Category: English

1 The day my wife, Evelyn, discovered I had a Rebirth System, she started killing me. Over and over, all for him—her long-lost love. The first time, it was a carbon monoxide leak while I slept. The second, a hit-and-run she arranged. Every death was different, but one thing never changed: we both looped back to the beginning, to the same starting point. When I confronted her, my heart shattering with each word, her explanation was a chillingly simple blade to the gut. “Leo isn’t like you, Ethan. You have endless chances to come back. He only gets to live to twenty-two.” And so, every time, in the very moment Leo’s last breath rattled in his chest, she would end my life to reset the clock. I tried to run, to escape her, but I wasn’t from this world. No matter how far I fled, Evelyn always found me. But after my one-hundredth death, something new happened. I unlocked an achievement. “Host, you only need to die one more time to return to your original world.” Evelyn was already plotting the next reset, completely unaware that for us, there would be no ‘next time.’ … My eyes snapped open. I was back in the house I shared with Evelyn. There was no joy, only a hollow numbness as I stared at the enormous wedding photo hanging on the wall. In it, we were cheek to cheek, the very picture of devotion. Back then, the city’s elite all whispered the same story: Evelyn Hale, the heiress to a fortune, was madly in love with me. She had to be. Her grand gestures were the stuff of legends. She’d bought out every luxury car dealership in the city to serve as my personal garage and sunk a billion dollars into my fledgling startup just to see if it would float. I believed she loved me, too. Wholeheartedly. But everything changed the day Leo returned to the country. Just then, the front door flew open. Evelyn’s eyes scanned the living room before locking onto me. She strode forward, collapsing into my arms. “Ethan, you’re still here. Thank God.” Her arms tightened around me, a crushing force, as if trying to merge our bodies into one. Anyone else would have thought it was an embrace of relief, of affection. But I knew the truth. She was terrified of losing her chance to complete her list of “a hundred little things” with Leo. Just as quickly, she pulled back, her hand gently tracing the brow bone above my eye. Her touch was a phantom of the last death. She’d dosed me with something powerfully addictive and locked me in the bedroom. The withdrawal was agony, and my only relief was smashing my head against the wall, again and again, until my skull fractured and my brain gave out. Of all the ways I had died, that was the most brutal, the most torturous. “Ethan, can you just wait a little longer? Please?” she pleaded, her voice soft. “There are only a few things left on the list. Once I finish them with Leo, I promise, it will just be you and me. We can have a good life together.” This was the promise I had once yearned for. Now, her words were just ashes in my mouth. I subtly eased away from her touch. “The housekeeper made dinner. Are you staying tonight?” I asked, my voice flat. I already knew the answer. It was a token question. Evelyn seemed to sense my new distance. She knelt, taking my hands in hers, her eyes wide with a performer’s sincerity. “Ethan, was it too painful last time? I’m so sorry.” “Don’t worry,” she promised, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “This time, I’ll make it quick. I won’t let you suffer for long.” A bitter, silent laugh echoed in my soul. Did she even see me as a person anymore? Or was I just a machine, a reset button for her tragic love story? Seeing my lack of response, she opened her mouth to say more, but the shrill ring of her phone cut her off. It was Leo. She shot me an apologetic glance before stepping away to take the call. It was always the same. Any moment we had alone was inevitably shattered by him. I was used to it. Even from across the room, I could hear Leo’s choked sobs through the phone. Evelyn’s face melted with concern, her voice a low, soothing murmur as she comforted him. After hanging up, she turned to me. “I can’t stay for dinner. Something’s come up with Leo. I have to go to him right now.” I knew it was coming, but my heart still gave a painful lurch. I gave a curt, noncommittal nod. “I understand.” She grabbed her cashmere coat from the sofa and headed for the door, then paused, as if just remembering I was there. She glanced back. “You just wait for me at home, okay?” Then she was gone, her departure as swift and final as all the other times she’d left me behind. But this time, a genuine smile touched my lips. This time, I was the one leaving her. It wasn’t long after Evelyn left that I began to plan my own exit. I wandered aimlessly into the kitchen, my eyes landing on the long, gleaming blade of a chef’s knife. It was a custom piece, commissioned by Evelyn from a master craftsman, all so her sashimi would have the perfect, clean cut. It had also been the instrument of my tenth death. She’d been clumsy then, new to the act of killing. Each cut had been a slow, agonizing torment that lasted for what felt like an eternity. My gaze drifted to the deep, stainless-steel sink. She’d held my head under the water in that sink once, the life bubbling out of me in a desperate, silent scream. I’d experienced a grim variety of endings—I’d even been thrown from a skyscraper. To avoid a public spectacle, I decided on the cleanest, quickest method I could think of: a handful of pills with a bottle of vintage red. I’d just pulled the wine from the rack when my phone began to buzz with messages from mutual friends. “What the hell is going on with Evelyn? She’s all over the gossip sites with Leo.” “I thought you two were inseparable. Is something wrong?” Mixed in with the concerned texts were the sneering ones, telling me my dream of marrying into wealth was over and it was time to wake up. I clicked the link one of them sent. News alerts exploded on my screen. The internet was flooded with paparazzi photos of Evelyn and Leo. Holding hands under a sky full of fireworks. A passionate kiss in public. I knew what it was. Number ninety-eight on their list: flaunt their love for the world to see. It didn’t matter how reckless they were. One reset, and the world’s memory would be wiped clean. Just then, a new text came in. It was from Leo. “Ethan Foster, I’m never giving Evelyn back to you.” It wasn’t the first time he’d sent a message like this. After a hundred loops, I had the words memorized. I could even picture the smug look on his face, could anticipate what was coming next. Sure enough, three seconds later, an image appeared. It was their list. “A Hundred Little Things.” Scanning down, I saw that items one through ninety-eight were crossed out in bold red ink. Number ninety-nine was ‘Experience every position,’ and number one hundred was ‘Have a child together.’ This was the first time I had ever seen the actual list. I stared at it, a brief shock giving way to a profound, chilling calm. In an earlier loop, after discovering the truth, I had begged her to show it to me. She’d refused, her eyes evasive, insisting they were just “silly, unimportant things.” Unimportant things. Every single one was an intimate act meant for lovers, for a husband and wife. A dry, humorless sound escaped my lips. I didn’t reply. Leo’s body wouldn’t last long enough to see a child born, and besides, none of it mattered anymore. Soon, I would be free. With a newfound sense of purpose, I uncorked the wine and washed down half a bottle of pills. The effects were swift. My vision blurred. The room began to spin. My breath hitched, each gasp a desperate struggle for air. I collapsed to the floor, my consciousness fraying, drifting away like smoke. Through the haze, I heard frantic footsteps. The sound of the door crashing open. “Ethan!” A strong grip hauled me up, my body feeling as weightless as a kite in the wind. Evelyn’s fingers dug into my arms, her voice laced with a raw, unfamiliar panic. “Ethan! Ethan, wake up! Look at me!” My scattered senses slowly reassembled. I managed to force my eyes open, meeting her gaze. Her eyes were wide, red-rimmed with a fear I’d never seen before. “Are you insane?!” she shrieked. “Trying to kill yourself in my house?” “Let me tell you something,” she hissed, her face close to mine. “Your life belongs to me. You don’t get to die without my permission!” A faint, tragic smile pulled at my lips. Evelyn rushed me to the hospital. I was so close. So close to going home. But she mobilized the city’s top medical teams, sparing no expense to drag me back from the brink. When I woke up, she was there. She gripped my face, forcing me to meet her eyes. “Was this because of Leo?” she demanded, her voice cold steel. “Were you jealous?” My lips were cracked, my throat raw. “No,” I rasped. My reaction seemed to catch her off guard. The hard lines of her face softened slightly. “I know I’ve been distant,” she murmured. “I’ll spend more time with you from now on, okay?” She leaned in, her lips aiming for mine in a kiss devoid of any warmth or emotion. I turned my head, and the cold press of her mouth landed on my cheek instead. A humorless laugh escaped her. “Don’t you dare refuse me, Ethan.” She pinned me against the headboard, her body caging mine. The cold metal bars of the hospital bed bit into my back. A flurry of desperate, bruising kisses followed. She fumbled with the buttons of my hospital gown, tearing it open and exposing me to the cold air. I felt a wave of shame, of utter humiliation. Her hands explored downward, relentless. “See?” she whispered against my skin, her voice a hot breath. “Your body doesn’t lie. You still want me.” She had always been so gentle in our intimacy, so careful not to push me. Now, it was a frantic, almost violent act of possession. I wasn’t a lover; I was an object, a territory to be reclaimed. I closed my eyes, and the very last ember of affection I held for her was extinguished, washed away by a single, silent tear. Afterward, she carelessly threw a blanket over my body, hiding the marks she’d left. She dressed with a detached air, the last traces of passion fading from her face, leaving it a cold, beautiful mask. “I’m posting guards outside your door,” she announced, her voice flat. “You’re staying here. And don’t even think about trying to die again.” Her idea of “guards” was a dozen stone-faced bodyguards stationed outside my room around the clock. They watched my every move. I couldn’t even close the bathroom door. It wasn’t a hospital stay; it was a prison sentence. My plan was delayed, but I knew my chance would come. On Leo’s birthday… she would still kill me, just as she always had. No matter how I died, I would finally go home. The thought of waiting, however, was a gnawing frustration. When I was finally discharged, Evelyn abandoned all pretense. She had me bound like an animal and thrown into a small, dark storage room in the basement. A maid brought my meals, spooning them into my mouth as if I were an infant. I ate, slept, and relieved myself in that one small space. There was no escape, no visitors. After a few days, I could smell the sour stench of my own filth clinging to me. The maid would pinch her nose every time she entered, her eyes filled with disgust, as if I were a pig waiting for slaughter. Evelyn rarely visited. Once, in a moment of sheer desperation, I begged her. “When can I die? Just tell me when.” Death was no longer a terror; it was my only hope for liberation. Her reply was a casual, devastating blow. “When I’m pregnant with Leo’s child.” Again and again, she ground my dignity into the dust. Somewhere outside my prison, they had completed number ninety-nine. Now only the final act remained. She knew better than anyone that Leo would never live to see his child born, not in this lifetime or any other. But her obsession was a fire that consumed everything, and she was determined to make everyone pay the price for it. The room had no windows, only a single, dim bulb overhead. My days bled into one another—eat, sleep, eat, sleep. I lost all track of time, of day and night. One day, the maid was forcing food into my mouth when a wave of nausea hit me. I retched, spitting the food onto the floor. She cursed, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and shoved the spoon back in my mouth, forcing it down my throat. The nausea intensified, and I could only curl into a ball, vomiting until nothing but yellow bile came up. Seeing me heave until I was empty, she finally panicked and called the family doctor. Suddenly, the tiny room was filled with people. But Evelyn was not among them. With me too weak to struggle, the maid finally untied my ropes. My body was limp, and I slumped against the wall, letting them prod and examine me. After a series of tests, the doctor spoke in a low, somber voice. “Mr. Foster has late-stage liver cancer.” Liver cancer? The words struck me like a physical blow. A tremor ran through me, all other emotions replaced by pure, unadulterated shock. This had never happened in any of the previous hundred loops. This time, I had a terminal illness. The shock quickly curdled into a deep, crushing despair. It seemed fate itself was conspiring to keep me here. I closed my eyes, a tear tracing a path through the grime on my cheek. A wild thought flickered through my mind. If Evelyn knew I was sick, truly dying… would this time be different? After the doctor left, the maid sneered at me. “Still think you’re the high and mighty Mr. Foster? Don’t think getting sick will earn you any pity from Miss Hale. Let me tell you, she and Mr. Leo are inseparable these days. She hasn’t thought about you once.” She punctuated her words with a vicious kick to my side. I instinctively curled tighter, protecting my abdomen from the searing pain. When she was finished, she leaned down, her voice a venomous hiss. “You keep your mouth shut about this, and I might just make your last days here bearable.” I nodded weakly, and I saw the relief on her face. The staff, terrified I would use my illness to regain Evelyn’s favor and expose their abuse, conspired to keep my diagnosis a secret. From that day on, the food they brought me was barely edible. But I forced it down, choking back the nausea, determined to stay alive long enough for Evelyn to finish her gruesome task. She never came. An eternity seemed to pass. I started to believe I would rot in that basement forever. Then, one day, the heavy door creaked open. The sharp, rhythmic click of high heels on concrete grew closer. It was Evelyn. I lifted my head, a flicker of desperate hope igniting in my chest. She took in my filthy, emaciated state, but her expression didn’t so much as flicker. She walked over and, without a hint of disgust, helped me to my feet. “What have you done to yourself?” The maids standing by stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Before I could answer, she took my hand and led me out of the darkness. As we passed through the grand foyer, I saw a calendar. I had been in that room for a month. She led me to our bedroom and sat me down in front of a mirror, where she began to gently wash my face with a warm cloth. “How about I give you a bath?” she murmured, her voice unnervingly tender. “And when you’re clean, we’ll have dinner together.” Her gentleness was a ghost of a happier time, a cruel reminder of what we once had. I forced myself to remain cold, detached. “Why are you doing this? Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?” It was too much, too kind. She had to have a motive. Evelyn didn’t seem bothered by my suspicion. Her voice remained a soft caress. “It’s our anniversary, Ethan. Did you forget?” Our anniversary. For a moment, I was stunned. I had forgotten. Completely. In a hundred lifetimes, we had never once celebrated it. She finished combing my tangled hair, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror, a look of deep affection on her face. “It’s okay. I remembered for both of us.” After the bath, she dressed me in soft, silk pajamas. We sat across from each other at the dining table, the scene so deceptively normal it felt like a dream. She even carefully cut my steak into small, manageable pieces for me. I looked at her beautiful face, and despite everything, my resolve wavered. I was about to tell her—about the cancer, about everything. Then, her eyes still lowered to her plate, she spoke, her voice calm and even. “I’m pregnant.” The words were a lightning strike, sending an icy chill down my spine. She continued, her tone conversational. “When Leo found out, he was so happy he had a heart attack. He’s in the ICU now.” She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. “His body is failing. He won’t even make it to his birthday this time. So…” Her sentence hung in the air. With a slow, deliberate motion, she slid the steak knife she’d been using across the table until it rested in front of me. She picked up her napkin, dabbing delicately at her lips, and pronounced my death sentence. “This time, I won’t do it myself. You can do the honors.” My vision blurred, my eyes stinging with tears. It was happening again. I couldn’t remember which death it was, but I had died at this very table before. She had strangled the life out of me with her bare hands. To think, after all my waiting, I was expected to end it myself. The last fragile thread of hope inside me snapped. “Aren’t you afraid?” I asked, my voice a ragged whisper. “What if this is the last time? What if, after I die, there’s no more rebirth?” A flicker of annoyance crossed her face. She reached across the table, grabbing my hand and forcing the knife into my grip. She guided the point until it rested directly over my heart. “Don’t be dramatic. We’ll see each other again in the next life.” I let out a shaky laugh. “No, we won’t.” And with that, I closed my hand over hers, driving the blade deep into my chest. Blood bubbled up, spilling from the corner of my mouth. With my last, fleeting breath, I looked into her shocked eyes and offered one final, taunting truth. “Congratulations, Evelyn. Your child is now fatherless.”

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When I was at my most money-hungry, I got together with Julian, a guy who’d hit his head and lost his smarts. Not only was he mentally a child, but he was also a germophobe who hated being touched. After three years together, I finally managed to have his baby. Then his first love came back. I took the money and ran. It was the logical thing to do. Five years later, a random guy tried to hit on me. Out of nowhere, a little kid ran up and roasted him. “Mister, you don’t even have a nose bridge. You’re so ugly.” The kid looked exactly like Julian. Terrified of being recognized, I tried to walk away, but he grabbed my shirt. “Miss, my daddy is handsome. Can I introduce you?” 1 The stranger glanced at the Porsche key in my hand. “Hey beautiful, looking for a good time?” He flipped his bangs and gave me a greasy smile. “I’m a virgin. Interested?” I looked at the stark difference in foundation color between his face and neck and almost laughed out loud. I bit my lip, about to politely decline. Suddenly, a little boy ran out. “Mister, you don’t even have a nose bridge. You’re so ugly.” The kid turned to me with a grin. “Right, Miss?” Me: “…” The man’s face turned the color of raw liver. “Where did this brat come from? Get lost.” “But Mister, your makeup is flaking off,” the kid said, blinking his big eyes innocently. The man awkwardly wiped his face and stormed off. “Miss, I chased away the ugly man. Wasn’t I brave?” The boy looked up at me, raising an eyebrow, clearly fishing for a compliment. I froze. He looked familiar. Way too familiar. That expression was identical to Julian’s. I asked tentatively, “What’s your name, sweetie?” “Lucas.” My heart skipped a beat. That was the name I picked when I was seven months pregnant. I scanned the area. No sign of Julian. I let out a breath. “Thanks, kiddo.” “You should go home now. I have to go too.” He called me “Miss,” which meant he didn’t know who I was. I grabbed my bag and turned to leave, but he tugged on my shirt. “Miss, my daddy is handsome. Can I introduce you?” 2 I had to admit, his dad was handsome. Back when Julian crashed his car and reverted to the mental age of a ten-year-old, the doctors said it was a blood clot. He’d only recover when it dissolved. But Julian’s father, Mr. Sterling, wanted a grandson immediately. He arranged three “girlfriends” for Julian. The first two failed. I was the third. Mr. Sterling was blunt. “Sasha, give me a grandson, and I’ll wire you ten million dollars. Immediately.” I agreed without hesitation. Taking advantage of a mentally impaired guy was immoral, sure. But my morals were flexible, especially when his own father was green-lighting it. To complete the mission, I practiced every seduction technique in the book. Our first meeting. Julian was sitting on the couch, playing with an Ultraman figure. I wore a white dress and spoke in my gentlest voice. He looked up. Sharp jawline, high brow. Thick lashes framing eyes that were clear and innocent. I thought to myself, Even just sleeping with him once would be a win. This deal is pure profit. Julian stared at me for a moment, then smiled. “Hi, big sister.” “Good boy.” I thought this would be easy money. But when I sat next to him and tried to hold his hand… “Go away! Don’t touch me!” He shoved me with surprising force. His smile vanished. Like a spooked cat, he scrubbed the skin I had touched until it was raw. I realized why the first two girls failed. He wasn’t just slow; he was a germophobe who hated physical contact. But I only saw dollar signs. I wasn’t going to give up. I researched. I read books. I became his friend. I played games with him. I treated him like a child. As long as I didn’t touch him, he was easy to get along with. He’d follow me around calling me “Sister.” He’d share his snacks. When he won a game, he’d look at me for praise. But the moment I initiated contact? He’d freak out. Two years passed. Our relationship remained painfully platonic. I was getting impatient. I decided to force the issue. I drugged his food. Once he was out, I tied him to the bed. But the idiot had a weird constitution. The sleeping pills barely worked. He woke up almost immediately. Seeing me straddling him, shirt unbuttoned, he started crying. Wailing. Snot bubbles and all. “I’m not clean anymore! I’m dirty!” “I hate you! I hate you!” “You’re a bad sister!” I have thick skin. I was immune to his tantrums. Besides, I never claimed to be a good person. I had him tied up. It was now or never. I grinned like a villain, tracing his abs, then sliding the strap of my lingerie off my shoulder. “Be good. We’re just playing horsie.” That night, I awkwardly made it happen. Miraculously, I got pregnant on the first try. Mr. Sterling was thrilled. He said if I wanted, I could stay after the baby was born. Honestly? I considered it. But I quickly snapped out of it. At Lucas’s one-month celebration, a beautiful girl named Chloe showed up. The moment Julian saw her, he smiled. He even reached out to hold her hand. No sign of the germophobe anywhere. My heart sank. The maids told me Chloe was Julian’s first love. He crashed his car racing for her. After that day, Julian started disappearing. Rumor had it he was hanging out with Chloe. Even with a broken brain, his body remembered her. My mother was a hopeless romantic. I watched her fight other women for my dad her whole life. But my dad never changed. He racked up massive gambling debts. Eventually, she gave up. She turned on the gas and took him with her. I was the one left behind. Orphans with debt don’t have the luxury of romance. I wasn’t going to end up like my mom, fighting for a man. Besides, Julian wouldn’t be like this forever. One day, he’d wake up. Better to leave on my own terms than be kicked out later. So, I took the money and left. Without looking back. 3 I know, I’m selfish. In five years, I only visited them twice. But after seeing Chloe carrying Lucas in and out of the Sterling mansion like she owned the place, I stopped going. Thinking about it made me irritable. I blurted out, “Your dad has Chloe. He doesn’t need me.” Suddenly, small arms wrapped around my legs. “You know Chloe! You are my mommy!” Lucas looked up at me, eyes serious. I realized this wasn’t a coincidence. He was looking for me. But when I left, he was a baby. Chloe had already taken my place. He shouldn’t know me. Did someone tell him? Definitely not Julian. Even if he recovered, he probably wanted to kill me for what I did. I pushed down the storm of emotions and pried his hands off. “I’m not your mom. You got the wrong person.” His big eyes turned red. He looked confused and hurt. I put on my sunglasses and stormed out of the cafe. At the alley entrance, I stopped. I looked back and saw Julian. He was wearing a tailored suit, his face cold and expressionless. He looked nothing like the boy who followed me around calling me “Sister.” He was saying something to Lucas, and it didn’t look nice. Then, a familiar figure walked out from behind him. Chloe. She looked even more mature and beautiful than five years ago. Pretty mom, handsome dad. A perfect family. I looked away and went home, feeling defeated. I had left the law firm dinner early because I hated the smoke. I wanted to relax at a cafe. Instead, my day was ruined. I sat in my empty apartment. When I left the Sterlings, I only took half the money. I left the rest for Lucas. I paid off my dad’s debts and went to law school in the US. I never expected to run into them three months after returning. 4 That night, I dreamed of Julian. After the “forced incident,” he seemed to get used to my touch. Sometimes, he’d stare at me and gulp. He didn’t know what was happening to him. Once, we were watching Ultraman. He kept glancing at me. “What is it?” I asked. “Sister…” He was breathing hard, hands fidgeting in his lap. “Every time I look at you, I feel like I’m going to explode. Am I sick?” He asked innocently, but his eyes drifted to my neckline. I understood immediately and burst out laughing. I wish I had recorded it. The only time we slept in the same bed voluntarily was when I was five months pregnant. There was a thunderstorm, and the power went out. He knocked on my door, hugging a Transformer. “I’m scared. Can I sleep with you?” “Fine. But…” I pointed at the toy. “That thing has to go.” “No! He stays with me!” I hadn’t been paid yet, so I compromised. I slept on the left, the Transformer on the right, and Julian in the middle. Thunder cracked. He grabbed me, burying his face in my back. I realized he was terrified of thunder. It made sense; he was mentally ten. I patted his back like a mom until he fell asleep. In the middle of the night, I felt something hot pressing against my back. His voice was husky but childish. “Sister, I want to play horsie again.”

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Fifteen years of being child-free by choice, and my husband has a secret son. More than one, it turns out. The other woman isn’t in a rush to get a ring. She’s played her cards perfectly. She knows I don’t have children, and in the eyes of the law, his children have a right to his inheritance. She doesn’t need to be his wife. Her kids will still inherit the empire my husband and I bled for, the one we spent half our lives building. I thought about this for a long time. If I divorce him, I can walk away with the majority of our assets, but what’s left would be more than enough for them to live on for generations. It would be letting them off too easy. If that’s the case, then bankruptcy it is. I’m on my own. As long as I don’t starve, I’ll be fine. Let’s just see how they manage to raise his precious children when the money runs out. 1 By the time I found out about my husband Trevor’s affair, his son was about to start preschool, and a second pregnancy was already in the works. The reason it took me so long to discover the truth is that not a single person in Trevor’s family is a decent human being. For years, they’ve all conspired to help him cover his tracks. The only reason I found out at all was because the other woman was pregnant again—this time, with twins—and Trevor accompanied her to a doctor’s appointment. Someone sent me a photo. An anonymous text from a number I didn’t recognize. It was a picture of Trevor walking into the maternity ward of a downtown hospital. When I saw it, I just stared at my phone for two full minutes. The anger was there, a hot coil in my stomach, but before it could spring, a cold, hard rationality clamped down on it. After all these years clawing my way up in the business world, I was long past the age of impulsive reactions. I wouldn’t confront him without knowing the full story. I paid a top-tier private investigator a small fortune. In just two days, every secret Trevor had hidden from me was laid bare. Four years ago, he had started seeing a recent college graduate. Three years ago, she gave birth to their son. And now, she was pregnant again. Twins. It suddenly made sense why Trevor’s mother had stopped her passive-aggressive nagging about grandchildren these past few years. I’d assumed she’d finally given up, accepting that we were getting older. The truth was, she already had the grandchild she so desperately wanted. 2 Once the affair was confirmed, I suppressed the volcano of rage inside me and didn’t say a word to Trevor. His infidelity was a fact. Screaming, crying, throwing things—none of it would change what he had done. What I needed to figure out now was how to maximize my own interests in the coming divorce. In the world of adults, self-interest has to come first. I found a quiet hotel bar downtown and spent the entire afternoon replaying the fifteen years of our marriage in my head. It was Trevor who had wanted to be child-free in the first place. I found it grimly ironic that he was the one to regret it. In the early years, when we were starting our company, we had nothing. No foundation, no connections. Even our families were less than supportive. To say we struggled would be an understatement. We ate, slept, and breathed that business, pouring every ounce of ourselves into it. And now, after all that sacrifice, the moment we could finally breathe, the first thing he does is find a younger woman to give him the children he told me he never wanted. The bitterness of it was like acid in my throat. I spent that afternoon on the phone with three different lawyers. The consensus was bleak. We never signed a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. Even though Trevor was the one who cheated, forcing him to walk away with nothing would be nearly impossible unless he agreed to it. That path was a dead end. I needed another plan. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Trevor. He was asking why I wasn’t home yet. I glanced at the time. It was after ten. For the past few years, despite having a secret second family, he had maintained a flawless facade. Aside from the occasional late night for a “client dinner,” he was always home by ten. That was one of the main reasons I’d never suspected a thing. I’d forgotten a simple truth: a man who truly wants to cheat doesn’t need much time. By the time I got home, it was almost eleven. Trevor was on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. When he heard the door open, he looked up. For a man in his forties, he was in good shape—no gut, no bald spot. He had that mature, steady look that time can bestow. But I saw it. The flicker of his thumb as he instinctively locked his phone and placed it face down on the coffee table. It was a tiny detail I would have never noticed before. Now, it was magnified, glaring at me under a spotlight. Once suspicion takes root, every shadow looks like a monster. He walked over to me, his expression as normal as ever. He took my purse from my hand, his smile gentle. “Hey, you’re late. Long day?” For a second, I was stunned. How could a person do something so fundamentally destructive to a marriage and still not show a single flicker of guilt? For four, almost five years, he had hidden this from me. The man I shared a bed with had a mind so meticulous, so duplicitous, it made my teeth ache. He must have noticed my silence, because his expression shifted to one of concern. “What’s wrong?” I looked away, forcing myself to remain calm. I shook my head. “Nothing. Just tired.” After more than twenty years together, Trevor knew me too well. He could read the slightest shift in my posture, the smallest change in my tone. But the same was true for me. I knew this wasn’t an accident, him getting caught. It wasn’t a moment of carelessness. He was simply done hiding. Our company was stable, a well-oiled machine. I had weathered all the storms of our startup years with him, and now, someone else was ready to step in and enjoy the calm seas and sunny skies. On what grounds? I managed a few more noncommittal responses, careful not to betray any of the turmoil inside me. Trevor, likely still unaware of what I knew, acted completely normal, though his glances at his phone were a little too frequent. For a middle-aged couple, a quiet, predictable life can be a blessing. But some people can’t stand the quiet. A wave of raw impulse surged through me. I wanted to scream, to throw a lamp, to rake my nails across his handsome, lying face. I wanted to demand, hysterically, why he had betrayed me, betrayed us. For a fleeting, ugly moment, I even wanted to hurt him back in the same way, to have an affair of my own. And then, just as quickly, the wave receded, leaving me cold. The person I had been in that moment felt terrifyingly unfamiliar. Betrayal deserves punishment, but you don’t punish someone else by setting yourself on fire. Trevor was already rotten. I refused to become rotten too. 3 I knew I couldn’t keep up the charade for long, but moving assets takes time. A man who cheats is like a used tissue in a public restroom—disgusting and worthless. The two decades of shared history, the hardships we endured together… all of it became a sunk cost the moment I learned there was a third person in our marriage. And the sunk cost of my marriage to Trevor was devastatingly high. I was nowhere near as composed as I appeared. But the sharp, stabbing pain of the emotional impact was forcing me to become more and more rational. Trevor was a wreck. Our marriage was a wreck. But our company wasn’t. Not yet. Our lives were too deeply intertwined. Pulling one thread would unravel everything. This was far more complicated than simply filing for divorce. About two weeks after I learned the truth, Trevor finally noticed something was wrong. He stood in the doorway of my home office for a long time before finally asking, “Ava… what’s going on with you?” No matter how much I told myself to stay rational, I couldn’t bring myself to sleep next to him. Citing some minor, insignificant disagreement, I had banished him to the guest room for the past fifteen nights. My replies to his texts were clipped and perfunctory. He was a naturally suspicious man; he had probably already guessed the reason for my coldness. But since I hadn’t made a scene, hadn’t screamed at him or gone after the other woman, he couldn’t bring himself to ask the question directly. I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe a dull ache. I decided to go on the offensive. “I was looking over the financials. There are some irregularities. A few large expenditures don’t add up.” I knew exactly where that money had gone. And as the one who had spent it, Trevor certainly knew better than I did. His mistress, with one child and two more on the way, needed to be well taken care of. And Trevor, now a successful entrepreneur in his forties, had the capital to keep her satisfied. He froze for a fraction of a second. I saw his right hand, hanging by his side, clench into a tight fist. But he recovered quickly. “That was me,” he said, his voice calm. I lifted my head and met his eyes. He looked away, his explanation laced with guilt. “Mark and I have been making some small private investments over the past couple of years. I didn’t want you to worry, so I didn’t mention it.” Mark was his childhood friend. He would cover for Trevor without hesitation. I didn’t press for details about the “investments.” He didn’t offer any more explanations. He simply closed the door and left. He suspected I knew about his other family, but there was no panic in him. It was as if he was certain I would endure it. And if I didn’t, what could I do? If I filed for divorce now, it would be a gift to him. He would have everything: immense wealth, a loving family, perhaps soon to be three sons. And me? I’d be approaching forty, alone. Even so, there was no point in wasting another second of my life on a man this broken. 4 I found it increasingly unbearable to have Trevor play the role of husband in my life, but the transfer of assets wasn’t complete. The cold war between us had to continue. Maybe he was waiting for me to come to my senses. Maybe he was waiting for me to ask for a divorce. Either way, I had no intention of letting him off easy. Twenty days after I discovered the affair, I met the woman he was keeping. She must have heard something from Trevor, because she decided to provoke me directly, staging a “chance encounter” at the coffee shop I frequented. She was even sitting at my usual table by the window. The P.I. I hired had sent me dozens of photos and videos of her. I recognized her instantly. She was young, probably no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. The clothes she wore, the designer bag at her side—none of it was cheap. Trevor must have sheltered her well; she had a vibrant, almost naive energy about her. Her eyes held a sort of clear-eyed stupidity. For a moment, I thought of myself at twenty-five. Trevor and I had been married for just over a year, living in a cramped, second-floor walk-up on a meager salary. Our clothes were worn for years, faded from countless washes. It was during those years that we scraped together every penny to fund our startup. Late at night, overcome with emotion, he would sometimes swear he would never betray me. I believe, back then, some part of him meant it. What a pity that sincerity has such a short shelf life. I acted as if I didn’t know her. I ordered my usual coffee and sat at a table diagonally across from hers. I didn’t give her so much as a sideways glance. My initial assessment of her was quickly proven wrong. She moved to the seat directly opposite me, a provocative smile on her face. “Mrs. Hayes,” she said. So, she knew exactly who I was. This wasn’t a case of being manipulated or lied to. She was a willing participant. And now, she was trying to challenge me, openly and brazenly. Tsk. Did she have any idea that half of everything she ate, everything she wore, belonged to me? I took a sip of my coffee, my gaze drifting over her slightly swelling belly. “I’m sorry, have we met?” In the end, she didn’t have the courage to admit her sordid role in all this. She stammered out a flimsy, ridiculous explanation of how she knew of me. I said nothing, simply watching her with a half-smile. I wanted her to know that I saw right through her pathetic little game. A vine that spends its life clinging to a tree forgets how to withstand the wind and rain on its own. She didn’t last thirty seconds under my gaze before she scrambled away, her hasty retreat a picture of utter humiliation. I felt a pang of something like pity. For her, and for the state of the world. So young, with a whole life ahead of her, and this was the path she chose: to be someone’s broodmare. 5 Whether Trevor knew about this little stunt or not, the fact that the woman he was keeping had the audacity to confront me was his problem. I decided it was time to move the divorce proceedings to the top of my agenda. Before I could act, my phone lit up with a series of texts from my best friend, Jenna. She was sending me screenshots of the other woman’s Instagram stories—a constant stream of her flaunting her lavish lifestyle. This was nothing new, but today’s screenshots were different. Jenna added a message: She’s provoking you. Everyone needs a few trusted friends. I’d had Jenna follow the woman’s account months ago. If she so much as breathed in the wrong direction, I knew about it immediately. I opened the last screenshot. It was her latest post. The picture was of a child, laughing so hard he was practically rolling on the floor. Above it was a caption. The gist of it was: What does it matter how arrogant you are now? Everything you’re working so hard for will belong to my children one day. Ah, yes. I had almost forgotten. She has a child. I do not. And her child with my husband, though born out of wedlock, still has inheritance rights. This world is a real piece of work. I looked at the divorce papers I had drafted on my laptop. No matter how hard I fought, the most I could hope for was 70% of the assets. The remaining 30%, combined with the company’s annual profits, would be more than enough to support their family of five for the rest of their lives. I have her Instagram post to thank. It was the final push I needed to realize that this was not enough. It was far too easy for them. I clawed my way through hell to build this life. No one was going to walk on the path I paved without my permission.

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The System said: “Julian Sterling is going to destroy the world. You must stop him.” I pulled out my phone. “I’m calling the cops.” The System screamed, “Stop! Do you know what love is? Do you understand what ‘redemption’ means?” Redemption. Save and redeem. I nodded. “I got it.” The next day, when I tied Julian—the billionaire heir—to a chair in my apartment, the System collapsed screaming: “YOU DON’T GET IT AT ALL!!” 1 The System was emitting a high-pitched screech in my brain. I was annoyed. “Didn’t you say ‘save’? How am I supposed to save him without tying him up? How else is his family going to pay the ransom?” The System was losing its mind. “Are you a college student or a felon?! I swear I’m going to call the cops on you! Chloe, haven’t you read a romance novel? Redemption means saving his soul! Filling his heart with love! With sunshine!” I paused for a moment. “You mean… you want me, a broke college student, to save the soul of a billionaire heir with assets worth hundreds of millions? And fill his heart with love?” What the f*ck. I wake up every day and grind just to survive. Who’s coming to redeem me? Forget it. I’m going to destroy the world too. Julian had woken up. A pair of cold, dark eyes were staring right at me. “How much do you want?” he asked calmly. Wait, is this for real? I blurted out, “Two thousand dollars!” Silence. The System and Julian both went quiet. The System broke first. “Oh my god, why did I choose someone so useless! Kidnapping is bad enough, but who kidnaps a billionaire for two grand?!” I wanted to slap this foul-mouthed System. “Ask for too much and it becomes a felony kidnapping! Do you know the law? Use some common sense!” “I’ll give you twenty thousand. Untie me,” Julian said after a long pause, sounding almost like he was sighing. My rental apartment was shabby. The young master was thrown onto my small bed, lying on his stomach, hands and feet tied behind his back. The posture was undignified, but his expression was calm. He asked unhurriedly, “You kidnapped me for two thousand dollars?” The System kept barking in my head: “Don’t say it’s for money! Make him feel your love! Love! LOVE! Do you understand?!” Under the System’s duress, I stiffly changed my tune. “I did it for love.” The young master finally lost his composure. His handsome face was written with confusion. He paused. “Is thirty thousand okay?” Thirty thousand. That’s thirty thousand dollars. With tears in my eyes, I gritted my teeth and shook my head. “I don’t want money. I just want your happiness.” Julian was silent for even longer this time. He thought I was sick. I thought I was sick too. He struggled to lift his head to look at me, trying to figure out my angle. “You know my family will find this place. Soon they’ll find you and send you to the police station. It’s not too late to let me go.” Julian negotiated patiently. “Don’t worry. As long as you let me go, I won’t let them send you to jail. I’ll even give you a large sum of money. Is fifty thousand enough?” Fifty thousand! Oh god, fifty thousand. How many DoorDash meals is that? Just as I was calculating my beautiful life with fifty grand, Julian raised the stakes. “One hundred thousand. Let me go and I’ll transfer it now.” Stop talking, rich boy. I really can’t hold out much longer. I gritted my teeth and said, almost angrily, “I don’t want anything!” Julian was lying on his stomach. I sat halfway on him, untying the ropes on his hands with tears in my eyes. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. He’s so rich, why does he want to destroy the world? My life is so hard, why do I have to save him? Let him live my life where I can’t afford meat once a day, and I guarantee he won’t have time to destroy the world! It’s just rich people problems. I was so mad my teeth itched. I couldn’t help but slap the back of his head hard. “Let me tell you, go back and live a good life! Be positive, love life, do charity! If you’re bored, sponsor a poor student like me!” Julian got smacked. He buried his face in my mattress and didn’t speak for a long time. The room was quiet. The System spoke faintly in my mind again. “The villain definitely hates you now. It’ll be harder to redeem him.” I stopped untying the rope. “What do you mean? Is he going to take revenge on me?” “Hard to say. The only info I have is that he’s vindictive, ruthless, and cruel.” I looked down slowly. Julian’s wrists were red from the ropes. I was sitting on the noble ass of a billionaire heir. And I had just suicidally slapped the back of his head. I quickly got off him and used all my strength to help Julian up. Blinking my big eyes with utmost sincerity, I said, “I have no malicious intent towards you, and I won’t take your money. But to prevent you from taking revenge on me in the future, I have to do one thing.” The young master immediately went on alert. “What are you doing?” I reached out with trembling hands, trying to unbutton his shirt. “You dare?!” Julian’s face flushed red, and he began to struggle frantically. His white dress shirt buttons were hard to undo. I was already nervous, and he was struggling violently. I could only coax him gently, “It’s okay, it’ll be over soon. I’ll finish quickly.” Maybe because I had loosened the rope a bit earlier, the knot on Julian’s hands actually came undone. Before I could dodge, he flipped me over and pinned me under him. His face was cold and menacing as he choked my neck. “Who sent you?” I confessed without thinking. “The System! That money-losing System made me do it!” “Chloe!!” The System roared. “You coward!!” Julian frowned slightly. “What did he make you do?” “Make me… make me love you.” I thought about it and shook my head. “No, make you love me.” I spoke sincerely, and Julian believed it. He nodded calmly. “Oh.” I just breathed a sigh of relief when the large hand on my neck suddenly tightened. His dark eyes were cold and emotionless, as if looking at a dead object. I couldn’t breathe. The feeling of suffocation made my vision go black. “Relax. It’ll be over soon,” Julian comforted me gently. His low, melodious voice sounded like the whisper of the Reaper. In the moment of life and death, I finally grabbed his critical area. And squeezed hard. Come on! Mutual destruction! Julian’s face changed. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he didn’t dare apply more force. I raised my eyebrows arrogantly. Julian stared at me grimly. Our eyes met, filled with pure hate. He loosened his grip a little, and I loosened mine a little. But no one let go first. The System, which had crashed from fear earlier, was now mentally broken. It laughed inexplicably. “Haha, how is this not a match made in heaven? Maybe you’ve pioneered the path of pure hate redemption. Haha, I might as well die.” After speaking, the System went completely silent. During the standoff, the front door slammed onto the floor. I looked over in shock. Immediately, a crowd rushed in through the door. Police, reporters, countless flashes going off at Julian and me. Why are there reporters? A beautiful woman crying squeezed through the crowd. “Julian! You died so…” Her crying stopped abruptly when she saw the two of us. Julian suddenly lowered his head and kissed my cheek. “Baby, let go first. We’ll continue later.” 2 I reacted instantly, covering my face quickly, not forgetting to act. “I’m so scared.” “It’s okay.” Julian sat up, rubbed my hair, and slowly untied the rope on his feet. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.” Actually, there was no misunderstanding. The reporters were driven away. Julian faced the police alone. “This is my girlfriend. We usually play like this.” I sat in the back nodding furiously, chiming in, “Right, so what about my door?” Sadly, no one paid attention to me. “Your stepmother called the police, saying you were kidnapped by a gang of bandits.” The young and beautiful stepmother looked guilty. “Julian, I thought you were kidnapped, so I called the police.” Julian sneered. “Then I should thank you for caring about me so much.” Zero people care about my silently deceased door? I rent this place! And I am absolutely not paying to fix the door. I quickly got up, grabbed Julian’s arm, and said sweetly, “Auntie, then you have to pay for the door. You wasted police resources and trespassed on private property. But considering your age, I won’t hold it against you. Just pay me some emotional damage fees and repair costs.” Julian’s stepmother froze, looking helplessly at Julian, tears welling up again. “Julian, I…” Don’t even think about using relationships to get out of paying! I interrupted her quickly, stopping her pitiful act. “Auntie, don’t worry, we’re family. I won’t scam you. You’re a decent person; you’d be unhappy if I didn’t let you pay. Ju-Ju said you’ve always been generous.” “Ju-Ju?” Julian’s stepmother seemed unable to believe her ears. Julian also looked at me. I held his arm tightly to prevent him from turning hostile. “Yes, that’s my nickname for him. Calling him Julian feels so distant. Don’t you think Ju-Ju is catchy and positive?” She wanted to say something else, but I didn’t give her the chance. I decisively pulled out my phone and opened my QR code. “Let’s add each other on WeChat, and you can transfer the money to me.” She looked at Julian, then at me, and finally silently added me. “Taking classes for him? Taking exams? Picking up delivery?” She looked at me with a complicated expression. “Does Julian not spend money on you?” I said righteously, “We have a pure physical relationship.” Julian’s stepmother didn’t say a word and turned to leave. I didn’t forget to remind her, “Remember to transfer the money, Auntie!” Hearing this, the stepmother paused, then immediately transferred five thousand dollars. Wow! Rich people are generous! I gave a thumbs up and said sincerely, “Ju-Ju, your stepmom is a great philanthropist.” Julian stared at me for a while, then suddenly smirked. His handsome face coupled with that soul-snatching smile made it hard to look away, but I sensed a hint of danger. “Since we’ve met the parents, why don’t you come home with me?” I wanted to refuse, but his words were full of threats. “Do you want people to think you’re really a kidnapper?” Considering the police officer was still there, I swallowed my curses and smiled. “Sure, I’d love to.” Julian handed over the aftermath to someone else and prepared to take me home. I asked him to wait while I packed. I picked up my pot. Julian stood behind me. “Put it down.” Fine. Then I’ll take my fan. Julian said coldly, “Put it down.” I tentatively picked up the desk lamp. He was like a repeater. “Put it down.” Can’t take this, can’t take that! I turned around angrily, about to curse him out. Julian seemed to predict my move. “I’ll transfer you ten thousand later. Don’t take anything, okay?” I instantly softened, grinning. “Okay.” Sitting in Julian’s luxury car, I held my broken phone, grinning from ear to ear. I made fifteen thousand in just one day. Anyone would say I have a good life. Julian closed his eyes and suddenly asked, “What did you mean by that System you mentioned?” “Just what it means.” I was busy buying a new phone and didn’t have time for him. He paused and asked again, “What’s your name?” “Chloe. Chloe Fang.” He asked again, “How many people in your family?” I was getting impatient. “I’m an orphan.” “In college?” Julian opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah.” I said seriously, “I have to remind you, your whereabouts are very easy to track. Why were you sleeping on the roof for no reason? It’s dangerous. If someone wanted to kill you, they could have just thrown you off.” Julian stared at me indifferently. “Then why didn’t you throw me off?” I quickly cleared my name. “Hey, watch your words. I’m not a psychopathic killer. I just wanted to redeem you.” “Redeem?” He smirked. “Are you going to redeem me in the future too?” I clasped my hands together, devout and serious. “Actually, I support you destroying the world. After I finish spending this fifteen thousand, can you blow up the world? I don’t want to face the life of a broke person anymore.” Julian raised an eyebrow. “I will destroy the world in the future?” So he doesn’t want to destroy the world yet? I called the money-losing System in my mind. “Come out! What now? What do I say?” The System was silent. He was staring at me with those clear, dark peach blossom eyes. I laughed awkwardly and explained, “No, I was talking nonsense.” He smiled without speaking. The more Julian smiled, the more panicked I got. I pleaded earnestly, “Why do you want to destroy the world? There’s no reason, Ju-Ju. Don’t you think I just love talking nonsense? Actually, I’m mentally ill. Don’t believe me, okay?” “No.” He sat up straight, half-smiling. “Starting now, I want to destroy the world.” I suspect this kid is targeting me on purpose. I darkened my face and threatened him half-heartedly, “If you want to destroy the world because of one sentence from me, then I’ll have to redeem you. From now on, I will haunt you like a ghost and make you fall in love with me.” The car slowly stopped. Before getting out, Julian chuckled low in my ear. “It’s okay, take your time.” “Maybe you won’t live to see that time.” He is definitely targeting me. With that, he turned to get out of the car. I gritted my teeth with hatred and kicked his raised butt. Get down. Julian was kicked out, stumbled, and almost fell flat on his face. “Ah, baby, I’m so sorry.” I quickly got out to help him up, patting his butt. Julian’s face was iron green, but I smiled cheerfully. “I didn’t mean to. You surely won’t be mad at me, right?” The Sterling family butler came out to greet us. A smile appeared on Julian’s face. He reached out and pinched my cheek hard. “How could I be mad at you? Baby, you are so cute. So cute I really want to strangle you.” I was in pain but couldn’t scream. I could only look at him with a smile, reaching out to pinch his cheek just as hard. I said sweetly, “Baby, actually, I love you so much I want to strangle you too.” 3 Julian and I entered the Sterling house with red marks on our faces. Grandpa Sterling was waiting for us. He heard there was a granddaughter-in-law and couldn’t wait to see me. Julian’s stepmother sat obediently by his side, eyes lowered, looking very meek. I was dressed very plainly. I thought I would be looked down upon, but the old man seemed to appreciate a broke person like me. “Look, kids these days are rarely this simple and unpretentious.” Old man, open your eyes to the world. All broke people are as unpretentious as me. “Eh? Why do you have red marks on your faces?” Grandpa Sterling asked suddenly. I smiled and touched my cheek. “We just love to play rough. Sorry you had to see that, Grandpa.” Hearing this, Julian’s stepmother turned pale and slowly stood up. “Dad, I’m not feeling well. I’ll go back first.” “Go, go. Sickly all day, no energy.” The old man seemed to dislike her, frowning impatiently. Before leaving, the philanthropist glanced at Julian. The look had a hint of resentment, quickly withdrawn, but I keenly caught it. I thought it was a plot where the stepmother hires a hitman, but it turned out to be a soap opera drama. Unfortunately, the feelings were unrequited. Julian never looked at her. I chatted with the old man for a while until he got tired. Julian helped him to rest, and the butler took me to my room. As soon as I entered the room, I stopped. Black curtains drawn tight, black carpet, black bed, even the closet was black. This was very unfriendly to someone like me who insists on pink bedsheets. I turned to look at the butler and asked sincerely, “This looks like hell. It’s so dark. Can I not stay here?” “Aren’t you staying with the Young Master? Madam said your relationship is good, so she didn’t prepare a guest room.” I smiled and shook my head. “Our relationship isn’t that good. Can I trouble you…” Before I could finish, Julian walked up from behind and interrupted me. “Uncle Zhao, she’s staying with me. You can go.” With that, the young master smiled at me slightly. “Baby, stop joking like that, or people will think we are liars.” Under duress, I had to swallow my anger and reluctantly walked into the room so dark I couldn’t see people. The door closed. Julian turned on the light, but I still looked resentful. “You didn’t say we were living together before coming.” “Didn’t you want to make me fall in love with you?” Julian walked past me, slowly taking off his watch, speaking calmly. “Spending day and night together, maybe you’ll succeed.” I didn’t think this psycho would fall in love with me, nor did I think I had that charm. But since I’m here, I just have to make the best of it. “So you’re sleeping in the same bed as me?” I asked the most critical question. The young master sat down calmly, took out a glass from the cabinet, and opened a bottle of wine that looked expensive. He poured himself a glass. “You can sleep on the floor or the sofa, but I will never sleep on the floor or the sofa.” I sneered immediately. “Then we sleep together. If I snore, grind my teeth, or fart at night, don’t regret it.” “Mmh.” Julian was as calm as could be. “If I sleepwalk in the middle of the night, just don’t be scared.” A worthy opponent. The wine on the table looked expensive. I poured myself a glass angrily. This wine must cost a fortune. Not drinking it is a waste! First time drinking liquor, I downed it in one gulp. Julian glanced at me but didn’t speak. “What kind of crappy wine is this? So bitter. Bitter and spicy.” I choked, taking a while to recover. After a while, my chest felt hot, and my consciousness drifted a bit. I sat next to Julian, staring at his face, forgetting what I wanted to say. After a long time, I finally remembered. I reached out to cup his face and shouted in surprise, “I remember! I wanted to tell you, you’re actually pretty big!” Julian slapped my hand away, his ears turning completely red. “What nonsense are you talking about?!” I took the opportunity to persuade him. “Look at you. Rich, handsome, highly educated, and remarkably well-endowed. What’s there to be unhappy about?” Thinking of my own crappy life, comparing it to others felt like a joke. I sighed. “I can’t even imagine what troubles you could have.” I suddenly remembered the philanthropist. “Don’t tell me it’s unrequited love. Your dad will die sooner or later. Your good days are ahead.” Julian finally snapped back and pushed me away. I floated down onto the sofa. Well, wherever I fall is where I’ll sleep for a while. “No sleeping.” Julian patted my cheek. “Tell me what else you know.” I suddenly felt so wronged. Sleeping was my only joy. Before, I had to work and study and never got enough sleep. Why can’t I sleep now? I was aggrieved to death. I asked him, “Why can’t I sleep? I haven’t slept well in a long time.” Julian frowned and lowered his voice. “I’ll let you sleep after you finish talking.” “What did the System tell you?” I thought about it. “He said you will destroy the world in the future, and no one can stop you. He also said you are vindictive and ruthless. He told me to love you, fill your heart with love and sunshine, treat you well, and redeem you.” “Anything else?” I closed my eyes again, planning to sleep. “Nothing else.” Julian picked me up, forcing me to stay awake. “Did anyone send you to assassinate me? Is the System a code name? Where is he?” This guy is too suspicious. “No.” I had to open my eyes. “The System is just a system. He crashed and stopped contacting me. How would I know?” I leaned on his shoulder, unable to control myself, complaining, “Do you have persecution mania? Do you think the whole world is your enemy? In this world, only I have the obligation to be good to you, and you don’t even cherish it.” Julian stopped talking. I was drowsy but felt something was wrong. Why did I answer whatever he asked? Is this what they call “truth after drinking”? Whatever. Sleep. I had a terrible dream. I dreamed I was tightly wrapped by a giant python. The black python was thick and strong, wrapping around my whole body. It didn’t eat me, just waited slowly for me to suffocate to death. No, no. This feeling of death-like suffocation was incredibly real. I struggled, trying desperately to break free. “Help, don’t eat me.” In the nick of time, I finally shouted out. A hand broke free and slapped the python’s big head. A crisp sound rang in my ear. My palm stung slightly. I opened my eyes slowly, confused. Because Julian was holding me in his arms in an extremely ambiguous posture. He buried his head in my hair, seeming to smell my scent. “What are you doing?” I was speechless. His expression didn’t change, nor did he try to explain. He slowly let go. There was a clear red mark on Julian’s fair face. Just as I was about to ask if he planned to murder me, the butler knocked on the door. “Sir is asking for you two.” … Yes, he has persecution mania. He had this problem since childhood. After some treatment, he still always feels someone is trying to harm him. Chloe fell asleep in his arms. Julian thought about it and didn’t let go. She had a reassuring scent. Holding her felt safe. At first, he only wanted to hold her for a while. Somehow it evolved into holding her tightly. A slap came. Julian froze, looking down. Their eyes met. Julian suddenly thought she looked cute. Her eyes were bright, like a puppy. He wanted to laugh, but he held it back. Because if Chloe knew his thoughts, she would jump up and hit him on the head. Flailing her claws, as if afraid of nothing. Chloe walked in front of him. Although she had never been here, never met his father, she was confident, as if she could solve any problem. Julian followed closely behind her. 4 Julian’s father expressed great disappointment about today’s events and told Julian to break up with me as soon as possible. I lowered my eyes, but Julian didn’t seem to listen at all. He held my hand in his and kept kneading it. He pinched my fingertips. I glanced at him unhappily. Do you have a death wish? This is a hand, not a stress ball. Julian’s father also noticed his small movements. In a rage, he slammed the table. “Look at what you’ve become!” Father Sterling was furious, but Julian smiled very happily. I silently stared at Julian. Does this guy have Oppositional Defiant Disorder? “I don’t even want to talk about that slap mark on your face!” Father Sterling glanced at me, then took out several stacks of cash from the safe behind him and slammed them heavily on the table. I finally stopped playing dead. I pulled my hand back sharply, sat up straight, and looked at Father Sterling expectantly. Come on! Smash me with money! Give me money, let me roll! Father Sterling’s face turned red. He pointed at Julian and roared, “Slap him again for me, and all this money is yours!” My eyes lit up. Really? Daddy. Is money this easy to earn? “You dare.” Julian glanced at me and said in a low voice. I slapped him without thinking. “Bold! Is this how you talk to your father? I hit you not because of the money, but because you failed your father’s painstaking efforts!” Julian looked at me gloomily. I widened my eyes. “What are you looking at? Apologize to Uncle!” I stood up abruptly and advised earnestly, “I know you are a filial person. Uncle treats you so well. I can’t bear to let you father and son have differences because of me. No choice, Ju-Ju. I love you very much, but I still have to go. Let’s break up!” Although no tears came out, my tone was very sincere. I looked grief-stricken and reached for the tens of thousands of dollars on the table. Too sad. Can only run away with the money in tears. Just as I reached out, Father Sterling suddenly held my hand, seemingly deeply touched by my words. “Chloe, children as sensible as you are rare nowadays. Uncle spoke a bit heavily just now.” I froze. “Now it seems you and Julian are a good match. You must discipline him well.” Julian also stood up and put his arm around me. “Dad, now you know? Chloe is such a simple, unpretentious, non-greedy girl. You give her money, she doesn’t even want it.” Father Sterling withdrew his hand in shame and stuffed all the money back. “Uncle was too shallow. Chloe, don’t hold it against me.” I really wanted to cry this time. Not taking this money is no different from losing it. I walked downstairs in a daze and ate with the Sterling family. At the dinner table, I learned Julian has two younger brothers. One about his age named Ryan. They didn’t look much alike. Ryan sat the farthest away, eyes lowered. After saying hello, he sat down obediently to eat. There was also a four-year-old brother named Nate, looking sturdy and cute. Julian’s stepmother is named Catherine. She went to the same school as me before. After graduating from college, she married Father Sterling. The Sterling family relationships aren’t too complicated. After dinner, Julian had things to deal with and asked me to go back to the room to rest first. When I went upstairs, I met Ryan following behind me. To be polite, I waited for him. Ryan looked up at me. His dark brown eyes had no emotion. He said nothing. I didn’t know what to say either, so I smiled at him. We walked upstairs side by side and separated at the stairs. I lost tens of thousands of dollars. I lay on the sofa sighing in despair. When Julian came back, I threw a pillow at him. “That was tens of thousands of dollars! Julian, are you targeting me on purpose?” He caught the pillow easily and smirked. “I haven’t settled the score with you for hitting me yet.” I cursed his entire family in my heart. Julian walked slowly to me, sat down slowly, and said casually, “Stay away from everyone in this house, especially Ryan.” I always take such advice to heart. I nodded and silently moved away from Julian. Julian noticed my movement, glanced at me, and pulled me back with a cold face. “Not including me.” He knocked on my head with his finger, frowning slightly in confusion. “Aren’t you afraid of bad guys trying to harm you?” I really wanted to say, no one in this world is worse than you. But I didn’t say it. I just told him sincerely, “Nothing in this world scares me except poverty. As long as I have money, I am invincible.” Hearing this, Julian curled his lips slightly but said nothing. A large sofa. He read beside me, and I lay by his legs catching up on villain redemption novels. The quiet and comfortable environment was relaxing but also made my mind wander. I suddenly sat up. Julian looked up at me. I looked at him seriously. “Were you bullied?” He said without hesitation, “No.” I didn’t give up. “Then were you bullied by your family?” Julian didn’t change his expression, saying coldly, “No either. As you can see, no one in this house can do anything to me yet.” Impossible! There’s always a reason for becoming a villain! I held his hand, intending to warm his heart through thermal transfer. “Then tell the truth. Are you rebellious because of Catherine?” “Catherine… she is indeed a bit annoying.” He thought for a moment, closed the book with his other hand, and squeezed my hand slightly. “She chased me for a long time. Very annoying.” Me: “…Then what is the biggest setback in your life?” Julian smiled. “Baby, I’m different from you. My life has no setbacks.” I couldn’t smile. What does that mean? Is this dead thing speaking human language? Is he inhuman? The villain with no setbacks pulled the phone from my hand, glanced at the book title. “Better uninstall it. Reading this stuff all the time, you won’t live until the day the world is destroyed.” I raised an eyebrow and retorted, “If your life has no setbacks, why do you suspect someone wants to kill you?” Julian pinched my fingers, answering slowly, “If you hadn’t kidnapped me, I wouldn’t suspect someone wanted to kill me.” So it’s all my fault? I was dead inside. I exited the reading app, slightly dissatisfied. “I also think these redemption novels are unreliable. Kissing and hugging for no reason, is that serious redemption?” Julian always has a sharp tongue. I thought he would laugh at me, but he put the book aside. “It’s late. Time to sleep.” Julian slept on the bed, I slept on the sofa. All these years, I could sleep in any harsh environment. Sleeping on a soft, large sofa was already very good. The pitch-black environment helped sleep. I fell asleep in a while. I dreamed I was wrapped by a giant python again. Help. Why are there pythons everywhere? This time the python wrapped tighter, even biting my neck. So scary. Pythons evolve. I opened my eyes groggily. The pitch-black room prevented me from seeing who was beside me. Hot breath scattered on my neck and chest. My waist and back were hugged tightly. Julian buried his head in my neck like a dying ghost, inhaling deeply, as if he were a plant dying of thirst, lying on me to absorb water and nutrients.

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After I went viral. My best friend’s first move was to blackmail me with our chat history. “Girl, I’ve switched phones like five times, but I never deleted our texts. I’ve been waiting for this day.” “Don’t forget where you came from. You said if you got famous, you’d take care of me for life.” “Start by buying me a condo. Your dirty laundry is my biggest leverage.” I smiled and agreed. But even after I bought the condo, she still leaked the chats. Because she said she wanted to use my scandal to launch her own influencer career. I was cyberbullied into a deep depression and fell from a rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day I decided to start my social media journey. 1 “Harper, my bestie! Are you really going to start creating content?” Hearing Lily’s familiar voice in my ear, I realized I had been reborn. In my past life, ever since I started doing social media, Lily became exactly like those cliché “best friends” in the comment sections. Waiting for the day I blew up so I could support her. She said, “Our chat history is gold right now. I can’t bear to delete a single word. Once you’re famous, this is all blackmail material.” “If you dare to forget me, the scandal drops at noon, and your career ends by dinner.” At the time, I thought she was joking. After all, she was my only best friend. If I made it big, of course, she would benefit. Later, I did make it big. I treated her like family. I gave her cars, houses, cash—everything. But at the peak of my career, she publicly exposed our old chat history on a livestream. Lily said: “Harper, you reaped the benefits of the internet. Surely you wouldn’t mind letting me have my moment, right?” “Don’t worry, I’m just using you to jumpstart my account. Once I have a stable following, I’ll help you clean up your image.” Once the chats were exposed, my image was destroyed. Cyberbullying came in waves. I developed severe depression and fell from a rooftop. But thankfully, I was reborn. This time, I looked at the excited Lily. “Yeah. But my phone is dead. Can I borrow yours for a sec?” She eagerly handed me her phone. “Use it! Use it all you want.” “What’s mine is yours!” “Just don’t forget me when you’re famous!” I took Lily’s phone. Found my contact. Clicked in and cleared all chat history. Lily jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Harper! What are you doing?!” I shoved the phone back into her hands, putting on an innocent face. “Oops, sorry Lily, my finger slipped.” “There wasn’t anything important anyway. Deleted is deleted.” Lily scrambled in a panic, her face turning ugly. “Not important?! That was years of my hard work!” “If you get famous later, those were my chips!” I held back the urge to sneer and pretended to affectionately wrap my arm around her shoulder. “Lily, chips or no chips, you’re my only best friend. How could I forget you when I get famous?” She seemed soothed by my words, her expression softening. Lily hugged my arm back. “I knew you were the best. It’s a deal then, I’m your only Ride or Die!” Only Ride or Die? Ha. For a backstabber like you? You like using people to launch your career, right? Let’s see how I destroy you in this life. 2 Back home, I immediately started filming my first video. I already had experience going viral in my past life. Replicating my path to fame wasn’t hard. After posting my first transition video, it got over 10k likes that same night. Lily saw it and immediately DM’d me. “Harper! Your video has 10k likes! I feel like you’re about to blow up!” “I saw a bag today. How about you buy it for me first?” “Since your stats are so good, advancing me a little something shouldn’t be a problem!” Before I could reply, she sent a payment link. I clicked it. A bag worth nearly $5,000. Lily was exactly the same as in my past life—eager to take as soon as she saw me achieve a little success. I didn’t reply, nor did I pay. Late at night, Lily messaged again. “Harper, lonely night. Wanna see some spicy videos?” I immediately went on alert. Since the old chat history was gone, Lily was trying to manufacture new dirt. This time, I smartly replied with two words: “Not interested.” Lily was still baiting me. She sent several links in a row. “I’ve vetted these, all top-tier hot guys!” “Average 7 inches. You’d be missing out if you didn’t look~” Honestly, it’s fine for girls to be a little thirsty. But as a public figure, it’s forbidden. In my past life, these secret conversations between best friends became the tools she used to step on me to get ahead. I replied coldly: “Lily, I never watch these. Don’t send them to me anymore.” Lily sent a few question marks. “Harper, what are you pretending for? You used to beg me for these resources.” “Just because one video popped off, you think you’re better than me now? So fake!” That was a clever line. I thought for a moment and replied: “Lily, how could you think of me like that?” “When we went out to eat, didn’t I pay every time? When you got sick in the middle of the night, I drove across the city to take you to the ER.” “I don’t think I’ve ever wronged you. Instead, your aggressive attitude right now is chilling my heart!” Checkmate. Lily was so angry she called me directly. “Harper, are you sick in the head?” I suppressed my anger and silently picked up another phone to record. “What’s wrong, Lily? Why are you so mad?” Her shrill voice pierced my eardrums: “I said, did you take the wrong meds? What are you pretending for? Look at what you said, were you possessed by a ghost today?” “You won’t buy the bag I sent, didn’t we agree you’d take care of me when you got famous?” “Don’t forget where you came from.” I fake-sobbed twice. “Lily, only one video went viral. I haven’t even gotten a brand deal yet. Where would I get the money to buy it for you?” “Don’t you have savings? You can’t be unable to afford $5,000, right?” I put on my best “pity me” act: “But if I buy you the bag, I won’t be able to afford food.” “You have such a cruel heart, to treat me like this.” Lily was impatient: “Will you earn less once you’re famous? Any random ad is like twenty or thirty grand.” I didn’t forget to establish my persona. “But I have to screen them carefully. I can’t just take dirty money!” She blurted out: “Tch! You’re so high and mighty. If I were famous, I wouldn’t care what the ad was. If it pays, I’m taking it!” Hearing that sentence, I was incredibly glad I turned on the recorder. Seeing that moral kidnapping wouldn’t work on me, Lily reined it in. “Fine, you’re just starting out, it’s not easy. I’ll let you off this time.” “Once you get a brand deal, I’m coming to rip you off properly.” 3 Since that video went viral. Lily urged me to post new videos every day. This time, I was planning to replicate the video that got millions of likes in my past life. So the prep time for props took a bit longer. She couldn’t wait: “Ugh, you can go viral just by posting anything. Why wait half a month to post one?” “At this upload speed, I’ll be waiting until the next century for you to support me!” I ignored her and continued at my own pace. Three days later, I finally finished editing the video. The moment I posted it, I let out a huge sigh of relief. After exhausting myself for half a month, I could finally sleep well. The next day, I was woken up by Lily’s phone bombing. “Harper! Why are you still sleeping! Do you know you’re famous?” “That video got 5 million likes overnight! You have over a million followers now!” Her voice was full of excitement. “Now you’re really a big influencer. You shouldn’t have any excuse to refuse me now!” “How about this, you buy that bag for me first, and this afternoon I’ll go look at a car, okay?” I cut off Lily’s greedy voice by hanging up. The second I hung up, I blocked her. “Whew~” I exhaled a long breath. So satisfying. After I blocked Lily, she kept asking our mutual friends to contact me. I told them to stay out of it, that it was between Lily and me. A mutual friend said: “Lily says if you don’t reply to her, she’s going to expose you.” “She says you don’t care about old friendships and that fame went to your head.” “She says she has a ton of dirt on you and told you to watch out.” I deleted everything. What dirt could Lily possibly have? Keep dreaming. To my surprise. That night, I actually stumbled upon Lily’s livestream. She even titled it: [Come Spill the Tea! My Influencer Bestie Got Famous and Forgot Her Roots!] For some reason, she didn’t show her face. She wore a virtual doll mask over her head. “Tonight’s stream is just a warning. Don’t force me to drop the receipts on a certain ungrateful person!” People kept pouring into the stream, more and more rubberneckers. The chat was boiling: Who is it? Can the streamer just drop the name? Is it that girl who just blew up recently? I saw her last time, felt like she wasn’t a good person just from her face! I’m staying neutral for now! Netizens flip-flop so fast these days, my parents are getting whiplash. If you’re gonna say it, say it! Anyone who doesn’t name names is spreading rumors in my book! Lily waved her hand. “After all, we were besties. I don’t want to be too cruel.” “I hope she sees my stream, comes to her senses, and unblocks me soon.” Netizens typed furiously. What? Blocked after getting famous? If my bestie did that, I’d slap her into orbit! She’s fake. The first person she kicked to the curb after success was you. This bestie is already drowning in her ‘girl boss’ persona, doesn’t know up from down anymore. If my bestie was like this, I wouldn’t just expose her! I’d hammer her until she could never make a comeback in this lifetime. I used to watch these comments for fun. Now I know, the first people who can’t stand seeing you succeed are the ones closest to you. As long as you don’t conform to their wishes even a little bit. They’ll call you ungrateful. They’ll treat the sincerity you once gave them as chips to threaten you with. They want to suck your blood for a lifetime! Lily continued her act. “After all, I’ve been with her for so many years. I was there through her hardest times. Now that she’s finally made it, I still can’t bear to hurt her.” Chat: Girls are truly the gods of soft-heartedness. Your bestie treats you like this, and you’re still defending her! Sister, be my bestie, okay? If I get famous, I will never mistreat you. Sister, don’t be soft! You have to expose this toxic tumor of a best friend! Lily sighed. “Sigh, I’m still soft-hearted.” “If I wasn’t, I would have dropped her black history already. She has a ton of skeletons in her closet!” I was getting angrier by the second. I switched to an alt account and commented. Who knows if what you’re saying is true or false? Maybe you’re just using netizens to launch your own account! There were still some netizens who maintained their critical thinking. Yeah, no evidence, just running your mouth in a livestream. Who knows if it’s fabricated! If you have proof, post it! I have to rush to the next tea party! I got used for clout last time. Before I see evidence, I won’t speak for anyone. Some people empathized deeply with Lily. She said she didn’t want to be cruel. What can you guys do besides incite conflict? You’re defending her bestie so much, are you the bestie herself? You have the guts to block her, but no guts to face her on your main account? Blocked by an ungrateful bestie, still thinking about not hurting her by not naming her, yet being forced by you guys for evidence. Sis, I really feel for you. I was furious. I unblocked Lily right then and there. I messaged her asking what the hell she wanted! In the livestream, Lily picked up her phone and covered her mouth in surprise. “Babies, my bestie unblocked me.” “Do you think she saw my stream?” The chat scrolled rapidly: Was the person talking just now your bestie? What did she say to you? Did she apologize? Don’t forgive her just like that! She’s not apologizing because she knows she’s wrong, she’s afraid her career is ruined! Exactly! Support the streamer to expose her to the end! Don’t be soft! Lily smiled bitterly. “Do you guys know what she said to me?” She covered my profile picture, held up the phone, and showed the message to the netizens. “My bestie asked me, what the hell do I want by streaming?” As she spoke, tears fell from Lily’s eyes. “I thought our friendship of over ten years was indestructible, friends but more like family. But I didn’t expect that I was the only one who kept her in my heart.” “I’m just something she can discard at will after she gets famous.” Chat comforted her: Baby, don’t cry. It’s not worth it for this kind of person. You’re so pretty, doing social media you’ll definitely get famous faster than her. Starting today, I’m your first fan! Even like this, you didn’t expose her name. You’re such a kind baby, I feel for you. +1, can’t let that ungrateful person make money. I will support you to become the new influencer! Lily sniffled, her voice full of grievance. “That’s it for today’s stream. I want to go talk to her first.” “Babies, see you next time.” To gain followers, Lily even made a teaser for the next stream. Her desire for fame was practically overflowing from the screen. 4 After she went offline, she replied to me: “Oh, finally decided to unblock me?” “I didn’t expose you on stream today, that was me giving you face. I advise you not to be ungrateful.” I really didn’t expect that even without dirt, she’d dare to stream to launch her account. “What do you want? Use me for clout?” Lily sent a grinning emoji. “Not impossible.” “Look at how many people were in my stream today. How about we collaborate?” “You help me launch my account. Once I become an influencer too, you won’t need to support me anymore.” “Lightening your burden, how great is that!” I sneered, my fingers typing rapidly on the screen: “You want to eat my blood buns!” (profit from my misfortune) Lily: “Don’t say it so harshly. We’re sisters, what’s wrong with helping me once?” “Or are you just selfish and self-serving, not wanting the people around you to do better?” ??? Talk about gaslighting. “I support you posting videos and doing social media normally, but doing this kind of hype? I will absolutely not help you!” Lily: “Can’t understand nice words or harsh words, huh? Then don’t blame me for using some tactics.” After sending this message. Lily immediately posted a video on her account. The video was accompanied by sad BGM, packaging herself as a victim. Her caption read: “I thought it was an apology, didn’t expect it was a threat.” She also posted a cropped screenshot of the chat history. Once the video was posted, the army of 100k followers who followed her immediately swarmed in. “Oh my god, what a hard life. Is there anything more desperate than being backstabbed by your best friend?” “Sister, call the police. No need to care about old feelings anymore.” “So what if she has a lot of fans? Sis participated in the Great Fan Wars back in the day!” “Sister, you just point in the direction of the battlefield. I’ve never lost when it comes to cursing people out!” Her fans really loved her. They started searching the internet overnight for who the backstabbing influencer was. Maybe I didn’t clean up my alt account well enough when I commented yesterday. These “righteous” netizens actually found me. They commented recklessly under my main account. “So you’re the one who backstabbed your bestie, right? Sisters, hit report. We absolutely cannot let this kind of person become famous!” “Yo, only 1 million followers and you forgot your roots. Did you forget where you came from?” “I’ve disliked every single one of her videos and forwarded this to my family group chat. Fam, did I do the right thing?” “Sorry, I know a little bit of doxxing jutsu.” … Actually, I could post a video or livestream exposing Lily’s true face right now. But I decided to let the bullet fly for a while.

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Anton Ryder took three bullets for me. Each one should have been fatal. He practically offered his life to my father in exchange for my hand in marriage. Seeing his raw desperation, my father finally relented, offering the Syndicate’s Patriarch’s Seal—the ultimate symbol of power—as my dowry. But the day before our wedding, war broke out on our borders. Anton had to lead the charge. Before he left, he kissed me hard. “Wait for me, my love,” he whispered. “When I come back, I promise you won’t be leaving our bed.” Three years later, he returned. I took our two-year-old son deep into the desert territories to welcome him home. But when his convoy arrived, he stepped out carrying a frail, beautiful woman in a white dress. One of his men asked what was to be done with me. Anton took a long drag from his cigarette, a lazy smile playing on his lips. “Her old man’s dead. Who else does she have to rely on but me? Besides, the Patriarch’s Seal is in my hands now. I can marry whomever I please. And anyway,” he added with a chuckle, “she’s already given me a healthy son. She’ll be begging me for a proper title soon enough.” The men around him erupted in laughter. He seemed to have forgotten one crucial detail. The Seal was merely a symbol. I am the one and only heir to the Vance family. And my son can live without a father. 1. The jeering laughter continued, only to be cut short by the woman’s soft cough. Anton’s voice was instantly laced with concern. “Sera, my love, what is it? Are you feeling unwell again? Don’t worry, I’ll have a doctor see you right away…” Seraphina shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s just… the air here. I’m not used to it yet.” “I’m so sorry, Sera. That’s my fault,” Anton said, his tone apologetic. “The air in your room is too dry, it won’t help your recovery. Don’t worry, Elara’s room is the best in the entire compound, it gets the morning sun. I’ll have her switch with you.” Seraphina demurred softly, “Wouldn’t that upset your wife?” Anton’s voice was laced with a pained tenderness. “I told you, don’t call her that in private. You’ve been my woman for a long time now.” At this, the men in the room broke into another round of lewd, knowing chuckles. Seraphina, blushing, buried her face in Anton’s chest. When Anton had carefully carried her from the vehicle, his story to me had been different. He’d claimed she was a sister he’d adopted on the road. “Elara, her entire family was captured and executed by the enemy,” he’d explained. “If she hadn’t risked her life to bring us intel, you’d be waiting for my corpse right now. She’s been frail since she was a child and suffered with me on the front lines for three years. With her family gone, I took her in as my sworn sister. You don’t mind, do you?” If she were truly just a sister, of course I wouldn’t have minded. But it was clear now. It wasn’t a sister he’d adopted, but a wife he’d already taken. Suddenly, one of the men voiced a concern. “The First Lady has always had a fiery temper, boss. She loves you so much. If she finds out, all hell is going to break loose.” Another chimed in. “Yeah, she waited three years for you. What are you going to do if she demands her title?” Seraphina’s tone was laced with worry. “He’s right, Anton. Please don’t fight with the First Lady over me. I couldn’t live with the guilt.” But Anton just laughed, completely at ease. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ve already thought of everything. She’s used to being the princess. She’ll definitely throw a fit when she finds out, and I don’t want her taking it out on you. So, here’s the plan: I’m marrying you, that’s set in stone. On the day of the wedding, I’ll announce that we’re throwing a big birthday party for our son.” “She’ll never refuse that,” he continued, a smug look on his face. “By the time the party’s over, you and I will be officially married, the papers signed. It’ll be too late for her to do anything. With a two-year-old son, she’ll have no choice but to swallow her pride and stay by my side, without a title, for the rest of her life.” His words were met with murmurs of admiration. “Brilliant, boss! Only you could think of something like that!” “No wonder you had the boss’s daughter wrapped around your finger, willing to give you a son and wait faithfully for three years!” The room exploded with laughter once more. And through it all, Seraphina’s playful voice. “Oh, Anton, you’re terrible! You had me worried for nothing!” Anton stroked her hair. “Then let me make it up to you right now.” With that, he cupped the back of her neck and crushed his lips to hers. I turned away in silence. The old me would have kicked down the door, smashed everything in sight, and put a gun to Seraphina’s head, forcing her to kneel, apologize, and get the hell out. But motherhood had changed me. The sand you can’t hold, you let fall. The people by your side are what matter most. As the Vance heiress, my life has always been shadowed by danger. Anton had saved me countless times, taking bullets to his waist, his chest, even the back of his head. Each time, covered in his own blood, he would hold me tight and soothe me. “Don’t be afraid, Elara. I’m here. Anyone who wants to touch you will have to step over my dead body.” He loved me more than his own life. Or so I believed. But not all truths are meant to last forever. As I turned to leave, the door behind me creaked open. Anton’s voice, sharp with panic. “Elara?” “When did you get here?” 2. I didn’t turn around. My own voice was unnervingly calm. “Just now.” Anton let out a quiet sigh of relief. He stepped forward, pulling me into his arms, his voice a low whisper in my ear. “Elara, I’ll come to you tonight. I’ve thought of you every single night for these past three years.” I didn’t move, didn’t respond. He must have sensed my coldness, because his voice became cautious. “Elara, what’s wrong? Aren’t you happy I’m back?” I was about to push him away when a delicate female voice cut through the air. Seraphina coughed into her hand. “Oh, sister-in-law, you’re here. My health is so poor, that’s the only reason my brother came to check on me. Please, don’t get the wrong idea.” At the sound of her voice, Anton immediately released me. The concern in his eyes was unmistakable. “The wind is strong out here. What are you doing outside?” Seraphina stepped toward us. “I heard your wife’s voice, so I wanted to come and say hello. Please don’t mind him, sister-in-law. He’s always been a worrier. He took care of me personally for the last three years, it’s just instinct now.” She wore a mask of sincerity. I looked at her pale face. “The Vance family can afford to feed another mouth. But we don’t shelter vipers.” Her smile froze. Anton’s brow furrowed, his voice a low growl. “Elara! She’s my sister, which makes her your sister too. Watch your mouth.” I gave him a cool glance. “I’ve always been abrasive, haven’t I?” His jaw worked, but before he could retort, Seraphina leaned weakly against the doorframe, her voice trembling with hurt. “Sister-in-law, I know you hate me, but I never wanted to take anything from you… I’m just… I’m so weak, I need my brother to look after me…” “He’s been by my side day and night. I understand why you’re angry. If you don’t like me here… I’ll just leave.” With that, she turned and staggered away. Anton shot me a furious glare and immediately chased after her. “Sera, don’t run! Your body can’t take the strain! I’m in charge of the Vance family now, you don’t have to listen to a word she says! Sera!” The two of them disappeared around the corner of the courtyard. Just as Seraphina turned the corner, my son, Leo, came toddling out, running right into her legs. Seraphina cried out, her foot slipped, and she crumpled to the ground. Anton knelt and swept her into his arms. “Sera, are you alright?” She lifted the hem of her skirt. A gash on her shin was bleeding freely. Rage contorted Anton’s face. He whirled on Leo. “Who told you to run around like that! Get out of my sight!” Leo burst into tears. “Mama… I want my mama…” I rushed forward, pulling him into my arms and kneeling to soothe him. “It’s okay, Leo, Mommy’s here. Don’t cry, it wasn’t your fault. Don’t be scared, Mommy’s got you.” The nanny who had been chasing him finally caught up, breathless. “First Lady, the young master was crying for you, I couldn’t stop him…” My voice was ice. “It’s fine. It’s not your fault. The staff in this house usually know how to watch where they’re going.” Anton’s voice was a cold accusation. “Is this how you raise our son? No wonder he’s so unruly!” Seraphina leaned against Anton, her voice faint. “Brother, Leo is just a child, don’t scare him… I only fell and bled a little. I’m used to being hurt.” Then she looked up at me, her eyes filled with a tragic sorrow. “Sister-in-law, it was my fault. You were right to scold me. I wasn’t looking where I was going and ran into the young master. I’ll apologize to him.” She struggled to get up from Anton’s arms, crying out in pain at the slightest movement. Anton’s face filled with anguish. He scooped her up. “What are you apologizing for? If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’m his father, and I failed to teach him properly.” He looked at me and Leo with cold eyes. “Leo, I wasn’t here to raise you. But Elara, as his mother, you bear the most responsibility! I can’t trust you to raise him alone. You’ll only teach him your bad habits. Now that Sera is here, she can help. She’s well-mannered, gentle, and kind. She can teach Leo to be a good man.” My voice was dangerously low. “What are you saying?” Anton’s expression was grim. “I’m saying Leo will be raised by Sera from now on. You can go back to being the First Lady of the Vance Syndicate.” “In your dreams!” I spat. Anton’s tone was absolute. “I am the head of this family. I have that right. More importantly, Leo is my son. As his father, my right is absolute.” He set Seraphina down and roughly grabbed Leo. “A man takes responsibility for his actions. He must be punished.” “Now, you will kneel and apologize to your Aunt Sera!” He pressed down on Leo’s small shoulders, trying to force him to his knees… 3. Leo screamed, struggling wildly. “No! I want Mommy! I want Mommy!” My fists clenched. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I yelled for the house steward, snatched the pistol from his holster, and pressed the cold barrel against Anton’s forehead. My hand was perfectly steady. “Anton, you lay another finger on my son, and I swear I will kill you.” He sneered. “You’re pointing a gun at me with the skills I taught you?” He grabbed my hand, forcing the muzzle of the gun harder against his own temple. “Right here. Do it. Don’t go soft on me now. My body has room for another bullet for you.” I stared into his blazing eyes, my finger tightening on the trigger. “Fine. Then I’ll grant you your wish…” Before I could finish, Seraphina threw herself between us, shoving me hard. She crumpled to the ground, sobbing. “No! First Lady, please, don’t hurt him! Whatever he’s done wrong, take it out on me!” “My life is worthless,” she cried, “but Anton has to lead the entire Syndicate! His life is more important!” Anton ignored me and Leo completely, rushing to Seraphina’s side. The fall had split her lip, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. He lifted her into his arms and started for the door. “Sera, stop talking. Nothing is more important than your life. If she dares to touch you, I will never forgive her.” As he carried her away, Seraphina looked back over his shoulder, a triumphant smirk twisting her lips. The nanny took Leo from my arms, her teeth clenched in anger. “First Lady, the master has gone too far! If you hadn’t defied your sick father back then, if you hadn’t personally led a relief team to support his flank, he never would have made it out of that ambush alive. You nearly died for him, First Lady! Why won’t you let us tell him the truth? If he knew…” I raised a hand, cutting her off. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” Leo was still terrified, his little arms reaching for me. I took him and held him close. After I got him back to his room and he’d fallen asleep, I summoned the steward. “Take my token. Send a message to the Prince of the West Side. Tell him… I accept his offer.” The steward was one of our oldest retainers. He hesitated. “First Lady, that man’s temperament is… volatile. You must think this through. Everyone knows he was trying to seize Vance territory even when your father was alive. If you agree now, he might…” “I have my own plans,” I interrupted. “Just go.” The steward had no choice but to obey. Late that night, a commotion in the courtyard woke Leo. It was Anton, returning from the hospital with Seraphina. I quickly sat up, pulling Leo into my arms. “Shh, it’s okay. Mommy’s here.” Leo was wide awake now. He burrowed into my chest, his big eyes looking up at me. “Mama, does Daddy not want us anymore?” A pain lanced through my heart. I looked into my son’s eyes and gently kissed his forehead. “You have me. That’s all that matters.” He snuggled closer, his small hands clutching my shirt. My son. Elara Vance’s son. I was all he needed. The next day, Anton came to apologize. “I know you’re still angry,” he began, “but it was just an act. Sera saved my life. She was almost eaten by wolves for me. I have to show her I’m on her side.” “I’ve been thinking,” he continued, “our son’s birthday is coming up. Let’s throw him a huge party. We can announce to everyone that I, Anton Ryder, have a son!” A cold smile touched my lips. So, it begins. 4. The man from the West Side replied quickly. “I return in five days. The bride price is already prepared.” Five days. The same day as Leo’s birthday party. Anton went all out for the party, a grand affair. But I noticed that his closest men looked at me with strange, pitying expressions whenever they saw me. The night before the party, Seraphina burst into the dining room, wearing a wedding gown. “Oh, sister-in-law, I’m so sorry! I got lost. I didn’t mean to come here. I was just trying on my dress, and Anton told me to take a walk to clear my head, and I must have taken a wrong turn.” I gave her a flat look. “If you’re lost, then get out. My aim won’t be off a second time.” Her face went pale. She gathered the massive skirt of her gown to turn, and in doing so, knocked a vase off a display shelf. She screamed. Just then, Anton’s anxious voice came from the doorway. “Sera, what are you doing in here? Come back with me.” He rushed in, shot a quick glance at me and Leo, and grabbed Seraphina’s hand to pull her away. I stared at the shattered porcelain on the floor, a cold rage building inside me. “Stop. Who said you could leave?” The steward immediately stepped forward. “Miss Seraphina, you have just broken an heirloom left by the late Mrs. Vance. It was the First Lady’s most cherished possession.” Seraphina’s face turned ashen. “I… I didn’t mean to… I didn’t know it was some unlucky thing from a dead person…” Anton pulled her behind him. “Elara, what is this? Are you trying to settle scores?” My voice was frigid. “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Anton snorted. “Well, I say no. And I’d like to see anyone here try to touch her.” The steward’s hand went to his gun, but Anton was faster. He drew his own pistol and fired, the bullet tearing through the steward’s wrist. As the steward’s gun clattered to the floor, Anton’s was already aimed at me. “Elara,” he said, his voice dangerously low, “want to try me, too?” So this is what it felt like to have a gun pointed at you by the man you loved. The steward knelt on the floor, clutching his wrist, his face white with pain as blood seeped through his fingers. “First Lady…” I said nothing more. Seeing my surrender, Anton turned and left with Seraphina. Five days later, a grand procession from the West Side, bearing wedding gifts, entered the gates of the Vance compound. At the same time, Leo’s birthday party was in full swing. And another set of gifts was being brought in—Anton’s wedding gifts for Seraphina. With all the commotion, no one paid any attention to the men from the West. Holding Leo, I stood at the top of the grand staircase. I walked down the red carpet that had been laid out, and straight into the bridal car waiting to take me to the West Side. Before I left, I gave an order to the still-recovering steward. “Tell our men to move out. They follow me. Now.” At the party, Seraphina, in her wedding dress, toasted with Anton. The hours passed. The party wound down. I never appeared. Anton finally grew restless. He sent a man to my private quarters to find me. The man returned in a panic. “Boss, the First Lady is gone!” Anton didn’t believe it. “How is that possible!”

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A billionaire heir posted a job listing on the campus forum: [My girlfriend has a temper. Looking for a little helper to run errands, buy food, and keep her happy. Salary: $15,000/month.] As soon as the post went up, girls swarmed it. Some wanted the money; others wanted to get close to the prince and replace the princess. When it was my turn, Julian narrowed his eyes, looking bored. “Wait on her hand and foot, no complaints. Can you do that?” “Oh, and one more thing: don’t ever catch feelings for me.” I agreed. But later, on the night I announced my relationship with someone else… He cornered me against a wall, asking word by word: “Is he richer than me? Does he treat you better than I do? Why do you want to be with him?” 1 Julian prepaid me three months’ salary. A total of $45,000. He didn’t even blink. He just said, “I looked into it. Your family situation is special. Take this first.” He was right. My parents died early, and my grandma raised me. But recently, Grandma got into a car accident and was lying in the hospital. The daily bills were crushing me like a boulder. I pressed my lips together. “Thank you. I will do this job well.” He raised an eyebrow, his tone casual and arrogant. “Of course. Bella is my ancestor. Serve her well, and you’ll be rewarded.” I nodded. “Okay.” Honestly, I didn’t expect this pie to fall into my lap. I wasn’t lively, and my presence in class was practically zero. Of course, I later learned from Bella what Julian actually said about me. He said: “That girl looks average, her social skills are average, and she seems honest. A bit like… an ancient maidservant. Only someone like that can handle your temper.” So, from that day on, I became Bella’s personal servant. One call, and I was there. In less than two months, I lost a noticeable amount of weight. She had a temper. She’d call me stupid at the drop of a hat, and when she got emotional, she’d slap me in public. My roommate, Zoey, found out and was indignant for me. “This money doesn’t seem easy to earn.” “She doesn’t even treat you like a human being.” “I really envy Bella. Just relying on a pretty face to make Julian treat her like that.” I had actually heard some stories about Julian and Bella. They were high school sweethearts. Bella came from an average family. After they got together, Julian covered her tuition and living expenses. In college, she didn’t want to live in the dorms, so he bought her an apartment across the street. You could say half of Bella’s temper was spoiled into existence by Julian. Speaking of which, Zoey suddenly grabbed my face and examined it. “Nina, if you put on makeup and pinned up your bangs, you’d definitely be prettier than Bella.” “Find a rich boyfriend too, and you won’t have to suffer like this.” 2 Of course, I didn’t think I was suffering. That was $45,000! I had never seen so much money in my life. If I had any wish right now, it would be for the golden couple, Julian and Bella, to stay together forever. But the next day, I received bad news. They had a fight. Bella smashed everything in the apartment. Then she called me over: “Clean this up, and make me something to eat.” I rushed to do it. Halfway through, my phone rang. I opened it. Julian sent me a message. [Are you at her place? How is she?] I glanced at Bella not far away. She had just showered and was sitting on the sofa with a face mask on, watching a popular drama on her tablet. I considered my words carefully. I replied: [Maybe you should come coax her?] I hoped they would make up. Otherwise, I was at risk of unemployment at any moment. Unless Julian’s next girlfriend was also high-maintenance and needed a servant. Julian didn’t reply. About twenty minutes later, the porridge I made was ready. I served it and was about to put it on the dining table. But Bella suddenly stood up from the sofa and ran past me, bumping into me. The bowl shattered, and the scalding porridge spilled all over my wrist. It was so hot I couldn’t help but hiss. Bella glanced at me. “Oops, why are you so careless?” “Clean it up yourself. I’m going to change. Julian is coming over.” With that, she went into her room. I endured the pain, squatting down to clean up the mess bit by bit. About ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Bella had changed into a pure white dress and put on light makeup, looking like a princess. And I was the princess’s maid. Grey and dusty, standing in the corner, waiting for her next command. The door opened, and I saw Julian. Every time he saw Bella, he brought gifts. Jewelry, bags, roses. Everything was jaw-droppingly expensive. Tonight was no exception. Bella looked at the luxury items in his hand and huffed. “You finally decided to come?” Julian stood at the door coaxing her, chuckling as he kissed her cheek. “Of course. No matter what, I can’t let you stay mad, right?” His tone was gentle, completely different from the Julian at school. 3 I had seen Julian a long time ago. I heard his family was not only rich but powerful. He was always surrounded by friends. When we first started college, I actually had a very brief encounter with him. I was working part-time at a karaoke bar. All kinds of people went there. Someone grabbed me and tried to force me to drink. It was Julian who blocked me, his voice cold: “Bullying a little girl? Are you even a man?” I didn’t expect him to be so humble in front of Bella. Soon, Julian entered the apartment. Bella saw me and said, “You can go back. We don’t need you here.” Then she took Julian’s arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and pointed to the food on the table. “I made all of this. Looks good, right?” I stood there, gently pinching my palm. Actually, I was used to it. In the past two months, Bella made me knit scarves, bake desserts, and write love letters. And in the end, in front of Julian, these all became things she personally did. Julian looked up, his gaze landing on the food. He patted Bella’s hair. “Mm, nice.” At this point, I felt like an eyesore, a very bright lightbulb. “I won’t disturb you two. I’m heading back to school.” Bella couldn’t wait for me to leave. “Mm.” I nodded and walked past them. Halfway to the door, Julian suddenly spoke, stopping me. He said: “Hey, you.” “Wait downstairs. I’ll drive you back.” Bella froze, a bit angry. “What do you mean? Aren’t you staying with me?” Julian coaxed her. “I have something to do. Be good, I’ll take you for seafood tomorrow.” Bella gave Julian a reproachful look, then stood on tiptoes and whispered something in his ear. I wisely went downstairs first. After waiting for about twenty minutes, Julian came down. His collar was slightly open, revealing a small red mark on his neck. A bit ambiguous. I glanced once and looked away. In the car, Julian sent a few more messages to Bella. After sending them, he put down his phone and turned his head, glancing at my wrist. He raised an eyebrow slightly. “I saw it earlier.” “Tell me, what happened?” I froze. He actually noticed. But I couldn’t tell him his girlfriend did it. He wouldn’t believe me, and he wouldn’t stand on my side. Worst case, I’d lose my job. I said, “Nothing, just accidentally scalded myself.” Julian didn’t pry. He sighed. “I’ll take you to the hospital.” Hospitals burn money. With my current financial situation, I couldn’t afford it. I quickly said, “No… no need.” Julian frowned. I waved my hand in front of him. “Really, it doesn’t hurt. No need to go. Let’s just go back to school.” “I still have to buy breakfast for Miss Bella tomorrow.” Bella was picky. She loved soup dumplings from a shop on Jiangning Road and red date porridge from Suian Street. Both places were far from campus. Every morning, I had to wake up at least an hour early to satisfy the princess’s stomach. I heard Julian used to do this himself. Hearing this, Julian narrowed his eyes. After a long while, he said, “Alright then.” Then he took out his phone and tapped on the screen. “I transferred you some money. Buy some ointment.” I looked. $3,000. This injury was so worth it. On the way, Julian’s phone kept ringing. He casually played a few voice messages. The last one was from a man. His voice was low, laced with laughter. “Isn’t your little ancestor’s birthday next month?” “How are you planning to celebrate this year? I’ll help you set it up.” Julian tutted. “Big, of course.” “By the way, I’ll ask Bella to bring her friend. See if there’s anyone you like. Master Xu, you’re twenty-two, time to date.” Soon, we arrived at the school gate. I got out and walked toward the entrance. But after two steps, a voice came from behind. His tone was lazy. “You’ve worked hard these days.” “If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can tell me directly.” I stopped. I’m twenty this year. To survive, I’ve washed dishes, delivered food, and worked as a hotel receptionist, enduring day after day until I was nearly numb. I’ve seen all kinds of employers, but never one as kind as him. I didn’t turn back. “Okay.” “Thank you.” 4 The next afternoon, I went to the hospital. I paid the fees and chatted with Grandma. Her speech was a bit slurred. But I understood. She was asking, Nina, where did you get the money? How did you afford such an expensive nurse? I said, “Don’t worry, there are lots of kind people. Everyone is helping me.” After that, I received a call from Bella. “Bring me a jacket.” She sent an address. It was a bar. I quickly agreed. When I arrived, I realized Julian was there too. They were sitting together, playing dice. Bella took the jacket and casually said, “Find a place to sit.” I said okay and found a corner. Just then, my counselor sent a message asking me to go to her office. I stood up and walked to Bella, intending to tell her. But before I could speak, everything went pitch black. Power outage. The crowd instantly panicked, and I was pushed and nearly fell. Just then, a hand steadied me firmly. He held my hand and led me out of the crowd. His grip was surprisingly strong. I tried to tell him to let go several times, but it was too loud; he couldn’t hear. I don’t know how long it took before he let go. He pulled me into his arms, squatted down slightly, and rubbed his nose against my forehead. “Scared?” I froze for a moment before finding my voice. “Julian?” At that moment, the lights came back on. The man looked at me, quickly let go, and took a step back. His gaze was obscure. After a long time, he spoke. “Sorry.” “Mistook you for someone else.” I nodded. “It’s okay, I know.” I spent a lot of time with Bella, so my clothes picked up her perfume. Coincidentally, Bella had cut bangs a few days ago. Though she looked much better with them than I did. I quickly left the bar. After that, Bella intentionally showed off her affection in front of me several times. Whatever she wanted, Julian would find a way to bring it to her. She said, “Aren’t we a perfect match?” I nodded. “Yes.” Bella hummed triumphantly. Until once, I came out of the hospital after visiting Grandma and ran into them. Seeing me, Julian instinctively asked, “Visiting your grandma? Is she better?” Bella’s face changed instantly. “You know quite a lot about her.” Julian didn’t catch the tone. “Of course. I have to thoroughly investigate anyone I send to your side.” But that night, Bella coldly demanded to see my chat history with Julian. There was nothing there. Just money transfers and his instructions about Bella. After reading it, she handed the phone back. Time passed slowly. Finally, she spoke. “Nina, delete Julian’s WeChat.” “I’ll explain it to him.” I was silent for a moment, then deleted Julian right in front of her. She looked at me. “That’s right. You two are from different worlds anyway.” Yes. If not for Bella, Julian would never have known my name in this lifetime.

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Mike Betts. The boy whose life I once shattered. He returned the favor, burning my world to the ground. He drove my parents to their graves and left me with nothing, forcing me to claw through garbage and fight dogs for their leftovers. Everyone said he’d finally gotten his revenge. But the night I threw myself into the ocean, Mike—who couldn’t swim a stroke—dove in after me. He lost an arm to a shark just to keep me alive. Then he spent billions on a team of specialists, all to erase my past and make me his wife. And it worked. Loving him became my entire world. But on our tenth anniversary, I saw him slip into the live-in nurse’s room at midnight. I heard her breathless cries, her voice melting into the memory of the woman who had always been his one true love. Through the wall, I heard Mike’s ragged whisper, laced with tenderness. “I’m only doing this to make her pain sharper when she finally remembers. You know you’ve always been the real light in my life, Tessa.” I popped the amnesia pill I’d been hiding in my palm. Mike didn’t know. I’d never forgotten a thing. But from now on, I would forget everything. Including him. 1 I waited for five hours before Mike came back to our room. The damp air clinging to him was thick with the scent of Tessa’s floral body wash, a cloying, humid smell. He practically jumped out of his skin when he saw I was still awake. A coldness seeped into my bones, but I forced a smile. “Why the big reaction? Did you do something you shouldn’t have?” His expression flickered through a series of emotions, his eyes darting away, unable to meet mine. “A client was being difficult. We drank too much. I just took a quick shower in the guest lounge.” The excuse was so clumsy it was almost funny. His reputation as ‘The Reaper’ in the corporate world wasn’t for show. What fool would dare force him into a late-night drinking session? I didn’t bother calling his bluff. Instead, I slowly pushed up the silk sleeve of my robe. A hideous, angry burn covered a large patch of my forearm. “Tessa did this,” I said, my voice flat. “I want her gone.” Mike’s gaze fell on the wound. His brow furrowed for a second, then smoothed out. “It’s just a small burn. I’ll have the doctor look at it tomorrow.” “She’s just a kid, fresh out of school, a bit clumsy,” he said, unbuttoning his shirt. “You need to be more understanding. I’ll have her apologize, and I’ll make sure she covers the medical bills.” I almost laughed. Years ago, his own mother had called me a vixen, and he’d banished her back to their provincial hometown on the spot, not even letting her pack a suitcase. For all the years of our marriage, he’d replaced the entire household staff if I so much as shed a few more hairs than usual. He’d once told me, his voice raw with emotion, “Evelyn, you have no one but me now. I won’t let anyone, or anything, hurt you.” But now, this piece of ravaged flesh on my wrist was, in his words, “just a small burn.” Playing the part of the dutiful wife, I pulled my sleeve back down, hiding the ugly mark. “I know. I won’t hold it against a kid.” A kid who was the same age as me. I pressed my fingers to my temples and drew in a sharp breath. “My head hurts.” A side effect of the memory-wiping drugs. This time, though, the pain was real. “Hurting again?” His voice was heavy with fatigue. “It’s been years, you should be over this by now. Evelyn, stop using your old ailments as an excuse. You’re running the staff ragged.” He paused, his tone growing colder. “And don’t wear me out, either. I have an international conference call early tomorrow. I’m exhausted.” A dead silence fell over the room. The stabbing pain migrated from my head to my heart. “Okay,” I whispered. My fingers brushed against the cool metal on my left hand. Without any pressure, the wedding band I’d worn for years simply slid off. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing my brain all at once, the pain so intense that my vision swam with black spots. I bit my lip until I tasted blood, willing the tears not to fall. The memory of Mike, his eyes red-rimmed as he placed this ring on my finger, shattered frame by frame, flaking away until it was nothing but a blur. The next morning at breakfast, Mike couldn’t find me. He tore through the mansion in a panic, even calling in a private security team to search the grounds. They finally found me in the wine cellar. Coiled beside me was a highly venomous viper. The snake’s head lunged forward. “Don’t move!” Without a second thought, Mike threw himself over me, shielding me with his body. The fangs sank into his neck. His face turned a ghastly shade of blue-black almost instantly. He was rushed into the ER. For twenty-four hours, they pumped him full of new blood, barely pulling him back from the brink. The doctor, his face grim, tore into Mike’s assistant. “Why were you ten minutes late? He was this close to dying!” Every pair of eyes in the room turned on me like daggers. It was my fault. On the way to the hospital, I’d insisted we go back for my teddy bear, wasting precious time. Mike’s assistant of ten years finally snapped, his voice shaking with rage. “A stupid bear is more important than Mr. Betts’s life? After everything he’s done for you, you don’t even care if he lives or dies!” Mike’s expression hardened instantly. “You’re fired. See HR on your way out.” Silence returned to the room. Only then did he turn to me, forcing a reassuring smile onto his pale face. “Don’t listen to him. If it makes you happy, I’d give you my life, not just some teddy bear. I wouldn’t even blink.” I hugged the faded, well-worn bear and gave him a goofy smile. It was strange. Mike wasn’t on any medication, so why was his memory so bad? This wasn’t just some teddy bear. It was the one he’d given me back in high school. It had cost five hundred dollars. A sum that had taken him five months of scrubbing toilets to save up. For me, back then, that wasn’t even enough to cover the cost of the gift wrap. So, in front of the entire class, I’d thrown the bear in the trash. Then I’d pulled out ten thousand dollars in cash and thrown it in his face. “Here. Go get a taste of the real world, and stop trying to disgust me with your trash.” My gaze drifted to his remaining hand. Years of a pampered life had made it smooth and soft. A far cry from the hands of that boy, raw and peeling from corrosive cleaning agents, swollen with chilblains. Mike’s hands were never meant to look like that. Even the woman I was now could see that. The door to the hospital room banged open. Tessa burst in, throwing herself at Mike’s bedside, wailing. The force of her entry sent me stumbling to the floor. The burn on my arm, which she’d inflicted days earlier, split open. Blood soaked through my sleeve. Mike’s eyes, filled with concern, were only for Tessa. It wasn’t until a nurse came in for rounds that he seemed to remember I was even in the room. He looked at me, a flicker of awkwardness in his eyes. “Tessa’s just… overly empathetic. Don’t read too much into it.” Then, as if suddenly remembering my headache, he told the doctor to take me for a scan. But through it all, he never once looked directly at me. He never saw the crimson stain spreading across my sleeve. The doctor stepped away to grab something, leaving me alone in the hallway. Suddenly, a violent force yanked me backward. Tessa had me on the ground, snatching the teddy bear from my arms and shoving it hard against my face. Her voice was a venomous hiss. “You bitch! Now you’ll know what it feels like to suffocate!” Panic seized me. Cotton filled my nose and mouth, and the world dissolved into a frantic, suffocating blackness. I struggled, my subconscious screaming Mike’s name. My nails scraped bloody trails on the linoleum floor. The hospital room was just a few feet away, but no one came. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, I heard Mike’s voice, calm and distant. I thought I was saved. But he just watched, his expression unreadable. Then he turned to the doctor who had followed him out. “Dr. Lee, if you would. Process this memory for Evelyn. Just like all the other times.” Tessa’s shrill voice exploded in my head. “You would’ve learned your lesson by now if Mike didn’t wipe your memory every single time!” So this wasn’t the first time. It wasn’t the first time Mike had let Tessa hurt me. A torrent of shattered memories crashed into me, each one a shard of glass in my mind. On our wedding day, Tessa moved into our marital home. Time and again, under the guise of getting revenge for Mike, she’d thrown scalding coffee on me, pushed me down the stairs. She’d even pinned him to the sofa right in front of me. He’d struggled, pushed her away. Until that one night, when he finally gave in. He’d stood there, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his eyes bloodshot as they met mine. His voice was a raw rasp. “Evelyn, there’s too much baggage between us.” He was right. The humiliation of our youth, the ruin of my family, the arm he’d lost for me. It was a sea of blood and vengeance that we could never cross. I was dragged onto the treatment chair, electrodes clinging to my scalp. Mike walked over, his face a mask of complicated emotions. Seeing the tear tracks on my cheeks, he leaned down and kissed me. “Sleep now, Evelyn. When you wake up, everything will be new again.” As he reached for the switch, the doctor’s hesitant voice cut through the air. “Mr. Betts, the memory wipes have become too frequent. It could cause permanent damage to Mrs. Betts’s brain.” Mike paused, his voice laced with a strange helplessness. “But I can’t let her hate me.” Zzzt. A raw jolt of electricity tore through my brain, scrambling the ugly, painful past into meaningless static. My fingers went limp. The teddy bear I’d been clutching so tightly rolled off the bed and into the trash can beside it. Just like that day in high school. Only this time, no one was coming to fish it out. I slept for a long, long time. When I opened my eyes, I saw a handsome, vaguely familiar face looking down at me. I frowned, yanking my hand from his tight grip. “Who are you?” The man’s body went rigid, and a wave of pure panic flooded his eyes. “Evelyn, it’s me, Mike. Your husband.” He grabbed my hand again, his grip so tight it felt like he might shatter the bones. “We’ve been married for three years. You love me, remember? You told me I was your entire life.” When I didn’t respond, he started rambling, repeating how much I loved him over and over. I rubbed my throbbing temples. I seemed to remember the facts he was stating, but the feeling—the love—was gone, as if it had been surgically carved out of me. I found myself soothing him out of habit. “I’m sorry, my head is killing me.” Mike’s expression froze, looking deeply unnatural. He glanced away, his eyes landing on the teddy bear in the trash can. A deep frown creased his forehead, and he immediately called for a nurse. “What is this piece of junk? Get it out of here, now!” I watched the bear, its fur stained with dried, dark red blood, and subconsciously touched a small cut on my own lip. Mike’s body tensed. “Did you have a nightmare?” he blurted out, then quickly added, “Dreams aren’t real, Evelyn. Don’t believe any of it.” His attempt to cover his tracks was clumsy and laughable, but I couldn’t even summon the energy to question it. I just watched them take the bear away. “A ruined old bear,” I said calmly. “It was time to throw it out.” Just like our love. Mike must have sensed something was wrong. Though doctors had ordered him on strict bed rest, he started clinging to me, staying by my side nearly twenty-four hours a day. Except, of course, at night. I always woke up when he slipped out of bed to go to Tessa. Sometimes, they would even come back to our bedroom, making love by the side of the bed where I lay. “Mike, when are you going to let Evelyn get her memories back?” Tessa’s voice, choked with tears, was startlingly clear in the spaces between their passion. “You’ve sacrificed ten years of marriage for your revenge, and I’ve waited ten years for you. It’s enough. It’s really enough.” “Soon,” Mike would always say. Lost in his own world, he never saw the venomous hatred in Tessa’s eyes when she looked at me. She started secretly taking my medication. She didn’t know that Mike, terrified I might discover their affair, was already adding even more drugs to my meals every day. My memory began to fray, huge blank patches appearing in my days. I’d often sit by the window for hours, staring at nothing. Mike seemed pleased with this. He saw it as me being less clingy and seemed relieved. How ironic. After all the effort he’d put into turning me into a broken woman whose world revolved only around him, he was now tired of the burden. I said nothing. I just went on with the slow, quiet process of unloving him. Until the night it all exploded. During dinner, the front doors of the mansion were thrown open. Tessa, her hair a mess, burst in and dropped to her knees in front of me. “My mother has a heart condition! Come after me if you want, but leave my family out of this!” she shrieked, her voice thick with sobs, as if I’d committed some unforgivable crime. Outside, a sea of flashing lights pulsed against the windows. Reporters had surrounded the house. “Mr. Betts, do you have any comment on your wife’s online post, in which she accuses you and Ms. Vance of having an affair?” “Mr. Betts, was your decade-long devotion all a lie?” For ten years, the story of Mike Betts’s undying love for me was the fairy tale of our social circle. Now, the fairy tale was shattered, and with a third party involved, all the blame was aimed squarely at Tessa. The reporters’ microphones were practically in her face, their questions sharp and cruel. Mike’s face darkened, his eyes a brewing storm as he looked at me. But in the end, he didn’t touch me. He just pulled Tessa to her feet and told her he would handle it. He turned away, calling his assistant, telling them to arrange for Tessa and her entire family to be sent abroad. Tessa’s eyes went cold. She furiously tapped on her phone. Less than a minute later, Mike’s phone rang. Tessa’s parents, distraught from the news, had been in a fatal car accident. Tessa crawled toward me, her hands clawing at the leg of my pants. “I was wrong, I was so wrong…” she howled, her words a jumbled mess, yet she skillfully directed all the blame onto me. “You warned me in high school… not to take what was yours… I should have learned my lesson when I got expelled… Now my parents are dead… I’ve ruined my family…” Mike’s eyes turned blood-red. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so fierce I thought the bones would snap. “How could you be so vicious?!” Tessa wailed, banging her head on the floor before me. “I’m begging you, leave my family alone! I don’t want anything anymore…”

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I was bitten by a zombie. The zombie stared at the blue blood oozing from my wound, frozen in place. “What are you looking at? I’m one of you,” I said calmly, pushing him away. I ran my other hand over the wound, and the torn flesh healed instantly. The zombie was stunned. “Stop staring. Look at you, all skin and bones… legs barely working. Go find something to eat,” I said with concern, patting him on the shoulder before walking away. 1 My name is Xyris, and I’m a pureblood vampire. The city teeming with zombies? That’s my masterpiece. I had been sealed at the bottom of the ocean for centuries until a scientist and his crew fished me out. The crystal coffin opened. The first thing I saw was a man in a white coat, wearing black-rimmed glasses. He was kind of handsome. Instead of being afraid, he said something incredibly cheesy in a gentle voice: “Are you lonely?” I rolled my eyes. “Duh. Try living for a few thousand years and tell me if you’re lonely,” I retorted, lying back down. I warned him that if he didn’t return me to the spot where I was sleeping, I’d drain him dry. He wasn’t fazed. Instead, he walked up to the coffin, resting his long, pale fingers on the edge, and leaned in to look at me. His voice was soft and slow, echoing clearly in the spacious, quiet lab. “If I could turn you into a human and end this endless loneliness, would you be willing?” Would I? Of course not! Loneliness aside, being a regular human is nowhere near as cool as being a vampire. But I thought this guy was talking big. I didn’t believe he had the power to turn me into a human, so I sat back up. 2 The guy introduced himself as Dr. Julian Chen, a scientist. But not just any scientist. He came from a long line of researchers dedicated to studying the “vampire virus.” Generations ago, his ancestors discovered that a small percentage of humans were born with antibodies to the vampire virus. But vampires had essentially gone extinct over three hundred years ago. Unwilling to let generations of research go to waste, these scientists spent over a century tracking me down. And finally, in Dr. Chen’s generation, they found me. “After centuries of change, the original group of humans with antibodies is gone. But their descendants must still be out there…” Dr. Chen pushed up his glasses, the lenses flashing coldly. “Step one is to find a human carrier.” I laughed. “You went through all this trouble to find me just so I could help you find someone? Sorry, not interested.” Dr. Chen walked to a console and pressed a button. A hidden door in the lab slid open. He walked into the shadows and wheeled out a woman tied to a wheelchair with thick ropes. She had delicate features and almond eyes that darted around in terror. Her face was streaked with tears, and her hair was matted with sweat. A large gag in her mouth prevented her from speaking; she could only whimper in pain. When she saw me step out of the crystal coffin, her eyes widened in horror. “A woman?” I looked from her back to Dr. Chen, confused. “Data suggests her blood has an 80% chance of carrying the antibodies,” Dr. Chen replied. “Oh?” I was suddenly interested. Barefoot, I walked around the wheelchair, inspecting her. She wore a sharp suit with a collared shirt underneath and pointed leather heels. Is this what humans wear nowadays? “You want me to bite her?” I asked. The woman in the chair stiffened. Dr. Chen nodded. “Then wash her first.” Dr. Chen: “?” “I have high standards for hygiene.” 3 As a vampire who’s lived for thousands of years, I’ve evolved beyond needing blood to survive. For my first meal after centuries of sleep, I didn’t want someone who smelled like sweat and fear. After Dr. Chen wheeled her away, I explored the lab. I didn’t recognize anything. Just glowing rectangular slabs and weirdly shaped machines. A desk was piled with papers. I flipped through them—research on vampires. The bottom images showed monstrous creatures with green faces and fangs. I laughed and put them down. Fake news. Such ugly, image-less monsters were an insult to the inherent elegance of vampires. After a while, Dr. Chen brought the woman back. She was now wearing a soft white robe, her hair tied up to reveal a clean, pale neck. She looked fresh and vulnerable. Her eyes were covered with a white bandage wrapped around her head. I liked this detail. Who wants their food staring at them while they eat? I paced toward her, sensing her trembling. Maybe because I’d waited so long, I was getting impatient. I placed my hand on her head, tilting it to expose more of her neck. I found a vein pulsing with fresh blood. I bared my fangs and bit down. The soft vein pierced instantly. Warm, sweet blood flowed into my mouth. Even though I didn’t need blood to live, the instinct was hard to suppress. I held her neck, drinking greedily. I only stopped when I felt her body temperature drop and she fainted. Reluctantly, I let go. Humans are so fragile. If I wasn’t careful, I’d drain her dry. Seeing I was done, Dr. Chen approached with bandages and medicine, but I stopped him. I glanced at him and smirked. “No need for that.” I ran my hand over her neck. Where my fingers passed, the two puncture wounds vanished as if they never existed. Dr. Chen paused, clearly surprised by my ability. He pushed up his glasses and muttered, “Seeing is believing.” I took the clean towel he offered and wiped the blood from my lips, staring at the unconscious woman with mixed feelings. As a vampire, I had principles. I could accept humans as food, but I couldn’t tolerate them becoming monsters because of me. This was the first time I hadn’t drained a human dry. Although I could predict what she would become, a part of me hoped for a miracle. Through her blood, I gained her memories—her logic, her way of speaking, everything about being a modern human. This was another ability I had evolved. Her name was Sarah, a corporate executive. She was kidnapped by Dr. Chen on her way home from work. About ten minutes passed. She wasn’t fully awake, but her body started twitching. Dr. Chen looked excited, putting on thermal glasses to monitor her changes. I sat on the desk, waiting calmly. Something was wrong. The smell. The fresh, clean scent was rapidly turning into the stench of rotting flesh. Humans couldn’t smell it yet, but it was oozing from her blood through her skin. Dr. Chen moved closer with a notepad, recording her transformation. Her breathing grew heavy and rapid. Suddenly, she woke up with a guttural, beast-like roar. Her eyes turned a milky gray. Her skin became ashen and dry, thin as paper, revealing black veins underneath. She wasn’t Sarah anymore. She was a zombie created by me. And she had a craving for blood even stronger and wilder than mine. The moment those dead eyes saw us, she struggled violently. If the ropes weren’t thick enough, she would have broken free. Watching this, I glanced sideways at Dr. Chen. “Where did you get that 80% figure?” He ignored my sarcasm. His gaze on Sarah was filled with excitement and greed. For a scientist studying vampires, witnessing a human turn into a zombie was a massive breakthrough. He didn’t have time for my snark. “Experiment failed,” Dr. Chen said, finishing his notes. He looked at me. “But now we have a zombie virus carrier. We won’t need to trouble you for future experiments, Miss Xyris.” I looked at Sarah. Ten minutes ago, she was a normal human. Now she was a hideous monster. I felt a twinge of guilt. But I quickly squashed it. I had slept too long. I forgot how many lives had ended in my jaws. “Good luck to you,” I said, picking up a phone from the desk. Sarah’s memories told me it was hers. I waved the phone. “Call me if there’s progress.” 4 With Sarah’s memories, I now thought like a modern independent woman. Her digital wallet had enough money for me to splurge for a while. I used the PIN from her memories to pay for a new outfit. “Thank you for your purchase. Here is your receipt.” The cashier smiled kindly, handing me a slip of paper. “Throw it away for me,” I said, twirling in front of the mirror. The black dress flared out. As I walked out of the store, a call came in. Caller ID: Ethan. Sarah’s crush. To avoid trouble, I hung up. The status changed to “Typing…”, then a message popped up: “Are you okay?” I typed: “I’m OK.” Sent. No reply. I searched my memories for his face. Handsome, but distant. I checked his profile. Blank. Black profile pic, black background. Low enthusiasm, no interaction. No wonder he was just a crush. I put the phone away and instinctively walked toward a coffee shop. It was Sarah’s habit. She liked to work in a specific cafe on lazy afternoons. Human food didn’t satisfy me, but I didn’t hate it. Since I was awake, I might as well see what the world had become. Passing a small convenience store, I saw no customers. The owner, a woman in her forties, was eating spicy chips and sunning herself by the door. I glanced at her spicy chips; she glanced at my all-black outfit. Neither of us noticed the breaking news on the TV inside— “Serious riots have broken out across the city. Large numbers of violent individuals are attacking civilians indiscriminately. Please exercise caution and ensure your safety…”

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My roommate hasn’t showered in years. As a result, she evolved a single, magnificent armpit hair. Whenever she sweats, this hair emits a bizarre scent of lychees. She calls it her “Pit-Pourri.” Every time she raises her arm, that scent aggressively invades our nostrils, dominating the room. As the lychee smell grew stronger, it started to sting the eyes, smelling less like fruit and more like rotting bleach. I couldn’t take it anymore. One night, while she was asleep, I snuck over and scrubbed her armpit clean. When she woke up and realized what I’d done, she went feral. In a fit of rage, she plucked out the hair and stabbed it directly into my nostril. I literally choked to death on an armpit hair. “If it weren’t for you, I would have married my billionaire CEO!” she screamed as I died. That’s when I learned the truth: My roommate was in an online relationship with a billionaire who had a fetish for lychee scents. He promised that if she could go forty-nine months without showering to crystallize the “essence,” he would marry her in the wedding of the century. Then, I opened my eyes. I was reborn. Seeing my roommate once again lost in her delusion of dating a billionaire, I decided to take a different approach this time. I’m going to sit back, relax, and watch that hair grow. 1 “Holy crap, what is happening? You guys, look at this hair!” The moment I opened my eyes, a piercing shriek rattled my brain. The terror of being stabbed to death in my past life surged back instantly. Who would have thought an armpit hair could be a murder weapon? I blinked, realizing I was back. Tiffany was standing in the middle of the dorm room, making a scene. She excitedly raised her arm, showing off a thick, solitary hair sprouting from her pit. “Pay attention to me! I suddenly grew a heart-shaped hair! It’s long and thick!” “If you don’t look now, you might miss the miracle!” Ashley, who was usually Tiffany’s little minion, laughed. “Is that hair for my eyes only, or is it a public exhibit?” Ashley looked up, and her line of sight went straight into Tiffany’s exposed armpit. Her face turned green instantly. “Tiffany! Are you sick? Why are you showing us that? It’s body hair, not a diamond ring! What’s next, showing us a hemorrhoid?” Ashley was crude, but she wasn’t wrong. Tiffany pouted, looking wronged. “It’s different! My armpit hair isn’t like other girls’ armpit hair! You guys have no artistic taste.” She paused, her expression turning serious as she scanned the room. “Looking at it… I feel something strange in my heart.” “I feel… a sudden urge to smell it.” Before Ashley, Brittany, and I could react, Tiffany buried her nose deep into her own armpit and inhaled like a vacuum cleaner. “Oh my god!!” She lifted her head, eyes sparkling. “It’s lychee! My armpit smells like fresh lychees! You guys have to smell this!” 2 The three of us collectively gagged. “Jesus,” Brittany covered her nose, backing away. “That is foul.” Seeing that no one wanted a whiff, Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Ugh! None of you have any class!” “It smells like lychee! This is a gift from the universe. This must be the legendary… Ambrosia of the Pits!” Hearing those words again triggered my PTSD. I gritted my teeth. In my past life, when Tiffany discovered her sweat smelled like fruit, she went manic, forcing us to smell it to prove she wasn’t crazy. Back then, I had stormed out, claiming I needed to buy groceries just to escape. Because let’s be real: shit that smells like chocolate is still shit. Later, I found out she really had grown a magic hair. All sweat filtered through that heart-shaped follicle turned into lychee scent. The thicker the hair grew, the stronger the scent. Combined with the “no showering” buff, the sweat fermented into a “premium” extract. My roommates pretended to be impressed to her face, but behind her back, they were just as disgusted as I was. “It’s so gross. How can someone not shower for that long? Her sheets are turning yellow.” “The smell is everywhere. It’s suffocating.” “Chloe, you sleep across from her. How do you stand it?” “You’re the dorm leader. You have to do something!” In my past life, they egged me on. I fought the nausea, scrubbed the pit, and got stabbed for my trouble. I realized too late that they knew about the billionaire. They just wanted the smell gone but didn’t want to be the ones to ruin Tiffany’s shot at wealth. So they used me as the sacrificial lamb. 3 Reborn and wiser, I looked at Tiffany—drowning in her narcissism—and my two two-faced roommates. A cold hatred bloomed in my chest. Just then, Tiffany’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and immediately switched to her “baby voice.” “Hiiiii baby! I missed you so much!” “Oh, guess what? I grew a heart-shaped hair! And get this… it smells like lychees! It’s so kawaii, right?” I swear, in two lifetimes, I have never heard a sound that induced more vomiting. The person on the other end was undoubtedly the billionaire CEO she obsessed over in my past life. I watched coldly as she continued to coo at the phone. Suddenly, she gasped. “Sebastian! Are you serious? If I don’t shower for forty-nine months and cultivate the Lychee Crystal Essence, you’ll marry me in a grand ceremony?” Watching her face light up with greed, a plan formed in my mind. Ignore her? No. That’s too easy. This time, I’m going to help her. Tiffany, since you treasure your “Pit-Pourri” so much and want to use it to climb the social ladder, I’ll make sure it thrives. I’ll help it grow thicker, longer, and stronger. I want to see exactly what kind of “CEO” has a kink this specific. I lowered my head to hide my smirk. In this life, I’m going to watch you ferment. 4 “Did you guys hear that? If you treat me well, I’ll make sure you’re all taken care of!” After hanging up, Tiffany strutted around like a peacock. “Sebastian Sterling just promised me! If I persist for forty-nine months without water touching my skin, he’ll marry me! You’ll all be my bridesmaids, and I’ll give you huge red envelopes of cash!” “What? Sebastian Sterling? The tech mogul from the Sterling family?” Ashley’s eyes nearly popped out. Brittany jumped up. “The guy who controls the city’s economy with a snap of his fingers?” Tiffany nodded arrogantly. The disgust on their faces instantly morphed into sycophancy. “Oh my god, Tiffany! That’s not an armpit hair, that’s a red string of fate!” Ashley, who had been hiding in the corner, rushed forward and took a deep breath of Tiffany’s pit. “Exquisite! Look at that shine! That thickness! The heart shape! It’s modern art!” Brittany wasn’t about to lose. She shoved me aside and stared piously at the hair. “Intoxicating! One sniff clears the mind! Sebastian has such unique taste. Tiffany, you’re basically a Disney princess!” I noticed Tiffany trembling slightly. The smell… was already starting to turn sour. Tiffany looked at me with a victorious smirk. Remembering my death, I didn’t hesitate. “Oh my god! Tiffany! You are so lucky! To be chosen by Mr. Sterling? That’s a blessing I couldn’t pray for in ten lifetimes! Don’t forget me when you’re rich.” I looked at her armpit with “genuine” concern. “Since it’s so valuable, I’ll knit a little wool warmer for your hair! You send me the measurements!” 5 “Chloe!” Tiffany was moved to tears. She rushed over and hugged me, enveloping me in the developing stench. “You’re the best! I’ll measure it now! When I marry into the Sterling family, I’ll buy you a villa!” Ashley and Brittany exchanged panicked looks, realizing I had stolen the spotlight. “Tiffany! Warmth isn’t enough!” Ashley shouted. “I know a high-end masseuse. I’ll learn a special technique and massage your armpit hair every day to stimulate the follicles!” “Right! But nutrition is key!” Brittany chimed in. “I’ll get some premium hair growth serum. We need to make sure that in forty-nine months, you are radiating the strongest lychee scent possible. Mr. Sterling will go crazy for you!” With the three of us competing to serve her, Tiffany floated on cloud nine. She could already see herself walking down an aisle paved with lychee skins. She took a deep breath, waving her hand magnanimously. “Good! Good! You are all my best sisters! A villa for everyone!” The wind from her waving arm slapped the smell into every corner of the room. Under our diligent care, the hair grew at a terrifying rate. It got thicker. It got longer. It got so big Tiffany couldn’t even close her arm fully. And the scent changed. It went from “faintly sweet” to “sickly, fermented syrup.” The dorm room became a biohazard zone. Ashley and Brittany’s smiles began to crack. Especially Ashley—she had volunteered for massage duty. Her face looked like she was attending a funeral every time she touched it. They started finding excuses not to come back to the room.

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