Category: English

She was the ultimate ice queen, and because she said she liked clean, pure guys, I actually kept the fact that my family’s racing club was packed with 99 fierce women a secret. For four years, I played the sweet campus charmer, all just to be with her. We promised to get married right after graduation. But then, everything changed when her childhood friend, Caleb, returned home. To take care of him, Seraphina abandoned me again and again, even planning to have a baby with him. “Julian,” she’d pleaded, her voice soft but firm, “Caleb’s family took me in, and he even cut his wrists for me once. His mental state is fragile, and he’s dying from a fatal illness. I can’t just watch him die.” “Only the baby’s umbilical cord blood can save him. I know you’re not a petty man, you’re so generous, you’ll understand, right?” I stared at the tell-tale hickeys on her collarbone, then glanced at the eighteen different sex toys scattered on the floor. “Saving people,” huh? Some rescue, alright. I’m done with this BS. Later, she came crying, begging for my forgiveness. My family’s 99 stunning professionals blocked her at the door. Their leader, Luna, leaned back, a lazy smile playing on her lips. “Lady Seraphina,” she drawled, “this track is private property. No outsiders allowed.”

Today was supposed to be the day of my engagement party with Seraphina. I’d booked her favorite Michelin-starred restaurant. That bottle of ’82 Lafite had been quietly decanting for three hours, just like my own burning heart, slowly chilling, settling into a heavy silence. Finally, she arrived, carrying a dusty weariness and an air of apology. “Julian, I’m so sorry. Something came up at the last minute.” She sat down, skillfully offering her excuses, not even noticing that her white silk blouse, with the second button haphazardly slipped into the third buttonhole, revealed a disheveled hint of what shouldn’t be. Even more damning was the strange, cheap, and sickeningly sweet men’s cologne clinging to her – like a needle, it pricked at my temples, sending jolts of pain through me. Just fresh off another man’s battlefield, you rush to my dinner? Seraphina, you truly are a master of time management. “Seraphina, we…” The words “break up” were on the tip of my tongue, but then her phone abruptly lit up. The name flashing on the screen: Caleb. She answered almost instinctively. The face that had been so dismissive towards me a second ago instantly melted into a tenderness I’d never seen, a sweetness that could drown a man. From the other end of the line, Caleb’s perfectly rehearsed, fragile whimper pierced through the speaker, floating directly into my ear: “Sera… I’m so scared being alone… I feel so cold.” “Are you going to leave me again, like last time? Do you not want me and our baby anymore?” Seraphina shot up from her seat, her voice filled with an unprecedented urgency and tenderness. “Don’t be silly, the doctors told you to rest. I just stepped out for some fresh air; I’ll be right back to you, promise.” She hung up, snatched her trench coat, and was about to leave. I finally spoke, my voice cold as ice: “Seraphina, look up at the calendar on the wall.” Her steps faltered. When she turned back to me, her eyes held nothing but impatience. “Julian, be mature. You know Caleb’s situation. He has a history of self-harm, and he acts out when he gets emotional. Now, he’s pregnant for his treatment, practically gambling with his life.” “That’s a human life! It’s just one dinner, can’t you be understanding?!” She finished, then turned resolutely and walked away. I stared blankly at the cake on the table, inscribed with “Sera & Julian.” The frosting melted under the lights, dripping down like the ridiculous love I’d poured into her for four years, silent, laughable tears. I vaguely remembered our sophomore year. Caleb was still abroad, stubbornly sending her all sorts of luxury items and overly sappy letters. Seraphina hadn’t even looked at them. Right in front of me, she’d tossed everything into the trash. She’d made an international call, her voice laced with ice: “Caleb, I’m warning you, stop bothering me with your dramatic, dying acts. It’s cheap.” After hanging up, she’d turned, cupped my face, and kissed me reverently in the sunlight: “Julian, don’t pay any attention to him. You’re the only one in my heart, always have been. That boy isn’t even fit to tie your shoelaces.” But now, for that man “not fit to tie my shoelaces,” she abandoned me again and again. All because her parents had died young, and Caleb’s family had taken her in. All because two months ago, Caleb’s father had tearfully entrusted his terminally ill son to her. All because he held something critical over her head. She called it repaying a debt, a way to show gratitude. She said it was just borrowing her body to have a child, to use the umbilical cord blood to save a life. “Julian, you have to believe me, my heart is yours. Once he’s repaid his family’s kindness, we’ll get married. I swear.” But does ‘repaying kindness’ mean sleeping with him? I looked at the puddle of melted frosting and suddenly felt that the girl in the white dress, who had pushed me away from a runaway race car in the rain, had died long ago. Died in Caleb’s sickbed and his seductive embrace. I decided to give her one last grand gift, a personal epitaph for this relationship.

I arrived at Seraphina’s penthouse duplex, carrying a Patek Philippe watch box. I’d casually bought this place for her when she complained about living in the dorms. The door opened. Caleb stood leaning against the doorframe, wearing Seraphina’s black silk robe. The robe hung loosely, revealing his pale chest, covered in tell-tale hickeys. He saw me, and his pretty eyes immediately welled up with tears, as if he’d suffered the greatest injustice. “Julian… don’t get the wrong idea. Sera just stayed to keep me company because she was afraid I’d do something reckless.” A rich, top-tier white tea scent mingled with the undeniable scent of… intimacy, assaulting my senses. I smiled, though the mirth never reached my eyes: “Is that right? She was afraid you’d ‘do something reckless,’ so she personally got involved, giving you… palliative care with her body temperature?” “Looks like she’s really dedicated herself to saving your life, must be exhausting.” Caleb’s face instantly went ashen, tears trembling on his lashes. Just then, the master bedroom door slid open with a whoosh. A bath robe hung loosely on Seraphina’s body. There were still hickeys on her neck as she walked out, wiping her wet hair. She froze when she saw me, then her gaze fell on the watch box in my hand, and her eyes instantly lit up. “Julian? What are you doing here?” She strode over, her voice filled with such surprise, such a naturally intimate tone. “And you brought me a gift? I knew you were the most generous, that you loved me the most.” She reached out to take it, completely ignoring the fragile thread that bound us. But then Caleb suddenly clutched his chest, letting out a series of heart-wrenching coughs. He gripped the doorframe, looking at Seraphina with tear-filled eyes: “Sera, am I… am I dying? Will I not see our baby…?” Seraphina’s face instantly changed. She immediately turned and took Caleb’s arm, carefully helping him to the sofa. Then she took his hand and placed it over her own lower abdomen. “Don’t be silly, the baby is already in my belly. Once he’s born, you’ll be saved.” Then she walked back, snatched the watch box from my hand, and thrust it into Caleb’s. “You take this for now. If it’s not enough, I’ll figure something else out.” Her tone was so natural, as if this watch—and even I—were just tools for her to appease another man. I looked at them, my heart chilling inch by inch, leaving only a numb, bitter amusement. Caleb was still putting on his act. He pushed the watch box back, saying with a heartbreaking vulnerability: “No, I can’t take it. This is Julian’s gesture, he loves you so much…” Seraphina frowned, turning back to look at me, her voice carrying a hint of entitled command. “Julian, how about this? You don’t really live in that lakeside villa in the suburbs anyway, why not sell it first to pay for Caleb’s treatment?” “Didn’t you always say what’s yours is mine? Caleb’s dad raised me. Without him, we would never have met. You wouldn’t want to see a parent burying their own child, would you?” “You’re so good, you’ll understand me, right?”

That villa was my eighteenth birthday gift, the last memento my mother left me. I had once smiled and told her that it would be our home once we were married. Now, it was just a chip in her mouth, to be casually sold off to save another man. How dare she? How dare she say such monstrous things just because I loved her? I looked at her utterly entitled face and suddenly smiled. “Alright,” I heard myself say in an unnervingly calm voice. “Seraphina, you and him can stay locked together, and don’t you dare infect anyone else with your toxicity.” “I wish you both a hundred years of happiness. Don’t disappoint each other.” With that, I turned to leave, resolute. But Seraphina panicked. She rushed after me, grabbing my wrist. “Julian, what do you mean?!” “I told you I’m just repaying a debt! As soon as he’s better, I’ll marry you!” I looked at her anxious face, then abruptly shook off her hand, letting out a cold laugh: “Seraphina, there’s no need anymore.” I had given up on her. I didn’t want her. I turned and pressed the elevator button. Seraphina, however, charged over like a maniac, blocking the elevator doors with her body. Her face was filled with anxiety and a hint of thin anger at being defied. “Julian! I can’t believe you’re such an ungenerous man! I always thought you were different from all those ordinary guys out there!” “It’s just selling a house to save a life, why can’t you understand me?” “Four years of our relationship, just over this little thing, you want to break up with me? Have you forgotten how many times I rejected him for you? Can’t you sacrifice for me just this once?!” I watched her hysterics coldly. From inside the apartment, Caleb’s timely groan drifted out. “Sera… my head hurts so much…” A flicker of struggle crossed Seraphina’s face, but she ultimately gritted her teeth, spat out, “Wait for me here,” and rushed back inside. The elevator doors slowly closed. In the final second before the gap shut completely, I clearly saw Caleb leaning on Seraphina’s shoulder, flashing me a victor’s defiant smile. I got into my Bugatti Veyron and calmly dialed my dad. “Dad.” “I’ve made up my mind. I’m coming home.” On the other end of the line, my dad’s booming voice first fell silent, then erupted in wild joy: “Made up your mind?! My love-struck fool has finally seen sense!” “That gold-digging vixen finally disgusted you? I always knew she was trouble! An opportunist who clawed her way up with her looks, thought she was hot stuff, didn’t she? Why should my son suffer such humiliation?!” “Wait! I’m sending someone to pick you up right away! And that villa, I’ll have that place scrubbed clean, sterilized three times over, inside and out. Not a single trace of her will remain!” Listening to my dad’s roar, I leaned against the car window, a wry smile on my face. “Alright.” The car sped to the villa entrance. But as I opened the main gate with my fingerprint, a nauseatingly sweet smell assaulted my senses. The living room was a mess, the carpets and sofas covered in suspicious, wet stains. The cloying, almost fishy smell made my stomach churn. Seeing the used toys on the floor, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and rushed to the doorway, vomiting violently. Just as I was seeing stars, my vision blurring, a sharp blow landed on the back of my neck. The world instantly flipped upside down. In the last moment before consciousness plunged into darkness, I saw Seraphina’s face. When I woke again, I was handcuffed in a basement. Seraphina sat on a chair opposite me, watching me silently, her eyes obsessive and deranged.

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My childhood friend and I were about to leave after dinner when someone suddenly blocked our way, insisting I pay for another table. I flat out refused to acknowledge her, saying I didn’t know them, but the woman blew her top. “Damn it, I’m doing you a favor by letting *this lady* pay! You dare disrespect the Sterling Group in Veridian City? You looking for trouble?” Before I could even speak, she got even more arrogant. “Do you even know who I am? I’m Leo Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Group’s wife! Scared now?” I froze for a second, then called Leo Sterling directly. “Heard you have another wife at the company?” … The second I hung up, the woman absolutely lost it. She snatched my phone and smashed it on the floor. “Still calling people, huh? I’m telling you, you won’t walk out of this restaurant tonight!” “Stop it!” My childhood friend, Riley Blackwood, instantly pulled me behind her. “Is this all the Sterling Group’s people have for manners? Randomly stopping people from paying, and then getting physical?” Riley’s words made the woman’s face flush crimson. “Manners? In Veridian City, the name Sterling Group *is* manners!” “I’m telling you to pay, I’m giving you a golden opportunity, got it?” “You want to talk rules with me? My word *is* the rule!” A humorless laugh escaped my lips. I looked up at Vanessa Reed. “No matter how big the Sterling Group is, I’m pretty sure they didn’t teach you to block people and extort money, did they?” Vanessa sneered, hands on her hips, looking like a total menace. “I’m letting you pay because I’m giving you a chance to social climb! Plenty of people are lined up, begging to pay my bill, and I wouldn’t even look twice at them!” “A chance to social climb,” huh? Since when did my Kingston family need to social climb off anyone in Veridian City? I glanced at my friend, her face darkening. She, a high-society heiress from Capitol City, never imagined she’d be bullied like this by some minor Sterling Group VP in Veridian City. Vanessa scoffed, waving a hand towards the door. “Let me tell you, in Veridian City, I, Vanessa Reed, *am* the rule! Get these two idiots who have no idea who they’re messing with and hold them down!” The words barely left her mouth when seven or eight bodyguards in black suits swarmed in, instantly surrounding us. Riley instinctively pulled me further behind her, her eyes blazing. But there were too many of them. Before she could even make a move, two bodyguards had her arms pinned down. “Riley!” I started to rush forward, but then felt a sharp blow to the back of my neck. My vision instantly went black. Through a haze, I saw Riley struggling, cursing, “Bastard!” before someone landed a punch on her cheek. Blood immediately welled up at the corner of her mouth. I was held down on the ground, forced to watch as Vanessa raised her foot and kicked Riley in the stomach, all while cursing. “You dare meddle in my business? Today, you’ll learn that the Sterling Group is not to be messed with!” The bodyguards’ fists rained down on me, dull pain spreading through my body in waves. Riley had only come here to visit, and now she was caught up in this inexplicable mess. I hoarsely yelled, “Vanessa Reed, I am Chloe Kingston, Leo Sterling’s legal wife!” I pointed to Riley, who was still pinned down beside me. “And she’s Riley Blackwood, from the Blackwood family in Capitol City! Let us go now, and this can still be over!” At that, Vanessa’s foot froze mid-air, then she burst out laughing. “Leo Sterling’s wife? Blackwood family? Are you two out of your damn minds from being hit too hard?” The people at her table behind her also started laughing. “Who doesn’t know Mr. Sterling’s wife is VP Reed?” “This person really has the nerve to show off, saying whatever she wants.” “Blackwood family? Capitol City? I’ve never heard of them. She probably just made it up to scare us.” Vanessa leaned down, grabbing a handful of my hair, her eyes vicious. “You say you’re his wife one more time, and I’ll rip your mouth apart. I’m going to show you what’s real and what’s fake. Only *I* can call him Leo, and only *I* am his woman.” Riley, pinned to the ground by bodyguards, blood still trickling from her mouth, spoke with a mocking tone, “Chloe Kingston, Chloe Kingston, so you got married for nothing, huh? She’s openly claiming him right in front of you, and you, the actual wife, are here looking like a walking joke?” Her words caught me off guard for a moment, then I smiled too, but my laugh carried a hint of malice. Vanessa was still yanking my hair. Suddenly, I violently turned my head and bit down hard on her wrist. She shrieked in pain, her grip loosening instantly. Using that momentum, I slammed my knee into the groin of the bodyguard behind me. While he doubled over in pain, I grabbed a nearby beer bottle and smashed it over the head of another bodyguard. By the time Vanessa reacted, I had lunged at her, my balled fist striking her face. She was stunned by the sudden counterattack, stumbling back two steps, nose instantly gushing blood. “You dare hit me?!” Vanessa was both shocked and enraged. She reached out to claw at my face, but I grabbed her arm and slammed her to the ground. I straddled her, raining down punch after punch. The few Sterling Group employees were desperate, drunkenly rushing forward to pull me off. “You dare hit VP Reed? You have a death wish!” Riley, I don’t know when, had also broken free from the bodyguards. She kicked away an approaching employee and yelled at me, “Damn it, beat her to death! I’ve never been so humiliated in my life!” In the chaos, someone grabbed a chair and smashed it onto my back. I grunted, but didn’t stop. Vanessa screamed, trying frantically to grab my hair. “Sterling’s people, kill her! I’ll take responsibility for anything that happens, triple bonus!” The employees swarmed like mad, some pulling my arms, some grabbing my waist, others secretly kicking at my legs. Vanessa, seizing the moment I was being pulled, suddenly kicked me in the stomach. I stumbled back two steps, just about to charge again, when I heard voices from the restaurant entrance. “Everybody stop!” Two people in police uniforms pushed their way in. Seeing the mess, their brows furrowed. But when their eyes fell on Vanessa Reed, battered and bruised on the floor, their faces instantly changed. “VP Reed? What are you doing here? What happened?” One of the heavier officers quickly stepped forward, his tone clearly fawning, reaching out to help Vanessa up. Vanessa, seeing the police, acted as if she’d found her salvation. She pointed at Riley and me, wailing. “Officer Jenkins! These two out-of-towners are crazy! Not only did they refuse to pay the bill, but they also assaulted people! Look at me, and my employees, they’re all injured because of them!” Officer Jenkins glanced at our injuries, clearly dismissing them, and instead sternly yelled at us. “What do you two think you’re doing? Brawling in broad daylight, and daring to hurt Sterling Group’s people? You’ve got some nerve!” “She was the one who stopped us from paying first, and she hit us.” Riley, clutching her mouth, spat. “Nonsense!” Vanessa immediately interrupted. “I was kindly letting them get a little connection with Sterling Group by paying my bill, but they turned hostile and refused to acknowledge me, and even impersonated my husband’s wife and someone from Capitol City’s Blackwood family.” Officer Jenkins clearly believed her, pointing to the broken beer bottles and overturned tables and chairs. “Regardless, you beat people up like this and ruined the restaurant’s property, so it’s definitely your fault! Let me tell you, in Veridian City, who doesn’t give the Sterling Group some respect? VP Reed is Mr. Sterling’s person. If you touch her, you’re disrespecting Sterling Group, you’re messing with the rules of the entire Veridian City!” The other, thinner officer had already pulled out handcuffs and rattled them. “Less talk, let’s go back to the station with us first! Oh, and by the way, the bill for VP Reed’s table, plus the restaurant’s renovation fees, medical expenses, and emotional distress damages – you two will cover all of it. If you then kneel down and apologize to VP Reed, maybe this can still be settled privately.” “Why should we?” I was so angry I laughed. “She was the one who started the trouble, and you’re just convicting us without even knowing the facts?” “Why? Because you’re out-of-towners!” Officer Jenkins impatiently waved his hand. “Here, you follow the rules here! VP Reed letting you pay was her giving you a break, don’t bite the hand that feeds you!” Riley scoffed. “I’d like to see if Veridian City’s rules are above the law of the land.” “Hey, still talking tough, huh!” Officer Hayes stepped forward, trying to cuff me. “Looks like you haven’t learned your lesson!” I sidestepped, dodging him. He instantly got mad, suddenly pulling out a stun gun and flicking the switch. “You want to play hardball, huh?” He jabbed the stun gun at me. “Looks like you want to end up in jail!” A jolt of electricity instantly shot through my limbs. My whole body went numb, and I almost collapsed. Riley quickly grabbed me, yelling at the officer, “You dare abuse your authority?!” “Abuse my authority? I’m performing my duty.” Officer Jenkins also pulled out his stun gun, pointing it at Riley. “In Veridian City, Sterling Group’s business is big business. You two, who don’t know your place, need to be taught a good lesson in rules!” Riley grunted as she was zapped, and a burnt smell filled the air. “You power-tripping pieces of trash… you’ll regret this one day…” “Regret?” Officer Jenkins laughed even harder, using his stun gun to lift Riley’s chin. “You two can regret it slowly when you’re locked up and getting beaten every day!” He turned and smiled obsequiously at Vanessa Reed. “VP Reed, do you think this is enough? I can add more juice if you like!” Vanessa watched from the side, looking smug. “Give them more juice, make them know who’s in charge here!” Officer Jenkins kicked me, then bowed again to Vanessa Reed. “VP Reed, could you give us a heads-up? When’s your due date roughly? My partner and I will definitely prepare a generous gift to congratulate you and Mr. Sterling.” Officer Hayes also nodded, bending at the waist. “Exactly, exactly. You have to give us the honor then, let us share in the good news. Maybe with this opportunity, Mr. Sterling can even give us a leg up.” Mentioning this, Vanessa smiled. “About four or five months, I had someone check, it’s a boy.” Vanessa… was pregnant…

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I told the school’s notorious bad boy that I was Briar’s real boyfriend. I pulled out all the stops to keep them apart. After graduation, Briar found out the truth and broke down, crying. She hated me for destroying her love story. Even on the day I died, she was still cursing me, calling me selfish, a despicable jerk, worse than a dog. As a twisted form of revenge, she deliberately didn’t tell my family about my critical condition. I never got to say goodbye to them. I died with my eyes wide open, consumed by bitterness. After I was reborn, I chose to let go. She finally got her wish, pregnant with the bad boy’s baby. The valedictorian and the school’s bad boy were an item. Our entire senior year was buzzing with this gossip, everyone’s faces alight with barely contained excitement. I sat at my desk, quietly working on practice problems, completely oblivious to the chatter in the hallway. It wasn’t a surprise to me. Yesterday, Jax wrote Briar’s name on the blackboard, confessing his feelings to her in front of everyone. The whole class saw that cheesy, copy-pasted love confession from the internet. Briar, far from being angry, completely fell for it. Her face flushed crimson, but her eyes and brows, though, sparkled with an irrepressible delight. She pretty much gave him her silent approval. Just like that, they became the main characters of some high school romance drama. It had only been one night, and their social media profiles already sported matching couple avatars, openly declaring their relationship on SnapChat. They couldn’t wait to scream their love to the world. The old Briar would never have done something like that. But she’d changed. Ever since she met Jax, she wasn’t the Briar I knew anymore. “Ugh, how could a straight-A student like her fall for that punk? He’s always getting into trouble outside of school. Who knows if he’ll even get into college.” Leo, my best friend, sighed behind me, poking my arm with his pen. “If you ask me, Jax is miles below you.” “Should’ve known Briar liked wild types. You shouldn’t have been such a doormat for her.” I stopped writing, saying seriously, “I haven’t liked her for a long time.” Yeah, I liked her in my last life. Not this one. I still remembered her face at my hospital bed, eyes filled with such visceral hatred. She cursed me over and over, her gaze practically spat daggers at me. “Asher, you deserve this! You’re going straight to hell when you die!” “Do you know how much Jax meant to me? How dare you make decisions for me back then?!” “Karma’s a real b*tch, Asher. You don’t deserve to live.” As she ranted, tears streamed down her face, her voice choked. “Do you know he was the one I loved most…?” When she saw my life slipping away, watching the heart monitor flatline, She didn’t show an ounce of pity. She even deliberately didn’t inform my family. Leaving me to die alone. Her last words before I faded away were: “Asher, now you know what regret feels like, don’t you?” Yeah, I do. Given a second chance, I’ll be a silent shadow. I won’t get in your way and Jax’s ever again. The bell for class rang, pulling my memories back to reality. Jax swaggered in, his rebellious face practically oozing pride and arrogance. Briar followed close behind him, clutching her sleeve tightly. Her lips, redder than the ripest cherries, looked like they’d just been thoroughly kissed. I watched them calmly. It reminded me of Briar and my marriage, a long time ago. That was the first time I ever saw that kind of shy, maidenly expression on her face.

Our families tried to set Briar and me up. I never thought she’d agree. After all, we were like oil and water back then. She’d even glare at me just for walking past. After high school, Briar got into one of the country’s most prestigious universities, and I became her schoolmate. The day I received my acceptance letter, I told Briar about Jax’s crush on her. Part of it was selfish, yes. But mostly, I didn’t want romance to mess with Briar’s studies. Everyone knew what kind of person Jax truly was. He’d only been at our school for a year, but he’d already racked up a ton of disciplinary actions, constantly breaking school rules and getting into fights off campus. Not only did he smoke and drink, but he’d also gone through more girlfriends than red marks on his report card. He only saw Briar as a game. But Briar, for some reason, liked guys like him. With that charming, yet absolutely toxic, look of his, he’d sit in the back row, humming love songs all day. He’d fold his textbooks into paper airplanes and casually toss them out the window. We’d been childhood friends for so many years; I knew Briar better than anyone. If she knew Jax was planning to confess to her, she’d agree without a second thought. Then she’d fall deep and never pull herself out. “Jax, I know what you’re up to. I suggest you don’t do it, or you’ll regret it big time.” That afternoon, Jax was excitedly grabbing chalk to write on the blackboard, taking advantage of the empty classroom after school. I stood at the back door, my voice cold, cutting him off. “Why not?” He raised an annoyed eyebrow. “Because I’m Briar’s boyfriend.” “You—” The name ‘Briar’ instantly changed his expression. He knew we’d been best friends since kindergarten, in the same class since then, and our parents were even neighbors in the same building. He thought our friendship was purely platonic. “You don’t want her to reject you in front of everyone, do you? You’d lose all face at Northwood High.” I continued, showing him the hair tie on my wrist, silently asserting my claim. It was the same kind Briar wore. Jax’s clenched fist tightened, then loosened. “Oh, and by the way, we’ve been together longer than you’ve even known her.” As I left, I didn’t forget to twist the knife, making sure Jax completely gave up. I lied to Jax. But the hair ties really were from Briar. She was always losing things, so she just gave me a whole box of them. She’d just hold out her hand for one when she needed it. Soon after, Jax shifted his attention to other girls, and we had a peaceful senior year. Later, Briar went crazy trying to chase him, hoping to make up for that missed love. She found out Jax had already moved abroad. They were worlds apart. “Asher, I hate you…” She pounded my chest repeatedly, her tears flowing like a broken dam. For a moment, I hesitated. Should I have just let them be? But then I saw Briar, standing tall, going straight from her undergraduate to her PhD, becoming a dazzling female executive in the finance world, securing a future everyone envied. I still felt it was worth it. After thirty, I was still single, and so was she. Our elders started getting anxious. “Fine,” Just as I was about to refuse, Briar nodded, agreeing to the marriage. It completely blew my mind. She smiled at me, her eyes holding a tenderness I’d never seen before. Suddenly, an unrealistic fantasy sparked within me. After all these years, Briar had finally let go of Jax and was willing to look back at me. I loved her. It was the deepest secret buried in my heart. I don’t think any guy could resist a lively girl with sweet dimples who was always by his side. Her soft, long hair brushed my fingertips, sending an uncontrollable tremor through my heart. But a fantasy is just that, a fantasy. She could nonchalantly pick out a wedding dress, do a photo shoot, finalize wedding arrangements. But she would never actually say she loved me. Jax was her one true love, her ‘what if’ dream. So, she ran away on our wedding day. I was completely humiliated in front of all our guests. The video went viral, and someone even posted a breakdown of the whole story. Netizens mocked me, calling me a pathetic doormat who ended up losing everything. That manipulative snake who ruined true love deserved to be abandoned. Briar had successfully completed her long-planned revenge.

“Briar, your grades slipped by dozens of ranks in the last monthly exam. You really need to take this seriously.” Mr. Harrison, our class teacher, said earnestly, holding her report card. He glanced at Briar, then at Jax waiting outside his office, shaking his head with a sigh. “It’s normal to have crushes at your age, but you need to keep your eyes open and make smart choices. Classmates should push each other to improve, not just think about having fun all the time.” “I think Asher is doing great. He ranked first in the entire grade this time. He’s a role model for the boys…” “Mr. Harrison.” Briar cut him off, seeing Jax’s annoyed expression. “I’ll handle my own affairs. You don’t need to worry about me.” Briar snatched the report card from his hand and walked off towards Jax without a backward glance. Jax brazenly blew a whistle, practically preening, then threw his arm around Briar’s shoulders, completely ignoring everyone else, and swaggered off. No one at this school could control Jax. His parents were prominent entrepreneurs. The new school building being constructed was a donation from their family. Mr. Harrison stared at their retreating backs, a pang of heartache hitting him. He never imagined his best student would turn out this way. I was on my way to turn in homework when I ran into Briar and Jax. “Asher…” Briar was about to greet me, but swallowed her words. Jax had her hand clutched tight. I felt his hostile glare. Briar was quick to obey him, immediately averting her gaze. She walked past me like a stranger. Jax was jealous of me; I knew Briar must be thrilled about that, loving every minute of it. She thought possessiveness was a sign of love. That was fine. Time to draw a line in the sand. We’d go our separate ways.

Mr. Thompson asked me why I hadn’t been walking home with Briar lately. I hesitated for a long time but still didn’t tell him about her early relationship. Though, I figured her parents would find out soon enough. With Jax by her side, no matter how late she stayed out, Briar always made it home safely. After school, you could often see them running hand in hand down the street. Their laughter and playful teasing drifted to my ears, sounding as distant as if from another world. Some classmates even spotted them at night in the small grove at the park. Under the dark, windy sky, Jax had Briar pinned against a tree, kissing passionately. Their reputation instantly flipped. From rebellious, passionate lovers, they became the shameless, scandalous couple everyone whispered about. Briar was angry at first, but then she just stopped caring, letting them say whatever they wanted. She continued to spend every waking moment with Jax. Jax had money and bought Briar many designer lipsticks, so Briar learned how to do her makeup and dress up. She started looking down on girls who showed up to school barefaced every day, disdaining to stand next to them. She also looked down on guys who only bought a single boba for dates, secretly calling them poor. She didn’t understand that in student days, a girl’s most beautiful face was her unadorned one. Youth was them, not them transforming into youth. Even a cheap boba could leave a lasting impression for many. The last time Briar spoke to me first was when she threw a small note to Jax during class, accidentally tossing it onto my desk. “Nerd, pass it over, quick.” Briar urged impatiently, afraid I might peek. She no longer called me Asher with a cheerful smile, but adopted Jax’s habit of giving people nicknames. The next second, the math teacher stood in front of my seat, his face stern as he confiscated the note. I heard Jax click his tongue in annoyance, kicking his desk leg. Then he stood up and slammed the door as he walked out. Briar glared at me, her eyes spitting venom. She blamed me for getting them caught. Our math teacher was famously strict. After reading the inappropriate content, he immediately called both sets of parents after class. Jax’s parents, of course, didn’t show up. They let their son run wild. Rumor had it, as long as Jax didn’t get anyone pregnant, his parents didn’t care how many girls he dated. Mr. Thompson, getting the news, rushed back from the construction site, still clutching his hard hat, sweat mixed with dirt caked on his tanned skin. He finally understood why Briar had changed so much lately; it was because she was always with the school bad boy. He was utterly disappointed in his precious daughter. Mr. Thompson hit her for the first time. Briar clutched her face in disbelief, immediately protesting vehemently. You could hear the furious argument from the other end of the hallway, even sitting in the classroom. It lasted a whole afternoon.

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My wedding with my boyfriend of three years was just around the corner. But then, I found so many texts on his phone. Every single word, sent by him to another girl. “I’m getting married.” “Any regrets?” “I’m happier than you.” … The night before our engagement, he sent her four final texts: “Fine, you’ve really got guts.” “Stop being so stubborn, okay?” “The wedding date’s set, the dress is ordered.” “Just come back, and you can be the bride.” It was my birthday when Scarlett Thorne returned. A crowd was celebrating with me, showering me with birthday wishes, when she pushed the door open. The woman wore a plush fleece jacket, her long hair cascading. She strode up to us in high heels, just a few steps. Then, she raised her hand and simply flung the contents of the teapot in front of her right onto my face. After dousing me, she crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. She looked at the man sitting beside me and sneered, “Is *that* the kind of person you’re dating now?” “Terrible taste.” The private room fell silent. The lively chatter that had filled the air just moments before vanished completely. She held her head high, smiling triumphantly, as if absolutely certain the man beside me would pamper her just like old times. After an eternity of silence, Liam Carter reached for a few napkins. He gently wiped the tea stains from my cheek. He cupped my face, his gaze serious yet tender, as if his eyes could only hold me. “Oh? I think my taste is excellent.” “Ms. Thorne, my wedding with Bella is next week. I hope you can make it.” As if unable to believe these words could come from his mouth, she took a step back, then stormed out, slamming the door shut. But even after she left, no one in the room dared to breathe. Liam lowered his eyes, still gently wiping the tea leaves from my face. Yet, as he wiped, he suddenly lifted his hand and violently smashed the priceless teacup on the table. A deafening crash echoed. Still, his smile remained perfectly composed, almost angelic. He scanned everyone present. Including me. His thin lips curved slightly, and he said softly, “Everyone, get out. Now.”

If time could rewind four years. Everyone would have assumed Liam was destined to marry Scarlett. He, who was always so cold and detached, would travel halfway across the city just to buy flowers for Scarlett. He, who hated socializing, willingly mingled with the entire art world for Scarlett. Even for Scarlett’s exhibitions, he would cancel important meetings, personally attending every single one. Our friends used to joke, “Who would’ve thought Liam had a romantic bone in his body?” But their ending was anything but good. So bad, in fact, that Liam came to despise Scarlett. So bad that Scarlett didn’t return for four whole years after leaving the country. And I, somehow, picked up the pieces. Everyone knew Scarlett Thorne hated me the most during our school days. I still remember that night, one of his friends, drunk, pointed at me and said, He was only marrying me to spite Scarlett Thorne.

The temperature dropped a few days ago, and Liam started coming home later and later. But I couldn’t demand anything from him, even though we were getting married. Liam paid off my loans. Liam paid my tuition. My life… Liam saved it. So, I didn’t even have the right to resist, not even a little bit. I stared at the dinner on the table, wondering if I should microwave it again, when Liam returned. He casually hung his suit jacket on the hanger by the door. He leaned in slightly, smiling at me. “Help me untie my tie, wife.” His tone was both flirtatious and natural. As if the man who’d exploded in rage yesterday because of Scarlett’s appearance wasn’t him. As if the man who’d calmly told everyone to get out wasn’t him either. I walked up to him, tilting my head to study the structure of his tie. I knew he was looking down at me, his gaze as bright as the overhead lights. Until he raised his hand and gently took my wrist. He whispered into my ear, “Clumsy.” “…” After becoming an adult, I’d only ever done that with Liam. He was always unhurried. This time, though, he paused when his hand brushed over a scar on my back. How that scar got there. Both of us knew perfectly well. Scarlett Thorne had made it, with an X-Acto knife, cut by cut.

Back in school, I had a friend everyone envied. That was Liam. Perhaps even then, the concept of class had already divided us. A poor student like me was worlds apart from Liam and Scarlett’s circle. They were a group no teacher could control. Fights and brawls? Someone always covered for them. Every day, people flocked to fawn over them. It was in this environment that Liam got very close to me, a girl who couldn’t even afford the school buns for all three meals. I thought, during that time, Liam truly considered me a friend. He gave me his unused textbooks. He gave me his meal card so I could eat. He eagerly discussed homework problems with me. Back then, a group of girls used to bully me. He stepped in front of me. He said I was *his* person, and they shouldn’t bully me anymore. —Everything was so perfect before that, wasn’t it? He was my savior. Until one day. He told me he had a crush on a girl. It was Scarlett Thorne. The very girl… who used to bully me. “She’s actually quite interesting.” “Stubborn, I like that.” That was his evaluation of Scarlett. It was only then that I realized he never really saw me as a person either. That night, he took me out for drinks. Scarlett called a group of people and cornered me in the restroom. She used an X-Acto knife to carve my back, over and over. I still remember her face, refined, perfect, Like a demon from hell. She said she hated people like me who thought they were hot stuff because of someone else.

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Five years into my marriage, I discovered our marriage certificate was a fake. The five years I thought were sacred vows, legally, never existed. The loving husband I thought I had was legally married to someone else. I left quietly, no arguments, no accusations. But he regretted it. 0 I handed my medical report to the nurse. “Can’t I use my husband’s health insurance for payment now? Is his coverage sufficient?” The nurse took my ID, typed some information into her computer, and frowned slightly. “Ms. Maxwell, your marital status shows as ‘single.’ We need your spouse’s ID and a valid marriage certificate to open your file.” I froze. “That’s impossible. My husband and I registered five years ago.” She turned the screen toward me—my marital status in the system was indeed blank. My fingers turned icy cold. I pulled our marriage certificate from my bag. “See? This is our marriage certificate. There must be a system error.” The nurse took the document, examined it closely, and her expression subtly shifted. “Your marriage certificate… it might be problematic.” She picked up a UV pen from the desk and shone it on the official seal. A real Registrar’s Office seal would display security features under UV light. Mine showed nothing. I remembered that day, five years ago. Marcus Thorne had insisted we use some special “private appointment” channel, claiming it would expedite the process at the Registrar’s Office. Now, it all felt like a twisted joke. I stumbled out of the hospital, my head spinning. The early summer sun stung my eyes. Standing on the steps, I suddenly thought of Marcus when he was eighteen. I had just started college, and I casually mentioned craving a specialty pastry from an old bakery across town. He skipped his afternoon classes, cycled across the entire city, and bought the last box just before the shop closed. When he delivered it to my dorm, his white shirt was drenched with sweat, but he still smiled and said, “Taste it quickly, it’s best warm.” On my twenty-fifth birthday, I was pulling an all-nighter in the lab, finishing a thesis. He waited downstairs until two in the morning, holding a thermal container filled with tiramisu he’d failed five times to make. I scolded him for not going home sooner, but he kissed my fingers and said, “I have to be there for every important moment of your life.” And now, at thirty, I stood on the hospital steps, clutching that torn, fake marriage certificate. I finally understood that those sweet moments were just seeds planted for this absurd drama unfolding today. I walked out of the hospital in a daze, clutching the marriage certificate that had been declared a “forgery.” Unconsciously, I found myself in the most bustling downtown mall. I mechanically pushed open the glass doors, and the cool air washed over me. Then, I saw them. Marcus Thorne stood in front of a jewelry counter, impeccably dressed in a suit. Beside him, Scarlett Hayes was bending her head, trying on a diamond ring. “Mr. Thorne is so thoughtful for his wife,” the sales associate beamed. “This is a limited edition piece; there are only three pairs in the entire city.” Scarlett shyly pursed her lips, and when she looked up at Marcus, her eyes sparkled like stars. “Honey, do you like it?” Honey. The word was a blunt knife, slowly slicing open my heart. Even more ironic, the diamond necklace around her neck was the exact same one Marcus had given me for my birthday last month, calling it a “one-of-a-kind gift.” Now, it adorned another woman. Marcus gently stroked her long hair, his voice filled with indulgence. “If you like it, we’ll buy it.” The sales associate exclaimed enviously, “You two are truly a perfect match, made for each other!” Made for each other? What did that make me? I stood hidden behind a marble pillar, gripping my ultrasound scan tightly. A sudden sharp pain shot through my abdomen, as if the baby was weeping for this grotesque play. My nails had dug into my palms at some point, but I felt no pain. So, the happiness of these past few years, it was all a lie. Since Marcus was so desperate to keep me in the dark, I would make him truly understand the consequences of deceiving me. 0

I turned and walked away, heading straight to my mentor, Professor Davies. The lab was empty that evening, only the innermost office still had its light on. I knocked softly and heard his familiar voice. “Come in.” Professor Davies looked up from a screen full of code, his eyes widening when he saw me, drenched from head to toe. “Rain?” “Professor,” my voice was calmer than I expected, “did you say there’s still a faculty position open at Cambridge?” He rose and handed me a towel. “Dry yourself first.” Only then did I realize I was trembling. Professor Davies said, “The Cambridge faculty is very impressed with your new concept.” He paused. “But a more critical position is at ETH Zurich—they need someone to lead their newly established AI Ethics Institute.” “How soon?” I clenched my fists. Professor Davies handed me a file. “Expedited visa processing will take two weeks.” I lowered my head, thought for a moment, and then said, “Professor, is there a way for me to get a new identity?” Professor Davies pulled a passport and plane ticket from a hidden compartment in his bookshelf. “Use this identity: Lin Moran, Visiting Scholar at Zurich University.” “Thank you.” The three words felt heavy as lead when I spoke them. He shook his head. “When you cracked that encryption system at MIT all those years ago, I knew you’d go far.” As I pushed open the front door of our house, the rich scent of butter and garlic wafted out. Marcus was stirring pasta with his back to me, the sleeves of his black shirt rolled up to his elbows. He turned and smiled, a smudge of tomato sauce on the tip of his nose. “Baby, you’re back. Dinner’s almost ready.” Chilled white wine sat on the dining table. My mind, however, drifted back to that summer night. That evening, dragging my suitcase filled with things from overseas, I heard a sound in the darkness. His black Mercedes was subtly rocking in a secluded corner. I don’t remember how I was drawn to it, how I saw Marcus holding that girl’s face and kissing her. “Rain!” I still remember the look on Marcus’s face when he tumbled out of the car—a mix of panic and embarrassment, but not a trace of guilt. His explanation sounded rehearsed countless times. “She looked so much like you, I couldn’t help myself…” After that, he practically lived on my doorstep, begging for forgiveness and showing me every single message on his phone. “I’ll make her quit tomorrow. I’ll never see her again in my life.” I softened, choosing to forgive him. But three months later, at the company’s annual gala, I saw her, dressed in her assistant’s attire, adjusting his tie. Marcus said, “I told her to leave, but then she apparently got hired back as an executive assistant *on her own merit*, and I couldn’t exactly interfere with company policy, could I?” Looking back now, this absurd play had signs all along. How ridiculous. I was just the most laughable supporting character in their love story. He plated my steak, medium-rare, drizzled with black pepper sauce, accompanied by my favorite asparagus. The knife and fork were placed at the perfect angle, just like on every anniversary for the past five years. I stared at his long, slender fingers as he cut the meat. I suddenly thought of how those hands had trembled as they unbuttoned my shirt on our first night together, and how they had clutched Scarlett’s waist, pressing her against an office desk, just last night. He rose and came behind me, resting his chin on my head. “Baby, I missed you so much.” After dinner, he suddenly suggested watching a movie. He picked *Notting Hill*. When the scene with the gallery walk came on, he squeezed my fingers. “Remember? We walked like that in Boston.” Of course, I remembered. Back then, he’d cupped my face and said that “company meetings were less important than our honeymoon,” ditching a multi-million dollar contract just to be with me. Halfway through the movie, Marcus’s phone lit up. He glanced at the screen, his thumb unconsciously rubbing his left wrist watch—a habit he had when he lied. “Urgent tax reports from Finance,” he said, rising. He even thoughtfully pulled the blanket higher onto my shoulders. “You go to sleep. Don’t wait up for me.” “Go ahead,” I pulled the blanket he’d given me tighter. “I’ll just finish the ending.” The moment the front door clicked shut, I threw off the blanket and rushed into the garage. His taillights hadn’t even vanished around the corner. I started the second car he thought I didn’t know about—Scarlett’s lucky charm still hung from the rearview mirror. 0

The 23rd floor of the office building was brightly lit. Through the blinds, I saw Scarlett wearing a nightgown identical to mine, twirling the leftover pasta with a fork. He laughed, leaning in to bite the other end, and as their lips met, she deliberately smeared sauce on his tie. “You’re awful~” Scarlett’s voice drifted through the barely closed window. “Didn’t *your wife* keep you satisfied?” He lifted her onto the desk, piled high with documents. “We’re the real deal, baby.” *The real deal*, huh? Just as that phrase struck me, “Marcus,” she drew out his name, her fingertip tracing the sauce stain on his tie. “Where’s my lucky charm? You promised it to me today.” My heart instantly stopped when Marcus pulled a velvet box from his inner suit pocket. It was the consecrated charm, one I had literally *begged on my knees* to get for him after his car accident, pleading for hours at a spiritual sanctuary until my knees were bruised. The spiritual guide had said its vibrant red color was supposed to ward off bad luck. “It’s beautiful~” Scarlett held the bead up to the light, the red glow reflecting on her face like blood. “You giving me this… won’t Rain be upset?” “Why would she be upset? I’ll just say I lost it on a business trip,” Marcus knelt to tie the red string around her wrist, his movements practiced, as if he’d done it a thousand times. “If she complains, I’ll just tell her to go kneel and get another one.” I bit down on my lower lip until I tasted blood. Scarlett suddenly tugged on his tie. “I want you to thread it yourself.” She conjured a fine needle and red thread. “Just like she did for you back then.” As the needle pierced Marcus’s fingertip, a spasm twisted in my stomach. In my sophomore year, he’d broken his leg playing basketball. I’d stayed up all night in his hospital room, using embroidery thread to weave a bracelet from the special wooden beads my grandfather had given me. The thread was too thick for the holes, so I used a strand of my hair to guide it, pricking my fingertips until they were dotted with blood. Now, he held the needle, and a drop of blood rolled onto Scarlett’s foot. She laughed sweetly, licking away the blood, her red tongue like a venomous snake’s. I took one last look at the entwined figures, then turned and walked toward the elevator. My pale face reflected in the mirror. As my car pulled out of the garage, the lights on the 23rd floor were still bright. I rolled down the window, and the night wind rushed in, blowing away the fake marriage certificate. At four in the morning, I stood by the villa’s floor-to-ceiling window, looking at a message Marcus had sent on my phone: “Urgent situation with the company’s Riverbend City project. I need to handle it personally. Can’t be with you for the next couple of days, baby. Get some rest.” I stared at the message for a long time, my finger hovering over the screen, eventually replying with just “Okay.” Two days later, Marcus returned, travel-worn, his suitcase filled with so-called “Riverbend City specialties”—even though the exquisitely packaged pastries clearly bore the logo of a famous bakery right here in our city. “I brought you a gift.” He smiled, pushing a blue velvet box toward me. Inside was a diamond necklace, the pendant shaped like a tiny computer. I let him put it on me. “There’s a surprise tonight,” he kissed my forehead. Marcus had booked out the entire Contemporary Art Museum. In the center of the exhibition hall hung a massive digital oil painting: my neural network algorithm diagram, published in an international journal, which he’d had someone render into art. The surrounding walls were adorned with my academic achievements from over the years; every title page of every paper was framed like a masterpiece. “Mr. Thorne is truly a model husband!” Mr. Collins exclaimed, raising his champagne glass. “My wife’s partner doesn’t even know what her thesis was about.” “Rain loves these things,” Marcus said, his arm around my waist, his fingers gently caressing my side. “I want to celebrate every important moment of her life in a special way.” His voice was so tender it almost made me believe that what I’d seen in his office that night was just a nightmare. Until my lower leg began to ache faintly, protesting from standing too long, my old injury flaring up. “Tired?” He noticed my stiffness and immediately waved for his assistant. “Go get her spare flats from my car, they’re in the grey storage box in the trunk.” Ben hurried off, and Marcus continued to chat and laugh with the guests. 0 Twenty minutes later, the art museum’s glass doors were pushed open, and a damp gust of wind, carrying rain, swept into the hall. Scarlett stood in the doorway, soaked through, water dripping from her hair. She held a shoe box, looking timidly at Marcus. “Mr. Thorne, the shoes you asked for…” I recognized the diamond-studded high heels she wore—Marcus had custom-ordered them from Italy last month, claiming they were a gift for a client’s wife. Marcus’s smile froze on his face. Scarlett stumbled toward me, leaving a winding trail of water behind her. “Rain,” she handed me the shoe box. “I’m so sorry, I was just nearby…” “Thank you.” I took the shoe box and calmly headed to the restroom.

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Back from the dead, I decided to write my fake heiress sister Stella’s name on the 3-billion-dollar gift deed. This time, I was all in for Stella inheriting the family fortune. This life, I’d beat my parents to it, giving Stella the 3 billion and even my wealthy fiancé. I personally orchestrated every picture-perfect family moment between Stella and our parents. They moved to Montclair City with her. I didn’t say a word, packing my bags for a leading engineering school out West. In my last life, I took the 3 billion my parents gave me, single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, turning a 300 million debt into a 6 billion empire, securing their lavish lifestyle for generations. But I worked myself to death, literally, until I got stomach cancer and was bedridden at a young age . My parents not only showed no sympathy, they even gifted all my assets to Stella, ensuring she had a grand wedding with my fiancé. Reborn, I don’t want the billions, I don’t want to inherit anything. All I want is to be a soaring eagle, free to fly.

“Just fill in your name and give it to me.” My pampered mother, Eleanor, impatiently tapped on the desk. I stared at the asset gift deed, my fingertips lightly tracing the smooth A4 paper, my thoughts adrift. In my last life, this was the happiest day. I’d carefully, stroke by stroke, filled in my own name, then eagerly dragged Dad to buy a car. I wanted the car so I could pick them up from work, because after being apart for twenty years, I felt like I hadn’t had enough of their affection. But Dad had ripped into me, yelling that I was just a typical orphanage brat who’d never seen money before. He was in a hurry to go with Mom to Stella’s art exhibition. I mumbled, “Got it, got it.” I glanced up at Mom’s agitated expression and the hand that kept checking her phone. Mom was wearing a luxurious silk gown today, half-sleeved, showing off her slender, pale forearms. I remembered Stella loved her in that outfit, saying Mom looked so aristocratic, exuding an intimidating elegance, effortlessly outshining everyone else. “Mom, Dad, if you have something important to do, go ahead,” I forced down the bitter ache in my chest, trying to sound casual. “I’ll turn it in myself once I’m done.” Mom visibly relaxed, her tone softening a bit. “Don’t worry, now that we’ve found you, we’ll take responsibility for you.” “But you need to stop being jealous of Stella. Even though she’s not related by blood, we’ve raised her for so long. You know, she’s family, and we’ve raised her. Who could just abandon her without feeling anything? People would call us heartless.” I stayed silent. In my last life, I’d explained countless times, but in their eyes, I was just a jealous, petty older sister who simply couldn’t stand her frail, kind adopted sister. She didn’t say anything more, turning and hurrying off with Dad. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat, my mind replaying all the painful memories from my previous life. Buying Stella the prettiest dresses, taking her on world tours to broaden her horizons. For my coming-of-age party, they used Stella’s illness as an excuse, not coming home all night. They only took Stella when going out to business meetings, patiently and gently teaching her the ropes of the business, dead set on having her replace me, but she was always slow on the uptake. And then, right before I died, my parents didn’t shed a single tear. “You, while you still have a breath left, quickly sign the property transfer agreement. You’re not as good as Stella in any way.” “If you didn’t have a bit of business talent, why would I let you occupy the company for five years? Let go, it all belongs to Stella.” From my hospital bed, I watched my cold fiancé, Ryan, who stood silently beside them. His deathly silence was all the confirmation my parents needed. I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood before slowly releasing it. No, not this life. I won’t repeat my mistakes. I picked up the pen and, in the beneficiary column, slowly wrote three words: Stella Monroe. Mom, Dad, since you love her so much, let it be as you wish. I handed the filled-out gift deed to the notary and walked away without looking back. I wasn’t sad. Instead, I felt an inexplicable sense of liberation. 2. Stella Monroe was the child of our family’s former housekeeper. The housekeeper, envious of our privileged life, secretly swapped us as infants. Stella was a sweet-talker and a schemer. She managed to charm Mom and Dad into simply firing the housekeeper, giving her a large sum of money, and letting her “sell” Stella to them, without pursuing any further legal action. They treated Stella even better than their own daughter. When I came back, my parents weren’t happy. Instead, they blamed me for disrupting their family harmony. For the family alliance, Mom had long planned for Stella to marry my fiancé. But the other family’s elders insisted on a pure-blooded Monroe daughter for the marriage, so the intended spouse had to be me. Ryan and Stella were childhood sweethearts, and he was already deeply in love with her. He resented me for breaking them apart. In reality, Stella was just leading him on. At the time, Ryan was just a trust fund kid from the city’s old money families, and she was waiting for someone better. When no one else came along, she grudgingly pretended to agree to marry him. I took a trip to the leading engineering school out West, making sure I understood all the requirements for admission and the living expenses. Only then did I feel at ease enough to head back. Arriving back at the luxurious Monroe family villa, I walked in just as I heard Stella’s saccharine, childish whine cooing, “Mom, Dad, you even canceled your meetings to come back and be with me. Aren’t you going to accompany Clara to the West? Will she be mad?” “We can accompany her anytime. She’s always been a wild child.” “But you always get cramps during your period, and we didn’t feel right leaving you alone at home.” Stella smiled happily, then feigned sadness, saying, “Will Clara still be nice to me after she inherits the family business?” “Of course,” Mom’s voice was firm. “If not to you, then to whom?” “If your sister isn’t good to you, I’ll take back the 3 billion. If it weren’t for fearing it would be too much work for our Stella, I would never have let her inherit the family business!” I clenched my fists so tightly I thought my nails would dig into my palms, just to suppress the overwhelming bitterness in my chest. Even after everything, hearing my own mother speak of me with such coldness still hurt. I composed myself and walked into the villa as if nothing were wrong. 3. Mom and Dad emerged from Stella’s room, a hint of awkwardness on their faces. “We… we just came back early to check on Stella because she wasn’t feeling well.” I hummed vaguely and turned to go back to my room. In my last life, I’d argued with them countless times about their favoritism towards Stella. This life, I didn’t want to waste any more time or energy. Dad called out to me, “Clara, how about we buy you a car? You’ve got your driver’s license now, we should get you one.” I looked at him in surprise. Then I figured it was probably their way of compensating me for not arguing or making a fuss. “No need. My most important task right now is studying. It’s not easy for you to earn money, Mom and Dad.” He froze, probably finding it hard to believe I’d actually refuse that offer. “Is Clara mad because Mom and Dad came home to take care of me?” Stella emerged from her room, her babyish voice cooing, accompanied by a look of wronged innocence. She deliberately exposed her wrist, where she wore the jade bracelet I had bought specifically for Mom. I had saved up for six months, working crazy part-time jobs on weekends, without telling my parents, just to buy it. I’d presented it to Mom like a priceless treasure, but she’d scoffed, saying I was just a wild brat who just runs around, bringing home cheap junk to try and impress her. Seeing my gaze, Stella flusteredly explained, “I saw Mom’s jade bracelet today and thought it was pretty, so I wanted to try it on. I forgot to take it off.” She lowered her head, twisting her fingers nervously, looking like a child who had done something wrong. Mom instinctively started to say, “Clara, you shouldn’t…” I cut her off, my voice calm: “It looks quite nice on Stella. Just keep it. Anyway, I bought it from a street vendor.” “No, no, I can’t take Sister’s things. Mom and Dad have already given me so much since I was little.” In my last life, after saying that, Stella, despite her supposed illness, took off the bracelet, “accidentally” dropping it and shattering it on the ground. Seeing the broken bracelet on the floor, I cried and ran back to my room, only to be scolded by my parents who followed me in. Thinking about it now, it still makes my skin crawl. Under their surprised gazes, I returned to my room and locked the door. 4. I pulled out a package, inside was my acceptance letter—to the leading engineering school out West. In my previous life, I’d always loved the rich history of the West, especially its defense industry, which was my favorite field. Last life, for Mom and Dad, I gave up my passions and my university dreams, willingly starting from the bottom in Montclair City. With the 3 billion they gave me, I single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, which was 300 million in debt, literally working myself to death from stomach cancer. This life, thankfully, it’s not too late. I just want to live for myself. I checked my phone. Ten days left until I could leave this place. Time was tight, but I had to prepare every minute. A sudden knock on the door. I opened it impatiently. Mom stood there holding a bowl of noodles, her voice gentle, “Hungry? Mom made you a bowl of noodles. I haven’t cooked in years, come and try Mom’s cooking.” I felt a moment of unreality. In my last life, Mom was either cold as ice or spoke to me with venom, let alone cooking for me. It was as if I was the one who tore the family apart. It had been a long time since I’d seen Mom so amiable. “No thanks, I already ate out.” “How could you?!” “You’ve always been so frugal, haven’t you?” Her words stung. I used to be frugal, saving every penny, spending most of the money I earned from part-time jobs trying to please them, buying them things. But they always complained they were too cheap. Now I was going to university, and I had many expenses. Every penny had to be carefully budgeted. I looked up at her, my voice calm: “I remember a few days ago, I developed a paid app optimization for Mom’s company.” “You seem to be using it quite smoothly. Can I have the development fee now?” She froze, then awkwardly explained: “That app… I put it under Stella’s name. You know, your sister isn’t as capable as you, but she needs to establish herself in the high society circles.” I couldn’t help but curl my lip. How boring. Always the same. “If there’s nothing else, I’m closing the door to sleep.” “I’ll give you the money tomorrow,” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “We’re family, do you have to be so calculative?” I couldn’t help but scoff, “So I pulled all-nighters to make that app, and the credit goes to someone else, the money goes to someone else, and I can’t even complain?” She knew she was in the wrong, but still stubbornly mumbled, “Unreasonable.” I didn’t want to argue with Mom any longer. I slammed the door shut. 5. For the next few days, I locked myself in my room, furiously coding and listing everything, valuable or not, on eBay. In my previous life, I had treasured the gifts my parents gave me. Now, compared to what Stella received, they were just cheap junk. I didn’t want to take a single piece with me. I packed them all up, turning them into cash for university. That afternoon, as I continued sorting my luggage, Mom stood before me, holding a card, saying stiffly, “Here’s your hundred thousand dollars.” I took the money and nodded. “Thanks.” She looked at me, her eyes complex, then her gaze fell on my light luggage. “We’re planning to have Stella move to Montclair City with us first. You don’t need to pack.” I didn’t stop packing, just nodded. She seemed unaccustomed to my attitude, looking somewhat uneasy. “What’s wrong with you lately? You’re like a different person.” I turned away impatiently. I didn’t want to stir up more trouble. Even though Mom and Dad didn’t love me, if they found out that Stella’s name was on the gift deed… It was highly likely they would make me sign a new gift deed for Stella’s sake. I didn’t want any more involvement with the Monroe family. “Nothing, just trying to pack.” “Once you’re in Montclair City, I can move back to the orphanage.” She breathed a sigh of relief, then explained, “It’s not that we don’t want you.” “It’s just that Stella loves Montclair City so much and wants to settle there. We’ll come pick you up in a few months, once we’re settled.” I nodded absentmindedly. In my previous life, for five whole years, they never came to pick me up. Not until I was utterly exhausted and on my deathbed did they rush back to break off my engagement and devour my assets to host a lavish wedding for Stella. She looked at me uncomfortably. Usually, whenever we were alone, I would chatter non-stop. Now that I was using so few words, she grew uneasy. “Weren’t you always wanting to attend the debutante ball? How about we go try on gowns tomorrow?” I knew attendees had to be 16 or older, of good character, from reputable families, with parents of good standing and no criminal record or bad conduct. No way. Tomorrow, I planned to go to a tech company to discuss a collaboration project, to earn money for university tuition and living expenses. I was about to find an excuse when Stella walked in. She intimately linked arms with Mom. “Mommy, when are we going to the debutante ball? Stella wants to go too, Stella wants a gown!” Mom lovingly stroked Stella’s head. “Alright, we’ll go together tomorrow.” “You go ahead. I have plans tomorrow.” Mom frowned. “What could be more important than attending the debutante ball?” “Go pick a gown first. Whatever you like, I’ll buy it for you.” Her voice was forceful, brooking no refusal. Stella whined, “Exactly, is Sister not going because of me?” I didn’t want to argue anymore and nodded, agreeing to go. 6. First thing in the morning, I heard Mom and Dad speaking in hushed, coaxing tones, trying to get Stella out of bed in her room. The stark numbers on my phone reminded me: four days left. In four days, I could completely escape this life. Just as I was about to lose my patience, they finally dragged themselves out of the room. Dad solicitously brought warm water, and Mom personally washed Stella’s face. The old me must have been blind, to naively believe that if I gave them my all, they would reciprocate. I was lost in thought when Dad awkwardly walked over to me, jingling a Maserati car key. “Stella doesn’t have her driver’s license yet, but we already got her a car. I can’t play favorites, so I bought one for you too.” I didn’t take it. In my last life, it was a 300,000 dollar BMW, not this expensive, luxury car. And Stella already had a Bentley before she was even old enough to drive. Stella saw it and immediately pouted. “Oh, it’s so beautiful! I want it too!” I generously offered, “Then you can have it.” Dad’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t be ridiculous, your sister passed her driving test but never had a car!” Stella snatched the car key, holding it up and jingling it at Mom and Dad. “Mom, Dad, will this be my motivation to get my driver’s license, huh?” Mom and Dad looked at Stella, their eyes full of doting affection, and reluctantly nodded. Then Dad guiltily turned to me, whispering, “I’ll… I’ll buy you one next time.” I nodded indifferently. I’d heard their promises too many times; none of them had ever been kept. At the evening gown boutique, Stella chose first, trying on numerous dresses. When it was my turn, the store manager brought out the most magnificent gown. When I put it on, gasps of admiration filled the room. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Stella “accidentally” spilled a cup of coffee on the gown. I secretly cheered inside, but kept a poker face. “Oh, never mind then.” I picked a simple, understated black gown. Walking out of the boutique, Dad pulled a job offer from his pocket—for a position on the assembly line at the family company in Montclair City, starting in four days. “We didn’t mean to abandon you,” he said. “We want to train you to take over the family business, starting from the ground up. In Montclair City, we’ve rented a small studio apartment for you. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to live at home while working undercover from the bottom.” The assembly line job was six days on, one day off. When business was good, they often worked overtime until midnight. I didn’t know how they thought I could endure it. Besides, I had done some digging. The small studio apartment Stella had rented for me was in the worst part of town, and it was a shared living space with a bizarre couple who had their days and nights flipped. At night, they were either screaming passionately or throwing all-night parties. The previous tenant couldn’t sleep at all, lost handfuls of hair, and was drowsy all day, even getting her hand caught in machinery. 7. Seeing me accept the offer, Dad visibly relaxed. “Don’t worry, even if you don’t live in the Montclair City villa, Mom and Dad won’t abandon you.” “We’ll be good to you, and we’ll hand the company over to you eventually. You just need to treat Stella like your own sister.” My expression softened for a moment. When had Dad ever spoken such soft words? Suddenly, a mugger wielding a kitchen knife burst into the store, charging straight at us. Mom and Dad pulled Stella into their embrace, ducking away. In the chaos, someone shoved me. The mugger held the knife to my throat. My body was stiff with fear, unable to move. “Hand over the money, or I’ll kill her.” A streak of blood appeared on my neck. It stung, making me wince, but I dared not make a sound, fearing I would enrage the mugger. Others in the store slowly gathered around, pointing and whispering. My gaze pierced through the onlookers, settling firmly on Mom and Dad. They were comforting Stella, completely oblivious to my situation. Perhaps they noticed, or perhaps they simply didn’t care. It was Stella, however, who bravely rushed out, yelling at the mugger. “How dare you touch my sister?! We’re the Monroe family from the Capital City! You want money? You won’t get any. Mess with the Monroes, and you’ll rot in prison for the rest of your life.” The mugger became agitated and was about to slice my throat. *Bang, bang, bang!* A sniper took him down. Only then did Mom and Dad dare to approach, embracing and comforting me. I gave a bitter smile. The last shred of hesitation in my heart vanished completely. So, this was their idea of “being good to me.” The 3 billion they gave me was just to pay off the 300 million family debt and ensure their own future comfort. 8. The driver took me to the hospital. After a thorough check-up, thankfully, it was just a scare, and a minor superficial cut on my neck. I lay in the hospital bed, my neck aching from the bandage, but my heart was strangely calm. It was late when Mom and Dad finally walked into the hospital, their faces tired. They saw me sitting on the bed, and a flicker of panic crossed their faces. “Clara, how are you feeling? Are you better?” I looked at them coldly, saying nothing. Dad nervously rubbed his hands, awkwardly explaining, “Stella was too scared, she’s been blaming herself for not protecting her sister. We’ve been with her, comforting her, so…” Under my gaze, Dad sheepishly fell silent. “Clara, listen to me. The situation was too urgent. Stella was closer to us, and I instinctively just…” He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. “I didn’t know you’d be taken hostage by the mugger.” I cut him off. “Dad, when are you planning to go to Montclair City?” Dad cautiously replied, “We leave tomorrow.” “Got it. I want to rest. The doctor wants me to stay for a few days for observation, so I won’t see you off.” I closed my eyes, dismissing them. Dad wanted to say more, but he eventually left, realizing it was futile. 9. The next day, Ryan’s mother, Mrs. Margot, came. She carried an insulated food container, her face wreathed in smiles. “Clara, Ryan’s so busy. He heard you were hurt and asked me to come take care of you.” “Are you feeling better?” “Much better, thank you, Mrs. Margot.” As she served me soup, she chattered on, “That boy, Ryan, he’s so stubborn. He keeps making a fuss in front of us…” Mid-sentence, she seemed to realize something and awkwardly shut her mouth. “Mrs. Margot, I won’t be marrying Ryan. His intended spouse is Stella Monroe.” Mrs. Margot froze, then after a long moment, she reacted. “You… what did you say?” “I have no feelings for Ryan. Stella is his perfect match.” Mrs. Margot’s face first showed shock, then morphed into unbridled joy. “Clara, you truly are a good girl! I knew you were the most sensible one!” She excitedly gripped my hand. “Clara, thank you! Thank you for making them happy!” I smiled faintly, saying nothing. Making them happy? No, I was just making *myself* happy. Mrs. Margot had always favored Stella. In my previous life, even if I tried my best to please her, all I got was endless ridicule. After I died, she gave most of her assets to her son as a dowry to lavishly marry Stella. The two families spent 100 million dollars on their wedding. “Mrs. Margot, please don’t tell Ryan or Stella about this yet.” Mrs. Margot beamed, unable to contain her joy. “Good, good, Mrs. Margot understands!” “So… what are your plans for the future?” “I’m leaving in a few days too.” I didn’t reveal my exact destination. Eleanor still wanted to ask more, her mind consumed by their wedding plans.

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The prince was searching the entire city for the girl who lost a glass slipper. My stepsister stole my shoe, claiming she was the one who danced with the prince last night. She didn’t know that the prince had killed someone that night. And I was the only witness. “Sister, please, give me back my shoe.” I clung to Victoria’s leg, begging desperately. Victoria grabbed my hair and spat in my face viciously. “Pfft, you filthy wretch! How dare you covet His Royal Highness? Go back to the attic where you belong, that’s your rightful place.” Madame Tremaine and Isabelle each grabbed one of my arms, pushing me towards the attic. I struggled fiercely, trying to lunge for the glass slipper. “You can’t take it out! You really can’t!” A few days ago, I suddenly found myself in a twisted version of the fairy tale, becoming Cinderella. At first, I thought, how bad could a fairy tale world be? Until I saw the prince slice open the Chancellor’s belly with his sword. After the murder, he stood calmly, using his long blade to lift up a section of the Chancellor’s intestines, admiring it in the moonlight. “Ah, how beautiful.” The bright red intestines dripped blood, and the prince’s eyes gleamed with an eerie, bloodthirsty light. I hid in the bushes, tightly covering my mouth, my whole body shaking uncontrollably with fear. I must have been shaking too hard because the prince suddenly turned his head in my direction, his gaze sharp and piercing like a hawk’s. “Who’s there? Come out!” I gasped, picked up my skirts, and ran. The prince chased after me, sword in hand. The palace was magnificent, with expensive crystal chandeliers hanging from the pillars on both sides, illuminating everything clearly. The prince laughed softly behind me. “Oh, it’s the beautiful girl who danced with me tonight—” His tone was sinister. I turned my head to look; the prince’s face was twisted with malice, his long sword still dripping blood, leaving a trail behind him. I was terrified, running faster than I ever had before. But the white jade steps at the palace gate were too long, and no matter how careful I was, I still lost one glass slipper. I knew he wouldn’t let me go. Sure enough, the next day, news of the Chancellor’s death spread throughout the country. The king was furious and ordered the guards to catch the real culprit. Along with the obituary, another piece of news spread across the country: the prince was looking for love. The prince had fallen in love at first sight with a beautiful girl at the ball. He announced that whoever could wear the glass slipper left behind by the girl would be the next princess. All the women in the city went crazy. Victoria and Isabelle started dressing up early in the morning, soaking their feet in milk, praying for this lucky glory to fall upon them. It wasn’t until Victoria came to my room to look for jewelry that she accidentally found the other glass slipper.

“You filthy wretch, how dare you sneak off to the ball behind our backs! If you’re so desperate for a man, we’ll marry you off to a stable boy tomorrow!” Madame Tremaine grabbed my hair and slapped me hard across the face several times. Victoria clutched the glass slipper to her chest and kicked me hard in the stomach. The attic door opened, and I fell down. Victoria giggled. “Thinking you could be a princess? You should look in a mirror first. “Stay here like a good girl. If you make a sound, you’re dead.” With a loud bang, the attic door was locked. I pounded on the door above my head, my face filled with despair. This is bad. If they take out this shoe, the prince will surely know I’m here. He’ll kill me! Soon, I heard Madame Tremaine’s fawning voice from above. “Oh my, Lord Roderick, why have you come personally— “No need to try it on, this shoe belongs to our Victoria. Victoria, show the other shoe to Lord Roderick.” Lord Roderick’s face was stern as he held a fine velvet cushion with a sparkling glass slipper on top. “Everyone must try it on. Oh—indeed, they make a pair. Noble lady, please come with me to the palace so the prince can see for himself.” The other maids and guards all offered their congratulations. Victoria excitedly hugged Isabelle and spun around. Soon, a flurry of footsteps gradually faded away, and silence fell once again overhead. I slumped to the ground, my face filled with despair. My sister’s foot was bigger than mine. Once they entered the palace and the prince discovered she couldn’t wear the shoe, he would soon come to my house. I had to escape before that happened. But the attic door was locked, and there wasn’t even a window. I had no way to escape. There were many tools in the attic. I found a hammer and started chipping away at the wall. After an hour, I had only managed to scrape off a thin layer of plaster. Covered in sweat, I angrily smashed the hammer against the wall a couple of times before throwing it to the ground. A mouse in the corner was startled and scurried to the other side, squeaking. Looking at that mouse, my eyes lit up as an idea suddenly came to me.

In my impression, Cinderella was always mistreated by her stepmother and forced to do chores. Whenever the housework became too overwhelming, she would start singing, and then many birds and small animals would come out to help her. This was a special ability of Disney princesses. Now that I had become Cinderella, shouldn’t I have this ability too? I cleared my throat. “Ooooh ooooh ooooh~ Aaaah aaaah~” No response. Maybe I was doing it wrong. I continued singing. “Eeee eeee eeee~ Oooo oooo~” I sang repeatedly for half an hour, until my throat was dry, but I didn’t give up. Finally, that mouse crept out from the corner again. I was delighted and crouched down to look at it. “Are you here to help me?” The mouse squeaked, its limbs twitching, and fell to the ground. Me: “…” I sat on the ground hugging my knees. Just as I was at a loss, I heard chaotic footsteps from above and Madame Tremaine’s shrill voice. “Oh my, Prince Henry, you’ve come personally! Heavens!” I looked up through the cracks in the wooden floor. The prince still carried that long sword from last night. He smiled and gestured for his attendant to press Victoria onto a chair. “Beautiful Lady Victoria, is this pair of glass slippers yours?” Victoria’s face turned red, and she nodded shyly. The attendant tried to put the shoe on Victoria’s foot, but her foot was too wide and wouldn’t fit no matter how they tried. Victoria became anxious. “I… I’m a bit swollen today.” “Is that so? But you must wear the shoe to become my princess.” The prince’s expression was cold. Hearing this, Victoria desperately tried to squeeze her foot into the shoe, her instep turning red from the effort. The prince laughed coldly and raised his sword. “Let me help you—” The prince’s blade fell, cutting off half of Victoria’s foot. She screamed and rolled on the ground, clutching her leg.

Everyone was terrified, but the prince acted as if nothing had happened and calmly turned to look at Isabelle. “Beautiful lady, is this pair of shoes yours?” Isabelle’s face was pale, but unable to suppress her desire to become a princess, she still nodded. This time, the prince cut off her heel. Blood sprayed everywhere, dripping through the cracks in the wooden floor. I was terrified, looking around frantically but finding nowhere to hide. Madame Tremaine screamed and went to embrace her two daughters. The prince put his sword to her throat. “Are there any other daughters in your house?” Madame Tremaine’s lips trembled. “No, no more…” Despite their severe injuries, both sisters gritted their teeth and insisted there was no one else in the house. The resolve of the mother and daughters to prevent me from becoming princess was unexpectedly strong. Thank you all. “What about young maids? None of those either?” Madame Tremaine continued shaking her head. The prince laughed and sat down in a chair, using a clean white cloth to wipe his long sword. “Well, isn’t that interesting!” The prince waved his hand, and his attendants scattered to search the house. Soon, Lord Roderick ran to the prince’s side. “Your Highness, the attic door is locked.” The prince looked at Madame Tremaine. “This is your last chance to live. Open the door.” The prince’s eyes were sharp, his tense jawline showing that his patience had reached its limit. Seeing Madame Tremaine standing still, Lord Roderick drew his sword. “Kill her. You all, go break down the door.” Only then did Madame Tremaine react, screaming and crawling towards the attic door. “I’ll open it, I’ll open it, don’t kill me—” The sound of keys and chains clashing rang out, and the attic door was forcefully pulled open. A beam of light shone diagonally into the attic. In the dusty beam of light, the prince stood before me with a wicked smile. “Ha, found you.”

The next moment, the smile froze on the prince’s face. My face was covered in ash, my eyes were crossed, and I asked him with a toothy grin: “Who ya lookin’ for, mister?” Prince: “…” The prince took a big step back in disgust. “Who are you?” “I’m the maid, Cinderella. Ain’t you a handsome fella, hee hee hee—” I reached out to touch the prince’s face. He frowned and swatted my hand away. “Someone, bring her up.” Two guards jumped down into the attic and hauled me up. Thanks to my stepmother’s mistreatment, I was wearing old clothes patched all over, my hair was full of straw, and my face had several red handprints, which indeed matched the image of a maid. Lord Roderick looked disappointed. “Your Highness, this girl doesn’t seem to be the one.” I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the prince coldly order: “Put the shoe on her.” Damn it, he still suspects me. Where’s the basic trust and respect between people? I was pressed into a chair by several guards. Lord Roderick knelt on one knee, holding up the glass slipper. As soon as he lifted my long skirt, Roderick turned his head away in disgust. My feet were pitch black, covered in ash, with my five toes spread wide like sea anemones. The prince laughed coldly. “What happened to your feet?” I smiled ingratiatingly: “My toes are deformed, they’ve been like this since I was little.” “Is that so?” The prince paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pinched my calf hard. “Ah—” I screamed in pain, and my toes instinctively curled up. The prince sneered. “Look, all better now.” “Thank you, you’re so kind.” I wanted to cry but had no tears left as I watched Roderick stuff my foot into the glass slipper.

Of course, it fit perfectly—not too big, not too small, not too long, not too short. The glass slipper on my pitch-black foot looked as if it had been custom-made for me. Roderick looked awkwardly at the prince. “Your Highness, are you sure this girl is the one you’re looking for?” The two sisters, who had been rolling on the ground clutching their legs, hurriedly crawled over and said in unison: “There must be a mistake, she didn’t go out last night!” Madame Tremaine nodded along. “Yes, this is my maid. I locked her in the attic last night; she couldn’t possibly have attended the ball. Your Highness, she absolutely cannot be the girl you’re looking for.” The prince stared at Madame Tremaine for a while, then curled his lips into a smile. “Liars must swallow a thousand needles. “Roderick, bring out that box of needles.” What kind of psychopath carries around boxes of needles? Watching Roderick stuff silver needles as long as a pinky finger into Madame Tremaine’s mouth, I was so scared my legs went weak. Amidst the wailing of the mother and daughters, I was escorted onto a carriage by the guards. As the wheels rolled, two guards watched me vigilantly from the side. I couldn’t find any chance to escape. Soon, the majestic palace appeared before my eyes. “My dear Henry, have you found your beloved girl?” Queen Eleanor came out to greet us enthusiastically. Seeing my ash-covered face, the queen paused, a flash of horror crossing her eyes. “This is—” “Someone, take her away to clean up.” The prince acted as if he hadn’t seen the queen and ordered the people beside him. The queen circled around the prince, asking if his journey had been tiring and chattering endlessly. The prince coldly waved her away, turned to Roderick, and instructed: “Clean her up and bring her to see me.”

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Six years after we broke up, I found myself in his emergency room. “I’m pregnant. The baby is yours.” His face went ashen. “Pregnant with a six-year-old? What are you even talking about?” The atmosphere instantly became unbearably awkward. “So, you’re not going to acknowledge it?” “You think I’d just step up and be a stand-in dad?” he shot back. I fell silent for a few seconds. “Fine. Then I’ll find a father for him myself.” Nine months later. He clutched the chief surgeon’s arm, his voice rough with desperation. “Please, man, I’m begging you. Make the incision as neat as possible. She’s obsessed with how things look.” I went for a pre-marital health check with my blind date. Turns out, I was pregnant. The wedding was off. Mrs. Gable, the matchmaker, stormed over to my place and reamed my mom out. “You told me your girl was a good, wholesome catch! A good, wholesome catch who’s two months pregnant?!” “You’ve completely ruined my reputation!” “Don’t ever call me again! Bad luck!” … My mom got an earful, then I got an earful from my mom. “Who’s the father?” “…” I just clammed up. “Skylar Hayes, you’re twenty-eight, not eight! Are you still messing around out there? Do you have any common sense?” “Are you trying to kill me, your mother, with stress?” “Whatever.” I turned and went upstairs, locking the door behind me.

I lay on my bed, racking my brain. My period had definitely been three weeks late. And lately, I’d been feeling a bit off my food. My cycle was usually all over the place, impossible to track, mostly thanks to my late nights. I just thought this time was the same. It never crossed my mind that I was pregnant. And the father? None other than my ex-boyfriend from six years ago. Two months back, I went to a class reunion. He showed up really late and was completely wasted. I was the one who took him home. When we got to his place, I practically had to carry him inside. When I left, I stumbled out, practically crawling. The taxi driver must’ve thought something was seriously wrong with me. He kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, not daring to say a word. … After a few days of thinking at home, I still went to Liam’s hospital. I waited in line, paid the fees, got the tests done, and finally, report in hand, headed to his department. “Consultations are over for the morning. Come back this afternoon.” I’d barely stepped in when he dismissed me without even looking up. He must’ve sensed I hadn’t left, because he suddenly looked up and saw me. His gaze snapped, his pupils shrinking. He looked utterly shocked, like someone seeing a long-lost friend. What an act. How could he have mistaken me for someone else at the reunion? “Skylar?” He parted his lips. Before he could finish, I neatly placed the report in front of him. “I’m pregnant. The baby is yours,” I stated, getting straight to the point. He glanced down at the report, his face grave. I could almost feel his fear. “What baby is six years overdue?” His long fingers tapped the report. “Did you lose your memory? We broke up six years ago.” His words slammed me into silence, my face burning with humiliation. “You’re not going to acknowledge it?” I asked through gritted teeth. He looked up at me, his expression unreadable. “Skylar, if you regret something, you should act like it. What… you think I’d be foolish enough to fall for that?” He didn’t look at the report again, burying his head in a patient file, clearly done with me. “You—!” I almost blurted out a string of curses. I never imagined he wouldn’t just deny it, but accuse me of regretting our breakup! A jerk like him? Skylar Hayes would never regret a thing in her life. Even if… I did regret it, I absolutely couldn’t let him see it! I forced myself to calm down for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to say. “Don’t you think the baby’s eyes look exactly like yours?” He still lowered his head for a quick glance at the report, then sighed. Right? He finally admitted it? “It’s a ten-week ultrasound scan. Tell me, where exactly are its eyes?” In that instant, I realized my mistake. Forget it. You can’t wake up someone who doesn’t want to be a father. “Fine. Then I’ll find a father for him myself.” I tossed out the words and turned, walking out of his office.

Liam was a year older than me, the brilliant, untouchable legend of the medical school. He was incredibly hard to get. I practically worshipped the ground he walked on for four whole years, and finally, just a few months before graduation, I managed to win him over. Everyone said Liam only got with me because I was so ridiculously dramatic and wouldn’t leave him alone. “Otherwise, why would the esteemed A-list genius fall for someone like Skylar Hayes, who’s both chubby and plain, from the History department?” “Her stomach? When she ate, she looked five months pregnant.” They didn’t know that to chase Liam, I’d lost thirty pounds, dropping from 120 to 90. I deleted all my food delivery apps, munched on apples in the mornings, and cucumbers at night. I ate like that for months. I was so starved, I swear I could have eaten a housefly. I did get skinny, but my period became severely irregular, and my sleep was completely messed up. All of it, just for Liam to give me an extra glance. One day, I was running on the track, trailing behind him, and he turned around to look at me. He stared for a long, long time. My entire face flushed crimson. He liked me. He just had to. I nervously walked over, rehearsing my opening line— “Are you Skylar’s sister?” His words hit me like a bucket of ice water, drenching me from head to toe. I was furious, but also found it strangely funny. “I… guess so.” He fell silent for a moment, then handed me a bottle of water. “Then go tell her to stop bothering me.” I took the water he offered. It was the first time I’d been so close to him. His eyelashes were so long, his nose so sharp. And his voice, so gentle when he spoke. But his words were so cold. “Alright.” I swallowed my hurt. After that, we often bumped into each other on the track. After our tenth encounter, he asked for my SnapChat. That was the first time I felt like losing those thirty pounds was totally worth it! Because, my entire life, no one had ever asked for my SnapChat, except for people handing out flyers on the street. I asked him to a movie. He didn’t refuse. I suggested we date. He didn’t refuse. Even when I broke up with him, he didn’t refuse. It was me, actually, who cried for a day and a night straight in my dorm. My roommate asked, “Is a breakup really that sad?” I sobbed, “It’s alright.” “It’s like seeing an old friend off. You just have to cry a little.”

He was like a still, lifeless pond. So calm it terrified me. I only heard that afterward, his friends never dared to mention my name in front of him. He’d flip out if they did. I get it. A big shot like him, brought low by something so trivial? He must’ve been furious. But to say he hated me? I probably wasn’t even worth his hatred. After graduation, I moved back to my hometown city for work. My salary was $4500 a month, and my mom arranged ten blind dates for me a year. I’d gone on over a hundred, big and small, and I was completely numb to it all. Which is why this time, when Mrs. Gable introduced us, we settled on the wedding plans less than a month after meeting. He was a thirty-year-old elementary school teacher from a small town, stable job, parents lived in the countryside, and he had a younger brother in high school. “A guy with his conditions isn’t easy to find. How much could his brother’s high school and college cost anyway?” “You’re twenty-eight, if you don’t get married soon, you’ll only be looking at divorced guys.” “And these divorced guys with kids, if they knew you had a sister like that at home, they’d probably be even harder to snag.” … My mom sat at the table, nodding meekly, her voice low. “Make sure you ask them clearly, they don’t mind our family, right?” “Tell them not to worry, Skylar’s sister won’t be a burden. We’re still young, we can still work…” Every time I saw my mom like that, it just annoyed me. I felt like a bargain-bin item, clearly priced and ready to be sold off. My mom fawningly saw Mrs. Gable out, stuffing a big red envelope into her hand as she left. Everything was ready. Then, that thing happened to me. My mom was so mad she didn’t speak to me for days. But anger aside, within a few days, she showed up in the city with a cardboard box of eggs. Her coat was wrapped around the box, and inside were bags of rice. My mom’s hair was a mess, but not a single egg was broken. “Did you go to the hospital for a check-up?” My mom carefully placed the eggs in the fridge, then turned to ask me. “Check-up for what?” I fiddled with my phone. “No.” “To see what the baby looks like, of course! You, this child, why are you so careless?” My mom started pulling me towards the door. “What’s there to see?” I pulled away. “You really don’t plan on keeping it?” My mom looked at me worriedly. The atmosphere grew awkward. I fell silent. It wasn’t that I didn’t want it; it was that *he* didn’t want it. “You’re not getting any younger. If you don’t keep this one, what if it’s hard to have another later?” “You’ve been going on blind dates anyway. Find that boy, and your dad and I can meet him. If he’s decent, just go ahead and get married.” Get married? She was really dreaming big, dreaming beautiful. “Just leave it alone. I’ll go to the hospital for the procedure in a couple of days.” I brushed my mom off. My mom heard my resolute tone and wanted to persuade me again. “Don’t be impulsive. That’s a life,” my mom insisted as I closed the door. “Is that how you had Lily back then?” I blurted out. “…” My mom instantly clammed up. Her eyes looked deeply hurt. Lily was my younger sister. And my mom’s absolute Achilles’ heel. She was ten years old this year, couldn’t speak, and had epilepsy. After I’d driven her away like that, my chest felt tight. Every time I said those things, I felt like I was retaliating, but then quickly regretted it. I picked up my phone, booked an appointment, and headed to the hospital. On the way, I even seriously considered my mom’s words, “What if you just get married?” I wondered, if I married Liam, would I be willing? How could I not be willing? That was once my dream. Passing the emergency department on the first floor, I instantly spotted Liam. A group of nurses and doctors were frantically working on a newly arrived patient. He was in his white coat, having just inserted a breathing tube, and even his profile view made my breath catch. So I thought, even if I could go back in time, I still wouldn’t have been able to push him away that night at the reunion. The moment I saw him, he saw me too. He only gave me a hurried glance for a second before looking away, continuing the resuscitation. He was so busy. I didn’t dare to disturb him, so I just sat on a chair outside, waiting. I’d made up my mind. Even if he rejected me again, I had to get answers. Why had he acted so passionately towards me at the reunion that night, only to deny it afterward? Even if he didn’t acknowledge it, he should at least come with me for the procedure… I didn’t have the money. In the ten minutes I waited for him, I thought of so many possibilities. Each one, I planned out my escape route. But everything crumbled when I opened my Ins, and saw his latest post… “Liam Miller: Six pounds, six ounces. Mother and son are doing well.” My heart lurched violently, as if all the strength had been drained from me. He was married, and he had a child. Born today. No wonder he didn’t acknowledge what happened that night. No wonder he didn’t want the baby.

I found it somewhat laughable. That night, he was drunk, his eyes red, and he asked me, “Are you Skylar Hayes?” I hesitated. “Yes.” But he deflated, looking at me. “No, you’re not.” “Then tell me, what do you want with her?” I asked, smiling. “To collect a debt.” A debt? My smile froze. “What kind of debt?” “An emotional one.” He looked pale and helpless, then added coldly, “No one messes with Liam Miller and gets away with it.” Hearing him talk about an emotional debt, I suddenly lost myself. The next second, he kissed me. I didn’t push him away. Of course, losing control later was partly due to my own indulgence. In the heat of the moment, I thought maybe, just maybe, he still loved me. I don’t know how I ended up in the gynecology department. The whole process was a blur. I just heard the doctor say that my HCG levels were low, my uterine lining was thin, and there was a high risk of miscarriage. The doctor wanted to prescribe me shots to sustain the pregnancy, but I refused. Thinking of Liam’s Ins post, what was there to sustain anymore…? I took a car and went home, crestfallen. My phone suddenly rang. It was an unknown number. “Where are you?” It was Liam. He hadn’t called in six years, but I still recognized his voice immediately. Aloof, cool. “In the car,” I adjusted my breathing, trying to calm down. “You were looking for me just now? What for?” His tone was still arrogant. I paused for a second. “Uh, it’s nothing now.” He was silent on the other end for a while. “Still not giving up? We have no future.” “…Alright, then. I’m hanging up.” I moved to end the call abruptly. But he wouldn’t let me. “I heard from your doctor. Your condition isn’t great. You should still come back for those shots. I’ll talk to the doctor for you. As acquaintances, that’s all I can do.” *Slam!* I hung up the phone. Jerk! Who needed his help? But he sent another text message, furiously asking, “Skylar, why have you become so rude now?” I was livid with indignation. “What do you consider polite? Instead of lecturing me, you should go home and change more diapers!” “?” He sent a single question mark. I couldn’t be bothered to reply. Did he think I was still the Skylar he could manipulate from back then? Back then, if he posted something, I’d meticulously analyze it for ages; When chatting with him, I never dared let his reply be the last; I racked my brain for topics, only for his replies to always be: “Sleeping.” “Going to shower.” “Talk later.” “…” Back home, I lay on my bed, pulled out our old photos, cut them all to shreds, and flushed his face down the toilet. You bastard, go to hell! But tears still streamed down my face, despite myself.

The next morning, I woke up and went back to work. The company transferred me to the marketing department. “Marketing involves visiting stores. It’s tiring, but if you do well, you can earn over ten thousand a month,” the marketing manager told me, painting a rosy picture. The truth was, a colleague in marketing had gone on maternity leave, and they needed a replacement. In their eyes, an older, unmarried woman like me, who didn’t even have a boyfriend, was the ideal candidate for this kind of job. Otherwise, anyone else might turn out to be a ‘mine’ waiting to explode. “Are there any subsidies?” In the adult world, I didn’t believe in rosy pictures; I only cared about money. “Daily transportation and living allowance of $80. If you perform well, your phone bill will be reimbursed too.” “Deal.” $80 a day, $2400 a month. Sending this extra $2400 back to my mom might slow down the rate at which her gray hairs appeared. So, I went from a regular office worker to a small sales manager, constantly rushing between major supermarkets, clocking in, checking merchandise, compiling sales figures… Every day I came home, I was too exhausted to speak. While using the restroom, I noticed a tiny bit of blood. I remembered the doctor’s words and sighed inwardly. The baby was probably gone. But I was sadder than I expected. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. After another weekend, I went to the hospital to book an appointment for a check-up. This time, it was a female doctor named Dr. Avery Stone, quite pretty. “You know Liam Miller? Why didn’t you say so?” Dr. Stone’s sudden warmth made me a bit uncomfortable. “Sort of.” “So, did he have a girlfriend back in school? What type was she?” I froze. Her questions were a bit beyond the patient-doctor relationship. I think I understood: she was interested in Liam. But Liam already had a child; didn’t she know? Could Liam be lying to his colleagues, pretending to be single? What a jerk. “His college girlfriend was very ordinary,” I answered truthfully. “Do you have a picture? I want to see.” She was really persistent. I looked directly at her, letting her look at me for two seconds. Why look at a picture? The person herself is right in front of you. She seemed to forget I was there for a check-up. The thought of Liam, with a family, still pretending to be single at the reunion, and now portraying himself as single at the hospital, made me furious. “Is he married?” I subtly reminded her. “Married?” She was clearly shocked. “I haven’t heard anything about that.” This… “Why would you say that?” Her expression was a bit unnatural. She seemed to think I was lying, and I felt a headache coming on. “Maybe his Ins account was hacked?” I had no choice but to show her the post. She looked at the post, her face paling in shock. “Dr. Miller has a child?” Just as she finished— “Step outside for a moment.” A cold voice sounded behind me. I jumped. Liam?! Oh no, he’ll be furious that I exposed his secret. “Liam, what are you doing here…?” Dr. Stone stood up, a little flustered. I turned around and saw him in his white coat. He looked as dashing as ever, but his face was incredibly dark. “Hurry up, I don’t have time…” He sounded annoyed. I thought about it. Why should I be scared of him? He was the one in the wrong. So I bravely followed him out. He led me to his office. After we entered, he locked the door. My hand went to my arm, a little nervous. “Just talk. Why are you locking the door?” I looked at the lock, feeling a bad premonition. “Don’t want to be disturbed,” he tossed out, then sat down in his office chair. Huh! Still so arrogant, exactly like six years ago. “So, say it.” In that enclosed room, I actually didn’t dare to look at him. “Are you going around telling everyone I have a child?” He lifted his eyes, squinting at me. It made me break out in a cold sweat. “Not ‘everywhere’… I just stated the facts. Besides, Dr. Stone is a really nice person, you shouldn’t lie to people.” He didn’t say a word, his gaze sweeping over my stomach. Why was he looking at my stomach? I quickly pulled my shirt down further. “Heh…” He let out a cold laugh. “Are you really clinging to me? What, your blind date didn’t meet your standards?” Me: ? When did I cling to him? The baby I was talking about wasn’t this baby. Was he crazy? “Don’t flatter yourself,” I said, exasperated. “Skylar, I know you too well. Do you look any different now than you did when you were chasing me back then?” He looked at me, amused. I admit, his words stung. “And?” “Impossible. Your little tricks only worked on the old me. Do you really think, after six years, I’d still fall for them?” He scoffed. “I heard you’re getting married soon. Don’t bother me anymore. Do you want me to give you a wedding gift?” Married? He thought I was looking for a wedding gift? He really got to me. “You actually think you’re as handsome as you were back then? You’re old now, you’ve got wrinkles! Do you really think I’d be interested in a used, old man like you?” I rattled it off in one breath. His smile froze, his face turning even darker. “Skylar, reverse psychology won’t work on me,” he said, getting up and calmly taking off his white coat. “We broke up. Even if we hadn’t, I wouldn’t spoil you rotten.” The atmosphere instantly turned to an impasse. I laughed. When had he ever spoiled me? What a big softie act. “Liam, you’ve got guts.” I smiled, walking towards the door. At the doorway, I remembered something, turned back around. “You’ve got guts, don’t you get drunk and hold onto me, crying and calling my name. That would make me misunderstand you still can’t forget me.” “And your ‘seed’,” I pointed at my stomach. “It’s gone.” He stood there, as if he’d taken a heavy blow. Seeing him upset made me feel incredibly good. After closing the door, I went back to the gynecology department.

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My innocent face was exactly why the Thorne family picked me to marry Landon Thorne. The moment the engagement news broke, Landon Thorne publicly vowed he’d torture me to death if I didn’t call it off. I raised an eyebrow, gave his physique a dismissive once-over, and scoffed, “If you don’t manage to kill me, it just means you’re not man enough!” The day after our engagement was announced, Landon saw me take down countless burly men. His cheeks flushed crimson, and his eyes practically glowed as he stared at me. “Hey, goody-two-shoes, those moves were awesome! Teach me, won’t ya?” I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it. “I don’t teach guys who aren’t man enough.” By the third day of our engagement, Landon was practically bouncing, eager to prove he was indeed ‘man enough,’ and came looking for me. Just as he was about to leave his house, he saw me coming to break off the engagement. “I’m the fake heiress. The new real heiress is super sweet, perfect for Landon Thorne.” With that, I turned and walked away with a flourish. Landon practically skipped after me, insisting he only wanted to marry me. I, utterly disgusted, kicked him away and walked off like he was yesterday’s trash. His ‘precious wife’ was actually ditching him, even trying to hand him over to someone else! No way! He vowed to win her back and prove to her that he *was* man enough!

After calling off the engagement, I returned to the Davis family home. The moment I walked through the door, I saw a scene of joyful family harmony in the living room. “Is the engagement called off? You know everything you have now belongs to Chloe. If she weren’t so kind, you’d be out on the streets already!” My father gently served the girl beside him, speaking without even looking up. “It’s off. I know.” Just as I was about to head upstairs, he called out to me again. I thought he’d ask me to join them for dinner. After all, I hadn’t eaten anything all morning; they’d rushed me to go tell the Thornes that I was the fake heiress. “Chloe needs your room. You’ll just have to crash with Buster for a couple of days until the nanny’s room is cleaned out, then you can move there.” I took a deep breath, forced a bitter smile, and nodded. Sure enough, twenty-something years of supposed love, and it still couldn’t compete with the bond of blood. I turned and walked in the opposite direction, toward Buster’s little mansion. Buster is my German Shepherd. Because I loved him so much, I specifically built him a dog mansion. I never thought that spur-of-the-moment decision would lead to *me* living in a dog mansion. Buster and I lay on the same bed, looking at the piles of luggage nearby, a bitter feeling spreading through my chest. The tenderness and attentiveness my father showed that girl were something I’d never seen from him. With me, he was always so stern. He always told me, ‘You’re a Davis, you should contribute to the Davis family.’ Recalling the scene I’d just witnessed, a sharp ache in my chest made it hard to breathe. So, they *could* care about their daughter, *could* be gentle and protective! Maybe it was because we weren’t bound by blood that they had no qualms about seeing me as a commodity, to be sold to whoever offered the highest price. Lost in thought, a call from my colleague pulled me back to reality. “Captain Hayes, suspect spotted at 99 Green River Road.” “Copy that.” I hung up, sprang to my feet, and ran out. Usually, I’d climb over the wall to avoid questions at this hour. But now that I wasn’t their daughter, they wouldn’t care when I left anymore. My colleague had spotted the suspect inside an upscale bar on Green River Road. The music inside the bar was deafening. To hear anything, we had to lean in close to talk. As my colleague was briefing me, Landon Thorne stormed over. He inexplicably shoved my colleague away and swung his fist toward his face. Just then, my phone vibrated twice. Another colleague had sent the signal. I waved my hand, signaling my team to move. Landon, seeing this, burst into a furious rage. Fearing he’d alert our target, I delivered a swift chop to his neck, knocking him out cold. Before he passed out, I heard his heartbroken murmur, “Harper Hayes, you’re breaking off our engagement for *him*, aren’t you?!” With Landon unconscious, I dragged him into a private room next to the suspect’s. After the suspect was apprehended and taken away, I returned to the room and hoisted Landon over my shoulder. “Typical Captain Hayes, always so tough! Is that your fiancé? He looks a bit weak!” a nearby colleague teased. I shot them a glance, my lips pressed thin. “Don’t talk nonsense. He’s not my fiancé anymore. And hand me a cigarette, I’m out.” My colleague seemed to remember something and slipped a pack into my pocket. “Captain Hayes, some things are better left behind. And try to smoke less.” After saying goodbye to my colleague, I found a nearby hotel and settled Landon there. With my hands free, I lit a cigarette. As I exhaled a cloud of smoke, I remembered how he became my fiancé.

The news of an engagement with a major player from the city’s elite circles had completely blindsided me. Everyone in our circle knew Landon Thorne suffered from severe rage issues. Not long ago, he’d beaten some rich kid into the ICU just because the guy rolled his eyes at him. The guy was still there, barely clinging to life. And I, well, I was pretty much his match. But my parents were lightning fast with their PR, terrified that my true reputation would get out and lower my market value. So, the outside world thought I was a timid, cowardly, easily controlled goody-two-shoes. They say two powerhouses couldn’t coexist. With our personalities, either I’d end up killing him, or he’d end up killing me! But the Thorne family offered so much, my parents didn’t hesitate to push me forward. The day the engagement news spread, my parents lectured me all morning. To make me change my ‘bad habits’ and become a lady, they not only confiscated my treasured possessions and cigarettes but also put a limit on my bank card. I wasn’t the only one unhappy with this engagement. The Thorne heir was even *more* displeased than I was. While I was being driven mad by our etiquette teacher, he was smashing everything in his house over the engagement. I heard five or six house staff were injured, and he didn’t even spare his own father. When I saw that news, I bared my teeth and let out a laugh. The moment I laughed, the etiquette teacher’s ruler smacked my hand. “What kind of laugh was that? You should never show your teeth when you laugh.” I immediately wiped the smile off my face, adopting the prim and proper look of a good girl. My father, watching from the side, looked pleased. He dismissed the etiquette teacher and walked over to me. “Keep that obedient look. The Thorne family chose you because you’re ‘obedient.’” I nodded dismissively. “Go, take these gifts to young Master Thorne. Make a good impression on him. The future of the Davis family completely rests on you.” Make a good impression? Oh, I’d definitely make a ‘good impression’! To get it over with, I promptly sold the expensive gifts my father bought to Landon Thorne’s buddy at a tenth of the price, then had him take me to Landon. He led me to a private room in a bar. The noisy music of the bar couldn’t drown out Landon’s furious shouts. “That old man’s addicted to matchmaking! It’s not enough that he’s meddling in my brother’s marriage, now he’s meddling in mine! Saying he’s found me some ‘goody-two-shoes’ for a wife! Doesn’t he realize I might just play her to death?!” “Tsk, he wants me to go through with this engagement? Fine! Let’s see if I don’t torture her to death!” I pulled open the door to the room and stepped inside, carefully sizing up Landon Thorne. Just a skinny guy, and he thinks he can kill me? “Alright. If you don’t manage to kill me, it means you’re not man enough!” Landon, hearing the challenge to his manliness, grabbed a bottle and lunged to smash it over my head. I sidestepped, picked up a bottle myself, and swung it fiercely towards his forehead. “That’s not a very nice way to say hello!” *CRACK!* Just as the bottle was about to connect with his forehead, it swerved, smashing against the floor instead. Landon clenched his jaw. This was the first time in his life someone had provoked him like this. He raised his fist, ready to strike. The moment he clearly saw my face, his hand froze mid-air. “Is that… you?” Landon’s neck and ears flushed crimson. The man who’d been so violent and ferocious moments ago had transformed in the blink of an eye. “Oops, my bad! Are you okay? Did the bottle hurt your hand? Next time, don’t hit me with a bottle. What if it shatters and cuts you? If you want to hit me, just say the word, and I’ll stand still and let you do whatever you want.” He examined me meticulously from head to toe. Seeing no injuries on me, he let out a sigh of relief. His buddies stared blankly at Landon’s sudden personality shift, then one meekly spoke up. “Uh, Landon, didn’t you just say you were going to play her to death…?” “I was going to play *who* to death? …Wait, is she my fiancée?!” All his buddies nodded. “This is *perfect*! And I never said anything about playing anyone to death! Don’t slander me!” I blinked, momentarily unable to process what was happening. He knew me? And what kind of personality flip was this? He wasn’t going to kill me if I married him? What was going on? Remembering all this, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. His face changed faster than a chameleon, almost like he’d studied method acting. It was… entertaining. The way he’d desperately tried to avoid our engagement was still so clear in my mind. Now, it seemed he was getting exactly what he wished for. After settling him in, I stood up to leave. But a burning hot hand gripped my arm tightly.

“Please, don’t go!” A whimpering sound, like a small, distressed animal, came from Landon. Trapped in a nightmare, he mumbled incoherently. He looked exactly like Buster did when he was a puppy. I instinctively patted Landon’s head, trying to make him settle down. Only after I did it did I remember he wasn’t a dog. Good thing he was still unconscious, or with his temper, he’d probably throw a fit. Suddenly, a strong pull on my wrist sent me tumbling onto the bed, caught off guard. Landon let out a muffled grunt as I landed on him. His eyelashes fluttered. I lay sprawled on top of him, and where our skin touched, there was an intense, burning heat. Perhaps it was nervousness, or maybe guilt, but my heart started beating inexplicably fast. Something hard pressed against my hip, jolting me out of my daze. “What’s that?” I muttered, reaching down to move whatever was digging into my left hip. The moment my hand touched it, the person beneath me went incredibly rigid, and the heat beneath my palm was astonishing. When I realized what I had touched, I instinctively recoiled, a flush of heat rushing straight up to my ears. “Harper, I told you I was man enough! Are you… satisfied with what you touched…?” Landon had woken up at some point, and his warm breath caressed my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I sprang to my feet, backing away several steps, my words stumbling out in embarrassment. “You, you, you… when did you wake up?” At my question, Landon clearly looked uncomfortable. His face was beet red, practically dripping blood. The man who’d been speaking so smoothly just moments ago was now stammering. “Just, just now… yeah, just now, when you landed on me!” Normally, I could see through his lies in a second, but at that moment, I had no mind to try and read the micro-expressions on his face. “Oh, I see. Well, um, sorry, I didn’t mean to. Anyway, I have something to do, so I’m heading out.” I admit, running away might be shameful, but I was afraid if I stayed another second, he’d ask something else. To be safe, it was better to retreat. Landon watched my retreating back, a part of his heart sinking. He pulled out his phone and opened his photo album. The woman’s silhouette in the album overlapped with the person who had just left. He’d taken that photo in a desolate wilderness in the Mojave Desert. His companions had deliberately abandoned him, driving away and leaving him alone on an empty road. He didn’t know how long he’d walked. The sky had turned pitch black, and sand swirled violently ahead. He thought he would die there. In his despair, a hand reached out to him. “Hey, get in. It’s not safe out here.” The woman’s melodious yet serious voice descended upon his world like a savior. He stared blankly as she pulled him into the vehicle. The SUV sped across the desolate highway, only the woman’s stern admonishments filling his ears. “Who gave you the guts to cross the Mojave Desert without permission? Are you thrill-seekers trying to get yourselves killed?!” “Do you have any idea that if I’d been a minute later, that tornado up ahead would’ve taken your life…?” The woman said a lot, and though he didn’t hear a single word, her voice and face were deeply etched into his mind. For the first time in over twenty years, his heart pounded violently for a girl. He was taken to a remote ranger station in the desert. After getting out of the car, he was left behind by the woman. It was then that he took that photo. He still remembered what everyone there called her: “Officer Hayes.” After that mission, I moved out of the Davis family home. As the Davis family watched me pull my suitcase away, my father off-handedly remarked,

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Ten years after my college classmate died, I was dragged into a group chat. The group announcement read: Thirty days from now, welcome back to our alma mater for the class reunion. 1. Please attend with a black rose. 2. Anyone who tries to leave this city will die. 3. Anyone who doesn’t come will die. 4. Anyone who loses their rose will die. Thirty days later would be Rosalie’s tenth death anniversary. **1** I picked up my phone, staring at the cryptic group chat. I figured it was some old classmate’s prank and tried to type a question, only to find that all members were muted. I tapped on the black rose profile picture. “Cannot add user as friend.” I tried to leave the group. “Cannot exit.” What… what kind of tech was this? *Ding-dong.* The doorbell rang. I walked out of my study, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the gate of my mansion. Someone was here, this late? I checked the security feed. At the tall iron gate, a single black rose lay on the ground. “Please attend with a black rose.” The group announcement flashed in my mind. *Beep beep~* A private message popped up. I checked it. It was Marcus Green, that old buddy—he was the only one who still kept in touch with me. He was in the group, too. “Alex, what’s going on with that group?” “Did you get that flower too?” “Is it… is she back for revenge?” He sent a string of frantic voice messages, clearly terrified. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Don’t overthink it. It’s probably just a prank.” I didn’t take it too seriously, casually arranging my collectible tea set. “Just chill. Let’s see how it plays out.” After a moment’s thought, I called my housekeeper to bring the rose inside. My busy life continued. My company had several big deals to close, so I didn’t have time to focus excessively on this. The group remained silent. None of the busy “elites” seemed to take it seriously either. **2** Ten days later, Marcus suddenly called me, his voice trembling with terror. “Alex, this is bad! Really bad! Liam White is dead!” I frowned, trying to pull up his name from my mental Rolodex of contacts. “Liam White? How did he die?” “He was on a business trip to another city. On his way to the airport, he was hit head-on by a huge truck and died instantly. They say… his head was severed on impact, flying dozens of feet.” This was the first one. Someone who died for trying to leave the city. “Anyone who tries to leave this city will die.” Maybe it was a coincidence. I tried to reassure Marcus, and myself. I opened the group chat. One person was missing—the count went from 21 to 20. Liam White was gone. **3** The next week showed me this wasn’t just a coincidence. Two more people died in the group. A female classmate, Sarah Miller, whose father was critically ill back home and wanted to see her one last time. She definitely had to go back. But as she was heading to the elevator with her suitcase, the elevator malfunctioned and plunged 28 floors. She died instantly. Another male classmate, Kevin Baker, whose mischievous daughter played with the black rose and then presumably lost it. He was electrocuted in the shower at home. The group count dropped from 21 to 18. My irritation flared. I drove back to my mansion, placed the black rose in a safe, and told my secretary to cancel all my business trips. **4** Marcus came over to my place. He was terrified. He wanted to stay with me for the next two weeks, and I didn’t refuse. “Alex! Wow! I knew you were doing well, but I had no idea you were *this* successful!” He parked his car on my private driveway and gaped in amazement. I humbly replied, “Oh, it’s nothing. Everyone’s doing great.” It was true. Everyone pulled into that group chat was now a successful professional in their respective fields. That evening, we drank red wine and talked about old times. “Alex, maybe we should call the police?” Marcus’s dark eyes stared at me intently. I pondered for a moment, then shook my head. “No. If we call the police, they’ll reopen the investigation into what happened ten years ago.” Marcus took a sip of wine and chuckled. “Right. It would be a hassle, especially since Rosalie’s death is linked to all of us…” “Shut up!” I snapped, completely unlike my usual nice-guy persona, cutting him off. Rosalie. She was our classmate who died ten years ago. She was a girl as bright and beautiful as a rose. **5** For the next few days, no one else disappeared from the group, meaning no one else died. Every time I came back to the mansion after work, I saw Marcus on the phone, seemingly contacting the others in the group. Well, he was always a social butterfly back in college. The next day, I saw a petite figure in my mansion—my ex-girlfriend, Valerie Reed. She was in the group too. But we hadn’t had any contact since graduating college. “Alex, Marcus called me. I saw the group, and people dying, I was so scared… Don’t get the wrong idea.” She looked at me with that pitiable expression, a look both familiar and strange. My mansion had plenty of rooms, and having one more person for a few days was no big deal. I shrugged indifferently. Soon, it was time for the reunion at our alma mater. But before we left, my safe was gone—the safe containing the black rose. **6** We had to leave soon, there was no time to check the security footage. I looked at Marcus’s fawning face and Valerie’s gentle smile, a chill running through me. Someone was setting me up. They wanted me dead. **截断点** “Alex, what’s wrong?” Seeing my grim face, Marcus asked with concern. I glared at them both. “My rose is gone. The one in the safe.” “What? Oh no, what are we going to do?” Valerie also sounded agitated. I gritted my teeth. “Let’s just go.” Going would mean death, but so would not going. Might as well go and find out what was going on. The three of us walked towards the parking area. Suddenly, a massive shadow plunged down… “Ah!” Marcus, who was walking behind us, let out a short, sharp cry of pain, then fell silent. The scent of blood filled the air. I turned my head. A thick lamppost had fallen, landing squarely on Marcus. His head was crushed. He died instantly… The mansion’s security quickly ran over, calling the police. I staggered back two steps. It should have been me who died. “Alex, you should thank me. Last night, Marcus stole your safe. Luckily, I found out in advance and swapped his rose into your safe. So, what he threw into the furnace to burn was his own flower.” Valerie smiled, as if seeking praise, her eyes curving sweetly. She casually pulled two flowers from her large bag and handed one to me. **7** There were 17 people left in the group, including the group admin. Valerie and I returned to our alma mater. It was summer break, so the school was empty. Strangely, the main gate was open, and there were no security guards. Having witnessed Marcus’s death, my mood was heavy. “Those four people who died, they all did something terrible to Rosalie, didn’t they? Alex, who do you think is next?” Valerie asked softly, sending a shiver down my arm. This was a revenge plot. Today was Rosalie’s death anniversary. When we arrived at the classroom, it was already full of people. Marcus’s death had delayed us a bit. Dozens of eyes stared at us from the doorway, filled with fear, exhaustion, surprise, or indifference. *Beep beep beep…* Countless phones suddenly chimed. The black rose profile picture appeared. A group message. “Welcome, 16 classmates, to this year’s class reunion, on time.” “Next, let’s play a game of Truth or Dare.” “Each student must confess a wicked deed they committed against Rosalie during college, and others will vote by raising their hands. The person with the least severe offense will die.” 1. Do not lie. 2. Do not attempt to leave. 3. Do not disrupt the game. This was terrifying! We had to tell the truth, confess our gravest sins, and then be judged by others! The person at the bottom, the one whose mistake was deemed the least severe, would pay with their life! Who among us wasn’t someone important, someone with a reputation?! Now, everyone would be forced to confess their absolute worst sins… This was a test of human nature. Who exactly was behind this black rose profile picture? **8** “I’m not playing! I’m not playing! I’m going home!” A skinny guy, Mitch Evans, suddenly stood up and ran wildly out of the classroom. As soon as he ran out the door, a tortured shriek echoed. His throat seemed to be clutched by something unseen. We rushed to the doorway to look. He was writhing, kneeling in the hallway, his hands desperately clutching his own throat, eyes bulging. He actually strangled himself to death! “Ah!” The more timid female classmates screamed. Valerie clung to my arm, trembling all over. Now, no one dared to leave. There were 16 people left in the group. **9** “Are we just going to leave Mitch there?” Back in the classroom, a man with thick brows, Julian North, questioned us unhappily.

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