Category: English

My wife and I were reborn at our own wedding, ten years in the past. Without a word of explanation, we both defied our families and friends, both demanding the ceremony be called off. After we went our separate ways, she wasted no time getting with another guy who’d been chasing her, and they moved overseas together. I kept my head down, grinding away as a simple programmer. Ten years later. Her new boyfriend had become a rising star in the international business world, a celebrated mogul with a future brighter than the sun. And I, in everyone else’s eyes, was still just a programmer at the same old company. She leaned into her man’s arms, a vision of sultry success, and looked down her nose at me. “Ten years, Finn, and you’re still the same dead-end programmer. Thank God I had the sense to cut my losses when I did.” I couldn’t be bothered with her smug, triumphant act. Not until my wife, a world champion, gently looped her arm through mine. That’s when Lydia shattered the wine glass in her hand. “Finn! I’m your wife! How could you let another woman touch you?” 1 We met again at the funeral of our old university professor, a decade after our rebirth. Lydia’s husband now was Grayson, the hotshot business mogul who’d just returned to the country. A crowd of fawning admirers buzzed around him, making him the undisputed center of attention. The service was about to start, but the funeral home’s A/V equipment was on the fritz. To keep things from falling behind schedule, I was crouched by the stage, troubleshooting the system. That’s when Lydia and Grayson made their grand entrance. A flock of our old classmates practically tripped over themselves to greet them, completely ignoring the somber setting. “Grayson, you’re a legend! Building an empire at such a young age.” “Heard you’re back to expand into the domestic market, Grayson. Don’t forget about us old friends, huh?” “Totally! I always knew you were different back in school. A cut above the rest.” “And Lydia, you haven’t aged a day! You look like you just stepped off campus. What a power couple.” Lydia couldn’t hide the smile blooming on her face. “Oh, you guys are too kind.” Seeing how much she lapped up the praise, the crowd doubled down, each person trying to outdo the other in their flattery. I rose from behind the console of equipment. “Could you show some respect? This is a funeral. Your racket is completely out of line.” Lydia’s brow furrowed the moment she saw me. “What is he doing here?” Most of the people here were old classmates. They knew that Lydia and I had been reborn at our wedding and had promptly, wordlessly, cancelled the whole thing. They knew our history. “Isn’t that Finn? What’s he doing behind the tech booth? Still a programmer after all these years?” “Man, to think you and Lydia were almost married. Look at you two now. Worlds apart.” A flicker of discomfort crossed Lydia’s face. She shot a nervous glance at Grayson. “That’s all in the past. Let’s not talk about it.” At her cue, everyone shut up and quickly changed the subject. I gave the equipment a final check, and seeing everything was working, I stepped back into the crowd. As I approached, Grayson let out a cold snort. “Still slinging code at that same little company, huh?” His words were a signal, and the pack pounced. “Yeah, Finn. Ten years and you’re still stuck in the same place?” “No wonder you never show up to the reunions. If my life were that pathetic, I’d hide too.” “Exactly. Lydia and Grayson missed them because they were overseas building an empire. You missed them because you’re a nobody.” I looked up. Lydia was dressed in a designer gown, a limited edition piece that probably cost more than a car. Her hair was swept up loosely, with a few tendrils framing her face, their tips brushing against a pair of diamond earrings. Every move she made oozed a calculated sensuality. Grayson stood beside her in a bespoke black suit, a watch on his wrist that screamed wealth. Together, they looked like they’d stepped right out of a luxury magazine. A perfect, untouchable pair. The barbed comments kept coming, and I shot them all an irritated look. “This is a funeral. Try to have a shred of decency for the man we’re here to honor. If you want to kiss their asses, wait until the service is over.” My words were blunt, and Lydia’s face tightened, ready to snap back. But Grayson held up a hand, stopping her. “Finn’s right. Let’s honor the professor.” He then turned his attention to me. “Look, the Dean mentioned we’re all getting dinner tonight. You should come.” “My new hotel is having its grand opening, so we’ll go there. It’s on me. It’s been too long since we all got together.” I was about to refuse, but then I remembered the Dean had called me last night. He’d specifically mentioned this dinner, telling me several senior faculty members wanted to meet me and that I absolutely had to be there. While I hesitated, Grayson’s voice cut in again, laced with a challenge. “What’s the matter? Too good for my invitation? Or are you afraid to show up?” I raised an eyebrow. Afraid? “In that case, I’d be honored. Thanks for footing the bill, Grayson.” My acceptance seemed to satisfy them, and the murmuring finally died down, allowing the funeral to proceed. As Lydia and Grayson walked past me to lay flowers, Lydia paused, her gaze dripping with condescension. “Look at you, Finn. Just look at the pathetic mess you’ve become.” Her voice was a low, venomous whisper. “If you had just listened to me, you wouldn’t be stuck as a dead-end programmer for the rest of your life, scraping by on a few thousand a month, struggling just to get by.” “We’re on different paths now, Finn. We have been for a long time.” Watching them walk away, I got lost in thought. Different paths? She had no idea. In our first life, Lydia and I met in college. We were each other’s first love. After graduation, we got married, just as everyone expected, and started our life together. But that simple, happy life didn’t last. Everything changed when Grayson returned from overseas. He had pursued Lydia relentlessly in college, but she’d chosen me. So, after we got married, he left the country. Just like in this life, he returned a decade later, a self-made tycoon, dripping with success. At the reunion party thrown to welcome him back, the way Lydia looked at him had changed. I tried to tell myself I was imagining things, that Lydia wasn’t the type of woman to betray our vows. But after that party, she quit her job. The collection of designer bags and clothes in our closet started to grow exponentially. On the day we were reborn, she hadn’t come home all night. When she finally did, her neck was covered in the faint, unmistakable marks of passion. That’s when we had our final, explosive fight. She threw her new Hermès bag right at my head. “I must have been blind to choose you, Finn!” she screamed, her face twisted with rage. “So what if I cheated? Look at this bag! Your entire pathetic salary for a year couldn’t even buy this! I’m sick of this miserable life!” Staring at her distorted face, all I felt was a deep, chilling sorrow. The truth was, our life wasn’t miserable. We owned our own home in a decent city, had a reliable car. My salary was more than comfortable, and with no kids, we lived well. But Grayson’s return had shown her a bigger, shinier world, and she’d gotten a taste of wealth and status. I could understand wanting a better life, but I could never accept her betrayal. After her tirade, she stormed out. She was so agitated, I was afraid she’d do something reckless, so I ran out after her. Maybe it was the guilt of being caught, but she couldn’t calm down. We were arguing on the street when an out-of-control truck came barreling towards us. The next thing I knew, we were both waking up, ten years in the past, at our own wedding. Even with everyone watching, we acted in perfect, unspoken agreement, cancelling the ceremony on the spot. After we split, she seamlessly transitioned into a relationship with Grayson, and they left for Europe together. And I went back to being a programmer, continuing down my path of software development. The only difference between this life and the last was that I was no longer just a “simple programmer.” I had a ten-year head start on the rest of the world. A decade of foresight. After the rebirth, I saw the coming storm of short-form video. I developed what is now the world’s most popular social media app, and my first move was to acquire the very company I used to work for. Once the money started pouring in, I began donating to my old university—new equipment, entire buildings, and a scholarship fund for underprivileged students. It was where my dream began; giving back felt natural. But I was always buried in work and hated the spotlight, so I never attended any of the university’s ceremonies or thank-you events. Besides the Dean and a few top administrators, no one knew who I really was. Today was the professor’s funeral. The Dean had called me last night, and after turning him down so many times, I finally agreed to his dinner invitation. Running into Lydia and Grayson was not part of the plan. But since it happened… I wasn’t the one who did something wrong. I wasn’t the one who should be hiding. After the funeral, the group headed for the hotel. Grayson and Lydia walked out, surrounded by their sycophants. A sleek, low-slung sports car was parked right at the entrance, and they headed straight for it. Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd. “What a machine. Only the best for Grayson.” “Isn’t that a limited edition? Of course he’s already got one.” “If I could own a car like that, I could die happy.” I tuned out their pathetic bootlicking and walked over to a row of shareable e-scooters. The World Championships had just ended, and today was the day my champion wife was flying home. After my driver dropped me at the funeral home, I’d sent him to the airport to pick her up. The hotel wasn’t far. A scooter was faster and would let me zip through traffic. Just as I reached the scooter bank, Grayson’s smug voice sounded behind me. “Seriously, Finn? All these years and you still can’t afford a car?” “A guy your age, riding a public scooter? I’m almost embarrassed for you.” “You know what, why don’t you ride with me? I’ll give you a lift.” He paused dramatically. “On second thought, never mind. Don’t want to get my seats dirty.” I unlocked a scooter and glided over to him, giving him a lazy, sidelong glance. “A car’s a tool, man. No matter how fancy yours is, we’re ending up at the same place. So stop barking. It’s annoying.” Without waiting for a response, I sped off. Halfway down the block, a thought occurred to me. I stopped, turned back, and grinned at Grayson’s thunderous expression. “Oh, and by the way, since your car is so precious, you probably shouldn’t drive it. You should carry it to the hotel, Grayson. Wouldn’t want it to get dirty.” …

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “444424”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

One day during my pregnancy, my best friend suddenly sent me a link to a Reddit thread. The title was: [Final year of grad school. Engaged to my long-term girlfriend, but I’ve been sleeping with an undergrad.] I clicked on it, only to find the entire history of my husband’s infidelity documented right there on the screen. 1 When my best friend, Sarah, forwarded me the link, I was in the middle of editing a video for my channel. Immediately, her texts started popping up, one after another: [I think you need to see this.] [Maybe I’m just overthinking it…] [But you should probably double-check.] [Whether it’s him or not, please don’t freak out.] [Ugh, never mind. Don’t read it. I’m unsending it.] […Crap, too late to unsend.] Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the link. The main title read: [Final year of grad school. Engaged to my long-term girlfriend, but I’ve been sleeping with an undergrad.] I couldn’t see the whole post on my mobile browser; it prompted me to download the Reddit app. It felt like a hassle, and Sarah had just told me not to look. I thought about closing the tab, but my subconscious had already hit “Download.” I installed it, made a throwaway account, and logged in. The Original Poster (OP) went by the username ED_Throwaway. My heart skipped a beat. Ethan Davies. I quickly told myself that those initials were incredibly common. It had to be a coincidence. I scrolled down. At the very top of the post was a picture of a man and a woman holding hands, their fingers intertwined. The man’s hand looked awfully familiar. The first comment was OP’s own backstory: [I’m finishing up my Ph.D. at Columbia. Lately, I’ve been feeling lost. I just got engaged to my girlfriend of seven years, so she’s officially my fiancée now, but I recently started sleeping with an undergrad from my department.] [I feel terrible for my fiancée, but I just can’t bring myself to let the undergrad go.] [My fiancée is very traditional and safe. The undergrad is wild and open-minded. She actually loves climbing all over me while I’m on the phone with my fiancée. I don’t know if you guys can understand that kind of thrilling rush.] [We basically sleep in the same bed every night now. Explored a lot of new things together.] [She’s a sweet girl. I told her I was engaged, and she was devastated, but we agreed to break up as soon as I graduate.] The replies beneath it were ruthless: [Holy shit, dude, you’ve got a death wish.] [Having your cake and eating it too, huh?] [OP is absolute trash. I feel so bad for the fiancée.] [That undergrad is no angel either. She knows he’s taken and still plays the homewrecker.] [Aren’t you terrified your fiancée will see this?] [OP, we need updates!] … After a dozen or so comments, OP replied: [Long time no see, guys. My fiancée doesn’t use Reddit. She’ll never see this.] [I read the comments. A lot of you are tearing me apart, and I know what I’m doing is messed up. Some of you told me to just let my fiancée go. But you don’t understand our seven-year history. You can’t just throw that away.] [I remember when I was studying for my grad school entrance exams, living in a crappy off-campus apartment. She was there every day. She cooked for me. When I wanted to puke from staring at calculus equations all night, she’d warm up a mug of milk for me and organize my messy desk. That was the moment I swore I’d marry her.] [And please don’t bash the undergrad. She really is amazing. If my fiancée is a calming harbor, this girl is a wildfire. She’s brilliant, has that Ivy League glow, and her charm is intoxicating. She gives me an intense romantic experience my fiancée just can’t provide.] [I just got a hand-knitted scarf from my fiancée in the mail. It’s warm and looks great. Here’s a picture. Honestly, my guilt is eating me alive.] The comments multiplied. I skimmed them. Almost all of them were insults. [Cheating scumbag. Go to hell.] [You are such a hypocrite.] [God, I hope his fiancée finds out!] [Can some hacker dox this guy? Pure trash!] But there were also people cheering him on: [Legend. Teach me your ways, bro.] [W.] [Lol, who has the better body though, the fiancée or the college girl?] 2 The photo of the scarf was sandwiched between the comments. People were actually complimenting the knitting pattern. I tapped the photo to enlarge it. Staring at the familiar gray yarn, my ears started ringing with a high-pitched whine. When I decided to knit him a scarf, I spent hours on YouTube looking up patterns before choosing this thick, durable cable-knit style. I didn’t have time during the day, so I stayed up late after work every night for nearly ten days to finish it. I dug my nails into my palms and kept scrolling. OP wrote: [A lot of you are defending my fiancée. I admit, if she knew, it would destroy her. But she wouldn’t be able to let go of our seven years together either. We’re childhood sweethearts, and she’s been obsessed with me forever. She has this thick journal filled with drawings and writings just about me. Her love is incredibly pure, which is why she moves me so much.] [Besides, she can’t leave me. She’s getting older, she only went to an average state school, and her salary is pretty low. If we broke up, she’d have to rely on dating apps, and let’s be real, her prospects wouldn’t be great.] [I can give her a very comfortable life. Our families love each other. You guys don’t know the whole picture, so stop playing God and judging other people’s relationships.] … [The semester is almost over. Before winter break, I took the undergrad out to the mountains, drove down to the beach, and watched the sunrise.] [On our last night, we went absolutely crazy until dawn. I think I’ll be looking back on the taste of that night when I’m an old man.] … [I’m back in Boston now. The undergrad and I are officially broken up. Before I left, I bought her a designer bag, paid for a year’s lease on an apartment near her campus, and set up a grocery delivery subscription for her. I just want her to be okay and find a good guy someday.] … [Probably won’t update anymore. Not much left to say. I’ll graduate, start my career, get married, and have kids.] My hands were shaking as I swiped down. OP hadn’t updated for a long time. The comments were full of people begging for an update, wanting to know what happened. I did the math. During the two or three years he stopped posting, we had gotten married. And just this year, we successfully started trying for a baby. I was currently three months pregnant. But then, a month ago, the updates resumed. [Three years later, I’m back. I see some of the old commenters are still here. Even though you’re just here to roast me, it feels strangely comforting. I’m facing a massive dilemma right now and need some advice.] [I married my fiancée two years ago. My career is taking off, my home life is perfect, and I’m going to be a dad soon.] [But I never expected the undergrad to reach out to me again. She’s been in the workforce for a year, and recently, she got transferred to Boston. She lives just thirty minutes from my office. Since she didn’t know anyone in the city, I helped her find an apartment and move her stuff. I really only meant to be friends. But we had drinks at her new place to celebrate, got drunk, and slept together again.] [She hugged me and said she’s still in love with me. She doesn’t have a boyfriend. Honestly? Being confessed to like that… of course my heart skipped a beat. But I’m not a college kid anymore. I can’t just recklessly chase romance.] … [I thought about it all week. I’ve decided to keep seeing her. I really just can’t let her go. And she doesn’t even care that I have a wife and a kid on the way. How could any guy resist a girl like that?] [Even though I’m seeing her, I won’t neglect my wife. I’ll just treat her even better.] [I’ve spent the last few nights at her place. I feel that intense, heart-pounding passion all over again.] [Late at night, the guilt hits me. I lied to my wife, told her I had to travel for business. Not only did she buy it, but she even texted to make sure I was eating well and getting enough sleep on the road.] [Pregnancy is hard on my wife. I’ll spend some quality time with her when I get back. I’ll hold off on seeing my girl for a bit.] … [Stop trying to dox me. Even if you find my wife and tell her the truth, she’ll just cry for a while. She can’t leave me. She quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom, and she’s carrying my child. How is she supposed to survive without me?] [If you guys actually pity my wife, back off. She’s had terrible morning sickness for three months, and she’s finally keeping food down. Do not harass her with this.] 3 Having read the whole thing, my mind was entirely blank. I had no idea how to react. I just sat there, staring blankly at my phone. This morning, Ethan had told me he was working late and not to wait up. He was a project manager now, so overtime was a daily routine. I had never once suspected a thing. But now… I hit the FaceTime button on his contact. It rang for a full minute. He didn’t answer. A few seconds later, he called me back on a regular voice call. “Hey babe, why aren’t you asleep yet?” Ethan’s voice was low and gravelly. Usually, I would assume he was just exhausted from work. Suddenly, Ethan let out a muffled groan. The words of concern died on my lips. I remembered the line from the Reddit post: The undergrad loves climbing all over me while I’m on the phone with my fiancée. I gripped my phone tightly, forcing my voice to sound perfectly calm. “Honey, is there someone else there with you?” “…What? No, of course not. I’m just swamped with work.” “When are you coming home?” “I’m not sure. You should get some sleep. It’s good for the baby. Night, babe.” Ethan hastily hung up. I stared at the call duration. Less than a minute. I felt completely numb. Suddenly, my stomach violently churned. An overwhelming wave of nausea climbed up my throat. I sprinted to the bathroom, hugging the toilet, and threw up until I was dry-heaving. After rinsing my mouth, I curled up on my side in bed. Tears slipped out of the corners of my eyes, dropping onto the back of my hand. I rested my hand on my slightly rounded stomach, feeling more lost than I ever had in my entire life. “Baby, what is Mommy supposed to do?” … A little while later, Sarah called. “Chloe, are you okay?” Hearing her voice broke whatever dam I had left. I started sobbing. “Sarah…” “Chloe, is the thread real?” I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me. “I don’t know for sure, but there are way too many details that line up perfectly.” Sarah gritted her teeth through the phone. “That piece of shit! Ethan is definitely guilty! Do you want me to come over and stay with you tonight?” I sniffled. “No, you have work in the morning. Let me just be alone and think.” “Okay, but you have to hold it together. We are figuring this out. You cannot let him keep you in the dark,” Sarah said, her voice burning with righteous anger. “I know.” 4 For the sake of the baby in my belly, I forced myself to suppress the spiraling negative emotions and eventually drifted off to sleep. I didn’t even hear Ethan come home. When I opened my eyes the next morning, I looked at the man sleeping soundly next to me. My chest physically ached. Ethan’s eyelashes fluttered, and he woke up groggily. I pretended I had just woken up too. He pulled me into a hug, burying his face in the crook of my neck, mumbling, “Let’s sleep a little longer.” “What time did you get in last night?” I asked casually. His voice was muffled against my skin. “I don’t remember. Why?” I tested the waters. “Are you hiding anything from me?” A long silence passed. Finally, he replied, “No.” I didn’t say anything else. A few minutes later, Ethan was fully awake. He looked at me intently. “Babe, what could I possibly be hiding from you? Are your pregnancy hormones making you sensitive? Why are you being so paranoid?” He studied my face, looking genuinely concerned. “You look pale. Is the baby giving you a hard time again?” “No, I’m fine. Probably just didn’t sleep well,” I answered quietly, looking down. But there was a suffocating weight pressing down on my chest. Ethan didn’t press the issue. He got up to shower. When he came out, he said, “Pregnant women need their rest. Go back to sleep. I ordered you some breakfast on UberEats, it’ll be here soon. I’m going to grab something near the office.” As he reached the front door, I called out, “Do you have time this weekend? To come with me to my ultrasound appointment?” Ethan paused, looking torn. “Babe, you know that new project is at a critical stage. I can’t guarantee I’ll be free this weekend, but I’ll try my absolute best to leave early and go with you.” When the weekend arrived, Ethan still couldn’t “make time,” so I had to ask Sarah to go with me. Seeing my pale face, Sarah cut right to the chase. “Where are we at with the situation? What did Ethan say?” I felt a flash of embarrassment. “I haven’t figured out how to confront him yet.” Sarah looked exasperated. “What’s there to figure out? You throw the Reddit thread in his face and ask him if it’s him! Or demand to see his phone!” “If you can’t do it, I’ll do it for you. I’m coming over to your place tonight and sitting him down!” My mind was a chaotic mess. “No! I’ll handle it,” I quickly shot down her idea. Sarah sighed heavily. “Chloe, please, whatever you do, do not go soft on him. Do not let him manipulate you.” After that, by unspoken agreement, neither of us brought it up again. Following the ultrasound, we had plenty of time to kill, so Sarah and I went to the shopping mall next to the clinic. The mall was full of designer boutiques. On the second floor was Sarah’s favorite clothing brand, so we headed straight there. While Sarah was in the fitting room, I went to use the restroom. As soon as I walked in, I saw a very young, pretty girl touching up her makeup while on the phone. She was talking to who I assumed was her boyfriend, her voice sickly sweet and whining. “What time do you get off for lunch?” “It’s my birthday today! You belong to me for the whole afternoon and evening!” Whoever was on the other end said something, and her eyes crinkled into a delighted smile. I caught a quick glimpse of her in the mirror from the corner of my eye. The mirror reflected a face as fresh and vibrant as a blooming flower. 5 After leaving the boutique, Sarah was thrilled with her haul. But before we even made it out the mall doors, her boss called, demanding she revise a proposal immediately. Sarah groaned, cursing her boss under her breath. She looked at me apologetically. “Chloe, I have to rush back to the office. I can’t do lunch. Will you be okay by yourself?” I nodded. “Of course. Go.” Once Sarah left, I completely lost the mood to shop. I bought some groceries on the lower level and decided to head home. I hailed a cab outside the mall. Just as I settled into the back seat, I saw her. The young girl from the restroom was sprinting toward a specific direction. My eyes followed her path, and I was completely blindsided when I saw Ethan. The girl threw herself into his arms, looping her arms around his neck, completely ignoring the people walking by, and kissed him deeply and passionately. In that instant, it felt like I had been plunged into an ice bath. Every last shred of hope I had been clinging to vanished. Ethan quickly ushered her into his car, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. I just sat there, staring blankly. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Where to, miss?” I snapped back to reality. “Follow that car.” For the rest of the afternoon, my brain shut down. I acted like a stalker, following them to a high-end restaurant, watching them share a birthday cake, trailing them to a movie theater, and finally, watching them check into a hotel. I don’t even know how I got home. I curled up on the sofa, completely numb. Ethan and I had grown up together. Our parents were close friends who spent a lot of time together. He was my first crush when I was just a kid, and it had always been him ever since. With our parents’ eager encouragement, we officially started dating right after high school. We went to different colleges, but we stayed in the same city. For four years, our relationship was rock solid. We rarely fought, except for one incident during our junior year, when he started wavering over a girl in his class. I knew him too well. It was obvious he treated that girl differently. He talked about her constantly, and suddenly there were cute stickers on his phone case that I had never seen before. We had our first explosive argument. Our first cold war. I didn’t want to lose him. I couldn’t throw away years of love, so I was the first to apologize and back down. He eventually cut ties with the girl. Later, when he was studying for grad school, he complained about the distractions on campus. I immediately used the money from my internship to rent him an apartment off-campus, working during the day and taking care of him at night. When he finally got his acceptance letter to Columbia, he held me and sobbed, saying he could never have made it without me. Ethan moved to New York for his Ph.D., and I stayed working in Boston. We became long-distance. I was the one making the commute most of the time. Partly because I missed him, and partly because I was terrified his eyes would wander again. Thankfully, my fears never materialized. Looking back now, it wasn’t that they didn’t materialize. He just got better at hiding it. We got engaged during his final year, and a year after he graduated and secured a solid job, we got married. This year, he got a huge promotion. We had built up a nice savings account, so we decided it was time to start a family. When he asked me to quit my job and focus entirely on the home and the baby, I barely hesitated before saying yes. I gave him my complete, unconditional trust, only to be rewarded with the most blatant betrayal. 6 The living room was pitch black and terrifyingly quiet. I stared blankly at the rug. Hours later, I heard footsteps at the door. The next second, the living room lights flicked on. The brightness stung my eyes. Ethan frowned for a second, then his face softened. “Babe, why aren’t you sleeping in bed?” I just stared at him. He dropped his briefcase, walked over with long strides, and scooped me up in his arms. My arm brushed against the hair at the back of his neck. It was damp. He had showered. “What’s wrong? Why are your eyes so red?” “Did everything go okay at the doctor today?” He fired off a string of questions. I didn’t answer a single one. He looked at me in confusion, then suddenly looked like he understood. “Are you mad I couldn’t make the appointment?” Before I could speak, he kept going. “I told you, this project is make-or-break for me. If I crush this, I’m next in line for Director. You want me to get that promotion, right?” Looking at this man—a man whose mouth was currently overflowing with lies—I just felt an bone-deep exhaustion. “I saw you. With her,” I took a deep breath and punctured his illusion. Ethan froze. His eyes darted around the room as he desperately tried to maintain the lie. “Babe, what are you talking about?” “Do I need to spell it out? I followed you. The kissing. The birthday cake. The hotel!” I lost control, screaming at him and pounding my fists against his chest. All the color drained from Ethan’s face. He grabbed my wrists, panic in his voice. “Just listen to me, I can explain—” He stopped. He couldn’t find a single excuse. Tears were streaming down my face, but I laughed, goading him. “Go ahead! Explain! Let’s hear it!” He slumped forward, hanging his head. A moment later, he looked up, his eyes pleading. “Chloe, I messed up. I’ll cut her off right now. Please, just give me one more chance. Please?” I shook my head violently. “No. I don’t believe a word you say anymore. I want a divorce.” Ethan’s eyes rimmed with red. He gripped my hands tighter, his voice choking up. “Chloe, I don’t want a divorce. We have a baby on the way. Do you really want our child to grow up without a dad? Let’s just calm down, okay?” His eyes were filled with such profound, agonizing regret. It looked so genuine it was almost impossible to reject. After a long time, my expression softened just a fraction. Ethan saw the opening and doubled down. He pulled out his phone, and right there in front of me, he blocked the college girl on every single app and platform. He was putting on a masterclass in repentance. I didn’t bring up divorce again that night, but I couldn’t stand being in the same room as him. I packed a bag and went to my parents’ house. Ethan texted me constantly, asking how I was, asking about the baby, begging to know when I was coming home. But he never actually came to visit me. While I was at my parents’, Sarah called. She spent twenty minutes cursing Ethan and his entire bloodline. Her stance was uncompromising: Divorce him. No hesitation. But I was still trapped in a fog of indecision. Sarah was furious with my hesitation. A few days later, she texted me the Reddit link again with just two words: “He updated.” I clicked the link. Sure enough, there was a new post. I hadn’t told Ethan that I knew about his Reddit diary. And now, this thread had become the ultimate lie detector. It burned away the last of his fake remorse, and along with it, the very last drop of love and trust I had for him. Ethan wrote: [My wife found out about the undergrad. It’s a mess. She had a hysterical breakdown crying, and honestly, it broke my heart to see her like that.] [I promised my wife I’d cut ties with the girl. I blocked all her numbers and socials right in front of my wife.] [I haven’t contacted the undergrad in days. I wonder if she’s freaking out because she can’t reach me.] Someone commented: [The scumbag finally got caught. Your wife is definitely divorcing you, right?] Ethan replied to him: [She was screaming for a divorce at first. But like I said before, she relies on me financially and emotionally. I’ve already smoothed things over. She absolutely will not bring up divorce again.] His arrogant, chauvinistic response triggered another wave of internet outrage. Ethan didn’t care about the insults. In his mind, netizens were just venting. Their words couldn’t touch him in the real world. Over the next few weeks, I spent my days drawing, updating my social media accounts, and checking Ethan’s Reddit thread. Thanks to his little diary, I finally saw the real Ethan. The one he kept hidden from me. Arrogant. Two-faced. Disgusting. One night, right after Ethan sent his daily text checking on me and the baby, he updated the thread. [It’s been almost half a month without talking to the undergrad. I was too worried about her, so I finally went to see her. She’s so understanding. I iced her out for two weeks, and she didn’t throw a tantrum or cry. It just makes me care about her even more.] [And guys… she’s pregnant! I’m thrilled! I really want her to keep it. But it feels unfair to her. The kid would technically be illegitimate.] [I took her to a private clinic for a full check-up today. Everything looks perfect. Illegitimate or not, whatever. I’ll make sure she and the kid are taken care of financially. They won’t suffer.]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “444440”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

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?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397287”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

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?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397288”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

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.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397290”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

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.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397291”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

To let the imposter son he had raised, Jasper, steal the only matching life-saving heart from me, My father, Raymond Blackwood, locked me in the basement with his own hands, covered my chest with electrode patches, and used electric current to forcibly suppress my heartbeat. I knelt on the ground begging him to spare me. But Raymond showed no mercy. He looked at my trembling body and said coldly, “Jasper has been frail since childhood. He just wants a healthy heart. Are you really going to fight him for even this?” “Ever since you came back, you’ve been targeting and making things difficult for Jasper. Today’s piercing, bone-deep pain is your lesson!” “The specialist said electrode patches combined with a dark environment can strengthen your heart. You can have the surgery after we find a second heart source!” I lay on the ground nearly unconscious, still clinging to a last thread of hope, waiting for Raymond to have a change of heart and come get me. But when news came that Jasper’s surgery was successful, Raymond was overjoyed. That very day, he packed his bags and took Jasper to Europe for a vacation, completely forgetting about me. It wasn’t until two months later, when Raymond saw my empty room, that he suddenly remembered me and impatiently ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. The maid hesitated. “Owen… he’s already dead in the basement.”

The electric current passing through my body, combined with the severe pain of angina, made me question whether I was still alive. Only Raymond’s cold eyes forced me to maintain a thread of consciousness. Before the basement door closed, I desperately grabbed onto Raymond’s pant leg. “Raymond! I really can’t hold on anymore. My heart hurts so much. If this continues, I’ll die…” “Please send me to the hospital, okay? I promise I won’t fight Jasper for the heart. I’ll just take medication to manage it…” I cried and begged Raymond, but he remained unmoved. Instead, he turned to patiently comfort Jasper, who stood to the side watching the scene. “Jasper, be good. Don’t be nervous during the surgery. I will be with you the whole time.” “After you recover, I will take you on a world tour and give you all the assets, okay?” Jasper looked at me provocatively and asked Raymond, “If you give me all the assets, what about Owen?” “Owen? Ha.” Raymond sneered. “He lived in poverty for so many years. He’s long used to life without money. From now on, my love will be enough for him.” As he turned to take Jasper to the operating room, he suddenly received a call from Walter Blackwood, my grandfather. “Owen should be having his surgery soon, right? You must take good care of him these days. Owen suffered so much before. This time, there absolutely cannot be any mistakes.” Raymond gave a perfunctory response and hung up. I closed my eyes and used the last bit of my strength to speak. “Raymond… I’m not lying to you. It hurts so much… If Walter finds out, he’ll definitely blame you…” After being found by the Blackwood family, Raymond had been cold to me to accommodate Jasper’s feelings. At Raymond’s instruction, everyone in the Blackwood family kept their distance from me. Only Walter was happy about my return. Even this heart source was found with Walter’s help, but he didn’t know Raymond had already forced me to give it to Jasper. After hanging up, Raymond looked at me again. By now, I was in so much pain that I’d lost almost all sensation, my face covered in blood and tears. Looking at me, Raymond seemed momentarily dazed, even doubting whether the specialist’s advice was trustworthy. Jasper suddenly crouched down. At an angle Raymond couldn’t see, he smirked, then pressed both hands hard onto my chest. The electrode patches on my chest dug in several inches deeper. The tearing sensation in my chest made me grunt in agony. But Jasper suddenly fell backward, landing on his bottom. Then he accused me in a hoarse voice. “Owen, I was just trying to comfort you. You know my heart isn’t good, yet you still pushed me. Do you need me to die before you’ll be happy?” Raymond immediately showed a heartbroken expression, pulling Jasper into his arms and comforting him softly. Jasper shook his head with reddened eyes. “I know my brother doesn’t like me, that he blames me for occupying the position of the Blackwood heir for so many years. But I genuinely care about him.” “Raymond, why don’t you just send me away? That way I won’t be an eyesore to my brother anymore.” Raymond snorted coldly. “If anyone’s leaving, it’s him.” After soothing Jasper, Raymond turned and roared at me. “How can you be so vicious?” “You always bully Jasper. He was just trying to care about you, yet you deliberately pushed him down.” “If anything happens to Jasper, I will never forgive you.”

If I didn’t look so horrifying right now, Raymond would probably punish me by locking me in my room or cutting off my allowance for weeks, like he used to.. Raymond clearly knew I’d been kidnapped and sold to the mountains, where I was tormented for ten years. After returning, I’d always been careful and cautious, never once blaming him for not watching over me back then. Yet now he called me vicious? In the end, Raymond left with Jasper, not even sparing a glance at me lying on the ground barely alive. The angina and the pain of electrode patches piercing my chest seemed to pale in comparison to the pain in my heart. I was Raymond’s biological son. Before being kidnapped, I too had been his little prince, held in the palm of his hand. Until I returned after ten years of being kidnapped, only to find a strange boy in the house who also called Raymond “Raymond.” The gentle father in my memory seemed to have changed overnight. He was still as attentive as before, wishing he could pluck the moon from the sky for his son — except the person in his heart wasn’t me, but Jasper. Blood had already blurred my vision when a sudden angina attack jolted me awake. I hadn’t gotten my heart transplant yet. How could I just die like this? I drifted in and out of consciousness in the basement, unable to tell day from night. After recovering a bit of strength, I forced myself to crawl to the iron door and kept banging on it. “Save me… is anyone there?” “It hurts so much… let me out…” The rough iron door cut my hands, but I could no longer feel the pain. Finally, after I no longer had the strength to lift my hand, I heard footsteps outside. I grasped at this lifeline and called for help again. “Save me…” But hearing my plea, the maid outside snorted coldly. “Stop shouting. If you disturb Mr. Blackwood and Jasper, you’ll really suffer!” “A poor kid thinking he can fight Jasper for a heart? So what if you’re the real son? In Mr. Blackwood’s heart, Jasper is the Blackwood heir. Don’t even think about replacing him.” Because of Raymond’s differential treatment, even the household maids could humiliate me at will. I was a year older than Jasper,” calling me Owen to my face and “poor boy” behind my back. I swallowed these humiliations and forced myself to speak. “My heart hurts terribly. I already feel like I’m suffocating. If this continues, I’ll die.” “Let me out now… If something happens to me, Walter won’t let you get away with it!” Though the maid was snobbish, she understood I still mattered to Walter. If I died in the basement, Walter would definitely seek justice for me. After thinking it over, the maid decided to call Raymond. “Sir, Owen says he’s having a heart attack and is about to die. Should we let him out?” Raymond sounded puzzled. “He was fine when we left. How could he be dying now?” After a pause, Raymond said hesitantly, “Why don’t you open the door and check the situation inside…” I thought I heard hope, but Jasper interrupted Raymond with certainty in his voice. “I specifically consulted foreign specialists about using electrode patches to strengthen the heart. There definitely won’t be any problems. Raymond, if you don’t trust me, do you not trust the specialists either?” Hearing Jasper’s slightly displeased tone, Raymond panicked and quickly reassured him that he believed him. The call continued. When speaking to me, Raymond’s voice returned to its usual coldness. “Owen, you’d better behave yourself!” “He’s just trying to trick you into letting him out so he can go to the hospital and steal Jasper’s heart source. I already said I’d find him another heart. Can’t he wait even that long?” “Besides, I’m already strengthening his heart using the method the specialist recommended. What more does he want? Don’t pay any attention to him. If he wants to make noise, let him.”

With that, Raymond hung up mercilessly. The maid also left, not forgetting to spit before she went. My world became quiet again. All I could hear was my own irregular heartbeat. Everything before my eyes was pitch black. I felt my consciousness growing hazier. Was I going to die like this? I didn’t dare close my eyes, afraid that once I did, they would never open again. But I didn’t want to die. Sustained by a single thread of willpower, I actually managed to hold on until the basement door made sounds again. “Is anyone there… is someone outside?” “Help… please save me…” The person outside seemed to hear my plea for help and yanked off the rusty lock hanging on the basement door. By the faint light, I recognized him as Mr. Carter, a manager from the Blackwood company. Mr. Carter was frightened by the smell of blood in the basement and staggered back several steps. “Mr. Carter… it’s me…” I forced myself to get up, but collapsed heavily just as I reached the door. Mr. Carter quickly caught me and asked what had happened. I no longer had the strength to speak. I could only clench my teeth to keep from passing out. Mr. Carter quickly pulled out his phone and called Raymond. “Mr. Blackwood, Owen seems to be injured. You should come back right away!” Raymond on the other end of the line immediately panicked. “What? Jasper just said he wanted something to eat and asked me to buy it for him. How could something happen to him the moment I left? Where is he now?” Hearing Raymond’s anxious voice, Mr. Carter explained. “I’m not talking about Jasper. I’m talking about Owen, your biological son you just found.” Raymond on the other end paused. After confirming that Mr. Carter had come to the house to deliver documents and heard my cries for help, he laughed contemptuously. “This kid’s getting bolder and bolder. Lies just roll off his tongue now.” “Mr. Carter, just leave the documents and go. Owen is perfectly safe in the basement. You don’t need to worry about him.” Though Raymond’s dismissive tone confused Mr. Carter, before leaving, he still called 911 for me. I was in so much pain I nearly died. Through the haze, I seemed to see people lifting me into an ambulance. But when I woke up again, I didn’t receive the rescue I’d imagined. Instead, the pain in my chest grew even worse. “Ah…” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Only then did I notice a nurse beside me. “Please save me… it hurts so much…” “If this continues, I’ll really die…” Though anxious, the nurse said hesitantly, “I’m really sorry, sir. Right now, all the cardiology doctors in our hospital have been assigned to perform a heart transplant surgery. They really can’t spare anyone. Can you wait a bit longer?” My heart instantly turned cold. I was in too much pain to speak. I could only tightly grip the nurse’s hand, eyes red, begging her for help. The nurse seemed to take pity on me. After hesitating, she comforted me. “How about this — I’ll go ask the patient’s family in the operating room if they’re willing to spare a doctor to treat you, okay?” I nodded desperately, hoping fate would favor me just once. The patient’s family member the nurse mentioned seemed to be right next door. I could clearly hear their conversation. “Mr. Blackwood, another heart disease patient was just brought to our hospital. He looks very serious. Could you spare a doctor to treat him?” “There’s another heart patient? This condition can’t be delayed. Send two doctors over.”

The nurse thanked him, and the man even asked a few questions about my condition. This Mr. Blackwood was truly kind-hearted. Willing to help even a complete stranger. But how could someone so kind bear to let his own biological son suffer? I recognized Mr. Blackwood’s voice — it was Raymond. That meant the person he was mobilizing the entire hospital’s medical staff to save must be Jasper. I clenched my jaw, not letting my tears fall. I should never have hoped for this fatherly love. Still, with Raymond’s authorization, I was quickly wheeled into a room adjacent to Jasper’s. I heard the doctor making final pre-surgery confirmations with Raymond. “Mr. Blackwood, this heart source was originally for Owen. Are you certain you want to transfer it to Jasper?” “Certain.” Raymond’s answer was decisive. I should have expected this outcome. Without a heart source, the doctor could only give me painkillers to temporarily stabilize my condition, but this would only accelerate my heart failure. I endured the pain and grabbed the doctor’s coat. “My body can’t take any more painkillers… Please save me. I can’t hold on…” Facing my plea, the doctor only said helplessly, “These are all Mr. Blackwood’s arrangements.” “Right now, all cardiac medications must be used for Mr. Blackwood’s son first. Just wait a bit longer, or if you offend Mr. Blackwood, you might not even get painkillers.” Though my heart turned to ice, I knew my priority was staying alive. I bit through my tongue. The sharp pain jolted me awake. “Raymond! Save me!” Hearing my heart-wrenching screams, the doctor only sighed. “No matter who you call now, it’s useless. Who told you not to have a father like Mr. Blackwood?” “Your timing coming to the hospital was really bad. Mr. Blackwood’s son just happens to be having surgery today. To avoid any accidents, Mr. Blackwood requisitioned all the doctors and medications.” “But don’t worry. Once Mr. Blackwood’s son’s surgery is done, you’ll be able to get medication.” … I didn’t catch the rest of what the doctor said, only that he was describing what great fatherly love Raymond had. Ironically, I, his biological son, couldn’t receive even a fraction of that love. Meanwhile, surgery had already begun on the other side of the ward. Afraid Jasper would be scared, Raymond kept encouraging him. When rejection occurred during the surgery, Raymond nearly cried. “Don’t be afraid, Jasper. I’m right outside with you.” “After your surgery, I will take you on a world tour and transfer all the company assets to your name.” And just on the other side of the wall, with the painkillers taking effect, I could only lie on the cold hospital bed. I couldn’t speak. I could only stare at the ceiling, feeling my life slowly slipping away. “Heart transplant complete. The surgery was a complete success!” The moment the doctor announced Jasper’s successful surgery, my life also reached its end. I felt my body becoming light, actually floating into Jasper’s operating room. I saw Raymond crying tears of joy, carefully holding Jasper. “Good son, the surgery was successful. I am so happy.” Everyone around praised the deep father-son bond between Raymond and Jasper, but no one knew. In a dark corner, Raymond’s biological son had taken his last breath. Afterward, I watched Raymond take Jasper to Europe. They ate together, took photos, celebrating Jasper’s new life. But I could only silently say in my heart. Raymond, we’ll never see each other again… It wasn’t until two months later, when Raymond came home and saw my empty room, that he remembered me and ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. The maid spoke hesitantly. “Owen… he’s already dead in the basement.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397292”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My dad had been nagging me about blind dates for three whole years. He always sighed and said that after he and my mom were gone, leaving me alone in this world would be too lonely. To put his mind at ease, I went to meet the girl his old friend had introduced—Sienna. She was sophisticated and down-to-earth, not materialistic, the most compatible blind date I’d ever met. My dad couldn’t stop praising her, urging me every day to act fast, saying a girl this wonderful wouldn’t wait around forever. Just the night before I was secretly planning to propose with the diamond ring I’d already ordered, I accidentally came across a screenshot from a high-society girls’ group chat. “Ladies, I’ve found a rich idiot. Stupid and loaded. I’ll have him completely trapped tomorrow.” Below it was a candid photo she’d secretly taken of me eating, showing my profile. My fingers trembled as I scrolled down: “I’ve got my eye on that limited edition Hermès Birkin. Tomorrow I’ll spike his drink, and when he’s out of it, I’ll just swipe his card. That’s how I handled the last old guy with a Mercedes. Worked perfectly, no problems at all.” Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated. Sienna sent me a message: “Tristan, I’ve booked your favorite restaurant for tomorrow night. Let’s have dinner together.”

I looked at those screenshots over and over, unable to believe it. Sienna, who was always so dignified and proper, was this vile online. But the photo was right there—my jacket, my hands. How could I not recognize myself? The evidence was ironclad. Breaking into a cold sweat, I took a deep breath and replied: “Sure, see you tomorrow night.” The next day I arrived at the restaurant to find Sienna already there early, with all the dishes already ordered. Seeing me enter, she quickly stood up with a smile and pulled out my chair. “Tristan, you’re here. You look so sharp today.” The picture of a refined young lady. We’d barely eaten a few bites when I heard her say, “Tristan, we’ve met several times now. We should make it official. My dad says he’ll arrange our engagement for next week.” I nearly dropped my fork. Including today, we’d only met four times, and we hadn’t even confirmed our relationship. Engagement already? I swallowed the curse words on the tip of my tongue. “Sienna, I don’t think we’re compatible.” Sienna’s smile froze. “What are you saying, Tristan?” “I’m saying we’re not compatible. You can’t force a relationship. Let’s not contact each other anymore.” Sienna’s face immediately darkened. “Tristan Parker, what do you mean? Are you playing games with me? If you weren’t interested, why did you keep meeting me?” I listened wordlessly, not responding. Sienna snorted coldly and pulled a piece of paper from her bag, slapping it on the table. “Fine, you want to break up? Let’s settle the accounts first.” I looked down to see an itemized list of dating expenses. A long string of items, with a total at the bottom: Forty-eight thousand dollars. I was shocked and looked up at her. She looked completely justified. “Not a penny less.” “But I treated you too. It’s not like you were the only one paying.” As far as dating expenses went, I’d spent about the same amount as her. “That was your choice. I didn’t force you.” I laughed in disbelief. “You’re charging me for the Uber ride you took to get here?” It said two hundred dollars for the ride, but it only took her twenty minutes to get here. “If I wasn’t coming to see you, would I need to make this trip? Who else should I charge if not you?” I pointed at the line that said “beauty treatment, two thousand eight hundred” and asked again, “What does your spa treatment have to do with me?” “If I wasn’t meeting you, would I need to maintain my appearance?” Sienna said self-righteously. I was so angry I nearly choked. “Then show me the receipts, the order screenshots. Let’s go through it line by line. I’m not taking your word for it.” Sienna slammed the table. “What receipts? You have no idea how much effort I put into dating you? You think you can just take advantage and run?” Her aggressive manner finally matched that bitter woman in the screenshots. Instead, I calmed down. “How about this—take a photo of this list and post it on your social media. Get two hundred likes, and I’ll transfer the money immediately. Not a penny less.” Sienna’s face stiffened. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately switched to a gentle expression. “I was just speaking off the cuff earlier. Tristan, I like you. I don’t want to break up. I was just joking with you. Don’t take it to heart.” She pushed the red wine on the table toward me. “Come on, have some wine and calm down.” I stared at the glass of red wine for a moment, then reached out and picked it up.

Seeing me pick up the wine glass, Sienna’s eyes lit up. Probably thinking I was about to fall for her trap, she started with the sweet talk again. “Tristan, I was too anxious earlier. You’re right—feelings can’t be forced. If we’re not compatible, that’s okay. Let’s part on good terms. We can still be friends.” My hand trembled, and the entire glass of red wine spilled onto the table. Sienna’s face immediately went pale, staring at the pool of red wine, unable to speak. I set down the empty glass and followed her lead. “You’re right, let’s part on good terms.” Right in front of her, I pulled out my phone and directly called the matchmaker, Raymond. “Tristan, are you calling to set a date? I told you Sienna was reliable! Your dad found the right person through me!” “Raymond, this match isn’t going to work. Sienna and I aren’t compatible.” Raymond immediately turned hostile. “Not compatible? Tristan Parker, you’re thirty years old. What are you being so picky about? You’ll never find a wife this way!” I hung up before he could finish. Sienna watched me execute this series of moves smoothly, completely stunned. She wanted to blow up but it was too late—after all, she’d just said they should part on good terms. She glared at me hatefully, stood up, and slammed the door on her way out. From the looks of it, she wouldn’t let this go easily. Sure enough, a few days later while I was at work, my colleague Mike rushed over with news. “Tristan, you better go downstairs and check it out. Someone’s making a scene at the company entrance, cursing you out by name!” I went downstairs to find Sienna, her father, and Raymond all blocking the company’s main entrance. A crowd had gathered around them. Sienna’s father was squatting on the ground, slapping his thighs and wailing. ” God is blind! Everyone come judge this situation!” “Tristan Parker dated my daughter for half a month, scamming her for food, drinks, and affection, conning my daughter out of tens of thousands of dollars, then just walked away!” “Her mother died young. I raised her as a single father. How are we supposed to live now!” My colleagues were whispering to each other. “I really couldn’t tell. Tristan seems like such an honest guy normally. Is he really a freeloader?” “Tens of thousands of dollars? That’s way too much, isn’t it? He ate and then refused to pay?” “So shameless. Don’t let him ruin our company’s reputation!” Raymond pulled me out from the crowd, playing the mediator. “Tristan, I have to be fair here. Even if you don’t want to continue the relationship, you should return the money Sienna spent on you, right?” “Sienna’s family isn’t well-off. She spent so much money on you and kept track of every expense, clear as day!” He solemnly pulled out that same itemized list from last time and stuffed it into my arms. “Just take pity on Mr. Sullivan. Return the money. He raised Sienna all by himself—how hard that must have been. Can you really bear to watch him squat here like this?” Sienna walked over with red-rimmed eyes. “Tristan, don’t blame my dad. He’s just worried about me. I genuinely liked you. Can you give me another chance? I promise I’ll never bring up these things again.” The looks my colleagues gave me became even more strange, all shaking their heads. The commotion was too big. Our manager, Mr. Wilson, walked over with a dark expression. “Tristan Parker, I don’t want to get involved in your personal affairs, but causing a scene at the company has too negative an impact. They’ve brought out the account book. Hurry up and return the money, or the company can’t keep you.” After the manager spoke, I didn’t panic at all. Instead, I smiled.

“I won’t give you a single cent.” I said calmly, “Not only will I not give you money, I’m going to collect what you owe me.” Hearing this, Sienna’s father squatted back down and started wailing again. “Help! This punk is trying to drive us father and daughter to death!” “My daughter works so hard to earn money, working early and late every day, exhausting herself. He scammed away all the money she finally saved!” “And now he’s turning it around on us! You heartless scoundrel!” My colleagues also criticized me. “Tristan Parker, you’ve gone too far. How can you ask them for money? Playing the victim!” “Exactly! Paying back debts is only natural. Have some shame!” The manager had lost his patience. “Tristan, pay up quickly. Stop embarrassing yourself here!” I ignored them and held up the itemized list for everyone around to see. “Everyone, look carefully. This is the bill she wants me to pay.” “Sienna and I met a total of four times. She paid for two meals, and I also paid for two meals. I have payment receipts.” “Why is she calculating all four meals as expenses she paid alone?” The murmuring stopped, and people crowded over to look. I pointed at the list and continued. “To get to the restaurant, she only needed a twenty-minute Uber ride, but she recorded two hundred dollars for the fare each time. Four times makes it eight hundred.” Sienna’s father stopped wailing and jumped up, shouting. “So what if she recorded it wrong! Everyone makes accounting mistakes!” “You’re nitpicking over this tiny error because you want to dodge the debt!” “My daughter spent so much money on you, and you still have the nerve to find fault? You have no conscience at all!” But the onlookers’ expressions had already changed. “A few hundred dollars off is a small error? This is obviously inflated reporting!” “The fare doesn’t match up either. A twenty-minute ride doesn’t cost two hundred dollars. This is extortion.” “I don’t think this is as simple as it seems.” Seeing things going south, Sienna’s father rushed forward to grab the list but was blocked by several colleagues. I simply started reading it aloud. “Pre-date beauty treatment, two thousand eight hundred. Manicure, eight hundred. Eyelash extensions, six hundred. Uber fare, eight hundred. Cosmetics depreciation, one thousand…” “Sienna, you treated me to meals, but I also took you to movies and coffee. I never took advantage of you.” “But why should I pay for your beauty treatments, manicures, and eyelash extensions before our dates?” The crowd completely exploded. “What the hell? She’s charging him for beauty treatments? And manicures and lashes? Is this a blind date or a scam?” “These prices are wrong too. Beauty treatment for two thousand eight hundred? Do they think we’re idiots?” “This is ridiculous! This is clearly extortion!” The onlookers all turned against them. Sienna’s face turned red and white alternately. In desperation, she raised her voice and shouted. “Everyone, don’t let him distract you! I gave him a twenty-thousand-dollar luxury watch! That was real money!” I snorted coldly and pulled out an authentication report from my pocket, holding it up for everyone to see. “I had this watch verified at the official store. The clerk said on the spot it was a knockoff. The same model online costs a few hundred dollars with free shipping.” I handed the authentication report to a knowledgeable colleague nearby. After looking at it twice, the colleague laughed. “It’s definitely fake. Even the movement doesn’t match.” Now the crowd was truly furious, pointing at them and cursing. “She gave him a fake gift and has the nerve to make a scene at the company entrance? This is completely backwards!” “This is a scammer, isn’t it? Call the police!” I looked at Sienna, my tone ice-cold. “The watch you gave was a few-hundred-dollar fake, but the gift I gave in return was a brand-new phone worth ten thousand dollars, plus expensive tea and supplements for your father. These items add up to fifteen thousand. Return it to me now.” The onlookers also told her to return the money, and some said they should call the police. Sienna’s face turned ashen as she pulled out her phone and transferred the money. Sienna’s father tried to stop her but was pulled aside by Sienna, who whispered something to him. Her father stopped protesting. After Sienna transferred the money, she grabbed her father and ran. Before leaving, her father glared at me viciously. “This isn’t over! Just you wait!”

On the weekend, I was resting at home when someone frantically knocked on the door. My dad opened the door to find our neighbor Mrs. Davis looking anxious. “Mr. Parker, you need to go see what’s happening! Several people are livestreaming at our community entrance, saying your family scammed them out of money and affection!” I thought to myself, it’s finally here. I immediately opened the livestream app, searched the local area, and quickly found it. Sienna had found a popular streamer with hundreds of thousands of followers. The host was speaking passionately. “Everyone, today I’m going to seek justice for this infatuated girl who was scammed out of all her savings!” In the camera, Sienna looked haggard as she complained. “Tristan Parker and I dated for half a year. Our relationship was always good, and we were even talking about marriage.” “His family demanded a thirty-thousand-dollar wedding money. We scraped together every penny we had, but after he took the money, he turned on us and blocked me.” Sienna’s father was squatting on the ground wiping tears, crying heartbreakingly. “I’m a single father… those thirty thousand dollars came from selling my hometown house and borrowing from relatives!” “Now the son-in-law is gone, the house is gone, but the debt remains. We don’t even have a place to live anymore! We can’t go on!” Raymond also spoke righteously. “I’ve been a matchmaker my whole life. I’ve never seen such a black-hearted family!” “I personally watched Sienna hand thirty thousand dollars in cash to Tristan Parker’s father. His father was grinning from ear to ear when he took the money!” The livestream had hundreds of thousands of viewers flooding in, with comments overwhelmingly cursing us. “Marriage scam! Fraud!” “Expose him! Let him be socially destroyed!” “This kind of person teaches people?” My dad and I had just walked out of the community entrance when the livestream camera was shoved in our faces. Sienna’s father pointed at me and howled. “It’s him! Everyone please help me make him return the money!” He then pointed at my dad and cursed viciously. ” You call yourself an educator, but all you do is immoral things!” For a moment, both the neighbors present and the netizens in the livestream were cursing our family. “Scammer! Return the money!” My dad was at a loss, frantically waving his hands. “We didn’t take any money! My son never even dated her!” The netizens didn’t believe him at all. The comments became even more vicious. “The scammer is still trying to make excuses!” “Playing innocent! The evidence is right here!” Raymond walked over triumphantly and said to my dad. “My friend, so many people are watching. You should just return the money. Otherwise, your Tristan will never find anyone willing to marry him!” I quickly supported my dad. “Dad, don’t worry. Let me handle this.” The host came up to me. “This is the person in question, Tristan Parker. They say you took thirty thousand dollars and then blocked them. What do you have to say? When will you return the money?” I looked at the camera, neither humble nor arrogant. “Sienna and her family are making false accusations. They have no evidence. I don’t acknowledge it.” Sienna was prepared. “We gave cash! Raymond is the witness!” I snorted coldly. “If you have evidence that you were defrauded of thirty thousand dollars, why didn’t you report it to the police?” I pulled out my phone, found that group chat screenshot, held it up to the livestream camera, and said word by word. “They have no evidence, but I do!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397293”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

On New Year’s Eve, five months pregnant, I was urgently called back to the hospital to perform a C-section on a patient. Halfway through the surgery, a man’s hoarse roar came from the doorway. “Luna! Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you! After you have the baby, I’ll marry you and bring you home, okay?” The familiar voice made me freeze. It wasn’t until the surgery ended successfully and the man rushed in with reddened eyes to embrace Luna that I finally saw clearly. It was my husband of five years, Ethan Walker. When I saw the man’s face clearly, I froze for a moment before speaking in a hoarse voice. “Congratulations, it’s a seven-pound baby boy.” Ethan didn’t have time to look at the child, much less notice me. “Luna, thank you, thank you for giving me a child. You’re the best wife I could ask for. Luna, I love you.” He trembled as he placed a kiss on Luna’s forehead. Sincere and beautiful. Almost exactly like the scene I’d dreamed of when I would give birth. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the protagonist. Several new nurses exclaimed in admiration, their faces full of envy. “They’re so in love! This is the first time I’ve seen someone go to their wife first instead of the baby when the child is born!” “I’m so jealous of her! She found such a wonderful man.” My whole body trembled. It was like having a bucket of cold water poured over me from head to toe, my heart flooding with cold. Just five hours ago, Ethan had been carefully peeling shrimp for me at our New Year’s dinner. When a relative saw this and teased him about it, he didn’t mind at all. He reached over to wipe the corner of my mouth. “Sophia’s become even more of a foodie since getting pregnant. I do this all the time. If I don’t peel them for her, she’ll throw a tantrum and say I don’t love her!” I was a bit confused but didn’t say anything. After all, the tantrums he mentioned—I’d never thrown any. When his father offered him a drink, for the first time he refused, despite usually being so obedient. “Sophia is pregnant and gets uncomfortable when she smells alcohol. As her husband, I need to take care of her.” My heart had been so warm then. Now it was just as cold. It wasn’t until Luna was wheeled into the hospital room and a nurse took the baby from my frozen arms that my best friend, Cassidy, pulled down my mask, her face full of concern. “Sophia, with Ethan… isn’t there some kind of misunderstanding?” I lowered my eyes, feeling heat rising in them. But my mind flashed back to Ethan’s stunned expression when he first learned I was pregnant. At the time, I thought he was just happy and dazed, so I didn’t think much of it. He also reacted belatedly, hugging me tightly and kissing my forehead. “Sophia! I’m going to be a father? I’m so happy!” When he learned I didn’t plan to quit my job, Ethan’s expression soured and his tone became heavy. “But won’t that be too exhausting? Pregnancy will affect your work. You’ll have trouble managing both! If you don’t want the child, we can get rid of it!” I refused. But now, I regretted it a little. That momentary hesitation, those words hoping I’d abort the child—they were all his true feelings. Of course. Two children would be hard for him to manage. One was best. The one he loved most was best. I changed my clothes and passed by the hospital room, seeing the two of them nestled together inside. My heart filled with bitterness. It wasn’t until I left the hospital that Cassidy drove up and stopped in front of me. Only then did I wearily rub my temples, my hand falling to my swollen belly. My voice was hoarse but serious. “Cassidy, the hospital’s New Year holiday lasts a week, and we start work next Wednesday, right?” “Right.” “Then please schedule me for the earliest abortion procedure next Wednesday.”

After saying that, I didn’t wait to see Cassidy’s shocked expression. I drove home alone. Almost as soon as I reached my door, my phone received a message from Ethan. [Sophia, a really important project suddenly came up at the company tonight. I won’t be coming home to spend New Year’s with you.] I paused. Then he called. “Sophia, don’t throw a tantrum over something so small, okay? I can put up with your pregnancy mood swings once or twice, but after a while it really annoys me. Can you just be good? I’m working overtime to earn more money to support the baby. If you’re going to throw a fit over something like this, then let’s just abort the baby while it’s still small. Besides, you got called back to the hospital to work overtime too, didn’t you?” He’d said things like this many times before. During my second month of pregnancy, I had such bad morning sickness I couldn’t eat anything. He got impatient and threw away the food. “It’s just pregnancy! I’ve seen other people… and none of them are as delicate as you! How come you can’t eat anything? Don’t tell me you’re faking morning sickness to get me to stay with you like my coworkers said? Sophia! I’m busy too!” A woman’s sixth sense told me his “coworker” wasn’t just a regular colleague. But I was feeling too sick to investigate further. I just begged him to pour me a glass of warm water. “Where am I supposed to get warm water this late at night? You want me to specifically boil a pot for you? Can’t you just put up with it and drink something cold? How come everyone else can drink it but not you?” “If you can’t handle the difficulties of pregnancy, then just abort the baby early!” Only now did I realize. Every word he said back then came straight from his heart. How ridiculous, right? But wasn’t this too cruel to me? I stayed silent for a long time, finally speaking just before Ethan’s patience ran out. “Okay, got it. I won’t wait up for you then.” With that, I hung up directly.

Ethan came home early the next morning. He packed up some things, taking the baby items I’d prepared early, and was about to leave. “A coworker just had a baby and doesn’t have anything to give them. I’ll take the stuff we prepared for our baby and give it to her first. We can buy new things when you give birth.” I was a bit dazed, unconsciously touching my belly. Right. I wouldn’t need them anymore. This child wouldn’t be born either. Ethan didn’t notice. Seeing me dazed, his expression gradually darkened. But a trace of guilt flickered in his eyes. “You’re going to be petty over some baby supplies? Really? We can just buy the exact same things again later. Your temper has been so bad since you got pregnant. Do you really think you’re royalty or something?” I forced a smile and spoke obediently. “Okay, whatever you say.” When I finished speaking, Ethan froze again. Since getting pregnant, I hadn’t been this submissive in a long time. Pregnancy hormones made me cry easily, throw tantrums, and lose my temper. On our anniversary, I had seen Luna. She sat at the table next to ours, alone and looking sad with her pregnant belly. “I really envy you two. Your relationship is so good.” I was about to comfort her when Ethan directly gave her the necklace he’d prepared for me. “This necklace suits you better. I’ll give it to you. Don’t be sad anymore.” After saying that, he naturally reached out and patted her head. I froze on the spot, my face turning ugly. Luna hurriedly stood up, her face pale, tears in her eyes. “No, you don’t have to. This is your anniversary gift. I can’t take it. I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to ruin your anniversary. I’m really sorry.” By the end, her eyes were red. She almost knelt down to me. Before I could speak, Ethan scolded me furiously. “Sophia! Haven’t you caused enough trouble! It’s just a necklace! If you want one, we can buy another one! She likes it, so I gave it to her! Do you have to be so petty? She’s crying!” My words stuck in my throat. Watching Ethan intimately help Luna up, I finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears. But he just looked impatient and pointed at the door. “If you want to cry, go cry outside! You think you’re an empress just because you’re pregnant? She’s already upset, why do you have to make it worse? Is that fun for you?” Afterward, he explained to me. “She’s all alone and already so pitiful. You’re about to be a mother too. Just think of it as doing a good deed, okay?” Isn’t it laughable? Ethan and his mistress were being intimate right in front of me. And I was too stupid to see it. How pathetic, right? Her child was born. But I was only five months along. How ironic, right? Ethan, your love really is cheap enough. Coming back to my senses, Ethan held me in his arms and kissed my forehead. “Be good. I have to go on a business trip for three days. Take care of yourself and the baby at home, okay? If you’d been this obedient earlier, we wouldn’t have had to argue.” I showed no expression. I looked at him calmly. “You’re going on a business trip during the New Year holiday too?” Ethan’s face stiffened for a moment. But he quickly put on a smile and pinched my cheek. “Yes, for you and the baby.”

After Ethan left, I slept all afternoon. When I woke up, it was already dark. I casually picked up my phone and scrolled through social media, when I saw a post from an unfamiliar secondary account. It was a family photo taken at the hospital. Luna held the baby, Ethan sat beside her, and Ethan’s parents stood nearby with big smiles. The caption read: [Four years with my husband, and now we have our little baby! The whole family is spoiling me like a little princess again!] The most striking comment below was from Ethan’s mother. [Our harmonious family is the greatest happiness!] A harmonious family? Could a mistress and her child really be called a harmonious family? Married for five years, but they’d been together for four? So they all knew. They were all keeping it from me. I pressed my lips together and couldn’t help but laugh. I laughed until tears poured down in large drops that I couldn’t wipe away fast enough. Ethan. I regret this so much. Late that night, I finally calmed my emotions and returned to the bedroom. I was about to take my vitamins when I noticed the pills looked different from usual. Although I studied obstetrics and gynecology, I could still tell the difference between pills. Unless I was drowsy and not fully conscious, it would be impossible to mix them up. The pill bottle sat on the nightstand. Normally, no one except Ethan could freely enter and exit. The answer was obvious. The hand holding the pills began to tremble uncontrollably. In the end, my whole body went limp and I collapsed to the floor with a thud. “It can’t be…” I desperately tried to comfort myself, desperately wanted to believe in Ethan. After all, we had truly been in love for several years. At our most loving, he even protected me underneath him during a car accident, just to keep me safe. He said, “Sophia, you’re far more important to me than I am to myself. I can’t lose you.” That day, I cried until I nearly lost my voice, swearing I’d only love him for the rest of my life. Today, I was equally choked with tears, but I was searching for reasons to believe in him. Ethan. Please, please don’t let it be you… On the third day, I asked Cassidy. “Sophia, this is a hormone pill. A pregnant woman absolutely can’t take this randomly. It could easily cause fetal deformities.” I completely froze in place, unable to hear anything else. The guilt in Ethan’s eyes when he left that day—I finally understood it. My last shred of hope for Ethan was completely shattered. Years of feelings, unable to withstand the high pressure, finally collapsed entirely.

Ethan didn’t come back on the third day. I sat dazed on the sofa until it grew dark and then light again. My phone rang and rang. Until the battery died and it automatically shut off, and the world became completely quiet. Next Wednesday was my birthday. I sat outside the operating room and called Ethan. “Sophia? You finally called me back. Have you been sulking these past few days? I’ve been too busy to come back.” “I’m doing this for triple pay! Can’t you be a little understanding? What do you think I am, ignoring my calls and messages? If you can’t handle this marriage, then let’s just get divorced! What’s the point of losing your temper at me every day? I really don’t have time to coax you!” By the end, his tone was terrible. I pretended not to hear. I spoke calmly and indifferently. “Ethan, do you remember today is my birthday?” He paused on the other end, saying nothing. I didn’t care. I wiped away my tears and continued. “It’s okay if you forgot. You don’t need to remember anymore. Ethan, when you come back, let’s get divorced.” After I finished speaking, he was silent for a long time. So long that I thought he’d already hung up, when a voice finally came through. “Sophia, are you using divorce as an excuse to force me to come back? Why do you have to be so extreme? Why can’t you try to understand me? Do you think I’ll give in if you do this?” “I hate it most when you play these games! Sophia, I’ll come back when you learn to behave!” I pressed my lips together. I stared at my phone, at the screen full of chat records and photos, in a daze. This was Luna’s secondary account, which had been sending me messages these past few days. From the very beginning when they met, to their current chat records—I’d seen it all. In four years, nine out of ten times he “worked overtime,” he was at Luna’s place. And I’d foolishly prepared meals and waited for him until late at night. Even when I saw the hickeys on his neck, I deluded myself into thinking they were mosquito bites. I trusted him completely. But he lied to me. Ethan. This is so unfair to me. If you don’t love me anymore, why won’t you let me go? “Ethan, I’m not joking.” “When you come back, let’s get divorced.” Just then, a new nurse came out with a form, calling for patients. Her voice carried into the phone. “Sophia, which one is Sophia? Your scheduled abortion procedure is ready!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397294”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster