Category: English

To bring an end to the brutal war, I volunteered to become a peace bride, marrying Kael, the formidable chieftain of the Wolfen Clans, my childhood companion. Kael, a whirlwind of raw power, pinned me to the open plains. For three days and three nights, he took me until I faded into unconsciousness. I truly believed Kael loved me. But later, it was *he* who led a hundred thousand beast warriors, their iron hooves trampling through the heart of Aethelgard. He forced my head back, making me watch in horror: my King, torn apart by the wolves until his head was gone. My brother, the Crown Prince, cut down, his body trampled into unrecognizable pulp beneath their horses. Those savages even stripped my Queen Mother bare, shaming her until blood streamed from her legs… Kael smiled at me, yet his eyes held no trace of emotion: “Lyra, did you truly believe your beauty, magnificent enough to topple kingdoms, could ever capture my heart?” “Your royal family slaughtered countless of my kin. You offer only yourself in return, yet you dare to dream of erasing this ocean of blood and vengeance!” In the end, Kael united the lands, and he had his beloved Queen. He locked me away in the forgotten chambers, stripped of my title and my very name. Every time I tried to end my life, he’d exhume a corpse from the royal crypts and grind their bones to dust before me. “You will not die without my command!” I stopped struggling. Anyway, there were only three days left until the potent poison, which I had consumed years ago to save him, finally claimed my life. *** Lena’s birthday feast. Kael granted me a rare reprieve from my solitary prison. My eyes burned as I watched the woman on the high platform, adorned with an ornate, feathered circlet – a sacred relic of my Queen Mother. “Impudent wretch! Bow before His Majesty and the Queen!” Someone brutally kicked me. My knees slammed against the stone floor, my forehead touching the ground as I numbly performed a deep bow. Kael didn’t let me rise, his face expressionless: “Lyra, you’re late by a good fifteen minutes. Are you deliberately trying to disrespect Lena?” “This slave deserves death.” I knocked my head against the floor again. I didn’t bother explaining that my legs were weakened, and walking all the way from my secluded chambers would take at least a couple of hours. Kael’s face twisted into a sneer. “You’ve learned your lesson, haven’t you?” The last time I disobeyed, he’d locked me in a beast cage and bled me half-dry to quench the thirst of his monstrous hounds. When I was on the brink of death, he’d then order his men to scour the lands for the rarest herbs and potent elixirs, barely clinging to my life. “My dear sister, please rise. You were once a princess, precious as a gem. Even with your kingdom fallen, why do you still act like a lowly servant?” Lena herself helped me up, her words dripping with false kindness, twisting the knife deep into my most painful wound. She spotted the wolf fang bracelet coiled around my wrist, and a flicker of covetousness crossed her eyes. She said she adored it and wanted it as a birthday gift. I glanced at Kael. He showed no reaction. This was a gift from Kael himself, an ancient heirloom of his clan. Each fang was said to be a potent remedy, carrying a unique, enduring scent that never faded. 2. Long-term wear was believed to soothe pain and extend one’s lifespan. I’d always been frail since childhood, and when he gave it to me, he’d wished for my lifelong peace and health. “If Her Majesty desires it, how could this slave refuse?” I removed it from my wrist and placed it into Lena’s outstretched hand. As I withdrew my gaze, I faintly heard the sound of a spilled goblet from the high platform. Lena toyed with the wolf fang bracelet, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. “Oh, right, I recall you were once famed as ‘Aethelgard’s Enchantress,’ weren’t you? Why don’t you grace us with a performance?” I numbly endured the malicious, spectating gazes from across the banquet hall. There were commanders from the Wolfen Clans. And also the traitors who, from within, had opened Aethelgard’s city gates. But I had no right to refuse. A bowl of steaming broth, just served, splashed over me. It scalded my skin instantly, peeling it back. “What are you standing there for, dumbstruck? A fallen royal, still daring to act like a spoiled princess? You’re lucky to be breathing, don’t push your luck!” As if I felt no pain, I rose on my tiptoes. I transformed myself into a dancer, a plaything for their amusement. The Wolfen Clans had an open, wild culture, and those barbarians still weren’t satisfied. They cheered, urging me to strip. Kael’s gaze, cold and dark, lingered on me from afar. It was his silent permission. I bit my lip, then began to unfasten my belt. My clothes, clinging to my scalded skin, ripped as I tore them off, leaving raw, bleeding patches. Piece by piece, I undressed in this very Throne Room, a place filled with countless beautiful memories of my past. Tears finally fell. Only when the banquet ended was I permitted to stop. Kael walked towards me, reeking of wine. His icy fingertips brushed against the damp streaks on my face, wiping away a single tear. But his voice was utterly devoid of feeling: “Lyra, are you deliberately trying to play for pity in front of me?” “This slave… wouldn’t dare.” But as the words left my lips, my old ailment flared up again. I coughed up blood right in front of him, feeling as though my entire insides were being torn out. Kael recoiled in disgust, his sneer deepening. “I’ve seen this sickly, pathetic state of yours for ten years. Haven’t you had enough of pretending?” I once believed he despised the women of the Central Kingdoms, hated my delicate nature and my weakness. Yet, for Lena, he was endlessly devoted. Lena would just lightly frown, and the royal healers would already be waiting at her door, ready to drop everything. The parasites gnawed at me. My body trembled, cold sweat pouring from my forehead. Before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw a flicker of panic in Kael’s eyes. He gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl: “Lyra, I won’t let you die easily. You will live, and you will atone!” But I couldn’t atone anymore… In two more days, I would surely die. The next morning, I woke up to find my burns had been treated. 3. I vaguely realized this wasn’t my solitary prison, but the King’s royal chambers. I remembered when my King was still alive, he often held my brother and me in this very room, teaching us to read and write. My Queen Mother would bring me warm, fragrant honey cakes she’d baked herself. But I couldn’t even recall their taste anymore. “You’re awake.” Kael approached, his face expressionless. He gripped my jaw, pouring a bowl of incredibly bitter blood-tonic medicine down my throat. His strength was immense. I choked, my eyes stinging red. “Lyra, don’t look at me with such pitiful eyes.” Kael sneered. “Even if your hands are clean, unstained by my kin’s blood, as long as you were born into that royal family, you are not innocent.” The day our kingdom fell, he slaughtered every last royal bloodline of the former regime. Even the fully formed child in my womb, his own flesh and blood, he did not spare. Only I was left alive. I didn’t understand… was this love, or hatred? It must be hatred. That’s why he later made me soak night after night in freezing, potent herbal baths, designed to steal away my ability to bear children. He wanted me to be completely barren. He didn’t want me to bear his children. He despised me, my lineage tainted. I wiped the medicine from the corner of my mouth. Before I could speak, a joyous shout came from outside. “Your Majesty! The royal healers have confirmed Her Majesty Lena is with child!” Kael’s expression froze, then his voice filled with excitement: “Are you serious? Lena is pregnant?” My gaze was distant, watching the joy of a new father spread across his face. Perhaps the parasites began gnawing again, for my hand instinctively clutched my chest. It hurt so much. I had intended to die alone in my desolate prison when the poison finally took hold. But Kael, of all times, sent me to attend to Lena now. He knew exactly how to inflict the cruelest torment upon me. A swift death would have been merciful. Instead, he wanted me to witness, with my own eyes, other women bearing his children. While our own child, whom he’d personally ripped from my womb, lay buried on the back hill, a lone, unmarked grave, not even a simple headstone. Lena smiled at me, a soft, saccharine smile. “You, born of nobility, my dear sister, His Majesty asks you to serve me, but I couldn’t possibly make you do menial tasks. Just clean up the fallen petals in the front courtyard.” I picked up the broom, looking at the courtyard blanketed in peach blossoms. Other palace maids openly rolled their eyes at me, their voices filled with disdain. “A princess from the fallen regime, she’s lucky to be left to rot in her cold palace. Only our Queen is kind enough to call her ‘sister.’” “Noble born? Ha! She’s clearly lower than the cheapest concubine, utterly despised by His Majesty. If I were her, I wouldn’t have the audacity to cling to life so shamelessly.” Red rashes slowly began to appear on my skin. I gasped for breath, and suddenly felt a warm liquid trickling from my nose. I reached up, touching it, and froze. “Ah!” 4. Lena saw the blood covering my face and was instantly overcome with feigned shock. When Kael rushed in, he slapped me without a word, his force so great it sent me sprawling to the ground, scattering a flurry of peach petals. I began to cough.

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My son loves to threaten me by punishing himself. It was scorching hot, over 100 degrees, and he deliberately smashed the AC unit. “Unless you immediately transfer fifty thousand dollars to my dad,” he snarled, “I’ll let myself overheat and die right here!” I was just so tired of this familiar drama. Quietly, I used that fifty thousand dollars to buy a small apartment, then moved to a cooler resort town overnight. The temperature hit a new high today. News reports said two hundred new cases of heatstroke had been reported, including two severe heatstroke cases. I remembered my son, Liam, had complained the old AC wasn’t cooling well, so I immediately ordered a brand-new one for him. Before he got back, I turned the AC on, setting it to a comfortable temperature. For dinner, I made some refreshing, cool salads and cold noodles. The food was on the table when he walked in. “Mom, why is it so cool in here? Did you get a new AC?” he asked the moment he stepped inside. I smiled. “Yep, it cost over five thousand dollars, but the weather’s so hot, I had to. You wouldn’t sleep well otherwise, and how would you study?” His face inexplicably darkened. He slammed the book in his hand onto the floor. He glared at me, his eyes cold. “Five thousand dollars for an AC, just like that?! How can you be so wasteful? No wonder Dad divorced you!” My smile vanished. “It’s so hot, I only replaced it for your good. How can you talk to your mom like that?” “Besides, I’m spending my own money. What does that have to do with your dad?” He rubbed the back of his head, annoyed. He pointed out the window. “My dad’s out there delivering food in this scorching heat, and here you are, chilling in air conditioning. Don’t you feel ashamed?” He started to get teary-eyed with anger. “It’s almost 100 degrees! After a hard day, he only has a fan in his cramped, rundown apartment in the city’s older district. How many times does he wake up in the middle of the night from the heat? He barely falls asleep before he has to get up before dawn to deliver food again! And what were you doing then? Sleeping soundly in your nice, cool room!” He pointed a finger at my nose, spitting as he yelled, “Just for that, you don’t deserve this AC!” With that, he angrily grabbed the fire extinguisher from the corner and rushed towards the standing AC unit, smashing it with all his might. “My dad’s suffering, so I don’t deserve to be comfortable either! Unless you transfer fifty thousand dollars to him, I’m not using this AC!” Under his relentless blows, the AC unit shattered. He didn’t stop there. He grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped the AC wires into pieces, completely destroying it. I was too shocked to speak. I thought about the past few days, how Liam had several times seemed on the verge of saying something to me, and how he’d been having inexplicable outbursts of temper. Suddenly, it all clicked. He was blowing off steam for his dad.

My ex-husband, Richard Peterson, and I divorced five years ago. The reason was that he secretly lent my ten years of savings to his younger sister, Chloe, for her business without telling me. In less than three months, Chloe blew through all my money. Richard then secretly told Chloe that she didn’t have to pay it back, so they wouldn’t feel burdened. At that time, my smoothie shop was forced to close because it lacked the working capital from that money. I still clearly remember how he scolded me when I asked his sister for the money back. “We’re married, so my sister is your sister. What’s wrong with spending some money on family? Why are you so selfish? Only thinking about yourself!” “I’m the oldest in the family; it’s my responsibility to support my siblings. How can I ask for the money back now? Where would I put my face?” “Yes, I know you’re upset, but we’re the older ones, aren’t we? We should suffer a little so our younger siblings can have a good life, right?” So, I divorced him without hesitation. Our son, Liam, lived with me, only visiting his dad for a few days during summer and winter breaks. At first, everything was harmonious. Later, Liam, for some reason, started finding fault with me every other day. When I bought expensive grapes, he said I was wasting money. When I had a late-night snack, he said I was extravagant. Even when I bought him study materials, he said I had too much money and nowhere to spend it. The day we moved into our new house, he flipped over a table full of food in front of my friends. He screamed, asking me why I was moving. Why I deserved to live in such a nice house. I never understood. I tried every way to create good living conditions for him, so how could everything I did be wrong in his eyes? Now I get it. He could empathize with his dad but couldn’t empathize with me. No matter what I did, as long as I was doing better than his dad, I was wrong. I suddenly remembered when he found out the reason for my divorce, he said something dismissively. “It’s just two hundred thousand, isn’t it? Aunt Chloe isn’t an outsider. Do you really need to make such a big deal out of it?” Back then, I thought his dad had taught him that. Now, it seems he and his dad are cut from the same cloth. They both want to burn themselves out to light up others. Unfortunately, I’m not that noble.

I tried to reason with him. “Your dad is a private school teacher; he has a solid salary. He has enough money to install an AC for himself. Do you know why he still works hard delivering food after work?” He kept smashing the AC, scoffed, and said nothing. I patiently explained, “It’s because his younger brother, David, is getting married and needs a three-hundred-thousand-dollar dowry. He sent all his savings back, but he’s still short by one hundred and fifty thousand, so he had to start delivering food.” “For the past year, he’s been working multiple jobs so hard, all to save money for David’s wedding.” “Last month, I heard he was still short fifty thousand, and David couldn’t wait any longer, urging him to get the money quickly. That’s why he came to me. After buying this apartment, I didn’t have much money left, and I needed to save that for your college tuition, so of course, I wouldn’t lend it to him.” He cut me off. “I don’t care! I just want my dad not to work so hard! Transfer the money to him right now! Otherwise, I’ll overheat and die right here!” He went back into his room, grabbed a blanket, wrapped it around himself, and said firmly, “I mean it!” The temperature in the room quickly rose. I was already sweating profusely. He was even worse. He was panting from the heat, his breath hot, like steam from a boiling pot. But his eyes, covered in sweat, stared at me with fierce determination. He’d used this trick since he was little. He always used himself to threaten me. If I didn’t buy him something, he’d go on a hunger strike or lock himself in his room. My heart ached for him, and I always had to give in. This time, though, I felt unusually exhausted. Suddenly, I wondered what the point of working so hard was. He wrapped another blanket around himself, forcing me to transfer the money to Richard. I had no choice but to FaceTime Richard. I aimed the camera at Liam and told Richard, “Your son is punishing himself because you won’t use the AC. Please, talk some sense into him. He’s deliberately suffering; he’ll get sick eventually.” Richard said exactly what I expected. “That’s my good boy. It’s okay to be a little hot; it won’t kill anyone. The money saved on the AC can be used for your uncle David’s wedding.” I watched Liam’s reaction, hoping he’d realize the truth. But he just nodded, moved. “Dad, don’t worry, I know you’re doing this for me. I’ll always support you!” Seeing this, the last flicker of hope in my heart was completely extinguished. I opened my SnapChat wallet. Liam immediately threw off the blankets, his face beaming with pride, thinking he had me exactly where he wanted me. “That’s right! You married my dad, so you should be his strongest supporter, fully backing all his decisions.” “After you transfer the money to him, go buy an AC from eBay. No, buy two! One for us, and one for Dad. A family should share hardships together.” I didn’t respond. He noticed I wasn’t transferring money at all; I was actually browsing hotels. He immediately exploded. “What are you doing? Didn’t I tell you to transfer money to Dad?” I booked a king-sized room right in front of him, calmly saying, “It’s too hot to sleep without AC. If you want to share hardships with your dad, that’s fine, but I have no interest in joining you.” His face contorted with rage. Then he piled all the blankets back on himself. “If you dare go to that hotel, I’ll literally overheat and die for you!” I didn’t answer, packed a change of clothes, and walked out.

I was sleeping comfortably in the hotel when I was woken up by a call from my neighbor. He said my son had suffered heatstroke and had crawled to his doorstep in the middle of the night for help. He was currently being treated at the hospital. I notified Richard to rush to the hospital. By the time I arrived, Liam’s condition had stabilized. His face was still flushed, as if it had been scorched by fire. When he saw me, his eyes reddened, and he stubbornly turned his face away. “What are you doing here? Go back to your hotel and enjoy your AC! Just let me die from the heat!” I was both angry and amused. “So, you really don’t want me here?” He retorted without hesitation, “Who needs you here? Without you, my dad would take care of me. Living with him is a hundred times, a thousand times better than living with you!” I chuckled. “It only takes about fifteen minutes to get here from your dad’s place, while it takes me half an hour from the hotel. I only left after I notified him, and I’ve been here for ten minutes already, but he still hasn’t arrived. Do you really think he puts you first?” Just as I finished speaking, Richard arrived. He was wearing a loose, shapeless white undershirt and faded black shorts, his head completely shaved. He looked like he’d stepped out of the 80s. The first thing he did when he saw me was to curse. “How could you take care of our son so poorly? The AC was on at home, and he still got heatstroke?” Liam started sobbing, touched. Watching this touching father-son scene, I suddenly said, “Alright, since you say I can’t take care of him, then you take him. Anyway, he doesn’t care to live with me.” Both of them froze. Richard opened his mouth and chuckled awkwardly. “Sarah, don’t try that on me. You begged and paid to get custody of our son back then, and now you’re willing to give him up? I don’t believe your nonsense!” Liam also had a cold expression, saying impatiently, “She’s just so dramatic. She’s unwilling to help her family at all. She’s just a self-centered and manipulative person who only cares about her own pleasure.” I had no strength to argue back. After a sigh, I said, “Say whatever you want. Anyway, I won’t interfere with your affairs.” Liam immediately sat up and pulled out his IV drip. “I told you to transfer the money to Dad, so you better do it! Otherwise, I’m leaving with Dad today, and I’ll never see you again!” Richard chimed in, “My son, so young, understands this, but you, an adult, don’t. You should reflect on yourself. Anyway, if I just get fifty thousand to solve my brother’s urgent problem, I can relax for a while.” As he spoke, his phone rang. From the sound, it seemed to be his brother, David. “Bro, I’m hungry. Can you bring me some food? I want crayfish and stir-fried noodles, and a cold beer, plus Michelle’s bubble tea, a large one! Hurry up and bring it. You know my room number. Just send it up with a robot; you don’t have to run all the way, save yourself the trouble.” Richard looked troubled. “David, your nephew is in the hospital. I can’t leave right now. How about I transfer two hundred dollars so you can order takeout?” The voice on the other end wouldn’t give up. “I don’t trust takeout, Bro. I only trust food from the places you personally buy it from. And isn’t Liam with his mom? How could you bother yourself with this?” “Anyway, if you don’t bring it, then we’ll just starve. We might just get stomach problems, and then Mom and Dad will have to worry about me and lose sleep.” At this point, Richard quickly agreed. “Alright, alright, Bro, I’m going to buy it for you now. Just wait. There should be some crackers in the hotel; eat those to tide yourself over.” He hung up the phone and looked at me. “Sarah, you heard that. My brother’s here. You watch Liam. He seems stable enough.” I asked him, “Your brother’s here, why isn’t he staying with you in your rental? Don’t you always preach frugality?” He frowned. “He brought his girlfriend; could I make them stay with me? Besides, I’m the eldest brother. It’s only right for the eldest brother to take care of his younger siblings. Why are you so against my family doing well?” I waved my hand. “Forget it, I don’t care. It’s none of my business anyway.” He hesitated, then turned to Liam. “Liam, Dad has to go. Take care of yourself.” Liam nodded, his eyes soft. “Dad, I know your struggles. Don’t worry about me; I can take care of myself.” As soon as Richard left, Liam’s eyes reddened. “My dad works so hard. He earns the money, but others get to enjoy it. Some people just don’t have any sympathy for him.” He still hadn’t reinserted his IV. He glared at me resentfully. “I think Uncle David is only here for that fifty thousand. He won’t leave until he gets the money. For Dad’s sake, can’t you just let him use the money?” I shook my head. “No.” He got angry. “Fine, you’re something else. Then you can guard your money. From today on, I’m moving in with my dad!”

My son kept his word. That evening, he went home, packed his things, and left. He only took his study materials, a few clothes, and essential ID. He left everything else behind. As he left, he gave me a particularly defiant ultimatum: “Unless you solve my dad’s financial problems, even if you roll out the red carpet for me, I won’t come back!” “I’ll just re-study in that hot, cramped room in the city’s older district. Then I’ll be too hot to study anything, and next year I’ll score even worse than this year, maybe not even enough for community college! In the end, I won’t find a decent job and will end up doing manual labor in a factory. My life will be completely ruined!” I didn’t say a word. He stood there for a few minutes, then finally walked away with his backpack. This was his second time running away from home. The first time was three years ago. That’s when I heard his aunt Chloe had money, so I sued her to get my money back. His dad found out and was so angry he ended up in the hospital. Liam also got anxious and forced me to withdraw the lawsuit. When I refused, he ran away from home. He rode the bicycle I bought him to his dad’s place overnight. No matter how I tried to convince him, he wouldn’t go back to school. I was worried. Afraid he’d fall behind in school, I had no choice but to compromise and withdraw the lawsuit. He even made me apologize to his aunt Chloe in front of everyone. Only then did he reluctantly come back with me. Now, looking back, I truly regret it. The past cannot be changed. But the present and future are in my hands. I won’t make the same mistake again. I contacted a real estate agent that night and put my apartment up for sale. At the same time, I contacted someone to find me an affordable place in a small, remote town. The agent was efficient and got back to me the next day. They sent me several small apartments that cost only tens of thousands of dollars. The temperature there was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, a natural summer retreat. It gets very cold in winter, but with floor heating, it wouldn’t be an issue. On the day I arrived at my new home, my son, who had been silent for a week, suddenly called me. “Mom, where are you? Why can’t I get into the house anymore?”

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Scarlett had strung me along for seven years. Then she said she was bored and went after a younger, more handsome college guy. This time, I didn’t make a scene. I tossed the diamond ring I’d bought for her and cut up the wedding dress I’d picked out. Late that night, I boarded a plane and left NYC. Her friends were all placing bets on how long it would take for me to crawl back. Scarlett just smiled, arrogant as ever: “Alex will be back begging like a dog in less than a day.” But day after day passed, and I remained out of touch. She couldn’t sit still anymore and called my phone: “Alex, had enough fun? Come back…” A soft, shy female voice cut her off: “Ms. Reed, you should apologize early, or someone else will snatch him away.” Scarlett gripped her phone, her voice trembling: “Who is this? Let Alex take the call!” Serena leaned in and kissed me: “He can’t. He needs his rest. If it’s important, you’ll have to wait for me to kiss him awake.” It was my seventh year with Scarlett. I’d bought a diamond ring and her favorite wedding dress, mustering up the courage to propose. But bad luck, I arrived a few minutes late to the party that day. Just in time to overhear her chatting with her friends. “Alex? Oh, that guy’s so predictable. I got bored ages ago.” Scarlett sipped her red wine, a haughty smile on her face: “Seven years. Wouldn’t you be tired of it?” Her friends all burst into laughter: “You’ve got a point. Seven years, even the hottest guy would lose his flavor.” “But Alex really is handsome.” “And his body’s great too. At Scarlett’s birthday last time, he wore a full black suit, looked even better than those movie stars!” “Seriously, Scarlett, you used to be so obsessed with him. Can you really let him go?” Scarlett’s voice was flat: “Have I ever lied?” Her friend immediately changed tack: “Then… if I went after Alex, you wouldn’t mind, right?” “Go for it,” Scarlett took another sip of wine, speaking slowly. “As long as you’re not grossed out.” “Seriously? Aren’t you ashamed? Taking her sloppy seconds, someone Scarlett’s already bored with?” Another wave of laughter. I didn’t go into the private room that night. I made up an excuse and went home early. Scarlett hung up the phone without asking a single question. I guess that night, my burning heart finally died out.

Within a couple of days, the gossip started flying around our social circle. Scarlett was seeing a sophomore college guy. Maybe he was sheltered, but faced with money and vanity, the guy fell for it in no time. At a friend’s gathering, Scarlett showed up with him. The moment they walked in, everyone went quiet. A few of my closer friends looked at me with concern. I smiled. “Why’s everyone so quiet? What are you looking at me for?” Scarlett wrapped an arm around the guy and sat down, then finally looked at me directly: “Alex, today’s a good chance, so I’ll just lay it all out.” “Okay, go ahead.” “These years of breaking up and getting back together have been meaningless. The feelings faded long ago.” I clenched my hand tightly, the ring hidden in my palm digging deep into my skin. But I couldn’t feel the pain. “You’re not as young as him, and not as cheerful. I truly like him.” Scarlett held the guy’s hand, her eyes full of affection. I nodded lightly: “Okay, I get it.” “We can still be friends in the future. If you need anything, you can always find me.” “No thanks.” I chuckled softly and stood up: “Since we’ve broken up, let’s make it a clean break. Save people from getting the wrong idea.” Scarlett raised an eyebrow, surprised, then after a moment, said: “Fair enough.” “Then you guys can hang out. I’ll head back.” “Want me to walk you out?” “No need, I’ll just take a taxi.” As I walked out of the room and closed the door, I heard someone ask, “How long do you think Alex will last this time?” “Two days?” “He seems genuinely angry this time. I’ll bet five days.” Scarlett glanced at the door, which wasn’t fully closed, and smiled dismissively: “Alex will definitely come back like a dog in less than three days.” “Hasn’t it always been like this for years?” The people inside chimed in: “True, how could Alex leave you? Everyone knows he loves you like crazy…” I gave a self-deprecating laugh and hurried towards the elevator.

Back at my apartment, I pulled out the wedding dress she had always loved. And simply cut it up. After all, keeping it here would only be an eyesore for Scarlett. When I finally left, I thought for a moment and left her a note. This apartment and everything in it was hers to dispose of as she pleased, no need to ask me. I booked a red-eye flight, leaving NYC behind and returning to that familiar city.

My buddy, Jake, got the word and threw a gathering that night. It was all old classmates and friends. A few rounds in, the door opened again. A couple of guys immediately brightened: “Serena? You’re a rare sight!” “Yeah, Ms. Serena, what brings you here tonight?” Serena’s cheeks were slightly flushed. “I was just doing some business next door, heard about the old classmates gathering, so I came to join the fun.” As she spoke, her gaze lingered on me for a moment before slowly moving away. Jake nudged me quietly: “Alex, Serena’s here for you, isn’t she?” I forced myself to look at her. She was a little taller than Scarlett, and had a better figure. I squinted for a bit, then looked away and shook my head: “No way. We haven’t kept in touch for years.” But Jake ignored me and called out to Serena directly: “Hey, campus queen, could you give Alex a ride later?” “We’ve all been drinking, and we don’t want him to get ripped off by a ride-share.” Serena’s gaze crossed over everyone and landed on my face. After about two seconds, I saw her nod: “Okay.” “Thanks, campus queen.” Jake sat down with a grin and whispered to me: “Alex, why should Scarlett be able to play the field, but you can’t have a second chance at love?” “Besides, a beauty like Serena, it’d be a crime not to go for it.” “How do you know she’d be interested in me?” Jake gave a mischievous grin: “The way she looked at you just now, it was like she wanted to devour you!” “Trust my experience, man.” 4 The gathering ended, and Serena drove me back to my hotel. When we arrived downstairs, I unbuckled my seatbelt, And thanked her: “Thanks for the ride tonight.”

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I had a pretty intense libido. That’s why I chose my current husband, a man who seemed to share my interests. I thought we could just go wild and have fun after getting married. Yet, a hundred days into our marriage, Liam and I had barely been intimate, and when we were, it was never satisfying. Every single time we started to get into the mood, my stepmom would interrupt us. Finally, after the tenth time my stepmom disrupted us under the guise of a broken lightbulb in her room, I completely snapped. “Liam, you’re not going tonight.” “Honey, Dad is a vegetable now, and it’s because of me. Eleanor is helpless and alone; it’s really hard for her. We should be a little more understanding of her feelings. It’ll get better in a while.” He still went. I didn’t make a scene like I used to. The next day, I slapped the divorce papers right onto his face. “Divorce! If you can’t satisfy me, then don’t stop me from finding someone who can.” Liam and I gave each other the silent treatment for two weeks before we finally made up. We were wrapped in each other’s arms, giving in to our desires. Just as things were heating up, his phone rang. I pretended not to hear it, wrapping my arms tighter around him, pressing closer. “Oh, Liam…” But the ringing just kept going, like a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes, killing the mood. The desire in Liam’s eyes finally dimmed. He pushed me away, got up, and answered the call. I was still longing for the warmth we’d just shared, the rush of desire hadn’t completely faded from my chest. I glared at him resentfully. Then I heard Eleanor, my stepmom, speaking in a soft, fragile voice from the phone. “Liam, I had a nightmare. I’m so scared…” Liam didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately got ready to get out of bed and put on his clothes. I hadn’t been satisfied yet, so I quickly wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, breathing softly as I tried to hold him back. “Liam, just a few more minutes. Can’t you go after we’re done?” He coldly pulled my hands away, buttoning the last button of his shirt. “Chloe, you understand. Dad is in this state because of me. I can’t just ignore her.” His words infuriated me. “Liam, is Liam the only one in this house? We have so many staff! Can’t she call someone else if she needs help?” “Except for the few days I’m on my period, she calls you over every single night. Do you honestly think that’s normal?” “And why is it always at night?” “Stop talking!” Liam’s face instantly changed. “Don’t think such terrible things about Eleanor.” I looked at him defending another woman, and the man in front of me felt utterly foreign. Perhaps sensing my displeasure, Liam softened his tone, turned, and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ll just go check on her. I’ll be right back if nothing’s wrong.” Liam left. I lay alone in bed, and the more I thought about it, the more something felt off. Liam, like me, had a strong libido. Every single time we tried to be intimate after we got married, his stepmom interrupted us with all sorts of excuses. Plus, we’d just been giving each other the silent treatment for two weeks. By all accounts, tonight he should have been unable to control himself, but when he answered the phone, he didn’t struggle at all? Had he already found release somewhere else? This thought spiraled wildly in my mind. I immediately got out of bed. I had to see if my dear stepmom was truly having a nightmare or if she had something else in mind. As soon as I stepped out of the bedroom, Liam sent me a message. “Eleanor just dreamed of Dad and is having a hard time controlling her emotions. I need to comfort her. I don’t know when I’ll be back. You should go to sleep early.” When I tiptoed to my stepmom’s door, I heard her voice from inside. “Your dad is just a living corpse now. How am I supposed to live alone?” Through the slightly ajar door, I saw Liam’s hand gently stroking Eleanor’s back. He was murmuring soft words of comfort. This endless, pitiful laments, like a broken record, had been performed by my stepmom no less than ten times since I got married. Every single time, our intimacy was interrupted by her phone call. And Liam would abandon me without hesitation. And whenever I came to her door, I always saw a similar scene.

There was a reason Liam acted this way. Liam and his father, Richard, had a fierce argument during a board meeting about a strategic issue. His father became emotionally agitated and suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, becoming a bedridden vegetable ever since. At that time, Eleanor, twenty years younger than Richard, had only recently married into the family. Barely married and effectively widowed, and it was because of him. So Liam looking after his stepmom, I could completely understand. I even thought it was his duty as a son. It wasn’t until our wedding night that I noticed his stepmom was a little different with Liam. That night, we were burning with passion in bed when she came knocking, wearing a camisole nightgown and looking distressed. “Liam, I think I saw your dad move a little… Could you come take a look?” Liam didn’t hesitate. He got dressed and immediately followed her to her room to check. Though annoyed, I didn’t think much of it, considering she was so young to face such a sudden misfortune. But when I got up, tidied myself, and passed her door, I saw her completely wrapped around Liam, crying, her whole body shaking. “Oh, Liam, with Richard like this, what am I going to do? I’m just a woman.” Liam kept gently patting her back, comforting her. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of everything.” Their posture was too intimate. My female intuition told me this wasn’t right. Sure enough, in the days that followed, I found Eleanor’s presence everywhere. During the day, when Liam was at work, she never appeared in front of me. But as soon as Liam came home, she would appear, dressed provocatively, wandering around us. Once, in the middle of the night, just as we were about to reach the peak of pleasure, she actually burst in, asking if we needed bathwater prepared. Then she’d stare at Liam with teary eyes, looking like she had no intention of leaving. What was even worse was that she once, right in front of us, tried on her newly bought lingerie in the living room. She even commented that the size was too small, without any shame. I was incredibly upset. I tried to subtly remind her to be careful, but she seemed not to understand. Or she would just get red-eyed, looking like she was suffering a great injustice. Her antics made me incredibly frustrated. I even spoke to Liam about it, but he always said I was overthinking things. Until that night Liam was away on a business trip. I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Passing her room, I accidentally heard her watching adult videos. “Oh, Liam… *pleasure me*…” It was like a lightning bolt struck me. I instantly felt sick to my stomach. After discovering her sordid intentions, I immediately suggested moving out. But Liam thought I was just causing trouble. “We’re living perfectly fine together, why are you making a fuss again?” I had no proof, and I couldn’t just blurt out such an absurd thing without reason, so I had to endure it for now. But who knew Eleanor would become even more outrageous? She precisely kept track of my menstrual cycle. Except for those few nights, for the remaining twenty-something days, she’d find all sorts of reasons to call Liam away. “Liam, the light in my room is broken.” “Liam, your dad seems to have moved.” “Liam, I had a nightmare, I’m scared to be alone.” “Liam…” Later, I couldn’t take it anymore and confronted her directly. “Eleanor, Liam is my husband, not an electrician or a doctor. If you’re not feeling well or need help, you can find a professional.” Eleanor clutched the corner of her dress, her eyes instantly reddening. Liam immediately cut me off, his face dark. “How can you talk to Eleanor like that?” “I already told you, she’s my elder. With Dad in this state, I’m just showing her more care.” “Even if you’re upset, there should be a limit, right?” “Fine, I won’t make a fuss anymore. You two go play your sweet mother-son routine.” In a fit of anger, I stormed off to my parents’ house. That was the most serious argument we’d had since we started dating and got married. The next day, Liam came over with gifts to apologize. He knelt before my parents, swearing he would draw a clear line with Eleanor. But I still wouldn’t forgive him. He came to see me every day, trying every trick in the book to win over my parents. Plus, my mother-in-law, Victoria, personally came to guarantee that she would frequently visit and help Eleanor look after Richard, allowing Liam and me to move out. My mother-in-law, Liam’s birth mother, had divorced his father, Richard, due to irreconcilable differences, which was why Richard then married Eleanor. After I got married, Victoria had always been very caring towards me. Thinking of her efforts, and seeing the man I had given eight years of my life to, the sincerity in his eyes swayed me. Even though Eleanor was out of line, Liam’s intentions might truly have been out of filial piety. After all, we had spent wonderful college years together. He had carried me to the emergency room when I had gastroenteritis during a rainstorm and had always put thought into preparing gifts for every holiday. “I’m giving you one last chance.” I warned him as I accepted his apology gift. “If there’s a next time, we’re completely over.” Though I agreed to come home, a thorn remained in my heart, so my attitude towards him became much colder. The next period of time was indeed peaceful. Eleanor seemed to have truly changed. When we occasionally met at family gatherings, she remained polite and distant. Finally, after nearly two weeks of the silent treatment, Liam and my marriage life returned to normal. But just as I started to have a normal married life, Eleanor began causing trouble again. Thinking back carefully, there were so many staff in the family. Why did every small matter require Liam’s personal presence? I had endured the previous nine times, but this time, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Liam.” My voice echoed in the silent mansion. He abruptly turned around, his eyes filled with shock. At the same time, he subtly released Eleanor’s hand, which he had been holding. A flicker of disappointment crossed Eleanor’s face. “Chloe? Why are you here…” “I came to learn from you.” I was blunt. Fearing they wouldn’t understand my implied meaning, I pulled out a cold smile. “After all, my husband is very busy right now. At night, he not only has to take care of me but also needs to help take care of other women.” Eleanor’s face instantly turned pale, her fingers clutching the sofa armrest tightly. “Chloe, don’t jump to conclusions. I was just…” “Just what? Just happened to slip and twist your ankle while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night?” I walked step by step towards them, staring at her. “What a coincidence. Every time we’re halfway through being intimate, you always seem to have a little ‘accident’.” Eleanor buried her head deeper, her shoulders trembling slightly as she began to cry silently. “Enough, don’t say another word.” Liam abruptly stood up, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me towards the guest room. He lowered his voice, questioning me. “Are you out of your mind? Dad is still lying in his room!” “Ha, so you remember your dad is lying in his room? Then what exactly are you and Eleanor doing, cuddling here?” “You’re absolutely unreasonable. Eleanor and I are innocent; there’s nothing going on.” He was clearly furious, his grip strong, as he forcefully pushed me into the guest room. “Let go!” I struggled with all my might, my nails leaving several red marks on his hand. “You’re hurting me!” The guest room door clicked shut. Liam gripped my hand tightly. “Chloe, let me explain.” He released me, his tone suddenly softening. “Eleanor really did slip and twist her ankle. I just helped her up.” “So, helping her up requires a hug and comfort?” I sneered, rubbing my reddened wrist. “Does it require you to stay up all night, talking to her and comforting her? Does it require you to—” “Enough!” Liam, exasperated, punched the wall. “Can your mind not be so filthy?” “She’s my dad’s wife!” “My dad is in this state because of me. Is it wrong for me to look after her on his behalf?” I looked at his bloodshot eyes and suddenly found everything incredibly laughable. “Liam, do you dare say you’re *just* looking after her?” He was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang. The words “Stepmom” on the screen stung my eyes. Liam hesitated for a moment, then answered. “Okay, wait for me. I’ll go with you.” He hung up, looking at me with hesitation. “Eleanor’s ankle is swollen. We need to go to the hospital.” “So?” I leaned against the headboard, my eyes full of sarcasm. “Are you leaving me again?” “I’ll be quick.” He tried to reach out and pat my shoulder, but I shifted, dodging him. “Wait for me at home. I promise I’ll be back soon.” “Get lost!” I closed my eyes, listening as his footsteps and Eleanor’s voice faded away down the hallway. A chill spread through my limbs. A “ding” sound echoed, like a new message notification. I opened my eyes, stood up, and searched for the source of the sound. Finally, on the second shelf of the nightstand to the left, I found a phone with its screen lit up. This was Liam’s work spare phone, which he usually used for company business. Why was it in the guest room? A wild idea drove me to pick it up. The lock screen showed a blurry photo, vaguely revealing two silhouettes. I entered his common password. The moment the phone unlocked and I saw its contents, I began to tremble uncontrollably.

What I saw were explicit videos and all sorts of extremely provocative, vulgar messages. The main characters were none other than Liam and Eleanor. In the video, Eleanor was straddling Liam, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. Her lips were wildly kissing his. And Liam, my husband who had sworn he only felt familial respect for Eleanor, showed no resistance at all. He even lifted his hand, stroking Eleanor’s hair in return. Their movements were practiced and synchronized, clearly not their first time. “Liam, give me a child, please. I’m so lonely, just give me…” In the throes of passion, Eleanor moaned softly. I felt all the blood rush to my head. My stomach churned. I rushed into the guest bathroom and vomited until I was dizzy. So, the so-called filial piety, the so-called responsibility, were all just pretexts for their affair. Every single one of my compromises and concessions had become a joke in their eyes. Liam and Eleanor, those disgusting animals, had made a fool out of me. I leaned against the wall, wiping the stains from my mouth. I didn’t cry, and I didn’t make a fuss. Instead, I calmly walked to the bed and picked up the phone. I saved the video, which was enough to destroy everything they had. Then I sent it to my private email. After doing all that, I changed my clothes and left that disgusting place without looking back. I drove aimlessly through the streets. As dawn approached, I parked my car in front of a twenty-four-hour coffee shop. I needed a plan. A plan that would ruin them and make them pay a heavy price. My phone rang then. It was Liam. I hung up. He called again quickly, persistent. I hung up again, then blocked his number. Soon, his messages flooded in. “Chloe, where did you go? Why aren’t you home?” “Why aren’t you answering my calls? Are you mad at me?” “Eleanor’s ankle isn’t serious, just a soft tissue contusion.” “Please come back, okay? Let’s talk things through.” “I admit my attitude was bad last night. I apologize.” Looking at those hypocritical words, I just found them laughable. I took out my phone and dialed my college friend. She was the most famous divorce lawyer in the city. “Hey, it’s me, Chloe.” “I need your help. I want a divorce.” “And I want my husband and his wonderful stepmom to leave with nothing.” My friend, Sarah, on the other end, paused, wanting to speak but quickly stifled her curiosity and returned to her professional demeanor. “Send me all the documents. I’ll start processing it for you tomorrow when I’m at work.” “Okay.” After hanging up, I packaged that video, along with all the times and reasons Eleanor had interrupted us that I had documented, and sent them over. The evidence was irrefutable. I closed my eyes, the disgusting scene of Liam and Eleanor entwined flashing in my mind. Liam, Eleanor. Your karma begins now.

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My fiancé and my own brother hated me for ten years. They firmly believed I’d bullied the sweet, innocent girl they adored. And on my engagement party, they exposed my so-called crimes to the world. “She’s nothing but a bully, a disgrace to her school!” In the live-streamed video, the innocent girl smiled through tears: “I don’t blame her anymore.” “But hey, bygones are bygones. I’m over it now.” She became an overnight sensation. I, however, was condemned by all, doused with acid by extreme fans, and in despair, I dragged her to hell with me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my senior year of high school. The innocent girl was pouring water over her head, smiling as she asked me: “Have you figured out how you’re going to apologize to me?” I snapped right there. Grabbing her hair, I dragged her into the restroom, forcing her head into the toilet bowl: “Let me show you what real bullying looks like.” “Your mouth’s so dirty. Remember to wash it clean before you go tattling.”

My last memory of my previous life. It was the agonizing, near-death pain of sulfuric acid splashing into my eyes. Through the blurring vision and immense agony, I found Lily Adams, who was shielded behind my brother. Then I grabbed a cake knife, charged at her, and plunged it into her chest. “Let’s go to hell together!” … When I reopened my eyes. The remarkably clear sight before me made me freeze for two seconds. Until I saw a much younger Lily Adams not far away. She was wearing a faded school uniform, turning on a faucet and pouring water over her head. As she poured, she smiled and asked me, “Who do you think they’ll believe, me or you?” It clicked instantly. So, it was this day. The beginning of when I was labeled her bully in my previous life. Seeing me standing frozen, Lily’s smile deepened: “Have you thought about how you’re going to apologize to me, Miss Fancy Pants?—Ah!” All the old and new hatred surged through me. I charged forward, grabbed her hair, and dragged her into the restroom. Amidst her sudden, shrill scream, I shoved her entire face into the toilet bowl. “Just pouring some cold water on your head, and you think you can frame me? Here, let me personally teach you what real bullying is.” Lily thrashed wildly, her arms pumping like pistons, but she couldn’t break free from my grip. She could only keep her face buried in the murky water, her mouth making muffled sounds: “Scarlett Hayes, let me go… *gurgle*… *retch*—” I laughed maniacally, head thrown back: “Your mouth’s so dirty! Remember to wash it clean before you go tattling later!” Whether this was a trip back in time or a post-death hallucination. It didn’t matter. I had utterly lost it.

In my previous life, I died on the most glorious day of my career. That day, I’d just won my third Best Actress award. I was wearing a couture gown, standing beside my childhood sweetheart fiancé, Liam Davies, at our grand engagement party, which was live-streamed across the internet. Then he announced to everyone: “I would never get engaged to a disgrace who bullied her classmates in high school.” Before my disbelieving eyes. Lily Adams walked out from the audience. With tears in her eyes, she looked up and smiled: “Scarlett Hayes, do you remember me? It’s Lily Adams, the girl you bullied for ten years.” “You probably never imagined that one day I’d stand on equal footing with you.” “But it’s okay, I don’t blame you anymore.” “But hey, bygones are bygones. I’m over it now.” Live-streamed across the internet, she became an overnight sensation. Before I could even react, a swarm of reporters, arranged by my brother and Liam, rushed in and surrounded me. “Miss Hayes, we hear you still have a habit of bullying new people on set?” “Someone recently photographed you at the hospital for a gynecological visit. Was it due to an unsavory private life and a dirty disease?” An extreme fan burst from the crowd and splashed sulfuric acid onto my face: “Bitch, die!” The liquid splashed, and an overwhelming, searing pain clung to my face. My vision never cleared up again. Falling from heaven to hell happened in an instant.

Snapping back to reality, I released my grip. Watching Lily Adams collapse to the ground, her breath faint. That innocent, pure little face was now smeared with filth. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Cry, throw a fit, go tell the whole world I bullied you with that face—go on!” My voice abruptly rose at the end. Recalling the pain of my features dissolving from the acid in my past life, I stomped on her face twice more. Only then did I turn and leave. Downstairs from the school building, my desk mate, Chloe Miller, was waiting for me: “Gym class started ages ago, what were you doing upstairs?” I said casually, “Oh, just bullied a new transfer student.” She turned her head, shocked: “What?!” I replied, “A famous philosopher once said, ‘When the whole world thinks you’re a bully, you might as well really be one.’” “A philosopher… said that…?” “It doesn’t matter.” Chloe and I walked to the edge of the sports field, where we ran straight into Liam Davies. He wasn’t in my class. But everyone at school knew he was Scarlett Hayes’ childhood sweetheart boyfriend. Liam’s gaze slid across my face, then subtly, almost imperceptibly, landed behind me: “Scarlett, why are you so late? Oh, and I heard there’s a new transfer student in your class?” In my previous life, every time Lily Adams slandered me. He would always tell me to apologize to Lily, to just smooth things over. Seemingly on my side. But in reality, with just a few words, he sealed my fate as a bully. Thinking of this, I raised my hand without warning and slapped him. “?!” Chloe, standing beside me, was shocked again. Liam’s expression didn’t change, only his eyes briefly hardened, then he acted as if nothing had happened. He intimately leaned down, rubbing his cheek against mine: “What’s wrong, Scarlett? Are you in a bad mood?”

In my previous life, it was much later that I found out. When Liam Davies was a child, his mother abandoned him at an amusement park, and he was briefly taken in by an orphanage. There, he met a bright and cheerful little girl. She slept in the same bed as him and gave him a piece of candy. She was the only light in his life. This light was Lily Adams. And on her very first day transferring to our school, Liam recognized her. He always deeply believed Lily’s claims that I bullied her and hated me to the bone. Yet, constrained by his status as an illegitimate son, he had to swallow his pride and curry favor with me. Because he needed to secure his position in his family through an alliance with me. Thinking of this, I said, “Let’s break up.” His pupils suddenly constricted: “…Why? Give me a reason, Scarlett.” I pulled out a tissue and wiped my cheek where he had rubbed it, one slow wipe after another: “I don’t want to date the son of a homewrecker. It feels dirty. Is that reason enough?” After I left, Chloe Miller cautiously asked if I was possessed. I wasn’t surprised she asked that. Because in high school, I had loved Liam Davies so openly and intensely.

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It’s been three years since my family got trapped in this horror game, and I fell in love with an NPC. I died for him ninety-eight times. When bloodthirsty ants gnawed off my limbs, I desperately wished he’d just turn and look at me. When a monster swallowed me whole, I still wondered if he’d shed a single tear. After my ninety-ninth revival, he finally agreed to be with me. I thought it was salvation. Until my mother got caught by a monster. “Julian! Hit the switch, now!” I screamed until my throat bled. Activating that switch would set fire to those monsters and save her. But he spun around, pressing his hand firmly on the lever. “Seraphina is afraid of fire! No one touches it!” Mom’s screams cut off abruptly. Seraphina saw me sobbing uncontrollably. She hid behind Julian, peering out shyly. “Julian, Cassidy is crying. She said this world is just a game, and even if Aunt Eleanor dies, she’ll just revive.” But he had no idea. Here, if my mom died, she was truly gone. She’d never come back. I watched him protect another woman as they walked away. The boy who used to need me to hold his hand just to step outside was now a stranger to me, like he’d swapped bodies with someone else. Later, when monsters besieged our community, Julian, naturally, ordered me to lead them away. I turned around without hesitation and walked into the stronghold I’d built for myself. “Who do you think you are, to demand my life again?”

I froze, listening to the monsters’ guttural swallowing, my blood feeling like it had turned to ice in my veins. Julian still habitually gripped my wrist, his palm’s warmth once the only light in these three years of endless darkness. But now, that light felt poisoned, burning me with searing pain. “Get away from me! Don’t touch me!” I violently yanked my hand free from his grasp, shoved Seraphina aside, and rushed to my mother’s mangled remains. I hadn’t used much force, but Seraphina still stumbled back a good distance, falling into a reeking ditch full of rotting corpses. “Cassidy, what gives you the right to hurt her?!” Julian kicked me hard in the stomach. A gush of blood instantly spilled from my mouth. He’d forgotten. After my seventy-seventh revival, when I’d saved him, my ribs had been completely shattered. I’d spent ages recovering, and it still hurt with the slightest touch. He’d promised me that as long as he was there, he’d never let me get hurt again. Yet this time, he was the one who personally broke them. I watched him—a man who prided himself on being a clean freak—unhesitatingly rush into that stinking ditch and carry the other woman out in a princess carry. “Julian, it’s all my fault. If I weren’t so scared, Cassidy wouldn’t have lost her mom. She can hit me, she can yell at me, but why did she have to stain my favorite dress? You bought this for me…” She cried, tears streaming down her face, looking utterly heartbroken. Every tear was a heavy hammer striking Julian’s heart, making him ache with sympathy. So, in front of everyone in the organization, he coldly ordered me: “Take off your clothes and give them to Seraphina. Now, immediately!” My eyes blazed red as I looked up at him in disbelief. My mother had been indirectly killed because of them, and not a single apology. Now he was ordering me to strip in front of dozens of people in the organization, for another woman?! Seeing my refusal, Julian actually ordered his guys to hold me down and told his underlings to start tearing off my clothes. “Julian, are you insane?! I’m your girlfriend!” My voice was a raw, trembling mess with fear, my gaze sweeping past the crowd. I saw him reach up and gently ruffle Seraphina’s hair, his movements so tender they could melt steel. Yet these same hands, just three months ago, had trembled as they wiped away my tears. “Cassidy, when the blood ants gnawed at your skin, it must have hurt terribly, right?” For my seventy-seventh revival, he’d been ensnared by monstrous vines. I’d desperately cut open my own artery, bleeding as I rushed to sever the vines. I’d ended up with my own ribs crushed by them. On the day of my ninety-ninth revival, he’d knelt before me, kissing the back of my hand for the first time, his voice hoarse as he said: “Cassidy, from now on, I’ll protect you.” I believed him. But I never would have imagined that his idea of protecting me was to stand by and watch my mom get torn apart by monsters, just to comfort a woman afraid of fire! I crawled forward, grabbing his arm fiercely. “Julian, open your eyes and look! Seraphina’s clothes are only slightly dirty! What’s most important right now is to gather my mother’s remains and let her rest in peace, not for you to flirt with another woman here! How could you do this to me?! How could you do this to my mother?!”

During our first year in this world, my family members died one after another at the hands of monsters. Only my mother and I were left, along with Julian, whom I had saved. My mother treated him like her own son. She saved her share of the food she found, unwilling to eat it herself, giving it all to him. She even collapsed from starvation because of it. Now, he was willing to watch her die for another woman! “Cassidy, can you stop being so dramatic?” He clicked his tongue in annoyance, looking at me like I was some hysterical lunatic. “Can’t your mom just revive? Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Seraphina cares about her appearance and can’t stand having a stain on her clothes. Besides, even if your mom really died, you still need to take off your clothes and give them to Seraphina, right now!” As his words fell, he seemed to fear my resistance. He grabbed a long spike and nailed my limbs to a wooden board. The moment the spike pierced my flesh, my agonizing scream echoed through the sky. But this bloody scene still couldn’t stir a shred of softness in Julian. Seeing my pain, he, fearing it might scare Seraphina, turned and covered her eyes. “Cassidy, you dirtied Seraphina’s clothes and wouldn’t take them off for her. You deserved this!” Julian’s voice was as cold as ice. He didn’t notice the undeniable triumph in Seraphina’s eyes as she nestled in his arms. They stepped closer, their actions becoming increasingly unrestrained as they tore my clothes into shreds. Leaving large patches of my skin exposed. Most of them were survivors who had received my help in the past. Now, they all leered with crude amusement, even sneering and making vulgar jokes about me: “Wow, I never would have thought our capable Sister Cassidy had such smooth, fair skin underneath. You must’ve gotten a lot of ‘nourishment’ from Julian, huh?” “What are you talking about? Do you really think Julian alone could ‘satisfy’ a slut like that?!” “This is a good chance then. Julian alone probably can’t keep you happy, right? How about us guys give you a proper ‘service’ tonight!” Seeing this, Julian stepped forward and stopped them. My eyes instantly lit up. Just as I thought that after dying for him ninety-nine times, he might still have a little love for me… His next words plunged me back into the abyss. “Be careful not to hurt her, or I swear I’ll make you pay!” I suddenly burst out laughing. I laughed at myself, at how after my ninety-ninth revival, I actually believed this NPC could have real feelings. The bronze key in my pocket pressed against my chest. That was the pass to the stronghold, earned with sixty-six of my lives. The stronghold’s leader was Rhys, the strongest survivor in this game. His stronghold was impregnable, but not just anyone could enter. To secure a spot for Julian, I agreed to their demands and risked my life to scavenge supplies from the monsters’ main lair. I died sixty-six times there before they finally agreed to let Julian and me live inside. I had planned to tell him on his birthday, “Julian, we have a home now.” But then he used sharp steel cables to tightly bind me, just to save another woman. “Cassidy, you’ve already died so many times, what’s one more? But Seraphina is different, she’ll be scared to tears!” With that, he violently threw me towards the monsters. I watched in horror as the monsters closed in. The memory of my past agonizing deaths made me instinctively struggle violently. But the more I struggled, the deeper the sharp spikes dug into me. As the monsters came closer, I screamed desperately towards Julian: “Julian, I’m scared too! Please, come save me! I’m your girlfriend, you can’t just abandon me!”

Hearing my plea, Seraphina turned and snuggled deeper into Julian’s embrace. She whimpered sweetly, “Julian, those monsters sound so scary! Let’s go inside, quickly.” So I watched, my heart breaking, as the man I had protected with my life didn’t even glance at me again, turning to leave with the other woman. I reached out and grabbed his sleeve, but he violently shook me off. “What are you so afraid of? You’ll just revive after you die anyway. Didn’t you say yourself that this world is just a game to you?” But I hurt too. Every death, the pain that overwhelmed me, was real. “Julian, maybe… maybe we should just let it go. I’ll be fine. After all, Cassidy is your girlfriend…” Seraphina gently tugged his sleeve, feigning innocence as she deliberately exposed the bleeding claw marks on her arm. Seeing this, Julian’s eyes immediately darkened. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Cassidy, how could you be so cruel and lay your hands on Seraphina!” The force of the blow made my ears ring, and blood instantly seeped from the corner of my mouth. Even so, he wasn’t satisfied. He directly grabbed a sharp, barbed wire and tied my hands with it, his voice chilling. “She’s all yours. Play with her however you like, just don’t kill her. After all, I still need her as a meat shield to get Seraphina her favorite strawberry cake.” As his words fell, my eyes instantly filled with terror. Looking at the dozens of men surrounding me, I couldn’t imagine if I’d survive the night. I desperately crawled forward, blood foam dripping from my mouth. Pleading with him to spare me: “Julian, do you remember when you died for the seventy-third time? I dug out my heart and used it as bait for you!” His face flickered. “When you were possessed by a vengeful spirit for the eighty-fourth time, I bit off my tongue and used my lifeblood to exorcise it for you! You said, ‘Cassidy, from now on, I’ll protect you.’ How can you go back on your word?! I don’t need your protection anymore, I don’t want you. I’m willing to let you and Seraphina be together, but I beg you, please let them leave me alone, okay? I’m begging you, otherwise, this time, I’ll truly die!” Julian disgustedly furrowed his brows, then stomped his foot on my hand, which was pressed against the ground, completely disregarding my heart-wrenching screams. “Cassidy, how long are you going to keep bringing up all that old stuff about your sacrifices? One tear from Seraphina is worth more than you dying a hundred times over!” Seraphina timely sniffled and tugged his sleeve. “Julian, don’t argue with Cassidy. She’s just sad because her mother died. But Cassidy, people need to learn to be generous. Everyone here has been holding it in for so long, and it’s not like you’ll actually die, so what’s wrong with entertaining them a little?” My pupils constricted. Generous? If she was so generous, why didn’t she strip naked and lie in those men’s arms to entertain them?! Julian heard her words and looked at Seraphina with an appreciative gaze. He then kicked me towards the group of men. “Seraphina’s right. It’s not like you’ll actually die, so why not sacrifice yourself and let everyone vent their frustrations on you. Everyone will remember your kindness.” He bent down and gently stroked my cheek, “Don’t worry, Cass, even if you’re ‘dirty,’ I won’t abandon you.” I laughed, shaking uncontrollably, and spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm directly onto his face. “Disgusting!” “Julian, I should have seen it sooner! You’re nothing but a hypocritical scumbag! I actually fell foolishly in love with you, and even indirectly caused my mother’s death!” Hearing my words, Julian showed no trace of guilt. His face darkened as he warned me, “This is all your fault! If you dare hurt Seraphina, I’ll make you pay a thousand times over!” “Anyway, your mother will revive, and as for you, even if you’re played to death by them, I won’t find you dirty.” Those men’s filthy hands were already on my waist, brazenly biting at various parts of my body. Humiliating tears streamed down my cheeks. The more I struggled, the harsher their actions became. I still didn’t give up, crying out for Julian to pull me away. But I saw him offer no resistance, letting the other woman stand on tiptoes and kiss him. Suddenly, I didn’t want to resist anymore. My gaze met Julian’s eyes precisely. “Julian, you’ll regret this!”

In ten minutes, the monsters would besiege the stronghold. If they hadn’t found shelter by then, they’d all be dead. But Julian seemed to hear the biggest joke in the world. He bent down and pinched my chin. He forced me to look into the mirror, to see how these men were humiliating me. To see how many more men were standing by, eager to get their turn! “Regret? When they have you crying and begging for mercy later, remember how ridiculous that sounds today!” Seraphina leaned into his arms, timidly adding, “Cassidy, don’t be so stubborn. Just cooperate, and everyone will have an easier time!” I closed my eyes in despair, my fingers subtly gripping the bronze key at my chest. Just as another man reached out to tear open my collar, an earth-shattering roar suddenly came from the distance. The sky instantly rolled with black mist, thick enough to blot out the sun. Monsters surged forward like a tide. “It’s a horde! The ultimate boss is leading a horde!” The crowd instantly erupted into chaos. Cries, gunshots, and monster roars became a tangled mess. Julian’s face instantly paled. He instinctively shielded Seraphina behind him, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic crowd before finally fixating on me. “Cassidy! Quick, cut off your arm and use your blood to lure them to the east gate! You can’t die, can you? Go now!” I coldly pushed myself up from the ground. Seeing me not move, Julian tried to rush at me, but a sudden pouncing monster forced him to retreat. He stamped his foot impatiently. “Cassidy, are you crazy? If you don’t go, we’ll all die!” I pulled out the last long spike piercing my ankle and stepped barefoot into the pooling blood. Step by step, I walked towards the stronghold. “Cassidy, are you kidding me? That’s Commander Rhys’s stronghold, not just anyone can get in! If you go now and lure those monsters away, I promise you, after you revive, we’ll get married, okay?!” He screamed my name like a madman, his voice filled with panic for the first time. I stopped but didn’t turn back. I just held up the bronze key in my hand. I lowered my head and chuckled softly: “Married? Julian, do you even deserve it?” Blood dripped from my fingertips onto the ground, reflecting his terrified face. “This is the pass I earned with sixty-six of my lives. I even secured a spot for you, but unfortunately, that disappeared the moment you stood by and watched my mother die for another woman!” “You and your precious sweetheart can stay here and be torn to shreds by monsters. I’m not saving you!” Julian stared at the bronze key in my hand in disbelief, watching me walk into the stronghold behind me. The moment the main gate was about to close, Julian finally panicked.

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My sister’s school was holding a charity sale. She came home clutching a love letter, holding it up like it was a priceless treasure she’d found. “Look, Summer!” she chirped, her eyes wide with excitement. “The name on this letter is just like yours!” I stared at the eight-year-old love letter and fell into a daze. The sender’s name at the bottom was Liam Scott. Wasn’t that my ice-cold deskmate from high school? And now, my ice-cold boss? I was about to ask Lexie for details when a call came through to our home phone. A kid’s frantic sobs erupted from the other end. “My Uncle Alex is going to kill me! I’ll give you a hundred dollars, just please give that love letter back!” Our entire team got chewed out because of an intern’s mistake. As team lead, I bore the brunt of the scolding. When I finally trudged out of the boss’s office, feeling completely deflated, my intern, Chloe, looked like she was about to burst into tears. “Ms. Summer, I’m so sorry. I dragged you down with me.” I saw the dark circles under her eyes. The workload had been intense lately, and our entire team had been working overtime. She hadn’t gotten any rest either. I waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine. I’m used to getting yelled at. It barely stings anymore…” “Is that so?” A low, deep voice cut through the air. Chloe flinched, startled. My body tensed. I looked up to see Liam Scott pushing open his office door, his brow slightly furrowed as he watched me. Ugh… a stone-cold, unreadable face. Just looking at him made my blood boil. I forced a smile. “…No, it’s not.” Liam stared at me for a few seconds, then closed his office door. Later, when I stepped out to get some water, I overheard a few interns whispering: “The boss is so harsh on Director Summer.” “Director Summer must have a strong heart. If it were me, I couldn’t handle it.” “I heard Director Summer and the boss used to be high school classmates.” “Really? No way! The boss curses out his old classmate without holding back at all. He’s a monster!” I shrugged. Tell me about it. Liam Scott was, indeed, a monster. And he wasn’t just any high school classmate. We’d been deskmates for three whole years! Yet he still showed me zero mercy. I was about to leave when their conversation took a turn. “Oh, right, I heard the boss is engaged.” “I saw his fiancée drop him off at the company a while ago!” “What? The ice-cold Mr. Scott has a fiancée?” My steps faltered. My fingers, gripping my water cup, curled involuntarily. I looked towards the office at the end of the hallway. For some reason, my chest felt heavy and tight.

After a month of grueling work, the project finally made significant progress. The company gave us five days off. The interns were so excited they nearly cried. I politely declined their invitation for a celebratory dinner, packed my bags, and drove straight back to my hometown. I hadn’t been back in half a year. Luckily, my hometown was only about sixty miles from the city where I worked, a four-hour drive. It was late at night when I arrived home. My sudden return startled my mom, who happily went to make up my bed, while my dad hummed a tune as he headed to the kitchen to fix me a late-night snack. I put away my luggage and quietly pushed open the door to a small room. By the light from the living room, I saw a little girl buried under her covers, sleeping peacefully and adorably. Lexie was an unexpected blessing my parents had when I was in high school. Suddenly having such a young sister was a big adjustment at first. But as Lexie grew up, she became more and more adorable, inheriting my mom’s patience and my dad’s intelligence perfectly. And she was so clingy. She always thought of me first whenever she got something good. The next morning, I groggily opened my eyes at the sound of movement and saw Lexie perched by my bed. Her eyes were bright, staring at me without blinking. “Summer, you’re back!” “Yeah.” I closed my eyes again. “Be a good girl, Sis. I need to sleep a little longer.” “Okay! I’m going to school now. I’ll bring you a present when I get back!” I mumbled a reply. Lexie quietly tiptoed out, carefully closing the door behind her. This little kid, she’s so thoughtful. Looks like she has quite a bit of allowance, to be able to bring me a gift? I was a little excited. By the time I got up, it was almost 11 AM. Lexie was picked up from school by Dad. Mom and Dad asked me to watch her for a bit, then they went to the supermarket together. As soon as they left, Lexie eagerly pulled something out of her backpack and mysteriously scooted closer to me. “Summer, guess what gift I brought you?” How was I supposed to guess that? I was about to blurt out a random answer when she couldn’t hold back anymore, holding up an envelope in front of me. “Summer, look! Your name is written on it!” I froze for a moment, then took the letter. The paper was a bit yellowed, looking like it was from years ago. The front of the envelope read, “To Summer.” My name? What are the chances of finding someone with such an uncommon name? Lexie chattered on. “Our school held a charity sale today. We brought old stuff from home that we didn’t need anymore, and students could buy whatever they wanted. All the money we raise will be donated to a charity! “My deskmate brought a lot of stuff—old books, old stationery. I found this letter inside a book and bought it for five dollars.” Lexie looked at me, expecting praise. “Summer! Do you like it?”

My first thought was, it must be a coincidence. Growing up, I was never considered pretty in class. I always wore thick glasses and had an introverted, quiet personality. I never knew how to respond when others tried to talk to me. So, no boy had ever sent me a love letter. I held the letter, feeling a little flustered. But Lexie was already urging me. “Summer, open it quickly!” “That’s not right…” After all, it was someone else’s property. Especially something as private as a love letter. “But I worked so hard to find it, and it cost me a whole week’s allowance!” Kids are impatient. She snatched the letter from my hand and ripped it open in two swift motions. Then she shoved it back into my hand. “Summer, read it to me.” “My classmate said he got it from his Uncle Alex’s treasure chest, and it’s full of good stuff, so this must be good too.” I was about to refuse, but my gaze caught the signature at the end of the letter. The handwriting was neat and elegant—Liam Scott. It was like a lightning bolt striking my mind. I stood frozen for several seconds before my gaze stiffly moved upward to the contents of the letter: [Summer, this is our third year as deskmates…] I slapped my hand over the letter, my face turning crimson, feeling like it was about to explode. My sister was still urging, “Summer, read it! I want to hear it too!”

I sent my sister away, clutching the envelope, and rushed into my room. I opened the window and stood there, letting the wind blow over me for a long time, but my heart still wouldn’t settle. I looked at the letter again. I was absolutely certain it was written by Liam Scott. After all, my handwriting in high school looked like chicken scratch. My English teacher couldn’t stand it and made me use Liam’s homework as a model for my handwriting for an entire semester. I could recognize his handwriting even if it were burned to ashes. But, why? Why would Liam Scott have liked me in high school? My thoughts drifted, and I remembered the first time I met Liam at the beginning of freshman year. Back then, I came alone from a small, rural town to a top-ranked city high school. I was carrying an oversized, worn-out canvas bag that seemed to contain everything I owned. I couldn’t carry it anymore by the time I reached the school gate, so I just started dragging it. But I overestimated the quality of that canvas bag. With immense friction against the ground, the bag ripped. I walked a long way before realizing the weight felt off. I turned around to see my belongings scattered all along the path. Books, stationery, toiletries, a lunchbox… Students around me were watching, laughter constantly echoing. “Oh my god, a country bumpkin came to the city.” “That bag is something else, seriously.” My face turned beet red. I knelt down and started retracing my steps, picking things up. I hadn’t picked up much when I bumped head-on into a boy walking toward me. The boy had a backpack, a handsome face, and was quite tall. He was holding a stack of miscellaneous items and calmly said, “I picked up what was ahead.” He looked over my shoulder at the ripped bag on the ground. “Do you have any other bags?” I awkwardly shook my head, barely daring to look at him. He thought for a moment, took a few books out of his backpack, and handed the backpack to me. “You can use this for now.” Confused, I took the boy’s black backpack and looked up blankly. “How do I give it back to you?” The boy pointed to the book I had just picked up. “Aren’t you in Freshman Class 3 too?” I froze, instinctively looking at his book. His class and name were on the cover. Freshman Class 3, Liam Scott. … To be honest, I was the one who liked him first. Unfortunately, that secret crush ended for various reasons. After graduating from college, I joined a small, obscure company for an internship, only to unexpectedly run into him again.

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As a Serpentine Enchantress, my unique essence, when offered from the depths of my being, possessed the power to heal even terminal illnesses. After I cured Sterling of his cancer, I found another woman in our home. My six-year-old son grabbed a small knife and tried to hack at my serpentine tail. Both his and his father’s faces were twisted with disgust. “You killed Iris! You won’t get to kill Brittany too!” “I’ve already made it official with her. Now get out!” Leo rushed forward, clinging to Brittany’s leg, and spat at me. “I don’t want you, this ugly snake, as my mom! Aunt Brittany is my mom!” I massaged my chest, aching from having given my lifeblood, and my voice was raw with bitterness. “Then let’s get a divorce.” Sterling scoffed. “Our marriage license was fake. What’s there to divorce? Just get lost.” My son threw the toys I bought him directly at me. “Don’t come ruin our home with our new mommy! You’re not welcome here!” The front door slammed shut. I pulled out my phone. “Mr. Harrison, you heard it too. I really should go now.” A weary sigh echoed from the other end of the line. “Ah, Sterling has truly wronged you. Your debt has been repaid. Go, child, go…” **1.** The Serpentine Oracle stared at me, a cryptic smile playing on her lips. “Are you certain of your choice?” Outside the operating room, the red light pulsed, a blinding beacon. Sterling’s vital signs were fading, moment by moment. Cancer cells, like greedy vines, had coiled around him, leaving him with barely a breath. “Are you willing to sacrifice your very essence to unleash the primal power of your serpentine lineage, forever cursed to be half-human, half-spirit, enduring the eternal torment of the backlash?” The Serpentine Oracle’s voice carried a cold, tempting allure. “But your lifeblood… it can save him.” I gazed at Sterling’s pale face through the glass window. Six years ago, the memory of him kneeling in the rain, begging me to save him, suddenly flooded my mind. Back then, he wasn’t the high-and-mighty CEO Sterling he was today. He was just a man pushed to the brink by a terminal illness, clutching my hand, his voice choked. “Willow, if I live, I’ll protect you my whole life.” “I’m willing. Just as long as he lives.” I bit my fingertip and stained the ancient pact. A searing, bone-shattering pain instantly ripped through my entire body. The agony was so intense I couldn’t maintain my human form. My smooth calves merged and elongated, transforming into a long tail covered in shimmering silver scales. In a daze, I felt a warm liquid seeping from my neck. It was my serpentine essence, flowing down my collarbone. The Serpentine Oracle’s final gaze held a touch of pity. “Remember, each act of genuine affection will embed your scales deeper into your flesh; any wound inflicted by him will amplify the agony.” I dragged my serpentine tail, unable to retract it due to the extreme use of my power, and pushed open the front door. The pair of red high heels by the entrance were like a poisonous needle, plunging directly into my heart. “You hideous monster! Get out of our house!” My six-year-old son, Leo, wielding a small knife, lunged at me, his face contorted with hatred. “You killed Aunt Iris, and now you want to kill my Mommy Brittany too? Over my dead body!” I never imagined my own flesh and blood would attack me. I was too slow to dodge, frozen in place, until a sharp pain from my tail jolted me back to awareness. “Oh, Leo, be careful! Don’t let this thing that’s neither human nor beast hurt you.” Brittany pretended to reach out, seemingly to pull Leo away, but her fingers subtly pressed the small knife another half-inch deeper into my scales. I had spent the entire night healing Sterling, exhausting most of my essence. This scene before me now made me feel utterly desolate. The herbal soup I’d woken up at five in the morning to brew was still on the coffee table. It was a special concoction, made with my lifeblood and a rare serpentine extract, meant to nourish Sterling. Its fragrant aroma still lingered in the air. “Who told you to come back! You murderer, how dare you show your face and dirty Brittany’s eyes.” Sterling tenderly pulled Brittany into his arms. The blood-red gem around her neck seemed to pulse like an unstemmed gush of lifeblood. Sterling had bought it at an auction last year, claiming it was for his “most precious person.” Brittany feigned weakness, shrinking into Sterling’s embrace, her dress seemingly accidentally sweeping across the coffee table, deliberately knocking over the herbal pot. “Oh, my dress! My dear Cole specifically custom-made this for me. Sister, if you want it, I can let you have it.” Amidst the shattering sound of the pot, I heard the faint crack of my own scales. My lifeblood being so carelessly wasted felt like a blunt knife twisting repeatedly in my chest. Sterling’s gaze pierced me like an ice pick. “You trashy, low-class creature. Always resorting to dirty tricks. Get down on your knees and clean this up for Brittany.” Leo kicked me hard, spitting at me repeatedly. “Big bad monster! Big bad monster! Get on your knees and apologize to Mommy Brittany!” I instinctively curled my tail. The section of my tailbone, covered in fine silver scales, had just endured the backlash of the lifeblood sacrifice. It was now bruised purple, and large pieces of shattered scales, mixed with blood droplets, flew off. The Serpentine Oracle’s warning echoed in my ears again. The pain crawled up my spine, spreading through every limb. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. This was the child I had risked my life to give birth to after ten months of pregnancy! This was the husband I had saved by draining my lifeblood, enduring constant backlash, day and night! I humiliated myself, crawling towards Brittany, wanting to demand why she was destroying everything I had! She shrieked as if she’d been electrocuted. “Ah! Her scales scratched my leg!” Leo was distraught. “You actually hurt my mommy! You monster!” He lunged like a furious little beast, hacking at my serpentine tail with the knife, blow after blow. The sharp blade pierced through the scales, digging into my flesh. The pain made my vision swim. But Leo clapped his hands and laughed. “Tear open your snake skin! Let’s see how you can hurt anyone now!” I slumped powerlessly to the floor, the intense pain making it impossible to straighten up. I stared directly into Sterling’s eyes, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. “Sterling, let’s get a divorce.” Sterling scoffed. “Our marriage license was fake. What’s there to divorce? Just get as far away as possible.” With that, he deliberately tossed a tattered little red booklet onto my wound. Fake marriage license? I froze. Six years ago, on that rainy night, he knelt before me, begging me to save him, saying that if he lived, he would be my true husband. I believed him, sacrificing half of my serpentine life, draining all my power! I fed him the powerful essence from my true form, watching him transform from a skeletal figure to a radiant, healthy man. But my cherished marriage license, like Sterling’s deceitful heart, had been fake from the very beginning. Another scale on my serpentine tail cracked, and I groaned in pain. The Serpentine Oracle was right after all. This bond, bought with my very life, was destined to be a pain that would pierce me to the bone, right from its root. **2.** The stench of blood mingled with the sharp scent of disinfectant, churning in my nostrils. The wound on my serpentine tail was still gushing blood. Every movement felt like countless needles piercing my marrow. The Serpentine Oracle’s warning of “double backlash” was now burrowing into my bones along the cracks in my scales. Brittany smugly stroked Sterling’s chest, her fingertips tracing his collar. That spot, where I used to playfully straighten his tie, was now Brittany’s territory, a symbol of her claim. Brittany chuckled, a sickly sweet sound laced with malice. “Sterling, look at her tail. So many scales have fallen off. It’s disgusting.” Sterling cast a dismissive glance at me, his eyes regarding me like a dirty rag. “You’re frail, don’t look at such vile things.” He raised a hand and beckoned the butler. “Drag her out and dump her in the old family mausoleum.” “No!” I snapped my head up, my tail twitching with urgency. “Sterling, have you forgotten? Six years ago, you were lying in that hospital bed, cancer cells spread throughout your body, and it was I…” “Shut up!” He cut me off sharply, his leather shoe grinding forcefully on my bloody, mangled tail. “If you hadn’t缠 wrapped me with your dark magic, why would I ever get involved with a monster like you?” “Iris was killed by your dark magic back then, and now Brittany is pregnant with my child. Are you trying to pull the same trick again?” Iris? My heart felt like it had been hit by a massive stone. That gentle, kind woman who used to secretly bring me healing salves… she had an accidental fall from a building. How had it become my fault? “Daddy, hurry and kick her out! I don’t want to see her for another second!” Leo ran over, brandishing the knife. Drops of blood from the blade fell on my hand, burning like fire. He suddenly remembered something, then rushed into the bedroom, emerging with a metal box. He slammed it hard into my face. The box burst open, spilling its contents onto the floor—my collection of shed serpentine scales from the past six years. Each piece had been meticulously cleaned and strung together with gold thread into protective charms. When he was little, he always wore them around his neck, saying, “Mommy’s scales protect me.” “These disgusting things! I’ve wanted to throw them away for ages!” Leo stomped on the specimens, as if crushing a pile of garbage. “Mommy Brittany said wearing them would turn me into a monster!” I looked at the crushed scales and suddenly laughed, though tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. So, six years of mother-son affection, in his eyes, was nothing more than the “mark of a disgusting monster.” Brittany suddenly let out a dramatic gasp, clutching her lower abdomen and frowning. “Sterling, my stomach hurts a little…” Sterling’s face immediately darkened. He yanked me up, his grip so fierce it felt like he would crush my bones. “You jinx! If anything happens to Brittany or the baby, I’ll skin you alive!” He flung me towards the door. My tail slammed against the doorframe with a sickening crack, as if my tailbone had fractured. The excruciating pain made my vision blacken. In a haze, I saw a red booklet, sealed away, on the hallway cabinet. It was a marriage certificate. In the photo, Sterling had his arm around Brittany, smiling so tenderly—a smile I had never seen directed at me. “See?” His voice was laced with ice. “*This* is legitimate. The one in your hand was just a trick to get you to use your powers to save me.” I used the wall to prop myself up. The blood from my tail left dark red streaks on the floor, like a desperate, bleeding serpent. “Sterling,” I rasped, each word tearing at my chest. “When I saved you, I expended ninety percent of my power, almost struck down by heavenly lightning. You promised you’d protect Leo and me for life.” “Witchcraft!” His eyes burned with malice. “Take your tail and get out of my sight!” Leo suddenly picked up a piece of broken glass from the floor and fiercely stabbed my uninjured tail tip. “Get out! Don’t you dare hurt my Mommy Brittany!” Amidst the shattering of scales, I finally, utterly, woke up. The Serpentine Oracle’s pact burned in my veins. So, for six years, what I’d given half my life for was nothing but a cruel deception. The child I’d fought to bring into this world had become the sharpest knife plunged into my heart. I dragged my broken tail towards the door. As I passed the red high heels, I glanced at them again—the heels were caked with dirt, as if they’d just come from a cemetery. The door slammed shut behind me, shaking my tailbone with another jolt of pain. I slumped against the wall, pulling out my phone. Blood from my fingers smeared the screen, and it took several tries to dial the correct number. “Mr. Harrison,” I whispered, staring at the closed door, hearing Brittany’s sweet-talk and Leo’s laughter inside. A metallic taste flooded my throat. “You heard it too. I really should go now.” A weary sigh echoed from the other end of the line. “Alas, Sterling has truly wronged you. Your debt has been repaid. Go, child, go…” I hung up, looking at my phone’s screensaver—a photo of Leo at three, fast asleep on my serpentine tail, his face flushed, clutching one of my silver scales. I wiped away my tears and tossed the phone into the trash. **3.** Just as I stepped out of the apartment building, the intense pain in my tailbone worsened dramatically. The Serpentine Oracle’s curse, branded beneath my scales, flared with heat. This was the backlash from excessive use of my essence. I stumbled, leaning against the wall, my vision swimming. I had to get to a hospital, even if just to deal with the bleeding wound. I flagged down a taxi and managed to gasp out the name of the nearest hospital before the pain stole my words. The driver kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, hesitating, likely shocked by my blood-streaked serpentine tail. At the hospital, the emergency room buzzed with chaotic activity. I had just reached the triage desk when I heard a familiar voice. “Doctor! Quickly, my wife! She’s having severe abdominal pain!” It was Sterling. He was carefully supporting Brittany, his tension something I’d never seen, not even when I almost perished saving his life. Brittany leaned into his embrace, her face ashen, weakly whimpering, “Sterling, I’m so scared… will the baby be okay?” Doctors and nurses immediately crowded around them, asking questions in a flurry. “Quick, stretcher! Prepare for examination!” I bit back the agonizing pain and nausea, managing to say to a nurse, “Help me… I’m in so much pain…” The nurse looked at my bloody, mangled serpentine tail, then at Brittany, surrounded by the crowd, and her expression turned difficult. “Miss, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, but all the doctors have been called by Mr. Sterling to treat his wife.” “I can’t wait. I just need one doctor to help me,” I ground out, the pain in my tailbone almost making me black out. Just then, Sterling saw me. His eyes hardened, and he roared at the doctors, “Don’t mind this monster! Save my wife first! If anyone dares to treat her, they won’t work in this hospital again!” The doctors exchanged uneasy glances, but in the end, no one dared to approach me. I leaned against the wall in despair, feeling my life force draining away little by little. The Serpentine Oracle had said that when my serpentine essence was fully depleted, that would be the moment my soul scattered into nothingness. “You persistent, wicked creature, still trying to cause trouble!” Leo suddenly rushed out from the crowd, holding an iron rod, and fiercely swung it at my serpentine tail. “Leo!” I stared at him in disbelief. This child, whom I had carried for ten months, this child, for whom I had used my scales to ward off disaster, was repeatedly attacking me with such cruelty. The moment the iron rod struck the wound, the backlash of the curse erupted with a roar. I felt like I was thrown into a vat of boiling oil, screaming in agony. My vision went black, and I almost collapsed. “You deserve it! Who told you to bully Mommy Brittany!” Leo saw my wretched state and, not feeling satisfied, raised the rod to strike again. Just as I was sinking into despair, a hand firmly gripped Leo’s wrist. “How can such a young child be so vicious?” I looked up and saw a man in a white coat, his demeanor gentle, yet his eyes held a sharp, all-knowing insight. His name tag read “Dr. Julian, Head of Surgery.” His gaze fell on the wound at the tip of my tail, and he frowned slightly, seeming to recognize the faint golden covenant patterns glowing beneath the scales. “Who are you? How dare you interfere with the Sterling family’s business?” Sterling demanded, furious. Dr. Julian ignored him. He gently helped me up, his fingertips inadvertently brushing over the curse mark on my tail, and murmured, “I know this kind of pain. Just bear with it.” His voice was soft, yet it carried a reassuring strength. Dr. Julian ignored him and gently helped me up. “Miss, are you alright? I’ll arrange surgery for you immediately.” “No!” Sterling blocked him. “A monster, she’s dead anyway, why waste time?” Dr. Julian frowned. “In a hospital, there are only patients, no monsters. Mr. Sterling, please step aside.” He helped me, firmly bypassing Sterling. “Besides, you seem to forget, if it weren’t for this young lady six years ago, you wouldn’t be alive today.” I looked at Dr. Julian and gave a mocking smile. In my most desperate moment, my so-called family had all abandoned me, even adding insult to injury. Only a stranger, who seemed to know about the Serpentine Oracle’s curse, had resolutely extended a helping hand. “Thank you,” I said weakly. Dr. Julian simply nodded, speaking gently. “Don’t worry, I’m the best surgeon. Not only can I treat your wound, but I also know how to temporarily suppress the backlash of this pact.” He paused, then added, “My ancestors had a pact with the Serpentine Oracle, a vow to protect her descendants.” I smiled faintly. Behind me, Sterling’s enraged shouts and Brittany’s feigned dissuasion echoed, but I no longer cared. Inside the consultation room, Dr. Julian closed the door and began to meticulously treat my wound. “Hold still, it might hurt a little. But you’re safe with me. Even if I have to snatch you from the jaws of death, I promise I’ll save you.” I nodded, watching his focused profile, a warmth spreading through my heart. Perhaps, my life still had a chance. Just as I began to relax, Brittany’s piercing scream cut through the closed door. “Help! My baby! Blood, there’s blood everywhere, Sterling…” Sterling kicked the door with furious force, pounding it like a drum. “Willow! Get out here! If Brittany loses the baby, I’ll make sure you pay with your life!” **4.** My tail tip suddenly twitched. Dr. Julian’s hand on the back of my neck tightened. “Don’t move, the bone fragments will embed deeper.” His fingertips, stained with my blood, dripped red, like scattered plum blossoms, into the tray. “The serpentine curse is dangerous. We need to debride the wound immediately.” “Debride?” I gave a self-deprecating laugh, the movement tugging at my wound with excruciating pain. “He probably won’t even let me leave this room alive.” The backlash from my once beloved was more than I could endure in my current state. No sooner had I spoken than the consultation room door was violently thrown open. Sterling stormed in, clutching the hospital director’s collar. The director’s white coat was creased, still stained with Brittany’s ‘blood’—a color so vividly bright, it looked like freshly opened antiseptic. “Dr. Julian, please be accommodating,” the director said, rubbing his hands obsequiously. “Mr. Sterling is offering an additional one million. Could you… perhaps ask this lady to leave?” “One million?” Dr. Julian set down his probe, the clinking of instruments as cold as ice. “Is that enough to compensate her for six years of lifeblood, or to settle the Serpentine Oracle’s pact?” He looked up, his gaze sweeping over Sterling. “Six years ago, when you were in the ICU, you knelt and begged her to shed her blood to save your life.” Leo also squeezed through the door, clutching the treatment cart, and picked up a pair of surgical scissors, gesturing with them. “Monster, watch me cut off your serpentine tail! Mommy Brittany says if it’s cut off, she won’t hurt anymore!” “Leo!” I cried out in alarm, the pain in my tailbone suddenly turning numb. “See? Even our child knows who the real threat is.” Sterling’s eyes were poisoned with venom. “Willow, crawl out yourself, and I’ll leave you with a whole body.” “Sterling, are you truly unwilling to open your eyes and see?” I stared intently at the wall behind him, where Brittany was feigning weakness, leaning against it. “The ‘blood’ on her dress… isn’t that the antiseptic from the nurses’ station down the hall?” Brittany’s face instantly paled, but Sterling backhanded me. “Shut up! Still trying to sow discord.” My cheek burned, and the taste of blood filled my throat. I licked my lips and suddenly laughed. “Sterling, you’ll spend your entire life living in her lies.” Dr. Julian, quick as lightning, snatched Leo’s wrist. The tip of the scissors was barely an inch from my scales. Leo thrashed wildly in his arms, spitting on the doctor’s face. “She killed Aunt Iris! She’s a wicked, bad woman!” “Iris?” I stiffened. So this was the poison Brittany had been feeding Leo. Brittany suddenly covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. “Leo, stop talking. She won’t admit it.” Sterling’s face turned iron-gray instantly. He grabbed my throat with both hands, his grip tightening. “I was going to spare your life, but it seems I was too soft-hearted.” Dr. Julian tried to intervene, but Leo bit his arm, holding on tightly. Just as the feeling of suffocation surged, a stern male voice echoed down the hallway. “You savage, let go!” Sterling’s hands, clutching my throat, froze abruptly. His strength drained away, bit by bit. He turned back in shock, and when he saw Mr. Harrison leaning on his cane, his Adam’s apple bobbed, unable to speak a word.

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My mom said she was on a mission. If she couldn’t make my dad fall in love with her again, the system would wipe her out. Completely erased from existence. I secretly told Dad, but he just said, “Then let her die.” Mom heard it too. She didn’t cry. She just held me gently. Later, Mom really died. But my cold, heartless dad, he went crazy. Mom slept for a really, really long time. It was way past time to take me to preschool, but she still wasn’t awake. I touched her body. It was cold, and stiff. Not warm and soft like usual. “Mommy, I’m hungry.” I shook her hard, but she still didn’t open her eyes. She wasn’t like this before. Before, if I just whined a little, she’d wake up instantly, pull me into her arms, and soothe me gently. But now, she was sleeping so deeply. I pulled the blanket over her to cover her properly, then climbed out of bed to call Dad. Dad hadn’t been home for days. Our neighbor, Ms. Davis, said his first love, Celeste, had divorced and come back last month, and that he didn’t want Mom and me anymore. Ms. Davis also said Mom looked a lot like Celeste, and Dad must have married Mom because he mistook her for Celeste. I didn’t know what a “first love” was, so I went to ask Mom. Mom was quiet for a long time before she said: “It’s about what you never truly had, what’s forever in the past.” I didn’t get it. I started to hate the moon. Because it took my dad away.

Mom had set a password on her phone so I couldn’t watch videos. I couldn’t call Dad. I held the phone up to Mom’s face, but it didn’t unlock automatically like it usually did. I said to the phone, “Voice Assistant, I won’t secretly watch cartoons anymore. Please unlock, I need to call Dad.” But the voice assistant didn’t respond. I went to knock on Ms. Davis’s door, but no one was home either. I had no choice but to climb back into bed and lie next to Mom, watching her. Mom was beautiful. Even sleeping, she was beautiful, more beautiful than any fairy on TV. Dad used to often watch Mom when she was asleep, and then he’d carry Mom from my side into their room. He’d playfully nip at Mom like a puppy. Mom was most afraid of dogs, but she never pushed Dad away. The next morning, Mom would always wake up late, rushing to make breakfast for Dad and me. Adults always say kids don’t remember things, but I remember everything. I remember that no matter how rushed Mom was back then, her eyes were always full of laughter. But Dad didn’t smile. He just sat there looking at his phone, then went to work after breakfast, dropping me off at preschool on the way. The teachers at preschool all loved it when Dad brought me. I heard them say my dad was the most handsome of all the dads, tall and good-looking and rich, like a movie star. They also said my dad was cold and aloof, and if only he were a little gentler, he’d be perfect. I thought they were wrong. Leo’s dad was clearly the best-looking. Leo’s dad always carried him on his shoulders when he brought him to preschool. How cool was that? My dad would just lift me down from the car and tell me to go into preschool by myself.

I took out the photo from Mom’s hand. We’d taken it at the art gallery a few days ago. Dad originally had plans and didn’t want to go with us, but Mom held his hand. “Just one more photo, please. Lily can look at it when she grows up. Otherwise… otherwise, it’d be so sad.” I saw tears in Mom’s eyes, but she held them back. Dad finally agreed. In the photo, Mom was holding me in a princess dress, leaning gently on Dad’s shoulder. Dad didn’t push Mom away; he quietly let her lean on him. Out of the three of us, I was the only one smiling the happiest. Last night before bed, Mom held me and looked at this photo together. She kissed my cheek and said, “I wish Mom were more useful.” “Lily, you have to grow up brave, and never be afraid.” I happily rolled around in her arms, “Okay, I’ll grow up brave!” She smiled too, but tears were on her face. She’d been crying a lot lately, even more than me. Then she sang me to sleep. In a daze, I heard her pleading with someone, “It’s not time yet, why are you here… Let me make a call and arrange things for my daughter… She’s only three, please…” I didn’t know who she was talking to. There were only two of us at home. But I was so tired, my eyelids felt too heavy to lift. When I woke up, Mom was lying next to me, her blanket barely covering her, which was why her body was so cold. I used my tiny hand to hold Mom’s, hoping she’d get warmer. No luck.

After a while, Mom’s phone rang. I went to answer, but the ringtone stopped. The phone was dead. I plugged the phone in to charge, but no one called back. I was hungry. I moved a small stool and opened the fridge, but I could only reach a bag of bread. I wanted to get the milk from deeper inside the fridge, but the stool fell, and I tumbled down hard. “Mommy, it hurts!” I cried as I went to find Mom. Mom still didn’t wake up. She was always so worried about me falling and getting hurt. I cried until I was tired, then fell asleep next to Mom. In my dream, I heard Dad’s voice. No, it wasn’t a dream. Dad really was back. I opened my eyes and heard the sound of the door code being entered. The door opened, but Dad didn’t walk in. Only his voice came through: “Lily’s preschool called and said she didn’t show up. I came back to check. Don’t worry, it’s normal after surgery. Go ask the doctor, I’ll be right there to find you.” He was on the phone, and his voice was so gentle. He had never spoken to Mom and me like that. He was always so indifferent to us, sometimes even cold. “Daddy.” I crawled off the bed from beside Mom and ran out. Dad frowned when he saw me. “Why aren’t you dressed? Where’s Mom?” I stopped, afraid to go closer, and whispered from the bedroom doorway, “Mommy’s sleeping on the bed.” He didn’t even look at Mom. He just said coldly to her, “Anya, I’ll give you three more days to think about it. The house and car here are all yours. Sign the divorce papers soon; it’ll be better for both of us.” Something fell in the bedroom. I thought Mom had woken up and ran to check. It was just the phone, which had fallen off the charger onto the floor. I went out to call Dad again, but he had already taken the elevator and left. I stood on my tiptoes, trying to press the elevator button to go down and find him, to tell him that Mom wouldn’t wake up. But Mom had said that children should absolutely, absolutely never ride the elevator alone. Once, when I was playing around, I took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. Mom looked for me for a long time and cried, she was so worried. I went back to Mom’s side and lay down. I didn’t want Mom to cry. When she cried, she was so sad, and she’d secretly hide so I wouldn’t see. I loved it when she smiled. The bread was all gone; I could only drink water. I was still hungry after drinking water, and Mom still hadn’t woken up. I thought Mom was sick. When I was sick, I also slept a lot, but Mom would feed me medicine and I’d get better.

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After the global collapse, my daughter Daisy’s radiation immunity became our family’s lifeline, finding us food and clean water. But my sister-in-law, Cassandra, pointed at Daisy, accusing her of stealing her son Leo’s abilities. The next day, my six-year-old Daisy was thrown by my husband, Julian, into an abandoned pipe crawling with mutated rats. I knelt outside the iron bars, my head slamming against the concrete, begging them to pull Daisy out. Julian impatiently kicked me away: “She can’t be poisoned to death anyway. What’s wrong with a few rat bites?” “We’re family. Just letting Cassandra blow off some steam.” I watched, horrified, as my daughter screamed and ran inside the pipe, her clothes torn, her tiny body covered in bloody gashes. Cassandra, bored, pulled Julian away to distribute food. Daisy’s cries grew weaker and weaker, until all that was left was the excited gnawing of mutated rats. When Julian finally returned, all that was left of Daisy was half a tiny leg, dragging from the pipe opening. He kicked away a rat still tearing at her, then sneered at me: “Still wailing? I only put common rats in there. They can’t kill a person.” “Who knew she was so stupid she wouldn’t even realize that?”

I knelt on the cold concrete ground, my forehead already raw and bloody. “Please… please, just pull her up… she’s just a child!” My throat was raw from screaming, my fingers scraping against the gaps in the iron bars, nails tearing and bending backwards, but I felt no pain. From deep within the pipe came rustling sounds, mixed with Daisy’s heart-wrenching screams. “Mommy… Mommy, help me! It hurts so bad… they’re biting me… Mommy…” That sound was like a dull blade, slowly, agonizingly carving into my heart. I frantically shook the fence, only to be met with Julian’s impatient kick. “So noisy!” He kicked me to the ground, looking down at me. “Willow, can’t you be sensible? She’s just a girl, is it really worth this?” I crawled over and hugged his leg. “Julian, that’s your daughter, your own daughter.” “Tsk.” He shook me off, turning to look at Cassandra, who was clinging to him. “Cassandra’s right. That girl is just overdramatic.” “So what if she’s radiation immune? If our Leo went out to find supplies, he’d be a hundred times better than her.” Cassandra chuckled, covering her mouth. Her fingers, adorned with vibrant red nail polish, traced circles on Julian’s chest. “Julian, I knew you were the most reasonable one. Kids, they need a little lesson to learn their place.” “Mommy… Mommy…” Daisy’s voice grew weaker and weaker, replaced by the excited squeaking and tearing sounds of the mutated rats. I trembled, lunging at the fence again, but Cassandra grabbed a handful of my hair. “Willow, don’t push your luck.” She leaned close to my ear, a smile twisting her lips. “Your daughter stole my son’s abilities. This is her deserved karma.” “What abilities? There are no abilities!” I shrieked hysterically. “Daisy is just… just physically unique…” “Enough!” Julian cut me off impatiently. “Cassandra, let’s go distribute the supplies. Don’t waste time here.” Cassandra immediately beamed. “Okay, I’m starving anyway.” Before she left, she deliberately kicked the fence. “Little bastard, enjoy yourself.” They walked away, embracing, as my daughter’s increasingly faint cries for help echoed in my ears. I fumbled for a piece of shattered rock on the ground and furiously smashed it against the fence lock. The sound echoed in the empty sewer, but it didn’t budge the sturdy iron lock in the slightest. “Daisy… Daisy, hold on… Mommy’s here…” My voice was choked, fragmented. The response from the pipe had dwindled to faint sobs, then the chilling sound of gnawing. I don’t know how long passed, my hands were already raw and bloody. All I could hear was the rustling feeding sounds of the mutated rats. When Julian and Cassandra returned, well-fed and satisfied, my tears had run dry. Julian carelessly kicked away a fat rat that crawled out of the pipe opening, then shone his flashlight inside. “Tsk, already given up?” He frowned, his eyes full of impatience. “I put common rats in there. They can’t kill a person.” I stared blankly at the pipe opening. Only half of a tiny leg remained, wearing the little bunny socks I had sewn for Daisy myself. Julian followed my gaze, then suddenly laughed. “Huh? That stupid girl, did she just scare herself to death? I told you she always lied and played victim since she was little, didn’t I?” In that moment, a surge of murderous intent ripped through me.

I curled up on the damp, cold concrete floor, my arms tightly wrapped around Daisy’s tiny, incomplete leg. The small limb was already ice-cold, the sock stained with dark red blood. From the next room, the rhythmic creaking of a bed frame and Cassandra’s exaggerated moans slithered into my ears like venomous snakes. “Ah… Julian… you’re so much better than that old hag…” I bit down hard on my lower lip, the taste of rust spreading in my mouth. The small sock in my arms suddenly slipped, revealing a stark white bone. That was the only part of Daisy that was still somewhat intact. My stomach clenched violently, bile and acid surging up my throat, but I swallowed it back down. Memories from three years ago suddenly flashed through my mind. Back then, the apocalypse hadn’t arrived. Julian knelt under a cherry tree outside the company building, holding a diamond ring, looking so sincere. His voice trembled slightly in the spring breeze. “Willow, I will protect you and our future child with my life.” At that time, the sincerity in his eyes made me cry like an idiot. The scene shifted to the day Daisy was born. In the delivery room, Julian held our swaddled daughter, his fingers gently caressing her tender, pink face, his eyes soft as a spring puddle. “Our princess is so beautiful.” He leaned down and kissed my sweaty forehead. “Thank you for giving me a complete home.” Seeing the joy in his eyes made all the pain feel worthwhile. When the first pollution alarm sounded, he drove through the night from the east side of the city to the west to pick up Daisy and me. In the rearview mirror, his gaze was as firm as iron: “Don’t be scared, I’m here.” Outside the car window, crowds scattered in panic, but his arms were my safest harbor. The fragments of memory suddenly sharpened. When did he change? Was it the day Cassandra arrived with her five-year-old son Leo, seeking refuge with us? Or when supplies became increasingly scarce? I watched his eyes grow colder, watched his growing disdain for our daughter, and his overwhelming care for Cassandra… A dull thud from the next room – bodies hitting the wall – followed by Julian’s sated sigh. My hands trembling, I unbuttoned my collar, carefully tucking Daisy’s small sock and that piece of bone into my pocket, close to my skin. The fabric immediately soaked with blood, burning against my heart. “Mommy, don’t be scared… Daisy will protect you…” Before my last outing, Daisy wiped away my tears with her tiny hands. She always said she was a little superhero, meant to protect her timid mommy. She didn’t know that Mommy was the one who should have protected her. Moonlight slanted in through the vent. I looked down at my blood-stained hands. I stood up mechanically, my legs long since numb. I stumbled before I could steady myself. The blast door opening required triple authentication, but I had long memorized Julian’s fingerprint sequence. When the third green light glowed, I opened the blast door. In the early morning, the howl of mutated wolves ripped through the night sky as I stood on the lookout tower. The sound was unlike a normal wolf’s howl; it made my scalp crawl. Soon, a dozen pairs of eerie green eyes gleamed in the darkness. Julian burst out, shirtless, Cassandra following, disheveled, one high heel missing. Their panicked flight towards the SUV made me laugh out loud. “Willow, are you insane?” Julian looked up, saw me standing on the lookout tower, and his face instantly turned ashen. In the moonlight, I could clearly see the un-faded lipstick mark on his neck, vivid red like blood. I didn’t answer, just watched silently as the first mutated wolf pounced on Cassandra. The beast was the size of a small calf, its fur patchy and falling out, revealing rotting muscle underneath. It bit into Cassandra’s meticulously styled long hair, dragging her to the ground. Her scream cut short as the second wolf clamped its jaws around her throat. Julian hesitated for a second. Just one second, then he plunged into the driver’s seat without looking back. The roar of the engine mingled with Cassandra’s dying screams. The SUV rammed through two mutated wolves blocking its way and sped off, leaving a trail of dust. More mutated creatures poured in through the open blast door. I knew this was just the beginning. Julian, you can escape for a while, but you can’t escape forever. From today on, I am no longer the weak Willow. I will live, live longer than anyone else, until I see Julian descend into hell with my own eyes.

I wandered through the ruins for three days. Daisy’s little finger, tucked against my heart, had taken on my body temperature. Sometimes I even imagined I felt it tremble faintly. On the evening of the fourth day, I was surrounded by a pack of wolves. They emerged from beneath a collapsed overpass—twelve of them, maybe more. These mutated wolves were the size of adult Tibetan mastiffs, their exposed skin covered in festering sores. Their fangs were grotesquely elongated, dripping corrosive saliva. The alpha wolf at the front had a rotting empty socket where its right eye should be, its remaining left eye fixed intently on me. I stood my ground. I didn’t run. Death was no longer terrifying to me; it would be a release. The pack slowly closed in, their foul breath hot on my face. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to descend. However, nothing happened. I opened my eyes and found the alpha wolf sniffing my clothing, perplexed. Its rotting snout brushed against my exposed arm, but it didn’t bite. The other wolves also appeared unusually agitated, circling me but not daring to approach. “What the hell…?” A rough male voice came from above the ruins. I looked up and saw six fully armed people standing on the edge of the broken overpass. The man in the lead wore a gas mask, but I could feel his sharp gaze fixed on me. He made a gesture, and the others immediately fanned out, moving as swiftly as a pack of leopards. Gunshots rang out, but not aimed at me. Precise shots took down three wolves closest to me. The pack stirred, but instead of attacking me, they bared their teeth at the source of the gunfire. “Ma’am, slowly move to your right.” The leading man shouted at me, his voice muffled through the gas mask. “There’s a recess there, you can temporarily hide.” I didn’t move. Why hide? Wouldn’t it be better for the wolves to tear me apart? The man cursed, then leaped down from the broken bridge. He landed with a forward roll to absorb the impact, his movements clean and precise. As he got to his feet, he had already drawn a military knife. A flash of silver, and a wolf that lunged at him had its throat slit with deadly accuracy. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He grabbed my wrist, pulling me behind him. He dealt with the wolves that rushed him one by one. After the last wolf fell, the man finally took off his gas mask. He had a sharply defined face, a scar above his left eyebrow, adding a touch of ferocity to his otherwise handsome features. He panted, but his eyes never left my face. “Are you hurt?” I shook my head, realizing my wrist was still in his grasp. His palm was wide and rough, surprisingly warm. “Why didn’t those wolves attack you?” He asked the crucial question. I didn’t know how to answer. In fact, I wanted to know the answer too. Was it because of Daisy? She could move freely in the radiation zones, and now part of her flesh and blood was integrated with mine… “Never mind. Let’s get out of here first.” Ryder released my wrist and spoke into his communicator. “Found a survivor, female, showing unusual circumstances. Requesting return to base.” “I’m not going to any base.” I took a step back. Ryder raised an eyebrow. “Then where do you plan to go? Continue wandering in the ruins?” “Next time, it might not be a wolf pack. It could be something far worse.” “That’s none of your business.” He stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. “Interesting. Fine, go wherever you want.” He turned and waved to his team. “Pack up, we’re heading southeast as planned.” Southeast. My heart pounded. That was the direction Julian had fled. “Wait.” I heard myself say, “Are you… are you searching for survivors?” Ryder turned back, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through my thoughts. “Not entirely.” “We’re tracking a group of scavengers. They’ve looted several shelters.” He paused. “Heard the leader is a man with a missing left arm, with a crazy woman.” “Something about… Julian?” My nails dug deeply into my palms. Julian lost his left arm? When did that happen? “If you change your mind, follow along.” Ryder had already turned to walk away. “But fair warning, if you’re with us, you’re a team member. You follow orders.” I looked at his back, then touched Daisy’s little finger near my heart. I said, “I’m in.” My Daisy died. Why should Julian get to live unharmed?

As we approached the shelter, a familiar cough echoed from a corner. My blood instantly froze. It was Julian. He was curled up in a pile of moldy blankets, his left sleeve empty and dangling, his face ashen like a corpse. Cassandra was squatting beside him, wiping sweat from his forehead with a dirty rag. Her son, Leo, was nowhere to be seen. The moment Julian looked up and saw me, his murky eyes suddenly lit up. “Willow?” He struggled to stand, his voice hoarse and unrecognizable. “You’re alive.” Cassandra whipped her head around, her meticulously drawn eyebrows raised high. “Well, well, still clinging to life, are we?” She sneered. “What, here to beg Julian for food?” My nails dug deeply into my palms. Ryder, sensing my unease, stepped half a pace to shield me. He asked quietly, “You know them?” “My husband.” I heard myself say. “My former husband.” Julian’s expression rapidly shifted from surprise to anger. “Willow, you have the nerve to come back?” He swayed as he stood. “If you hadn’t opened the blast door, how would I have…” He lifted his empty left sleeve, his voice choked. “How would Leo have…” So the child died. A twisted sense of satisfaction welled up in my heart, but it was immediately swallowed by a greater emptiness. A child’s death shouldn’t make me happy, even if it was Cassandra’s son. “Enough.” Ryder’s voice wasn’t loud, but it instantly silenced the entire shelter. He turned to the shelter’s manager. “This is Willow, a new member of our team.” “She has a unique constitution; she can move freely in heavily radiated zones without getting infected.” A collective gasp swept through the room. Julian and Cassandra’s expressions were priceless. First shock, then greed, then deep, profound fear. “Impossible!” Cassandra shrieked. “She’s just a regular housewife!” Ryder scoffed and pulled a radiation detector from his backpack. He gestured for me to extend my hand, then placed the detector against my skin. The instrument remained silent. But when he moved it towards himself, a piercing alarm immediately blared. “This…” Julian’s eyes widened, shimmering with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. “Willow, what’s going on?” I didn’t answer. Ryder clapped his hands. “From today on, Ms. Willow will be in charge of our supply exchange with the East District shelter.” “Anyone who disrespects her will be considered an enemy of the entire shelter.” Julian’s expression changed again and again, finally settling into a sickeningly fawning look. “My wife… I mean, ex-wife, she’s always been excellent.” He tried to approach me, but Ryder’s gaze pinned him to the spot. “Willow, we need to talk…” That night, I lay in the private cubicle assigned to our team, listening to the continuous coughing and groaning outside. A shadow appeared under the door crack. Then came a familiar, careful knocking. “Willow? It’s me.” Julian’s voice was barely a whisper. “Please, just five minutes.” I scoffed silently, but opened the door anyway. He slinked in like a stray dog, smelling of stale sweat and unwashed clothes. In the dim light, I saw the bloodshot in his eyes and his deeply sunken cheeks. “I know you hate me.” He dropped to his knees as soon as he spoke, his empty sleeve dangling limply. “But I truly regret it, Willow.” “That day, I was misled by Cassandra, I…” “Daisy was only six.” I said softly, my fingers unconsciously caressing the cloth pouch on my chest. “She was still calling for Mommy when she died.” Julian’s tears immediately flowed, whether real or fake. “I have nightmares every night…” He choked. “That pipe… I only found out later that a few mutated rats had gotten in…” Lies. All lies. I distinctly remembered him saying they were just common rats, saying Daisy was too stupid and scared herself to death. But now, looking at him sobbing, I suddenly understood what I needed to do. “Julian…” I reached out and gently stroked his dirty hair, my voice intentionally soft. “I… I also made mistakes…” He clung to my leg like a drowning man grasping a lifeline. “Can we start over? Just like before…” “Give me some time.” I said gently. “Right now, I have to follow the team, but… maybe after the mission is over…” Julian looked up, the hope in his eyes nauseating. “I’ll wait for you.” He said eagerly. “I’ll cut ties with that crazy woman, I swear.” Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door, and Julian flinched. Ryder’s voice came from outside: “Willow? Everything alright in there?” Julian frantically let go of me. I quickly adjusted my expression and opened the door. Ryder stood at the doorway, his gaze like a knife, sweeping over Julian kneeling on the ground. “Am I interrupting your reunion?” His tone was chillingly calm. Julian scrambled up awkwardly, lowering his head, and slinked away. In the early hours of the morning, an alarm ripped through the shelter’s tranquility. “Mutated plant invasion! Everyone evacuate to the central hall immediately!”

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