Category: English

To ensure her beloved ex got promoted, the CEO’s wife stole my proposal. Then she had the audacity to accuse me of plagiarism, claiming I copied her ex’s work, and demanded severe disciplinary action. Her ex, Mason Rivers, smirked, looking smug. “Liam Allen, I can’t believe you’d stoop to such scheming and dishonest tactics just to get a promotion. Mr. Harrison despises petty, underhanded people like you. Once he’s back, not only will you be kicked out of the company, but you’ll be blacklisted across the entire industry.” I didn’t get angry. Instead, I just laughed and resigned on the spot. My wife, Isabella Harris, seeing me so compliant, privately offered to put in a good word for me, assuring me that getting back into the company wouldn’t be a problem. What they didn’t know was that Mr. Harrison was my dad, and he’d seen me write that proposal firsthand. Once the truth came out, they wouldn’t just be utterly disgraced; they’d lose everything. “Liam Allen, the company invested so much manpower and resources into training you, and you’re just walking away?” “I can be generous and forgive your plagiarism. However, you’ll have to work as my assistant and learn what real decency and integrity means.” Mason Rivers straightened his suit jacket, his face full of mockery as he stepped on the proposal I’d spent a week burning the midnight oil on. I sneered back. “Mason Rivers, you’re nothing but a kept man, clinging to a woman to get ahead, you shameless cheat. What right do you have to be yapping here? Have me as your assistant? Do you honestly think you’re worthy?” Everyone present gasped, shocked that I, a failed candidate for promotion, dared to talk back. Mason’s face subtly changed. Isabella Harris, sitting firmly in the main chair, suddenly stood up. She grabbed the uncapped pen from beside her and hurled it at me. “Liam Allen, you’re utterly insolent! This is Harrison Corp., not your living room! You plagiarized, and now you’re trying to turn the tables on us?” I didn’t have time to dodge. The pen tip sliced across my cheek, leaving a thin line of crimson blood. The sharp sting made me wince. Isabella’s long lashes fluttered, a flicker of something, maybe regret, in her eyes as she clenched her fists and spoke in a low, tight voice. “Mason is being so kind to forgive you. You should be incredibly grateful. It’s not easy to find a job these days.” I just curled my lips. We’d been married for five years, and Isabella and I had worked tirelessly together at the company for five years. She always said that once I became a Vice President, we’d go public with our marriage. She kept climbing, her position getting higher and higher, but her heart drifted further and further away. Every time a promotion opportunity came up, she ordered me to give it to someone else. Those who joined the company before me needed stability; they deserved promotion. Those who joined after me were ‘talented’; they deserved promotion. Mason Rivers had broken up with her in the past because she was ‘poor.’ Only after his family’s fortunes crashed did he come crawling back. He joined the company a year ago and was fast-tracked for promotion three times. Isabella personally wrote glowing reports, praising him to high heaven. I’d finally gotten to the point where I was about to stand shoulder to shoulder with her, but then she stole my proposal for Mason Rivers and accused me of plagiarism. “Alright, Isabella, don’t be angry. I don’t blame him. After all, getting caught plagiarizing is quite shameful. But I’m kind-hearted. I can’t bear to see him homeless, so I’m willing to share the project results with him so he can make up for his mistake.” Mason Rivers spoke up, feigning reconciliation, a smug look on his face. “Mr. Harrison is still recovering abroad and doesn’t know what’s happened here. Liam Allen, I can put in a good word for you when he gets back.” It was always like this. He’d push me to my breaking point, then hide behind Isabella, playing the victim. It made everyone believe he was bearing immense humiliation and was genuinely kind-hearted, while I was petty and spiteful, unable to tolerate others. Isabella nodded, her eyes full of admiration as she looked at Mason. “Liam Allen, Mason is so excellent and has such good character. You’ll be lucky to work under him.” Lucky? Besides his sweet talk and empty promises, he knew absolutely nothing about corporate work. If you looked at his achievements, they were all projects where Isabella had forcefully added his name, or projects he’d outright stolen from me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed to plagiarize me for a simple proposal. Thinking of this, I scoffed. “Work with him? That flawed, copy-pasted proposal of mine, riddled with holes? If he takes that out, he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t anger our partners to death. I don’t want to get dragged into that mess.” Mason’s eyes reddened. He pulled off his employee badge and cried. “Isabella, I know I’m new to the industry and don’t have Liam’s experience. I’ve tried my best to befriend him, but he still has such a big prejudice against me. I can’t do this anymore. Maybe I should just leave!” If he hadn’t been clutching that badge tightly in his hand, I might have actually believed him. Bang! Isabella slammed her hand on the table, yelling furiously. “Liam Allen, this is workplace bullying! Apologize to Mason right now! Don’t forget what I told you a few days ago!” She winked at me, making a motion with her hand as if putting on a ring. I knew. She was threatening me with our official announcement. Everyone present, watching our dispute, unhesitatingly sided with the CEO. “Liam Allen, you were about to be kicked out of the company. It was our VP Mason who was generous enough to let you stay. You should be grateful! Now apologize!” “VP Mason is so dashing and talented. We’d all fight to be his assistant! You’re shameless enough to plagiarize, and you can’t even apologize? What’s with this ‘integrity’ act?” My gaze swept over all those familiar faces. Isabella had always treated me harshly at the company, exceptionally strict, making it known to everyone that she disliked me. These opportunists usually disobeyed orders and left all the messes for me to clean up. I endured it, waiting for the day I’d be promoted to VP and Isabella would go public with our marriage. All I got was an empty promise. Facing their coercion, I said calmly, “Since VP Rivers is so excellent, why does he need me? I wish him luck in leading the company to greatness.” Isabella saw I wasn’t taking the bait. Her delicate brows furrowed, and she snapped, “Liam Allen, you’re still so stubborn! When Mr. Harrison returns, it will be your downfall!” I chuckled. “More like your downfall.” Only I knew that Mr. Harrison was my dad, and I was his only son, pampered since childhood. When I was burning the midnight oil writing that proposal, he was sick, but he worried about my eyes so much it broke his heart. He even offered to write it for me. I wanted to see who would really be in trouble once my dad came back.

Isabella was shaking with rage, about to yell at me again. But I’d already pushed open the conference room door and walked out of the company. The house decor was minimalist. I collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly up at the extraordinarily large crystal chandelier. When we decorated, Isabella had said, “Liam Allen, someday I’ll buy you a huge mansion, and this lamp will be exactly where it belongs!” But now, that serious-faced girl gradually faded from my mind. Seven years ago, we met in college. I was drawn to her earnest expression as she worked a part-time job in the cafeteria, wiping tables and washing dishes. She said she’d come from a poor, rural background, and her parents had been killed by unscrupulous corporate types, which was why she hated rich kids the most. So I pretended to be an ordinary person and dated her, falling deeper and deeper in love. After graduation, she said she wanted to work hard and make it on her own. I abandoned my parents’ plans for me to study abroad. I even threatened to cut ties with them, throwing myself headfirst into the trap of love. To punish me, my parents cut off all financial support and blacklisted me from the entire industry. In the beginning, I was busy running errands during the day and, in my free time at night, I delivered food and worked as a designated driver. Isabella and I were crammed into a cramped, windowless basement apartment, and my immune system weakened. I broke out in rashes all over my body. My mom would sneak a look at me then, find me thin and worn out, and just cry. Isabella was just a fresh-faced corporate newbie back then, still very green in business. It was I who taught her how to apply economic principles strategically, guiding her growth with the experience I gained from interning at my family’s company, wanting her to become as skilled as I was. She told me countless times that without me, she wouldn’t have made it. One New Year’s Eve, we huddled together under a blanket, watching a movie on my tiny old phone, listening to the fireworks outside. A bowl of ramen with an egg was our best New Year’s meal. She craved it, her mouth watering, but she kept putting her egg into my bowl, insisting I eat. Finally, my parents realized we were slowly finding our footing even in such difficult circumstances. They relented, secretly lifting the industry blacklisting order and bringing Isabella and me into the company for an internship. I thought a bright future was finally coming. But what came instead was Isabella becoming increasingly cold towards me because of work. A year ago, Mason Rivers suddenly reappeared, begging on his knees for her forgiveness. That was the first time she didn’t come home all night, completely wasted. She told me countless times that she was being good to Mason because, even though he was a disgraced rich kid, he was still a connection, useful for the company. I believed her. Until this time, when she unscrupulously used me as a stepping stone to pave the way for Mason. I finally had enough. I pulled out my phone and asked my mom, “How’s Dad’s condition? When is he coming back?” My mom sensed something was off and replied, “He thinks he’s much better. He’ll be back tomorrow. Has someone at the company been bothering you?” I replied, “No, I just miss you guys.” Just as I was about to close my phone and go to sleep, I scrolled through Mason Rivers’s Ins story. “My beautiful boss is so kind and generous. She approved a company car for me to drive! Thanks, Isabella!” In the photo, Mason stood in front of a luxury sedan worth half a million dollars, while Isabella held a bouquet of flowers, looking gentle. The comment section exploded, praising him and Isabella, saying they looked good together. Isabella, who had claimed our marriage had to be kept secret because office romance was frowned upon, silently approved of everyone shipping her and Mason. She only replied, “The company won’t treat you unfairly. This is the perk of being a VP.” Yet, when I wanted to replace my beat-up sedan, which I’d driven for years, Isabella accused me of not being considerate of the company’s finances and not treating the company like it was my own. She never approved it. Love and indifference were so painfully obvious. Late into the night, Isabella finally came home. She’d had quite a bit to drink, stumbling unsteadily. After collapsing onto the sofa, she winced, covering her eyes, and complained, “Why are the lights so bright? Are you trying to blind me?” Too lazy to argue with a drunk, I turned off the crystal chandelier, leaving only a faint glow from the entryway light. In the darkness, Isabella’s watery eyes were bright. She mumbled, “Liam Allen, you almost made me lose face at the company today, and you didn’t even come to pick me up tonight. You’re really something. Do you actually want to be a kept man? How can I go public with our marriage like this, how can I go back to your family’s place and meet your parents?” She hugged the throw pillow on the sofa. Something seemed to cross her mind, and she suddenly chuckled. “A rich kid like Mason is just different from someone from your small-town background. Look how generous he is, he even urged me to come home early, worried you’d make a fuss. As long as you agree to take some of the burden off him, I might even be able to hire you back as a full-time employee!” Ultimately, it was just about getting me to do Mason Rivers’s work for free. In the darkness, I said, “No need for all that trouble. Let’s get a divorce.”

“What?” She mumbled, half-asleep. I turned around, took out the divorce papers I’d already printed, and repeated, “Let’s get a divorce. Give Mason Rivers an official title.” Isabella’s faint smile froze, and she sobered up in an instant. After a long silence, she got up, poking my chest with her finger, her voice sharp. “Liam Allen, are you crazy? When did you get such a temper? You threw a fit and resigned just because you missed one promotion, and now, just because I had a drink with Mason tonight, you’re threatening divorce? You better think this through. I’m the breadwinner in this family. What right do you have to threaten me?” “I’m already exhausted today. Tomorrow, I have to help Mason with our partners. Coming home just to get yelled at is worse than staying at the office!” With that, she grabbed her coat and stormed out. I didn’t go after her. I simply placed the divorce papers on the coffee table, turned around, and went to bed. The next day, after breakfast, my mom sent me a message: “Liam, Dad and I have already left for the company. Don’t bother coming to the airport. See you at the company. Mom brought you a gift.” I wiped my mouth and headed for the office. As soon as I entered the company, Isabella was chatting with Mason Rivers, laughing heartily. When she saw me, her upward curving lips flattened. She glanced at me sideways. “Oh, look who it is. The person who resigned yesterday. Why are you still here? It’s not payday yet.” Before I could speak, a secretary called Mason away, saying the partners had arrived and wanted to discuss things with him. Mason patted my shoulder and whispered, “Liam, I’m not saying this to be mean, but how can you let Isabella, a woman, wander around outside in the middle of the night? It’s so dangerous. I had to take her to my place. Don’t worry, I’m a gentleman. I slept on the floor.” I knew he was intentionally trying to make me misunderstand. But I wasn’t here at the company to argue today. Isabella, however, smiled smugly. “Mason just submitted his proposal yesterday, and today the partners are already here to meet him. They must be very pleased and want to deepen our cooperation. Liam Allen, you just don’t know what’s good for you. I’d like to see which company would hire someone with no background or talent after you leave Harrison Corp.” I couldn’t help but frown. “That proposal clearly has problems. You actually approved it?” Isabella’s beautiful eyes narrowed, and she scowled, displeased. “Liam Allen, don’t speak such venomous nonsense. Mason’s business acumen is far better than yours. How could there be any problems?!” Suddenly, shouting erupted from the conference room. The next second, the conference room door burst open, and Mason Rivers stormed out. He fixed his gaze on Isabella, clinging to her like a lifeline, hugging her waist and not daring to look up. Isabella simply patted his hand on her waist, soothingly. “What’s wrong? Are the partners not satisfied with your proposal?” Before he could answer, the furious partners emerged. “Harrison Corp.’s proposals are this low quality? As soon as that proposal launched yesterday, not a single one of our products sold, and they’re being boycotted!” “‘A woman’s worth is in her looks; that’s what men truly desire.’ Who wrote that line? Did anyone even think before submitting it?!” The partners were fuming. Isabella frowned, looking troubled. Mason’s eyes darted around, then he immediately pointed at me and yelled, “It was him! He held a grudge after being caught plagiarizing and deliberately swapped my original file! He should be entirely responsible for this!”

I was utterly dumbfounded by this baseless accusation. Isabella’s gaze lingered on me for a second, then she effortlessly shifted the blame onto me. “It’s true, it was him. This person has a history. We’ve already decided to fire him, and we’ll deal with him severely to provide your party with a reasonable explanation!” The partners snorted. After much placating and apologizing, they finally ushered the partner out. Mason Rivers peeked his head out, then finally straightened up and cleared his throat. “Liam Allen, it’s all your fault. This project is completely ruined. Do you know this project had tens of millions in profit? Even if I wanted to speak up for you, you’ll have to compensate us for this project!” I found it laughable. “Mason Rivers, are you delusional?” Isabella shielded Mason, her face arrogant. “Mason just managed to become VP. He can’t have this kind of blemish on his record. Liam Allen, if you admit your mistake, I might grudgingly have a good impression of you.” I sneered. My biggest mistake was letting her waltz into the company and wreak havoc. Just as I was about to turn, Mason Rivers grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked hard. My neck felt strangely bare. I turned back and saw the rare sapphire pendant my parents had commissioned for my eighteenth birthday, now clutched in Mason’s hand as he fiddled with it. He scoffed. “What a cheap, superstitious trinket. So clear, must be cheap glass. Liam Allen, if you admit the project is your responsibility, I can buy you a real one.” My eyes widened. “Give it back!” Isabella, knowing full well this was my cherished possession and that I never took it off, frowned and said, “If you agree to admit to swapping the original file, I’ll have Mason give it back to you.” Rage burned in my chest. I reached out to grab it, yelling again. “Give it back right now!” Seeing my anger, Mason smirked, deliberately letting go. The sapphire pendant dropped to the floor, shattering into several pieces. My pupils contracted. The next second, pure rage consumed me. I kicked Mason square in the chest. He staggered back two steps and fell to the ground. Everyone gasped, seeing my sudden outburst, and rushed to surround me. Isabella quickly helped Mason up, but I wasn’t about to let him off easy. A year’s worth of frustration and resentment exploded. I punched him square on the nose. Immediately, two streams of blood poured down his face. People from behind grabbed me, pinning my arms, but I still tried to kick him with my legs. “Mason Rivers, I’m not letting a worm like you get away with this!” Isabella’s eyes were full of heartache. She shielded the back of Mason’s head and wiped his nosebleed with a tissue. Mason burst into tears, tugging at her sleeve. “Isabella, I accidentally dropped his thing, it wasn’t on purpose.” Isabella suddenly stood up and slapped me across the face, snapping my head to the side. She snapped, “Liam Allen, get on your knees and apologize to Mason! That necklace of yours was just a cheap piece of junk. So what if it broke? How could you hit him? I’ll buy you ten more!” How ridiculous. My parents spent millions to acquire that rare sapphire, and hired a world-renowned jeweler to craft it. The craftsmanship alone cost hundreds of thousands. Most importantly, my parents had it specially blessed for me, spending days seeking good fortune for my life at a spiritual retreat. Its significance was immeasurable. Seeing me silent, everyone pushed me down, forcing me to my knees. “Liam Allen, what’s with the act? We’re not calling the cops on you, that’s charity enough! Now, apologize!” I struggled violently, glaring at everyone. “Mr. Harrison will be here any minute. If you’re so brave, try forcing me to my knees in front of him.” Mason Rivers still thought I was bluffing. He snorted. “Isabella doesn’t even know when Mr. Harrison is coming back. You think you can fool us by saying he’s here and get out of compensating for the project going south?” Isabella said in a low voice, “Even if Mr. Harrison comes, it’s no use if you complain to him. He won’t believe you.” I chuckled, poking the inside of my cheek with my tongue, where my tooth had cut it. “I’m his son. He won’t believe me?” Mason Rivers looked like he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “Liam Allen, have you lost your mind from fear? Your last name is Allen, his is Harrison. If you’re his son, then I’m his grandpappy!” “Everyone knows Mr. Harrison’s beloved son has been studying abroad. You, a country boy, are quite vain, forgetting your roots!” After I hit him, he could no longer maintain his gentlemanly facade. His face contorted in a sneer. Before his words even finished, a steady male voice rang out. “What is this commotion in the lobby? This is utterly unacceptable!” I turned my head. The middle-aged man who had just stepped into the company was impeccably dressed, exuding authority. It was my dad. I hadn’t even had time to feel happy when Mason Rivers roughly shoved me aside and went to greet him, fawning. “Mr. Harrison, you’re back! How are you feeling? We were just cleaning house. Everyone knows you value character most, but a certain employee not only plagiarized my proposal to get promoted but also deliberately sabotaged my original file out of revenge, angering our partners and causing our company to lose a hundred-million-dollar deal!” He looked up, tears in his eyes, and pulled out the bloody tissue from his nose. “He even deliberately hit me! Such a person is truly disgusting!” My dad’s eyes widened in fury. He looked at Isabella. “Isabella, is what he’s saying true? If there’s such a petty person, notify the legal department to make him pay compensation and issue a public statement to blacklist him from the entire industry. I’ll make sure that person knows the consequences of tarnishing my Harrison Corp.!” Isabella glanced at me imperceptibly, hesitated for a second, then finally nodded her assent. “Mr. Harrison, I’ve already fired him, but he is an old employee of our company…” Saying that, she pulled me from the crowd. “Liam Allen, why aren’t you apologizing to Mr. Harrison? Otherwise, even if I put in a good word for you, Mr. Harrison won’t let you off easy!” The next second, my dad raised his hand. Everyone thought he was going to hit me, their faces full of mockery. Mason Rivers even yelled, “Mr. Harrison, don’t dirty your hands by hitting him. Why don’t I do it?” But my dad only touched the slap mark on my face, his eyes full of concern. “Liam, who hit you? Dad will make them pay!” Everyone present, who had been gloating, couldn’t believe their eyes at this scene. They exchanged stunned glances. I bit my lip, my nose stung, and I barely managed to keep my tears from falling.

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Last life, both I and my husband’s first love went into difficult labor at the same time. My husband, without a moment’s hesitation, gave the critical blood transfusion to Ashley, leading to my child being brain-damaged from birth. He took Ashley and their child to the city to start a business, hitting it big and becoming a renowned entrepreneur. They lived in a sprawling mansion, enjoying the high life. But my child and I? We were left behind in a remote town, enduring daily humiliation from the locals. Until a group of thugs lured my son into an old, dilapidated outhouse and drowned him in the cesspit. Soon after, I aged beyond recognition, barely forty but looking eighty – a withered, broken husk of a woman. When my husband finally returned, flaunting his success, Ashley, nestled in his arms, still looked like she was in her twenties. Seeing me, Ashley smirked, a triumphant glint in her eyes: “Granny, mind stepping aside?” I felt my blood boil, then my world went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the delivery room, in the throes of labor.

A searing, tearing pain ripped through me, and I realized I’d been reborn to the moment of my difficult labor. Right now, Blake’s first love, Ashley, was in the delivery room right next to mine. Clutching my belly, I rasped out, “Give me blood! A transfusion!” The next second, my mother-in-law, Brenda, stormed into the delivery room. Her face was a thundercloud, and she didn’t hesitate to slap me, hard. “Blood transfusion? Do you know how much that costs?” “If you hadn’t insisted on coming to this small community clinic to give birth, the money we saved could’ve lasted us for ages!” My face stung with throbbing pain, but I bit down hard on my lip. If I hadn’t insisted on coming here, with the abysmal hygiene conditions at home, both my child and I would have been dead! My voice, raw with pain, was barely a whisper. “Please! I’m having a difficult labor, give me blood!” “Otherwise, the baby will be brain-damaged!” Brenda scoffed. “Why are you so overdramatic?” “I think you’re just not trying hard enough, you just want to slack off, that’s why you can’t push him out!” I ignored her taunts, grabbing the nurse’s cold, clammy hand. “Please, help me!” The nurse glanced at my lower body, her expression grave as she nodded. “She’s hemorrhaging badly! Prepare for a blood transfusion!” Just as the nurse was about to leave, Brenda blocked her path, her shifty eyes glinting with a cruel light. “Our family won’t pay for any blood transfusion! We don’t have the money!” “What’s a little blood? Every woman bleeds during childbirth! She just needs to tough it out.” I clenched my teeth, screaming at the nurse, my voice raw, “I have money! I’ll pay for it! Please, get me the blood!” At that, Brenda finally moved aside, but she kept muttering about how dramatic I was. Just as the nurse returned with the blood bag, Blake burst in and snatched it away. “Ashley is also in difficult labor! She needs the blood now! Give it to Ashley first!” My heart seized. “No, Blake! I’m hemorrhaging too!” Blake scoffed. “Who are you trying to fool?” “I know you can’t stand Ashley, but how could you lie about something so life-or-death? Have you no shame?” “You’re screaming your head off, but Ashley’s in so much pain she can’t even speak!” I gritted my teeth. “I’m carrying *your* child! Can you really be so heartless?” “You and Ashley have the same blood type. You can donate your blood to her, it’s the same thing!” As soon as I said that, Brenda scowled and started yelling at me. “Is that how a wife talks? His blood is his life force, darling. Donating it would drain him, weaken him! How dare you suggest such a thing?” Before I could retort, Blake was already turning to leave with the blood. He said, “You’re so strong, you can just grit your teeth and get through it. But Ashley… she can’t!”

I gritted my teeth, sinking into a pit of despair. Had I been reborn only to watch myself and my child slide back into the tragic fate of my previous life? Just as the darkness threatened to swallow me whole, a name pierced through the chaotic fog in my mind. Liam. My childhood sweetheart. After I married Blake in my last life, I lost touch with Liam. I’d only vaguely heard he’d become the manager of the local general store. He worked nearby. He could definitely help me. I mustered my last ounce of strength, gripping the nurse’s cold, clammy hand. “Nurse… please…” My voice was a ragged, desperate rasp, like sandpaper on stone. “Help me make a call. Get someone to bring me blood!” But at that moment, Blake reappeared at the delivery room door. His gaze, sharp as a razor, cut into me. “Skylar, what are you playing at?” “You still have the energy to talk. You’re not even in difficult labor. Why are you calling people?” Every single word he uttered felt like a poisoned ice pick, a brutal stab to my heart. My vision swam with black spots, and a tearing pain ripped through my lower body. I bit down hard on my lip. “Blake, the child I’m carrying… is *your* child too!” He scoffed, a chilling sneer twisting his lips. “Precisely because it’s my child, I can’t let him be born into a lie.” “You’re not in difficult labor at all. You just saw Ashley having complications and decided to fake it to make me pity you!” I never imagined that Blake truly intended to abandon my child and me to our deaths! Just then, the nurse cried out in a panic, “The patient really is in difficult labor! She needs a blood transfusion immediately, or the baby’s life will be in danger!” Blake merely sneered. “Oh, you’re good! You even bribed the nurse to trick me!” “Tell me! How much did she pay you to put on this act with her?” The nurse’s face went white. She struggled, crying, “Let go of me! Saving lives is urgent!” Blake looked like he’d heard the funniest joke. “Save her? What’s worth saving about a woman full of lies and a vicious heart?” At that moment, Ashley’s sharp scream echoed from the next delivery room. The coldness on his face instantly melted into anxious desperation, as if scorched by flames. He didn’t even spare me another glance, turning and rushing into the room next door. Before he left, he spoke to Brenda, his voice dark. “Mom, stay here and watch her!” “Let’s see how long she can keep up this act!” His words, so casually tossed, felt like poisoned icicles, sealing shut the last sliver of hope I clung to. My vision went black, and all the strength drained from my body in an instant, leaving me hollow. I finally stopped struggling, stopped crying out. Because I realized I had completely lost hope. “No! The patient can’t hold on much longer!” The nurse’s anxious voice pulled me back to a sliver of consciousness from the fog. “If she doesn’t get blood soon, the baby will suffocate inside her!” A tearing pain ripped through me, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. For me, and for my child! “Is this your family’s child or not? Are you going to just stand there and watch him die?” Brenda’s shifty eyes swept coldly over my pathetic form on the bed, not a trace of compassion on her face. A moment later, a chilling, twisted smile stretched across her face. “Difficult labor, you say?” “I have a folk remedy that works wonders.” My heart clenched, and a terrifying premonition seized me, cold and relentless.

Brenda’s eyes were fixed on me, and she slowly, deliberately, uttered the rest of her sentence. “When a pregnant woman has difficult labor, you find a horse, make it step on her belly a few times, and the baby will come right out.” “Once the horse’s hoof falls, the baby will be delivered naturally!” *Boom!* My mind went blank. How could any sane person suggest something so monstrous? She wanted to stomp us into a bloody pulp! “No! No!” I don’t know where the strength came from, but I violently propped myself up halfway on the bed, screaming hysterically with my raw, torn throat. “You wouldn’t dare!” She scoffed, her smile laced with venom and malicious delight. “It’s not up to you.” Every word she spoke was like a death sentence. “You’re carrying a child of the Blake family. How it’s born is our decision!” No sooner had she finished speaking than she turned and walked out of the delivery room. Soon after, Brenda returned with two burly men. “Drag her out!” The two men nodded and started walking towards me, step by heavy step! The nurse spread her arms, blocking them, her face pale. “You’re trying to kill her!” “She’s just given birth! She’ll die like this!” I thrashed with all my limbs, but my meager strength was like trying to stop a bulldozer with my bare hands against two grown men. One grabbed my arms, the other lifted my legs, and they brutally dragged me off the bed. I was lifted and carried out like a sacrificial lamb, stripped of all dignity. They carried me to the entrance of the clinic. A crowd of curious villagers had gathered. “What’s going on? Why are they carrying out the woman who’s giving birth?” “Must be that her in-laws found out the baby isn’t theirs! Serves her right!” “No wonder! She deserves it!” Brenda led a yellow ox, the very one that had pulled the cart bringing me here, from a short distance away. She brought the ox in front of me, its snorting breath hot on my face. Brenda’s wrinkled yet menacing face, her eyes glinting with undisguised malice. “No horse? No problem.” “An ox will do just fine!” Waves of despair washed over me. Were my son and I destined to die, not even getting a whole body back? What had I ever done wrong to deserve this? Just then, I saw Blake standing at the clinic entrance. I cried out as if clutching a lifeline. “Blake! The child I’m carrying is your son! Do you really want me to be humiliated like this?” “If I die, aren’t you afraid of what people will say about you?” But my desperate screams only earned me Blake’s cold scoff. “Who told you to fake difficult labor and lie? It’s good my mom gives you a lesson!” At that, my eyes closed, and all hope vanished. No one could save me now. I only hated myself for choosing the wrong man, for dooming my son in two lifetimes. Brenda led the ox closer, its foul-smelling saliva dripping onto my face. She gave a chilling smirk: “It’ll be over soon. Just one stomp and the baby will come out smoothly!” As Brenda cracked the whip, the ox lifted its hoof high, about to come down on my body! In that split second, I heard a familiar voice! “Stop!” That voice… “Skylar, is that you?” I wrenched my eyes open and saw a familiar figure at the edge of the crowd.

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A muffled voice crackled through the bus speakers, announcing the next stop. 1. **Rule number one:** Never give up your seat to someone holding a baby. Break this, and you’ll regret it forever. 2. **Rule number two:** If you accidentally break Rule One, you can’t refuse anything the woman with the baby asks. Refuse, and you’ll die. 3. **Rule number three:** Don’t easily trust people in black and white checkered shirts. What they say could be true, or it could be a lie. 4. **Rule number four:** Absolutely never trust people in red clothes. See red, look down. Avoid eye contact at all costs. They are devils, masters of manipulation. 5. **Don’t… get off… never… get off at…** “Static crackled… then silence.” The bus pulled to a stop. A woman, cradling a baby, stepped inside. The bus speakers blared again. “Westside Lane One, now arriving. Please exit through the rear door.” *Tap-tap-tap…* The woman with the baby paused right in front of me. My sleepy haze instantly evaporated. I was just about to stand up and offer my seat. Suddenly, a piercing, grating sound ripped through the bus. **【1. NEVER give up your seat to a woman holding a baby!】** **【NEVER give up your seat to a woman holding a baby!】** **【NEVER give up your seat to a woman holding a baby, or you’ll regret it forever!】** The static-filled voice grew sharper, more insistent with each repetition. I clapped my hands over my ears, my heart pounding, and glanced around at the other passengers. They looked like they hadn’t heard a thing. This sound… it felt like only I could hear it. What the hell was going on? Was I hallucinating? Just as I was brushing it off, the bus speakers flared to life again, the voice still only audible to me. **【Bus Survival Rules】** **【1. Remember, never give up your seat to a woman holding a baby. Break this, and you’ll regret it forever.】** **【2. If you accidentally break Rule One, you can’t refuse anything the woman with the baby asks. Refuse, and you’ll die.】** **【3. Don’t easily trust people in black and white checkered shirts. What they say could be true, or it could be a lie.】** **【4. Absolutely never trust people in red clothes. See red, look down. Avoid eye contact at all costs. They are devils, masters of manipulation.】** **【5. Get off at the final stop. Never, ever get off at any stop in between, no matter what you see or hear.】** **【6. If you accidentally break any of these forbidden rules, scream for the driver’s help! Remember, you only get ONE chance!】** The woman with the baby stood right in front of me. Give up the seat or… don’t? Who was I supposed to believe? Giving up my seat was the right thing to do, a gesture of kindness. Not doing it would make my conscience scream. But if I did give up my seat, what exactly would happen that I’d regret forever?

I was in the very front of the bus. The front seats faced each other. Three blue seats on the left, three blue seats on the right. Every seat was taken. My seat was right behind the driver. Mr. Thorne kept urging the newly boarded passengers to move to the back. But the woman with the baby just stood there, motionless, in front of me.

I kept my head down, pretending not to notice her. Those narrow, pointed blue embroidered shoes remained firmly in my line of sight, unwavering. Wait a second! Aren’t those… the kind you only see in old movies, meant for the dead? Burial shoes? The atmosphere quickly turned eerie. My palms were slick with sweat. Mr. Thorne barked, “Someone give up their seat for the lady with the baby!” My head was still bowed, my hands clammy. In the middle of the bus, there were yellow seats marked for priority seating. Why wasn’t she waiting there for someone else to offer their seat? Why *me*? Why was she specifically standing in front of me?

The woman with the baby swayed unsteadily in the aisle, looking ready to collapse from exhaustion. Everyone stared at her and the poor baby in her arms, their gazes burning into me, full of disgust and anger. As Mr. Thorne’s urging intensified, and under the torrent of condemning glares from the other passengers, it felt like I was being grilled alive, turning over a roaring fire. I, the one who wouldn’t give up her seat, had become the villain everyone hated. My heart pounded like a drum. Part of me worried about what would happen if I gave up the seat, while the other part was tormented by agonizing guilt. Someone, save me. I looked at the guy sitting to my left. His blue athletic jacket had, at some point, changed into a black and white checkered shirt. His features began to distort under my gaze, twisting into a pixelated mess, like a glitch in a video game. Then, a crisp voice suddenly sounded in my ear. **【3. Don’t easily trust people in black and white checkered shirts. What they say could be true, or it could be a lie.】**

My breath hitched. My scalp tingled, every hair standing on end. My neck felt rusted, but I mechanically turned my head to look at the person on my right. She was a heavily pregnant woman, wearing a white maternity dress. A pregnant woman, in white… She had to be good, right? She *had* to be! I was just about to ask her for help. Then, a bizarre, lumpy shape began to press against her taut belly. I saw a tiny fist push out, then a small foot, and slowly, a miniature face appeared on her stomach. The scene suddenly became horrifying. The baby inside her belly became violently agitated. It tore through her round belly. Blood gushed out like a fountain, instantly soaking her white dress a horrifying crimson. A tiny, bloody, wrinkled baby crawled out from between her legs, dragging a long, slimy umbilical cord. It scrabbled across the floor, leaving a glistening trail of blood. It was sickening. I felt bile rise in my throat. She had turned into someone wearing red clothes. And at that very moment, I was staring right at her. **【4. Absolutely never trust people in red clothes. See red, look down. Avoid eye contact at all costs. They are devils, masters of manipulation.】**

This was insane! Everything was insane! I wanted off! I needed to escape this bus! I shoved past the other passengers, desperately hammering on the back door. “Open up! I need to get off! Open the door!” “I’m getting off!” “Let me out!” I screamed like a madwoman. The bus speakers announced, “Westside Lane Two, now arriving. Please exit through the rear door.” With a hiss, the door opened. Through a gap in the crowd, I saw Mr. Thorne turn to look at me. His eyes were a mix of pain, sadness, helplessness, and desperate pleading. I couldn’t take it anymore. I plunged off the bus without a second thought. The moment my feet hit the asphalt, a wave of relief washed over me. I looked back. The bus full of passengers watched me with innocent eyes. As the door closed and the bus began to move again, I saw chilling, knowing smiles spread across each of their faces through the window. At that moment, I didn’t understand why they were smiling. Not until a sharp pain shot through my ankle. I looked down. A skeletal hand, bits of decaying flesh clinging to it, crawling with maggots and glistening with green slime, was clamped tightly around my ankle. The asphalt beneath me began to crack and crumble, transforming into a churning sea of blood. Darkness enveloped everything. Thousands upon thousands of ghostly hands reached for me. They dragged my ankle, pulling me down into the bloody abyss. The only light in the darkness was the bus’s tail lights. In that moment, something clicked. I thrashed wildly, stretching my hand out, trying to claw my way back onto the bus. But more and more ghostly hands grabbed me. The bus slowly drove out of sight, and I was dragged down into hell.

I regretted so much not following those rules. I regretted it so, so much… Suddenly, a cacophony of voices reached my ears. “Stop pretending to be asleep! Can’t you see she’s holding a baby? Give her your seat!” “Seriously! You’re young, how can you be so sleepy? Get up and let her sit!” “Kids these days, no respect for their elders, no sense of decency.” “This generation is doomed! Absolutely hopeless!” … I opened my eyes, looking around. The endless chatter and pointing from the crowd… that’s when I slowly realized that everything I’d just experienced was a dream. But it felt so… terrifyingly real.

I looked at the woman with the baby, swaying unsteadily. I stood up, ready to help her into the seat. Suddenly, I saw Mr. Thorne staring at me, his eyes fixed on me with a chilling glint. My blood ran cold. My breath hitched. The pain in my ankle felt as real as if it were actually there. Cold sweat trickled down my temples. Better safe than sorry. I immediately sat back down. All the passengers on the bus, including the woman with the baby, glared at me with a mix of fury and disbelief. I bit down hard on my teeth, clenched my fists, and stayed silent in my seat. The woman stared intensely at me. Even though I felt like I was about to wet myself, I stared back, refusing to back down.

The woman hadn’t said a word, not one. It was like her eyes were trying to force me to give up my seat. My own gaze firmly screamed, “No way!” She stood there for a while until someone in the crowd finally waved her over. “Please, sit here. You can have my seat.” At this, a faint, chilling smile flickered on the woman’s otherwise impassive face. Holding her baby, and wearing those narrow, pointed blue embroidered shoes, she glided, rather than walked, taking tiny, almost imperceptible steps, swaying slightly as she went. The woman sat down. The young man who’d offered his seat, Alex, stood next to her and smiled reassuringly. Suddenly, the woman turned to him and said, “Thank you. Could you hold my baby for a moment? I need to find something.” Alex, being helpful, took the baby from her arms. I watched him for a long time. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Nothing happened. I suddenly felt so foolish. It was just a seat, what could happen? What was I even so scared of? It must be all the stress from school getting to me, making me hallucinate. I let out a long breath, leaned back in my seat, and decided to rest my eyes. Just two more stops, and I’d be there.

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On my girlfriend’s birthday, her guy best friend held her close and kissed her passionately. For a moment, everyone in the room held their breath, their eyes fixed on me. I simply smiled faintly. A few moments later, I broke the silence. “Go on, don’t ruin the game.” * It was Chloe’s birthday, and the private room was packed with our college friends. I sat on the sofa, feeling sharp in my suit. My girlfriend, Chloe, was currently singing a love song with her male best friend. “Noah, when are you finally going to marry our Chloe?” Maya, one of Chloe’s friends, teased from the side. I was about to speak when I witnessed a scene I would never forget. My girlfriend and her male best friend embraced tightly. “Kiss! Kiss!” All our college friends cheered in unison. Their attention was completely drawn to another matter – a game Chloe and Noah were playing. Chloe had lost, and the loser had to kiss the other person. Of course, Noah had come up with that rule. Noah was Chloe’s ex, and her ultimate crush. In recent years, he’d suddenly reappeared as her “male best friend,” but it was clear he had an ulterior motive. “Oh… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Chloe said, feigning shyness, but her eyes were full of longing as she looked at Noah. Noah returned her gaze with the same intensity. Their eyes met, brimming with affection. “Come on, everyone, don’t you see her boyfriend is right here?” Maya tried to intervene. Noah looked at me, a victorious smirk playing on his lips. Everyone else in the room held their breath, their eyes on me. I kept my smile in place and broke the silence: “Go on, don’t ruin the game.” “Look at Liam, he’s so cool about it! That’s the kind of boyfriend you need!” Chloe’s friends, clearly eager for more drama, egged them on again. I couldn’t be bothered to watch them, so I just drank my drink alone. “He said he doesn’t mind, so let’s continue,” Noah said, looking incredibly smug. Chloe, though, seemed a little taken aback, as if she couldn’t believe I’d said that. Then a flicker of anger crossed her face, and she glared at me: “Liam, I’m coming for you when we get back!” In the end, they kissed passionately. “Whoa!” The people around them immediately erupted in cheers. My heart was a mess, my mind replaying everything that had happened between Chloe and me. The nervousness of my first confession to her, the joy when she accepted me, the careful way I treated her. Her smiles, her tears. In the end, none of it belonged to me. Something stolen eventually has to be returned. It was just a pity for my two years of devotion. I sighed, disappointment clouding my eyes. I knew Chloe had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Chloe, you must be so happy right now. Getting what you’ve always wanted must feel good. Just like how I felt when I successfully won Chloe over. But sadly, it was all in the past now. A woman who doesn’t love me isn’t worth keeping. From that moment on, I made a decision deep in my heart. I would take back all my love. “Liam, what’s wrong with you today?!” After the party, Chloe feigned a pouty anger. Of course, she was still such a good actress. She’d crossed the line, yet she still pushed the blame onto me. The truth was, she didn’t care about me anymore, even if she once had. I’d known it for a long time, I just hadn’t wanted to believe it. In college, Chloe was delicately beautiful and full of charm, lively and cheerful. One faint smile from her was enough to make anyone fall for her. She was incredibly talented, excelling in everything from music and dance to academics, and she was the president of the dance club. Her figure was perfect, and her grades were consistently at the top of her class. A girl like her was practically flawless. She was proud, beautiful, and gifted, untouchable. Suitors lined up from one end of campus to the other, and I was one of them. From the first moment I saw her in freshman year, I was instantly captivated and fell deeply in love. To make her notice me, I studied hard and improved my grades. I learned calligraphy and dancing, just to have common topics with her. I constantly followed Chloe’s news, showing her affection again and again. Bubble tea, pastries, fruit—they never stopped. I sent countless designer bags and necklaces. I just hoped she would spare me a glance. But she returned every single gift. Right, how could the campus queen, recognized by everyone, change her mind for a few gifts? She was so proud, and her pride was exactly what I loved about her. But she ignored me completely. Back then, she was confident and radiant, devoted to only one person. That person was the campus heartthrob, recognized by everyone – Noah. In college, Noah was handsome, with outstanding grades, and he represented the school in many competitions. He could sing and dance, and played a mean guitar. Whenever the school held an event, his appearance would inevitably draw screams from countless girls. He even had his own fan club called the “Wind Chasers.” Noah had many admirers and was definitely a popular figure on campus. No wonder Chloe was so infatuated with him. One was the campus king, the other a recognized talent – truly a perfect match. Chloe relentlessly pursued her crush. When Noah broke up with his girlfriend, Chloe seized the moment and made her move. Finally, on the first Valentine’s Day of sophomore year, Noah accepted Chloe’s confession. This golden couple, famous throughout the school, officially started dating. And I, holding a bouquet of flowers, ready to confess my feelings to Chloe, could only watch, disheartened, a mere bystander. The news of campus king Noah and dance club talent Chloe dating quickly spread to every corner of the campus, becoming a romantic legend. Unfortunately, good times don’t last. Though Noah was handsome, he was a massive playboy. He was flirting around constantly, and Chloe soon found out. On her birthday, Chloe cried her eyes out. She took her cake to the rooftop and happened to run into me, who was studying for an exam. I showed her every bit of concern, comforting her endlessly. Every day, I tirelessly brought her tea and water. Finally, I won the goddess’s approval. Chloe became my girlfriend. At first, she was indifferent to me, and wouldn’t let me make any intimate gestures; I didn’t force it. At the time, I felt incredibly happy just to be the boyfriend of the goddess Chloe. I cherished her like a priceless gem, loving her immensely. I gave her meticulous care, took her traveling to relax, took her out for meals and shopping. Even when work was busy, I’d always update her. I’d come home on time every day to cook, treating her like the most precious thing. Slowly, she started to accept me. She asked about my joys and sorrows, smiled at me, and even began to care about my preferences. I believed that during that time, she did love me. But love that has to be begged for is ultimately hard to sustain. Nourished by love, I became more ambitious. I worked hard, striving to improve my performance. I wanted to work hard enough to buy our own marital home, to truly give her a warm home. I even fantasized countless times about having a child with her. A family of three, sharing meals, living happily together. Everything back then was so beautiful. I felt like I was dreaming, and then one day, the dream ended. Her Prince Charming had returned. Noah inexplicably reappeared in our city, in Chloe’s life. On the street, their eyes met. Just that one glance, and I knew Chloe’s heart no longer belonged to me. But I still couldn’t let her go, couldn’t let go of these years we’d spent together. I chose to deceive myself, maintaining this hollow relationship by feigning ignorance. Gradually, she started coming home early and leaving late, sending flirtatious texts with Noah, growing annoyed by my concern, and meticulously dressing herself up. I looked at Chloe in the mirror and knew I had lost. We had been together for two years, and to please her, I’d bought her countless expensive pieces of jewelry, clothes, and bags. But she had never really dressed up for me. She told me we were family, no need to care so much. Now it seemed she just thought I wasn’t worth the effort. A woman dresses up for the one she wants to please, and clearly, I wasn’t that person for her. All she cared about was Noah. I struggled, unwilling to give up, telling myself she was just wavering, and if I was good enough, she would come back to me. Until that birthday party, when she kissed Noah. I knew my dream had to end. That day, when I got home, I ignored Chloe. I walked straight to the living room and slept on the sofa. *Bang!* A loud slam of the door echoed through the apartment. Chloe was clearly angry. She didn’t understand why her number one worshipper suddenly stopped worshipping. Actually, it was just that I no longer loved her. Love is like that: when I love you, you are a flower, a sea, the wind, the clouds, all the beauty in the world. When I don’t love you, you are just you, and you have nothing to do with me. I had a wonderful sleep. Without the burden of love, my mind suddenly felt much clearer. It was the most peaceful sleep I’d had. No worrying about Chloe being unhappy, no enduring her bad temper, no fearing Noah would steal her away. All I had to think about was whether *I* was happy. The next morning, Chloe had made breakfast. At the dining table, she kept staring at me. I quietly ate. Her cooking was still as bad as ever. Only because she said housework made you age faster, I’d pretty much handled all the chores over the years. She was only responsible for eating, playing, and looking beautiful. Back then, I thought life was perfect. Now, thinking about it, it just felt ridiculous. “Liam, don’t you have anything to say to me?” Chloe broke my train of thought. She finally couldn’t hold back. She was the goddess; in her eyes, her personally making me breakfast was a huge gift. I should naturally be delighted, walk down her pre-set steps, Answer her questions, and beg for her affection. I knew she wanted to ask why I hadn’t cared yesterday. But it didn’t matter anymore. I didn’t want to waste words. “The food’s a bit salty.” I dropped those four words, turned, and walked out the door, leaving Chloe stunned. The weather today was exceptionally good, just like my mood.

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Introduction：”He sneered and said I was unworthy when he tore up the contract, but now he pinched my waist and growled: ‘Why is your scent… stained with other wolves?’” Five years. I bled for him as Luna, but watched him mark someone else with my own eyes on the night of the full moon. When the truth tore apart the last bit of fantasy, I took off my wedding ring and turned into the blizzard– Now his empire has collapsed, and my new partner is gently kissing the scar on the back of my neck: “Baby, do you want to see him kneeling and confessing?” The moment the truth stared me in the face, I felt as if the ground beneath me had been ripped away. My hands trembled as I clutched the pregnancy test slip, my breath coming in short, uneven bursts. Pregnant. Again. My vision blurred as I forced my feet to move, rushing through the Pack House corridors until I stood before Alpha Kael Vargan’s office. The heavy oak door loomed before me, but before I could knock, voices slipped through the cracks—clear, sharp, impossible to mistake. “Make sure the suppressant isn’t too damaging, alright? I promised Nyra I wouldn’t mark Selene Nightbane. If she ends up carrying a pup, that little she-wolf will lose her mind.” A deep, measured voice responded, irritation woven between the words. “Every drug has its risks, Kael. Even the best suppressants can cause permanent damage over time. And I have to ask—Selene is your Luna. Why waste your time chasing after a Beta?” Kael scoffed, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “You think I haven’t tried handling this properly? I’ve had her take suppressants, and she’s miscarried three times already. Another one won’t make a difference. She’ll never be able to carry a pup at this rate.” He exhaled, then added almost lazily, “Not that it matters. You don’t choose who you love.” I stiffened, my breath catching in my throat. Three times. My fingers dug into the pregnancy test slip so hard the paper crumpled. My entire world—the love I had once been so certain of—had unraveled in mere seconds. Inside, Kael was scrolling through a luxury goods site on his phone, an indulgent smile playing at his lips. “What do you think of this one?” he mused, tilting the screen toward his companion. “Nyra’s been eyeing it for a while. A rare gemstone—it’ll shine beautifully against her pale fur.” Across from him, Fenrir Drayden, the Pack’s Head Healer and one of Kael’s oldest friends, let out a heavy sigh. “That kind of jewelry would look good on anyone, Kael,” Fenrir muttered, rubbing his temples. Then his golden eyes hardened. “But tell me something—after five years of being your Luna, have you ever given anything like this to Selene?” Kael’s expression darkened instantly. “She doesn’t know how to present herself as a Luna,” he replied dismissively. “Even if I did, she’d just say I’m wasting the Pack’s resources.” Then, as if speaking of some rare, delicate thing, his lips curved into a wistful smile. “ Nyra is different. She’s young. She enjoys beautiful things.” The chair legs screeched against the floor as Fenrir shot to his feet, his patience snapping. “Wake up, Kael! Selene is your mate—your mate of five years! Do you even remember what she’s sacrificed for you? She’s lost three pups—three!—and yet, you still treat her like she’s nothing.” His voice turned dangerously low. “Let me say this one last time. Those suppressants you keep forcing on her? They aren’t harmless. If she takes them for too long, you’ll never have an heir—not even if you regret it later.” Kael waved a dismissive hand, his expression impassive. “Regret? I don’t make mistakes, Fenrir.” His voice was laced with arrogance. “I told Nyra she’d be the only one to carry my heir.” Then, leaning back in his chair, he added coolly, “As for Selene? I won’t reject the bond. Half of what I own in this Pack is more than enough for her.” The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Fenrir’s jaw clenched, his golden eyes blazing. “I watched you claw your way to Alpha, step by step—and Selene was right there beside you through it all. Do you even remember? How many times she drank for you at diplomatic banquets, how many sleepless nights she spent managing Pack affairs while you pursued your ambitions?” His fists tightened at his sides. “And this—this is how you repay her?” The silence that followed was suffocating. Then, with a sharp exhale, Fenrir turned on his heel, storming toward the door. “I’ve said my piece. If she ever finds out the truth, Kael, you’ll be the one to destroy yourself.” The door slammed shut behind him. I shrank back into the shadows of the adjacent storage room, pressing my hand against my mouth to stifle the sob threatening to escape. Five years as his Luna. Seven years as his mate. I had fought beside him, sacrificed for him, built this Pack with him. I scrimped on the smallest luxuries, living frugally so the Pack could grow stronger. I thought when he thrived, I thrived. When he won, I won. But it was all a lie. I had convinced myself the miscarriages were due to stress and exhaustion. Fenrir had told me my body was overworked, too drained from handling Pack duties. I had blamed myself, forcing down tonics, doing everything I could to strengthen my body for the pup I longed for. But Kael never wanted me to carry his heir. He never wanted me at all. He just didn’t have the courage to reject me outright. That was fine. Because I would make the choice for him.

I stepped out of the Obsidian Fang Pack House, the icy wind slicing through my coat like sharpened claws, burrowing into my skin until it numbed me to the bone. Five hours. That’s how long I stood beneath the flickering streetlights, my breath fogging in the cold air as I watched the windows of Bloodfang Enterprises, waiting. The office lights blinked out one by one until only a single floor remained illuminated. My fingers curled into fists, my nails biting into my palms. Finally, Alpha Kael appeared. The moment his eyes landed on me, he leaned toward Nyra Raventhorn, the Beta at his side, whispering something close to her ear. She giggled, her hand lingering on his forearm for a fraction too long before stepping away. He turned toward me then, his features schooled into something warm, something that might have convinced me once. Before I knew better. Before I understood what that warmth masked. His arms enveloped me, but I felt nothing. “When did you get here? Why didn’t you come inside?” His voice was laced with concern, but I could hear the careful control in it, the effort he made to sound affectionate. “I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a small smile. “I just wanted to bring you dinner, but your Beta said you’d already eaten.” A faint crease appeared between his brows, his grip tightening just slightly before he let out a soft sigh. “You shouldn’t push yourself when you’re not feeling well. I’d feel awful if you wore yourself out.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a familiar bottle, the label unmistakable. Suppressants. “By the way, Fenrir dropped off your dose. You’re almost out, aren’t you?” My fingers closed around the container without a word. The capsule rattled inside, hollow as the silence between us. I slipped it into my bag, feeling the weight of it settle like a stone. Winter’s frost still clung to my coat, but Kael’s touch had long since gone cold. When we arrived home, Kael barely gave me time to take off my coat before he pulled me down onto the couch, his hands skimming my sides with urgency. His lips hovered dangerously close to my marking spot, the place where our bond should have made us inseparable. I pressed a hand against his chest, firm, unyielding. A flicker of irritation crossed his face, but he smoothed it away with practiced ease, his voice turning soft. “What’s wrong? Haven’t you always wanted a pup?” “Not tonight.” My tone was steady, controlled. “I’m not feeling well. Maybe next time.” Instantly, his desire evaporated. Without another word, he rose to his feet, his frustration palpable. The bathroom door clicked shut behind him, and the sound of running water filled the space between us. Moments later, a familiar vibration hummed across the table. Kael’s phone. I stared at it for a moment before reaching for it, my fingers moving before my mind caught up. The screen lit up with a name I already knew too well. Hot Kitten. The passcode was easy to guess. Nyra’s birthday. The messages unfurled before me like a slow-burning fire, scorching away the last remnants of any doubt I had left. [Alpha, rooftop date?] [Goblin, wait for me.] [Alpha, how about tonight in the back of the patrol SUV? It’s parked right under your quarters. I’ve never tried it before.] [Not afraid of getting caught? Guess I’ll have to risk it for my Beta.] [Alpha, I really want to be part of that new foreign alliance project…] [No problem. Impress me tonight and it’s yours.] A bitter taste settled on my tongue as I forced myself to keep scrolling. Every major Pack alliance, every high-profile project Kael had undertaken in the past five years—Nyra’s name was attached to all of them. She wasn’t just his mistress. She was his shadow, woven into every inch of his life. To keep her happy, he had handed an Omega a false Pack rank just so she could act as the face of Nyra’s campaign. The final contract date? Nyra’s birthday. There were countless auction receipts, each one listing extravagant gifts—necklaces, rings, rare gemstones—all purchased under the guise of “Pack donations.” Kael’s so-called hidden love wasn’t hidden at all. It was carved into every action, stitched into the very fabric of our Pack. The same brands of jewelry he once claimed to have picked for me, the same gestures that had once made me believe I was cherished—had all been meant for her. Everything had become a weapon he used to cut me down. I let out a slow breath, then laughed. The sound was sharp, brittle, like the cracking of ice over a frozen lake. I didn’t need to read another word. Reaching for my phone, I typed in the contact I had saved for weeks now—the Pack’s legal representative. “I’d like to proceed with the Pack separation papers.” What was mine would remain mine. No one—not Kael, not Nyra, not anyone—would take it from me. The night passed without sleep. At dawn, I showered, dressed, and prepared myself for the day ahead. Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, my phone rang. Kael’s voice drifted through the speaker, his tone tinged with mild confusion. “Selene, what did you book?” I pulled the phone away from my ear, my expression unreadable. “Nothing important. Just a grooming appointment. Didn’t you say I should present myself better as your Luna?” A chuckle rumbled through the receiver, low and pleased. “That’s my girl. You’ll be the most stunning she-wolf at the next Pack gathering.” There was an ease in his voice, as if he believed everything would go back to normal. As if he had already won. “There’s a meeting at the Pack House today. I better get going,” I said smoothly. He pulled me into his arms, nuzzling against my scent gland, breathing me in. “My mate is the most beautiful she-wolf in the world, even without trying. Marking you was the best decision I ever made.” I smiled faintly but said nothing. Some lies no longer hurt—because I had already decided to leave.

“Will my mighty Alpha grant me a grand gift today?” I teased, letting my voice dip into a playful lilt. Kael’s lips curved into that easy, practiced smile—one that once made my heart flutter, but now only felt rehearsed. “Of course,” he assured me, his tone dripping with confidence. “I’ll make sure it’s worth the wait. See you at the Pack House.” He didn’t linger, didn’t kiss my forehead the way he used to. Instead, he turned on his heel, his stride purposeful as he disappeared down the corridor. A few moments later, a Pack Omega arrived, balancing a silver tray draped in fine linen, a lavishly plated breakfast arranged with meticulous care. Five years ago, my heart would have swelled at the gesture. Kael had religiously ordered my favorite meal from the same high-end kitchen, ensuring it arrived without fail each morning. Back then, I had foolishly convinced myself it was a display of devotion. Now, I saw it for what it was—habit. A duty, devoid of sentiment. A wolf as powerful as he was, capable of leading an entire Pack, yet he had never once lifted a hand to prepare a meal for me himself. If he had ever cared, he would have at least tried. Instead, he had spent years ensuring I never clashed with Nyra, his precious Beta. I didn’t hesitate. Without a second glance, I picked up the tray and dumped the meal straight into the trash. Grabbing my coat, I stepped out into the brisk morning air, my decision set in stone. This five-year farce was ending today. The Pack Council’s law office was dimly lit, the scent of aged parchment and ink filling the room as I sat across from the Pack’s legal advisor. “The longer the mate bond, the more tangled the resource entanglements,” the advisor explained, adjusting his spectacles as he sifted through the thick stack of documents before him. “It’ll take a few days to finalize everything.” I nodded, sliding across the ledger filled with evidence—the financial records of Kael’s generosity toward Nyra, disguised as Pack expenses. “We’ll meet again in three days to review the final agreement.” Without looking back, I left. As I made my way home, my phone buzzed with a notification. A new announcement had been posted by Bloodfang Enterprises. The screen illuminated with a video—champagne spraying through the air, the raucous cheers of Pack members filling the Alpha’s grand hall. At the center of it all stood Kael, his dark hair damp from the celebration, golden eyes gleaming with unrestrained triumph. And then I saw it. The cloak draped over his broad shoulders. The ceremonial anniversary cloak I had gifted him last year—the one he had once sworn was irreplaceable, steeped in meaning. This year’s gift? He had sent it back to me without a word. I arrived at the Pack’s business estate just as the revelry reached its peak. Standing before the assembled wolves, Kael raised his glass high. “I am officially transferring half of my Pack assets to Beta Nyra,” he declared, his voice smooth, commanding, victorious. “Additionally, there will be a bonus of fourteen thousand gold marks.” Gasps rippled through the hall. Whispers and murmurs slithered through the crowd. “Half the assets? Nyra might as well be the Luna now.” “Careful. The real Luna is still around. If she hears this, you’ll regret it.” “Oh, please. She’s like a ghost—never seen, never involved. Nyra is young, stunning. No Alpha could resist that. Poor Kael.” “Wouldn’t be shocked if the Pack name changes to Raventhorn soon.” Their laughter rang out like a chorus of knives. I clapped my hands together once—sharp, deliberate. The room fell into dead silence. Kael’s golden eyes locked onto mine across the hall, the blood draining from his face. “Selene…” He stepped forward, his voice faltering. “Why are you here?” I raised a brow, watching the panic flicker in his gaze as he struggled to recover. “It’s not what it looks like. I was just distributing rewards—nothing more.” Nyra stepped in then, her lips curling into a saccharine smile, lifting the territory transfer decree in her manicured fingers. “Alpha Kael is truly a generous leader,” she purred, her voice dipped in false modesty. “Thanks to his unwavering support, I can finally afford a beautiful den overlooking the Silver River.” A few wolves chuckled, anticipation crackling in the air like a brewing storm. I met Kael’s panicked stare with a serene, unreadable expression. “Bonuses are a standard Pack practice,” I said lightly. “Every Pack member should receive what they’re owed. Make sure they do.” His brows furrowed. “You’re not upset?” I tilted my head, offering him a slow, indifferent shrug. “Why would I be?” “I just stopped by to take a look. You’re busy—carry on.” His relief was palpable. I turned, stepping past him toward the doors, but I didn’t make it far before he hurried after me, lowering his voice. “Selene, it’s not what you think,” he insisted. “I was only rewarding my warriors. Don’t misinterpret this.” I almost laughed. The irony of it all was suffocating. The same wolf who had sacrificed three unborn pups for Nyra’s sake was now scrambling to convince me his actions were honorable. Now that he had everything he wanted, who exactly was he trying to convince? I kept my expression carefully neutral. “Don’t worry, Kael. I’m not unreasonable.” “I don’t claim to understand Pack politics. Just do whatever you think is right.” He exhaled, his relief evident. As if my approval still mattered. Before I could leave, he caught my hand, his grip gentler than it had been in years. “There’s a Full Moon Banquet coming up,” he murmured, his voice thick with something unreadable. “Come with me. I have a surprise for you.” I nodded, expression unreadable. Then I turned and walked away. But deep inside, I laughed bitterly. He had already given me more surprises than I could ever stomach.

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I was the perfect corporate wife in our elite circles. When Blake Sterling got a model pregnant, I stepped in to make it all disappear. When Blake was caught sneaking into hotels with an A-list actress, I greased palms and made scandalous photos and videos vanish. Everyone in our elite circles said Blake Sterling had the perfect wife. Their knowing smiles were laced with ridicule, but I didn’t give a damn. After cleaning up his final mess, I simply vanished. Since then, Blake Sterling has been trying to find me, even across the ocean. Blake Sterling’s latest arm candy was a fresh face, Skylar Vance. Naturally, Blake was the lead investor in her debut film. Among Blake’s endless string of conquests, Skylar was the youngest, and by far, the boldest. She flooded my inbox with provocative photos, each one a blatant taunt. “Mrs. Sterling, everyone says you’re so magnanimous. Can you tell me if these photos are flattering?” I closed my email without replying, until Blake’s call came through. “How did those photos get out? Aria Hayes, are you done with your act?” His cutting tone sliced through the phone, and my heart ached for a few seconds before settling back into stillness. “I don’t know.” I spoke flatly. The next second, he hung up. My phone buzzed relentlessly with notifications from all my social media apps. #SterlingCEOCaughtInAnotherPhotoScandal The headlines screamed, the photos pixelated, but it wasn’t hard to tell they were identical to the ones Skylar had sent me. She was young, and her tactics were just as amateur. Editors from major media outlets flooded my SnapChat with messages. “Mrs. Sterling, seven figures should do it this time.” “Mrs. Sterling, we still have time for damage control.” I replied, “Not interested,” to each of them. The offers stopped coming. But then, screenshots of my replies to the editors exploded online. “Guess she’s finally given up.” “No kidding. Who could keep cleaning up their husband’s messes, time and again?” “How long until they divorce, do you think?” I took a deep breath, gazing at the empty mansion around me, a chilling emptiness settling in my chest. Blake Sterling, consider this my divorce gift to you. Soon enough, the scandalous photos evaporated as quickly as they’d appeared. The ‘screenshots’ of my replies were debunked as AI-generated fakes, and major media outlets started dumping dirt on other celebrities to divert attention.

The scandal was suppressed, and Blake sent me a SnapChat message. “Aria Hayes, you never cease to amaze me. You can put up with anything, can’t you? You’d do anything for money.” “How much do you want this time? What expensive meds does your father’s pathetic life need this time?” I replied flatly, “Nothing.” Silence stretched on his end for a long time before I put down my phone. Blake didn’t know that my father had passed away yesterday. While he and Skylar were enjoying a lavish spa day, my father had succumbed to acute kidney failure. I’d called him countless times, only to hear the answering machine. After crying for ten hours in the hospital room, Skylar’s message popped up. I got up, wiped my tears, and began to arrange my father’s funeral. Once everything was settled, I returned to the mansion Blake and I shared. It was only when those photos went viral that Blake finally called me. His first words were cutting accusations. But, it didn’t matter anymore. My most important task now was to divorce Blake. Our marriage had been nothing more than a business arrangement between the Hayes and Sterling families. A financial blunder by my father led to our company’s bankruptcy, and he’d collapsed from the shock. When Mr. Sterling Sr. was still alive, Blake treated me reasonably well. We weren’t madly in love, but we were respectful, almost like polite strangers. In those quiet days, my feelings for Blake grew. His transformation began after his grandfather’s death. That night, the rain poured down. Blake was in our master bedroom, getting intimate with a strange woman. I went wild, tearing at the woman, but Blake shielded her. It was also the first time he’d ever threatened me. “Aria Hayes, your father’s medical bills still depend on me.” Helplessness washed over me. That night, the strange woman stayed. After that, Blake began to indulge himself without restraint. I started cleaning up all sorts of scandals for him. In Blake’s eyes, I was just a woman pretending to be a virtuous wife for money. “Aria Hayes, you have no idea what my life was like before. Now, with no one to control me, it’s just so… comfortable.” Blake’s eyes were hazy as he said it. I just stared at him blankly.

Blake had indeed been tightly controlled before, even watching his grandfather’s every expression before speaking. A rustle of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. Blake walked towards me, tugging at his tie, his expensive cologne heavy in the air. “Aria Hayes, not asking for money again? What new trick have you learned this time?” I looked at him, confused. “Don’t pretend. Skylar told me she saw you signing up for those ‘Win Back Your Husband’ workshops. What did you learn there?” “Suddenly not wanting money, what’s this move called? Playing hard to get?” Blake’s laugh was mocking. He sat next to me, pulling me into his embrace. I could hear his heartbeat clearly against my chest. “Aria Hayes, I’m giving you a chance. Start your performance.” He laughed again as he said it. I looked up at him. He was leaning back on the couch. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this close to Blake. I raised my hand and touched his chest, feeling a tremor. “Aria Hayes, is that all you’ve got?” With that, Blake roughly pushed me away. His gaze was filled with utter contempt, as if I were something vile, a piece of trash. “Blake Sterling, let’s get a divorce.” I spoke calmly. Blake, who had been standing, froze. This was the second time I’d mentioned divorce to him. The first was the night I caught him cheating. My father had left me a substantial inheritance, and no one else knew about it. But Blake had refused to divorce, saying he wouldn’t let me have half his assets. He also didn’t believe I’d ever be willing to leave him. “Oh, really? When?” Blake smirked carelessly, pulling off his tie and throwing it at my face. A surge of surprise went through me; I hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. But then he suddenly pinched my chin. His handsome eyes scrutinized my face. After a long moment, he spoke flippantly. “Aria Hayes, you’re a terrible student. Find a different workshop.”

After saying that, Blake went back to the bedroom. I was left alone in the living room, the closed bedroom door a barrier between Blake and me. Thinking back to our days of polite respect, it felt like yesterday. Blake had changed so fast. Suddenly, Maria led a few men in. I knew them all—Blake’s closest friends. They didn’t greet me with the same deference as before, merely glancing at me briefly. Blake emerged from the master bedroom quickly, having changed into loungewear. The last one to enter the study turned back, his eyes full of pity, and looked at me. The study door was ajar, and muffled conversations drifted out. “Not many people for a proposal here, security’s good.” “Use all roses, girls always love custom diamond rings.” “Blake, are you sure about this? Your wife, she…” “I can’t give Skylar a proper title, but I can give her a grand gesture to compensate. Just don’t let this get out.” Blake’s voice cut off the conversation. So, he was going to propose to Skylar Vance. I turned and walked away from the study door. Blake had been back for so long, yet he hadn’t noticed my packed luggage. Hearing the sound of him seeing his friends out downstairs, I stepped out of the master bedroom. Looking down, I saw Blake humming a cheerful tune. Soon, dusk fell, and Blake changed into a tailored suit before heading out. I didn’t follow him, busy instead arranging my emigration. All these years, I’d been using my own money to clean up his dirty laundry. Blake automatically assumed I was using the supplementary card he’d given me, making him believe he controlled my finances. Looking at the decent balance in my bank account, I felt a calming sense of security. After confirming the house, the agent sent me the contract. Before I could even look at it, a message from Skylar Vance popped up. It was a ten-minute video. Blake’s declaration of love lasted six minutes, his gaze on Skylar full of adoration. I had to admit, out of all his women over the years, Skylar was truly the most favored.

“Pretty, isn’t it, Mrs. Sterling?” “I heard your wedding was just at a five-star hotel, no proposal, very rushed and perfunctory. Blake never gave you such a grand proposal, did he?” “Blake’s friends all say I’m the only girl he’s ever truly cared about.” Skylar’s voice message sounded utterly smug. She thought her words would drive me crazy. But my heart was eerily calm. For Blake Sterling, I figured there was only a sliver of love left. “Congratulations.” I simply replied with those four words. Her end went silent. The summer wind rustled the leaves, a dry, whispering sound. I slipped off my wedding ring and placed it on the dresser. That night, I dreamt of my father. When I woke up, my pillow was soaked with tears. One hundred and ten missed calls blared on my screen. Before I could even check them, Blake’s call came in again. The moment I answered, his barely concealed rage erupted. “Aria Hayes, I truly underestimated you. All these years, you’ve played the innocent, virtuous wife, but behind my back, you’re more devious than anyone!” “What?” I instinctively retorted. He hung up, and then I received a screenshot from Blake. That proposal video had already soared to the top of every major media platform’s trending topics. Editors from various media outlets had already sent me their prices. While I was asleep, Sterling Enterprises’ stock had plummeted because of the video. People were already speculating how much Blake would have to pay out in a divorce settlement. I looked at the screen full of notifications and felt utterly drained. Just then, the bedroom door burst open. Blake stood there, eyes bloodshot, gripping my collar. His eyes blazed with fury. If looks could kill, I would have died a thousand times over.

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When I was eight months pregnant, my husband, Daniel, insisted on giving my childhood sweetheart, Ashley, a child to fulfill her wish of becoming a mother, completely disregarding my objections. I was so enraged that my water broke, and I started bleeding. I frantically called Daniel eighteen times, but he didn’t pick up a single call. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, it was too late; I lost the baby. Turning around, I saw Ashley flaunting her ultrasound results on SnapChat. Afterward, Daniel calmly said, “The baby was gone because it wasn’t meant to be. Why take your anger out on Ashley, who’s already sick? Once Ashley’s child is born, we can just have another one.” Everyone thought I was hopelessly devoted to my husband, convinced I’d swallow my pain as always. But this time, I decisively signed the divorce papers and bought a plane ticket to leave the country. I saw Daniel again two years later at an alumni gathering. The moment he walked into the private room, he shoved a two-year-old child into my arms, a smug look on his face. “Chloe, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. Isn’t it time you cooled off? If you apologize to me in front of everyone, I might even let Ethan call you ‘Mom’!” The others chuckled, covering their mouths, saying I’d scored big by becoming a mom the easy way. I, however, held up my left hand, flashing the wedding ring on my finger. “I have my own child and my own husband, so I don’t need to be anyone’s charity case!”

The moment I finished speaking, everyone in the private room froze, their eyes wide with shock. Then, a roar of laughter erupted. “Oh, come on, Chloe! Everyone knows you loved Daniel with your life! When Daniel had kidney failure, you gave him one of your own kidneys! Would someone like you really marry someone else?” “Seriously, can you at least think before you speak when you’re saying things out of spite?” I scoffed internally at their chatter. It wasn was no wonder they were shocked; I truly did love Daniel back then. After he was diagnosed with kidney failure, I didn’t hesitate to donate a kidney to him. To this day, my left kidney aches whenever it’s cloudy or rainy. I’d always give him the sweetest part of my watermelon, and because he hated dragon fruit seeds, I’d pick out every single one with a toothpick. Because I loved him, I even tolerated him going on dates with Ashley, my childhood sweetheart, again and again. I tolerated him braiding Ashley’s hair right in front of me, gently wiping her mouth. As long as he came home, as long as he still remembered me, his wife, that was enough. Everyone knew I was hopelessly devoted, and they all instinctively assumed I was just talking out of anger. Snapping back to reality, Ashley, who was standing nearby, picked up a bottle of wine from the table and approached me. She said, subtly, “Chloe, I know you’re still upset about what happened two years ago.” “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Daniel wouldn’t have tried to have a child with me to fulfill my dying wish. If not for that, you wouldn’t have had that severe bleeding and lost your baby.” “Since everyone’s here today, I’ll punish myself with a bottle as a public apology!” She grabbed the bottle and gulped it down, the harsh alcohol making her cough violently. Daniel couldn’t sit still. He handed Ethan to a colleague and rushed forward, snatching the bottle from her. He looked angry and heartbroken. “Ashley, are you crazy? How dare you drink so much? Even though your condition has been stable these past few years, you’re still a patient!” After comforting Ashley, Daniel shot me a haughty glance. His voice was cold. “Chloe, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. That’s enough!” “Ashley and I only did IVF; there was no physical intimacy. You’re still holding a grudge over something so minor after all this time. Is it really worth it?” Everyone started murmuring. “Chloe is so stubborn. Honestly, she scored big by getting a kid for free!” “Daniel has been looking for her all these years. She left for two years, and he searched for two years. It’s time to move on from the past.” So, leaving me, eight months pregnant, to go have a child with Ashley was just a “minor thing” in Daniel’s eyes? But what surprised me was that Daniel had actually been looking for me? What did he want? Lost in thought, I heard Daniel continue, self-importantly, “Alright, Chloe, Ethan needs someone to take care of him right now. Since you’re back, you can take care of him from now on. Even though Ethan isn’t your biological child, you’re his nominal mother, and you should be responsible for him.” I actually laughed. Daniel wanted me to be a nanny? But I was no longer the Chloe he could manipulate so easily two years ago. Ever since he abandoned me and our unborn child to go have a baby with Ashley, my heart died for him. I decisively moved abroad. And I wasn’t just talking out of anger earlier; I really was married with a child. After moving abroad, I found a new job and soon met my husband, Julian. He helped me through that dark period. Not long after, we got married and had an adorable son. Just thinking about my husband and son filled my heart with warmth. Snapping back to reality, I coldly refused, “No, thanks. I have my own child to take care of. As for your Ethan, let his biological mother take care of him.” Hearing that, Ashley’s eyes immediately reddened. “Chloe, I know you resent me for causing you to lose your baby, which is why you refuse to take care of my child.” “I want to take care of Ethan myself, but my body just won’t allow it…” “It’s because I trust you that I’m entrusting my child to you. Ethan is very well-behaved; he doesn’t cry or fuss, so he won’t be much trouble. I’m begging you, please take pity on a mother like me and take care of Ethan…” Ashley made a show of trying to kneel down before me. Daniel quickly helped her up and comforted her. Then he turned and shot me a cold glare. “It’s an honor for you to take care of Ethan. Don’t be ungrateful!” His gaze landed on my clothes, and Daniel sneered. “Chloe, you must not have had it easy these past two years abroad, huh? You didn’t even bother to wear decent clothes to the alumni gathering.” “If you take good care of Ethan, I can give you ten thousand a month in pocket money. That’s a lot more than you’d make working.” Ashley, acting like the lady of the house, added, “Yes, if you take good care of Ethan, Daniel and I won’t treat you badly. With us, you at least won’t be wearing no-name brands.” It was only then that everyone noticed I was wearing casual clothes. Instantly, snickers filled the room. “How did Chloe fall so low? She doesn’t even have decent clothes!” “If only she knew this would happen, why did she act so stubbornly back then? I heard Daniel’s company boomed right after she left. If she hadn’t left the country in a fit of pique, she’d be living a life of luxury right now.” I simply smirked coldly. They had no idea. I wasn’t wearing no-name brands; my outfit was custom-made by a famous designer, silk fabric, each piece costing hundreds of thousands. Seeing me smile, Daniel assumed I had agreed to take care of Ethan. He pulled out his phone, ready to transfer money to me. “I’ll transfer ten thousand to you. Go buy some nice clothes later, so Ethan doesn’t pick up your cheapness.” But as soon as he sent the message, he received a stark red exclamation mark!

Daniel’s brows furrowed, and his face turned grim. “Chloe, you deleted me?!” I found it amusing. I had blocked and deleted him two years ago. He was just realizing it now? Daniel’s face flushed with embarrassment. He demanded I add him back immediately. I replied coldly, “Just an ex-husband. Why would I add him back?” “Besides, my husband doesn’t allow me to randomly add other men. He gets jealous.” Seeing me repeatedly refuse to give him face, Daniel instantly grew angry. “Chloe, have you acted enough? I’ve given you a way out. If you insist on being stubborn, we’ll get a divorce!” In the past, Daniel would threaten divorce whenever things didn’t go his way, forcing me to yield. He thought he could manipulate me as always this time. I merely chuckled coldly. “Daniel, have you forgotten? We already got divorced two years ago.” At that, the entire room fell silent. Daniel also froze for a moment. “What are you talking about?” Then, as if something clicked, he sneered, “I get it now. This is your trick, playing hard to get, isn’t it? You’ve certainly grown a lot more cunning in two years!” I rolled my eyes, exasperated. “Daniel, didn’t you see the letter I left you two years ago?” Daniel looked confused. “What letter?” Before I left the country, I had left Daniel a letter. Inside the envelope, there wasn’t just my wedding ring, but also a signed divorce agreement. I had made him sign that divorce agreement the day he disregarded my pleas and insisted on having a child with Ashley. He had always been dismissive towards me, signing it without even looking. He probably hadn’t properly read the contents of the envelope two years ago. That’s why he didn’t know we were already divorced and thought I was just throwing a tantrum. Thinking about it, I scoffed, then pulled out the other identical copy of the divorce agreement from back then, thrusting it in front of Daniel. “Daniel, the letter I wrote you back then contained the signed divorce agreement. I made two copies of the divorce agreement, and this is the other one. Look closely. We’re already divorced.” Daniel’s face darkened further. He was about to say the divorce agreement was fake, but when he saw his own signature clearly on it, he froze. “How can this be? I clearly never signed…” “No, you did. Do you remember the document I handed you the day you moved out?” With my reminder, Daniel belatedly realized that what I had made him sign that day was the divorce agreement. His face turned ashen. Everyone else was surprised too. “Chloe actually filed for divorce? Did she finally wake up from being hopelessly devoted?” “If they’re divorced, why is she back? I think she still can’t let go of Daniel.” Hearing that, Daniel raised his chin, confident that I still harbored feelings for him. Little did he know, my return to the country was mainly to accompany my husband and son. Julian happened to be coming back for a business gala, and my son wanted to visit the water park during his long weekend. As soon as I returned, I received an invitation to the alumni gathering, so I simply came along. I was about to shatter Daniel’s delusion when his phone rang. It was his assistant. “Mr. Peterson, we just received news that Mr. Knight of Knight Industries is returning with his wife and child this time. They’ll also be attending the business gala tonight. The chairman asked us to add an extra seat and treat them exceptionally well.” “The chairman specifically emphasized to treat Mr. Knight’s wife especially well. After all, Mr. Knight is famously devoted to his wife, and as long as we keep her happy, a partnership is guaranteed.” Only then did I realize that Daniel’s company was hosting this business gala. After Daniel hung up, everyone started showering him with flattery. “Daniel, Knight Industries is a leading corporate giant! Your company actually managed to get a deal with Knight Industries? Your future is limitless!” “I heard all the big shots in the business world will be at this gala. Can you help us old classmates make some introductions?” Daniel glanced at me with a triumphant look, condescendingly saying, “Chloe, are you regretting divorcing me impulsively back then?” “If you agree to take care of Ethan, I can consider remarrying you…” I scoffed internally. Julian’s company, Knight Industries, was my husband’s company. And I was the “Mr. Knight’s wife” they wanted to butter up. Before Daniel could finish, I coldly cut him off, “Knight Industries isn’t interested in your company.” Ashley, who had been silent for a while, shot me a disdainful glance. “How would you know?” I said, enunciating each word, “Because I am Mr. Knight’s wife.” At that, everyone thought I had lost my mind and stared at me like I was an idiot. Ashley even let out a scoff. “If you’re Mr. Knight’s wife, then I’m Mr. Knight’s mother!” “Everyone knows Mr. Knight dotes on his wife. He even spent three hundred million on a pink diamond bracelet for her in a lavish, public display of affection! Mr. Knight’s wife is incredibly precious, worth hundreds of millions. How could a commoner like you impersonate her?” “Look at you! What about you even remotely resembles Mr. Knight’s wife?” I, however, unhurriedly rolled up my sleeve, revealing the pink diamond bracelet on my wrist. “Are you talking about this bracelet?”

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The family business crumbled, and our once-proud name faded into ruin. My ex-boyfriend, that scumbag, vanished into thin air, taking every last penny I had with him. I was Skylar, a pampered heiress who knew nothing but lavish parties and endless shopping. This disaster hit me like a lightning bolt. One minute I was drowning in luxury, the next, I was practically staring down homelessness. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I marched straight to Jasper’s doorstep and hit the doorbell. My sworn enemy, Jasper, sat across from me, legs crossed, his fingers tapping softly on the table. His expression was utterly serious. “Skylar,” he drawled, “give me one good reason why I should take you in.” My mind raced, desperately searching for an answer. “Actually,” I blurted out, a desperate plan forming, “this bankruptcy… it was just my first step to getting close to you.” A single eyebrow quirked upwards. “So… you like me?” The auction hall buzzed with anticipation. On display, a necklace named ‘Emerald City’ shimmered under the spotlights. Forty-one exquisite emeralds from Kashmir, each radiating an exotic allure, were set into its intricate design. The auctioneer raised his gavel, ready to close the bid. Without a second thought, I called out, “Five million!” A collective gasp swept through the room. Everyone knew Skylar Chen, the pampered darling of the city. My parents had left me an endless fortune when they passed, and I’d been indulged my entire life. Just as I thought it was mine, someone, completely unfazed, raised the bid to ten million. I shot an arrogant glance towards the corner. There he was: Jasper, the city’s second-richest man. His face was sculpted, his composure unshakeable, every movement exuding effortless aristocracy. I knew him, alright. But I didn’t give him a second thought. After all, I was number one on that list. The ultimate pampered heiress, a trust fund baby who burned through cash like it was kindling. Just as I was about to raise the stakes again, Alfred, my long-suffering butler, leaned in. “Miss Skylar,” he whispered, “your parents stipulated a ten-million limit for auctions.” “Damn it!” I muttered, fuming. “Am I supposed to just take this?” The entire room was buzzing, speculating on who would finally claim the necklace. If I gave up now, I’d be utterly humiliated! Alfred tried to calm me. “Miss Skylar, it’s in the will. If you don’t abide by the rules, you risk losing everything.” I gnashed my teeth in fury, shooting a venomous glare at Jasper, then grabbed my purse and stormed out. Jasper, I swore I’d get him back for this. My second run-in with him was in Australia. “I’m sorry, Miss Chen, but the island you were interested in has just been sold.” The moment I heard, I had Alfred arrange a private jet. My heels clicked a furious rhythm as I rushed in, only to find Jasper, casually seated across from the service desk, just about to sign the papers. He leaned back in his chair, a lazy, amused smirk playing on his lips as he watched me. His eyes twinkled with a hint of challenge. A fresh surge of anger ignited inside me. I strode forward, one hand on my hip, my voice echoing through the office. “Hey! Are you seriously just going around snatching everything I want?!” Alfred immediately stepped in, apologizing profusely and trying to hold me back. Jasper, completely unfazed, simply dropped a bombshell. “Your eyeliner’s crooked.” Then, he turned and sauntered away, as if he hadn’t just insulted me. My fists clenched, ready to swing, but Alfred intercepted me again. “Miss Skylar, please don’t be angry,” Alfred pleaded. “You have more than enough islands. Your parents made it clear you shouldn’t be too extravagant.” “Fine! I’ll hold back… for now!” To cool off, I drove myself to my family’s private horse ranch after returning home. It had been so long, I’d actually forgotten the way. After several wrong turns, I finally found it. Talk about ironic. On this bright, sunny afternoon, I stood by the ranch entrance, about to walk in. Then, a cold voice spoke up behind me.

I spun around. Of course. It was Jasper. We stared at each other, disbelief plastered across both our faces. Then, in perfect unison, we blurted out: “What are you doing here?!” “What do you mean, what am I doing here?!” A few seconds of awkward silence followed. My patience wore thin. I crossed my arms, chin tilted, glaring down at him with disdain. “I let you have the necklace and the island,” I snapped, “but this is *my* family’s horse ranch! We’ve owned it for years. Are you seriously going to try and snatch this too?!” A flicker of surprise crossed Jasper’s eyes. His impressive six-foot-two frame bent slightly as he curved his lips into a teasing smile. “Miss Skylar,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement, “look closely. This is *my* private horse ranch.” I followed his gaze. ‘The Jasper Estate,’ large letters declared, prominently displayed above the entrance. My world went black. Just then, Alfred came rushing up. “Miss Skylar,” he panted, “the two ranches are quite close. I was worried you might confuse them, so I hurried over. I guess I was too late.” My face burned crimson. I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. After that whole ranch debacle, I seriously suspected our family property had some bad juju. I even consulted a spiritualist. The spiritualist said the only way to banish the bad luck was to move and find a boyfriend. So, that night, I moved into a sprawling penthouse in the city center. As for the ‘boyfriend’ part, I meticulously sifted through my many admirers and picked Kyle, an earnest-looking corporate executive who seemed reliable and harmless. I chose him because he seemed safe. I had no intention of anything serious, just needed him to help get rid of this bad luck. But who knew? That jerk cheated on me on our *third day* together! My friends said they saw Kyle flirting with some girl at a bar. And the kicker? I *owned* that bar! I gnashed my teeth, ready to storm in and cause a scene, but then I forgot the color of my new car and ended up circling endlessly in the underground parking garage. “Alfred,” I called, “I just bought a new Bugatti, right? Do you remember what color it is?” “Miss Skylar,” Alfred sighed, “you have so many cars, I can barely keep track. I wasn’t even aware you’d acquired another Bugatti.” I hung up, racking my brain. Black! It was black! Then, I realized I’d forgotten my car keys. Just then, the window of another black Bugatti next to me rolled down. “Skylar?” Jasper asked, from the driver’s seat, a cigarette held delicately between his fingers as he exhaled a plume of smoke. Through the swirling smoke, I saw a beacon of hope! I practically dove into the passenger seat, barking out an address and ordering him to drive. Still seething, I snatched the half-smoked cigarette from his fingers and took a long, furious drag. He paused, surprised, then blinked and asked what was wrong. I exhaled a cloud of smoke, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Cheater busting,” I deadpanned. I didn’t notice his gaze linger on me for a fleeting moment. As I got out, I pulled a wad of cash from my bag and tossed it onto the seat. “I know you’re not hurting for money,” I said, “but I don’t take free rides.” Ignoring the way his eyes crinkled in amusement and a subtle smile played on his lips, I stormed into the bar, marched straight to the VIP section, and successfully busted the cheater. But soon enough, karma came knocking.

I went broke. Yep, you heard that right. I was getting a facial at a Korean beauty salon when I got the news. I nearly ripped off my mask in shock. I was the one who went broke? *Me?* Turns out, there were major management issues, basically, internal embezzlement. But whatever, even a collapsing empire has its spoils. After paying off all the workers and employee salaries, I still had enough left to live comfortably for the rest of my life. But then, the final, devastating blow came from my ex-boyfriend. Yes, Kyle, that absolute bastard! He’d transferred all my remaining money, using some genius method that a pretty, clueless mess like me would never have dreamed of. Still, it was fine. I had cars, houses, jewelry, and bags. I could sell off my assets and make a comeback. That’s what all the down-on-their-luck rich people do in movies, right? I’d be okay! It wasn’t until I actually checked that I realized Kyle, that thief, had cleaned me out! I now had fifty dollars spread across five different cards, and literally nothing but the clothes on my back. I slipped off my Patek Philippe watch and handed it to Alfred. “Alfred,” I choked out, “you’ve worked so hard all these years. This is a small token of my appreciation.” Then, I told Alfred to leave. And I left too. Walked out of that house. Overnight, the news of my bankruptcy—Skylar Chen’s downfall—spread like wildfire. Everyone knew. Everyone seemed eager to distance themselves from me. I walked the streets like a zombie, gazing at the bustling traffic and towering skyscrapers, a flood of emotions washing over me. Before, these were just insignificant things I’d barely deigned to glance at from my lofty perch. Now, standing on the ground, they felt impossibly high, unattainable. My eyes landed on a massive screen on a skyscraper, displaying the city’s wealthiest man. Jasper. His figure was imposing, like a stable mountain, perfectly complementing the city skyline behind him. “Jasper,” I murmured to myself. A brilliant idea sparked in my mind. Twenty-eight minutes later, I rang Jasper’s doorbell. Don’t ask why twenty-eight minutes. I had no money for a taxi, so I walked. It took exactly twenty-eight minutes. The moment the door opened, my heart leaped into my throat. But Jasper didn’t say a word. He just gestured for me to come in with his eyes. I swallowed hard, nervously following him inside. Then, I launched into my ‘grand plan,’ a river of compliments flowing effortlessly from me, each one more extravagant than the last. Jasper didn’t seem to be listening. He just walked straight to the kitchen. “I don’t have much food here,” he stated. “You don’t mind instant ramen, do you?” Instant ramen? That cheap, additive-filled, non-gourmet food totally beneath my dignity? I shook my head like a bobblehead. But then, my stomach let out a pathetic grumble, betraying me. Jasper shook his head, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, then deftly prepared the noodles. Before long, I’d slurped down every last drop of the broth. Jasper sat opposite me again, legs crossed, his fingers tapping softly on the table. His expression was serious. “Skylar,” he repeated, his voice firm, “give me a reason to take you in.” I forced a shaky smile. “My Lord Jasper,” I pleaded, “if you don’t help me, this poor girl’s going to be sleeping in the park tonight.” With that, I put on my most pitiful puppy-dog eyes, sniffled, and looked up, my big, watery eyes brimming with feigned injustice. “I know I’ve been difficult before,” I whimpered. “Can’t you just pity me, even a little?” Jasper was silent for a moment, then, coolly, he uttered two words: “No, I can’t.” My mind raced. I leaned closer to him. “Actually,” I confessed, “this whole bankruptcy thing… it was just my first step to getting close to you.” The words were out before I could stop them. I instantly regretted it.

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After three years on a top-secret mission overseas, I was finally back. Before I left, my superiors strongly urged me to take a dedicated security detail, a whole unit just for my safety. But the first call I got when my boots hit American soil wasn’t from my wife. It was from Brad, my old college class president. “You loser,” he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. “Heard you’re down and out. Perfect timing, actually. I’m getting married, and I’m feeling charitable. Come see how the other half lives.” Then he dropped a wedding invitation into our old group chat. But when I saw the photo of my wife on the invite, I froze. My stomach twisted into a knot. To prevent a colossal misunderstanding, I quickly typed back, “Are you *sure* that’s your wife?” Brad lost his mind. He bombarded the chat with a string of angry 60-second voice messages. “Whose wife do you think it is, you moron?! Yours?! What kind of trash are you to question me? My wife is the heiress of the Lu family, the absolute powerhouse in this city!” “In this city, the Lu family *is* the law. If you get down on your knees right now and beg me like a dog, I might just be in a good mood and let you off the hook.” “Otherwise, I’ll make sure you can’t even *breathe* in this city!” I scoffed, a cold sneer twisting my lips. “You want me to kneel to you? You’d better make sure you’re even *worthy* of it first!” The leaders of the most influential families in the country bow to *me*. I’d like to see if this ‘Lu family heiress’ he’s so proud of dares to disrespect *me*!

As soon as I pulled up to my mansion, Chloe, my wife, pinged me on SnapChat. “Hey, hubby! I’m out with my girlfriends for a few days. If you miss me, you know we can always connect, virtually. 😉” Chloe and I had been married for ten years. She was vain and a complete gold-digger, but in bed? We were a perfect match. Even when we were miles apart, she’d make sure we connected, *intimately*. She swore she was only mine and knew exactly how to drive me wild. But deep down, I sneered. *Playing around*? She’d probably been busy warming other men’s beds for ages. The next day, I blew off the invites from the city’s most powerful families. I had a more important destination: the address on Brad’s wedding invitation. As I stepped off my yacht, a massive, 10-foot wedding photo dominated the entrance. Thousands of roses were meticulously arranged beneath it, forming giant letters: “Chloe & Brad: Forever Together.” Brad stood in the center of our college classmates, soaking up their adoration like a king. “Bro, Brad, you’re absolutely killin’ it! You actually landed a Lu family heiress!” “The Lu family? They’re practically royalty! You’re set for life, man!” “Brad, don’t forget us little people when you’re swimming in cash!” Even Professor Davies, our notoriously stern college advisor, was practically fawning. “Brad, you failed six courses in one semester, and yet, I *still* awarded you that scholarship. I saw it then! You were just too ‘cool’ to bother with exams, but I knew you had real-world hustle. You were destined for a massive glow-up!” Brad puffed up with self-importance, his nose practically in the clouds. But I just found it pathetic. “Lu family heiress”? Chloe was an orphan. Nobody special. Her real name wasn’t even Chloe Lu. She was just… *Chloe Smith*, born into nothing. After we got married, she constantly complained about her ‘unrespectable’ past. To make her happy, I pulled some strings and *poof*, she was a ‘Lu.’ I used my influence to grant her a new, powerful identity. I effectively *made* her a ‘Lu family heiress.’ And now, that *gift* was Brad’s biggest bragging chip. I stepped forward. A few old classmates spotted me, their faces twisting with blatant disgust. Noticing the yacht behind me, someone sneered, “Did he rent that yacht just to show off? Asher, did you take out a loan just to afford that rental?” Others chimed in, laughing. “Seriously, what’s with the act? Brad’s wife is a Lu family heiress. You’re not even in the same league as her, you pathetic loser!” “Right? Why bother with this pathetic show-off stunt, renting a yacht, when you could just grovel for Brad’s mercy like the dog you are? What a waste of ego!” The crowd erupted in jeers. My voice was flat. “I didn’t rent it. I *bought* it. A billion dollars. Cash.” The words hung in the air for a second, then several people doubled over, roaring with laughter. Brad’s face turned scarlet. He snatched a champagne bottle from a nearby table and *slammed* it against my head. “Stop trying to fool me, you ass! This is *my wife’s* yacht!” “So that’s why you asked if she was *really* my wife. You’re her dirty secret, aren’t you? Her *side piece*! You leech! Being a sugar baby isn’t enough for you? You dare bring *her* yacht to *my* wedding to make a scene?!” Blood trickled down my forehead, and the entire venue fell silent. Someone stammered, incredulous, “Brad, is he serious? Is this yacht really your wife’s?” Brad scoffed, pulling a photo from his wallet. “Who else could afford something like this besides my wife?” The photo showed two people in swimsuits kissing on the yacht. The stern featured custom couple art and engraved initials. A few people circled my yacht, their eyes widening. “Holy crap, it’s exactly the same!” “Asher, you’re not even a man! Being a home-wrecker? Have you no shame?!” Brad’s face was twisted with fury. “You disappeared for three years… was she hiding you away?” At his words, everyone immediately looked at me with disdain. “Remember how many rich women threw money at Asher back then, and he always turned them down? Guess the cash wasn’t enough for him. What a shameless loser.” “Who knows how many sugar mamas he’s been milking dry? He’s probably got more STDs than dollar bills!” “Being a home-wrecker is one thing, but to show up *here*, at *our* wedding? That’s just pure trashy audacity!” Professor Davies and the other teachers looked absolutely disgusted. “You morally bankrupt individual! Don’t you dare claim you were ever our student!” “I’m too ashamed to even know you!” The wedding was being live-streamed. The commotion quickly drew all the cameras to me and Brad, the comment section exploding with hate. Insult after insult scrolled across the screen. I ran a hand over the blood trickling down my face, my gaze locking onto Brad. “You’re laying hands on people before you even know the full story?” Brad’s arrogance swelled. “Yeah, I’m hitting you, you pathetic bastard. So what?” With that, he barked at someone nearby to grab a can of spray paint. He snatched it, then started defacing my yacht, spraying haphazard lines across the hull. “You’re a side piece! What right do you have to question me?!” “ASHER IS A WHORE” blared in huge, ugly letters across the side of my yacht. My voice was cold. “Destroying private property is a crime, you know.” Brad scoffed. “Crime? What’s law got to do with it? My wife is a Lu family heiress! In this city, if I tell the cops to jump, they’ll ask ‘how high?’!” “And you, you’re not just morally bankrupt and a home-wrecker! You’re parading around in *my wife’s* yacht!” “After a piece of trash like *you* tainted it, I don’t even *want* this yacht anymore!” He actually ordered the captain of a nearby vessel to *ram* mine. The sickening crunch of glass and metal echoed across the water as a massive dent appeared in the hull. “Brad’s going to be a Lu!” someone yelled from the crowd of classmates. “We gotta teach this punk a lesson for Brad!” A mob of them surged onto the deck, pouring corrosive liquids onto the yacht, scratching the paint, bashing the hull with anything they could find. In no time, my yacht was a twisted, battered wreck. I clenched my jaw, suppressing a tremor of rage. “I advise you to stop now. Otherwise, the consequences will be far beyond anything you can imagine.” Brad scoffed. “Consequences? Who do you think you are? My wife could crush you like an ant.” Hearing this, the others laughed even harder, smashing with renewed vigor. Suddenly, someone yelled, carrying a solid black, heavy-looking metal box. “This guy hides things so well! Is there something valuable in here?” Brad snatched a small axe and brought it down, splitting the box open. “What’s this? A crown? Must be fake gold, right? Some cheap trick, thinking he’s a king?” I glared at him, a warning in my voice. “Don’t touch that. You can’t afford to pay for it.” This was a priceless artifact, something I was meant to deliver to the national archives. I hadn’t yet processed it because I came straight to this wedding. But Brad, hearing me, practically jumped in a fit of rage. “What do you mean, *I* can’t afford it?! That’s hilarious!” “*My wife’s* fiancé can’t afford your pile of trash? Who are you trying to impress?!” He flung the crown to the ground, doused it in alcohol, and flicked a lighter. The flames licked at the gold, but after a long moment, the crown remained utterly unharmed. Someone’s voice, full of doubt, cut through the laughter. “That crown… it looks like… the Napoleon Coronation Crown. It could fetch *billions* at auction!” Brad’s anger intensified. “Billions?! How could a side piece like him have that kind of money?! He must have stolen it from my wife!” “So what if I turn it into junk right now? Trash like him deserves nothing but trash!” He raised the axe again, smashing the crown until it was a mangled, unrecognizable mess. I watched his furious, insane actions with a cold, detached gaze, saying nothing. Trillions in assets? Laughable. Chloe was always vain. After we got married, global limited edition haute couture gowns and custom jewelry? She owned every single piece. But she was still unhappy. She hated being seen as ‘new money’ or some bumpkin because her ‘family’ had no real standing. To make her happy, I had her officially registered as a Lu. But these idiots actually believed Chloe was a true Lu heiress, fantasizing about the Lu family’s trillions in assets. With Brad leading the charge on the crown, the others were quick to follow suit. They rampaged through the yacht, tearing and smashing my other priceless collections. I was about to intervene when my secure comms device buzzed to life. I answered immediately. “Reschedule the meeting. Send my security detail to my location. Now.” Brad’s cronies noticed my actions, snatched the device, and stomped on it repeatedly. “You pathetic piece of trash, trying to call for backup, are we?” “Laughable! Who’s he going to call? His ‘friends’ from the escort service? Don’t tell me a bunch of spineless pretty boys are coming to save you!” “Seriously, you’re addicted to acting tough, aren’t you? We’re old classmates, we know what a loser you really are!” “You’re a good-for-nothing! You actually think putting on airs will change the fact that you’re trash?!” I looked at the shattered comms device, my voice sharp and deadly. “I hope you’ll still be laughing this hard in a few minutes!” Brad’s eyes bulged. He lunged, slamming his fist into my nose. “Still trying to act tough now?! Your weak, pampered body is going to threaten me? I’m going to teach you a lesson today!” I sidestepped, and Brad, propelled by his own momentum, face-planted onto the deck. He scrambled up, enraged. “Everyone! Hold him down!” Just then, someone held up a string of sandalwood beads. “This fell off the loser! Must be something valuable, right?” My heart plummeted. My voice was a raw snarl. “Give that back!” Brad snatched the beads, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “So tense? It’s just some cheap piece of wood. Is it an antique or something?” I lunged for it. “It’s not valuable, but it’s important to me! Give it back now!” My mother’s ashes were sealed inside those sandalwood beads. When I was a child, I was kidnapped. My mother, to save me, bravely walked into the kidnappers’ hideout and offered herself in my place. I watched, helpless, as she was chained to the ground, and the kidnappers, like savage beasts, unleashed their depraved cruelty upon her. When they were done, her body was drenched in blood, twisted into an impossible, grotesque angle. After she died, I sealed her ashes inside that bracelet. It never left my wrist. I always felt like she was still by my side. It was my only memento, my most sacred treasure. It was my red line, my absolute untouchable. I would *never* allow anyone to take it from me! Brad watched me, a triumphant, malicious grin spreading across his face. “The more you care, the more I want to destroy it!” He lifted it, making a show of tossing it forcefully into the sea. My vision blurred with rage. “No! Just give it back, and I’ll do anything! *Anything*!” Seeing my desperation, Brad laughed, his eyes glinting with pure malice. “Alright, how about this? Get down on your knees and *lick my shoes*. Then I *might* think about giving it back to you.” A roaring static filled my head, my mind went utterly blank. The metallic tang of bile filled my throat as I remembered my mother’s horrific death. I squeezed my eyes shut, and slowly, painstakingly, lowered myself to the deck. With a numb tongue, I licked the filth from his shoe. The cruel laughter spread through the crowd like a plague, but I barely registered it. I urgently rasped, “Now will you give me back the beads?!” “I said I’d *consider* it,” Brad chuckled. “Who said I’d actually give it back?” He gave a sick smile, then *slammed* the beads onto the deck, shattering them into a million pieces. “No!” My eyes burned with unshed tears. I lunged, my fist smashing into Brad’s face! “You deserve to die!” Brad screamed, his face contorted in pain, as he spit out a mouthful of blood. Just as I prepared to strike again, my old classmates rushed forward, pummeling me with kicks and punches. “You got a death wish?! How dare you hit our Brad!” “Brad’s going to be a Lu! Do you know who you’re messing with?!” “That bracelet was probably just some payment from another sugar mama anyway. Just go service a few more rich old ladies, you can replace it, right?” I clenched my fists, blood dripping from between my fingers. “You will all regret this. I swear, I will make you pay a hundred times over!” Piercing laughter erupted around me, laced with undisguised mockery. “Pay a hundred times over? You’re telling jokes now?!” “You’re a nobody! What else can you do besides mooch off rich women?! If you lick *everyone’s* shoes clean, maybe we’ll go easy on you!” “You’re a homewrecker, preying on old classmates! You deserve to be gelded!” Someone aimed a vicious kick at my knee, and I collapsed, hitting the deck hard. The mocking laughter swelled like a tidal wave, drowning me. “Hahahaha, pathetic! He’s already on his knees! What a spineless loser!” “If you crawl through our legs, one by one, maybe we’ll let you off, hahahaha…” Professor Davies pulled out his phone, aiming it at my pale, bruised face. “Look, everyone! This was our department’s ‘brain’ back then! Look at him now! I always knew he’d end up a total loser!” Their sneering laughter stabbed into my eardrums like sharp needles. I clenched the shattered fragments of the beads in my fist, the sharp edges digging into my skin. A desperate cough ripped through me, tasting of iron, mixed with flecks of blood. The wedding live stream’s camera recorded my pathetic state, the comments section exploding with hate, insults scrolling past in a furious blur. They stomped on me, grinding their feet into my ribs, the pain excruciating, bone-deep. I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of my own blood filling my mouth, and rasped out, “You will all regret this!” Brad grabbed my hair, forcing my head up, and spat in my face. “Still living in a fantasy world? Who do you think you are? I could *piss in your mouth* right now, and no one would stop me!” The words had barely left his lips when a low, thunderous roar ripped through the air. Hundreds of dark, predatory attack helicopters descended from the sky. Their doors slid open simultaneously, and fully armored special ops teams rappelled down in perfect synchronicity. 22 The sheer spectacle silenced the entire crowd. All eyes fixed on the formidable helicopter formation.

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Clock Out. Or Die. As quitting time approached, a pop-up notification flashed across everyone’s screens within the company network. **[Please log off promptly at 6:00 PM. Otherwise, you might die!]** I thought it was just some lame prank and was about to click it away when, the next second, a notification from our never-seen boss appeared: **[All departments will work until midnight tonight.]** Only a few high-level executives had the permission to @everyone. But this message came from an anonymous sender with a blank profile picture. There was no way to tell who it was. Were they just rage-quitting? “???” “Who is this?” **[@Sherry, HR Director, what the hell is going on?]** **[Who enabled anonymous access?]** … Sherry, HR Director: **[I’m sorry, I’m checking immediately!]** The group chat fell silent. Dead silent. Ten minutes later, the company’s big boss, Mr. Harrison, who’d never once shown his face in the internal chat, finally popped up. Just one sentence: **[All departments will work until midnight tonight. Project Alpha needs to launch ahead of schedule. Everyone, let’s push through. Your hard work is appreciated.]** *Whoosh whoosh whoosh!* Immediately, a flood of replies followed: **[Got it!]** Mr. Harrison added another line: **[HR will calculate overtime pay as per policy.]** Suddenly, the group chat was flooded with praise and adoration. Even in the dead of winter, the brown-nosers were popping up faster than dandelions in spring. Especially those thumbs-up emojis – every single one of them was used with sickening, masterful skill. Right after that, I heard Ms. Davenport, the HR VP, roaring: “Who was that anonymous sender?! Find them for me, now!” I was just pulling my keyboard closer, resigned to bury myself in work, when the pop-up appeared again. **Alert: [Dear diligent workers, quitting time has arrived!]** **[If you insist on working overtime, please strictly follow the rules below!]** **[1. Unless absolutely necessary, please avoid moving around. Outside your workstation, any other location may pose a fatal danger.]** **[2. No smoking in public areas! Warning: The former smoking lounge poses extreme danger and is currently unusable!]** **[3. Do NOT eat employee meals! Do NOT eat employee meals! Do NOT eat employee meals! Ordering takeout is permitted!]** **[4. Be wary of takeout delivery personnel.]** **[5. Do NOT make coffee! Do NOT make coffee! Do NOT make coffee!]** **[6. These rules are active from 6:00 PM to midnight. Death quota: 4 people. May you survive!]** **— Anonymous User!** At this moment, the clock struck 6:00 PM—the exact time we were supposed to log off. … Mr. Preston, our tech department head, was yelling: “Which damn jerk did this?! I’ll rip their hide off!” Chad, at the desk to my right, and I exchanged glances. Chad pursed his lips, then turned to our team lead, Derek: “Derek, should I go at him?” Derek pushed up his glasses, not even bothering to look up: “Mr. Evans’s team is already on it.” Chad shoved his keyboard away, clearly annoyed. Derek used to be such a workaholic, leading our team to outperform others and earning serious respect from Mr. Harrison. Too bad that was in the past. To my left was Chloe, a new intern. She was in her early twenties, full of life, and even in this cold weather, she was rocking a cute, trendy schoolgirl-style outfit with white stockings and pigtails. Let me put it this way: in our tech field, women are already a rare gem, like finding a unicorn. And Chloe? She was a unicorn with a unicorn’s rare blood type. As far as I know, at least a dozen male colleagues were constantly trying to get her attention. But Chloe was sweet and well-behaved. She stuck by me after joining the team and wasn’t high-maintenance at all. Chloe cautiously looked up at me: “Alex, is this company into these kinds of games?” “Don’t sweat it, it’s clearly just a prank. We just need to keep doing our jobs.” I said it easily, but my heart was thumping a bit too. “Check your OKR progress. It’s perfect for a bit of overtime, isn’t it?” Suddenly, Derek stood up and clapped his hands. The ceiling lights cast a cold, stark white glow on his lean face. “Stop discussing, everyone. Just focus on your work. Alex, pass me the topic list.” “Oh, right. Sure.” I gestured: “Chloe, can you print this for me? I’ll send you the file right away.” Chloe pulled back her neck, a little scared, and mumbled softly: “Alex, the rules said not to leave our workstation…” I almost laughed out loud. The girl was really taking it seriously. “You actually believe that? Fine, I’ll print it myself then.” “No, no, Alex! It’s just a small thing, you don’t need to do it. I’ll go, I’ll go…” That’s more like it. “Go on, then. Hurry up.”

Chloe had been with me since she started her internship, acting as both an assistant and a general helper. Honestly, whether she’d get her full-time offer in two weeks depended entirely on my signature. Chloe received the file, remotely sent it to the printer, grabbed her water bottle, and headed to the print room, apparently intending to get some water as well. Three minutes later, Chloe placed a stack of documents on my desk. I stared at the code on my screen, grunted, and planned to give them to Derek later. First, the new project topic list needed more discussion. I still needed to think it over and talk about the specifics with Derek. Second, since the beginning of the year, our team lead had become surprisingly chill. He dragged his feet on projects even more than we did. I figured he wasn’t in a hurry. I’d heard a rumor that he landed a massive side gig last year and raked in a fortune! Honestly, working when you’re broke, that’s sacrificing your soul! But working when you’re loaded? It’s just… a lifestyle choice. To be honest, if I weren’t broke, I’d probably be just as chill… “Al-Alex…” Chloe hadn’t left, her voice thick with tears. “What’s wrong?” I looked up and asked. “Alex, look…” My eyes scanned the printed documents, and I instantly flared up: “What the hell? Why did you print it in red ink? If I give this to Derek, he’d totally ream me out!” “I didn’t, Alex!” Chloe cried, her voice trembling. “I really didn’t! I don’t know how, but it just printed like this!” “Is the printer broken? Then switch to another one and print it again!” “I… I don’t dare…” “Huh?” I glared at Chloe again, but the next second, I realized something was wrong, and my heart sank. The words on the document were vivid red, abnormally so. Something wasn’t right! I ran my finger over the paper, and a bright smear spread! This wasn’t red ink at all. It looked more like… blood! I shot up from my chair: “Which printer?” “Number 3!” “I’ll go check!” I took a step, but then my body tensed, and I froze: “Chloe, go back to your desk first.” Chloe meekly nodded, pulling her neck in, and sat back down. “…Outside your workstation, any other location may pose a fatal danger!” That warning echoed in my mind. Could it be… “Ah…!” Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the direction of the print room! “Someone’s dead!”

I didn’t have time to react. Those closest to the print room had already rushed in. Then came the terrified shouts: “Quick! Someone! Call an ambulance!” I instinctively followed the crowd towards the print room. Just as I turned, I saw Chloe huddled in her chair, head buried. Curled up like a pathetic little quail. By the time I reached the print room, a chaotic crowd had already gathered. The deceased, I remembered seeing him around, but I couldn’t recall his name. Everyone immediately confirmed there was no point in trying to save him. He was sprawled over a standing printer, his right hand clenched into a fist, pressed against his throat. A ballpoint pen was plunged into his throat. A small section of it had even pierced through the back of his neck! His death was like something out of a crime thriller, or those old-school detective shows where someone gets a pen jammed into their throat. It was exactly the same. A large amount of fresh blood covered the printer, pooling onto the floor. His shirt collar was hooked on the corner of the printer’s lid, which was why he hadn’t slid off after collapsing onto it. And at his feet, there was a streak of water. I could almost visualize the scene! He was standing by the printer, waiting for documents, holding a pen, idly tapping it on the printer lid. Perhaps he got tired and shifted his weight, inadvertently slipping on the water. His foot slid backward, and he pitched forward! The upright pen in his hand pierced his throat! It seemed perfectly logical. But also far too coincidental. Suddenly, someone yelled: “Why is there no signal?! I can’t call 911!” “Then go outside and call! Someone died in the company, what the hell is going on?!” “Everyone back to your workstations! Don’t panic! I’ll handle things here! Forget a dead body, even if the sky falls, Project Alpha *must* launch by midnight!” The speaker was Trevor, whom we all called Big Trev. He held the title of General Office Assistant, which was basically a useless position, only handling miscellaneous stuff. He was a busybody, always riding on Mr. Harrison’s coattails, and incredibly reckless… In short, he was a universally despised jerk. But what could we do? He was Mr. Harrison’s cousin. That bastard. This was his chance to really throw his weight around! I quietly exited the print room. Outside, the atmosphere was already explosive. “Damn, this is seriously messed up. Someone died in the company late at night, and we’re still not allowed to leave?” “Do you think it has something to do with those rules in the chat? About not leaving your workstation because other places are fatally dangerous?” “Stop BS-ing, you actually believe that?” “Just wait and see how the company tries to hush it up if someone dies during overtime.” “Our tech department is freaking amazing, they managed to jam all the signals in the entire company!” Hearing that, I quickly pulled my head back. I’m in the damn tech department too!

I thought that after someone died, everyone would be terrified and want to leave the office. To my surprise, their panic didn’t last more than three minutes. They were all eager to gossip, their eyes practically glued to the print room. Just then, the window on the south side of the office space suddenly blew open with a bang! The frigid winter wind rushed in like a blade. “Quick, close the window! I’m freezing to death!” Looking at the eerie green glow of the ‘Emergency Exit’ sign above the door, my heart tightened. Chloe slid her chair closer, leaning over. There were tear streaks on her face, and her nose was red. “Alex, can I go home? I’m too scared…” It was cold, and Chloe’s lean exposed a glimpse of her thermal shirt underneath her cute schoolgirl-style uniform collar, but even so, my eyes couldn’t help but wander. Still, my resolve was firm. “Chloe, I understand you’re scared, but if you really leave now, whether you get your full-time offer might not be my call anymore…” I subtly gestured towards Derek, our team lead. Chloe froze, then lowered her head and sat back down. Faintly, I heard Chloe’s sniffles. My heart softened. I looked up and asked Derek, who was three workstations away: “Derek, it’s getting too late. Chloe’s just a young girl, it’s not safe for her to go home alone. Besides, I don’t really have anything for her to do, so maybe…” Derek pushed up his glasses, the light casting a cold, stark white on his face. His voice was just as cold: “Either work overtime, or resign.” I could only give Chloe a helpless look.

“Alex, did you get a good look? I couldn’t squeeze in! I heard the pen went all the way through his neck, blood was everywhere on the printer, and there were even blood spatters on the ceiling!” Chad slid his chair next to me and whispered, leaning in. “Man, that’s wild! Alex, do you know who died?” “I’ve seen him before, but I can’t remember his name. I just remember… he always wore a blue plaid shirt, carried a thermos like an old man, and was balding at such a young age…” Chad slapped his thigh: “???! The King of the Grind died?!” The mention of “King of the Grind” made my mind buzz, and I remembered too. The King of the Grind was Kyle. He was a textbook example of the ‘overzealous underachiever.’ Constantly teetering between promotion and promotion failure. He held the record for failing six promotions in one year! “Ugh, well, that’s a relief. The group chat will be a lot quieter now. I was so sick of seeing his damn thumbs-up! Right, Alex?” Every time overtime was announced, Kyle was always the first to respond with a thumbs-up emoji. And he’d drag everyone else down with him. His work intensity was comparable to two full-time employees and a caffeinated dog. He wasn’t even a programmer in our tech department, but at such a young age, his head was balder than Chad’s. I thought, the man’s dead, why keep mocking him? I didn’t take Chad’s bait. *Boom!* From the direction of the print room, a dull explosion suddenly roared! Then, a cloud of black smoke drifted out. Across from me, Chloe jumped up with a start, tears streaming down her face. “Holy crap, was his grudge so strong he blew up the printer?” Chad clicked his tongue playfully, dragging his chair back. My heart was pounding like it was caught in a snare, twitching harder with every beat. *Click!* Just then, all the lights in the entire company suddenly went out! Everyone’s computer screens went black too! “Ah!!!” “It’s haunted!” “What a crappy company! I’m out! Screw this!” Instantly, screams and angry shouts erupted. At first, when someone died and we weren’t allowed to leave, everyone held it in. But now that the lights were out, even if nothing was wrong, it was enough to terrify everyone! In the darkness, I felt a hand blindly reaching out, grabbing mine!

I considered myself pretty brave. I grew up in the sticks, and my grandma used to tell me all sorts of spooky old tales. I thought I’d heard it all. But this time, it still scared the living daylights out of me! “Alex, please, talk to Derek again. Let me go home, I want to go home, boohoo…” I instinctively tightened my grip, clutching Chloe’s soft hand. “Chloe, don’t do that, you almost scared me to death!” Honestly, my head was buzzing too, a complete blank. Even though I’m usually a rational guy and don’t believe in ghosts, I was seriously creeped out. Could it really be haunted? “Everyone shut the hell up! The printer shorted out, the circuit breaker popped! I’ll just flip it back on. Everyone, sit down! Mr. Harrison said if the project launches tonight, everyone gets a two-thousand-dollar bonus!” Hearing that, the restless colleagues actually quieted down quite a bit. *Click!* As power was restored and the lights came back on, everyone looked at each other, unsure what to do. Chloe pulled her hand back, glanced awkwardly at her bag, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn’t leave. She sat back down. Money truly makes the world go ’round, or at least makes people forget their fears. Two thousand bucks was roughly a month’s pay for Chloe as an intern before she even got her full-time offer. Like puppets, everyone rebooted their computers and went back to work. “Alex, look, who’s that? Why is someone covered in blood coming back from outside?” Chad pointed towards the entrance. I turned my head and, sure enough, a man, covered in blood, stumbled in. “Mr. Preston? What happened to you?” a colleague asked, startled. Mr. Preston was our department head! My boss’s boss! “It’s real! Those rules are real! Everyone, don’t run! Don’t run, just stay here, don’t move! It’s real!” With that, Mr. Preston crumpled to the floor.

Luckily, Mr. Preston wasn’t dead. He was covered in cuts, drenched in blood. They laid him on a lounge chair, and he gasped for air for a good while before he finally recovered. Thank goodness. If two people died within such a short time, everyone would probably freak out. Colleagues exchanged uneasy glances. I forced myself to stay calm and restarted my computer. After the computer rebooted, several windows popped up from the internal software again. Without exception, they were all from the VP of Human Resources and Finance! **@everyone: [There’s an unexpected situation at the company. Everyone stay calm and don’t move. Someone will handle it!]** **@everyone: [Tonight’s project *must* launch on time. Any slip-ups will be traced to individuals!]** **@everyone: [Considering tonight’s special circumstances, the company has decided to give every employee who clocks out after midnight a $2000 cash subsidy. $200 will be paid directly after logging off, and the remaining amount will be deposited into your bank account along with your salary over 9 months.]** **@everyone: [After power is restored, ensure orderly work. Strictly forbidden to take photos or videos. Do NOT leak videos or images outside the company. Violators will be held accountable!]** … “Tsk, I knew it! The higher-ups are all the same, aren’t they? Two thousand bucks, and they’re paying it in installments? Why don’t they just go broke themselves!” Chad muttered beside me. “Alex, let’s go grab a smoke! It’s too stifling in here.” Chad stood up, motioning for me to come with him. He was right. All this back and forth had my nerves shot. I needed a break. “Let’s go, let’s just tough it out until midnight, then I’m taking five days off tomorrow and just chilling!” As Chad and I walked past the door, we got a pretty good idea of how Mr. Preston got his injuries. “Ugh! Serves him right!” Chad spat. He’d disliked Mr. Preston, our department head, for a long time. To the left of the company entrance were the restrooms and the smoking lounge. Straight ahead was the corridor and the shared elevator lobby. To the right was the fire shutter leading to the stairwell. We smokers sometimes used the stairwell when we were too lazy to go to the smoking lounge. Normally, the fire shutter wasn’t lowered. But now, it was not only half-lowered but severely damaged. The rolled-up metal sheets were covered in blood, and there were blood spatters on the floor and walls. Several grotesque bloody handprints were slapped on the wall, tearing chunks out of the drywall. “Mr. Preston must have tried to go to the stairwell for a smoke and got hit by the shutter. He got caught in it, but luckily, he didn’t die.” I felt a surge of relief for Mr. Preston. I glanced at Chad and whispered: “It might be that what the group message said is true…” “Alex, don’t scare me. Dude, I’m a millennial barely making rent, the only thing I’m terrified of is going bankrupt. You think I’m scared of a prank?” “I was just saying.” Chad cursed: “You watch. That idiotic rule said the smoking lounge was dangerous, right? I’m gonna go try it! It’s all just the higher-ups messing with us!” *Flick!* Chad lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Suddenly, I vaguely thought I saw a red dot on his forehead, which then vanished. I shook my head, assuming I’d imagined it. The red dot must have been the lit end of his cigarette… It was then that I felt something like a gust of wind on the back of my neck. But when I turned around, there was nothing there… “Don’t smoke here! Let’s walk to the bathroom, quick, hurry!” At this point, I was subtly starting to believe the anonymous rules in the group chat! Rule 2: **[No smoking in public areas! Warning: The former smoking lounge poses extreme danger and is currently unusable!]** I pulled Chad along, heading from the corridor towards the restroom, which was right across from the smoking lounge. Chad, true to form, refused to believe in bad luck. He took a step and walked right into the smoking lounge. “Ha, Alex, just watch. Nothing’s gonna happen. I bet Chloe was scared for nothing, hahaha.” I paused for a few seconds. Seeing Chad was fine, I didn’t think much of it and started lighting my own cigarette as I walked in. But… *CRASH!* A grating sound tore through the air! And then, I noticed Chad wasn’t moving! His eyes were slits, and a faint tremor ran through his jaw. The cigarette clenched between his lips dropped. “Chad?” The source of that horrific crashing sound was the metal trash can in the corner of the smoking lounge. The trash can was bouncing wildly on the floor, completely split open, its metal sides covered in blood.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296976”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic