Category: English

For her first birthday after marriage, Riley had saved every spare penny from her part-time delivery job for six months to buy her husband, Julian, a tie. It was a beautiful light smoke-gray, absolutely perfect. She planned to hide it at the bottom of the closet and surprise him when he came home that night. But instead, at the very bottom of the closet, she found a marriage certificate. The photo on the certificate was still a picture of her and Julian. But his name had an extra initial in front: J. Julian. And the woman’s name was Chloe, her twin sister. Sounds came from outside, Julian seemed to be back. Someone else was with him, probably his assistant. Riley hid in the closet and listened to their conversation. “Mr. Fuentes, the handbag Miss Chloe liked while shopping today? I’ve already arranged to have it delivered to her home. We told her she was a lucky winner chosen during the mall’s anniversary sale, and the bag was her prize.” Julian nodded. “Well done.” “Mr. Fuentes, I don’t quite understand. If you like Miss Chloe so much, why not just reveal your identity and confess directly? Why go undercover and pursue her twin sister first?” Julian’s voice sounded a little desolate. “Chloe has rejected me ninety-nine times, but I can’t let her go. I will only ever love her. As for Riley… she looks eighty percent like Chloe. I just wanted to use her to take the wedding photo on the marriage certificate. Chloe’s ID was used for the actual registration.” “You truly are devoted to Miss Chloe. Even after being rejected so many times, you still find a way to be with her.” Julian’s voice turned dark. “Even if I can’t win her heart, I won’t let her marry another man. She can only be mine!” “So, you disguised your identity to make it easier to escape later?” “Exactly,” Julian said. “I’ll accrue massive debts under the name Julian, so Riley will have no choice but to let go.” That night, Riley stayed in the closet, not coming out. She clutched the marriage certificate, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. So, she was just a tool, used by Julian in his ruthless pursuit. From the very beginning, he had only loved Chloe. All that talk about him being a slave to the corporate grind earning only four thousand a month, or not being able to afford a proper wedding ceremony or flowers – it was all a lie! He was the heir to the colossal Fuentes Group empire, wealthy beyond imagination. What couldn’t he afford? He hid his identity and skipped the wedding because she wasn’t the woman he truly wanted to marry! She wasn’t worthy! The next morning, Riley went straight to the department store and returned the tie. Then, she bought a plane ticket. The staff member asked her, “Ma’am, where would you like to fly?” Riley handed her all the refund money. “See how far this can get me. Just pick the furthest destination possible.” Soon, she received a text message confirming her ticket. Seven days later, her flight would depart for Nigeria. She looked it up on the map. It was a small country in Africa. Perfect. Africa was far enough. When she got home, the lights were off. Julian didn’t seem to be awake yet. Just as she was about to unlock the door with her key, she heard a sound from inside. Julian was holding a woman’s hair tie, kissing it frantically against his lips. “Chloe… Chloe… good girl, I love you…” At the same time, his hand moved rhythmically below, until he found his release. Round after round, he seemed tireless, continuing for a full three hours. Riley waited outside the door for three hours. Only when the sounds completely ceased did she push the door open and step inside. Julian saw her, and the intoxicated look on his face instantly morphed into indifference. “Where have you been? Why weren’t you home all morning?” Riley opened a window to air out the room, letting the heavy, cloying scent of stale desire dissipate. She and Julian had been “married” for over half a year, but Julian had never touched her. Several times, she had tried to be intimate, but Julian would merely push her away gently. “I’m exhausted from work. I don’t have the energy for anything else. You should rest. I’ll sleep on the couch.” At first, she genuinely believed he was just a corporate drone overworked by a soulless company, so she didn’t mind and even felt bad for him. But now that the truth was out, she finally understood the reason for his coldness all these years. It was all just an excuse. Riley said, “The supermarket on the west side of town had a sale on groceries this morning, so I went to queue for it.” Julian looked at her empty hands, puzzled. “Then where are the groceries?” **Chapter 2** Riley said, “I accidentally tripped on the way back. The groceries were crushed, so I threw them away.” Julian simply hummed in response, saying nothing else. Riley asked, “Aren’t you going to ask if I got hurt when I fell?” Julian snapped, “So, did you get hurt?” “No, I’ll just take care of it myself.” Julian frowned, a hint of impatience in his voice. “I’m already incredibly busy and tired. Don’t keep testing if I still love you. It’s really annoying.” Riley let out a bitter laugh. A woman’s intuition is rarely wrong. Ever since they got married, she had constantly doubted whether he truly loved her. So, she would often test him. But now she understood: if she doubted, it meant he didn’t love her. Riley said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do these pointless tests anymore.” Julian’s expression finally softened. “Good. Just remember that. Don’t keep bothering me.” I will remember. Because in seven days, I’ll be gone from your world forever. You don’t need to cook up some massive debt to drive me away. I’ll leave on my own. I won’t cling to you. “Julian, tomorrow’s the weekend. Will you come shopping with me? I want to buy my father a birthday gift.” Julian frowned irritably. “No time. I have to work overtime.” “Chloe will be there too.” As expected, at the mention of Chloe’s name, Julian conceded. “Since it’s for my father-in-law’s gift, then as a son-in-law, I suppose I should make an appearance.” Saturday morning, she and Julian went to the department store. Chloe waved at them from a distance. “Sister, brother-in-law, we’re over here—!” Julian immediately turned his back, not letting Chloe or their parents see his face. He whispered to Riley, “You go ahead and shop. I’m going to the restroom.” Then he hurried away. Chloe quickly ran over, affectionately linking her arm through Riley’s. “Sister, why did brother-in-law run off again? Since you two got married, Mom and Dad and I still haven’t seen what he looks like.” Riley offered a faint smile and said, “You’ll see him eventually.” When I’m gone, he’ll definitely take you by force, bring you home, and lock you up. Then, even if you don’t want to see him, he’ll force you to. As for these in-laws, he’ll probably be eager to claim them as his own. Chloe linked her arm through their father’s, coaxing, “Dad, what gift do you want? I’ll buy it for you! I’ve been making money tutoring lately!” Their mother quickly interjected, “You’re still in school, where would you get the money? Your thoughtfulness is enough. Let your sister buy it.” After that, her mother specifically turned to Riley. “Your sister has been tutoring lately and her little face has gotten so thin from exhaustion. As the older sister, you should feel for her. The money for your father’s gift should come from you.” Riley actually wanted to ask. If Chloe was tired from tutoring, was she not tired from working as a delivery driver? And she was only born one minute before her sister. Did that mean she had to tolerate and support everything about her sister? Why? Her father saw that she didn’t immediately answer and instantly rebuked her. “It’s just a bit of your money, and you’re acting so unwilling. How much did I spend raising you? You can’t even bear to buy a gift. You’re truly selfish, a heartless ingrate!” Chloe feigned concern, crying, “Oh, Mom and Dad, don’t talk about Sister like that. Sister didn’t say she wouldn’t buy it. Come on, let’s go pick out a gift! Sister is the most filial. As long as Dad likes it, she’ll definitely buy it, right, Sister?” Her father glared fiercely at Riley, but when he turned to Chloe, his expression immediately softened into a doting smile. “Our Chloe is the most filial and sensible one.” “Dad, when I start working, I’ll buy you anything you want!” “Oh, my sweet girl, Dad doesn’t need you to buy gifts. As long as you’re healthy and happy, that’s enough. Just buy things for yourself with your money.” Her father, mother, and Chloe walked ahead, browsing and picking things out, like a happy family of three. Riley walked behind them, ignored by everyone, spoken to by no one, as if she were merely an attendant responsible for paying today. Her father picked out a watch and gestured to her. “Riley, I think this one’s good.” Riley glanced at the price. A Tudor watch. While not an excessively luxurious brand, even the lowest-end model cost at least twenty to thirty thousand. Almost all her money had gone towards buying the plane ticket; she didn’t have much cash left. She said, “Dad, why don’t you look at something else? There are plenty of other stores ahead…” “Just say you don’t want to buy it! What kind of excuse is that? I like this one. Are you buying it or not?!” Chloe started to tear up. “Dad, maybe I can get another part-time job and save up to buy it for you…” Just then, the manager of the watch store walked out with a beaming smile. “You must be Miss Chloe, correct?” Chloe nodded. “Yes, but how do you know me?” The manager was overly flattering. “Your friend just instructed us that anything in our mall today, anything you and your family like, you can take with you. He’ll take care of the bill! Sir, you like this watch, right? I’ll have someone wrap it up for you immediately!” **Chapter 3** Her parents’ eyes lit up with surprise. “Chloe, when did you get such a rich friend?” Chloe’s face flushed. “I… I don’t know either.” Just then, a commotion erupted downstairs. It turned out the mall’s entire security team had been deployed, clearing the entire place in moments. The entire mall was now serving only the Miller family. A man who looked like an assistant approached, speaking to Chloe with great respect and politeness. “Miss Chloe, my master has instructed that today, you should simply browse with Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Just tell me what you like, and I’ll carry it for you.” Chloe asked, “Sir, please, what is your master’s name?” The assistant smiled. “Apologies, Miss Chloe, but my master said it’s not yet convenient for you to know his true identity. Once he handles a few matters, he will naturally come to meet you.” Riley watched from the side, a subtle ache in her heart. Handle a few matters? It was probably about divorcing her. No, that wasn’t right. They hadn’t even truly registered their marriage. The registration was done with Chloe. Even their “marriage” was a sham. He just needed to “dispose” of her, then he could reveal his true identity and, with the actual marriage certificate, present himself to his in-laws. Chloe nodded, seemingly understanding, yet not. “Oh, okay. If it’s inconvenient for him, then I won’t ask.” The assistant added, “Mr. and Mrs. Miller can also choose freely. Our master said that since you are Miss Chloe’s parents, you are also his elders, and it is right for him to show you respect.” Her father pointed to a watch in the nearby store. “Even something this expensive?” “Of course.” With a wave of the assistant’s hand, the watch store manager immediately ordered, “Hurry, wrap up all the watches in our store! Mr. Miller can wear a different one every day!” Her mother also became excited, asking, “Chloe, I also need a handbag to match my outfits…” Upon hearing this, the assistant immediately said, “Ma’am, I’ve arranged for all brands of handbags in the mall today to be delivered to your home. You can take your time choosing.” “All of them? How much would that cost?!” “Money is no object. If you like the bags, keep them. If not, just throw them away.” “Oh, we couldn’t possibly!” “My master and Miss Chloe are friends. As long as Miss Chloe is happy, he is happy.” Chloe acted coy, asking, “Sir, is there anything I can do for this friend? I can’t just take so many valuable things for free.” The assistant said, “Miss Chloe, you are truly just as our master described: pure of heart and untouched by greed. How about this? Please give me your hair clip. I’ll pass it on to my master as your thank-you gift.” Chloe nodded, took off the hair clip from her head, and handed it to the assistant. She said, “This way, it’s a fair exchange. I can accept the gifts with a clear conscience.” Fair exchange? Julian was spending a fortune, and she was returning a cheap trinket from a street vendor. Was that considered a fair exchange? It just goes to show, when someone’s adored like that, they act like they own the world. Whether it was a hair tie or a hair clip, as long as it belonged to Chloe, Julian treated it like a priceless treasure. Chloe leaned playfully against Riley, cooing, “Sister, I’ve already bought Mom and Dad gifts. What about you?” Riley had noticed a scarf in the distance. The price was reasonable, and the pattern was beautiful. It was a branded item, over three thousand, and she had enough money to pay for it. “Dad, do you like that scarf?” Before her father could speak, the assistant said with a strained smile, “Miss Riley, our master said that everything in this mall today already belongs to Miss Chloe, including that scarf.” Riley chuckled, but it was humorless. “Your master isn’t leaving me even one item?” “That’s right. He only cares about Miss Chloe being happy. Everyone else, he can’t be bothered with.” Great. “Can’t be bothered with,” indeed. Julian, you certainly draw a clear line between those you favor and those you don’t! When it was time to leave, the assistant respectfully ushered her parents and Chloe into a car and drove them home. When it was Riley’s turn, the assistant held out a hand to block her. “I’m sorry, Miss Riley, but there’s no more room in the car. You’ll have to find your own way back.” Chloe murmured, “Sir, let Sister come in. She can squeeze in with me.” “Miss Chloe, my master instructed that no one is to make you uncomfortable. If you’re squeezed, he’ll punish me when we get back.” Chloe nodded regretfully. “Oh, alright then. Sister, I guess you’ll have to take the bus then~” Riley stood rooted to the spot, watching their car drive away. Besides the assistant personally driving her parents and Chloe, there was a line of black sedans following behind, at least twenty or thirty of them, all carrying the bodyguards who had just cleared the mall. Every car had empty seats, but without Julian’s permission, no one dared to give her a ride. Riley let out a bitter laugh. Oh well. She’d be leaving soon anyway, so what was the point of dwelling on it? She turned and started walking towards the bus stop. But suddenly, several figures rushed out from behind her, clamping their hands over her mouth and nose. “What are you doing— mmmph…” **Chapter 4** When Riley woke up, she didn’t know how much time had passed. She had been taken to a desolate forest, where the roars of wild animals echoed around her. Several men stood before her. The scarred leader raised a hand and slapped her across the face, asking fiercely, “You’re Julian’s wife, aren’t you?” Riley looked up, frowning. “Who are you?” “Let me tell you, that Julian kid owes us a huge sum of money, and you’re going to pay it back for him!” Riley chuckled. Massive debts. So this was where that was leading. The scarred man slapped her again. “What are you laughing at?! Didn’t you hear me?! You’re his wife, you have to pay his debt! Otherwise, we’ll sell you to the lowest-class brothel, where you’ll wish for death but never find it!” What was she laughing at? Julian, oh Julian, to force me to leave, you’re actually making the act this realistic? I know you couldn’t wait. You used me to take wedding photos, and you registered the marriage with Chloe’s ID. My usefulness has run out. You’re desperate to kick me out so you can rightfully be with Chloe! If that’s the case, I’ll grant your wish. She chuckled softly and asked, “Are you also going to say that if I leave Julian and have no more ties to him, I won’t have to pay his debt?” The scarred man was stunned by the question, but still said, “Exactly! As long as you have nothing to do with him, we naturally won’t come looking for you for the debt.” “Good,” Riley said coldly. “Go back and tell him that from today, from this very moment, I, Riley Miller, have absolutely nothing to do with him! May God strike me down if I go back on my word!” … When Riley returned home, it was already midnight. Julian still had a sour expression. “Didn’t you ask me to go pick out a gift with you? I went to the restroom for a minute, and you were gone. Where did you go?” Riley looked at him talking to himself and just wanted to laugh. “You know exactly where I was, don’t you?” Julian still insisted, “I can’t read your mind, how would I possibly know?” There were no buses at midnight. She had walked all the way back from the forest. Her feet were blistered from the walk. Julian frowned. “How did you get into this state?” Riley said, “None of your business. Go about your own.” “I’m your husband. If you’re hurt, I should at least ask.” Riley looked up. “Are you my husband?” “…” You’re not my husband. You’re Chloe’s. She took a deep breath, shaking her head with a faint smile. “Julian, someone kidnapped me today and said you owe a lot of money, and I have to pay it back for you.” Julian admitted it quickly. “I do owe a lot of money. I don’t want to drag you down, so… perhaps we should separate.” “Alright,” Riley readily agreed. “I told the kidnappers I’d cut ties with you. I hope they won’t come looking for me anymore.” Julian said, “Don’t worry, they won’t.” But no sooner had he spoken than the front door was kicked open from outside. Over a dozen men in black stormed in, quickly pinning Riley to the ground. “Don’t move! This is a robbery!” A robber pressed a gun against the back of Riley’s head and shouted fiercely at Julian, “You! Find all the bank cards in the house and tell me the passwords, or I’ll blow your wife’s brains out!” Julian’s expression turned cold. “Alright, I’ll get them.” But the next second, his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, he almost erupted with joy. “Chloe! You finally called me on your own!” On the other end of the line, Chloe still maintained a haughty tone. “…The library suddenly had a power outage, and I’m scared of the dark. Can you come pick me up?” “Okay, I’ll be right there.” With that, he turned and walked away. Even the robbers were stunned. “Stop! Are you going to call the police? If you take one more step outside, I’ll shoot immediately!” Bang— A gunshot rang out. Julian seemed not to have heard it at all, vanishing from sight in an instant. **Chapter 5** When Riley woke up again, she was in a hospital. Outside her door, a young nurse was whispering. “Did you see that guy in the VIP room? He’s so handsome!” “And he’s incredibly sweet to his girlfriend. She just twisted her ankle in the dark, and he’s called in all the famous doctors from the whole city!” “But I think his girlfriend treats him pretty badly, ordering him around like he’s her personal servant, yet he seems happy about it.” “Sigh, that girl has such good fortune, unlike this one in room 502, who almost died and has no one even visiting her…” Riley felt an intense pain in her shoulder, making her hiss. The robber’s aim must have been bad; it didn’t hit a vital organ, so she was lucky to survive. She got out of bed and struggled to the door. She happened to see Julian passing by, supporting Chloe. Chloe pushed him away in disgust. “Don’t touch me. I can walk on my own.” “No, your ankle is newly twisted. I’m worried.” With that, he scooped Chloe up into his arms and quickly walked away. Chloe’s face turned red, and she playfully punched his chest with a small fist in his arms. “What are you doing? I only asked you to pick me up. I haven’t agreed to be your girlfriend yet.” “You’ll agree eventually, because you’re already my wi—” Chloe blinked. “Your what?” Julian chuckled. “Nothing. I meant, you’ll always be mine. You can’t escape.” Riley retreated back into her hospital room, tears silently streaming down her face. In the afternoon, Julian finally came to visit. He stood, looking down at her. “I heard from the doctor. You weren’t hit in a vital spot. You’ll be fine after some rest.” Riley just hummed in response. “Last night, I had some urgent work. I couldn’t not go.” “I know,” Riley said coldly. “I want to sleep for a bit. You can go.” Julian didn’t waste a second, immediately turning and leaving. Urgent work? What kind of urgent work could be more important than a person’s life? Julian’s excuse was too flimsy, but Riley was too tired to care. She opened her phone and checked the calendar. Only three days left until her departure. In her current state, she definitely couldn’t get to the airport on her own. She needed someone to help. So, she called her best friend, Harper. Harper readily agreed. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you when the time comes.” That afternoon, her father called her. “Your sister won an award in her aerobics competition this time. Come back for dinner with us.” Riley said, “Dad, I’m injured. I’m still in the hospital…” “You’re not dead, are you? What’s a little injury? You have to come back tonight, or I’ll have no daughter!” That evening, Riley dragged her weakened body back home. Her mother had prepared a huge table full of dishes. Her father had called friends and relatives, and dozens of people filled the house, making it lively and boisterous. Chloe, dressed in a pure white dress, looked like a little princess. She was receiving praises and compliments from everyone. “Did Chloe win first prize in her aerobics competition?” Her father laughed heartily. “Even though it was just a participation award, Chloe worked very hard. Unlike her sister, who, despite being a twin, is so unremarkable. She’s truly an embarrassment to me.” Riley stood by, silent as a wooden statue. She was the one who had gotten into an Ivy League school, while her sister only got into a community college. But their family was struggling financially and couldn’t afford for both of them to go to college. Her parents said that since she was the older sister, she should go directly to work and give the opportunity to study to her younger sister. Riley agreed. She worked hard, earning money, and almost all her wages went to Chloe as pocket money. Yet, she still couldn’t earn a single word of praise from her parents. It was as if her being an older sister meant it was her natural duty to always defer to and uplift her sister. While she was lost in thought, a loud, clear voice rang out from the doorway. “Mr. Julian Fuentes, CEO of the Fuentes Group, sends his congratulations and gifts to Miss Chloe Miller on her award—!” **Chapter 6** Max, the assistant, entered with a team of people, each carrying priceless gifts. A complete set of emerald jewelry from the British Royal Collection; An entire season’s worth of haute couture gowns, hand-stitched by renowned designers; A famous calligrapher’s special inscription for Chloe, “Ode to Chloe’s Unique Spirit,” in elegant brushstrokes; And countless antique vases, coral, and agate. Finally, Max personally presented a set of keys. He said, “Mr. Fuentes has purchased a private jet and a private yacht for Miss Chloe. Both are adorned with Miss Chloe’s photos and are exclusively for her use.” All the relatives and friends were stunned. “The Fuentes Group? Isn’t that the largest publicly traded company in the city?” “Oh my goodness, the CEO of the Fuentes Group personally sending gifts to Chloe? Chloe is going to be the CEO’s wife one day!” Immediately, everyone in the room began to fawn over Chloe. They competed to heap even more compliments on her. Chloe’s face flushed as she shyly said, “Auntie, don’t talk nonsense. I don’t even know the Fuentes CEO.” Her aunt chuckled. “You don’t know him, and he’s sending you all these gifts? He definitely likes you.” Another older woman chimed in, “Yes, Chloe. When you become the CEO’s wife, don’t forget to help your cousins out.” “Oh, nothing’s set in stone yet…” Max, the assistant, stood nearby and announced loudly for all to hear, “Miss Chloe, Mr. Fuentes asked me to tell you: if you simply nod your head, tomorrow he will arrive with flowers and the most lavish, fairy-tale wedding to take you home!” … Riley stood alone in the corner, feeling utterly disgusted. She went outside for some fresh air. She didn’t know how long she stood there, chilled to the point of numbness. Suddenly, Chloe’s voice came from behind her. “Sister, it must be painful for you to see everyone liking me and revolving around me, isn’t it?” Everyone else was inside; currently, only the two sisters were in the yard. Chloe had shed her “good girl” facade, and her smile turned malicious. “But there’s nothing you can do. I’m just more likable than you. Not only Mom and Dad like me…” She leaned closer to Riley’s ear. “Even your husband is my simp.” Riley hadn’t intended to argue with her, until she heard that last sentence. “…You know Julian’s true identity?” “Of course. He’s the CEO of the Fuentes Group! If I can marry him, I’ll be the envied Mrs. Fuentes! But I know that to make a man devoted, you can’t make it too easy for him. So I’ve been rejecting him, but every now and then, I give him a little hope. This push and pull makes him utterly obsessed with me…” Chloe held Riley’s hand and continued, “Oh, by the way, Sister, you didn’t know this, did you? When we were little, Mom and Dad thought you stole money and beat you terribly, and from then on, they hated you. That money was actually stolen by me, and I secretly put it in your backpack…” That stealing incident was the root cause of her parents’ change in attitude. Her parents found the money in her backpack, and no matter how she tried to explain, they were convinced she stole it. From then on, they started to detest her and instead pampered and adored Chloe. So, everything, absolutely everything, had been Chloe’s doing! The long-suppressed anger finally erupted in an instant. Riley raised her hand to slap her. But before her hand could land, Chloe herself collapsed to the ground. She clutched her face, crying, “Sister, it’s all my fault! I’ll never do it again, boo hoo hoo…” Her cries drew everyone from inside. Her mother clutched Chloe, glaring furiously at Riley. Her father directly laid hands on her. Slap! Slap! Slap! He slapped Riley three times. “You’re out of your mind! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter?!” Riley demanded sharply, “Am I not your daughter too?!” “I don’t have a daughter as rotten to the core as you! You’re inherently wicked! I wish I’d strangled you at birth. I only consider myself to have given birth to one child, Chloe!” Slap! Her father delivered another slap, making Riley’s ears ring. He pointed furiously towards the door. “Get out! From now on, I have no daughter like you!” Riley scrambled up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of her lip, and sneered. “Even if you weren’t kicking me out, I wouldn’t want to stay here anymore. This place makes me sick!” Turning to leave, she collided head-on with a sharply dressed Julian, who was just arriving. She sneered. “So, you’re finally willing to show your true face?” **Chapter 7** Julian coldly glanced at her and asked, “Which hand did you use to hit Chloe?” “I didn’t even touch her! She fell down herself! Ah—!” Julian grabbed her throat, grinding his teeth, eyes wide with fury. “How dare you touch Chloe! You’re asking to die!” The men in black behind him quickly moved, several burly figures pinning her down tightly and dragging her into a car. The vehicle bumped along for a long time until she was taken to a desolate, uninhabited area. A sharp pain shot through her knee as she was kicked, forcing her to her knees. A pair of black leather shoes appeared in her line of sight. Julian looked down at her from above, like a devil from hell. “I was going to leave you one hand, but since you won’t talk, you won’t need either!” Riley’s hands were pinned to the ground by the men in black, and a thick, long steel nail was immediately driven into her palm. “Ah!” Then, the other side. Excruciating pain flooded her senses, and Riley nearly fainted from it. Julian said, “Riley, you two are twins, but it’s always been you, the older sister, who received all the parents’ affection. Chloe has always tolerated and yielded to you since childhood, so why do you still bully her?!” Riley endured the intense pain, twisting her lips. “I bullied her? Is that what she told you?” “Riley, Chloe is my bottom line.” “So, what then, Mr. Fuentes? Are you planning to get revenge for her?” Julian said, “I never explained my identity to you before, so you probably don’t know my temper. Riley, all the suffering Chloe has endured since childhood, you’ll have to repay tenfold, a hundredfold!” Before leaving, he instructed the men in black: “Don’t touch her face, but I don’t want to see an inch of good skin anywhere else.” “Yes, sir!” Not touching her face—was it because her face looked almost identical to Chloe’s? Julian, oh Julian, when you find out about her schemes, will you still love her so blindly? A searing, tearing pain simultaneously erupted from every part of her body. The men in black held glowing red branding irons, pressing them fiercely onto every inch of her skin. The excruciating agony made her instinctively writhe and roll. But with her hands nailed to the ground, she had no escape. … Riley didn’t know how long she had been unconscious. She was woken by a villager who happened to be passing by. He said, “It’s been raining for two days and two nights now. How did you end up lying here, covered in injuries?” So, two days and two nights had already passed. Today must be her flight day. Seven days went by so fast. The kind villager handed her his phone. “Do you want to call your family?” Family? She shook her head with a bitter smile. “I don’t have a family anymore.” She called Harper. Harper immediately drove over when she heard Riley was in that remote place. But Riley’s condition still made her gasp in shock. She was covered in injuries—burns, whip marks, stab wounds, all overlapping. Because she had been soaked in the rain, all her wounds had reopened, and blood stained the ground. Harper immediately burst into tears. “Riley, who did this?! I’m going to call the police right now and have them arrested!” “No need,” Riley said. “My boarding time is almost here. Please take me to the airport.” “But your injuries…” Riley didn’t want to go to the hospital. She knew her injuries were severe and the hospital would surely require her to be admitted. But she didn’t want to wait another moment. The people in this land disgusted her; she didn’t want to stay here for another second. Harper had no choice but to go to a pharmacy herself, buy some medications, and roughly treat Riley’s wounds. When they reached the airport, there were only 10 minutes left before the gate closed. Harper was practically crying the whole way. She pushed Riley in a wheelchair, choked up. “Riley, go. Go to a new place and start over.” Riley nodded with difficulty. “Harper, thank you for bringing me.” The moment she boarded the plane, she transferred all the remaining money in her account to Harper. Then she broke her SIM card in half and threw it, along with her phone, into a trash can. Goodbye, Julian. Goodbye, everyone who hated me. Because I, too, hate you all very, very much! **Chapter 8** At the hospital. Chloe lay in her hospital bed, and Julian sat by her side, peeling an apple for her. He was skilled, the apple peel coming off in one continuous strand.

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The summer break kicked off with a school-organized volunteer trip to an orphanage, where we’d live for a month. As a med school representative, I quickly noticed something was off with one of the orphan boys. Julian, who looked eight years old, had the bone age of a forty-two-year-old! In my previous life, I spilled the beans about his bizarre check-up results to my classmates, warning them to steer clear of the kid. But they scoffed, accusing me of being a cold-blooded monster for bullying a poor orphan. The next day, Julian vanished. Rumors flew that I’d driven him to believe he didn’t deserve to live. My classmates, furious, cornered me on the rooftop, demanding I jump to my death to atone for their accusations. The orphanage fence was old and rickety, and I ended up smashed onto the pavement below, dying instantly. Then I opened my eyes. I was back. Back to the very first day at the orphanage. This time, I decided to tell them Julian’s check-up was perfectly normal. **01** Standing at the orphanage gate, a swarm of kids rushed out to greet us. My eyes immediately locked onto him – Julian. He threw himself into Brittany, a junior from the finance department, clinging to her. “You smell so nice, big sister!” he chirped. “Unlike the other big sister over there, she smells stinky.” Julian shot me a dirty look as he finished. Last time, I’d noticed Julian’s behavior was way out of line. He’d bury his head in Brittany’s chest, acting all sweet, but then he’d deliberately touch her thigh. When I kindly warned Brittany, she snapped at me, self-righteously, “Riley, do you have any humanity left?! Or is it just that you’re so used to being groped that everyone else seems ‘dirty’ to you?!” Her words sparked a wave of laughter among the other students. The gossip spread like wildfire, painting me as a classist, snobby, cold-blooded monster. They constantly sabotaged me, even egging on the orphanage kids to torment me. “That big sister is a bad person! Don’t be like her!” The orphanage kids were young; they believed whatever the adults told them. They copied everything they heard, constantly pelting me with pebbles, sprinkling sand in my bed, and some even intentionally putting cockroaches under my covers! In the end, when I fell from the roof, it was them—the kids, egged on by my classmates—who swarmed me and pushed me over the railing! This time, I decided I wouldn’t meddle in their affairs. I clutched my bottle of disinfectant and medical equipment. “That’s the smell of alcohol, it might be a bit strong,” I told Julian, “but it helps keep everyone healthy!” Hearing me, the other kids crowded around, their big eyes wide with curiosity. “Wow, big sister, you’re so smart!” “Can this water really protect us? Can you give me some?” Seeing their innocent faces, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion. These precious little angels had been corrupted in my past life by those classmates, who were always sucking up to the powerful and stepping on the weak. This time, I vowed to protect their purity! “Of course! Every day, I’ll use this disinfectant to wash your hands and keep you safe!” As soon as I said that, the children started jumping up and down, cheering for me like I was a superhero. But Derek from the Business Management program wasn’t thrilled. He was always the center of attention, and seeing me surrounded by adoring children, his face immediately fell. He strode forward and kicked the bottle of disinfectant out of my hand. “Oh, so you think you’re some kind of savior around here, huh?” he sneered. “You’re so good at buttering up these kids. Are you from here too?” He laughed. “Seriously, Riley? You’re an orphan too? No parents?” The children instantly went quiet, their faces falling in disappointment. Being told they were “parentless”—they probably heard that a lot. But Derek just said it right to their faces. “Derek, are you insane? How can you say that in front of the kids?!” I stared at him, shocked. Before Derek could reply, Julian spoke up from the side. “Derek didn’t say anything wrong, big brother.” He giggled. “Are you really parentless, big sister? Hehe.” Brittany and Derek exchanged a look and burst into laughter. “Julian, you’re so funny!” Brittany exclaimed. “After this volunteer trip, I’m going to adopt you as my little brother!” But Julian buried his head in Brittany’s chest again. “I don’t want to! I want to be Brittany’s *baby*.” Brittany was still basking in the glow of being liked by a child. She didn’t even notice that Julian, barely eight years old, had a noticeable bulge in his crotch, pressed against her. **02** The next morning, I woke up early to draw blood for the children’s physicals. When it was Julian’s turn, he completely shut down. No matter what I said, he refused. “This woman’s a liar! She’s taking our blood to sell it! Don’t trust her, everyone!” In my previous life, Julian pulled the same trick. Back then, I just thought he was a scared kid, terrified of needles. The other kids, hyped up by his words, went wild and wouldn’t let me draw their blood either. Julian even grabbed a syringe and lunged at me. “You want my blood?! I’ll stab *you*!” The other students followed suit, grabbing syringes and trying to stab me! My body was covered in countless tiny puncture marks, nowhere untouched. The other students just stood there watching, completely unconcerned. “That’s not our problem. I’m a finance major, this isn’t my field,” one said. “Seriously? You think you’re going to be a doctor? You should just drop out and get a factory job!” another scoffed. I even tried to ask the school for help, to get out of the volunteer trip. But when my classmates found out, they cornered me. Derek viciously kicked me. “This volunteer trip is tied to all our credits! We can’t have any screw-ups!” he snarled. “If you chicken out and mess with our grades, I swear I’ll make you pay!” Brittany crouched down, her eyes narrowed menacingly. “If you don’t draw their blood and complete the check-ups, then *I’ll* be drawing *your* blood. Understand?” Her dad was a notorious figure in the city’s organized crime scene, and she’d always thrown her weight around at school. Once, a student dared to contradict her in front of everyone, and the next day, that student was found badly beaten on the outskirts of town. I knew she wasn’t kidding. In the end, I had to ask the orphanage director for help to resolve the situation. After I discovered the irregularities in Julian’s medical report, I immediately told my classmates. But they didn’t care, accusing me of deliberately targeting Julian, saying I was a cold-blooded animal! It ultimately led to my innocent death. This time, all I wanted was to protect myself. Facing Julian’s defiant glare, I stood up and addressed all the children. “Kids, this is a magic wand that can draw all the bad stuff out of your bodies!” I announced cheerfully. “Once the bad stuff is out, everyone will be super strong! Plus, I’ve got candy for all of you!” As expected, the children eagerly lined up, all wanting their blood drawn. Only Julian remained, clinging desperately to Brittany’s neck, rubbing his face against her chest. “I don’t want to, I don’t want to! No blood draw!” Derek was getting impatient. “Come on, hurry up, don’t drag it out. If you mess with our credits, I swear I won’t let you off, you brat!” Seeing there was no way out, Julian reluctantly allowed me to draw his blood. The entire time, the look in his eyes was filled with a chilling killing intent that sent shivers down my spine. After collecting all the samples, I locked myself in my private room in the dorm. I started testing each sample, one by one, until the last one was done. I looked up and realized it was late into the night. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past the window. I immediately tensed. The next second, the lights in my room went out, and the door creaked open. In the moonlight, I saw Julian, his face grim, staring intently at me. **03** I forced myself to stay calm. “Julian, little one, what’s wrong? Do you need something?” His hands were clasped behind his back, as if hiding something, and he stepped closer, inch by chilling inch. “Did you finish testing my blood sample?” I nodded, fighting back the rising panic. “Yes, I just finished.” He stared me down, trying to read my expression for any hint of a lie. “So, what did you find?” I swallowed hard, backing away until my spine hit the cold wall. “Julian, your check-up report… there’s a problem!” As soon as I said it, Julian lunged at me like a madman! In the nick of time, I shouted, “Your iron levels are low! A bit anemic, actually! You need to eat more, kiddo!” Julian suddenly froze. I saw him hurriedly stash something behind his back. It was a gleaming fruit knife! My shouting quickly drew the attention of my classmates in the next room. They gathered outside my door. “Riley, why’s your room dark? Oh, Julian, why are you here?” Julian instantly plastered on his usual innocent smile. “I just came to see if big sister Riley was done with her work. She must be so tired working so late!” He bounced away amidst their praises. But I knew for sure now: Julian was hiding something big. His blood oxygen levels and bone age clearly showed he wasn’t a child at all! He was a forty-year-old man! What was he doing, pretending to be a child in this orphanage? If he was just freeloading off them for food and shelter, that wouldn’t be enough to make him want me dead. Soon, a staff member came and restored the power to my room. “That’s weird. Your power lines were cut from the outside.” The staff’s words only confirmed my suspicions. Julian definitely had a bigger secret! First thing the next morning, I went to the director’s office. “Director, may I see the students’ files?” The director was surprised by my request, frowning. “What do you need them for? We usually don’t show them to outsiders, it involves the children’s privacy.” I remembered how, in my previous life, when my classmates cornered me on the rooftop, the director simply stood by his window, watching my plight, without the slightest intention of helping me. This time, I didn’t dare tell him my true suspicions. I had to lie. “My aunt and uncle don’t have kids and are looking to adopt an orphan. I wanted to see if there were any suitable children to help them find the right one.” The director finally lowered his guard, smiling as he pulled a thick binder from his drawer and handed it to me. “Oh, I see. All the children’s records are here. You can look at them in my office, but you can’t take them out. We have several well-behaved children here; take your time choosing.” I took the binder and started flipping through it. I’d reached the very last page of the thick file, but there was no information about Julian. “Director, why isn’t Julian’s information in here?” A flicker of unease crossed the director’s eyes, and his face immediately hardened. “Why do you want Julian’s file? I heard you two had some disagreements a few days ago. What’s the real reason you’re asking for his file?!” He said, and then, with a click, he locked the office door from the inside. A bad feeling instantly washed over me . Why was the director so alarmed by my question about Julian’s file? What was the director’s relationship with Julian? What secrets were they hiding? “Julian, that kid, he’s a handful sometimes, but he’s bright! You know, Director, most of the kids in the orphanage have some health issues. But Julian, he looks perfectly fine!” I rambled, trying to reassure him. The director visibly relaxed, awkwardly saying, “I was just trying to open the door for some air. How did it get locked? Guess I’m getting old.” He cleared his throat. “Julian, he was adopted once before, but the adoptive parents said he had violent outbursts, always breaking things and screaming to be brought back here. They were forced to return him. To avoid a repeat, I removed Julian’s file from the general records.” I nodded, then left the office. The next second, a dark figure slammed me into the corner. **04** Julian’s eyes were filled with murderous intent as he glared at me. “What were you doing talking to the director?! Were you investigating me?!” He barely reached my ear, but his strength was terrifying! “I just wanted my aunt to adopt you, that’s all. My aunt and uncle run a restaurant. You’d be well-fed, I promise.” I pretended to be casual. He violently flung my wrist away, his face twisted with rage. “I like it here with everyone! Just leave me alone!” he snarled. “If I catch you snooping again, you’ll regret it!” With that, he dragged me to the bathroom at the end of the hall and locked me inside one of the stalls. The bathroom was out of the way, near the staff offices, so normally no one except the director would pass by. I pulled out my phone and texted my classmates, but they all claimed to be busy, and no one was willing to come and unlock the door. I decided that if no one came by midnight, I’d have to call the police. But around eleven at night, I suddenly heard a girl crying from inside the bathroom! My blood ran cold. No way this is actually happening, right?! Then I heard words mixed with the sobs: “Waaah, why… waaah, if only I had a mommy…” I instantly realized it was one of the orphanage children crying. I whispered, “Little one, it’s big sister Riley. Can you open the door for me?” The child immediately shrieked in terror, then took a while to articulate a full sentence. “Are you really big sister Riley?” After confirming my identity, the child opened the door. The crying child was Lily, a quiet and easily overlooked little girl among the other kids. I crouched down to wipe her tears. “Tell big sister, why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?” Lily was trembling all over, just sobbing. I reached out to comfort her, but she suddenly winced, as if in pain. I lifted her shirt and discovered her body was covered in bruises and cuts! “Lily, tell big sister what happened. Big sister promises, I’ll get you out of here!” She finally started telling me her story. My tears streamed down my face, and I was shaking with fury as I listened. The moment I woke up tomorrow, I would call the police! After taking Lily back to her room, I returned to mine to gather evidence for the police report tomorrow. Passing Brittany’s room, I heard muffled moans and gasps coming from inside. “Derek, go easy!” I heard Brittany pant. “Why won’t you let me touch you?! Okay, okay, I get it, it’s just your little… thing.” I paid them no mind, rushing back to my room and locking the door. First thing the next morning, I was woken by a commotion in the courtyard. I looked out to see Brittany yelling at Derek, raging. “You scumbag! Why didn’t you tell me you were hooking up with Chloe?!” Derek and Chloe stood hand-in-hand, looking utterly bewildered. “Why do I need to tell you who I’m dating? What’s it to you?” Derek retorted. *Slap!* Brittany slapped Derek across the face, utterly distraught. “Then why did you come to my room last night and do *that* with me?! I’ll have my dad kill you!” Chloe looked shocked. “Brittany, what are you talking about? Derek was in my room all night!” **05** By now, everyone had rushed into the courtyard to watch the drama unfold. Brittany, humiliated, turned her fury on Chloe.

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My Fiancée’s Beloved Twins Have Turned Off Their Phones Again This time, her way of coaxing them back is to postpone our wedding once more. They never seem to tire of this game – using me to win back their lovers. I’ve questioned her, begged her, even ran away from home. But each time, I’m no match for those twins turning off their phones. And all she gives me in compensation is a bouquet of roses. Olivia Shaw looked at the ninety-eight bouquets of roses piled in the corner of the room and said with a smile: “Now we have ninety-nine bouquets. When we reach nine hundred and ninety-nine, we’ll have our wedding. How romantic is that?” “You’re a man, you should understand my feelings, right? I only have a desire to conquer them. Once I win them over, I’ll come back and marry you, and we’ll live happily ever after.” I took the roses she handed me, nodded, then turned and dialed a number. “I have a ready-made wedding here, just missing a bride. Want to come?” I took the roses Olivia handed me and nodded. Seeing me nod, she confidently stuffed the roses into my arms and turned to call the twins. Her voice was gentler than I’d ever heard, with a hint of eager pleasing. The staff present couldn’t help but look at me, their eyes filled with undisguised sympathy. To appease those lovers, our wedding had been postponed countless times. I was used to it by now. After the call, Olivia walked back, her face smug with the satisfaction of winning back her lovers. She took two boxes from her pocket and handed them to me. “Gifts for you. Don’t be upset anymore.” I opened them to find an exquisite pair of cufflinks and a watch. Three days ago, Lucas and Lily Wright, her precious twins, had both turned off their phones and gone cold on her. But they had specifically sent word that they wanted the matching pair of cufflinks and watch I was wearing. However, these were custom-made for me, one of a kind in the world. The siblings were insistent, so she took them while I was asleep to win a smile from her lovers. When I asked Olivia about it, she frowned and accused me: “How could you be so careless with such valuable items?” “If they’re lost, they’re lost. I’ll buy you new ones.” I looked at Olivia without saying a word. She seemed a bit guilty and averted her gaze. I didn’t expose her lie. Suddenly, a familiar cramping pain shot through my stomach. Seeing my face turn pale, Olivia showed a rare hint of concern and insisted on taking me to the hospital. Getting into her car, I realized the interior had been completely remodeled. The pink decor that Olivia used to love was now replaced by half yellow and half purple colors. Even the huge pink plush toy hanging from the rearview mirror was gone. “Lucas likes yellow, and Lily loves purple. They argued so much, I had to split it half and half,” she explained casually while driving, her words tinged with sweet helplessness. In the past, I had reminded her more than once that the hanging toy was too big and would obstruct her view, posing a safety hazard. She had called me old-fashioned then, saying I was interfering with her freedom, that I didn’t understand her girlish heart, and refused to change it. Now, this “girlish heart” she once treasured was easily erased by Lucas’s single statement of “liking yellow.” Even though it was her most hated color combination. I looked at the rapidly receding streetscape outside the window, the pain in my stomach intensifying. Suddenly, her phone rang. Olivia immediately put on her earphones to answer. The next second, she slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. “Lily cut her finger while chopping vegetables. It’s bleeding a lot. I need to go check on her right away.” “You can take a taxi to the hospital yourself. I have to go.” She didn’t even spare me a glance before turning the car around and leaving. I was left on the noisy roadside, like carelessly discarded trash. My phone pinged with a message. [I redesigned the wedding venue layout. Take a look and see if you like it.] Looking at that message, I finally snapped out of my numbness. I took a taxi to the hospital, slowly inching forward in the long queue. Suddenly, a strong force came from behind, nearly knocking me over. I turned to see Olivia’s bodyguards rudely pushing through the crowd, clearing a path for her. Olivia carefully accompanied Lily, quickly passing by me. Lily had a band-aid on her index finger, her face wearing an expression of having suffered a great injustice. And in Olivia’s hands was a large bouquet of vibrant saffron flowers. That bouquet was a thousand times more eye-catching than the roses she gave me. My roses were just a free gift. They swept past towards the emergency room, drawing curious glances from passersby. “Oh my god, if I’m not mistaken, are they the kind of relationship I’m thinking of?” “Definitely. Such a big fuss over a small cut on the finger. That’s true pampering.” “This must be true love. Love really knows no gender.” “That cut would have scabbed over on its own if they’d waited any longer to come in…” The surrounding discussions reached my ears word for word. I lowered my head, smiling self-mockingly. But the nurse recognized that it was my fiancée and asked in confusion: “Sir, you’ve been here many times before. If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that your girlfriend?” I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. In the past, even if I just forgot to eat a meal, Olivia would anxiously drag me to the hospital for a full checkup. Now, she was accompanying her “true love” with a band-aid on her finger. I was at a loss for words, but my phone vibrated. [Lily’s hand injury is very serious. I need to stay with her tonight, so I won’t be coming home.] [Take care of yourself and remember to take your medication on time.] I looked up at Lily, who was surrounded by a large group of people not far away. She was nestled in Olivia’s arms, acting coy, showing no signs of injury at all. I replied “okay” with a blank expression. Just as I put down my phone, a call came in. Her voice was crisp, with a hint of excitement. “I’ve changed the wedding theme to ‘Deep Sea Lost Dream.’ What do you think?”

The next day, I took out the suitcase I had prepared long ago and started packing. Just as I was about to leave with my suitcase, the villa’s front door was suddenly pushed open. Olivia rushed in, her face filled with rage. Without a word, she raised her hand and slapped me hard. “Gabriel, I never thought you were this kind of person!” “Lucas and Lily received an anonymous package. Guess what was inside? A dead rat!” “Lily was so scared she broke down crying and now she’s running a high fever!” “If you have any grievances, come at me! Using such vicious methods against a girl, are you even a man?” I looked at Olivia’s face, twisted with anger, feeling utterly unfamiliar. “I didn’t do it,” I said, my voice hoarse. “If it wasn’t you, who else could it be? I’ve told you before, I’m just playing around with them.” Olivia didn’t believe me at all. The contempt and disappointment in her eyes hurt more than the slap. “When I get bored of them, I’ll naturally come back to you! Why can’t you be more generous?” “You agreed so nicely on the surface, but behind my back, you pull these dirty tricks! Gabriel, you’re nothing but a hypocrite!” Her words became increasingly harsh, even starting to speak recklessly. “For someone of my status, isn’t it normal to have a few lovers? Even your mom…” She suddenly realized she had said something wrong and abruptly stopped. My eyes instantly turned red. How dare she mention my mom. Yes, she had long lost all trust in me. From the moment she first met those twins, trust was gradually consumed. The Olivia who once passionately pursued me for five whole years, Would postpone our wedding for the first time because Lily had menstrual cramps, leaving me alone at the wedding venue. Would force me to kneel and apologize in front of all company employees because of Lucas’s false accusation. Even my mother, who had treated her like her own daughter, was pushed down the stairs by the twins working together, dying with resentment. Yet they brushed it off with a casual “accident.” And Olivia chose to believe them. Thinking of this, my heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. Seeing my reddened eyes, Olivia seemed to feel a bit guilty. She softened her tone and said, “Forget it. Lucas and Lily said they’re very forgiving and won’t hold it against you.” “But they really like this villa. You move out for a while, consider it compensation for them.” She used a patronizing tone to decide my fate. Before I could open my mouth to argue, a pitiful mewing suddenly came from outside. It was Mochi! The cat my mom left me! My heart tightened, and I rushed out. In the yard, the flowers and plants my mom had cherished most in life were trampled into a mess. By the pool, Lucas was grinning maliciously, repeatedly dunking Mochi’s tiny body into the water. Lily stood nearby, clapping her hands and laughing hysterically. I charged over and punched Lucas hard in the face. The next moment, another heavy slap landed on my face.

Lily immediately threw herself into Olivia’s arms, her voice tinged with tears: “Olivia, look at him! He’s a violent maniac! He just started hitting people!” Olivia supported Lily and, seeing the injury on Lucas’s face, even wanted to hit me again. I ignored them and ran frantically to the poolside, pulling the motionless Mochi out of the cold water. Her tiny body was already stiff, her wet fur clinging to her skin. She had stopped breathing completely. Lucas covered his bleeding mouth corner and snarled preemptively. “Olivia! Is this your idea of a sincere apology?” Olivia’s face turned ashen. She looked at me and commanded coldly, “Gabriel, apologize to them!” “Apologize?” I raised my head, my eyes bloodshot. “They destroyed my mom’s flowers and killed my cat! And you want me to apologize to them?” “It was this beast that tried to bite me! My brother was just teaching it a lesson!” Lily hid behind Olivia, distorting the facts. “Besides, this villa is ours now. We can do whatever we want with the flowers and plants here. It’s none of your business!” Olivia looked at the dead Mochi in my arms, a flash of heartache crossing her eyes. But Lucas’s exaggerated cries of pain quickly drew all her attention. “Olivia, you must give me an explanation for the dead rat incident and this punch today!” Lucas insisted. “You can’t always be so biased towards him! How can we siblings trust you in the future?” Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Olivia. The way he treats us, just making him move out is too lenient.” Olivia looked at her helplessly, her voice indulgent: “Then what do you want?” Hearing this, Lily’s gaze fell on Mochi in my arms. “This cat almost bit me. Just dying like this isn’t enough. It should be dismembered and thrown in the trash.” I shuddered, then heard Lucas say leisurely: “And Gabriel should do it himself. Doesn’t he cherish this cat? Then let him send it off one last time.” I turned to Olivia, my voice tinged with pleading: “Olivia, please don’t… This is what Mom left me…” Olivia was flanked by the two, listening to their “grievances,” her expression growing colder. She finally ordered her bodyguards: “Go, bring a knife.” The bodyguards’ faces flashed with hesitation. “Hmph, even the dogs you keep are biased towards him. How can you expect us to trust you in the future?” Seeing this, Olivia angrily scolded: “What? Are my words no longer effective?” Under her angry rebuke, the bodyguard still brought a knife. I was firmly held down by two bodyguards, a dull knife forced into my hand. I closed my eyes tightly, feeling the flesh under the knife being repeatedly cut and ground, While Lily’s laughter rang in my ears. I don’t know how I managed to do it, only feeling my movements becoming increasingly numb. Finally, my vision went black, and I passed out completely.

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Emily never imagined that she would overhear certain sounds coming from her mother-in-law’s room. She initially thought her father-in-law had returned home. To her shock, it turned out her mother-in-law was having an affair! Margaret seemed confident that Emily wouldn’t dare reveal this secret and continued to act shamelessly towards her! However, a few days later, Margaret was suddenly diagnosed with HIV! And Margaret’s affair partner had also died… In the peak of summer, the cicadas were chirping loudly outside. Emily tossed and turned, but was jolted awake by a stinging pain in her fingertip. Fully awake now, she felt thoroughly annoyed. Today had been truly unlucky. While grocery shopping in the afternoon, some brat had put a needle on the seat of a rental bike, pricking her when she sat down. Then when she got home, her mother-in-law Margaret criticized her for not even being able to make a proper salad. In her flustered state, she had accidentally cut her finger while cooking. The cicadas outside grew even louder. Emily gave up on sleep and decided to use the bathroom. As soon as she stepped out, she heard intense female moaning coming from Margaret’s bedroom. She could even faintly make out the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. Emily was startled. Looking closely, she saw an old pair of men’s leather shoes in the entryway. The shoes were a bit worn, with traces of dirt still on them. It must be her father-in-law George who had returned. George often traveled for work. Despite being alone at home, Margaret never neglected her appearance. She even had a more extensive makeup collection than Emily. It was understandable that George couldn’t resist upon returning. Emily didn’t dare linger. She quickly ducked into the bathroom. When she came out, Margaret’s voice hadn’t quieted down. In fact, it had grown even more uninhibited. Emily was too embarrassed to stay outside and rushed back to her room without even getting a drink of water. Looking at the pitch-black room and hearing the moans that even the closed door couldn’t block out, Emily suddenly felt very empty inside. She also couldn’t help but wonder. David and George both worked at the same research institute. Usually they traveled and returned together. Why had only George come back this time? The empty double bed held only her body heat. Outside, the cicadas gradually quieted down, and Emily drifted back to sleep. The next morning, Emily woke up extra early. George sometimes had to leave quickly for work when he returned home. Worried he might have to rush off again, Emily got up early to make breakfast. Although she and Margaret didn’t get along well, George had always been kind. Emily’s relationship with Margaret was maintained largely thanks to George and David’s mediation. Emily felt very grateful towards George. After I set out the steamed buns and porridge on the table and turned to get Margaret’s soy milk, I heard Margaret shouting again outside. “Other people’s daughters-in-law are frugal homemakers. But you just have to put on a grand feast for breakfast, as if you’re serving the emperor! I bet you’re just some country bumpkin who’s never seen the world, trying to freeload off our family!” The anger immediately rose in Emily’s chest. Emily had been abandoned at an orphanage as a newborn and adopted by a kind rural couple at age ten. After graduating college, she moved to the city for work and later married David. After marriage, David and George often traveled for work. Margaret used the excuse of poor health to force Emily to quit her job and become a full-time housewife. Emily had acquiesced to her wishes, but Margaret’s nitpicking never stopped. Whenever David was away for work, Margaret would find fault with everything Emily did at home, always accusing her of being a freeloader. Emily walked out of the kitchen, slamming down the soy milk forcefully. She was about to argue back when she caught sight of her wedding ring. The fire in her heart slowly died down. Although Margaret had always looked down on her, Emily had seen David’s care and love for her over the years. Moreover, before he left last time, he had told her to wait just one more month. Once he finished his current work, he would take her to move out and live as a couple. Emily took a deep breath and patiently explained: “I didn’t mean to make so much. I just heard Father-in-law come home last night, so this extra portion of breakfast…” Before Emily could finish speaking, Margaret suddenly stood up, grabbed the soy milk that had been placed on the table, and threw it in Emily’s face. “You little hussy, are you trying to act up?! You haven’t even given our family an heir yet and you’re already trying to manipulate me? Let me tell you, you’d better behave yourself, or I’ll make David kick you out of this house sooner or later!” Over the years, Margaret had inexplicably given Emily a hard time, but she had rarely been this directly physical. Emily was stunned for a moment. Meanwhile, Margaret sat down as if she had won a victory and began picking at her breakfast. Emily gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. Fine, in just one more month David would take her to move out. There was no benefit to falling out with Margaret at this point. Emily suppressed her anger and went back to her room to change clothes. Behind her, Margaret let out a cold snort, as if certain Emily wouldn’t dare do anything to her.

By the time Emily changed and came out, Margaret had already left. The breakfast table looked as if it had been hit by a bomb. Emily repeatedly consoled herself that they would be moving out in just a month. After cleaning up the table, she went to tidy up David’s clothes. The weather had turned cold recently. David had only taken seasonal clothes when he left last time. Emily was worried he might catch a cold. After a busy morning, Emily had just made lunch when Margaret called. “Have you made lunch? Hurry up and bring the food to the mahjong parlor.” Before Emily could say anything, Margaret had already hung up. For years, Margaret had treated Emily like the family’s maid. But for David’s sake, Emily still packed up food for Margaret. She had barely eaten two bites herself before rushing off to the mahjong parlor. “I told you to bring some food and you’re so slow! What else can you do right?” Margaret snapped as she took the lunchbox from Emily, giving her a dirty look. Mrs. Johnson sitting next to her couldn’t bear to watch and spoke up for Emily. “Margaret, your daughter-in-law is already very good. She even brings you food every day. My daughter-in-law is lucky if I see her once a year on holidays.” Margaret wolfed down her food while glaring sideways at Emily with a cold smile. “She’s just some country girl from the sticks. She’s living off my son’s money. Bringing me food is the least she can do to show some filial piety!” By this point, Emily was no longer listening to what Margaret was saying about her. Because she had spotted a familiar pair of muddy old men’s leather shoes. The shoes that had appeared in her home’s entryway last night were now on the feet of Mr. Johnson, who was playing mahjong with Margaret! The person in Margaret’s bedroom last night wasn’t George at all, but Mr. Johnson who always played mahjong with Margaret! Margaret was brazenly having an affair at home! “What are you staring at? Didn’t you hear what I said?” Margaret slammed down her lunchbox. Her tone was fierce, but her eyes didn’t dare meet Emily’s. Margaret shoved the lunchbox at Emily. “Forget it! I’m sick of looking at your face! Hurry up and get out of here!” Emily took the lunchbox and stumbled home in a daze. She never imagined that Margaret, who was so traditional and conservative, would actually have an affair! This was David’s mother after all. It wasn’t Emily’s place to deal with this. But David’s greatest wish was for family harmony. If she really told him about this, who knows what kind of storm it would stir up in the family. Lost in thought, the sky had already darkened outside. Suddenly her phone rang – it was a video call from David. Emily answered the call and saw David’s handsome but clearly exhausted face on the screen. In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. “Honey, I got the clothes you sent me this morning. I hadn’t even noticed the weather changing. You’re always so thoughtful.” Emily forced a smile, but David sensed something was off. “Honey, did something happen at home? Or did Mom say something to you again? You look so troubled.” As soon as David said this, Emily felt even more guilty. But she still gritted her teeth and denied it: “No, everything’s fine. Just focus on your work.” Before Emily could figure out how to broach the subject, she heard the sound of the front door – Margaret was back. Afraid Margaret would say something unpleasant as soon as she came in and distract David, Emily quickly hung up the call. Margaret seemed to be in a good mood, humming a tune as she came in. Emily thought it over and decided to speak up with a warning. “Mother, Father will be retiring and coming home in a few months. David will be transferring back then too. Our family should live peacefully together.” Emily had meant to remind Margaret not to mess around with Mr. Johnson anymore. But upon hearing this, Margaret glared at Emily with her hands on her hips and started cursing. “Live peacefully? You dare talk to me about living peacefully? Our family took in a hen that can’t even lay eggs like you. How could we possibly live peacefully?” “I just saw you acting all sneaky. Don’t tell me you can’t stand the loneliness and you’re flirting with some man online?” Margaret herself was impure, yet she had the nerve to sling mud at Emily? “David has been living at work for years. If I really got pregnant now, it would most likely be from fooling around with another man!” When Margaret heard the words “fooling around,” her expression changed. She glared fiercely at Emily before turning and storming back to her own room, slamming the door shut.

Whether it was because my words had struck a nerve, or because she knew I had discovered her affair with Mr. Johnson and felt guilty, I ended up having a peaceful month. Margaret would leave the house after breakfast every day. She no longer called me to deliver lunch, and when she came home she would lock herself in her room. We barely even crossed paths. On my birthday, David called in the morning to apologize that he couldn’t make it back due to work. In the afternoon, I received flowers he had sent. The card on the flowers was a poem we loved in college. Reading it brought back all the sweet memories from those days. “You vixen, David’s not home. Don’t tell me these flowers are from some lover of yours!” Margaret started causing trouble again. But I wasn’t worried at all. “Mom, David had these delivered to me.” Margaret scoffed coldly: “Hmph, I knew you weren’t one to be frugal. Making my son waste money buying you flowers!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I was about to take the flowers back to my room when she called out again: “You ungrateful girl, you don’t even care that your mother-in-law is sick because of you! Hurry up and take me to the hospital!” I immediately became concerned. She had seemed fine earlier – how could she suddenly be ill and need to go to the hospital? “Mom, are you alright? Where are you feeling unwell? I’ll go get the car keys right away!” “What car? Gas is so expensive. The hospital’s not far anyway. Just push me in the wheelchair!” Margaret insisted, so I had no choice but to take her in the wheelchair. On the way, Margaret said she had diarrhea and intermittent fever. The symptoms sounded like the flu to me, but I didn’t dare take it lightly. After all, older people have weaker immune systems. If it developed into something more serious, David would be worried. At the hospital, after hearing the symptoms, the doctor had an odd expression. He told me to take Margaret for a blood test first. A few hours later, when I saw the test results, I was shocked. It was HIV.

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The moment my breath stopped. My mission in this parallel world was finally complete. My heart went to Mom, my kidney to Dylan, and my spleen to Michael. When I died, beneath the white sheet, both my legs were missing. They were amputated to save Dad when he nearly fell down the stairs. They knew nothing of this. So, when Mom didn’t see me after her surgery, her heart turned so cold she wanted to disown me. Dad immediately canceled my card. Then, a call from the crematorium reached Mom, who was busy preparing Chloe, my adopted sister’s, coming-of-age party. “Excuse me, but your daughter’s body is starting to smell.” “When will you transfer the cremation fee?” … When the call from the crematorium came, Mom was laughing and chatting with guests. In the lavish ballroom, Chloe, wearing a princess dress and looking utterly innocent, stood beside her. Mom had the phone on speakerphone, and the crematorium employee’s words clearly reached everyone present. Mom was startled at first, then her face morphed into a furious glare. “What nonsense are you talking about? My daughter is standing right here in front of me, perfectly fine! And her body is smelling? Scammers nowadays will do anything for money!” Chloe glanced at the phone screen, her expression subtly shifting. “Mom, that looks like Audrey’s phone number. It’s not a scammer.” My transparent body trembled slightly. Ever since I died, I’d been following my family around. They just couldn’t see me. But I never expected Chloe, who always bullied me, to remember my phone number. Mom’s face gradually twisted into horror, and the phone almost slipped from her grasp. Chloe calmly took the phone, her voice soft. “Audrey, stop with the pranks. Mom just had heart surgery, she can’t handle this kind of shock.” “Even though you weren’t there when Mom had her surgery, you’re still her biological child. She won’t blame you.” Mom exploded in a rage, snatching the phone back. “You have the nerve to play pranks? You didn’t even come home for your own mother’s surgery! How could I have given birth to such a heartless wretch? If you want to die, then die outside and don’t ever come back!” She hung up abruptly. Wiping away tears, she helplessly explained to the guests. “Audrey has always been rebellious and unruly, always trying to take Chloe’s things, forbidding us from being nice to her sister, or else she’d throw tantrums and self-harm.” “A kind person donated a heart to me for my surgery, and she didn’t even bother to visit me in the hospital. Her conscience is completely gone!” “Now, to ruin her sister’s coming-of-age party, she’s throwing a tantrum and running away from home, even hiring shady characters to threaten us and extort money.” “I truly wish I had never given birth to this daughter!” “If only Chloe were my biological daughter.” I heard those words, and tears streamed down my face. No, Mom. I was right there beside you when you had your surgery. I wasn’t threatening you, I just… couldn’t be a dutiful daughter to you anymore. Chloe’s coming-of-age party was grand. The gift wall was overflowing. Michael, my eldest brother, a busy lawyer, gifted Chloe a villa in the city, so she wouldn’t feel like an outsider anymore. Dylan, my second brother, who owned a Taekwondo studio, gave her a platinum credit card, with an unlimited spending limit. Dad gave her a 10% ownership stake in his company, so no one would ever look down on Chloe. Mom gave Chloe her most treasured artwork. I remembered that piece; I accidentally stained it a year ago. Mom was so furious she grounded me and didn’t let me eat for three days and nights. But now, that same artwork was so easily given to Chloe. I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. Chloe and I were a year apart. After I was kidnapped at seven, Mom and Dad adopted six-year-old Chloe. Six months later, the police found me, and I returned home to find I had a younger sister. The System told me it was the butterfly effect of this parallel world, and Chloe was the variable. It also said I’d suffer a bit, but I didn’t care. Just being able to see my parents and brothers safe and sound again, I was content. To ward off disaster for them, I was more than willing. But the surging memories quickly swallowed me. Last year today was my coming-of-age party. Although Mom and Dad favored Chloe over me, they still arranged a grand party for me. But before it even started, Dad twisted his ankle going downstairs, breaking a bone and ending up in the hospital. Michael got into a minor car accident on his way there. Dylan’s phone was stolen while camping, and he lost contact. Mom was so anxious she had a heart attack. I stayed by Mom’s bedside. When she woke up, she displaced her anger onto me, throwing her phone at my forehead. She called me a jinx and told me to get out. Carelessly wiping away the blood streaming down my forehead, I quietly left the hospital room. I curled up on the cold floor by the door, and stayed there all night. My one-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age party, with no blessings, no gifts. All I remembered was Mom’s look of hatred and disgust, and the cold, dark night in the hospital hallway.

The System suddenly appeared, asking me if I regretted it. “If you hadn’t come to this world, in your original world, you would be living a wonderful life, your family had already paved the way for your future.” I came from another world. There, I grew up loved and cherished. But later, for various reasons, they died tragic deaths. I suddenly became an orphan. The System gave me a chance to see my family again. It brought me to this parallel world, to live another life. But it also told me that in this world, my family would also meet tragic ends. Unless someone took the fall for them. Now my mission was over, and they were finally safe. I shook my head, denying, “No regrets. Being able to see them again, to protect them as they once protected me, I’m content.” “I just wish for them to be safe and happy. Even if they hear the news of my death, with Chloe by their side, I’m sure they won’t be too sad.” The System seemed to sigh, “Why are you so silly? Never mind, I’ll apply to headquarters to get you a special benefit.” The System told me to stay in this world for now, waiting for its message. So I lingered, staying with my family. Then I saw my high school teacher come to the house, complaining that I’d skipped class. Dad frowned deeply, and Chloe by his side seemed to hesitate before speaking. “Dad, last Wednesday, I think I saw Audrey and a guy with bright dyed hair go into a hotel.” I froze. Last Wednesday… I was already lying in the funeral home, waiting for cremation. How could I have gone to a hotel with a guy? She was clearly making things up. Even though I was gone, why was she still trying to throw dirt on my name? My family wouldn’t believe such a cheap lie. But I never expected Dylan to immediately burst out cursing. “Going to bed with just any guy at such a young age, how trashy!” Michael, impeccably dressed in his suit, looked displeased and disappointed. He turned to Chloe, admonishing her. “Sister, no matter what you saw, don’t follow your sister’s conduct. Girls need to have self-respect.” I stood there, dumbfounded and incredulous. Chloe pursed her lips, smiled shyly, and pulled out her report card. “Brother, I don’t understand those things about Audrey. I just want to focus on my studies.” Seeing her top grades in every subject, even Mom and Dad, who had been scowling, broke into relieved smiles. Chloe struck while the iron was hot, proposing that she wanted to skip a grade. Dad looked troubled. “The spots in the honors class for seniors are already full.” Dylan looked at Chloe, his face full of concern. “That’s easy, isn’t it? Someone’s just hogging a spot and doing nothing with it, kick her out, and then little sister can go to school!” A sharp pain pierced my heart. I could only look at Mom and Dad with pleading eyes. Mom and Dad knew how much I suffered to get into that honors class. At least, don’t be so cruel to me. But in the end, they disappointed me. Mom and Dad hesitated for only a moment, then nodded under Chloe’s eager gaze. “Then let’s process Audrey’s withdrawal and give her spot to Chloe.” I slumped to the floor, tears splattering onto the back of my hands. Chloe took my spot, beaming as she went to school. In the evening, she came back with injuries. Mom, Dad, and my two brothers looked grave and worried. Chloe, her tears streaming down her face and looking incredibly fragile, refused to say anything. It wasn’t until Dad threatened to call the police that Chloe stammered out a classmate’s name—Riley. I huddled in the corner, slowly lifting my head. Riley. She was my best friend in high school. The next day, Mom, Dad, and my brothers took Chloe to school and summoned Riley and her parents to the dean’s office. Riley was expressionless and refused to apologize. Dad was so angry he was about to call the police right there. Unexpectedly, Riley insolently threatened. “If you dare to call the police, don’t blame me for exposing your daughter’s pregnancy!” Everyone was stunned, looking at Chloe. Chloe was mortified, crying that it wasn’t her. Mom immediately hugged her, comforting her. “Don’t cry, Mom believes you, you wouldn’t do something like that.” Dad also scowled fiercely, glaring at Riley. “You’re an adult now, spreading rumors carries legal responsibility!” Michael acted immediately, directly informing Riley’s parents that they would pursue legal action. Dylan, hot-tempered as ever, stepped forward and kicked Riley. “My sister is so well-behaved and sensible, how could she be pregnant? If you keep throwing dirt on her name, believe me, I’ll kill you!” I bit my lower lip hard, watching this scene, my heart aching. Was I not their daughter too? Why, for the same thing, did they believe Chloe but not me? Riley was enraged and cursed back furiously. “I never said *she* was pregnant! Does your family only have one daughter?” “Can you deny that your sister, Audrey, isn’t at school because she’s hiding away to have the baby?” “If you blow this up, don’t blame me for spreading the shameful news of Audrey’s pregnancy out of wedlock all over the school!” “And you, you like to complain, right? Next time I see you at school, I’ll beat you up!” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears at this, looking incredibly wronged. “No, you can’t! Don’t tell anyone! I won’t make you apologize, just don’t ruin my sister’s reputation! If you want to hit me, hit me, I don’t care.” Mom and Dad grew even more concerned when they saw this. Their gaze towards Riley became even colder. “Chloe, the good are often taken advantage of. This kind of morally corrupt student is absolutely not suitable to be your classmate.” This farce ended with Riley being forcibly withdrawn from school. To protect Chloe, Mom and Dad pulled strings to have Riley expelled, completely disregarding my reputation. Sure enough, after Riley was withdrawn, the news of my pregnancy out of wedlock spread throughout the entire school. I let out a bitter laugh. Good thing I was already dead. Otherwise, such gossip would have been enough to drive me to death. And those who caused all this were the very family and friends I once trusted the most, those I was willing to give my all for. But a question still lingered in my heart. Why would Riley say I was pregnant? I followed Riley and found that she was secretly meeting Chloe. Chloe, shedding her innocent little rabbit image she presented to the family, leaned against a wall, smoking, and handed Riley a wad of cash. “Well done. This money should be enough for your mom’s surgery.” Watching Riley walk away, I felt a knot in my chest. So, she did it for her mother’s surgery.

But what about Chloe? She already had all the love from my family; what else could she possibly want? After floating home, I became even more quiet and withdrawn. Before, no matter if Mom and Dad could hear me, I would tirelessly share interesting things. Now, I would just curl up in a corner, a silent observer. Chloe had a heart episode. It was said she was provoked at school. Dad investigated and found that my supposed pregnancy out of wedlock had also caused Chloe to be talked about behind her back. And Dad had never hidden the fact that Chloe was adopted. This also led to Chloe being excluded and targeted. Chloe on the bed was pale as a sheet, yet she looked so strong it hurt to watch. I inexplicably remembered when Mom had a heart attack before, Chloe innocently said. “Mommy’s heart is broken? Then I’ll give my heart to Mommy, and Mommy won’t hurt anymore, right?” At that time, when Mom heard it, the pity on her face was almost uncontrollable. And I, being oblivious, just quietly peeled an apple and offered it to Mom. Mom pushed me away, and the apple rolled a few times on the floor, covered in dust. “Look at your sister, and then look at you. You have no conscience at all!” But Mom, I truly was willing to give you my heart. And her heart condition? It was fake. I guessed Chloe faked her heart episode, perhaps to pull another trick. Sure enough, after listening to Chloe’s tearful complaints. Mom and Dad immediately made a decision. They would publicly announce that Chloe was their biological daughter. And I was the adopted one. Michael casually fiddled with the watch I’d given him, fully agreeing. “Chloe is excellent in every aspect. I have no objections.” Dylan’s face, however, was full of sarcasm. “I have no objections either. Audrey did such disgraceful acts, I stopped wanting to acknowledge her as my sister a long time ago. It’s Chloe who makes us proud, always top of her class.” Chloe covered her face with a pillow, feigning embarrassment. “Dylan, don’t say that.” On the sofa, the family of four was warm and harmonious, but I felt a chill. Their faces, in my eyes, began to look strange and distorted. It seemed my existence in this family had long become irrelevant, even superfluous. For the first time, I began to waver. Was everything I gave worth it? After all decisions were made, Chloe wore a sated smile. But at dinner, Michael suddenly suggested bringing me back. The entire family’s forks froze. After a while, Dylan nodded. “Good idea. That girl’s been out causing trouble for so long, she’s probably suffered quite a bit.” I could hardly believe my ears and stood up from the corner. Were they concerned about me? Nearly half a month had passed, had my family finally remembered me? I wiped away my tears and floated closer. I knew it, they couldn’t be that heartless. But before I could even smile, I heard Dylan continue. “Let’s give her an excuse to come back. Have her return as soon as possible these next few days. Once she’s back, we’ll lock her up.” I stumbled slightly, my spiritual body feeling unstable. Lock me up? What did that mean? Soon, Michael clarified it for me. “Dylan suggested this. Chloe’s college entrance exams are coming up soon, and I’m worried that if Audrey keeps not showing up, she’ll cause trouble on the day of the exams and ruin Chloe’s future.” “So, we’ll just coax Audrey back home, lock her up, and prevent her from affecting Chloe’s exams.” As his words fell, the light above flickered for a moment, then returned to normal. I collapsed to the floor, my face numb. Mom hesitated. “What if she comes home and insists on taking the college entrance exams? After all, it was originally her year to take them…” Dylan eagerly interrupted. “Mom, have you forgotten she’s pregnant? That bastard child, we don’t even know how far along she is! Do you want her to go to the exam hall with a big belly? Haven’t we lost enough face already?” Ultimately, the entire family reached an agreement. For the first time since I disappeared half a month ago, they actively called my phone. The call connected quickly; it was an unfamiliar man’s voice. “Hello, this is Evergreen Funeral Home. Are you Audrey’s family? You finally picked up! Please come over as soon as possible!” Dad’s hand, holding the phone, trembled. “What?” Michael and Dylan, hearing this, also uncharacteristically looked flustered and helpless. Chloe subtly raised an eyebrow, a hint of malicious glee in her eyes. Only Mom, exploded in a rage. “Audrey, have you made enough trouble? Isn’t half a month of messing around outside enough? Do you really want me to disown you?” I calmly lowered my gaze, my eyes hollow. Then disown me. Anyway, I had nothing left. I was only grateful now that I was dead, so I didn’t have to live and endure this endless torment. Dad looked at Mom, bewildered. “What in the world is going on?” Mom explained the call on the day of Chloe’s party, then her face tightened with gritted teeth. “How could she be dead? If it were an accidental death, the police would have notified us. This is just her retaliating against us, playing a deliberate prank.” I gave a sarcastic smile. Of course, I didn’t die by accident; it was a premeditated suicide. Because heart donation could only be done after death. At that time, I was naive enough to think Mom wouldn’t accept my heart. So I signed an anonymous donation agreement and arranged for a one-stop service with the funeral home. I was supposed to die quietly, and my parents would discover it later and report my death certificate. But I never expected Dad to cancel my card, which led to my body not being cremated for so long. The funeral home had a thirty-day free storage period. If cremation wasn’t done after that, they would call the police to handle it with the family. Mom took the phone, her face cold. “Audrey, you were shameless enough to get pregnant out of wedlock, bringing endless shame to our family, and now you’re still so inconsiderate, playing such a cruel joke. I’m truly disappointed in you.” On the other end of the line, there was a long silence. The funeral home employee asked, bewildered. “Who’s pregnant? This 19-year-old female body has no reproductive function whatsoever. Are you even Audrey’s family?” “Tomorrow is the final deadline. If you don’t come to pay the fees and claim the body, we’ll have to contact the police to issue a public announcement for identification.” This time, the employee’s tone was very stern, and he hung up after speaking. Mom’s cold expression froze, and she stood motionless.

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On our fifth anniversary, Serena’s lover showed up at our door with their secret son. Julian cried, looking innocent as hell, “Caleb, I’m not here to break you two up.” Serena looked guilty. “Caleb, don’t overthink this. The baby was just an accident. Besides, Julian has a terminal illness, only a month left to live. Once he’s gone, you can raise the child.” I stared at the five-year-old in front of me, my heart twisting in agony. Five years of marriage. I’d been severely injured protecting her, and our own child was lost in that car crash. Yet she already had a child outside, and now she expected me to raise *their* son! I didn’t say a word. I just quietly drafted the divorce papers, then dialed that long-dormant number. “You once said you’d marry me if I divorced. Does that still stand?” The person on the other end immediately burst into a smile. “It does!” Signing the last stroke on the divorce papers, my eyes burned. I quickly squeezed them shut to hold back the tears. It was supposed to be our fifth anniversary. I’d booked this restaurant a month in advance, wanting to celebrate with Serena. Now, it was pointless. But then the manager called me. “Mr. Stone, your wife, Mrs. Stone, has already been seated with two guests. She said you’d be covering the rest of the bill.” My fingers tightened around my phone. She didn’t just take her lover to the restaurant I booked; she expected *me* to pay for it? “Alright, I’ll be right there.” Twenty minutes later, I stood outside the restaurant. Through the glass, I saw Serena gently serving Julian food, carefully wiping Noah’s mouth. A happy family of three. It made my heart ache. We’d celebrated our first anniversary at this very restaurant. Back then, Serena had booked my favorite window seat in advance and ordered a table full of my favorite dishes. She’d meticulously served me, gently wiping sauce from my lips. But now, same scene, all that tenderness, all that care, was for another man. I pushed down the storm of emotions inside me and walked into the restaurant. Serena saw me and spoke coldly. “You’re here, good. Settle the bill.” “The restaurant’s pretty good. Julian likes the food here.” Serena didn’t even bother to look up at me. Julian, on the other hand, had a gleam of pure defiance in his eyes. “Caleb, don’t just stand there, why don’t you join us?” He turned to Serena, feigning innocence. “Serena, I really want their signature dessert. Could you ask if they still have it?” Serena smiled indulgently. “Alright, wait for me. I’ll be right back.” As soon as Serena left, Julian’s smile vanished. “Caleb Stone, it’s been five years, and you still lost to me.” He slowly wiped his mouth. “She’s always loved me, from the very beginning.” I looked at him calmly. “Are you done?” Julian seemed surprised by my composure. “You know what? I don’t have a terminal illness at all. It was all an act!” My heart fluttered slightly, and I gave a bitter twist to my lips. Five years of marriage, shattered so easily by a single lie. Did Serena know? Before I could even process it, Julian’s face suddenly changed. He grabbed the soup bowl in front of him and splashed it all over himself. He cried out in pain. “Caleb, I know you don’t like me, but how could you throw hot soup on me? I’m a patient, my body’s so weak…” Before I could react, Serena’s scream came from behind me. “Caleb! What are you doing?!” She rushed forward, pulling Julian protectively behind her, checking his injuries. “Serena, my hand hurts so much.” Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed, and he held out his scalded hand. Serena saw the red mark on his hand, and her fury surged. She picked up the cup of hot tea that had just been poured for me and, without hesitation, splashed it all over me! The scalding liquid hit my arm, instantly turning it red and swollen. A fiery, sharp pain instantly spread, making me almost lose my footing. Serena saw my reddened arm, but she just said coldly, “That’s your lesson!” “Julian can’t be left alone! I was even planning to spend two days a week at home with you, but I can’t believe how petty you’re acting for a grown man!” I looked at her and suddenly felt utterly pointless. “Serena, don’t bother. Divorce me, and you can be with him every day.” Serena snapped her head up, her expression complicated, but her impatience was practically spilling from her eyes. “How old are you, acting so jealous and throwing threats? I told you Julian’s sick, I’m just looking after him. Your mind is just twisted, you see everything in a dirty way!” With that, she stopped looking at me, shielded Julian and Noah, and walked away, leaving me standing alone amidst the mess.

“Need help?” A voice sounded behind me as I walked out of the restaurant. I turned around and met Harper’s deep eyes. I hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. Seeing the unhesitating worry and heartache in her gaze, my eyes finally welled up. I spoke, as if seeking solace, “Harper, I want a grand wedding.” “Okay, Caleb. As soon as your divorce is final, I’ll marry you. How about we set the wedding for four days from now?” “Caleb Stone!” Serena had returned at some point. Seeing me with Harper, her face twisted into a terrible expression. She rushed at us like a madwoman, raising her hand to slap Harper’s face. Harper, quick as lightning, caught her wrist. “Harper! You b*tch! You snake! Taking advantage of my misery!” Serena shrieked, her eyes bloodshot. “Caleb Stone, you’re already hooking up with your old flame? You couldn’t wait, could you?” “Serena, what right do you have to talk about Caleb like that?” Harper stepped in front of me, her voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I gave you five years, but you failed to take care of him! Now it’s my turn!” That sentence completely choked Serena. She looked at me with a complex gaze, then at Harper. She was probably remembering the past. Harper and I were childhood sweethearts. Serena came later. Both pursued me, but in the end, I chose Serena. For five years of marriage, I poured my heart out for Serena, believing she did the same for me. I never imagined she still held a grudge about my past with Harper. “Let’s go!” Serena glared at us fiercely, dragging Julian away in a rage. I looked at Harper, my thoughts drifting back years ago. We grew up together, almost inseparable from kindergarten to high school. Everyone thought we’d naturally end up together. After I went public with Serena, everyone joked, “The childhood sweetheart never wins against destiny’s pick.” Back then, I just smiled and said nothing. Serena, to me, truly felt like a gift from heaven. If not for what happened later, if I hadn’t chosen Serena… Harper spoke softly, pulling me from my thoughts. “Caleb, let’s get your arm treated first.” I nodded and followed her. The next day, Serena’s father asked to see me. I hesitated, then agreed. If there was one person from the Stone family I was reluctant to let go of, it was this elder who treated me like his own son. At the coffee shop, Mr. Harrison pushed an ornate keepsake box across the table, his eyes brimming with tears. “This was for the baby,” he choked out. “I’ve kept it all this time.” I opened the box. Inside was a pure gold longevity locket, intricately carved. It had the traditional wishes for ‘Peace, Joy, and Long Life’ inscribed on it. My eyes welled up too. That child I never met was the deepest pain in my heart. When Serena was three months pregnant, Mr. Harrison excitedly dragged me to a jewelry store, saying he wanted to buy a gift for his future grandson. We spent an entire afternoon picking it out, finally settling on this locket. “Dad, actually…” I wanted to tell him I was getting divorced, but the words caught in my throat. “Serena let you down,” Mr. Harrison gripped my hand. “I never liked that Julian from the first moment I saw him. You’re the son-in-law I always wanted!” My tears finally fell. After that miscarriage, the doctors said Serena’s body was damaged, and it would be very difficult for her to have children again. Though she outwardly comforted me, I clearly saw the blame in her eyes. She believed it was my poor driving that caused the car crash. Only Mr. Harrison patted my shoulder, saying the accident was something no one could have foreseen, and told me to focus on my recovery. He still treated me like his own son. “Dad, I have to go,” I said, putting away the locket and forcing a smile. “Thank you for always taking care of me.” Mr. Harrison held my hand, his eyes filled with reluctance. He wanted to say more, but in the end, he just patted my hand. After leaving the coffee shop, I suddenly remembered the pair of baby bracelets still in the safe at home. They were my only keepsake. I had to get them back.

As I reached the front door, I heard Julian’s voice from inside. “Serena, remember that time? My cat went missing during a huge rainstorm. I called you, and you were in the middle of surgery. But you didn’t hesitate, you just got off the operating table and rushed back to help me find him.” My steps froze. “Of course, I remember,” Serena’s voice was indulgent. “Good thing we found the kitten in the end.” “What happened to that patient?” Julian asked. “Died,” Serena said, her voice eerily casual. “Their family raised hell, but the hospital shut them down.” My blood ran cold. At the time, Serena’s explanation was that she felt unwell and couldn’t continue the surgery, resulting in the patient’s death due to delayed treatment. The patient’s family was furious, rushing into the hospital with a knife, wanting to get to Serena. To protect her, then pregnant, I rushed in to block them. In the chaos, I took a knife intended for her. And it was because of that very chaos that she accidentally fell, losing our three-month-old baby. I couldn’t take it anymore. I violently pushed open the door. They were embracing on the couch. Seeing me, a flicker of panic crossed Serena’s eyes, and her voice unnaturally rose. “Caleb Stone, what are you doing here again?!” I stared at her, my voice trembling. “That surgery… you weren’t feeling unwell?” Serena was momentarily stunned by my question. “You heard all that?” Then her impatience returned. “That family was being completely unreasonable anyway, but you just had to get involved, making things worse!” “But you lost our child that time!” I screamed. Perhaps she remembered that child too, as a hint of emotion crossed her face. At that moment, Julian cautiously spoke up. “Caleb, don’t blame Serena so much. She certainly didn’t want to lose the baby.” As soon as Julian spoke, Serena’s softened expression vanished, her face hardening. “And you have the nerve to question me? It’s your own fault you’re useless! You couldn’t even protect your own wife and child!” I couldn’t believe my ears. She was blaming *me* for everything! This was the woman I had loved for five years! My heart died completely. “Sign it,” I said, handing her the divorce papers. Serena frowned. “Caleb Stone, I don’t have time for your drama! I’m already exhausted taking care of Julian these days. Are you trying to cause more trouble?!” “I’m not causing drama. Signing this is good for everyone. You’ll have more time to take care of him, and I can marry someone else in peace.” Serena scoffed, “Marry someone else? What woman would want a divorced man? Don’t tell me you’re trying to play hard to get now.” I felt a bitter irony. So, Serena was also capable of being so utterly repulsive. “I’m marrying Harper. I only just realized today, she’s a million times better than you!” “Enough!” Serena suddenly roared. “Divorce, you say? Fine! Let’s do it! Just don’t come crying back to me later!”

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I knew Rachel had also come back to the first day of senior year when she tore up our couple’s notebook in front of the entire class and handed it back to me before sitting next to Tyler, the new transfer student everyone was crushing on. I calmly picked up the torn notebook and gave my spot on the math competition team to Emily, the scholarship student from the class next door who I often ran into at the library. In our previous life, Rachel and I had promised to attend the same college and spend our lives together. It wasn’t until the night before her wedding, when she drunkenly pulled out the love letter she had given Tyler years ago and called me crying about how she couldn’t marry the man she truly loved, that I realized she never really loved me. Given a second chance at life, I chose to let us both go. While Rachel was busy skipping class and having fun with Tyler, I was leading our competition team to dominate the national finals. On the day the SAT scores were released, Rachel, who had gotten pregnant and dropped out, saw a video of me being interviewed as the state’s top scorer. She completely lost it!

The moment I saw the tattered couple’s notebook carelessly tossed onto my desk, I knew Rachel had also come back. For the past ten years in our previous life, we had leaned on each other and worked hard together. I pulled all-nighters to build my startup, while she stayed in our tiny apartment making hangover soup to keep me going. Two kids from a small town, constantly encouraging each other. After ten years of perseverance and countless nights of drinking until I got ulcers, we finally put down roots in a big city, with a decent income and a fully paid-off house. Back then, standing in front of my own company building and holding Rachel’s hand, I felt overwhelmed with emotion. Without her support, I wouldn’t have made it this far. At that point, I finally felt confident enough to propose and start planning our wedding. To make up for all the years she had stood by me, I secretly prepared a $200,000 engagement ring and a fully paid house as a surprise. Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction. I even started fantasizing about having a child after we got married. It didn’t matter if she didn’t like doing housework or taking care of kids. In the past, when I didn’t have money, I had to take care of her myself. But now that things were better, I could hire not just one, but two nannies to take care of her and the baby. But fate seemed to be playing a cruel joke on me. The night before our wedding, Rachel said she wanted to have drinks with some friends for her bachelorette party. I agreed, of course, and promised to pick her up at midnight. But when I drove to the bar, I found her sobbing in a private room, bitterly regretting her life choices. She said she regretted more than once giving up her high school crush for a boring guy like me. “I was too young back then, too afraid to confess to the guy I liked because I didn’t want to ruin my reputation as a good student,” she cried. “But look what happened? This boring, studious boyfriend ended up wasting my most precious ten years!” “He tricked me into studying hard for three years, and then tricked me for another ten years, saying he’d give me a good life.” “Now I’m thirty, and no other man would want me. I have no choice but to marry him.” “You guys might envy me for finally getting my happy ending, but have you ever thought about how I’ve wasted my entire life with someone I don’t even love?!” I stood frozen at the doorway, my blood running cold. For the past ten years, even though I couldn’t give her a more luxurious life, I had given her all my salary and bonuses, and taken care of all the housework. Whether it was her freeloading parents or anything she wanted, I always tried my best to fulfill her wishes. She told me she wanted a unique wedding. I wanted to give her the grand wedding of her dreams once we were more financially stable, but in her eyes, I was just deliberately holding her back. Just as I was reeling from the shock, a girl passing by couldn’t resist the drama and posted a video online: “After seeing this, would you still choose to give up true love and marry a boring guy? Look at this poor man standing outside like a loyal dog while his drunk fiancée rants inside.” In an instant, we became a trending topic online. Everyone sympathized with Rachel and criticized me for ruining her youth. Some people even made memes out of my expression, calling me “the most pathetic simp of the new era.” Ten years of devotion, and I was left with nothing. My so-called friends who saw the post pretended to care while actually mocking me: “Are you still going through with the wedding? What if the bride runs away?” “Wow, you really outdid yourself, man. Trapping your high school crush for ten years? Are you some kind of yandere or what? Hahaha!” I became the target of everyone’s ridicule and mockery. But Rachel only panicked for a moment when she first found out about the video. Then she became righteously indignant. “It’s all your fault anyway. Even strangers online think you’ve held me back. Everything is your fault.” I leaned back on the sofa, looking at her tiredly. “We’re only legally married, we haven’t had the ceremony yet.” “In that case, let’s forget about the wedding and just get divorced.” Hearing this, Rachel suddenly started screaming. “I’ve wasted ten years on you! If we divorce now, I’ll lose half of everything! No way!” “If you want to dump me, you better pay up first!” I looked at the woman I had loved for ten years in disbelief, immediately getting up to find our marriage certificate. I can’t believe I misjudged her so badly! But just as I turned to look for the documents, Rachel, seeing that I was determined to divorce her, somehow crept up behind me. In a moment of madness, she pulled out a sharp knife from somewhere and stabbed it into my body. “How dare you even mention divorce when I’ve put up with you for so long?” “Only if you die can I have both money and freedom!” Her face was twisted with malice as she spoke the last words I heard before falling into darkness.

“What’s going on with you two? Did you have a fight?” Seeing me lost in thought, my buddy Mike nudged me with his elbow. He pointed at Rachel, who was now leaning close to Tyler, the new transfer student, and asked curiously. I finally snapped back to reality, my eyes cold as ice. Since high school, Rachel and I had been known as childhood sweethearts. In everyone’s minds, including my own until recently, we were destined to be together forever. So when they saw Rachel suddenly acting cold towards me and clinging to Tyler instead, everyone was shocked. I shook my head. “We didn’t fight. We just realized we’re not compatible and decided to split up.” Mike nodded. “That’s good, fighting would only hurt your relationship. See, I told you… Wait, what?! Split up?!” His voice wasn’t exactly quiet, and the entire classroom turned to look at us. I calmly nodded. “That’s right. From today on, Rachel and I are just regular classmates.” Everyone gasped and turned to look at Rachel. She was still staring at Tyler with undisguised adoration in her eyes. “Is it because of that guy?” Mike asked. “Not really. We just suddenly realized we’re not right for each other,” I said with a shrug, pretending not to care. Hearing this, Rachel suddenly turned to look at me with a strange expression. She looked at me as if I had done something to wrong her. I found it somewhat amusing. She was the one who stabbed me, yet she had the audacity to look at me like that? In the end, I didn’t say anything and just looked down at the form on my desk. It was a registration form for the state math competition. Normally, this year’s competition wouldn’t have much to do with me. I had already participated and won a gold medal in junior year, basically securing my college admission. But that year, Rachel had fallen ill and couldn’t compete with me. I knew she was lazy and stressed about the SATs, so I wanted to help ease her burden. At the same time, I subconsciously thought we should go to the same college. That’s why I agreed to lead the team for another competition in senior year. The main goal was to help Rachel win a medal too, so even if she couldn’t get a full scholarship, she could at least get some bonus points for college admissions. But that was all in our previous life. Now that things had come to this point between Rachel and me, the original plan was obsolete. However, since I had promised the teacher, I felt obligated to see it through. I looked at the registration form in front of me, thought for a moment, and then stood up. “Anyone interested in the math or biology competitions can come sign up with me. For the next year, I’ll be leading the team to prepare for the competitions as captain.”

In our small town, we didn’t have many educational resources, let alone specialized training for academic competitions. Even when I participated in the competition in junior year, I had to mostly self-study. I had to find all the practice problems on my own and figure out the solutions through countless sleepless nights. The school teachers only realized there was such a path to college admission after I had already won and secured my spot. Fortunately, our class was considered the top one in our school, and most of my classmates were ambitious and eager to get into good colleges. They were naturally interested in this opportunity, so they all rushed over to sign up. I asked Mike to help me record the list of names first, and then I would screen them later to decide who to include in the competition team. Mike agreed without hesitation. But soon, he looked at me with some hesitation. “Actually, I think Emily would be a great fit. You know how good she is at math. If she could get into college through this competition route, she’d probably end up at a much better school than she could through regular admissions.” I knew Emily Parker, the class president from the neighboring class. I had a strong impression of her – throughout freshman and sophomore years, I never saw her score below 98 on a math test, and her physics and chemistry grades were also top-notch. But oddly enough, her English and literature scores were terrible, barely passing. Someone like her would indeed be more suited for the competition route. I thought for a moment and nodded. “If she’s interested, go ahead and put her name down. But keep in mind that these competitions are quite different from regular math classes. We’ll need to test her first to see if she’s really up for it.” “But…” Mike still hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back. I looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong? She doesn’t want to participate? If that’s the case, forget it. It should be voluntary. There’s no point in forcing anyone, it’ll just make things harder to manage later.” “No, no, that’s not it,” Mike quickly said when he saw I was about to drop the subject. “It’s just that… Rachel doesn’t like you interacting with other girls, right? If you end up preparing for the competition with Emily, I’m worried it might cause problems for you.”

I sighed, feeling a bit exasperated. I had to emphasize once again: “I’ve already said this – Rachel and I are completely over. This isn’t just empty words; we really won’t have any contact anymore.” Mike still looked skeptical, but he didn’t say anything more. He just sat down and wrote Emily’s name on the paper. Just then, I suddenly felt uneasy, as if someone was watching me. I turned my head and caught Rachel hurriedly looking away. Seeing me look at her, she quickly put on an air of indifference. Mike finished recording the names quickly and handed me two sheets of paper. “Here are the lists of students interested in the math and biology competitions.” I nodded. “Great. Thanks! I’ll treat you to barbecue tonight.” Mike hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up. “Why don’t you ask Rachel? Weren’t you planning to have her join the math team all along?” Rachel turned her head at the right moment, deliberately lifting her chin and not looking at me as she said coldly: “If you want me to participate, that’s fine, but I demand that Tyler joins too. Otherwise, I won’t do it.” “No need. We have enough people already, and we still need to screen them. I’m going to submit the list to the teacher now,” I said, ignoring her words and just organizing the forms. Rachel froze, seemingly not expecting me to disregard her like that. She looked like a rooster suddenly choked, abruptly falling silent and staring at me in disbelief. But I didn’t meet her gaze again. I just walked out of the classroom, minding my own business.

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Caleb Thompson and I had been in love for ten years. Then, right before our wedding, he suddenly vanished without a trace. The next time I saw him, he was sweetly holding hands with another woman. He told me he was on an undercover mission, that the woman was just his target, and I was the only true love of his life. Later, when the mission ended, he blocked her everywhere and came home to marry me. For six years, our life together was blissful. I had long forgotten about the past, until I went to file some official paperwork. “Ms. Hayes, our records indicate you are still unmarried.” Those words sent a shockwave through me. “That’s impossible. My husband, Caleb Thompson, and I have been married for six years.” “The system shows Mr. Thompson is indeed married, but you are not.” “Then who is his wife?” “Alexa Monroe.” The very woman who was Caleb’s undercover target all those years ago. The clerk handed me all the processed documents. The name “Alexa Monroe” pierced my heart. A whirlwind of memories flashed before my eyes, all the moments of these past years. Six years ago, Caleb and I had a grand wedding ceremony. To make it up to me, he gave up his dream and quit his job, just to be by my side. He had a fortune in flowers flown in, simply because I’d once said I liked them. He even personally traveled to South Africa to pick out gemstones and crafted our wedding rings with his own hands. For six years, we were sweet and devoted. All our relatives and friends called us the perfect couple. It was all a lie. I walked like a zombie back to our doorstep. Before I even stepped inside, I heard Caleb talking on the phone. “Be a good boy, sweetheart. Daddy will come see you tonight, okay?” “Make sure you listen to Mommy. Daddy will bring you a gift.” Caleb was cooing softly, using that syrupy sweet voice a tough guy like him usually despised. “You’re doing great, babe. Just a little longer, and we’ll finally be a family…” That last sentence exploded in my mind like a bomb. My blood ran cold. He had a child already. When we first got married, he’d traveled frequently for a year. For the last four months of that period, he’d been completely incommunicado. Now, it seemed, that must have been when the baby was born. When he returned from those trips, he always smelled faintly of baby formula. I even teased him, saying he’d suddenly turned into a big softie, a total daddy, at his age. Now, it all made sense. “I love you both. You’re the ones I love most in this world.” I listened as Caleb kept pouring out his love to the person on the other end. He hadn’t said those words to me in six years. He always said old married couples didn’t need to say mushy things like that. Turns out, he was saving them for someone else. For six whole years, I had lived in a fake dream, completely oblivious that his heart had changed long ago. I tried to escape but tripped. Caleb heard the commotion and immediately hung up. Seeing me on the ground, he rushed over and scooped me into his arms. I fought back the surge of disgust, tearing myself away from his embrace. Seeing my reaction, he looked guilty, hesitant as he spoke: “Riley, what’s wrong?” I stared at him, trying to find a flicker of genuine concern in his eyes. “It’s nothing, just wasn’t watching where I was going and took a tumble.” He helped me to the sofa, got out the first-aid kit, and carefully cleaned my wound. That serious look always made me mistakenly believe he still loved me. Caleb nervously darted his eyes up. “Riley, I have to go out of town soon. There’s a crucial project that’s run into some trouble. I’ll be gone for a few days.” My heart sank into a frozen abyss. I forced a smile. “Okay. Have a safe trip.” After he left, I made a call. “I’m willing to accept the company’s assignment to work in France.”

“Excellent. Prepare your paperwork, and you can depart next week.” “Perfect, right after the design competition finishes, we’ll be ready to go.” Hanging up, I looked around. This place, which had held six years of our supposed happiness, now seemed utterly ridiculous. I packed my bags, tossing everything that represented ‘us’ into the trash: the photos we’d taken together, the matching custom mugs, the good luck charm he’d sought for me with such devotion… From high school sweethearts to my wedding day, from fifteen to twenty-five, all the love from those years went straight into the garbage. As soon as I finished packing, my phone rang. It was a colleague. “Riley, there’s a document here at the office that needs your signature at the client’s office.” I left for work immediately. As I exited the client’s building, I saw a familiar figure. “Daddy, take me to the amusement park!” Caleb scooped up the child, his voice soft with affection. “Alright, Daddy will take you.” Then he saw me. Caleb set the child down. Before I could even speak, he grabbed my arm and explained, “It was just so sad for the kid to not have a dad around… so I brought him out to play.” I no longer believed a word he said. This whole scene just felt pathetic. Suddenly, the child picked up a rock from the ground and threw it straight at my head. *Thud!* Blood streamed down my face. Alexa’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. She grabbed my hand and said, “Oh, dear, he’s just a child. Please don’t blame him!” “That’s right, he’s just a kid! Don’t do anything rash!” The couple played off each other, pretending to be terrified, like I was about to commit murder on the street. I glared at Caleb. “Didn’t you say you’d blocked all her contact information? How do you already have a child this old with her?” Caleb instantly panicked, his eyes darting nervously. “I… we just happened to run into each other on the street.” “Yes, and then I saw this child who looked so much like me…” It was a pathetic excuse, but I no longer cared. Caleb waited nervously for my reaction. Alexa stood beside him, her face filled with obvious jealousy and resentment. Suddenly, the child charged at me like a little cannonball. I was knocked to the ground, my stomach hitting the curb of the flower bed. “Leo, are you okay?” Caleb anxiously checked on his energetic son. The frantic look on his face made it seem as if the child was the true victim. Their happiness, as a family of three, burned my eyes. Beneath me, I felt a warm, wet sensation. “Blood? Why are you bleeding?” Before I lost consciousness, I vaguely saw Caleb’s worried face. When I woke up again, Caleb was sitting by the hospital bed. “Sign this!” He frowned slightly, handing me a document. “Some busybody passersby called the police earlier. This is a statement saying you won’t press charges.” “Get up and sign it quickly. I’ll explain everything about Alexa later.” I couldn’t be bothered to watch Caleb’s act. I turned to the nurse beside me. “Excuse me, what happened to me?” The nurse’s curious, almost nosy eyes darted between us. “You were pregnant, and you lost the baby. But you’re still young. Take good care of yourself, and you can have more children later.” Her voice held a hint of pity. She offered a few simple words of comfort before leaving. Caleb cleared his throat awkwardly. “You can have more children later, don’t worry about it. Just sign this.” I raised my hand and swatted the document away. Was my baby worth less than a piece of paper? Seeing this, Alexa, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, walked in. “Please, dear, just sign it. Leo is still so young, he didn’t mean it.” “If you have any anger, you can take it out on me. Hit me, curse me, anything.” Tears streamed down her face the moment she entered, as if someone had tormented her. “That’s right,” Caleb added, “and to get you to the hospital, Alexa got hurt too.” He gently blew on her barely-scraped skin, his face full of concern. Alexa raised an eyebrow at me, a blatant taunt in her eyes. I let out a self-mocking laugh. My baby dying was a minor detail, but her scraped knee was a huge deal. I stood up, ready to go home. Caleb tried to stop me, but then Alexa cried out from behind him: “Honey, my scratch hurts so much!” Hearing her, Caleb’s steps faltered. I scoffed, my resolve to break up with Caleb hardening even further. I had lost everything — my baby, my husband. All I had left was my career. I needed to focus on the design competition tomorrow. Before bed, I double-checked all the necessary materials, making sure everything was perfect. The next day, as soon as I entered the venue, security personnel approached me. “Ms. Hayes, your entry has been accused of plagiarism. You are disqualified from entering the venue. Please leave!” The loud voice echoed through every corner of the hall. Everyone looked over, curious. “No way, isn’t that Riley Hayes, the genius designer in our industry? She plagiarized?” “She won a national award at eighteen! Could all her past works be copied too?” This design was my life’s work for the past three years; there was no way it was plagiarism. Just as I was about to question the organizers, I saw two familiar figures in the crowd.

I stared hard at Caleb, trying to figure out what he was up to. “I announce that the first-place winner of this design competition is – Alexa Monroe!” Alexa Monroe’s design was identical to mine! My rage completely consumed me. I pushed through the crowd, intending to confront that conniving couple. I hadn’t walked two steps before Sarah Jenkins, a colleague I knew well, stopped me. She pulled me aside. “Riley, I just asked for you.” “The organizers said that when they received two identical design entries, they already questioned Alexa.” “But Alexa provided all her design sketches to prove her originality.” Her expression towards me was sympathetic. “And… Thompson Industries had pulled strings. They promised the organizers unconditional funding for the next ten years if they acknowledged Alexa as the original designer.” Every word was a dagger to my heart. My mind went blank. I couldn’t understand why Alexa would steal my work. Watching Alexa and Caleb mingle and work the room, I charged forward. Before I could even speak, Caleb clapped a hand over my mouth and dragged me outside the hall. “Why?” I demanded, my eyes red. His gaze flickered nervously, and he stammered, “Alexa has nothing. I just wanted to make her happy.” “And you think you have the right to use *my* hard work to make her happy?!” He frowned, looking agitated as he loosened his tie. “I’ll divorce her later and marry you. It’s just… it’s not easy for her, raising a child alone…” I felt a surge of nausea. I didn’t want to argue with him anymore. I quickly walked back into the hall, where my boss was standing on stage, making an announcement. “Alexa Monroe is our company’s newly appointed Design Director!” “And in the future, she will also serve as the General Manager of our French branch!” “How could this be?!” I cried out, my voice hoarse. Alexa walked towards me with a triumphant smirk, leaning close and whispering in my ear: “Now, both your husband and your job are mine.” “Oh, and by the way, while you were in the hospital yesterday, I had your parents’ ashes relocated. A little *rearrangement*, you know?” I trembled with fury, unable to stop myself from slapping her across the face. As I raised my hand for a second slap, Caleb shoved me hard to the ground. “Security!” he bellowed. At his command, several burly men immediately pinned me to the floor. A man’s large hand pressed painfully against my face. Alexa ran over, feigning distress, and said to everyone, “It’s all a misunderstanding! It’s my fault! Please, don’t hit her!” Caleb tenderly stroked her cheek. When he looked at me, his expression had shifted from gentle affection to pure disgust. “Look at Alexa, so sensible, so composed, unlike you! You’re always causing a scene!” “Get on your knees and beg her forgiveness, and we can put this whole thing behind us.” I scoffed, staring at them with intense hatred. The man I had loved for ten years… now I finally saw his true colors. I closed my eyes, unable to look at them anymore. Caleb grew angry. He gestured to his bodyguards. “Take her home. Starve her for a few days. Let’s see if she still dares to disobey!” My hands were bound, and the bodyguards forcibly dragged me into a car. Inside the car was an unexpected passenger – Caleb’s son. I was trapped in the car by the bodyguards, and the child was like a savage. “You hurt my mom! I’ll kill you!” A knife plunged into my abdomen. Blood stained the car seats. Outside the car, Caleb simply waved a hand, telling someone to send me to the hospital, while he rushed to comfort Alexa. When he had finally calmed Alexa down, he remembered me. He searched frantically throughout the hospital, but couldn’t find my room. “Hello, can you tell me which room Riley Hayes is in?” The nurse looked up, confused. “Riley Hayes? We don’t have a patient by that name here.” She spoke while flipping through records. “Who are you to her?” “I’m her husband.” “My condolences, sir. Ms. Hayes was brought in very late, and due to severe blood loss, she has already passed away.”

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After I donated a kidney for the man my girlfriend adored, Savannah, who had been giving me the silent treatment for a month, finally agreed to reconcile. She even set up a dinner party, calling it a “reward” for me. Her best friend, Kinsley, chuckled, “Savannah, you really know how to handle him. Caleb listens to you, and he’s completely devoted. Are you really going to throw away such a sweet guy and marry Ryder instead?” Savannah scoffed, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips. “He’s nothing but a stand-in. The only reason I haven’t gotten tired of him after all these years is that he’s a dead ringer for Ryder.” Their eyes met, a shared understanding passing between them. “Well, then, why not have Caleb be the best man at your wedding? That way, all his eight years with you won’t have been for nothing.” But Savannah just let out a cold laugh. “What a joke! Who is he to stand next to Ryder?” She paused, then added, “This dinner party is just a pat on the back for helping Ryder out. Consider it a consolation prize for all his years chasing after me.” I had just reached the door and heard every word. Pushing the door open calmly, I didn’t retort. She had no idea that today was the last day I’d be her stand-in. Tomorrow, my one true love would be back.

As soon as I stepped inside, everyone’s eyes converged on me, their expressions uniformly sneering. I took it all in, pretending to be oblivious as I handed Savannah the dessert she’d specifically requested. The next second, her face darkened, and her words sent the room’s atmosphere plummeting to freezing point: “Caleb, the ice cream’s completely melted. You just brought it to me? Are you trying to deliberately gross me out?” Before her words even faded, the dessert—which I’d waited an hour in line for and driven two miles to get—was violently slammed into the trash can. I glanced down. The ice cream was barely starting to melt, it wouldn’t have affected the taste at all. Kinsley, Savannah’s best friend, saw this and handed me a drink, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re not taking our Savannah seriously enough. Why don’t you chug three drinks as an apology to show your sincerity?” Everyone else chimed in, their faces twisted with mocking amusement. I touched the bandage wrapped around my lower back, hesitated for a moment, then took the glass and drained it. As soon as I set the glass down, Kinsley pushed another full one into my hand. My brows immediately furrowed. I didn’t take it. That first glass had already pushed me to my physical limit. Any more, and I’d be in trouble. I looked at Savannah, hoping she’d say something for me. But she just watched, her face cold, not lifting a finger to explain. Kinsley saw my hesitation and sneered, “Savannah, looks like your boyfriend isn’t all that devoted after all. Just two drinks, and he’s being so wishy-washy.” Savannah’s gaze hardened with displeasure. She stepped forward and slapped me across the face. “Caleb, what’s your problem today? You’re usually such a heavy drinker!” She yelled. “And here I was, being nice enough to throw this party to reward you, and this is how you treat me? You won’t even drink three glasses for me!” I turned my head, my eyes darkening. I had thought that after giving a kidney, she would change her usual bossy attitude towards me. But no, she only got worse. She completely forgot that I couldn’t drink alcohol right now. I met her gaze and kindly reminded her, “Savannah, my kidney surgery hasn’t fully healed. Don’t you know I can’t drink?” Her eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, but it quickly vanished in the dim light of the room. Then she said carelessly, “Can’t drink after a kidney transplant? Do you think everyone in this room is stupid?! If you want to get out of drinking, at least come up with a better excuse.” Kinsley, standing nearby, chimed in mockingly, “Exactly! I see everyone else drinking just fine. Why can’t you? Or are you just deliberately refusing? This whole table of drinks is Savannah’s sincerity to you.” She gestured to the table, which was now filled with precisely 99 glasses of alcohol. Seeing the cold indifference on her face, no trace of concern for me, I immediately decided to turn and leave. But Savannah’s circle of friends wasn’t about to let me off so easily. They called people over to hold me down and forcefully poured the alcohol down my throat. The strong liquor seared my lungs, tearing at my chest with agonizing pain. I desperately looked to Savannah for help, but she just watched, a cold, distant spectator, as if I were a stranger. Just when I thought I was going to collapse right then and there, Savannah, who had been like a statue, finally moved. The next second, she walked over and yanked the glass from the hand of the person pouring it into my mouth. I thought she’d finally grown a conscience, that she was going to stop this absurd charade. But then she said coldly, “Hold on. Ryder’s calling.” The moment she answered the phone, her voice shifted, suddenly soft and tender, as if she were a completely different person. “Okay, I’m heading out to get you that dessert now. Wait for me.” A wave of dizziness washed over me, and my consciousness began to fade. Just as Savannah hung up, I collapsed directly in front of her. Everyone else panicked. Savannah frowned, glanced at me, then at the two-thirds of the untouched alcohol on the table, and said with utter disdain, “Don’t bother with him. He’s just faking it, trying to get out of drinking.” “I still need to get Ryder his dessert. I’m leaving.” Savannah walked away without a backward glance. Kinsley then kicked me twice. Seeing no reaction, she finally realized something was seriously wrong and panicked, running off. The others, seeing this, also found excuses to slip away. I was left abandoned in the private room. It was the cleaning lady who eventually called 911. When I woke up, a message popped up on my phone.

It was from Ryder. I opened it. It was a photo of him and Savannah with their marriage certificate. My fingers clenched, staring blankly at the photo until the screen went dark. All these years Savannah and I had been together, for various reasons, we’d unspokenly avoided talking about marriage. We’d fallen in love at first sight, our relationship quickly heated up, and in our respective friend circles, we were considered a “model couple.” We hiked together, camped together, even traveled together. We did everything a normal couple would do. I thought I would be this happy for the rest of my life. But I never imagined those days would end so quickly. I started noticing her requests getting stranger, but I indulged her, letting her have her way, not thinking much of it. At first, she just wanted to control my outfits I thought she just found me unfashionable, so I let it go. But then, she started directly controlling my preferences, restricting my behavior, even hiring a private tutor for me. That’s when I became suspicious. A little digging, and I found out about Ryder’s existence. It was then I understood: everything she had done for me before was actually for Ryder. From that moment on, I could often feel her looking through my eyes at someone else. For eight years, neither of us ever acknowledged this unspoken truth. Until Ryder returned to the country. Once he knew about me, he went all out to impress Savannah, repeatedly mocking me as nothing more than his stand-in . I’d lost count of how many photos like this one I’d received today. Savannah pushed the door open, pinching her nose, a thermal container in her hand. Her tone was disdainful. “I thought you were dead. Didn’t expect you to have such nine lives.” She saw my gaze land on the container in her hand and said coldly, “I spent all afternoon making this chicken soup for Ryder. It’s not for you. Besides, you’re awake now, so you don’t need it anyway.” She paused, her eyes darkening, then forced a sweet smile. “Since you’re fine, then the cake for Ryder’s birthday tomorrow is on you. Don’t you dare disappoint me again.” Without waiting for my answer, she walked out, carrying the container. She had always been like this with me. I had grown used to it over the years. Earlier, to make me more like Ryder, she had hired a private pastry chef to teach me, and I’d picked up a few tricks. But none of the desserts I’d painstakingly made for her had ever satisfied her. She even took a cake I’d spent a whole day on and fed it to a dog. She’d cast a cold glance at the messy aftermath and declared shamelessly, “Caleb, you’re so utterly useless. You can’t even do such a simple thing right. You truly can’t even hold a candle to Ryder.” Thinking of this, I called out to her, “Don’t you usually hate my cakes?” She turned to look at me, her tone impatient. “If Ryder hadn’t specifically asked you to make it, do you think you’d even have this chance?” True. If it weren’t for Ryder, she’d probably make it herself, or at least order a custom one. It would never be my turn. Before I could reply, she slammed the door shut. Smelling the lingering chicken soup aroma that didn’t belong in my hospital room, I remembered Ryder’s room was directly above mine. Just one floor separated us. He was in a luxurious VIP suite, complete with full amenities and a dedicated nutritionist for his recovery meals. He certainly didn’t lack the bowl of chicken soup Savannah held. As for me, the stand-in, ever since I was wheeled out of surgery, Savannah had originally planned to leave me to recover on a gurney in the hallway. It was only after my surgeon strongly insisted, and her own impatience grew, that she reluctantly got me the cheapest, smallest room, barely a yard from the restroom. The strong odor constantly drifted in, irritating me. Just then, a nurse pushed the door open, her voice cold. “Room 12, Caleb? Someone’s processed your discharge. Get ready to leave quickly. Someone will be here to clean and disinfect in half an hour.” I froze, looking up at the IV bag that wasn’t even empty. I hadn’t expected Savannah to act so fast, not even waiting for an afternoon. I ripped the IV needle from my hand, forcing down the discomfort in my body, and quickly packed up, preparing to leave the hospital. As soon as I stepped out of the hospital, I received a frantic message from Savannah: “Go to the bakery immediately. I’ve already had them prepare all the ingredients for the cake. Text me when you’re done.” I stopped, read the message, then tapped the screen, calmly deleting it from my phone. This cake, consider it my wedding gift to them. I had just hung up from calling the artisanal bakery when a SnapChat message popped up. I assumed it was Ryder again, gloating about something Savannah had done for him, and was about to block him. The next second, I saw another message pop up in my SnapChat favorites: “I land tonight. Free to pick me up?” Seeing the familiar tone, I felt a little stunned. I pinched myself hard, thinking I was hallucinating. I only had two people favorited on SnapChat: Savannah, and my one true love from my youth. In the eight years I’d been with Savannah, she never spoke to me with such patience. In my memory, only *she* would talk like that. But hadn’t she said she was moving abroad permanently and would never return? If she hadn’t made that decision back then, we wouldn’t be in this situation now. After all, I had confessed my feelings to her years ago. I stared at the message for a long time, calming my emotions before silently replying, “Okay.”

Putting down my phone, I turned, flowers in hand, and headed straight for the airport, completely forgetting about Savannah’s instructions. It wasn’t until late that night, when Savannah hadn’t received the cake I was supposed to make, ruining the elaborate birthday party she’d planned for Ryder, that she laid all the blame on me. She stormed in, Ryder following behind her. She kicked the door open, screaming, “Caleb, how many times is this?! What kind of stunt are you pulling now?! Where’s the cake I told you to make?!” I glanced at the rattling door, answering blandly, “Forgot.” Savannah immediately blew up. The thought of Ryder being openly ridiculed because I hadn’t shown up with the cake enraged her. She lunged forward, slapping me twice, and snarled, “Do you have any idea that because of you, Ryder was utterly humiliated in front of everyone?! People were pointing and whispering about him! And he was even worried about you, telling me not to get mad at you!” “Ryder is such a good person, why would you do this to him?!” “I’m giving you half an hour! You have to make a cake to apologize within that time, or I’m not done with you!” With that, she slammed the door and left. Watching her resolute back, I realized that she’d never been this invested, not even for my own birthdays. Not only did I never get the special treatment a birthday person deserved, but I had to make *her* a cake, and if it wasn’t to her liking, I’d have to stand all night as punishment. Thinking of this, I let out a bitter laugh. As I stepped out of my room, I saw her sitting in the living room, carefully peeling an orange for Ryder, meticulously removing all the white pith before handing it to him. Ryder saw me but didn’t make a sound. Instead, he smugly took the orange from Savannah and ate it. “Savannah, let’s set our wedding for three days from now, okay?” Ryder asked, his eyes gleaming triumphantly at me, though his voice was tender as he spoke to Savannah. Savannah had her back to me, but her voice was doting. “Of course, darling. Whatever you say.” Hearing that, he smiled even more triumphantly, then asked again: “How about inviting Caleb to our wedding, too?” This time, Savannah didn’t answer directly. Ryder saw the hesitation on her face and immediately acted hurt. “I just want his blessing. That way, our wedding will be even more perfect. Didn’t you always say you wanted to give me a perfect wedding?” Savannah was silent after hearing this. Then, as if remembering something, she nodded in agreement. Ryder smirked, looking at me. “Caleb, did you hear that? Savannah and I are cordially inviting you to our wedding.” Then Savannah turned back, her face cold. Seeing me, her eyes seemed to falter for a moment before she said with disdain, “Since you heard it, I won’t repeat myself. Be there on time, don’t make us a laughingstock again.” My hand clenched. I met Savannah’s indifferent gaze. My eight years of devotion, and in the end, I didn’t even get a proper breakup. I scoffed at myself, then nodded in agreement. On the wedding day, I showed up in full formal wear. The moment the couple emerged, they were the center of attention. Guests showered them with compliments, calling them a match made in heaven, not holding back on their praises. Savannah accepted it all with a beaming smile, but when her eyes landed on me, the smile instantly vanished. Savannah’s face soured. She frowned and chastised me, “Caleb, are you trying to steal Ryder’s thunder dressed like that? Don’t forget, today is Ryder’s and my wedding. Ryder is the groom today!” “If I’d known this, I never should have agreed to let you come! I thought you’d know your place, but I never imagined you’d stoop so low just to cause trouble!” At her words, the surrounding guests began to whisper. Those who didn’t know me accused me of being shameless; those who did threatened to kick me out. Ryder, on the other hand, didn’t seem annoyed. He even spoke up for me, sounding understanding. “Savannah, if he wants to be my best man, then let’s humor him. It’s a way of thanking him for taking care of you all these years. And it wouldn’t be a waste of that outfit he’s wearing today.” Ryder looked at me with a challenging glint in his eyes. Savannah frowned, about to retort, but then heard the continued whispers around them and relented. She checked the time, clearly reluctant. “Then hurry up and get ready. Is this where you’re supposed to be standing?!” A staff member came over, ready to escort me away, but before I’d taken two steps, Ryder’s voice stopped them. “Wait. His outfit is actually perfect. How about we have him bring us the wedding rings in a bit?” My body stiffened at his words. Deliver the rings. That was the flower girl’s job. He wanted me to watch them exchange vows, to watch Savannah marry him, with my own eyes? I looked at Savannah. She didn’t speak, implying her silent consent. The ceremony began quickly. Watching Savannah shed tears on stage, moved by Ryder’s words, I couldn’t help but sneer. The stage was set. It was time for the real show to begin. Savannah, let’s see how long you can keep that smile. The next second, the officiant excitedly announced, “Now, let’s give a round of applause for our special guest who will be presenting the rings to the happy couple…” A thunderous applause erupted. The couple on stage smiled, waiting for me to bring them their rings. I hooked a smile on my face, took the ring box from the staff member, and slowly walked forward. Whispers filled my ears, but my feet moved step by step, *away* from the altar. A moment later, I turned and knelt on one knee in front of a slender, unfamiliar woman. The entire hall erupted in gasps. Savannah’s face went deathly pale as she recognized me, then contorted in a furious scream. “Caleb, do you even know what you’re doing?!” “Of course, I’m proposing. Are you blind? Can’t you tell?” I sneered, utterly dismissive. Savannah’s face changed drastically. She grabbed her wedding dress with both hands and strode towards me, seething.

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I was sitting comfortably on the couch, surrounded by six young male dancers. Two of them, one on each side, took my hands and placed them on their chests. As I felt the pulsing of their young hearts, I realized what a miserable life I had been living before. After adopting Lily, I never remarried or accepted any man’s advances for the sake of providing her with a healthy growing environment. I wanted her to grow up in a comfortable greenhouse, but my efforts only resulted in her saying, “You’re just jealous of me because you can’t get a man.” Thinking about this made my blood boil. I took out a stack of cash from my purse and held it in my hand. Whenever a dancer made a move I liked or said something pleasing, I would tuck the money into their waistbands or shirt pockets. In the past, I had invested hundreds of thousands in that ungrateful brat only to see it go down the drain. Now, spending just a few thousand was bringing me so much joy. This blissful feeling lingered until I heard a familiar voice behind me— “I never thought the usually cold and aloof Ms. Yates would come to a place like this to unwind.” Samuel Sutton walked in front of me, eyeing the boys around me one by one. “So this is your type. Actually, I’m not much different from them. Why don’t you consider me, Ms. Yates?” “You’re the esteemed CEO of Sutton Corp. Why are you lowering yourself in front of me?” I waved my hand, signaling everyone in the private room to leave. Then I poured drinks into two glasses on the table. “Your timing is perfect. Join me for a drink. I’ve had enough fun for today and just need a drinking buddy now.” “Sure, drink as much as you want. If you pass out, I’ll take you home.” Many of the eligible bachelors I had missed out on in the past were now key figures in various industries, and Samuel was one of them. Seven years ago when I first met Samuel, his Sutton Corporation hadn’t yet broken away from the family business. To me, he was just an immature kid, so when he confessed his feelings, I rejected him without hesitation. But over the years, Samuel has always been hovering around me. I watched him grow from a little boy into a big-shot CEO, and he witnessed my transformation during this period. The next morning when I sobered up, I found that the internet was flooded with gossip about me. #Sutton Corp CEO single for years, turns out his heart belongs to Yates Corp’s CEO sister “Did you call me because you think the gossip is too outrageous?” Samuel asked. “Not really. I’m just curious how someone could coincidentally capture us leaving the club together and then snap photos of you sending me home.” Samuel burst out laughing, “You’re so smart. I forgot that your villa is so secluded that normal people can’t find it. Whoever took those photos must know you very well.” Even without Samuel pointing it out, I knew the creator of this gossip was Lily. Because of this rumor, many strangers online had a negative impression of me. Some even targeted my hotel operations, flooding review sites with bad ratings. Just as I was starting to face some trouble, Lily showed up at my doorstep to confront me. “Mom, look at those classless people online, actually cursing you for being an old cow eating young grass at your age.” Lily covered her mouth and laughed, “But I’m different. You’re only seven years older than Mr. Sutton, and you take such good care of yourself, even looking younger than me.” I cut her off abruptly, “Get to the point.” “As long as you agree to let me come back to the Yates family, I can help you clarify that this rumor is false. The photos were all taken from misleading angles. This way, you won’t be cyberbullied anymore.” Lily showed me several photos on her phone. Compared to the deliberately angled shots in the gossip, these looked much more normal. Seeing Lily’s expectant face, I smiled. Then I pushed her away. “From now on, this person is not allowed within the villa’s premises, and no one in the villa is permitted to contact her without authorization.” After closing the door, Lily started shouting and banging on it outside. “Sheila Yates! Just wait until everyone curses you for being shameless, seducing a younger man! You’ll go down in history as a disgrace!” Finally showing her true colors, huh? Watching Lily’s figure gradually disappear on the security cameras, I had someone follow her to see what she was up to this time with her big scheme. To my surprise, Lily’s next target was Sutton Corporation, specifically Samuel’s office. “I know you’ve always liked Sheila Yates. What’s so good about her? She’s rejected you over ten times, yet you’re still so devoted to her.” “Mr. Sutton, do you know how many female fans you have? They can’t accept you dating a woman seven years older than you. I’ve thought of a perfect solution for both you and Sheila.” Samuel listened patiently to Lily’s speech before slowly asking, “Tell me your plan.” Encouraged by Samuel’s response, Lily immediately perked up. She even sat down on the sofa next to Samuel, hooking her arm around his. “The solution is to tell everyone that you and I are actually the ones dating.” “I’m Sheila Yates’ only publicly known daughter. If you announce our relationship, Sheila would become your mother-in-law. It makes perfect sense for a son-in-law to send his drunk mother-in-law home, right?” Lily kept observing Samuel’s reaction, thinking her plan had been accepted since he hadn’t shown any anger. But just as she was about to get more intimate, two security guards burst in and lifted her up.

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