers are like that. They carry a lot of responsibility. I just need to take care of him. Ethan never said sweet words, but I comforted myself that he was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Otherwise, why would he have chased away those men for me back then and crouched down to wipe my tears? When I got sick or injured, he always frowned and said, “Can’t you handle such a small thing yourself?” He didn’t remember anniversaries, birthdays, or Valentine’s Day. So I prepared gifts in advance, made dinner, and dragged him over to eat after work. I thought he would eventually learn how to love someone. I always thought Ethan loved me, he just didn’t know how to love someone. He had responsibility in his heart, and as his family member, I should support him. Until three months ago, when Vivian came to the police force, I discovered that wasn’t the case at all. Vivian was the only daughter of Ethan’s mentor. Ethan’s mentor had sacrificed himself during a mission to save Ethan. After graduating from the police academy, Vivian came here and became Ethan’s subordinate. From that day on, Ethan would drive Vivian home after work. At night, worried she’d get cold, he always brought an extra jacket. The desserts I put on his office desk all ended up in Vivian’s stomach. Turns out Ethan wasn’t incapable of taking care of people. I felt wronged for the first time. Why could he be so good to Vivian, yet couldn’t spare even a little bit of kindness for me? But Ethan was just impatient. “Vivian’s parents are both gone. Are you really going to begrudge her this? She’s young. As my girlfriend, you should help me take care of her.” Both parents gone? Wasn’t I the only one without parents? Vivian was young? I was only two years older than her. These words, every time I opened my mouth to say them, I swallowed them back. Until that day, when I was organizing old belongings and found a photo in Ethan’s old phone. The picture showed young Ethan and Vivian. They had their faces pressed together, smiling happily. I stared at that photo for a long time. I finally understood. All those things he said were just excuses. Love or no love, the difference was so obvious. My years of persistence had been nothing but a joke.

Serena POV My dessert shop had a good location, thoughtful design, and a very low transfer price. Not long after I posted the listing, someone contacted me. The buyer was a young couple. The boy said on the phone that opening a dessert shop had been his girlfriend’s childhood dream, and he wanted to make it come true for her. Listening to someone else’s happiness made my heart even more bitter. “Then I’ll reduce the price a bit more for you. I hope to complete the paperwork as soon as possible.” The boy was very happy and thanked me repeatedly. “Then I’ll take the day off tomorrow to come over. All the paperwork can be completed in seven days at most.” After hanging up, I stared out the window in a daze. Seven days from now, I’ll leave this place. Leave the person I had faith in for so long. On the second day of my hospital stay, it was nearly noon when the door to my room finally opened. Ethan walked in hurriedly. “Are you feeling better?” “Much better.” I nodded slightly and didn’t say anything else. Usually Ethan was a man of few words, and I was the one who talked around him. Ethan always complained that my personality didn’t match my name at all. Neither of us spoke. Ethan seemed uncomfortable with this atmosphere, looking somewhat uneasy. “Are you angry? Because I stayed with Vivian instead of you?” I looked up at him, no anger showing in my eyes. “Why would you say that?” My tone was gentle. “Vivian is your subordinate and your mentor’s daughter. Taking care of her is both your job and your responsibility. Why would I be angry?” Ethan looked at my face quietly. He opened his mouth but said nothing. He suddenly changed the subject. “Have you eaten? I’ll go downstairs and get you something.” Before he finished speaking, his phone vibrated in his pocket. “Ethan, what should I do?” On the other end, Vivian complained while asking for help. “I don’t know how to write part of my case report, and it’s due tomorrow. If I don’t write it well, I’m going to get scolded again…” Ethan coaxed her gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you write it. It’s fine.” After hanging up, he looked at me with difficulty. I spoke first. “You go ahead. I can manage on my own.” In the end, Ethan said nothing more, just nodded and walked out. At the door, he stopped again and turned back. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow when you’re discharged.” I watched his departing figure without responding. The next day, as expected, Ethan didn’t come. I didn’t wait for him either. I handled the discharge paperwork myself and called a car to go home. When I got home, I dragged out suitcases from the storage room and started packing my things. This apartment belonged to Ethan. After we became a couple, I moved in. I just lived with him and took care of him. When I first moved in, this place was cold and sparse, barely like a home at all. Ethan ate at the police station and only came home to shower and sleep. I started adding things to the house bit by bit. The curtains were changed to a soft beige, the sofa to a warm caramel color. I added many new kitchen utensils to the cabinets and piled several round cushions in the corner of the sofa. I also bought many couple items. Cups, slippers, key hooks by the door. All in matching pairs. As more and more things filled the house, Ethan spent increasingly more time at home. I thought everything was moving in a good direction. I thought I would live here for many, many more years. I never expected that after just three short years, I would have to leave. I was folding clothes from the closet into my suitcase one by one when the door lock suddenly opened. Ethan pushed the door open and saw me bent over packing my luggage.

Serena POV Ethan strode forward and grabbed my wrist. “Serena, why are you packing?” I calmly closed the suitcase lid. “It’s the change of seasons. I remembered I had some clothes pressed at the bottom of the case and wanted to take them out to air them.” Ethan stared at me suspiciously. Seeing that I really didn’t continue stuffing things inside, he relaxed slightly. Ethan coughed and began to explain. “This morning Vivian got an emergency assignment. She has no experience and didn’t know how to handle this kind of situation the first time. So I went with her. I didn’t pick you up from the hospital. I’m sorry.” I waved my hand. “No need to apologize. She’s your subordinate. Helping her is what you should do.” Ethan frowned. “You don’t mind?” I smiled, my tone relaxed. “This is your job. How could I mind your job?” I was saying exactly what Ethan had always thought. Ethan paused and tentatively said, “I have tomorrow off. Didn’t you want to go to the amusement park? I’ll take you.” I was stunned. I’d mentioned the amusement park to him several times. I grew up in an orphanage and had never been to an amusement park. But every time I brought it up, Ethan either said he was busy or that it was a place only kids go to, too childish. What was with him today? I looked at him, confused. Ethan cleared his throat and spoke again. “Vivian also wants to go. Let’s have her come with us, then you two can play together.” So that’s how it is. Vivian wanted to go. The one he really wanted to accompany was Vivian, right? And I wasn’t important. I smiled. “That’s fine.” The next day at the amusement park. Vivian was like a bird let out of its cage, happily clinging to Ethan’s arm. She wanted to try everything. The more thrilling and exciting the ride, the more excited she got. But I only liked gentle rides. The carousel, the Ferris wheel, the slow little train. Ethan looked at me with conflicted eyes. I smiled unconcernedly and followed slowly behind. “You two go ahead. I’ll rest.” When we reached a famous couple photo spot, Vivian pulled Ethan over to take pictures. Ethan frowned. “Vivian, no.” Vivian pouted in dissatisfaction. “What’s wrong with taking a picture? Are you afraid Serena will get angry? Serena, you’re not that petty, are you?” I acted as if I hadn’t heard the provocation in her words at all, smiling carelessly. “Give me your phone. I’ll take the picture for you.” Ethan’s expression didn’t look good. But Vivian kept begging him, and he eventually smiled at her indulgently. “Just this once.” The two stood in front of the landmark. Vivian hugged Ethan’s arm intimately. The moment I pressed the shutter, Vivian suddenly rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder. Ethan’s body stiffened, but he ultimately didn’t push her away. They looked very happy together. Tourists passing by praised them one after another. “This couple has such a good relationship.” Hearing this, Ethan’s expression changed. He walked up to me in a few steps. “Serena, don’t listen to their nonsense. Vivian has been playful since she was little. She didn’t mean it that way.” I shook my head, completely unbothered. “We’re just here to have fun. As long as everyone’s happy.” With that, I shoved the phone back into his hand and walked forward by myself. I didn’t even care about him taking couple photos with Vivian anymore. Because I didn’t care anymore. Ethan caught up with me in a few steps. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he only said, “I remember you wanted that ice cream up ahead. I’ll go buy it for you.” With that, he turned and went to stand in line. Vivian saw all of this from behind. She stamped her foot in anger and quickly caught up with me. “Serena,” Vivian lowered her voice, but her lips curled with provocation. “You should know that he and I used to be a couple, right? If you don’t believe me, he still has an old phone with photos of me and him together.” I just looked at her coldly. No interrogation, no loss of composure, no surprise. For some reason, Vivian became annoyed. “Ethan is mine! My dad sacrificed himself to save him. He promised to take care of me.” “You’d better leave on your own! Otherwise, if he abandons you, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Serena POV Looking at Vivian’s face, I suddenly laughed softly. “Miss Vivian, are you making this scene because Ethan rejected you?” Vivian turned red with shame and anger, her thoughts exposed. I ignored her and walked straight to a nearby bench to sit and rest. Before long, Ethan came back with two ice cream cones. He sat down beside me and spoke with feigned casualness. “What were you two talking about just now?” He was too far away to hear our conversation clearly. But Vivian’s angry expression. He should have seen that clearly. “She said you and she used to be a couple.” I looked at him with a faint smile and said slowly, “She also said your old phone has photos of you and her together.” Ethan immediately panicked. “Don’t listen to her nonsense.” Ethan frowned, his tone somewhat urgent. “Vivian was young then and didn’t understand. She made such a fuss at home that she refused to go to school unless I agreed. I was just humoring her.” I nodded. Ethan was stunned instead. “Serena, you… aren’t you going to ask me anything?” I smiled faintly. “Ask what? Didn’t you already explain? She was young then and didn’t understand. You were just trying to get her to go to school. What else is there to ask?” Ethan suddenly couldn’t speak. “But-” Before he could finish, Vivian came running over and interrupted him. On the way back, Vivian walked straight to Ethan’s car and familiarly opened the passenger door, about to get in. Ethan frowned. “Vivian, sit in the back.” Vivian pouted, and her eyes immediately reddened. Seeing her pitiful appearance, Ethan’s heart softened again. But having already spoken, he couldn’t take it back. I spoke at the right moment. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter where anyone sits.” With that, I opened the back door and got in. After getting in the car, Ethan turned to look at me and explained, “When we go on missions together, Vivian sits in the passenger seat. The view is better, and it’s more convenient for communication.” I kept my head down scrolling through my phone and said “Mm” without looking up. Vivian sat in the passenger seat and immediately became smug. She reached out and turned on the car stereo. What played was the electronic dance music she usually liked. A style Ethan would never listen to. I saw Ethan nervously glance at me through the rearview mirror. Vivian then opened the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat. It was full of her things. Lipstick, a small mirror, a comb, wet wipes, and even some chocolate bars. She picked up a chocolate bar and turned to smile innocently at me. “Serena, he specially bought these for me. I have low blood sugar, so Ethan bought a bunch to keep in the car so I can eat them whenever I’m hungry. You don’t mind, do you?” Ethan cut her off with displeasure. “Vivian!” I smoothly followed up. “Of course I don’t mind. You go on missions together. It’s natural for him to take care of you.” Ethan’s tone became increasingly irritable. “Serena, you-” He opened his mouth, then got stuck again. Vivian’s phone rang. They had an emergency assignment tonight. Her superior specifically requested her for the mission and told her to return to the police station immediately. “Ethan, turn right at the intersection ahead. Just drop me off at the station!” Vivian said. Ethan looked troubled. I was only two intersections away from home. For such a short distance, I didn’t need to call a cab. But if he stopped the car to let me out directly, I would have to walk home alone. The distance of two intersections wasn’t far, but it would still take some time to walk. What’s more, it was already dark. Ethan had just opened his mouth to say something when I cut him off first. “You can stop ahead. It’s not far from home. I’ll walk back.” Ethan’s face darkened. But Vivian cheerfully urged, “Serena already said she’ll walk back herself. Let’s hurry back to the station.” Ethan pulled over to the side of the road with a cold expression, glaring at me through the rearview mirror. I didn’t even glance at him. I pushed open the car door, got out, and walked forward without looking back. Ethan looked very angry as he stepped on the gas and sped away.

Serena POV When I got home, I went into the bathroom first to take a shower. I was too tired today. I needed to rest properly. Suddenly, I heard Ethan’s voice. He was practically shouting my name. “Serena!” The bathroom door happened to open. I walked out in a bathrobe, my long hair still dripping wet. Ethan strode forward and grabbed my shoulders. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why was your phone off?” I looked at him, puzzled. “What would be wrong? What could happen to me? My phone died. It’s charging in the living room.” Ethan pulled me forcefully into his arms. “As long as you’re okay. As long as you’re okay.” His face showed panic as he continued, “Why didn’t you let me take you home earlier? Don’t ever walk alone at night again!” I smiled and gently reminded him, “Before, when I was scared walking home at night and called you, didn’t you say I was being delicate and that I was interfering with your work?” Ethan suddenly fell silent. But he asked again, “Then why did you give up the passenger seat to Vivian? Last time she sat in the passenger seat once, you got angry at me.” I interrupted him. “Last time, didn’t you say that fighting over the passenger seat was something only immature little girls do?” I used his own words to block him completely. Ethan stared intently into my eyes. “No. Serena, something’s wrong with you. I wanted you to be understanding, but not like this.” He softened his tone. “Don’t lie to me. Are you angry with me? If you have any complaints, say them. Let’s communicate properly.” Communicate? In the past, when I wanted to chat with him more, he said there was nothing to talk about. I would say ten sentences before he’d deign to reply with an “Mm.” Sometimes I would deliberately ask him what I’d just said, and he couldn’t answer a single thing. He never listened to me seriously. Now he suddenly remembered he wanted to communicate? Thinking of this, I shook my head gently. “I’m not angry. You’re overthinking it.” Ethan’s face was full of doubt. He looked at me deeply. “Serena, we’ve been together for three years. We get along well. I think you’re very suitable for me. I want to marry you.” He paused and repeated, “So if you think I’m doing something wrong, you can tell me directly. I’ll change.” I looked into his eyes, my heart full of bitterness. He sounded so sincere. He said he wanted to marry me. He said he would change. But he didn’t say he loved me. All his tension and anxiety were only because I was good to him, so he wanted me to be understanding, so he was nervous about me leaving. But his real love was for someone else. I heard myself say calmly, “Okay.” The next day, Ethan actually took the initiative to suggest taking me to his parents’ house for dinner. His parents were both teachers, and they’d always liked me. When they saw me, they were somewhat excited and kept telling me to eat more throughout the meal. After a while, Ethan’s father spoke first. “Ethan, you should get married. Serena doesn’t have parents, but I really like her. Since you two have a good relationship, get married soon. I really want to become family with her.” Ethan’s mother nodded repeatedly. “Yes, I like Serena too. You two should get married soon!” In the past, they’d also wanted us to get married. Every time, Ethan refused with excuses like “I’m still young” or “I’m busy with work.” This time, he would probably use the same excuses again, right? Just as Ethan began to speak, I cut him off. “We’re both still young and busy with work. Let’s not rush into marriage this year.” The spoon in Ethan’s hand dropped onto the table. He turned to look at me, panic showing in his eyes. His father rarely got serious and scolded Ethan, reminding him not to put all his attention on work. He also needed to make time to spend with his girlfriend and family. Ethan kept nodding and saying okay. Not long after the meal, he couldn’t sit still anymore. He made up an excuse and pulled me out the door. His expression was terrible. He finally couldn’t hold back and slammed his palm on the steering wheel. “Serena, what the hell is wrong with you? Can you please stop making trouble for me?”

Serena POV I turned my head to look at him. “What’s wrong with me?” Ethan’s tone was harsh. “I know you haven’t been happy lately. I’m your boyfriend. Why can’t you talk to me about it?” I calmly met his gaze. “You used to complain that I was too delicate and too dependent on you, so this time I went to the hospital by myself.” “You used to complain that I always made issues about Vivian, so now I don’t anymore.” “Every time your parents urged us to get married, you said you were busy with work and to wait. Today I was afraid you’d be put in a difficult position, so I said it for you.” “What else do you want me to do?” My few sentences left Ethan speechless. I was clearly changing in all the directions he’d wanted before. I was clearly getting better. Ethan irritably rubbed his temples and muttered, “Forget it.” Then, as if throwing a tantrum, he ran several red lights in a row. I kept my eyes closed the whole time. I didn’t even lift an eyelid at Ethan’s childish behavior. When we got home, neither of us spoke again. After washing up, we each lay down with our backs to each other. The next day, Ethan left early for the police station.The buyer of my dessert shop also arrived to complete the final handover procedures. When I officially handed the keys to the young couple, I smiled at the girl and said, “This shop is yours now. I hope you’ll be happy.” When I left the shop, it was already evening. I walked slowly along the familiar street toward home. As I turned the corner into a narrow alley, a hand suddenly covered my mouth and nose from behind. Before I could struggle, everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself thrown on the concrete floor of an abandoned warehouse. I was tied up with rope, and my wrists hurt badly from the chafing. I looked around as much as I could. There was another person lying beside me. I knew her well. It was Vivian. Heavy footsteps came from not far away. Several fierce-looking men entered. I immediately closed my eyes, pretending I was still unconscious. I heard one of them speak. “Boss, which of these two women is the one we’re looking for?” A middle-aged man with a hoarse voice answered, “I don’t know! I heard the woman we’re looking for is close to Ethan. Both these women were with him, so we brought them both!” Another man with a sharp voice said anxiously, “But the police cars are almost here. We can only take one with us at most!” The middle-aged man cursed loudly. “It’s all that man’s fault! Years ago he shot my leg and crippled me. I have to get revenge on his daughter!” I understood now. This was a criminal Vivian’s father had arrested years ago, back for revenge. I was terrified and trembling, but I had to keep pretending to be unconscious. I cried silently in my heart. I could leave tomorrow. Why did I have to get caught up in this mess? Police sirens sounded. Someone with a megaphone shouted, ordering the criminals to release the hostages. Vivian was also awakened by the noise, struggling and whimpering. The criminals grabbed us both and dragged us to the warehouse entrance. Outside, police tape had been set up and several police cars were parked there. Ethan stood at the front, wearing a black tactical vest. The middle-aged man recognized him at a glance and grinned. “Ethan, long time no see! You were just a kid back then. Now you can go on missions by yourself.” Ethan’s expression was grave, but anger pressed beneath his eyes. “Let them go, and I’ll let you leave!” “Leave?” The man threw his head back and laughed. “Since I dared to do this, I never planned to leave alive!” His laughter stopped abruptly as he narrowed his eyes. “We won’t make things too difficult for you. We only have a grudge against your mentor. Of these two women, you can only take one today!” “Take your girlfriend back. Leave your mentor’s daughter behind.” He lifted our chins with the tip of his knife. “Which one is your girlfriend?” Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He looked at us, his face showing struggle. I closed my eyes in despair. I knew Ethan wouldn’t choose me. A suitable girlfriend could be replaced if she died. But the person he favored. If she died, she’d be gone forever. But actually, I still held a tiny shred of hope in my heart. Hope that Ethan would rescue me again like he had when I was young. Vivian shouted urgently, “Ethan, save me!” Before she finished speaking, the man slapped her and cursed, “Shut up! Say one more word and I’ll kill you!” Vivian cried out in fear, her eyes full of terror as she looked at Ethan expectantly. Ethan closed his eyes tightly. After a long moment, he raised his hand and slowly pointed at Vivian. “She… is my girlfriend. Let her go.”

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The night before my SAT, I got the call to collect my father’s body from prison. But my mom found me first. She wanted Dad to take the fall for her first love, Ethan Shaw, for a second time. “Where’s your father? Ethan accidentally caused a patient’s death during surgery. Tell him to go to prison for Ethan again. These two times will make up for that slap your father gave Ethan.” “After this, I’ll come back to the family and stay with you two.” I clutched Dad’s urn in my arms, my head down, mumbling in a daze. “Dad’s dead.” But Mom just scoffed and immediately had her people lock me in the sauna room. The temperature in the sauna shot up rapidly from 113 degrees to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Mom sent voice messages to Dad’s chat, threatening him. [Xavier! You’ve got some nerve teaching our son to lie to me!] [Let’s see what kind of game you’re playing! If you don’t want Connor to get hurt, you better show yourself right now!] My whole body turned bright red from the burns. I desperately pounded on the door, trying to explain and call for help. But Mom was too busy comforting her frightened first love to pay me any attention. Severely dehydrated, I suddenly laughed bitterly. Mom, Dad and I are using our two lives to atone for your beloved first love. Is that enough?

Every time my hands struck the iron door, a layer of skin peeled off. Blood beads sizzled out, and my throat felt like it was on fire. But I still clung to what little strength I had left, constantly begging for help. “Dad really died in prison!” “He’s already been tortured to death by you! Are you going to force me to death today too?” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Extreme dehydration made my throat so hoarse it was bleeding. Mom ignored me, just nodding angrily. She gritted her teeth and yelled at Dad’s chat window. “Fine! Real nice, Xavier!” “Look what you’ve taught our child! Making him lie and say you’re dead, and now teaching him to say such unlucky things about himself!” She threw her phone down in frustration. Hearing my constant cries for help only made her angrier. She yelled at me impatiently. “Stop pretending! The heating system in there is broken! The temperature can’t even be adjusted—you learned this act from your father!” “I’m only doing this to force your dad out!” In her rage, Mom’s whole face turned purple. At that moment, Ethan Shaw timidly stepped forward and patted her back to calm her down. “Vanessa, forget it. Don’t make Xavier go to prison for me. He must still resent me from last time. I don’t want to come between you.” Mom’s anger immediately dissipated. She turned and gently patted his back, soothing him. “It’s not your fault. Xavier has a dirty mind and is suspicious of our relationship.” “You’re different from Xavier. He’s already been in once, so going through more hardship won’t matter.” “Besides, I’ve already made arrangements at the prison. He’s living quite comfortably in there.” Nearly every inch of my skin was burned, and breathing became more and more difficult. But after hearing Mom’s words, I laughed coldly, laughing until tears fell. Making arrangements meant having people beat Dad to death? When I went to collect the body, Dad’s entire body was covered in fresh wounds mixed with old scars and blood. Several of his bones had been pulled out. He couldn’t even… close his eyes! He died with his eyes open, and even after death, Mom still insulted him! Thinking of Dad, my sobbing grew louder uncontrollably. Mom clicked her tongue impatiently. “It’s all my fault for spoiling them both.” “Xavier’s sulking and won’t show up, and Connor’s fighting with me too. The sauna room is just a bit dark, that’s all. No need to be so dramatic and cry.” I froze in place again. She said… she spoiled us? Spoiling us meant making Dad go to prison for her first love? Spoiling us meant leaving me alone in the villa without checking on me for three years? During those three years, she seemed to have forgotten she had a son. She didn’t send money and couldn’t be reached. My tuition and living expenses all came from going to class during the day and delivering food at night. I counted down the days on my fingers. I kept telling myself that once Dad got out of prison, once I got into college, everything would be better. But what I waited for was the news of Dad being beaten to death. What I waited for was Mom willing to sacrifice her own son’s life for her first love again!

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and the skin on my lips crackled and burst. I unconsciously licked the blood flowing from my lips. So thirsty, so hot, and my body hurt so much. In my fading consciousness, I suddenly heard Dad calling my name. “Connor! Dad’s begging you to hold on! Dad’s begging you to call for help and not give up on yourself!” “Stay alive!” I jerked my eyes open, gasping for air. Dad was right. I shouldn’t give up on myself. I worked so hard studying for three years, wasn’t it all for tomorrow’s SAT? Getting into NYU was my dream, and Dad’s too! I found strength from somewhere and crawled back up to pound on the door. “Mom, I… I’m begging you to let me out first, okay?” “If, if you let me out, I’ll take you to find Dad.” I tried hard to suppress my trembling voice and soften my tone as much as possible. After hearing this, Mom seemed quite satisfied with my response. Her expression softened considerably. She waved to the bodyguard. “Open the do—” But before she could finish, Ethan Shaw grabbed her arm and interrupted. “Vanessa, it’s so late. Don’t make things hard for the kid.” “He has his test tomorrow. Going back and forth would take several hours. Let him get a good night’s sleep first.” Reminded by him, Mom suddenly realized and immediately stopped the bodyguard. “Connor, your Uncle Ethan is right. The temperature control in there is perfect for sleeping anyway.” “Get a good night’s sleep first. Tomorrow morning I’ll have the bodyguard wake you up, then we’ll find your dad and send you to take the test.” After arranging everything, Mom left with Ethan Shaw. No matter how much I cried and begged for help, no one answered. But I kept pounding on the door. Only one thought filled my mind. Stay alive. I don’t know how long passed before there was finally sound outside. “Quiet!” It was the bodyguard Mom left for me. Annoyed by the noise, he barked at me. Then I heard the sound of someone unlocking the door! My heart leaped with joy. But the hope that just ignited was completely extinguished the next moment! The bodyguard wrapped duct tape tightly around my mouth and restrained my hands. He impatiently closed the door again. “Just sleep when she tells you to sleep. Ms. Turner is your real mother—she’s not going to hurt you! You’re so damn noisy!” I whimpered, unable to make any sound. The dark, scorching space was filled with despair. The blood blisters on my body burst one after another, especially crisp in this deathly silent night. Just then, my phone rang. I fumbled with my bound hands, struggling with all my might to grab my phone and answer the call. It was Dad’s good friend, Lucas Smith. The moment I learned what happened to Dad, I called him for help. “Connor, I’ve already had your dad cremated. I’ll give you the ashes.” “Connor, where are you now? Hello? Connor, are you listening?” He got more and more anxious. I gasped heavily, struggling to speak. “I… Mom locked me… in the sauna room.” “I think… I… I can’t hold on much longer…” Lucas cried out, cursing Mom non-stop. He kept calling my name, telling me to stay conscious. I tried hard to nod, but my ears were ringing and I couldn’t hear anything anymore. In my fading consciousness, I seemed to see Dad coming to take me away.

A pair of hands suddenly pulled me out. I spun around and found that my body didn’t hurt at all, and there were no wounds. At that moment, I was actually in Lucas’s car. He was driving at breakneck speed, staring straight ahead, tears streaming down his face. I knew he was grieving for Dad. “Lucas…” I reached out to wipe his tears, but my hand passed straight through Lucas’s face. Staring at my transparent body, I finally realized. I was already dead. By the time I came to my senses, Lucas’s car had already stopped at the Turner family villa. He kicked the door open and shouted frantically. “Vanessa Turner! Come out!” “Where did you lock Connor? He’s barely hanging on—let him out now!” Thinking of my state during the phone call, Lucas’s voice trembled uncontrollably. He didn’t dare think any further. Mom casually came out of her room, her nightgown buttons fastened wrong. “Lucas? Did Connor send you? Didn’t I tell him he just needs to sleep and I’ll send him to the test at dawn?” “That place is just a bit quiet in the suburbs. He’s as dramatic as his father.” Lucas closed his eyes, forcing himself to stay calm. “The sauna room at 170-180 degrees isn’t a joke.” “You already got Xavier killed in prison. If you have any humanity left, don’t let both father and son die at your hands!” After Lucas finished speaking, the entire villa fell into dead silence. Mom stood frozen in place. After a long while, she laughed coldly. “I knew Connor couldn’t fool me alone, so he brought you in on it too?” “It’s just two or three years in prison. Does he need to be so dramatic? He’ll still be my husband when he gets out anyway.” As she spoke, she glanced at the urn Lucas was holding and scoffed. “Pretending to be dead with words didn’t fool me, so now you’re bringing out ashes?” Lucas stared at my mom, almost laughing from anger. Just as he was about to yell, Ethan Shaw suddenly came out of the room and screamed, cutting him off. “Ah!” “Vanessa!” He held his head, hiding behind Mom, pointing a shaking finger at Dad’s urn. “That box is full of something dirty. I saw it. It’s so scary. Did Xavier send someone to get revenge on me?” He looked so frightened and pitiful that Mom’s heart ached. She immediately pointed to the bodyguard. “Throw that filthy thing out!” I panicked instantly, floating in the air and instinctively wrapping my transparent body tightly around Dad’s ashes. But it was useless… Lucas looked incredulous, shouting his explanation. “These really are Xavier’s ashes!!” He also held Dad’s urn even tighter. The approaching bodyguards were desperately kicked to the ground by him. Ethan Shaw trembled all over behind Mom. Feeling sorry for him, she completely lost her patience. She strode forward, her face dark. “I really underestimated Xavier—getting you all to lie and make me feel sorry for him, and now you dare use this kind of filthy thing to scare Ethan!” “I won’t let him have his way!” With that, she waved to the bodyguard and had them restrain Lucas. She personally seized the urn. I floated in the air, spinning around anxiously. Again and again I reached out trying to grab the urn, but each time my hands passed uselessly through Mom’s body. She walked up to the faucet in just a few steps. Splash! In seconds, Dad’s ashes were flushed down the drain. I stared at the rushing water from the faucet, frozen in place. Gone, all gone! She didn’t even leave Dad his ashes! I had no heart anymore, so why did my chest still hurt so much?

Lucas’s eyes were bloodshot. Under the bodyguards’ restraint, he struggled, punching and kicking at the air. He’d almost gone mad. “Vanessa Turner! You’ll die a terrible death! Xavier suffered enough because of you—why won’t you leave him alone even after he’s dead?” Mom carefully wiped the water from her hands and said coldly. “Don’t try to scare me with talk of death. I didn’t believe it at first, and I believe it even less now.” “Go back and tell Xavier that no matter what, he must go take the fall for Ethan again.” “If he keeps making trouble, after Connor finishes his SAT, I’ll never let him see Connor again.” Lucas’s pupils constricted. Things happened so suddenly just now. He’d actually forgotten to go save Connor! He knew that given Vanessa’s crazed state, she’d never tell him where Connor was. He couldn’t protect Xavier’s ashes. Connor was the last thing Xavier left in this world! So Lucas practically crawled out, immediately driving to search the entire city for me. Finally, after increasing manpower, he located the sauna room where I was just as dawn was breaking. He collapsed on his knees in front of the iron door, picking up a rock and smashing it against the lock over and over. “Connor! Connor! Can you hear Lucas? Please answer me! I’m begging you!” I floated in the air, softly responding to Lucas, but he couldn’t hear me. He cried so hard his whole body shook. In desperation, he saw Mom driving up. Mom’s eyes still held sleepy haze. Seeing Lucas, she was first startled, then scoffed. “So you really found the place.” Lucas couldn’t care about anything else. He screamed at Mom. “Open it! Connor’s barely alive in there!” But his hands kept working on the lock. Mom clicked her tongue in annoyance, looked at her watch, then strode forward, grabbed Lucas by the collar, and threw him to the ground. “Quiet! It’s not time yet! Waking Connor up this early—are you deliberately trying to make him perform badly on his SAT?” “Let him sleep a while longer!” Lucas froze in place, absolutely incredulous. His hand shook as he pointed at the sauna room. “The heat is unbearable even from outside—you locked him in there to sleep?” “Open the door!” Mom laughed angrily. “This sauna room is mine. The heating system is broken. Don’t you think I’d know what temperature it is?” “I’m his real mother. How could I actually hurt him? Not like Xavier with his lies and shameless tactics.” Lucas didn’t have time to argue with her. He just closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said word by word. “Open! The! Door!” Seeing Lucas’s man-eating glare, Mom licked her lips, smiled knowingly, and nodded. “Fine!” “If Connor does poorly on his SAT, it’s all your fault!” With that, she waved to the bodyguard behind her to signal him to open the door. The next moment, the prison called again. “Is this Xavier’s wife? We finally reached you. He died tragically in custody and we need a family member to come sign an acknowledgment form again.” At the same time, the sauna room door clicked open.

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Before I died, I donated all of my organs. At the annual charity gala’s award ceremony, the host led ten children onto the stage. “Today we have a very special award recipient. She passed away in an accident, but before her death, she donated all of her organs and saved the lives of these children standing beside me.” In the front row below the stage, my brother Liam sneered, “Who knows what idiot would be so stupid—dead and still trying to make a name for themselves.” My mother wore a pitiful expression on her face. “Her parents didn’t even try to stop her. I heard that if your body isn’t intact, you can’t be reincarnated.” The host’s voice rang out again, “Now, let us invite the parents of our award recipient to the stage for a speech. Please welcome Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Martha!” The entire venue fell silent. Everyone froze in place, turning their incredulous gazes toward the front row. The host urged with a smile plastered across his face, “Mr. Christopher, Mrs. Martha, please come to the stage to accept the award. Your selfless love is truly deserving.” As soon as the words left his mouth, whispers rippled through the crowd. “It’s actually someone from the Leandro family? I didn’t know they were so charitable.” “Didn’t Mrs. Martha always believe in reincarnation? I can’t believe she’d be willing to donate her own child’s organs.” These words drilled into Martha’s ears one by one. The warmth on her face crumbled inch by inch, her complexion shifting between pale and green, and she nearly fainted. She clutched Christopher’s arm tightly, her voice trembling, “What… what do they mean?” “My children are all alive and well. Why would they curse my child!” Liam Leandro, the eldest son of the Leandro family, darkened his expression. His gaze swept toward the host like a knife, his voice icy, “What nonsense are you spouting? No one in the Leandro family has died!” Christopher exuded an overwhelming aura of intimidation, “Hmph. Think carefully before you speak.” The host was startled backward by this display. He hurriedly pulled out the documents in his hand, checking them three or four times over, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. After a long moment, he hesitantly spoke, “Mr. Christopher, Mrs. Martha, the documents say that the donor is indeed… your daughter.” “Shut up!” Martha screamed, her eyes already red, “Sophia is clearly on her graduation trip abroad. She even sent me photos a few days ago. How could she possibly…” Liam pressed his hand on his mother’s shoulder, speaking softly to comfort her, “Mom, don’t panic.” He turned toward the host, his eyes dark, “I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me the truth.” Martha interrupted with a tearful voice, “Liam, call Sophia quickly. What if something really happened to her?” Liam quickly dialed a video call. Ring, ring, ring. Once, twice, three times—no one answered. The hearts of the family members sank deeper and deeper. Martha’s face turned deathly pale as she stared at the phone screen, her lips trembling, unable to speak. Christopher couldn’t sit still either. He leaned forward slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing. At that moment, the phone suddenly rang with an incoming call. Liam answered almost instantly. “Sophia!” The screen lit up, revealing a delicate little face. Sophia rubbed her eyes, her hair messy, clearly just woken from sleep. She mumbled groggily, “Liam, why are you calling me in the middle of the night? Did you forget about the time difference?” Martha snatched the phone away, asking anxiously, “Sophia, are you okay?” “Mom?” Sophia paused for a moment, then laughed, “I’m having a great time here. What could possibly happen?” “I told you not to worry. I’m already an adult!” Tears immediately welled up in Martha’s eyes as she cried and laughed at the same time. Christopher let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. Liam took back the phone and patiently gave a few more instructions before hanging up. He turned his head to look at the host, his eyes ice cold, “Did you see that? Sophia is perfectly fine.” “You cursed Sophia like this—you owe the Leandro family an explanation!” The atmosphere in the venue instantly became tense. Just as the host stood there at a loss, one of the older girls on stage timidly raised her hand, “It’s not that Charlotte.” Everyone looked at her. The girl bit her lip and said quietly, “My dad showed me a photo of the Charlotte who saved me.” “Her name was Charlotte.”

Everyone began whispering. “Charlotte? That name sounds familiar.” “Isn’t that the adopted daughter the Leandro family took in a year ago?” “I heard through the grapevine that Charlotte and Sophia were switched at birth—that Charlotte was actually the real daughter.” “Are you kidding? How could the Leandro family treat their biological daughter as an adopted daughter?” I floated quietly behind the Leandro family members, a bitter smile crossing my lips. They were right. I was indeed the real daughter. Back then, Sophia’s parents deliberately switched the babies so their daughter could enjoy wealth and privilege. Sophia became the precious daughter of the Leandro family, pampered and adored. And I spent eighteen years in a nightmare. My adoptive parents were gamblers. Every time they lost, they came home and took it out on me. Belt whippings, cigarette burns—they used whatever was handy. My back was covered in layers upon layers of scars, new wounds overlapping old ones. They never cared whether I lived or died. I survived by scavenging food from trash cans. As I gradually grew up, my adoptive father’s gaze toward me became more and more lecherous. Until one day, he cornered me in my room. I stabbed him with scissors, but I was accused of deliberately seducing him. The couple beat me half to death. I was barely breathing when neighbors who heard the commotion rescued me. With police intervention, my true identity was finally revealed, and I returned to the Leandro family. I thought my suffering had finally ended. But Sophia cried in front of me, saying that now that I had returned, she should leave. The Leandro family held her tenderly and comforted her for a long time, then looked at me with displeasure, saying Sophia was also a victim. She was so young back then. Her parents’ crimes couldn’t be blamed on her. To keep Sophia from falling into the hands of wolves, they decided to drop the lawsuit. Instead, they gave that couple a large sum of money to buy out custody rights and kept Sophia with them. When they made that decision, no one asked me how I had spent those years. I remembered the cold look in Christopher and Martha’s eyes, “Over the years, we’ve already treated Sophia as our biological daughter. Publicly revealing your identity would hurt her too much.” “So we’ve decided to temporarily claim that you’re our adopted daughter.” Now, hearing my name mentioned, The Leandro family members first showed blank expressions, then complex emotions churned across their faces. “How could it be her?” Liam’s eyes filled with deep hatred, “To save her own life, she could abandon even her own mother. Someone like her would never be willing to die.” I was already dead. Yet my hollow soul still felt a stab of pain in my chest. Martha was silent for a long time, her eyes gradually reddening before she finally spoke, “I don’t have that daughter. My only daughter is Sophia.” The venue erupted into chaos. Countless eyes turned toward the Leandro family. Liam sneered coldly and, facing everyone’s confusion, Told them about what happened that year. “That day was supposed to be Sophia’s birthday, but Charlotte insisted on making a fuss, forcing my mom to go out with her.” “My mom, trying to appease her, canceled all her plans to take her skiing. We didn’t expect to encounter an avalanche.” “My mom’s leg was crushed and she couldn’t move. And Charlotte—” He paused, his eyes poisonous, “She didn’t look back once. She just ran away by herself.” “If Sophia hadn’t arrived in time and brought the rescue team to find my mom, my mom might not be here today.” Liam’s voice grew colder and colder. “She constantly targeted and bullied Sophia at home. We turned a blind eye to that.” “But she harbored resentment. To save her own life, she ignored even her own mother. After the incident, she disappeared without a trace. Someone like her doesn’t deserve to be my sister.” At that moment, the host suddenly spoke, “So you haven’t seen Charlotte since then?”

The Leandro family members froze. Then Liam sneered, “Charlotte must have felt guilty, so she hid away somewhere and didn’t dare show her face.” He paused, then added with disgust, “People like her only know how to run away when they do something wrong.” Christopher and Martha said nothing, but clearly thought the same. However, the host disagreed and spoke up, “But have you considered that perhaps Miss Charlotte didn’t hide away, but actually died in that avalanche accident?” The venue suddenly went quiet. The host continued, “Perhaps Miss Charlotte didn’t escape alone.” “She might have known that Mrs. Martha had lost mobility, and staying there would have meant death for both of them.” “So she left alone to find rescue, but met with an accident along the way.” “Mr. Christopher, after the accident, did you send anyone to investigate…” “What nonsense are you talking about!” Liam slammed the table, furiously interrupting him. Martha’s face turned deathly pale, her chest heaving violently, Looking as if she couldn’t catch her breath and might faint at any moment. Christopher quickly supported her, his brows knitted into a tight knot, The look in his eyes toward the host full of displeasure and warning. I floated in the air, unable to help but smile bitterly. Even strangers had guessed how I died, but only my biological parents and Liam refused to believe it. They preferred to believe I was the ungrateful wretch who abandoned her mother to save herself. They had all even forgotten that the day wasn’t just Sophia’s birthday—it was mine too. I just wanted their company for once, just once. That’s why I gathered the courage to say I wanted to go skiing. After the avalanche, Martha was buried under the snow. I dug desperately, until all my fingers lost sensation, before I finally pulled her out. But by then, Martha had already lost consciousness. I couldn’t save her alone. I wrapped all my warm clothes around her body, While I wore only a thin sweater, And turned to walk into the wind and snow. I walked for an entire day, falling countless times, Finally finding the rescue team just before my strength gave out. I told them Martha’s location. The rescue team told me to wait by the road. But I waited by the roadside for less than ten minutes Before an out-of-control truck came barreling toward me. By the time I was taken to the hospital, it was too late. Just before dying, I asked the doctor to donate my organs So they could see the coming spring in my place. Everyone at the scene looked at the Leandro family members with doubt. After all, if the host’s guess was correct, The Leandro family had completely misunderstood Charlotte. Just as Christopher and Martha’s eyes became uncertain, Liam suddenly laughed coldly. He stood up, his tone condescending, “I don’t know what person behind you is trying to target our Leandro family.” “But listen carefully—I have evidence to prove that Charlotte is definitely not dead.” Christopher and Martha both looked up at him simultaneously, expressions full of surprise. Liam took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at his parents, His voice lowering, “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. There’s something I’ve been hiding from you.” “After Charlotte disappeared, I actually received a letter from her.”

“In that letter, Charlotte said she didn’t regret running away.” “But knowing she had done such a thing, the Leandro family would never forgive her, so she didn’t plan to come back.” Liam’s voice gradually sank, “She said that since Mom didn’t die and she was still nominally the Leandro family’s daughter, I should give her a buyout fee of twenty million.” “Once she got the money, she’d agree to sever ties with us and never appear in front of Mom again.” Liam lowered his eyes, “The reason I kept this from you was because I didn’t want to make you sad.” After hearing this, Martha’s tears immediately began swirling in her eyes. Christopher also looked like he was suppressing anger, Clenching his fists, squeezing words through his teeth, “Ungrateful girl! We never should have brought her back to the Leandro family!” After hearing Liam’s words, People at the scene expressed sympathy for the Leandro family, Then turned to condemn me. “This Charlotte is truly heartless!” “The Leandro family took her in, and instead of being grateful, she became an ungrateful wretch.” “Twenty million—does she even deserve it!” Vile insults rained down on me like a storm. Just then, the girl on stage who had spoken first spoke up again. “Don’t you dare slander Charlotte!” Her eyes were red, her voice trembling but firm. She pointed at her own eyes, saying each word clearly, “My dad told me that my corneas were donated by Charlotte.” “I can see this world because of her.” The other children also stood up one after another, talking over each other. “Charlotte donated a kidney to me.” “I got a liver…” “Charlotte’s heart is beating in my chest.” One boy placed his hand on his chest, His voice young and earnest, “The doctor said this heart used to live in a very, very kind Charlotte’s body.” “It’s absolutely not what you’re saying!” Seeing so many children who, because of me, had regained the chance to see the world, Had healthy bodies, had hope to live on. I floated in the air, already just a wisp of a ghost, Yet it felt as though a warm beam of light had pierced through my hollow body. Because of the children’s intervention, People once again became uncertain. The situation suddenly became confusing. Martha clutched Christopher’s sleeve, her lips trembling slightly. Liam also felt inexplicably panicked. It was as if something terrible was gradually happening, His chest felt stuffy and constricted, as if something was pressing down on it. He bit his lip, deliberately trying to shake off the thought. Suddenly, inspiration struck. A confident smile returned to Liam’s face, His tone filled with certainty, “Fine. If you insist Charlotte is dead, then where is her body?” He looked around, his voice resolute, “She only donated her organs. Her body should still be somewhere, right?” Hearing this, confusion appeared in the children’s eyes on stage. They clearly didn’t know the answer to this question. The children looked at each other and shook their heads. Liam felt even more confident and sneered coldly, “There probably isn’t any body at all. You’re all working together to lie!” The venue fell silent, the atmosphere tense to the extreme. Just then, the host suddenly received a file on his phone. He looked down and opened it, his eyes widening involuntarily, pupils constricting sharply. He suddenly raised his phone, his voice trembling slightly, “Wait, I know where Charlotte’s body is!”

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After four years together, my photographer husband flies to Iceland every February, claiming he has a photography project there. I told him I wanted to see the Northern Lights too, but he always laughed and said it was too cold there, and he needed to focus on work. Until yesterday, when I was organizing his old hard drives for him. An encrypted folder, simply named “February.” When I opened it, I found it was full of the same woman—Ingrid. She stood beneath the aurora, breathtaking and beautiful. But he had never taken a single photo of me. Bitterness filled my heart. Turns out he didn’t just photograph landscapes—he photographed people too. He just didn’t want to photograph me. I looked at the two Iceland tickets I’d managed to snag after so much effort and called the airline: “I need to cancel my tickets!” He called while I was packing, his voice urgent: “Didn’t you say you’ve been wanting to see the Northern Lights forever? Why’d you cancel the tickets?” I hung up directly. Half an hour later, Alexander came home. “Talia, just rebook the tickets. Stop this.” “I’m not rebooking.” I pushed the old hard drive to the edge of the table. “Four Februaries. You took three thousand two hundred photos in Iceland. She changed outfits twenty-four times.” Alexander paused. “Ingrid understands composition. Using her as my model saves the most trouble.” “Saves so much trouble you need to perfect the lighting on every strand of her hair?” “That’s what the work requires.” He took off his coat and walked over to sit on the couch. “Are you really going to make an issue out of work stuff?” I didn’t say anything. I walked to the living room and opened the left drawer. A set of keys with a StaraLily charm lay quietly inside. “Whose keys are these?” Alexander glanced at them. “Ingrid’s. Her fingerprint lock is always dying, so she keeps a spare set here.” “Her fingerprint lock dies, so the spare keys stay at our place?” “It’s just convenient. Don’t overthink it.” Last month, there was a torrential downpour in the middle of the night. I couldn’t get a ride after work and asked him to pick me up. He said, “It’s too late. I have an early shoot tomorrow. Just call yourself a ride.” That night I waited outside the office building for two hours. And Ingrid posted a photo on Twitter. A black umbrella, tilted over her head. Caption: “No matter how hard it rains, I’m never afraid—because my hero always comes to the rescue.” That umbrella was the one Alexander always kept in his car. “I’m not going anymore.” I put my documents back in the drawer. “Iceland is too cold. I really can’t handle it.” Alexander sighed and rubbed his temples. “What’s wrong with you now? I already agreed to make Iceland our honeymoon trip. What more do you want from me?” I looked at him. “You’re taking me this year because she went to Paris for training and isn’t available, right?” Alexander didn’t say anything. Silence was the answer. Because his lens was empty, it was finally my turn. His phone rang. It was his mother. Alexander pressed answer. “Alexander, have you picked out furniture for the wedding apartment yet?” “Not yet. We’ll go look tomorrow.” “Don’t bother. Ingrid picked out the living room sofa and coffee table for you a couple days ago. Italian minimalist style—absolutely gorgeous.” My hand froze mid-air, still holding my cup. “Mrs. George,” I spoke up. “That’s our wedding apartment.” There was a pause on the other end. “Oh, Talia’s there too? Ingrid’s taste really is better than yours. Those fabric pieces you usually buy just aren’t classy enough.” I looked at Alexander. He was looking down at his WhatsApp, with no intention of saying a word on my behalf. I hung up the phone. Alexander frowned. “Did you have to talk to my mother like that?” “Ingrid has good taste. What’s wrong with her helping out?” “Fine. Let her pick.” I turned and went into the bedroom. Alexander followed me in, glancing at my back. “Let’s go pick out wedding rings tomorrow. Set a time.” “I’m not available.” “Talia, that’s enough. Just settle down and get married like a normal person. Why do you have to make everything so difficult?” His phone screen lit up with a WhatsApp message. Ingrid: “It snowed in Paris today. So cold.” Alexander picked up his phone and sent a voice message. “Wear something warm. What about that polar jacket I sent you?” His tone was gentle, tinged with reproach. Last winter, I said I wanted a long down coat. He said, “You take the subway every day. Why would you need something that thick? What you have is fine.” I turned to face him. “Alexander, why exactly do you want to marry me?” He didn’t look up. “You have a stable personality. You’re suitable for marriage.”

The next day, I didn’t go to pick out wedding rings. Alexander’s assistant Lucas sent me a message. “Talia, Alexander went to get the ring. He asked me to postpone the dress fitting to next week.” “He has something going on?” “Yeah, said he needs to pick up a friend from the airport.” Besides Ingrid, he had no friends who required him to personally pick them up. That afternoon, Alexander came home and placed a velvet box on the table. “Got the ring. Try it on and see if it fits.” I opened the box. A plain band, no diamonds, the most basic style. “Which store did you buy this from?” “Online.” He poured himself a glass of water. “Store prices are too inflated. No point getting ripped off. Plus you do housework—wearing a diamond ring wouldn’t be convenient anyway.” I opened another paper bag he’d brought back. Inside was a cashmere scarf from a luxury brand. Deep space gray, incredibly soft to the touch. “Did you buy this online too?” I asked. He walked over, took the scarf from my hands, and stuffed it back in the bag. “That’s for Ingrid. She just got back from Paris where it’s cold. I picked it up at duty-free.” “One scarf. Twenty-three thousand dollars.” I looked at the receipt. Alexander frowned, growing impatient. I said nothing more and put the plain band on my finger. It was too big, hanging loose and awkward on my ring finger. “It’s too big.” He glanced at it. “Bigger is better. When you get pregnant later your fingers will swell—it’ll fit perfectly then. Just make do.” For four years, I’d been making do. That evening, Alexander’s college group chat posted an announcement. “Welcome back party for Ingrid tonight! Same place, everyone come!” Alexander stood in front of the closet picking out a shirt. “Let’s go together tonight. You should meet everyone.” “I’m not going.” “You’re my fiancée. It would look bad if you didn’t come.” I changed clothes and followed him out. At the private room, everyone had already arrived. Ingrid sat next to the head of the table, wearing that twenty-three-thousand-dollar cashmere scarf around her neck. “Alexander, Talia, you’re here!” Ingrid waved with a smile. Alexander naturally walked over and sat beside her. I sat on Alexander’s other side. The server brought over the menu. Alexander took it and ordered directly. “Pan-seared steak, medium-well. Grilled sea bass, no cilantro.” Ingrid rested her chin in her hand, smiling at him. “Alexander, you still remember I don’t eat cilantro.” “We’ve known each other almost ten years. How could I forget?” Someone teased, “Alexander’s memory is entirely devoted to Ingrid.” The server asked, “Would you like any dessert? Our almond pudding is a specialty.” “Add one. Talia likes it.” Alexander closed the menu. I looked at him. “I’m allergic to almonds.” The room fell silent instantly. The smile on Alexander’s face froze. “When did you become allergic?” “Four years ago. I ate it once and broke out in hives all over. You were editing photos at the time and told me to go to the hospital and get medicine myself.” His grip on his glass tightened. “It’s been too long. I forgot.” Ingrid quickly poured a glass of warm water and pushed it toward me. “Talia, don’t be mad at Alexander. His head is full of work—how could he remember these little life details?” “Did he not remember, or did he not care to remember?” Alexander slammed his glass heavily on the table. “Talia, do you have to embarrass me in front of everyone?” He turned to call the server. “Cancel the soup. Get something she can actually have.” Ingrid sighed softly. “Talia, are you still upset about those Iceland photos? You two are about to get married—don’t let me come between you.” Someone nearby couldn’t stand it anymore. “Talia, Alexander was just there for work. You’re being way too controlling.” “Exactly. Marriage is a long road. If you’re going to check up on him and get jealous every day, who could stand that?” Alexander sat there without saying a word. Letting everyone criticize me. He never shielded me from any attacks, because he thought I deserved it. I stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

I splashed cold water on my face and walked out of the restroom. At the end of the hallway, Alexander was settling the bill at the front desk. Ingrid stood beside him, reaching naturally into his coat pocket to fish out his car keys. “Alexander, I’ll go start the car and turn on the heat. It’s freezing outside.” “Go ahead. Turn on the passenger seat warmer too.” Alexander didn’t look up, still checking the bill. The ease between them flowed like water over flat ground, without the slightest friction. I walked over just as Alexander finished paying. “Let’s go. Time to head home.” He glanced at me. When we reached the underground parking garage, Ingrid was already sitting in the passenger seat. She’d kicked off her high heels and changed into a pair of fuzzy flats. Seeing me approach, Ingrid smiled somewhat apologetically. “Talia, I have an old ankle injury. I can’t wear heels for too long. The passenger side has more legroom so I can stretch out. You don’t mind me sitting here, right?” Before I could respond, Alexander had already opened the back door. “Talia, you sit in back. Ingrid has a bad back—I specifically adjusted the passenger seat’s lumbar support to match her spine curvature. It’s too much hassle to keep readjusting. It’s only a half-hour drive anyway. Just make do.” I got in the back seat. The car pulled out of the garage. Ingrid’s phone screen lit up. The car’s Bluetooth automatically connected, and soft jazz flowed through the speakers. “Oh,” Ingrid turned to look at Alexander. “Why does your car system still default to connecting to my phone first?” Alexander kept his eyes on the road ahead, his tone casual. “Still from the last time you connected it. I didn’t change it. Your playlist is fine—saves you from always complaining my taste is outdated.” He didn’t disconnect the Bluetooth. He didn’t switch it either. He just let her preferences fill the space between him and me. At a red light, the car stopped. Ingrid opened the center console with practiced ease and pulled out a tube of hand cream. She squeezed some into her palm, rubbed it in, then naturally took hold of Alexander’s right hand resting on the steering wheel and applied some to him too. “The wind’s harsh in winter. Your hands are getting all dry and flaky.” Alexander didn’t pull away, letting her massage the cream into the back of his hand. “I’m about to be a married man. A little rough is fine. Why bother with this sticky stuff?” He complained with his words, but his tone was completely unguarded and relaxed. After finishing with his hands, Ingrid held the hand cream toward the back seat. “Talia, do you want some? This brand is really moisturizing.” I stared at the familiar logo on the tube. Last month when my hands were cracking from the cold, I’d asked Alexander to stop by the counter after work and pick one up for me. He said the counter was too far out of the way and bought me a two-dollar jar of Vaseline from the convenience store downstairs instead. Now, that hand cream he never bought for me sat naturally in Alexander’s car, belonging to Ingrid. “No thanks.” I looked away, turning toward the window. The car stopped in front of Ingrid’s apartment building. “Alexander, I still can’t figure out how to connect that new robot vacuum to Bluetooth. The manual is so complicated. Can you come up and help me set it up?” Ingrid unbuckled her seatbelt. Alexander turned off the engine. He looked back at me. “Wait here for ten minutes. I’ll just help her connect it to the network and come right back down.” As he spoke, he habitually pulled out the car keys. The engine stopped running. The warm air in the car immediately cut off. “Leave the keys.” I looked at him. “I want to run the heat.” Alexander frowned. “It’s just ten minutes. There’s still residual warmth in the car. Why waste gas running the engine when no one’s driving? Since we’re getting married, we need to live frugally. Stop being so high-maintenance.” He lectured me self-righteously about “married life.” Then he closed the car door and walked into the building side by side with Ingrid. I sat in the back seat. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Half an hour. The residual warmth in the cabin completely dissipated. Cold air seeped through the window cracks like needles. I pushed open the car door, hailed a taxi on the street, and went home. Walking into the bedroom, I pulled out the suitcase from under the bed and opened the closet. I began folding my clothes one by one and placing them in the suitcase. On the bathroom counter, my skincare products occupied only a small corner at the edge. Most of the space was taken up by Alexander’s various colognes and men’s hair products. In the toothbrush holder sat Alexander’s blue electric toothbrush. Next to it was a pink one—left behind by Ingrid when she stayed over once. Alexander wouldn’t let me throw it out, saying she’d need it next time she visited. Half an hour. Two suitcases. They contained my entire four years of youth. At 12:30 AM, Alexander sent me a WhatsApp message. “The robot’s motherboard was broken. I helped her disassemble it to file a warranty claim. You took a taxi home? Why didn’t you tell me? Keep the receipt—I’ll reimburse you. Stop being so wasteful once we’re married.” I opened the screen, replied “OK,” then long-pressed the conversation and clicked delete. The chat history cleared instantly.

Saturday morning, I made congee and fried eggs in the kitchen. Alexander emerged from the bedroom, yawning. “Why are you up so early today?” “Alexander.” I looked at him. “Can you stay home today and spend the day with me?” He pulled out a chair and sat down, taking a sip of congee. “Sure, I don’t have any shoots today anyway. We can stay in and look at wedding venues together.” He took out his phone, ready to search for information. Suddenly the screen lit up—Ingrid’s special ringtone. He answered immediately. “Hello, Ingrid?” Her anxious, tearful voice came through the phone. “Alexander, my cat got out! I think it might have climbed out the window up to the roof. It’s so cold outside—it’ll freeze to death!” Alexander shot to his feet. “Don’t panic. I’ll be right over to help you look!” He headed toward the entryway, grabbing his coat as he went. “Alexander.” I sat at the dining table without turning around. “You promised you wouldn’t go out today.” His steps paused. “Ingrid’s cat has asthma. If we don’t find it, it could die. Finding the cat is urgent—we can look at venues later.” “If you walk out that door today, we won’t need to look at venues anymore.” My voice was soft, completely flat. Alexander turned to look at me, his eyes full of impatience. “Talia, when did you become so cold-blooded? That’s a living creature! Can you stop throwing tantrums at a time like this? That’s enough!” Enough. That phrase again. “Go ahead.” I nodded. He seemed to relax. “I’ll be gone two hours max. I’ll be back for lunch with you.” The door closed. I pulled out those two suitcases from the bedroom. On the coffee table sat a wedding cancellation checklist. That two-thousand-dollar plain band ring lay on top of the papers. I took one last look around this home, feeling not a trace of attachment. I bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii. The moment the plane landed, I turned off airplane mode. My phone screen lit up frantically. Messages from Alexander popped up: “Where are you? Stop this. I’ll buy tickets right now—we’ll go to Iceland, okay?” I stared at those words. All I could see in my mind were those three thousand two hundred photos of aurora that belonged to someone else. My heart felt no ripples whatsoever. My finger simply tapped calmly on the screen. “Too cold. Not going.” I hit send, then blocked him, deleted everything, and powered off completely. Pushing through the airport’s glass doors, warm sea breezes rushed to meet me. I’d finally left that Iceland trip—four years overdue—forever in the frozen snowfields.

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My husband Ethan’s childhood sweetheart, Vanessa, always loved to steal my things. After being reborn, I realized that I’d never be able to compete with her even if I fought until death. So I simply put price tags on all my personal belongings. She used her motion sickness as an excuse to always sit in my husband’s passenger seat. I stuck a payment QR code right on the front passenger seat: One hundred thousand for annual membership, twenty percent off for renewals. She took a liking to my project proposal. The moment my husband Ethan knocked on my office door, I spoke without even looking up: “Five hundred thousand. Transfer it and I’ll change the name to hers immediately.” On our son’s birthday, I pushed aside my work and rushed to the kindergarten to pick him up. But he looked up at the teacher and said, “She’s not my mom. I won’t go with her.” As we stood at an impasse, Vanessa arrived late, holding the gift I’d prepared for my son. My son immediately rushed over and hugged her legs. “Teacher, look carefully. This is my real mom.” My husband was about to explain. I looked at my son expressionlessly and extended my hand. “Five million. I’ll have you adopted to her today.”

Ethan looked at me in disbelief. “Isabelle, are you seriously taking out your anger on our son?” “He’s only four years old! Know when to stop!” A flash of shock crossed my son’s face when he heard my words. Then his little face flushed red, and he hugged Vanessa’s legs even tighter. “Five million then! I don’t want you as my mean mom anyway!” So in his eyes, the me who woke up two hours early every day to prepare nutritious breakfasts for him, who gave up promotion opportunities just to spend more time with him—I was this hateful. Vanessa busied herself playing the good person, trying to smooth things over. “Ryan, I taught you not to be this rude.” My son pouted unhappily. “She’s rude too. The day before yesterday when Dad was with you, she kept calling and bothering Dad!” “Auntie also taught me to fight fire with fire against bad people!” Ethan’s expression suddenly changed. “Isabelle, that day was because Vanessa…” I cut him off with a raised hand. “You spent our wedding anniversary with her. That costs money too.” Ethan froze in place, as if he suddenly didn’t recognize me. After a long moment, he pulled out a card from his wallet and threw it directly on the ground. “Isabelle, even your own son hates you. You really should look for the reason in yourself.” He put his arm around Vanessa and got in the car. The exhaust sprayed all over my head and face. I just silently crouched down and picked up the bank card from the ground. The pain of the card’s corners digging into my palm only strengthened my resolve to do this. After all, in my past life, when Ethan let Vanessa steal my things, I cried and made scenes. Not only did I fail to win his love, but my mother’s burial plot was given away by him to Vanessa—just to bury her pet dog. In a fit of rage, I slapped Vanessa and angrily demanded a divorce from Ethan. I thought this would make him realize his mistake. Who knew that to teach me a lesson, he actually agreed directly. He even hired a top divorce lawyer and exploited loopholes to have me leave with nothing. A few days after the divorce, I had a sudden heart attack. I couldn’t even afford to call an ambulance. I struggled to crawl to the hospital. Facing the astronomical medical bills, I had no pride left. I called Ethan over and over again. Not only did he not answer, he even had Vanessa use his phone to send me voice messages. “Isabelle, you willingly gave me this man. There’s no taking him back.” Desperately waiting for life-saving money, all I got in the end were her photos showing off. In the final moments of my life, I watched helplessly as Vanessa wore my bathrobe, sprayed my favorite perfume, and kissed my husband on the clean silk bedding I had washed. In this new life, without love, at least I could get enough money to save my own life. I just never expected that my son, whom I couldn’t let go of in my past life, would also turn against me for Vanessa. Before I could feel sad, my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from the doctor. “Ms. Sullivan, we’ve successfully matched a heart for you. We can schedule the surgery for next month.” Hearing this good news, my legs went weak and I had to lean against the wall to barely stay standing. In this life, I finally wouldn’t die desperately in a hospital corridor. Just as I hung up, Ethan sent me a message: “My attitude earlier was bad. I promised you before to redo our wedding ceremony. The designer delivered the custom wedding dress to the house. Can you come back and try it on?” I didn’t reply to him, nor did I refuse. Five years ago when I married Ethan, his family had just gone bankrupt and was too poor to even afford a wedding. Back then, I firmly believed he was capable and would make a comeback someday. That he would give me a grand wedding that everyone would envy. Who knew that after he actually became successful, a Vanessa would appear to steal his attention and our son’s affection. I still hadn’t gotten that wedding to this day. When I got home and pushed open the door, I saw Ethan and our son surrounding Vanessa in a wedding dress, praising her endlessly.

Catching sight of me at the door, Ethan’s smile froze on his face. He quickly walked up to me and reached out to embrace me. “Isabelle, here’s the thing…” “Vanessa’s mother doesn’t have much time left. Her biggest wish before passing is to see Vanessa get married.” “Vanessa still doesn’t have a boyfriend. I plan to first pretend to hold a wedding with her. Your wedding will have to be postponed…” I stared at Vanessa. The wedding dress that had been custom-made to my measurements fit Vanessa, who was a head shorter than me, perfectly. Vanessa pretended to speak weakly: “Ethan, maybe we should just forget it. After all, Isabelle has been waiting for five years. I feel bad about this.” She made a show of trying to take off the dress but was stopped by my son. He crashed into me like a cannonball. “Bad woman! You must be jealous that Auntie looks like a fairy in the wedding dress! Your stomach looks like old tree bark—nothing looks good on you!” I was knocked hard to the ground, too pained to recover for a long time. Seeing my pained expression, my son felt a bit guilty. But he still stood there with his neck stiff. Ethan rushed over to pull me up. “Ryan! Why did you push Mommy?” His gaze fell on my abdomen, his expression somewhat reluctant. “Isabelle, if you really mind, I’ll have someone else pretend with Vanessa…” I shook off his hand and stood up by myself. “I don’t mind.” I opened my phone calculator. “Besides the wedding and the dress, I need to add the money for your wedding night with her…” Before I could finish calculating, Ethan slapped my phone out of my hand. “Isabelle, are you sick? Ryan is right here!” “Vanessa and I are completely innocent. I really don’t understand how you became like this!” I looked up at him. “She wants to steal everything I have. I can’t compete with her, so asking for some monetary compensation is wrong too?” Ethan was speechless. His chest heaved violently, as if he was extremely angry with me. “I can’t be bothered to argue with you.” He pulled out his phone and jabbed at the screen as if venting. The next second, a deposit notification popped up on my phone. “I must have been blind back then!” Ethan pulled the two of them out and slammed the door so hard it shook. I looked at the string of zeros on the screen, desperately holding back my spinning tears. When I first got together with Ethan, he had nothing. I shared a discounted hamburger with him and lived in a dark, damp basement. Back then, he often felt indebted to me. After work, he’d deliver food just to earn extra money to buy me cakes that other girls loved. When I casually mentioned that clothes were hard to dry, he spent half a month’s salary to buy me a small dryer. When I caught him drinking cold water in the middle of the night to fill his stomach, I cried out of heartache. But he just held me tighter and choked up, saying I had suffered with him, vowing to compensate me well once he had money. But after he turned his life around, every single thing he tried to compensate me with was stolen by Vanessa. Now I was just fighting for some financial compensation for myself, and in return I got “I must have been blind.” I tried to take deep breaths and scrolled through my phone to distract myself. But my social media feed was full of posts from Vanessa. Ethan had taken her to discuss wedding plans. The venue renderings she posted were the exact version I had carefully refined bit by bit according to my own preferences. I never imagined that the wedding I’d looked forward to for so long would end up benefiting my own husband and another woman. I gripped my phone tightly and was about to block her. But my eyes inadvertently caught sight of her wrist. When I saw clearly what she was wearing, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I rushed straight to her location!

“Give me back my bracelet!” I lunged at Vanessa, trying to snatch back the bracelet. This was the only keepsake my mother left me. I’d carefully preserved it all these years. I couldn’t even bear to touch it more than necessary. I never thought Vanessa would steal this too! Before I could get close, my son suddenly pushed me down. He spread his arms wide, firmly blocking Vanessa. “I gave it to Auntie!” “Name your price. I’ll transfer the money now!” My son raised his phone watch, making a show of scanning my QR code to pay. I was so shocked I couldn’t even feel the pain. Looking at my son, I felt my hands and feet go numb. “Ryan, what did you just say?” My son impatiently repeated: “I asked you how much. Isn’t everything for sale if the price is right?” “Just name your price already.” I felt like someone had suddenly squeezed my heart tight. I couldn’t even breathe. When my son was still at the age where he could barely speak clearly, I had shown him this bracelet. I told him that this bracelet was a symbol of his grandmother. That my mother was gone forever, and I could only think of her through this object. Back then, his small body had buried itself in my arms as he consoled me in his baby voice: “Mommy still has Ryan.” And now, wearing the phone watch I bought him, he wanted to buy my most treasured possession to give away. Vanessa pretended to take it off. “I’m sorry, Isabelle. Ryan said you never wore it, so I thought you didn’t want it anymore.” Ethan, who had been negotiating with the wedding staff, heard the commotion and hurried over. Seeing Vanessa’s motion to remove the bracelet, he immediately looked at me with displeasure. “Isabelle, what are you making a fuss about now?” “It’s just a bracelet. Your hands are too thick to wear it anyway. It would just sit there unused. What’s wrong with letting Vanessa wear it?” I finally couldn’t hold back and shouted, “That’s my mother’s keepsake!” “Vanessa, you even want to steal this? Aren’t you afraid my mother will come find you at night?” Hearing my words, Ethan’s face showed some embarrassment. “It’s fine, Vanessa. Give it back to her. I’ll buy you a new one.” “Wearing a dead person’s things is unlucky.” My son immediately chimed in, “Right! Let Dad buy you a bigger, prettier one!” With that, he took the bracelet Vanessa had removed and threw it directly at me. “Don’t throw it!” I reached out in shock to catch it, but could only watch helplessly as the bracelet fell heavily to the ground. Shattered into pieces. In that instant, I felt like a part of me shattered with it. I knelt on the ground, desperately picking up the fragments, tears falling heavily on the floor. “Stop picking them up.” Catching sight of the bloody cuts on my hand, Ethan frowned and reached out to pull me up. “It’s just an object. Is it really worth it?” I swatted away his hand, my eyes bloodshot. I slapped the divorce agreement I’d prepared long ago onto his face. “No need, Ethan. Let’s get div—” Ethan misunderstood, thinking the divorce agreement was a stock transfer agreement. He gripped the document, his face cold. “Isabelle, asking for money isn’t enough for you now? You’re even setting your sights on the company?” “I bet you deliberately let our son take the bracelet, using my guilt to get company shares, right?” He sneered and signed his name without even looking. “What great scheming. I won’t hold it against you this time.” “But I won’t tolerate you using the same tricks a second time!” He flung the documents at me and walked away without looking back. I sat on the ground, watching the papers scatter everywhere, and laughed bitterly. He didn’t know there wouldn’t be a next time. I didn’t want him or our son anymore. In the following days, I spent every day at the hospital. The money Ethan compensated me with was not only enough for my surgery but also covered all the subsequent follow-up examinations and care. After successfully getting the heart transplant, I could completely rewrite the tragedy of my past life and begin anew. Finally, on the day of surgery, as I waited for anesthesia, the doctor suddenly took off his gloves. “I’m sorry, Ms. Sullivan. Your surgery can’t be performed today…”

My heart tightened. “What do you mean? Why can’t it be done?” Although I’d used the best medicine for myself, myocardial disease had always been dangerous. Just during the waiting period for surgery, I’d had no fewer than three episodes. The most serious time, I nearly died. I was pushed into the emergency room for a full twelve hours. Only through an intense will to survive did I pull through. My body had no time left to wait. The doctor looked troubled. “The heart you were matched with was just reassigned.” I clutched my chest desperately. “Reassigned? By whom?” “Did they pay you more money? Whatever they’re paying, I’ll double it!” The doctor didn’t dare respond at all. He put on his mask and tried to escape. I rolled off the operating table and followed closely behind him, nearly breaking down. “You know my condition. I can’t wait any longer. How can you just reassign it like that?” “This is no different from murder!” My screaming soon attracted many people. I roared, “Who exactly stole my heart? Can rich people control other people’s lives?” The onlookers were indignant and soon found the instigator. I rushed over recklessly, but the moment I saw clearly, all the blood in my body froze. It was Ethan. He was blocking the operating room entrance, not letting anyone break in. Vanessa, crying at his side, saw me and immediately grabbed my arm. “Isabelle? Are you saying my mom stole your heart?” She fell to her knees directly in front of me. “I was wrong before for always taking your things. I’m sorry. I apologize to you.” “Take out any grievances you have on me, but please spare my mother, okay?” Ethan’s expression immediately changed. “Isabelle, just because you don’t have a mother, you want to make Vanessa lose hers too?” “How can you be so vicious?!” My nails dug deeply into my palms, my teeth nearly drawing blood. “Ethan, her mother has cancer. A heart transplant won’t cure it at all. Vanessa is deliberately—” Before I could finish, Vanessa suddenly started kowtowing to me. “Isabelle, I’ll return everything to you. I’ll never bother Ethan and Ryan again.” “I’m really begging you. How much money do you want? I’ll give you money, okay?” My whole body went cold. I was so angry I could barely speak clearly: “Who wants your money! I want the heart! Give me back the heart!” “Enough!” Ethan flew into a rage and grabbed me. “To harm Vanessa’s mother, you even faked an illness and used people’s sympathy to cause trouble. Isabelle, this time you’ve really gone too far!” He called security and had me dragged out directly. I struggled desperately but couldn’t break free no matter what. My heart also beat more and more violently, my chest hurting so much it felt like it would explode. When I was thrown to the hospital entrance, a suffocating sense of near-death swallowed me whole. I painfully reached out my hand to call for help, but the onlookers spat at me. “Bah! We almost let you trick us into harming someone. Still acting even now!” My hand fell powerlessly. In my last moment of consciousness, I only hoped that in my next life, I would never, ever see Ethan again. On the other side, after completing the surgery for Vanessa’s mother, Ethan rushed to hold a wedding with Vanessa without stopping. But when exchanging rings, his mind was full of images of Isabelle. That day at the hospital, she had looked very haggard. He was still somewhat worried. “Sorry, Vanessa. Let’s end the ceremony here for now.” “Auntie is already confused. She probably won’t suspect anything.” With that, he pulled off his boutonniere and called his assistant: “Check Isabelle’s medical records.” Ten minutes later, the assistant called back, his voice somewhat apprehensive: “Mr. Harrison, the records show that Mrs. Harrison has acute myocardial disease. The heart transplant surgery was scheduled for a week ago…”

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My cousin Tyler loves gaming, but he’s terrible at it. Every time he plays, his teammates absolutely roast him. After seven straight days of intense voice-chat arguments, his skills hadn’t improved, but his vocal cords went on strike. I got nervous and accidentally called the guy “hubby” instead of “buddy.” The toxic gamer on the other end fell silent. Suddenly, his voice turned incredibly smooth and teasing: “There’s no romance in esports. Being trash at the game is the original sin. Don’t try this on me.” “Marriage requires careful consideration. I’m not that easy.” “But… seeing how insistent you are, I guess it’s not impossible…” “Wifey, do we have time to go house-hunting for our starter home this afternoon?” I was speechless and immediately quit the game. Shortly after, at my lab’s welcome dinner, everyone was gossiping about our aloof, genius senior PhD student buying a house for his future bride. 01 After another incredibly stupid play where Tyler fed the enemy team a free kill, his teammate turned his mic on: [Bro, do you work for DoorDash? Because you’re feeding them non-stop.] [Are you playing with your monitor turned off?] [I’ve seen smooth brains, but yours must be polished.] [Minecraft couldn’t dig up a blockhead as dense as you.] Tyler was furious. He used every ounce of strength his throat had left to let out a hoarse “Croak!” which caught my attention. I held back a laugh. “Do you need water?” Tyler shook his head and typed furiously on his phone: “Sis, this guy is flaming me. Trash-talk him for me.” I refused. “You know I’m an angry crier. I can’t argue with people.” Tyler started thrashing around, making weird noises. Sometimes it was a “Croak!”, sometimes a “Quack!”. The nurses peeked into his hospital room several times. Embarrassed, I pinched his mouth shut. Tyler held up his phone, blinking pitifully: “Sis, this is about my honor as a man. If you help me, I’ll give you my entire allowance for a month.” I capitalized on the moment and held up two fingers. Tyler nodded mournfully and typed through gritted teeth: “Fine. Two months.” I put on the headset. The toxic rager on the other end was still going off. A few seconds later, I realized I had overestimated my mental fortitude and underestimated his aggressiveness. Even though I knew he wasn’t yelling at me, I couldn’t control my physiological reaction. My nose started to sting. As expected, things went completely off the rails. I steeled myself and opened my mouth, intending to say “Listen here, buddy!” But my voice trembled, and I accidentally said “Listen here, hubby!” Because I was trying so hard to hold back tears, my tone sounded incredibly aggrieved, like a girlfriend whining for attention. The atmosphere, which had been hostile and explosive just a second ago, instantly turned weirdly intimate. Tyler, me, and the toxic rager all fell into a bizarre silence. After a long time, the guy finally turned his mic back on, his voice suddenly dripping with playful teasing: [Oh, it’s a girl.] [There’s no romance in esports. Being trash at the game is the original sin. Don’t try this on me.] [Marriage requires careful consideration. I’m not that easy.] I opened my mouth to explain, but he immediately added: [But… if you’re really going to be this insistent, I guess it’s not impossible…] [Honestly, the fact that you can tell your teammates from your enemies is already amazing. Even though you just stood there taking damage and missed all your ultimate moves, taking a step back, aren’t the people attacking you the ones really at fault here?] [I’m 23 this year. The perfect age to settle down.] [Wifey, do we have time to go house-hunting for our starter home this afternoon?] I was stun-locked for a solid thirty seconds by this rapid-fire monologue. I couldn’t tell if he was genuinely messing with me or just being extremely sarcastic. But either way, from the moment that slip of the tongue happened, I had already lost the high ground. Tyler and I exchanged a look, and I awkwardly quit the game. Looking at my shattered cousin, I carefully tried to smooth things over: “Um, hey, how about you just give me half a month’s allowance? I’d feel bad taking two months’ worth for that.” Tyler buried his face in his pillow and spitefully Venmo’d me fifty bucks. 02 Because I had more important things to do today, I didn’t dwell on the little gaming incident. After leaving Tyler’s hospital room, I hurried to catch an Uber to Harvard for my graduate program orientation. After getting accepted into the Master’s program, I had asked around about my specific lab. Our advising professor was extremely busy, so the person assigned to guide me was a PhD student known as the “Boy Genius,” Asher Davies. Rumor had it that at 23, he had already achieved things most people couldn’t reach by 53. I had looked up his profile, originally intending to worship the academic titan’s research papers, but I ended up staring at his ID photo the entire time. Unlike the stereotypical image of a plain, rigid engineering PhD student, Asher had a face that was almost dangerously attractive, with surprisingly thick hair. From certain angles, he looked like a young Timothée Chalamet… Motivated by the prospect of working with a gorgeous guy, my chronic laziness vanished, and I actually chose to check in early. The lab door was wide open. The second I stepped inside, I pinpointed Asher in the crowd. He looked to be over 6’1″, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His hair was dyed a smoky blue, matching the stud in his ear, which made his skin look even paler and cooler. He had deep-set eyes and a small mole on the bridge of his straight nose, adding an inexplicable touch of sex appeal to his aloof aura. Seeing him in person was ten times more impactful than the photo. Even though I had mentally prepared myself the whole ride there, my heart still raced, and I couldn’t look away. “I heard you like watching Bridgerton in the lab. Since you love drama so much, let’s call this paper the Duke of Disappointment.” A low, cold voice drifted clearly into my ears, instantly snapping me out of my trance. Oh no. The genius PhD senior was a beautiful, venomous-tongued tyrant! The senior girl who was being criticized scurried back to her desk, giving me a quick nod as she passed. I quickly waved back. Asher finally noticed me and lazily lifted his eyes. His tone was noticeably softer than a moment ago, but still cold and distant: “Hello, you’re Sophie, right? I’m Asher Davies. I wasn’t at your interview, but I reviewed your resume later. You ranked first in your undergrad class. Not bad.” I smiled politely. “Thank you, Senior…” “But your extracurricular research experience is severely lacking, and you have zero published papers. I’m very curious what you do in your free time.” My smile froze. I dropped my head and muttered, “I play video games, hang out at the mall…” I secretly rejoiced that Asher hadn’t been at my interview. Otherwise, I might not have even made it into the program. Asher gave me a brief tour of the lab, handed me some introductory reading materials, and went back to his desk. As I quietly unpacked my things at my new desk, I sneaked glances at him. Asher seemed to be waiting for a message. He checked his phone every five seconds. Was he waiting for his girlfriend to text him? Someone that handsome and brilliant definitely had a girlfriend. While I was wondering, Tyler sent me a bunch of screenshots. It was DMs from that teammate: [Wifey, why won’t you add me on Snapchat?] [I picked out three floor plans for the house. Take a look and see which one you like best.] [Wifey, why are you ignoring me? Do you not like the in-game skins I bought you, or are you just upset because we lost the last match?] [Get online. I wasn’t playing seriously last time, but I promise we’ll win this one. If anyone dares to trash-talk you, I’ll flame them to death.] Tyler complained: [Sis, I think this bro is actually serious.] [Getting called ‘Wifey’ by a dude non-stop is making me sick.] [I don’t even dare to log in anymore. You know what, Sis? I’m just going to block him.] Not long after Tyler sent those texts. Asher suddenly stood up from his desk. His eyes looked slightly red, and he hurried out the door. Did he just get into a fight with his girlfriend? I guessed silently. 03 A little while later, Tyler texted again: [This guy has too much money to burn. Does he think he’s in a romance novel? He actually put a server-wide bounty out looking for me.] [My crush saw the wanted poster and asked me if I bat for the other team.] [Sis, if this keeps up, my reputation is ruined. You started this romantic debt, you have to take responsibility.] I sighed: […How am I supposed to do that?] [Sis, let’s trade game accounts. You deal with this guy.] Looking at my stressed-out cousin. I felt bad and agreed to his proposal. I unblocked the guy, furiously typed out a massive paragraph of explanation, but before I could hit send… He excitedly messaged me: [Wifey! I knew you just accidentally hit the settings menu and misclicked the block button hidden in the corner! You definitely weren’t avoiding me on purpose like they said.] I muttered in my head: Actually, what they said was 100% accurate… [I just asked my mom. She said girls hate men who are all talk and no action.] [So I paid cash and bought the house outright. We live in the same city anyway, so you can come over anytime to see if you like it.] Reading that, I nearly choked on my water. I comforted myself, thinking he was definitely lying. Please. What 23-year-old could pay cash for a house? I’d be impressed if he could pay cash for a Starbucks coffee. But immediately after, he sent detailed interior photos and a street address. Downtown. Luxury penthouse. Floor-to-ceiling windows. It didn’t look photoshopped at all… My brain practically short-circuited as I stared blankly at the screen. He was still typing out long paragraphs about our future together. I suddenly remembered a news article Tyler had shown me. A couple met online and promised to get married. The guy spent all his money on his “girlfriend,” and when she backed out at the last minute, he jumped into a river. Thinking about that, a wave of unspeakable guilt washed over me. I’m so sorry, Toxic Bro. I really didn’t mean to. If I had known you were this pure-hearted and intense, I would have cleared up the misunderstanding the second I misspoke. But now he bought a house. He spent the money. Apologizing on my knees wouldn’t fix this. Terrified of triggering him, I deleted the massive explanation I had typed out and delicately replied: [Don’t you think we’re moving a bit too fast?] [You’re right, the courthouse is probably closed by now. Let’s meet in front of City Hall at 8 AM tomorrow. I’ll come pick you up.] Me: [No, no, no, what I mean is, can we go back to the very beginning and just start as normal online friends?] This time, his reply was slow. He was clearly going through a massive internal struggle: [Wifey, but… when you called me hubby earlier, that’s not what you said…] I frantically shut it down: [Maybe the slang is different where you’re from! Where I live, we don’t call normal online friends ‘hubby’.] I glanced at his username: [Ash]. A spark of inspiration hit me: [How about this? I’ll call you Ash, and you can call me Soph.] Soph was my family nickname. He struggled to reply: [Okay.] I was satisfied. Even though this guy was a bizarre romantic, at least he listened. Since I couldn’t reject him harshly, the only option was to slowly ice him out until he gave up on his own. It was a bit toxic of me, but at least it wouldn’t end in a tragedy. 04 Over the next month, Ash continued to message me non-stop every single day. He was desperate to learn more about me. This included, but was not limited to, asking for my real name, what school I went to, and my home address. I blocked all of it using my ultimate catchphrase: “We’re just online friends right now. You’re crossing a boundary,” delivered half-jokingly, half-seriously. Even through the screen, I could feel the suffocating frustration of a man who had a heart full of love and nowhere to put it. Especially when I subtly suggested he return the house or try paying attention to other girls around him. Under my relentless icing-out strategy, my interactions with Ash gradually dwindled to just gaming. I had no choice; he was just too good at the game. Plus, ever since our first misunderstanding, he seemed to realize I didn’t like a hostile environment. So he rarely used his mic to flame people anymore. A perfect gaming buddy like him was incredibly hard to find. Today was like any other day. While the lab was empty, I opened the game on my phone and waited for Ash to invite me. Suddenly, a deep, pleasant voice sounded right behind me: “Sophie.” Terrified, I immediately slammed my phone face down on the desk. I turned around—sure enough, it was Asher. I had no idea when he came in through the back door. Ever since I carefully pried it out of my senior lab mate, Chloe, that Asher had actually never been in a relationship before… I stayed up all night drafting a master plan to win him over. I was full of confidence that I would make him mine. But a month passed. Even the janitor who delivered our water jugs could tell I had a crush on Asher. Yet no matter how many pretty dresses I wore to catch his eye, or how many times I bought him breakfast and tried to impress him… Asher remained completely blind to it. I figured maybe geniuses were naturally attracted to intelligence. So, I decided to switch gears, work incredibly hard, and use my brilliant academic performance to catch his attention. I didn’t expect that less than a day into this new phase of the plan, I would die on the battlefield. “S-Senior,” I stammered guiltily, hiding my phone behind my back. Asher’s perfectly shaped eyebrows raised slightly. His voice was cool and a bit sharp: “Read the sign posted on the wall.” Maybe his tone was too fierce. My chronic angry-crying flared up again. My nose started to sting, and my voice trembled. Just like the day I accidentally said “hubby,” it sounded exactly like I was whining: “No… no food deliveries, and no gaming or anything unrelated to academics allowed in the lab.” “Soph…” Asher’s pupils contracted imperceptibly, and he muttered something almost too quietly to hear. I froze for a second, trying hard to control my emotions and returning to my normal tone: “Senior, what did you say? I didn’t catch that.” “Nothing,” Asher lowered his eyes slightly. “What game were you just playing?” Hehe. It seemed my reflexes were fast enough. Asher hadn’t actually seen my screen. Thinking about the massive server-wide gossip surrounding me and Ash, I purposely named a completely different, unrelated game. Asher gave a low hum of acknowledgment. A flash of disappointment seemed to pass through his eyes. “Write an apology essay. Give it to me later. Don’t let it happen again.” Taking advantage of the moment, I pulled out the simulation report I had poured my blood, sweat, and tears into recently, offering it to him like a treasure. His long, slender fingers flipped through the pages methodically, his knuckles tinted a faint pink. The breeze stirred the hair on his forehead, and the soft scratching sound of his pen circling things on the paper filled the air. It made my heart melt. Honestly, Asher just looked unapproachable on the outside. Deep down, he was probably very gentle. “I looked at the draft. The logic is a mess. Where’s the main text?” Okay, I take back what I just said. “Senior, that is the main text.” I stared blankly at his opening and closing pale pink lips, swallowing hard. “Sophie, am I good-looking?” “Ah.” My heart dropped. I suddenly felt the intense embarrassment of having my secret crush exposed. My cheeks burned, but I nodded honestly: “Yes… your lips look soft…” I just don’t know what it would feel like to kiss them… I didn’t dare say the second half out loud. Asher’s usually lazy, cold voice grew a bit stricter: “You have good talent. Spend your time reading more literature, and stop wasting your energy on things that are destined to have no result. Understand?” I assumed he was still talking about me sneaking around playing video games. With red eyes, I nodded, looking like an obedient child admitting a mistake. Seeing my pitiful expression, Asher didn’t press the issue. He pulled out his phone and hurriedly replied to a message. No matter what Asher did, he prioritized efficiency. He was a typical overachiever who equally looked down on anyone who was bad at what they did. I wondered who was honored enough to warrant this much patience from him. It made me a little jealous… After Asher walked away, I unlocked my phone. I had dozens of new DMs. [I’m so sorry, Soph. I got delayed by something. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll carry you today and we’ll destroy them.] Even though I had been icing him out for a month, Ash’s words still showed he wasn’t satisfied with just being friends. Dragging this out any longer was just wasting both of our time. Getting caught playing games today was probably a sign. I hardened my heart and replied: [I’m sorry. My real-life crush doesn’t like me playing games. I probably won’t be logging on anymore. Goodbye.] 05 Over the next few days, Asher’s mood visibly plummeted. He often just stared blankly at his phone. One day, I ran the wrong experimental data, completely wasting an entire afternoon. Chloe patted my shoulder. “An hour. Minimum.” “What?” Chloe sighed. “Last time I made the exact same mistake, Senior Asher yelled at me for half an hour. He’s in a terrible mood right now, so I’m guessing an hour, minimum.” Hearing that, I was terrified and trembling all afternoon. But Asher didn’t say a single word. He just silently adjusted the parameters back to normal for me. His usually arrogant, cool face looked utterly deflated. He had less energy than the white mice in the lab next door. This continued until Professor Miller returned from a business trip and treated the entire lab to dinner. While we waited for the food, everyone was chatting. Except Asher, who kept his head down staring at his phone, radiating a terrifyingly dark aura. Mason, who was sitting closest to him, teased: “Asher, bro, online dating is a scam to begin with. You should’ve been more careful. Otherwise, you end up like this—house is bought, but the bride ran away.” I sharply caught the keyword, my smile freezing on my face. “What bride?” Chloe had clearly told me that Asher’s focus was rock solid, he didn’t care about women, and had never dated anyone. I turned around. Chloe looked just as confused as I did. Mason observed Asher’s expression and sighed: “It’s nothing. Simply put, our boy Asher finally fell for someone, and before they even went on a single date, he got played by a toxic e-girl.” “Really? That’s way too far!” I felt a genuine surge of anger. How could someone as proud as Asher, someone who never bowed his head to anyone, get his feelings played with? If that girl didn’t know how to appreciate him, she should step aside and let me handle it. Mason was indignant. He nudged Asher: “See? Even the freshman can’t stand it. Asher, bro, loyalty is a good thing, but being this obsessed is just delusional.” The other seniors at the table who were enjoying the gossip all wore matching expressions of shock. They muttered among themselves: “That’s crazy. Usually, Asher is the one rejecting people. I can’t believe there’s a woman out there who rejected him.” “No way, Asher, really? If even you can’t find a wife these days, how are the rest of us background NPCs supposed to survive…” “Asher, with your face, your achievements, and your earning potential, you’re one in a million. That girl doesn’t know how lucky she is.” Asher frowned impatiently and shot Mason a death glare: “Don’t talk about her like that.” 06 Chloe’s eyes darted around, and she shot me a look: “Asher, you know what they say. The best way to get over a breakup is to start a new romance.” “Since online dating is a scam, why don’t you look at the single girls right in front of you?” Chloe’s gaze pretended to casually land on me: “Like Sophie! She’s pretty, she has a sweet voice, she’s ambitious and humble…” Chloe’s hand poked my ribs under the table. I was ticklish and accidentally snorted a laugh. To ease the awkwardness, I nervously tried to keep the conversation going: “Um, yeah, what she said. I’m pretty great.” Chloe gave me a look of pure exasperation: “…” The other seniors around the table covered their mouths and snickered. Seeing what was going on but not calling it out, they all started hyping me up: “Honestly, I’ve been wanting to say this. Senior Asher definitely plays favorites with Sophie. No matter what reading material it is, he goes through it first, highlights all the key points, and then gives it to her. We definitely didn’t get that treatment when we joined.” Asher’s eyes naturally curved upward, and the way the light caught his gaze made him look incredibly captivating. “You guys are smarter. I was worried she wouldn’t understand it.” “…” The smile that had just bloomed on my face vanished. Professor Miller joined in the fun: “You guys aren’t wrong. Asher, I’ve noticed you truly never speak harshly to Sophie. You aren’t even that gentle when you’re grading papers for my classes.” Everyone laughed together. I also let the corners of my mouth curl up, staring at Asher with bright, hopeful eyes, looking deeply affectionate and shy. Looking at it this way, I really was somewhat special in Asher’s heart, wasn’t I? His dark eyelashes fluttered slightly. The blue stud in his ear reflected the light, making his aristocratic vibe feel a bit unapproachable. “Sophie, what was your SAT Reading score?” I froze, not understanding why he was asking that. “780. Why, Senior?” Asher frowned slightly. “With a score like that, logically, you should be able to understand what I mean.” I blinked in confusion. Asher leaned back in his chair, casually scanned the crowd, and unlocked his phone. I was usually slow to catch on, but this time I was very sharp. I picked up my phone too. Sure enough, my pinned contact sent me a message: [Do I really have to spell it out so bluntly?] [I already have someone I like. I’m going to keep pursuing her, even if she rejects me.] [I will have a girlfriend, but it will never be you.] My mood plummeted from the clouds straight into the abyss. My eyes widened, but I didn’t dare look up and meet Asher’s gaze. So, when he told me not to waste energy on things destined to have no result… he meant this. Asher had rejected me a long time ago. And I was still charging forward like an idiot, thinking he was enjoying the flirtatious atmosphere just now. Not rejecting me publicly in front of everyone was the last shred of dignity Asher was leaving me. I fought back the sour feeling in my throat and forced a casual tone as I typed: [Senior, you misunderstood. I actually don’t like you like that.] Asher: [That’s for the best.] I silently picked up my drink and downed it in one gulp.

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Manhattan’s most elusive billionaire heir unexpectedly broke the internet by posting a suggestive thirst trap of his rock-hard abs on Instagram. The caption read: “Waiting for you in bed.” A rising Hollywood starlet immediately replied: “I’ll be home early tonight.” Overnight, the internet went into a shipping frenzy: “Oh my god, it’s so sweet. This is them going Instagram official!” But… if she is his official girlfriend, then who the hell am I? 01 I am the most notoriously hated, controversial actress in the entertainment industry. Lately, my luck had been absolute trash. Several high-profile projects I starred in had been permanently canceled because my co-stars got caught up in massive legal scandals. My reputation was in the gutter, and I had zero interest in acting. To keep me relevant, my manager used her connections to book me a spot on a live-streamed reality show. The primary guest star on the show, unfortunately, was the rising Hollywood starlet Serena Croft. She was the rumored new girlfriend of Christian Vance—the billionaire heir to the Vance corporate empire—and she also happened to be my absolute arch-nemesis. The second the cameras started rolling, the host, Brooke Harrison, asked us to introduce ourselves to the live audience. Serena smoothed her baby-blue designer sundress, pitching her voice to sound sweet and sugary. “Hi everyone! It’s your favorite girl, Serena, here!” Brooke gave a sly, knowing smirk to the camera. “And if the rumors are true, maybe very soon we’ll be calling you Mrs. Vance.” Amidst the forced cheers of the studio crew, Serena lowered her head, flashing a practiced, blushing smile. “Oh, it’s still way too early for that.” I couldn’t help but furrow my brow. But out of basic professional courtesy, I didn’t interrupt her little performance. The live chat on the screen was already losing its collective mind: [Oh my god! Serena is basically confirming her relationship with Christian! A psychic on TikTok literally just said she has the face of a billionaire’s wife. I can’t believe she’s actually going to become Manhattan’s ultimate trophy wife.] [Serena is so precious. No wonder the notoriously cold, untouchable billionaire heir finally fell for someone. Imagine their sex life… I’m blushing just thinking about it.] [Did you guys see the thirst trap Christian posted last night? Holy shit, his abs are literal steel. My face is burning. Serena is eating so good.] Then, someone noticed me sitting quietly in the corner of the frame. [Wait, look at Kendall’s face. Why is that toxic clout-chaser scowling? Is she seriously jealous that Serena bagged a billionaire? Gross.] [Our Serena is infinitely more popular, more successful, and more loved. Her boyfriend is a lieral crown prince, and Kendall’s career is literally tanking. She must be suffocating with jealousy right now. Heh.] Staring at the wave of hate comments, I blinked. I wasn’t jealous of Serena at all. I was just profoundly, utterly confused. Exactly three days ago, because that stubborn, straight-laced prick Christian Vance refused to try a new position in bed, we got into a massive screaming match and entered a brutal cold war. In a fit of rage, I blocked his number and every single one of his social media accounts. I never expected that the dominant, corporate tyrant, unable to reach me, would actually log onto his ancient, untouched Instagram account to post a public message. In the photo, the man had clearly just stepped out of the shower, lying flat on his back in bed. Crisp, glistening water droplets were perfectly traced across the razor-sharp ridges of his abs. His long, elegant fingers were tangled in the dark silk sheets. It was an unbridled, devastatingly seductive thirst trap. The caption read: “Waiting for you in bed.” It pushed the suggestive, intimate atmosphere to an absolute extreme. A few minutes later, Serena had intercepted the narrative, reposting his photo with a coy, blushing comment: “I’ll be home early tonight.” By midnight, the shipping hashtag for Serena and Christian had hijacked the number one trending spot nationwide. The narrative was concrete, full of fake authority. The top comment from a fan read: “They are lieral soulmates. This is them going Instagram official!” Staring at the screen, my head was full of question marks. If Serena is Christian’s official girlfriend, then who the hell am I? Did that man genuinely find a replacement after only three days of a cold war? Wow. Unbelievable. When he was with me, he acted so pristine and conservative, his heart hammering and his face flushing hot if I just tried to hold his hand in public. I spent an entire year painstakingly breaking down his walls and teaching him how to be a lover, only for him to parade his affection to my arch-nemesis on social media?! 02 After the introductory segment concluded, the host moved us along to the first icebreaker game. A cliché game of Truth or Dare. During the very first round, Serena lost. Brooke looked ecstatic, turning the camera toward her. “Well, Serena! Are you going to choose Truth or Dare?” Serena thought for a moment, smiling sweetly. “Truth.” Sensing a massive opportunity to farm drama, Brooke’s voice pitched up in excitement. “Oh! Any question at all?” Serena covered her face cutely, looking shy. “Just don’t make it too wild, please. He prefers to keep a very low profile.” The live chat went into another shipping frenzy: [HAHAHA, Christian is like: ‘Stop calling me he, just read out my social security number already.’] [Who knew that after going Instagram official, this couple would be so unbothered about hiding it? The sweetness is suffocating.] [Look at Kendall’s face. She looks green with envy. She’s been fighting Serena for roles and sponsorships for years, and now that Serena has an entire corporate empire backing her, Kendall looks completely paralyzed.] Are you kidding me? I was literally just adjusting my colored contacts. How the hell did that translate into me rolling my eyes in envy? After securing Serena’s permission, Brooke gave a fawning, gossipy grin. “Alright! Our question is: can you describe the exact moment you and Christian met?” Serena pressed her lips together, her eyes distant as she pretended to recall a beautiful memory. “Last winter, I was shooting a commercial as the brand ambassador for Vance Enterprises. After we wrapped, Christian personally bought me a hot cocoa, and we spent hours walking through the private corporate gardens together…” The more Serena spoke, the redder her cheeks became, until she shyly lowered her head. “Oh wow~ That is so romantic,” Brooke and the other guests gushed, acting completely captivated by the story. Sitting in the corner as a glorified background prop, I listened to her story, and something felt deeply, profoundly wrong. I set down my half-eaten orange and couldn’t help but interrupt: “Are you absolutely sure Christian Vance personally bought you that hot cocoa?” Serena froze for a fraction of a second. She quickly recovered her signature smile, though her voice sounded slightly victimized. “Yes, I am. Why? Are you implying I’m a liar, Kendall?” I offered a highly diplomatic warning: “I think you should try real hard to remember that day correctly…” Because I remembered that day perfectly. I remembered it because due to a certain shameful test of physical endurance in bed, Christian hadn’t even stepped foot inside his corporate office that day. He and I had been completely tangled up in my bedroom from the mattress to the floor-to-ceiling windows to the vanity for an entire afternoon. His bespoke designer leather belt had literally snapped when he went to put his clothes back on that night. The hot cocoa she was talking about was a generic winter perk provided by the HR department to every single employee on the corporate lot that day. Even the cleaning staff got a cup. And as for that romantic walk through the private gardens? It was literally hailing golf-ball-sized chunks of ice that day! Serena clearly didn’t expect anyone to call her out. Her sweet smile completely hardened on her face, and her voice carried a sharp, barely hidden hostility. “Kendall, you’re questioning my relationship so aggressively… do you know Christian well?” Given my career, the last thing I wanted was to expose my relationship with Christian Vance. Plus, we were still in a cold war, so I gave a vague, detached answer: “We’re alright.” We just had a negative-distance physical alignment four or five times a week. Serena put on a mask of pure innocence. “Oh, really? That’s nice. But… Kendall, it’s so weird. I’ve never heard Christian mention your name once…” The live chat exploded: [LMAOOOOO! The reality check hit her like a hurricane! I am dying laughing at Kendall’s desperate attempt to clout-chase. She actually had the audacity to question Serena’s relationship when she’s probably never even breathed the same air as Christian.] [Hold on, am I the only one who thinks Kendall’s guilty, shifty expression looks like she actually has a history with him? What if Serena is the one lying…?] [Commenter above, what kind of psychotic delusion are you living in? What history could a controversial, hated actress have with a billionaire heir? She’s been trying to steal Serena’s roles for years, and now she’s trying to steal her man. Her skin is thicker than a vault door.] 03 After the Truth or Dare game concluded, it was almost noon. The reality show had an ironclad tradition for its lunchtime segment. Every guest star had to pull out their phone, go into their contact list, and invite one friend to come to the studio set in person to draw a lottery card. The card would dictate whether the guest star got to eat a gourmet, Michelin-star feast for lunch, or a plate of toxic, inedible sludge. It was a highly calculated, transactional strategy designed by the producers. They only had to pay the appearance fees for two stars, but got to farm the viral engagement of four celebrities. The production assistant returned our phones, which had been confiscated at the start of filming. Brooke gave a mysterious, excited grin. “Today’s invitation segment is going to be a little different from our previous episodes. We are going to mirror your phone screens directly onto the massive studio monitors, and let the fans choose who you text!” Serena smoothly agreed, opening her messages app. Her phone screen instantly mirrored onto the giant monitors behind us. Her pinned conversation at the top of her contact list bore the name: “My Sweet Christian.” The concurrent viewership on the livestream instantly doubled. The chat was completely flooded with Christian Vance’s name, the metrics skyrocketing. Brooke looked ecstatic as she looked at Serena. “Wow! The fans and I are absolutely dying to see the future Mr. and Mrs. Vance reunite on screen!” Amidst the cheers of the crew, Serena slowly typed out a message in the chat box: “Christian, are you free to drop by the studio for lunch?” The live chat went wild: [Oooooh! See? Falling in love really turns even the coldest billionaires into soft little boys. Pinned contact and a cute nickname? I am choking on this romance. I can’t wait for them to stand in the same frame so Kendall can finally see reality.] [I heard the Vance family has extremely strict, old-money traditions. They’re incredibly private and forbid their heirs from ever participating in non-corporate entertainment media. Is Christian seriously going to break a generational rule just for Serena? Wow, this is a literal wattpad book.] Time ticked away, minute by minute, but the conversation with “My Sweet Christian” remained completely dead. No reply. Serena had no choice but to disconnect her screen mirroring. A few seconds later, her eyes suddenly widened in feigned, ecstatic surprise, and she spoke in a sweet, performative pout: “Christian just texted me privately! He said he was stuck in an emergency board meeting and his schedule is completely packed today, so he can’t make it out for lunch.” “But he said he’s going to buy me a few designer bags to make it up to me. Hmph, a few bags isn’t going to cut it. I’m going to demand he buy me a hundred. I’ll keep one, and distribute the rest to Brooke and my beautiful fans.” Hearing that Christian wasn’t coming, the fans in the chat were initially disappointed, but within seconds, they recovered and started shipping them again. [Wow, Christian spoils Serena so much. A hundred designer bags like it’s nothing? The absolute wealth is terrifying. I wish I could body-swap with Serena for just two days.] [We really have to thank Serena for giving us such incredible perks. I can’t even imagine how expensive a bag bought by a billionaire heir is going to be.] [Is this what it looks like to have an infinite bank account? No wonder Kendall looks like she’s dying of jealousy right now. She’s probably burning alive inside.] Brooke’s eyes were literally shining with greed, her voice dripping with sycophantic praise. “Oh my god, thank you so much, Serena! I guess I’m finally getting a taste of what it’s like to be a billionaire’s wife!” In the middle of the celebratory atmosphere, I lierally burst out laughing. Because Serena had disconnected her screen mirroring, the audience couldn’t see her actual text thread. But I knew with absolute certainty that it was mathematically impossible for Christian Vance to have sent that text message. Predictably, my laughter triggered another nuclear explosion in the live chat, with everyone accusing me of being a bitter hater who couldn’t stand seeing someone else win. Only a few rational viewers raised a suspicion: [Isn’t it a little too convenient? The exact second she disconnects her screen mirroring, Christian text her privately? Are we sure she didn’t just make that up?] But their comments were instantly obliterated by the aggressive mob of fans: [You must be Kendall’s burner account. Just like your idol, you’re like a rat hiding in a sewer, completely miserable because you can’t handle someone else’s happiness.] […] Hearing my laughter, Brooke finally directed her attention to me, her tone dismissive and dry. “Kendall, are you ready to mirror your screen?” I was about to nod when a sudden realization hit me. I instinctively tightened my grip on my phone. “Can you give me a second?” Brooke was visibly irritated, wanting to keep the momentum going. “Is Kendall feeling a little overwhelmed by the game? It’s fine, let me help you with that.” Without warning, Brooke reached over and forcefully snatched the phone out of my hands. Before I could lock it, my screen mirrored directly onto the massive studio monitors. The image that exploded onto the screen showed the sharp, dangerous silhouette of a man. His pale, perfect lips were pressed into a hard line. The man was kneeling flat on a polished hardwood floor, his face tilted up slightly. His tailored suit fabric stretched tightly over his powerful frame, and his corporate tie was being lazily, effortlessly wrapped around a woman’s hand, her fingers painted with dark crimson polish, pulling him forward. It was cold, dominant, and packed with an absolute, suffocating sexual tension. Even though the photo only captured the lower half of his face, a viewer in the chat recognized him instantly: [Wait… THAT’S CHRISTIAN VANCE! Why the hell is he kneeling like a submissive dog?!] [Holy shit, this photo isn’t available anywhere on the internet! Why does Kendall have this?! I am losing my mind, is there actually something going on between them…?] [Are you blind? This is an obvious deepfake photoshop. Kendall is a pathetic, obsessive stalker who edited her own hand into a fake picture. I can’t wait to watch the billionaire’s lawyers destroy her career for this.] [LMAO, the commenter above is right. Let’s make Kendall invite Christian right now! Serena is too sweet to defend herself, let’s let Christian Vance personally show up and nuke this clout-chaser’s existence into the ground.] The comments demanding “FORCE KENDALL TO INVITE CHRISTIAN VANCE” began aggressively spamming the screen. 04 Brooke and the other guests leaned back, looking like they were settling in to watch an execution. Only Serena proactively approached my chair. Having just failed to bring her own “boyfriend” to the set, she was desperate to use me to regain her dominance. “Kendall, the audience has already made their choice. Why haven’t you sent Christian a message yet?” A few seconds later, she put on a mask of pure, mock-sympathy, lowering her voice. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Kendall. You claimed earlier that you and Christian were ‘alright,’ so I assumed you actually had his number. I didn’t realize… you don’t even have his contact info…” The live chat poured out absolute, unbridled mockery: [HAHAHA, she talked a massive game, and now she can’t even back it up. If I were Kendall, I would pack my bags and run out the back door right now to save myself from the absolute embarrassment.] [Wait, am I the only one who thinks Serena is acting a bit toxic? She knows Christian is busy, yet she’s forcing Kendall to text him just to humiliate her.] [Toxic? Are you crazy? Serena is the legitimate girlfriend. Watching some cheap slut try to clout-chase using her man, she’s being incredibly polite by not screaming in her face.] Seeing my lack of movement, Brooke took up the mantle of justice for Serena. “Kendall, Serena is speaking to you. Out of basic human politeness, don’t you think you should reply?” I looked at Serena, my tone deadpan and flat. “With acting skills like that, you should really focus on booking a movie role instead of doing reality TV.” Brooke’s mouth popped open in fury, but Serena stopped her from screaming, looking like a fragile, weeping angel. “Kendall, I understand that you’re in a bad place with your career right now.” “How about this? I’ll give you Christian’s number myself. But whether he actually blocks you or ignores you, I can’t guarantee…” I casually cut her off. “No need. I already have his number. I just blocked him.” The live chat erupted with laughter: [Everyone else is dying to get a billionaire’s number, and she claims she blocked him? Who is she trying to fool?] [God, I despise people who flex things they don’t have. Especially when the lie is this transparent. Serena has offered her a way out multiple times, even offering to give her the number, and she acts like a smug, arrogant bitch.] [Filming a show with a toxic parasite like her must be exhausting for Serena.] Brooke wore a look of pure, euphoric malice. “Kendall, since you swear you have his number, send him the invitation right now.” The entire cast turned their heads, waiting to watch the train wreck. Under the collective gaze of the room, I slowly went into my block list, unblocked the contact labeled “My Little Puppy,” and typed out a single line: “I’m giving you exactly one chance. Get your ass over here and make me lunch.” He replied instantly. [BABY! You finally unblocked me!] [Let’s make lunch together! Can we try that new position you picked out last time? I swear I’ve been practicing it every single day in my head.] [Baby, please don’t ignore me. I promise I will never say no to any of your demands in bed ever again…] I used the absolute maximum speed of my fingers to disconnect the screen mirroring, but it was too late. The 18+ explicit text messages had already been hard-witnessed by the entire internet. A suffocating, dead silence paralyzed the entire studio for fifteen seconds. 05 Brooke stood frozen, her jaw practically on the floor. “Kendall… who exactly were you texting just now?” I was internally cursing that idiot for typing out our bedroom secrets on a public frequency, but I kept my face deadpan as I locked my phone. “Christian Vance.” “The billionaire heir Christian Vance?!” I gave a cold laugh. “Is there another Christian Vance?” I had been targeted, blackmailed, and deliberately defamed by Brooke and Serena the entire morning. They wanted to use me as a villainous prop to elevate Serena’s image and farm viral metrics for their show. Well, congratulations. The live chat flipped completely: [HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! The narrative just executed a nuclear inversion! Kendall lieral had the billionaire heir blocked! And he’s a submissive little puppy for her?! Is this real life?!] [LMAO, I am living for this. The host is an absolute corporate hack who always kisses up to rich guests and tramples on lower-tier actors. Kendall just completely destroyed her on live TV. Savage.] [I can’t breathe. I am lieral staring at the screen with my jaw open.] […] Brooke’s face went completely blank, her mind short-circuiting as she looked at Serena for help. Serena rushed over to my desk, her eyes rimmed with tears. “Kendall, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing. But faking a corporate billionaire’s identity online is a federal crime. You are actively destroying his corporate reputation. This is going too far.” She was desperately trying to convince herself it was a fake account or a hired model. Brooke quickly caught onto her lifeline. “Exactly! The profile picture on Kendall’s phone doesn’t even match Serena’s contact picture! You hired a fake model to pretend to be him, didn’t you?!” The live chat spam continued: [Wait, the commenter has a point. Billionaire romance leads don’t text like desperate, horny puppies. And ‘My Little Puppy’?! Does Kendall really have the balls to call Christian Vance a dog? No way.] [I bet she just hired a high-end male model from an agency to change his name on WhatsApp. Kendall’s reputation is trash anyway, she’s probably desperate enough to commit fraud for clout.] [I feel so bad for Serena. This crazy bitch is literally unhinged. I hope Christian’s legal team sues her into bankruptcy.] I looked at the host, my expression perfectly calm. “That’s his private account. Only his immediate family and I have access to it.” Before the host could reply, my phone started vibrating relentlessly. He was spamming me. [I’m so sorry, baby. I was busy reviewing that position this morning, so I didn’t see your text or the notifications. It’s my fault.] [I didn’t mean to expose our relationship to the media. I promised you I would never interfere with your career or forcefully claim a public title.] [But since I’m coming to the studio right now, you have to give me a title. Boyfriend? Husband? Or… your loyal dog is fine too.] I didn’t even bother trying to hide the screen anymore. Brooke turned to Serena, her voice trembling. “Serena… did Christian mention what time he was arriving?” Serena’s face was completely devoid of color. She stammered, her voice shaking violently. “Christian is extremely busy today… he’s in a board meeting… he’s not coming…” I locked my phone and announced flatly: “Christian Vance will be here at 12:30 PM.”

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