Category: English

I married an idiot. For three years, I personally fed him, bathed him, and gave him the whole world. Then one day he woke up, became the CEO of a listed company, and spent millions proposing to me across the city. After marriage, I became the envy of everyone. He expressed his love for me on various occasions. But when his true love appeared, he immediately kicked me out, just to make room for her. With nowhere to go, I swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills. When I crossed over to this world, I spent 25 years pursuing the four main love interests, only to lose everything in the end. The system said that as long as this body dies, I can go home. But just as my consciousness was fading, I heard someone desperately begging me to live. 0 “Aria, I know you’re awake. Why did you choose to attempt suicide on the day Sam returns? What, are you trying to frame Sam by pretending to be dead?” Accompanied by a cold voice, I opened my eyes to see William’s icy gaze full of hatred. William, one of my love interests, was once a husband who loved me to the bone. When we first met, he was tricked while fighting for his family’s inheritance and became an idiot, insisting on marrying me. For three years, I bathed him, washed his clothes, took care of his daily life, and gave him the whole world. However, when the family heirs killed each other off, he suddenly woke up and became the sole heir. It turned out that he had been pretending to be stupid to avoid disaster, and I was the real fool who had been deceived. When I turned to leave, he knelt down and begged, spending millions to propose to me across the city. “Aria, please don’t go. I can’t live without you. I may have been pretending to be stupid, but I really do like you.” Amidst flying flower petals, looking at the face I had lived with day and night, I agreed. Until Olivia appeared, and he changed his heart. He used work as an excuse to stay away from home for long periods. “Why can’t you understand me?” “If I don’t work hard, where will your food and clothes come from?” I believed him. But not long after, I found him intimate with Olivia in the office, with used condoms on the floor. When I asked him why, he told me to leave with nothing. I refused, so Olivia faked her death by jumping into the sea and posted a 10,000-word accusation on social media, framing me for bullying and abusing her, forcing her to die. I was subjected to overwhelming cyberbullying. He seized the opportunity to kick me out of the house. My own brother also wanted to sever ties with me, this vicious person. No matter how I explained, no one believed I was innocent. Although I don’t know why William would save me, looking at the surging hatred in his eyes, I forced out the last breath from my lungs and said with difficulty: “Kill… me.” The next moment, William released his hand and slapped me angrily: “If you want to die, go somewhere else to die. Don’t dirty my hands!” I was stunned by his slap. When I came to my senses, I had already been thrown onto the road outside the villa gate by him and his bodyguards. William folded his arms across his chest, his expression cold and indifferent, as if looking at garbage: “If it weren’t for you bullying and harassing Olivia, how could she have been forced to jump into the sea? If you want to commit suicide, remember to stay away from me. Seeing you makes me physically sick.” I laughed self-mockingly. It was clearly them slandering me behind my back, but it became my fault! Can those with power and influence really turn black into white? But he probably forgot that without me, he wouldn’t have today! Since that’s the case, I won’t dirty his eyes! I staggered away, coming to a bustling street. Looking at the flowing traffic, I jumped. As long as this body dies, I can go home. The next instant, the sharp sound of tires screeching accompanied by honking horns rang out. Someone grabbed my hair tightly and dragged me to the roadside. “Aria, what are you doing?!” I looked at the angry William and quietly asked: “Why? I’ve already stayed away from you.” Although his words were so fierce, I saw his body trembling. When he was still pretending to be an idiot, whenever he was afraid, he would unconsciously tremble and hide behind me. What was he afraid of? Afraid of me dying? But isn’t this fulfilling his and Olivia’s wishes? William slapped me hard: “What are you pretending for? This is the road Olivia has to take to get home! If you die here, how will it dirty her eyes?” I lowered my eyes and laughed self-mockingly. So it was because of this. I obediently went to the riverside. Here, it shouldn’t dirty his beloved’s eyes, right? 0

I walked step by step into the river. The next moment, another hand grabbed me. I turned back in confusion, only to find it was my brother Finn. He was holding a cake with a big name written on it: “Olivia”. It should be a cake prepared to celebrate Olivia’s fake death return… Anger and hatred surged in Finn’s eyes. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you knew I was going to bring a cake for Olivia and came to stop me?!” “Aria, have you forgotten that I’ve already severed ties with you!” In this world, if there’s someone who hates me more than William, it would be my own brother. But he wasn’t like this before. We lost both parents when we were young. I raised my brother alone, naming him “Finn”, hoping he would be as free as the wind chimes dancing in the air. He dreamed of studying music, so I dropped out of school early and worked three jobs to send him to the best training classes. Once, during a house fire, he ran barefoot into the flames, crying that if I died, he wouldn’t live alone either. We were each other’s support in this world, the closest blood relatives. But all this changed after he met Olivia. Olivia said she wanted to eat something good, so he forced me to cook a table full of dishes despite my serious illness. She didn’t eat, and when I couldn’t help but ask, he turned on me: “Your cooking is too bad, why are you yelling at her!” Saying that, he threw the dishes I had worked hard to make into the garbage. Later, Olivia and William framed me and faked her death by jumping into the sea. Because of this, Finn hated me to the bone, severed ties with me, coldly watched me suffer all kinds of torment, and even personally pushed me into the abyss. Thinking of this, I didn’t answer his words, slowly pulling my wrist out of his hand inch by inch. Seeing this, William immediately sneered: “Olivia is back. She was kicked out by me with nothing, so she probably can’t accept it and wants to commit suicide.” Finn frowned and laughed coldly: “Someone as afraid of death as her, how could she really commit suicide? She’s probably just putting on an act.” “Great minds think alike,” William also laughed. “She just performed twice in front of me.” After mocking me, Finn looked at me with hatred again: “Aria, even if a vicious person like you really dies, no one would care!” “Get out of my way, don’t block me from finding Olivia.” I slowly lowered my eyes: “Alright, I’ll leave.” As soon as the words fell, I plunged towards the rushing river. Finn’s face turned pale. The river was so rapid that in the blink of an eye, I had been washed ten meters away. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. This time, I should really be able to die, right? But the next moment, with a “splash” sound, I was rescued by Finn and thrown onto the grass, covered in mud, looking miserable. He was soaking wet and kicked me like a madman. “Aria, are you trying to make everyone think I drove you to death and then ruin me?!” “You really disgust me!” “You, when did you learn to swim?” I coughed violently, bitter water spilling from the corners of my mouth. Finn kicked me hard and sneered: “After Olivia jumped into the sea, I learned to swim.” “What? Unhappy that your scheme didn’t work?” I couldn’t help but sneer. Love is really great. In the past, I wanted to teach him how to swim countless times. But every time I was stopped by Olivia, “With me around, Finn doesn’t need to learn to swim at all. I will always be with him and save him when he’s in danger.” Finn also coldly belittled me: “Aria, this is the difference between you and Olivia. You only force me to do things I don’t want to do. You’re not fit to be my sister at all!” Later, Finn accidentally drowned, and Olivia watched coldly. It was me who went into the water and saved him. But he thought it was Olivia who saved him, attributing all the credit to Olivia, and even scolded me for being ungrateful, watching my own brother drown without doing anything. But I never thought that Finn, who had been afraid of water since childhood, would actually learn to swim for Olivia. “What does my suicide have to do with you? You’re nothing but a stranger to me.” Hearing this, Finn’s face turned red with anger, and he slapped me. “If it weren’t for the fact that I vowed to pray and accumulate virtue for Olivia after her death, do you think I would save you, a biological sister I’ve severed ties with?” “Even if it were a dog that fell into the water today, I would save it!” I laughed self-mockingly, “What a fresh term, biological sister. Then what about Olivia? Your emotional sister? But she’s going to marry William.” Hearing this, Finn suddenly dropped the cake in his hand and looked at William. “Marriage?! With William?” I was about to speak when another love interest, Ryan, rushed over and blurted out: “Olivia is missing!” “Aria, did you hide Olivia?! Quickly call her out!” 0

William, who had been calm all along, panicked for the first time. “Olivia is missing?” “Aria! No wonder you’ve been acting so strange today. It seems you’ve done something bad and want to use fake suicide to clear your suspicions! Quick, tell me where you’ve taken Olivia!” Finn immediately reddened his eyes and slapped me hard: “Olivia went through so much to come back, and you dare to harm her! I should have let you drown in the river earlier!” “Quickly give her back to me! If she dies, I won’t live either!” There was an iron rust taste in my mouth. I opened my lips, and a few drops of blood fell. Olivia disappeared again. She really can’t stand to see me have any good. Since that’s the case, I might as well fulfill her wishes. I was about to speak when I saw Ryan, who once said I was his only salvation, holding a knife to my throat. “Speak! Where did you hide my Olivia!” Ryan, the fourth of my love interests, was also a well-known medical genius. Back then, because someone wanted to steal his family’s secret medical book, his entire family was killed. It was I who risked my life to save him. Perhaps because he witnessed his entire family being killed, Ryan became extremely resistant to others approaching him. There’s still a scar on my left hand where he bit me when he was in shock. But I never left him, accompanying him through that difficult time. Finally, Ryan regained his senses and decided to practice his family’s medical skills to find evidence and avenge his family. In the silent struggle, I went through countless life and death moments, personally helping him reach a high position and slaughter all his enemies. That day, he cried and said that from then on, I would be his sister, a relative without blood ties. That day, I cried too, because he really looked like my brother from another world. I… missed my brother. But later, after Olivia appeared, he gradually distanced himself from me. Just because Olivia said she didn’t like me calling him brother. He then declared that if I came within three meters of him, he would seal my throat with silver needles. On the day he learned that Olivia had faked her death by jumping into the sea, Ryan went crazy. He stuck tens of thousands of needles into my body, torturing me endlessly, just to avenge Olivia. “Who knows how much Olivia suffered at your hands before she jumped into the sea to commit suicide.” “Since that’s the case, then for each of your following days, you will suffer a hundred times more cruel torture than her!” Seeing my silence, Ryan’s eyes were filled with bloodshot, and the sharp blade pressed against my throat, drawing a line of blood. “Not talking? It seems a few days without torture have made you forget our methods!” Ryan coldly stepped forward, knocked me unconscious, and took me to the dark room in William’s villa. He stuck dense silver needles into my acupoints, amplifying my pain and torturing me with various instruments. William and Finn didn’t stop him, but instead gritted their teeth and glared at me with raging anger. I struggled, and dense, stabbing pain came from all over my body. The pain penetrated to the bone, making me cry out involuntarily. But Ryan slapped me hard and shouted: “What are you yelling for? Can’t you even bear this little pain? Don’t forget how you tortured Olivia back then!” “If you don’t tell us her whereabouts, everything you did to her, I will return to you one by one!” Hearing this, I opened my eyes wide, as if seeing dawn. I don’t want to be abused by them anymore. I just want to die quickly and cleanly. I just want to go home and have a good sleep! I cried, sobbed, and shouted: “Your Olivia is already dead! I chopped her up piece by piece with a knife!” “Come on! Kill me!! Let me accompany her!” “Come on!!!” I shouted crazily at them. Ryan was probably too angry, even at this point I still dared to be so arrogant. “You really think I don’t dare to kill you? Olivia is dead, trash like you should accompany her!” He suddenly took out a knife and rushed out, raising his hand to stab me. He used full force, probably thinking I would resist, but I just stood there, watching the knife tip enter my heart. Ryan was stunned, looking at the blood gushing from my chest, as if he couldn’t believe it. But I pulled the corners of my mouth, finally going to die! As my consciousness dispersed, Olivia’s voice suddenly came from the door: “Oh, why is everyone here? I’ve been looking for you for a long time…”

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I had just been released after serving three years in prison for my wife. To my shock, Olivia had given my position as vice president to Ryan, her old flame. When I confronted her about it, Olivia’s expression was cold. “You’ve been to prison. I should have fired you, but Ryan pleaded on your behalf, so I kept a position for you,” she said dismissively. “Do your job well and don’t cause any more trouble for him.” The “position” she referred to was as a janitor cleaning toilets in the company. That night, I knelt at my parents’ graves. During those three years, my father had passed away from a stroke, and my mother followed soon after. I never got to see them one last time, and now the company had been taken from me as well. As I was repenting for my mistakes, I discovered a phone hidden near the tombstone. The videos on it contained evidence that Olivia had conspired with Ryan to frame me and send me to jail, and then caused my parents’ deaths. Leaving the cemetery, I numbly dialed a number. “Mr. Thompson, I’ve made up my mind. I agree to transfer my shares to you to help you take control of the company.”

“That’s wonderful news, my boy! With your help, we’ll certainly be able to set the company straight and fulfill your parents’ wishes,” Mr. Thompson replied enthusiastically. I kept my voice steady. “Good. Pleasure doing business with you.” Just as I hung up, Olivia opened the car door and approached me. “Who were you talking to?” she asked suspiciously. “Nothing important, just a telemarketer,” I lied smoothly. Olivia didn’t seem to care about my response. Her gaze was fixed on the cemetery behind me. “Why did you come here?” she asked. “I came to visit my parents,” I explained. “Their passing was so sudden. I never got to say goodbye, so I wanted to pay my respects.” Olivia visibly relaxed, no longer concerned. She simply said “Oh” and urged me to leave quickly. As we got in the car, I studied Olivia. Since my release, she had been cold towards me. Yet today, after I’d only been at the cemetery for a short while, she had rushed over, even driving here herself to pick me up. Her unusual attentiveness only confirmed my suspicions about the video’s authenticity. On the drive back, Olivia probed to see what I knew. Once satisfied that I had simply come to visit my parents and knew nothing else, she dropped her facade of warmth. “Jack, I know you used to be the company’s vice president when your parents were alive. But they’re gone now, and you’ve been to prison. The company decided to appoint Ryan as VP,” she said coldly. “Don’t take out your frustrations on Ryan. Go apologize to him right away.” Earlier that afternoon, at the company’s year-end party, Ryan and I had both fallen into the swimming pool. Olivia immediately accused me of pushing Ryan in out of resentment for taking my position. I tried to explain that Ryan had actually pushed me, and asked them to check the security cameras to prove my innocence. But Olivia just frowned. “That won’t be necessary.” “Jack, I can’t believe you’re still so petty, deliberately pushing Ryan into the pool and then trying to frame him!” she scolded. Olivia was about to say more, but Ryan grabbed her wrist. “It’s okay, I’m fine,” he said smoothly. “Jack was probably just upset. He might have seen wrong – I actually slipped and fell into the pool accidentally, and Jack got pulled in with me.” Ryan’s false generosity only further condemned me. Olivia’s indulgence of Ryan nailed me to a pillar of shame. And now, she was demanding I apologize to Ryan. I turned to look out the window. “Did you check the security footage?” I asked quietly. Olivia slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. She glared at me in disgust. “Jack, you really never learn, do you?” “Get out! Walk the rest of the way home and think about what you’ve done.” Olivia sped off, leaving me standing there. I watched the car disappear, then took out my phone to call Mr. Thompson again. “I can sign the share transfer contract today,” I said decisively.

Mr. Thompson offered me a lump sum of $300 million for my shares. As I stared at the transfer contract, my mind went blank. These shares were the last thing my parents had left me. Thinking I was having second thoughts, Mr. Thompson tried to persuade me. “Jack, my boy, I’ve known you since you were little. You don’t know what that woman Olivia has done to the company in the three years you were… away,” he said gravely. “After your father passed, she’s driven away almost all of us old-timers from the company.” “I’m not trying to cause trouble between you and your wife. I’ve just seen too much in my life. All I can say is, be careful of Olivia. She’s not a simple character.” My parents had warned me about her too. But back then, I was madly in love with Olivia and didn’t take their words to heart. Now I was paying the price, and it had cost my parents their lives. I let out a bitter laugh. “I understand, Uncle. But Thompson. Don’t worry, I won’t make the same mistakes again.” Mr. Thompson said we should wait until the shareholders’ meeting next week to reveal the share transfer. For this week, I needed to keep it secret from Olivia to prevent her from interfering with our plans if she found out about the shares. After setting the time, I returned home. It was already night. Olivia assumed I had actually walked all the way back, and looked at me with disgust when she saw me. She was still angry, waiting for me to apologize and make amends. But I was too exhausted. After learning my parents had been killed by her, I didn’t want to see her at all. Olivia waited and waited, but I didn’t bow my head to her. As I was about to enter the bedroom, she angrily threw clothes and bedding at my face. “You can come back when you’ve apologized to Ryan!” she snapped. “Take your things and get out. I don’t want to see you!” Clothes and blankets rained down on me as Olivia slammed the bedroom door shut in frustration. I stood there for a moment, then turned and went to the guest room without hesitation. Before going to sleep, I opened my phone and saw Ryan’s SnapChat post from that afternoon. “When you’re sick and someone brings you care and medicine, that’s the one to marry.” The photo showed Olivia’s back. Olivia had commented with a shy emoji. In the comments, many familiar names were cheering them on – our mutual friends, college classmates, former coworkers… Everyone seemed to have forgotten my existence, tacitly expressing their blessings for this new “couple.” I hit the like button and turned off my phone to sleep. The next morning, Olivia had the housekeeper buy breakfast from a famous old restaurant. Seeing me sit down, she proudly placed a crab roe bun in front of me. She cleared her throat, her expression haughty. “I bought this specially for you. Didn’t you like these? Eat up.” I didn’t touch it, only sipping the plain porridge the housekeeper had made. Olivia rarely lowered her head to me, but I wasn’t playing along as she had imagined. Her expression changed slightly as she tossed her chopsticks on the table. “I’ve already let the incident with Ryan go, and I’m taking the initiative to make peace. What more do you want?” she said icily. I looked at her face, angry yet tinged with grievance, and replied expressionlessly: “I’m allergic to seafood. I’ve never eaten crab roe buns.” Olivia’s expression turned awkward as she finally remembered it was Ryan who liked crab roe buns, not me. “Well… the housekeeper must have bought the wrong thing. But I’m already extending an olive branch. Do you have to fixate on this?” she said defensively. I put down my spoon, unable to hold back asking, “What are you in such a rush about?” “Yes, I went to prison for a few years. I can’t be VP anymore after getting out, but I can still like a SnapChat post, can’t I? Why are you acting so strange?” “What are you talking about? What do you mean you went to prison for me? That was your own doing. Don’t try to drag me into it,” Olivia snapped, suddenly standing up. She glanced nervously at the housekeeper’s questioning look and hurriedly sent her out.

Once we were alone, Olivia frowned and berated me: “That’s all in the past now. Why bring it up when there are others around?” “Why can’t I bring it up?” I countered. “Back then, you begged me. You said the police were framing you, that the company accounts were definitely clean. You said I just needed to go to the station for a few days and I’d be back soon.” “To make me believe you, you even married me.” “But you didn’t tell me I’d have to stay in prison for three years.” Three years. When I got out, everything had changed. My parents were gone. Olivia had taken over the company. I was stripped of my position and could only work as a janitor cleaning toilets. Olivia opened her mouth, seeming about to explain something. But I didn’t want to hear it. I turned and went to the bedroom, taking out a box with only one condom left inside. “There’s a whole drawer full in the guest room. I don’t know which of you bought them, but remember to put them away,” I said, tossing the box in front of Olivia. Olivia’s face flashed with shock. She angrily threw the box in the trash. “Jack! I was wrong about what happened back then. But do you have to dig all this up just because you’re jealous?” she snapped. “There’s nothing between Ryan and me. Even yesterday, I only went to see him because you pushed him in the water and made him sick. I was checking on him for your sake.” “As for these… things, I have no idea where they came from!” Olivia watched my cold expression, unsure if I believed her or not. She suggested we go to work together. Although Olivia had taken over the company using her status as my wife, after I got out of prison, she refused to go to work with me. At the company, she made no effort to hide her rapport and intimacy with Ryan. Now, few people in the company took my marriage to Olivia seriously. Everyone thought I should divorce Olivia and let her be with Ryan. Thinking of this, my face darkened. Perhaps it was time to put divorce on the agenda. “Olivia, we should—” I began. Before I could finish, Olivia’s phone rang. She answered it and walked away without a backward glance. “There’s an emergency at the company. I have to go. We’ll go to work together another day,” she called over her shoulder. Olivia had broken her word and left again. But I was no longer hurt by her every move like before. Thinking about divorce, I let out a sigh. Never mind. There were still five days until the shareholders’ meeting. I’d bring up divorce then. Half an hour later, I drove myself to the company. The person Ryan had arranged was waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he deliberately spilled coffee on the floor. “Oops, so sorry about that. Jack, could you clean this up? And the meeting room needs to be tidied quickly too – we’ll be using it for a meeting soon.” With that, he sauntered off smugly. I finished mopping the floor and pushed open the meeting room door with my broom and mop, only to find the room full of people. Seeing me in such a sorry state, Olivia frowned in disgust and gestured for her assistant to get rid of me. As the door closed, I caught Ryan’s undisguised smirk. I finally understood this was a trap he had deliberately set for me. Sure enough, after the meeting Olivia immediately summoned me to her office. “Jack, can’t you do your job properly? Didn’t anyone tell you that during meetings, non-essential personnel aren’t allowed in?” she scolded. “Did you turn stupid in prison? Can’t you remember such a simple thing?” The office fell silent. Olivia belatedly realized she had mentioned something she shouldn’t have. She stumbled over her words, “I… I didn’t mean… I meant…” “I understand,” I cut her off. “Do you have any other instructions? If not, I’ll get back to work.” Watching me turn to leave, Olivia called out hesitantly, “Don’t you have anything to explain?” “No,” I replied simply. It’s not like anyone would believe me anyway.

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My heart was ripped out and placed into the chest of Eleanor’s adopted daughter, Tiffany Thorne. On my birthday, Eleanor threw me out, cursing me, calling me a jinx, a curse on our family. My grandmother, Agnes, was murdered by Tiffany’s biological parents while searching for me. But Eleanor didn’t know the truth: I was her biological daughter. My body was discovered by Robert, my father. Only then did they realize they had been loving the wrong person all along. Even with a bitter resentment deep in her heart, Eleanor still couldn’t bring herself to let go of Tiffany. Finally, the truth came crashing down, and Eleanor herself ended Tiffany’s life. Eleanor chose to jump from the building, a desperate attempt to atone for her sins, but she never received my forgiveness. And I, a wandering spirit, watched their fates unfold. “Where is Anya Thorne? Never coming home, day after day. I should never have listened to Mother Agnes and adopted her!” “My Tiffany is so much better, she gives me no trouble at all.” My spirit hovered in mid-air, listening to Eleanor’s endless curses and complaints. Robert, my father, hung his head, not uttering a word, sighing silently. Tiffany Thorne, also an adopted daughter, lay in the hospital bed, her tiny, ashen face tugging at anyone’s heartstrings. She had just undergone heart surgery. That vibrant heart beating in her chest was mine. I looked down at my own empty chest, a wave of stunned realization washing over me. It was only on the verge of death that I truly learned I was Eleanor’s biological daughter. When Eleanor gave birth to me, there was a baby-snatching incident at the hospital, and I was the unfortunate victim. By a twist of fate, Agnes found me. She was the one who brought me home. She named me Anya, taught me how to read. Agnes always whispered in my ear, “Every time I see you, Anya, I feel such a strong connection. It seems we truly have a deep bond.” Agnes brought me to Eleanor, but I was met with no smile. Standing beside Eleanor was a little girl, roughly my age, sweet and adorable. Tiffany. I could tell Eleanor didn’t like me, but out of respect for Agnes, she kept me in the house. I tried my best to please Eleanor, but it never earned me any special attention. Instead, she said, “Don’t bother with thankless tasks. Tiffany is my only daughter. As for you, I’ll make sure you grow up with food and clothes, but don’t expect anything more.” Every word she uttered felt like a knife twisting in my gut, and I could only silently endure the pain. Tiffany suffered from a congenital heart condition. Eleanor had found her abandoned at the hospital. Eleanor couldn’t bear the pain of her own baby being stolen, so she brought the abandoned Tiffany home. Eleanor treated her like her own biological daughter, putting Tiffany first in everything. That’s why, even when I went missing, she didn’t even bother to care. The day I was kidnapped was also mine and Tiffany’s birthday. My heart full of hope, I pushed open the front door, only to realize they had forgotten my birthday. Eleanor was furious at my sudden appearance, her brows furrowed as she spoke. “You couldn’t come back earlier, couldn’t come back later, you just had to pick *today*. You’re nothing but bad luck.” Robert tried to pull Eleanor away, telling her to say less, but it only made her anger surge. “Was I wrong? Today is Tiffany’s birthday! Do you know how long I’ve been preparing for this? Why did she have to come back and mess everything up?!” A storm of insults crashed down on me. My heart ached with a dull, prickling pain, like a thousand tiny needles. I hadn’t planned on coming home today. Tiffany had sent me a message. She’d said, “Mom is really looking forward to us celebrating our birthday together. She keeps mentioning you.” Tiffany said a lot, and I genuinely yearned for Eleanor’s love. I refused to celebrate with Agnes and rushed home, hoping to make it in time. But what greeted me wasn’t Eleanor’s smile. I lifted my head, cautiously saying, “Eleanor, today is my birthday too.” She slapped me hard across the face. My cheek instantly swelled, burning with a searing pain. “An orphan like you, where do *you* get a birthday from?!” “I told you, don’t ever try to compete with Tiffany for anything! You’ll never surpass her place in my heart!” “Now, get out!” She screamed, her voice raw with fury. I turned my head and saw Tiffany’s sickeningly sweet smile. Second Chapter Outside, a torrential rain poured down, and in an instant, I was soaked to the bone. In a daze, I walked for a long time towards Agnes’s house. Carelessly, I was pulled into a car. The ones who kidnapped me were a middle-aged couple, dressed in tattered clothes. They looked at me, their eyes glinting with a hungry, predatory light. When I woke from my stupor, they were chattering to themselves. “Once Anya Thorne is gone, no one can shake our Tiffany’s position.” “That child’s fate was sealed. We had no money to cure her illness, you know.” Suddenly, I felt two pairs of eyes on me. They said with feigned regret, “Child, blame your bad luck. We can’t let you stand in the way of our Tiffany’s future.” Initially, they hadn’t planned on killing me. But then they heard Tiffany had a heart condition and desperately needed a heart transplant. Their greedy eyes locked onto my chest. Lying on the operating table, I wondered if Eleanor would feel any pain if she knew I had died. As I closed my eyes, a blur of images flashed before my eyes. I was Eleanor’s biological daughter, after all. I saw Eleanor’s joyful, expectant expression when she was pregnant with me. Every day, she sang lullabies, talked to me, and imagined our future life together. On the day of my birth, everything changed. It was Tiffany’s biological parents who secretly took me from the hospital and then abandoned Tiffany by Eleanor’s side. If Agnes hadn’t found me in a dumpster, I would have been a lost soul long ago. After so many twists and turns, my fate still ended in Tiffany’s hands. The moment my heart was torn out, my tears became a flood, unending. Slowly, I felt my body lighten, drifting up into the air. My chest was an empty, gaping hole, a gruesome sight. I followed them to the hospital and watched with my own eyes as my heart began to beat again in Tiffany’s chest. It was the vitality of life, the very life I had yearned for. Tiffany seemed to sense something, opening her eyes and flashing a disturbing smile in my direction. I understood her silent message then. This was all her doing. We were nothing but pawns in her game for survival. She lived, I died, and everyone was happy, except Agnes. When Agnes rushed to the hospital, Eleanor was coincidentally feeding Tiffany soup. Agnes couldn’t bear it. She knocked the soup bowl to the floor. The hot liquid splashed everywhere, scalding Tiffany’s tender skin. Tiffany only let out a small hiss, and immediately, Eleanor cooed in comfort. Eleanor turned to Agnes, her face contorted in anger. “What are you doing? Are you insane? Tiffany just had surgery, she’s extremely fragile!” “Whatever it is, it can wait a few days.” Agnes shook her head, seething, and pointed at Eleanor. “Where’s Anya? She hasn’t contacted me since she went there. Where is she?” Eleanor’s temper flared. Hands on her hips, she retorted, “How would I know? She’s an adult! She has legs, how could I stop her from going wherever she wants? If she hadn’t brought this bad luck on herself that day, I wouldn’t have thrown her out.” By the end, Eleanor’s voice softened guiltily, almost a whisper. After all, it was pouring rain when she threw me out. Agnes bit back her own temper and said in a low voice, “You threw Anya out? She never came back! She’s been gone for so many days, and you, as her mother, aren’t worried?” “Even if she’s adopted, if you had given Anya even a fraction of the genuine care you give Tiffany, things wouldn’t have come to this!” Eleanor remained silent, not answering Agnes. After they reached a standstill, Agnes sighed and left. Third Chapter Lying on the operating table, I wondered if Eleanor would feel any pain if she knew I had died. As I closed my eyes, a blur of images flashed before my eyes. I was Eleanor’s biological daughter, after all. I saw Eleanor’s joyful, expectant expression when she was pregnant with me. Every day, she sang lullabies, talked to me, and imagined our future life together. On the day of my birth, everything changed. It was Tiffany’s biological parents who secretly took me from the hospital and then abandoned Tiffany by Eleanor’s side. If Agnes hadn’t found me in a dumpster, I would have been a lost soul long ago. After so many twists and turns, my fate still ended in Tiffany’s hands. The moment my heart was torn out, my tears became a flood, unending. Slowly, I felt my body lighten, drifting up into the air. My chest was an empty, gaping hole, a gruesome sight. I followed them to the hospital and watched with my own eyes as my heart began to beat again in Tiffany’s chest. It was the vitality of life, the very life I had yearned for. Tiffany seemed to sense something, opening her eyes and flashing a disturbing smile in my direction. I understood her silent message then. This was all her doing. We were nothing but pawns in her game for survival. She lived, I died, and everyone was happy, except Agnes. When Agnes rushed to the hospital, Eleanor was coincidentally feeding Tiffany soup. Agnes couldn’t bear it. She knocked the soup bowl to the floor. The hot liquid splashed everywhere, scalding Tiffany’s tender skin. Tiffany only let out a small hiss, and immediately, Eleanor cooed in comfort. Eleanor turned to Agnes, her face contorted in anger. “What are you doing? Are you insane? Tiffany just had surgery, she’s extremely fragile!” “Whatever it is, it can wait a few days.” Agnes shook her head, seething, and pointed at Eleanor. “Where’s Anya? She hasn’t contacted me since she went there. Where is she?” Eleanor’s temper flared. Hands on her hips, she retorted, “How would I know? She’s an adult! She has legs, how could I stop her from going wherever she wants? If she hadn’t brought this bad luck on herself that day, I wouldn’t have thrown her out.” By the end, Eleanor’s voice softened guiltily, almost a whisper. After all, it was pouring rain when she threw me out. Agnes bit back her own temper and said in a low voice, “You threw Anya out? She never came back! She’s been gone for so many days, and you, as her mother, aren’t worried?” “Even if she’s adopted, if you had given Anya even a fraction of the genuine care you give Tiffany, things wouldn’t have come to this!” Eleanor remained silent, not answering Agnes. After they reached a standstill, Agnes sighed and left. I followed Agnes all the way to the police station. No one believed Agnes’s story; to them, she was just having a nightmare. Someone at the police station had a connection with Robert and promised to help Agnes search for me. That night, I followed Agnes back home and again encountered Tiffany’s biological parents, Brenda and Gary Miller. They said, “I know where your granddaughter is. Come with us.” Agnes, who was usually so wary, heard my name and, without a second thought, followed them. They led Agnes into the woods and pointed at a tree not far away. “See? Under this tree is your granddaughter’s head, and these are her legs, these are her hands.” “Don’t worry, she went peacefully. The rest of her usable parts, we sold.” They laughed maniacally, completely disregarding Agnes’s feelings. Agnes had no proper tool in her hands, so she started digging with her bare hands. She dug with immense strength. Blood filled her fingernails as she clawed at the earth, but she gritted her teeth, not making a sound. I cried out, “Grandma, stop digging, please stop!” But Agnes couldn’t hear me. Only after she had pieced me back together completely did all her strength leave her. A mournful wail tore through her chest, a guttural cry of despair. Her eyes were wide, staring blankly, as she completely broke down. The two culprits secretly discussed something, and they actually set their sights on Agnes. “She knows now. We can’t let this old woman ruin our plans!” “If she goes to the police, we’re finished. Tiffany will be affected too.” After much deliberation, they repeated the same method they used to kill me on Agnes. Agnes struggled for only a moment before her last breath left her. She, like me, became a spirit. Now, she could see me. “Anya, it’s all my fault. I should have kept you with me all along.” I reached out to wipe Agnes’s tears, wiping hard, for a long time. “Grandma, it’s not your fault. I was too foolish, I fell into their trap.” Agnes examined me closely, and then her spirit slowly began to fade. I cried, begging Agnes to take me with her, but it was useless. I watched helplessly as Agnes vanished before my eyes, leaving only her mutilated body behind with mine. Daylight broke, someone discovered Agnes, and the police were called. When Eleanor arrived, she nearly fainted. She saw Agnes, dead, and me, shattered… Fourth Chapter But she only saw Agnes, and her legs gave out, collapsing into unconsciousness. She remained in a coma for a long time. During that period, Tiffany, who was able to walk around, never once came to see her.

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The day my sister committed suicide, my husband locked me, three months pregnant, in a large sterilization chamber. “You filthy-minded woman, purify your dirty, ugly soul in here!” Jack shouted. “You killed Rose! Not making you die with her is already the greatest mercy!” “You’re morally corrupt and unfaithful. This will disinfect you and treat those shameful gynecological infections of yours!” Rose was his first love, his ideal. I was just leftover rice gone bad. Rose’s depression was fake. My claustrophobia was real. I struggled desperately in the sterilization chamber, finally dying from ozone poisoning. Ironically, it turned out my sister’s suicide was also fake. She came back to life with a radiant smile. My husband embraced Rose passionately, leaving my corpse to rot in the cramped sterilization chamber. A week later, he opened the chamber door with Rose by his side. “Lily, have you repented yet?” Only in death can one truly find liberation. My soul floated out of the sterilization chamber, drifting to Jack’s side. He was crying. In the eyes of the world, Jack was a cold and dignified man, always composed and never losing his poise. He was also a germaphobe, never allowing even a speck of dust on himself. But now he was crying uncontrollably, snot running down his face, sobbing over Rose’s photo on his phone. “Rose, I miss you so much!” “Why did you do something so foolish? What am I supposed to do without you? The world has lost all its color without you… wah wah wah…” He was inconsolable, just like the passionate male lead in a romance movie. I laughed mockingly. Romance movie? More like an illicit affair movie! Rose was my sister, and I was Jack’s lawful wife. So Rose was Jack’s sister-in-law. What right did he have to cry? The one who should be crying is me! I floated in the air, tears streaming down my face, my hand caressing my now-flat belly. Not just crying for my own death, but for the loss of my innocent child. “Baby, Mommy is so sorry.” “Mommy was blind, marrying such a heartless scumbag. Because of that, you didn’t even get a chance to see this world before tragically departing.” “If there’s a next life, please be born into a family where the parents truly love each other, okay?” “Even if it’s poor, at least it will be warm.” “Wah wah…” My soul trembled with grief. The door opened, and the housekeeper walked in. “Sir, the madam has been locked in the sterilization chamber for three days and nights. Please let her out! I’m really worried something might happen to her. Madam is very timid, she even has claustrophobia and is afraid to ride in elevators alone—” The housekeeper’s words enraged Jack. “Shut up!” “Three days without food or water won’t kill her!” “It’s not a gas chamber! Ozone isn’t toxic, it can even disinfect and reduce inflammation! It’s perfect for purifying Lily’s dirty, ugly soul!” “What’s claustrophobia compared to this? My Rose has already committed suicide because of depression! Lily is just afraid of the dark, what’s there to fuss about? Let her stay in there and atone for her sins!” “She killed her own sister. I’m already being merciful by not drowning this vicious woman in a pig cage!” Jack was so agitated that snot ran into his mouth without him noticing. I felt disgusted watching. It seems people only truly understand everything after death. I regretted why I ever fell in love with such a heartless beast like Jack. Even though I was already dead, just thinking about the torture and abuse I suffered before dying still left my soul restless. Three days ago, I had begged Jack not to lock me in the sterilization chamber. “My sister committed suicide. Her death had nothing to do with me!”

But my pleas were met with Jack’s distorted face as he roared: “You still dare to quibble? You knew very well that Rose had depression and couldn’t handle stress!” “But you didn’t open the door for her, didn’t wake me up to comfort her lonely and fragile heart, letting her drown herself in despair!” “Bah! You’re just a malicious woman! Jealousy made you lose your humanity! You could even do this to your own sister!” “You may not have broken the law, but you’re morally bankrupt!” “I must get justice for Rose! Repent, you executioner!” He forcefully shoved me into the sterilization chamber. The chamber wasn’t large. To close the door, Jack actually broke my right wrist. I screamed in agony while he laughed maniacally. He slammed the door shut, isolating me in the cramped darkness. I have claustrophobia. I screamed hysterically inside, suffering both mental and physical torture. Jack was unmoved and stormed off. Before leaving, he turned on the chamber’s sterilization program. Ozone continuously poured in. At low concentrations, ozone smells like fresh grass. It wasn’t too unpleasant. I could still bear it. Although I was afraid of the dark and my wrist hurt terribly, for the sake of the baby in my belly, I trembled but encouraged myself to be brave. Women may be weak, but mothers are strong. With the company of the child in my womb, I didn’t feel as frightened. But Jack forgot to turn off the sterilization program, and ozone kept pouring in! The concentration got higher and higher, turning into a fishy smell. I was good at chemistry. I knew that low concentrations of ozone weren’t toxic. But at high concentrations, inhaling too much could damage the respiratory system, circulatory system, and nervous system. It could be fatal! In the blue smoke, I felt chest tightness, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, and a splitting headache. “Let me out!” “Help!” “Jack, I’m carrying your child! We’re both going to die!” I screamed desperately, but no one answered my calls. I was terrified of dying! I was even more afraid something would happen to the baby in my belly! I cried and pounded on the door. It wouldn’t budge. My right hand was broken, so I tried to claw at it with my left hand. I tore off my nails, rubbed my flesh raw, exposing white bone, but it was all in vain. In the end, I died, tragically saying goodbye to this cruel world along with the unborn child in my womb. Jack’s mercy never came. Jack, how could you be so cruel!

The housekeeper trembled in fear, but I had always treated her well. So she still gathered her courage and continued to plead: “But madam is pregnant, pregnant women can’t handle this kind of stress—” The housekeeper mentioning my pregnancy was like lighting a fuse for Jack. “Shut up!” “I don’t want to hear the word ‘pregnant’! Get out!” “Say one more word and you’re fired!” “One week! Keep that bitch Lily locked up for at least a week before letting her out!” I really couldn’t understand. Isn’t it said that even tigers don’t eat their cubs? Aren’t men supposed to believe “the child is mine, but the wife belongs to someone else”? Why was Jack so heartless towards the child in my womb? You may not love me, but how could you be so cruel to your own flesh and blood? You’re truly an animal! The housekeeper left, and Jack couldn’t hear my curses as he continued to mourn Rose. I watched him coldly. Because I hated him so much, because my tears had all dried up while I was still alive. So I smiled a sad smile. Jack, you can no longer control my life. I’m waiting for the day you regret this bitterly!

Rose and I were sisters born to the same parents. But she bullied me since childhood, stealing all the spotlight. She was the red flower, I could only be the green leaves. Whenever I made her unhappy, she would torment me in revenge. In elementary school, just because my grades were one point higher than hers, she locked me in the basement and played creepy music from horror movies outside. That’s how I developed claustrophobia. The Qiao family and the Ye family had an arranged marriage. Jack was handsome and dashing, so Rose claimed him without hesitation. She seized every opportunity to date Jack, warning me not to interfere. Although I also liked Jack, I didn’t want to compete with Rose. Three years ago, when Rose was about to get engaged to Jack, the Ye family business ran into big trouble and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Rose was used to a life of luxury and didn’t want to marry into hardship, so she pretended to have depression and checked herself into a mental hospital. Jack’s career and love life both took a hit, leaving him very depressed and drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day. I couldn’t bear to see him like that, so I voluntarily offered to marry Jack. I fell out with my parents over this. Because they were also snobs who wanted to break off the engagement. But I was very insistent. Before our grandfather passed away, he left a will. Our parents held 60% of the Qiao family shares, while Rose and I each had 20%. I brought my 20% shares as a dowry to the Ye family. My parents cursed me for being an ungrateful white-eyed wolf. But I felt that I should give everything to my husband without reservation. I didn’t want to see Jack depressed. I hoped he could make a comeback. Jack was very capable. After liquidating these shares as capital, he worked hard and pulled the Ye family back from the brink of bankruptcy step by step. They became even more prominent than before. Ironically, my own family’s company went bankrupt due to bad investments. My parents also passed away in an accident. Although I was very sad, I thought I still had my husband to rely on. My husband and sister were the two closest people to me in the world. But these two people also hurt me the deepest! Because my sister regretted her decision. She shamelessly became the other woman, seducing my husband in various ways. She even had the audacity to say that love is first come, first served. Although I had the marriage certificate, she was the inviolable first love. She said I married Jack by taking advantage of the situation, stealing her man. She wanted to take back the man and happiness that belonged to her. To protect my marriage, I very solemnly told Jack not to be deceived by my sister’s sweet talk, that she was a white lotus. She had previously faked depression to avoid marrying him. But Jack was furious and accused me of slandering his goddess, his first love. He said Rose would never deceive him, that she developed depression because she was worried about his bankruptcy. She suffered for his sake. He felt guilty towards Rose, so he wanted to take extra care of her. Jack and Rose became more and more unscrupulous, using treating depression as an excuse to go bar-hopping, clubbing, dancing, swimming, traveling, mountain climbing, skiing… I was disheartened, realizing that Jack didn’t believe me simply because he didn’t love me. He had always loved Rose. He chose to marry me back then only because of that 20% of shares. Disappointed, I thought about divorce. I wanted to keep some dignity for myself. I didn’t want to be a beggar for love. But just three months ago, I found out I was pregnant. Jack was very shocked, but also very happy. He apologized to me for neglecting me, saying he would be a good father and keep his distance from Rose. I knew his return to the family wasn’t because of love, but because he cared about the child in my belly. But I still swallowed the bitterness and reconciled with him. Not because I couldn’t bear to part with him, but because I didn’t want the child to grow up in a single-parent family. For the sake of the child, a mother can sacrifice anything. Including stupid love. Jack did indeed turn over a new leaf, treating me very gently and attentively, even preparing a nursery full of toys. He kept his distance from Rose, blocking all her contact information. Until a week ago, he suddenly got drunk, cursing incomprehensibly, and passed out on the bed. In the middle of the night, Rose came, banging on the door violently, crying that her depression had flared up. She needed Jack’s comfort. Of course I couldn’t let Rose in. I kept her out and didn’t wake up my drunk husband either. That night Rose drowned herself in the sea, leaving her shoes and a suicide note on the shore. The note was full of love for Jack and resentment towards me. The next day when Jack woke up, he went crazy. He cursed me for having evil thoughts, for driving Rose to her death. Ignoring my cries, he locked me in the sterilization chamber.

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I kept telling myself that snakes were cold-blooded creatures, so it was only natural my adopted shifter wouldn’t want to get close to me. It wasn’t until later that I realized he was in love with my sister. Because my sister was tall, with long limbs, the dream partner for all snake-shifters. And I? I was a freak who just wouldn’t grow. I simply wasn’t worthy of that magnificent snake. Damian was a sickly little snake I’d adopted. It wasn’t uncommon for humans and shifters to pair and bond. My family had been bonded with snake shifters for generations. From a young age, each of us would either be gifted a snake beast-man by our parents or find one on our own. But I was out of favor, so I quietly went and found my own little snake. When I found Damian in a dilapidated sewer drain, he was tiny and frail. His body, having just shed its skin, was incredibly weak, and he was barely clinging to life. I saved him, and I raised him for twelve years. Raising a snake took immense energy, resources, and money. Raising a *sick* snake was adding insult to injury. And being an unfavored, penniless person? That was like adding insult to injury and then some. Thankfully, Damian grew up healthy. His bronzed, muscular lines curved smoothly down, outlining his taut waist, yet his snake form kept him from looking bulky, instead giving him a certain delicate grace. Many in my family said I’d struck gold, finding such a handsome snake-shifter. I’d just smile, never saying a word. Only I truly understood the bitter reality of our bond. Damian rarely initiated physical contact with me. Even when I had to train for my snake-bonding rituals, he rarely cooperated. He’d always be cold-faced, impatiently wrapping himself around my arm, his scales grating painfully against my skin. I constantly reassured myself that snakes were cold-blooded, and that was why he didn’t want to be affectionate with me. Until that day I saw him, his face flushed, carefully wrapping himself around my sister Chloe’s calf, softly asking her, “Does it hurt?” Chloe looked helpless, gently pushing his head away. “Damian, I know you like me, but you’re my sister’s companion. This isn’t right for us.” His face instantly hardened, and he scoffed. “I don’t care. I only like you. Who would ever like that short little freak?” Chloe tried to protest further, but Damian moved closer, wrapping around her waist, his scales smoothed against her, playfully tickling her. Damian was *flirting*. Scene after scene from the past twelve years flashed through my mind. Damian rarely smiled, but during family dinners, sitting across from me, his face always held a faint smile. Looking back now, he was never looking at me. He was looking at my sister, Chloe, beside me. The signs had been there all along, but I had just been too blind to see them. I had thought that my adopting this sickly little snake was a mutual rescue, a fate that brought us together. But I never imagined it was precisely *because* I was a freak that he disliked me. It felt like my heart was being squeezed. That tiny flicker of hope I’d harbored for years, which used to tickle my heart, suddenly sharpened into a blade, piercing right through me.

On my way home, I passed a clothing store and couldn’t help but stop. Chloe had one of the dresses displayed in the window. The sales assistant looked hesitant but, seeing my persistence, handed me a set of clothes. The girl in the changing room was small, barely reaching half the height of the full-length mirror. My chest was flat, my limbs slender and weak – the body of someone too frail to properly bond with a snake-shifter. That outfit, which looked absolutely stunning on Chloe, made me look like a precocious little girl secretly wearing her mother’s high heels. Images of Chloe with her shifter automatically flashed through my mind. Tall, with long limbs, Chloe looked incredibly beautiful when she bonded with a snake-shifter. Damian wrapped around her, they looked perfectly matched. No wonder Damian didn’t like me. From the day I was born, even my own parents didn’t want me. I hadn’t developed properly in the womb, born with a frail constitution. I grew slower and stayed shorter than everyone else. Even as an adult, I still looked like an eleven or twelve-year-old child. Others would mock me: “A freak of nature in a family of revered snake-tamers! She’ll probably snap her arm just trying to handle one.” Those cruel words pricked at my heart like thorns that couldn’t be removed, and they brought shame to my parents’ faces too. They learned their lesson and were extra attentive when Chloe was conceived. And that extra care gave them every snake-shifter’s dream match – she grew fast and tall. With Chloe, they cared for me even less. It was as if they were a complete family of three, and I was just a poorly-nurtured burden. I stared at my small hands, angrily digging my nails into my palm, then curled my fingers into fists, silently sobbing.

I arrived home, my eyes swollen raw, like bruised fruit. Damian was sitting on the sofa, his expression impatient and chillingly cold. “What took you so long? Do you know I’m starving?” I sniffled, my emotions, just barely controlled, surged up again. “I’ll order you some takeout later, I’m a little tired.” He scoffed, “Ha, you want me to eat takeout?” Not wanting to argue, I sighed. My foot, already stepping towards the bathroom, changed direction, heading to the kitchen instead. I usually cooked for Damian. He never lifted a finger in the kitchen. Even with a fridge full of ingredients, he was too pampered to dirty his precious hands. Once before, I’d come home late, and Damian had thrown a terrible fit because he was hungry. I thought he was specially waiting for me to eat, and, filled with guilt and a tiny bit of joy, I cooked him a huge meal. But as I pulled out a chair, about to sit down, he threw cold water on my hopes. “You reek of cooking oil. Go take a shower.” Snapping back to reality, I placed the prepared meal in front of him, but Damian didn’t touch it. “Why do you smell like another shifter?” I raised my arm and sniffed. It was probably from the clothing store earlier. I suddenly remembered when I was little and had no money, I had to hike up the mountain to hunt wild rabbits and pheasants to feed him. He’d grumble, chewing on the tough, stringy meat. He’d complain about the mud on my face and the scent of other shifters on me, always keeping his distance. “I’ll go shower now.” I set the cutlery on the table and walked towards the bathroom, but Damian swept the cooked meal onto the floor with a single arm. “Audrey Miller, aren’t you going to explain yourself?” A shard of ceramic from the shattered bowl cut my calf, and the pain instantly sharpened my mind. Some people are just so strange. They don’t love you, but they still want to possess you. They give you the illusion of being cherished, of being cared for, when all they truly want is to extract more love from *you*. Damian was exactly like that. For the first time, I looked at him with a cold face. “Explain what? “It’s fine for you to smell like other people, but I can’t?” A flicker of surprise crossed his face. But it was quickly replaced by anger. “You’re doubting me? “Don’t forget who presumptuously saved you?” I didn’t answer, stepping past him to get the first-aid kit. I brushed past his arm, and he immediately flinched back, the sharp edges of his scales scraping me. His voice was colder than his expression. “Don’t touch me.” Right. He barely let me touch him even during bonding training. Outside of training? That was a pipe dream. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. I used to think he was just a cold-blooded creature, too hard to warm, too wild to tame. Turns out, he just didn’t like *me*. Twelve years of sincere companionship from a freak meant nothing compared to his instant infatuation with a ‘normal’ person.

I took a dissolution of adoption agreement from my bag. “I’m sorry. Sorry for presumptuously saving you, for intruding into over ten years of your life without permission, and for making you unhappy. “So, let’s part ways amicably. “May you finally achieve everything you wish for, and live a life filled with joy and ease.” Damian ground his molars together, a sound of pure rage, his face dark as he asked, “What do you mean?” I said calmly, “It means we’re breaking up.” I then pulled out a property transfer deed and a bank card for him. “I sold the house. We’ll split the money evenly, and with this bank card, you’ll have enough to buy a small studio apartment for yourself.” His face grew even darker. “You’re abandoning me? “Didn’t you say you loved me?” Did I love Damian? I had wondered about that myself. I had never truly received love, so I wasn’t entirely sure what love felt like. I just thought that love meant being good to someone. I looked up at the small house filled with our memories. I had moved out with Damian after I came of age. At first, he was reluctant. Back then, I had to both study and work to support him, so I was always out early and back late, with little time to spend with him. He’d be all alone in that cramped rental apartment, his snake tail sticking out from the folding bed with nowhere to go. I thought that was why he was reluctant. So I worked seven or eight jobs, saving up to buy a house for him. Even then, he still didn’t want to touch me, locking his bedroom door even though we each had our own room. But I still wanted to melt his icy demeanor. He was my responsibility, the one I had saved and raised. I couldn’t just abandon him. Yet, I had seen how others in my family interacted with their shifters. My childhood friend, Hailey, had a snow leopard beast-man. That snow leopard had been very arrogant when first adopted, but Hailey’s gentle persistence eventually melted his icy heart. He’d affectionately rub against Hailey’s neck, and gently lick the back of her hand. Like a mouse in the gutter, I watched, craving a beauty that wasn’t mine. I searched for shifter vlogs online, learning their preferred ways of care. I spoiled him rotten, never letting him do any chores, giving him whatever he wanted. I never thought that what was my sweet gesture was his bitter poison. I also thought that one day I could truly enter Damian’s heart, but his heart had long been occupied by someone else. Perhaps I had loved Damian once, but those feelings had slowly eroded over the years. Until I saw him wrapped around Chloe – that was when the melting snow mountain of my hope finally crumbled into dust. “I don’t love you anymore.”

*Bang!* The door slammed shut with a heavy thud. Damian stormed out in a rage. I didn’t need to guess; I knew he was hiding in some nearby corner, waiting for me to rush out and coax him back. But not this time. I pulled my suitcase and walked out of that small house. On the way, I tripped over a pebble, and the heel of my high shoe instantly snapped off. I sat numbly on the ground, a memory flashing through my mind: Chloe twisting her ankle once. Damian, who was walking behind us, immediately supported her, his face full of tenderness. “Chloe, are you okay?” Chloe, blushing, stood steadily, then pulled my hand and laughed. “Oh, Audrey, you’re so lucky! You have such a thoughtful shifter!” Thoughtful? I had never felt it. If Chloe had found you that day, you would have been happier, wouldn’t you? I felt inferior for being a freak, and I envied the love Chloe received. But Mom and Dad were her parents and mine. If I couldn’t get their love, I accepted it. But Damian was *my* shifter. Only mine. I couldn’t accept the fact that he didn’t love me, that he even loved someone else, and still foolishly continue to be good to him. I couldn’t just get over it in a short time, so I decided to leave this painful place. Separate ways, to the ends of the earth. I needed to start a new life, to live for myself. My new job was as a junior clerk at an electronics company. My salary wasn’t high, so I rented a small studio apartment near the office. Though small, it was cozy in winter and cool in summer—perfect for a cold-blooded creature to hibernate. I instinctively started to say, “Damian, you won’t have to worry about hibernation now.” But the words caught in my throat, and I swallowed them, a lump of pain. I couldn’t help but remember Damian’s retreating back that day. No matter how much he pretended to care then, he was probably overjoyed now, wagging his tail as he ran off to find Chloe. I opened the window, and the cool evening breeze brushed against my face. I let the wind flow into my heart, letting the chill settle over my scars. I remembered something I’d read in a book: True sorrow isn’t about dramatic highs or lows, but a quiet, steady current, like a flowing river. I never understood it then. But now it was clear. Just like for decades, Damian would light a cigarette on the balcony after every family dinner. A subtle sadness always lingered in his eyes. I thought he was upset because I’d been called a freak again, that he was furious for me. But, just like I thought he was reluctant to move out with me, I was just projecting. He was only sad for himself. Sad that he couldn’t see Chloe. Sad that he couldn’t be with her.

To numb myself and completely let go of that relationship, I threw myself wholeheartedly into work. I eagerly took on new tasks and helped seniors with theirs. Unexpectedly, I won over many of my senior colleagues. They admired me, giving me a thumbs-up and showering me with praise: “Small but mighty!” The first time I heard it, I paused, surprised. But I had to admit, I felt a little thrill. After tasting that sweetness once, I buried myself deeper into my work, hoping to use my abilities to hide my flaw of being a freak. They praised me for my ambition. Some of the bolder seniors even leaned in and asked, “Audrey, do you have a shifter, dear?” I just stared blankly, nodding instinctively, then suddenly snapped out of it and shook my head vigorously. Brenda furrowed her brow and asked, “Do you or don’t you?” I answered honestly, “I did, but we dissolved our bond.” Brenda looked a little awkward. Another senior subtly gave her a look, and her “Why?” was swallowed whole. She grabbed a handful of pistachios for me, trying to comfort me. I fumbled, and they scattered across the floor. My eyes fell on a pair of gleaming bear paws. I looked up in confusion, meeting a pair of light brown eyes. Above those eyes, a pair of fluffy ears twitched unconsciously. Before I could even process how a shifter had suddenly appeared in the company, I heard one of the seniors quietly whisper, “Boss.” The bear softly grunted in response. I quickly pulled the nearest senior colleague and whispered, “Why didn’t I know our boss was a bear? “Will he fire me for slacking off and eating snacks?” The thought that this job, where for once no one seemed to hate me for being a freak, might be gone, made my heart ache. The entire room fell silent. It was the bear boss who broke the silence first. He bent down, picked up the scattered pistachios, and steadily placed them on my desk. “I won’t fire you.” Then he extended his bear paw. “I was in hibernation when you started. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Arthur.” After shaking his paw, my cubicle was surrounded by a crowd of curious faces. One senior, her face full of curiosity, asked, “Audrey, what did the boss’s hand feel like?”

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Shortly after our wedding, my wife Ava was paralyzed in a car accident. I cared for her for over forty years, but it wasn’t until she passed away that I discovered she had left a will giving all our assets to Ryan, her ex-classmate from years ago. I was kicked out of the house we’d lived in for decades. Leaning on my cane, I shakily made my way to a law firm, hoping to reclaim the property as her husband. Instead, I was informed that Ava had secretly divorced me years ago. Before I could process this shock, Ryan sought me out, taunting me with cruel words. “You didn’t know, did you? She was worried about me, so she’s been sending me your salary and her pension all these years.” “When you were younger, she refused to have children with you because we already had a child together. Come to think of it, I should thank you for paying to raise our kid.” I was devastated and enraged. But before I could react, Ryan kicked me into a muddy puddle. Later, his son hired a group of young thugs who beat me to death in a sack. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my young, newly paralyzed wife crying before me. “Lucas, the doctor says I’ll never walk again. What will I do if I can’t work?” I silently pocketed the bank card I had prepared for her and sneered, “What else? When you starve to death, I’ll give you a grand funeral.” 0

“What did you say?” Ava might not have heard clearly, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. Those deep, loving eyes had fooled me in my previous life. I had believed she loved only me, but she had deceived me for a lifetime. “Ava, don’t worry. Lucas makes good money, he can definitely support you. He’s young, he can even pick up a second job,” said Ryan, the young man beside her, patiently comforting her. Ava had told me Ryan saved her during the accident and was her savior. In my previous life, I had been so focused on the devastating news of Ava’s paralysis that I hadn’t noticed how familiar they seemed with each other, as if this wasn’t their first meeting. Perhaps seeing no reaction from me, Ava’s red-rimmed eyes darted to Ryan. He immediately understood her meaning and spoke directly to me: “Lucas, let me be frank. Women are sensitive, and now that she’s in this condition because of you, she’s bound to have doubts. As a man, you should give her some security. For example, you could put your savings in her hands. It would be good for your family’s stability.” The same words as in my previous life. On the day of Ava’s accident, I had just returned from a business trip abroad. Having finished my work early, I had waited until I reached the airport to tell her, wanting to surprise her. As a result, Ava had rushed to pick me up and gotten into an accident on the way. I had spent a lifetime drowning in guilt and pain, trying everything to make it up to her. But it wasn’t until just before I died that I learned the truth: that day, Ava had been in Ryan’s car, and they weren’t on their way to pick me up at all. Yet she had never told me the truth, allowing me to be consumed by guilt day after day. Coming back to my senses, this time I didn’t hurriedly offer her my salary card and apologize, promising my loyalty as I had in my previous life. Seeing that I still hadn’t moved, Ava grew angry: “Lucas, I’ve become like this, what do you mean by this attitude?” Ryan also seemed anxious but still tried to mediate: “Maybe Lucas is still in shock from the bad news and hasn’t processed it yet.” I earned a good salary and had always been generous with her. Whenever she asked for money, as long as it wasn’t excessive, I would give it to her. Perhaps she also felt that handing over my salary card wasn’t a small matter. Not suspecting anything, she sighed and said, “No matter what, Ryan is my savior. He saved my life, you should at least show some appreciation.” “You probably haven’t prepared a gift, so why don’t you give Ryan a red envelope with $2,000?” “Oh, I couldn’t,” Ryan immediately declined. Ava insisted, “No, you must. When it’s given, you should accept it.” The scene was repeating itself. In my previous life, after Ava said this, I immediately gave him $3,000, even adding an extra thousand. After all, I believed a life was priceless. Later, I even sent him many other gifts to show my gratitude. At the time, the look in his eyes had been strange, but I had thought he was just shy. Now I understood that it had been mockery at my stupidity. This time, I didn’t move. Seeing this, Ava, annoyed at my hesitation, reached for my phone herself. She knew my bank card PIN and had secretly transferred money to Ryan many times before. Whenever I asked about it, she would use the “life-saving grace” to silence me. This time, I dodged Ava’s hand and stepped aside: “It’s fine to give money as thanks, but I have a few questions first.” Ava was clearly surprised that I, who had always been quick to give money, would suddenly challenge her. She looked puzzled. Ryan also froze for a moment, glancing at Ava before saying, “What questions?” I looked at Ryan: “I heard that all the car doors were jammed shut. How did you manage to pry them open?” This was Ava’s version of events, but there were many holes in the details she had given me. In my previous life, whenever I questioned the details, Ava would get angry and eventually explode, accusing me of being heartless, saying she had almost died and I was focusing on such trivial matters. Eventually, I stopped daring to ask. To avoid bringing up painful memories, I even avoided mentioning the accident altogether. Ryan’s eyes darted around: “I’ll tell you these things in private later. Let’s not revisit the accident in front of Ava. She’s already upset, and I’m afraid it might cause her more trauma.” I laughed and asked, “Are you really afraid of hurting her, or are you looking for a chance to get your stories straight?” Both Ryan and Ava’s faces darkened. They spoke in unison: “What do you mean by that?” Their synchronization was impressive. No wonder they had been able to fool me for a lifetime, leaving me penniless and alone in the end. I swallowed my hatred and said with a cold smile, “Ryan doesn’t look strong enough to force open a car door. How did he manage it?” “Besides, forcibly opening a door would surely have left injuries on his hands. The wounds I see on your hands don’t look like they’re from prying open a car door. They look self-inflicted.” “Also, the accident happened two days ago. Why didn’t you come then, and only show up now? I heard you were in a car accident yourself a couple of days ago? What a coincidence, isn’t it?” “…” “Enough!” Ava angrily interrupted me before I could finish. Ryan, still young, was already looking guilty. He said pitifully, “Ava, I never thought Lucas would doubt me like this. If that’s the case, let’s forget it. I’ll leave.” Ava grabbed his wrist, refusing to let him go. Then she turned to me, her eyes blazing with anger: “Lucas, what’s wrong with you? Is this how you interrogate someone who saved my life?” “I order you to transfer the money to him right now and apologize to Ryan!” It was clear she was truly furious. I chuckled lightly and asked innocently, “What is there to apologize for? These are normal questions. If he’s not lying, why is he so flustered?” “Besides, he’s your savior, not mine. If anyone should transfer money, it should be you.” But I knew that over the years, she had secretly transferred all her money to Ryan behind my back. Now she couldn’t come up with any money. Sure enough, Ava flew into a rage. She grabbed the fruit knife from the bedside table and hurled it at me. I dodged just in time; the blade barely missed my face. She acted as if she hadn’t seen it and pointed at me, shouting, “Is this how you treat me? Fine! Why should we stay together? As soon as I’m out of the hospital, we’ll go file for divorce!” “Divorce?” I repeated the word questioningly. Ava thought I was scared and a flash of triumph crossed her eyes. She was about to say something, but I calmly interrupted her with a question. “Aren’t we already divorced?” 0

In my previous life, when I had painfully walked into the law firm, hoping to claim a share of the property as Ava’s husband, they told me we had divorced a few days before the car accident. Later, when I wanted children, Ava kept refusing. I guess she was afraid I would discover this fact. Clearly struck by my words, Ava’s face paled for a moment. But she was certain I couldn’t produce any evidence now, so she continued to deny it: “What nonsense are you talking about? Lucas, is it because you see my legs are injured that you want to abandon me?” “How can you be so heartless? Have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? We’ve been married for six years. All these years, I’ve been bringing you lunch every day because I was worried about your stomach. Three years ago, when your health was poor, I went to the temple to pray for you for three months, chanting sutras and eating vegetarian food every day…” Ava choked up, her voice full of tears. We had met through an arranged date and married because our views aligned. It wasn’t a passionate love, but after so much time together, feelings had naturally developed. Over the years, I had taken on the family responsibilities, and she had indeed taken good care of me. But later I learned about Ryan’s existence. When she brought me lunch, she would first deliver a portion to Ryan. The things she bought for me, she would inflate the price, then use my money to buy something better for Ryan. As for going to the temple to pray for three months… I sneered inwardly, guessing that was probably when she had given birth to Ryan’s child. Unfortunately, in those years, I had been so busy trying to earn money to give her the luxurious life she wanted – the mansion, the expensive car – that I had left this opening for them to exploit. Ryan also tried to smooth things over for Ava: “Lucas, don’t let this come between us. I know you might be thinking about all the money you’ll have to spend in the future, so you’re feeling a bit stingy. It’s okay, I didn’t save Ava for money. Actually, I don’t need money…” He pretended to be generous. I knew he was trying to provoke me, but I didn’t fall for it. Instead, I turned to Ava and said, “See? He says he doesn’t need the money. Why are you insisting on giving it? Does it burn your hands?” Ava’s face turned blue with anger. Ryan also glared at me resentfully. Just then, a doctor came in, urging us to pay the continued hospitalization fees. Ava had actually met the standards for discharge, but she had been reluctant to leave. In my previous life, she had made me pay for two more months of hospitalization. It was a top-tier hospital with a private room. The room alone cost $1,000 a week. She had said she wanted a better treatment environment, and I had supported her, straining myself to earn money to give her the best. But later I realized she had stayed in the hospital just to make it easier to meet Ryan. Hearing about the hospital fees, they exchanged a glance. Ava coldly said to me, “Lucas, I don’t know why you’ve become so stingy, but we can’t delay the treatment. Aren’t you usually busy? Just transfer the hospital fees to my card, and I’ll pay it myself.” Asking for money so righteously? I laughed bitterly and asked the doctor, “I remember she’s met the discharge standards. Let’s cancel this room and discharge her today.” Ava’s eyes widened: “Lucas, are you trying to kill me? What if my legs get worse at home?” Before I could speak, the doctor said, “That won’t happen. The dangerous period has passed. Being at home now is the same as staying in the hospital.” Ava’s face turned ashen. Ryan was about to say something, but I spoke to Ava first: “I don’t have money for you to stay in the hospital anymore. If you insist on staying, either pay for it yourself or borrow from him.” I pointed at Ryan: “Didn’t he just say he has money?” Their faces looked as if they had eaten something bitter, but I didn’t pay them any more attention and turned to leave. I didn’t have time to argue with them. Right now, I urgently needed to get evidence that Ava’s car accident had nothing to do with me, as well as proof that they had been together for a long time. This would help me protect all my assets if we ever ended up in court. After working myself to death for so many years, the past was already gone. Now, even if Ava took a single cent, I would feel disgusted. After leaving the hospital, I immediately called a lawyer and asked him to investigate the accident car from when Ava was injured. In my previous life, I had noticed some suspicious details, but because I was busy taking care of Ava, it was a long time before I had someone investigate. By then, the car’s interior had been tampered with, and the dash cam was missing. After a car accident, this kind of situation was normal. Later, because I was busy earning money to cover Ava’s medical expenses, working three jobs a day, I simply didn’t have the energy to think about these things anymore. This time, Ryan hadn’t been discharged yet, so he shouldn’t have had time to destroy the evidence. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the lawyer called back. The accident scene hadn’t been disturbed. He had collected fingerprints and some hair and blood samples. Finally, he sent me the dash cam video. At the time of the accident, Ava was sitting in the passenger seat, anxiously asking Ryan, “I’ve already divorced Lucas. When are you planning to marry me?” Ryan was stunned for a moment, then carelessly said, “No rush. Let’s talk about this after you’ve transferred all the assets to your name. Otherwise, what if your husband finds out?” Ava looked at him anxiously: “But you always say that. I’ve given you a car, and I’ve given you all the savings Lucas entrusted to me for you to invest, which you lost completely. Every time you say you’ll marry me to thank me. You’re not… lying to me, are you? You do want to marry me, right?” “How could that be?” Ryan said, and as if to prove it, he leaned over to kiss Ava. With that one action, Ava’s doubts were dispelled. She giggled, “Watch the road.” “It’s fine, just for a second.” Hearing this, Ava relaxed and leaned in to meet him. Just then, a huge crash sounded, and the image flipped. At this moment, I also understood why Ava had divorced me so early but had delayed marrying Ryan. Ryan was clearly deceiving her, but she didn’t know. Or maybe she did know, but was willing to accept it. The lawyer added, “The DNA test will take some time, probably about three days before we get the results.” I nodded, about to hang up when I remembered something else: “Also, help me find a child.” By my calculations, their child should have been born by now, about 3 or 4 years old. For the past two years, every weekend, Ava would find various excuses to go out alone in her wheelchair, probably to see the child. I gave him the locations Ava frequently visited, then went to the hospital for a physical examination and froze all the assets under my name. In this life, everything was just beginning. My body hadn’t suffered from heart failure caused by working three jobs non-stop, and not too many assets had been transferred away. That night, for the first time, I “irresponsibly” went home alone. Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Ava called me, but I hung up when I saw the incoming call. Soon after, I saw a post she made on social media. It was a series of messages cursing me, ending with how she had sacrificed so much for me, but now that she was injured, I was abandoning her. To gain sympathy, she even posted the doctor’s diagnosis and a pitiful photo of herself in a wheelchair, looking haggard. But she hadn’t noticed that Ryan’s reflection was visible in the smooth metal armrest of the wheelchair. Perhaps to provoke me, in one of the photos, if you looked closely, you could see that Ryan was kissing her in the reflection. On one hand, she was asking me for money and cursing me, while on the other hand, she was giving her love and money to another man. Ava was playing everyone like a fiddle. The comments section was full of spectators, not one person noticing the cat’s paw in the picture. Everyone was comforting her, using the vilest words to curse me as a scumbag. I pretended not to see it and blocked Ava. The next two days passed as usual, but Ava seemed to have gone mad, cursing me every day. She even posted screenshots of me deleting her, accusing me of having a guilty conscience. Friends who didn’t know the whole story all spoke up for her, urging me to go back. I didn’t explain, just waited until the third day when the test results came out. To my pleasant surprise, the lawyer had also found their child. 0

Before I could go find Ava, on the third day, perhaps because she had run out of money for the hospital stay, or maybe because she realized something was wrong, Ava returned home early in the morning. Behind her were her angry parents, Robert and Linda, as well as my parents, John and Mary. Unlike Robert and Linda’s imperious attitude, my parents followed behind them looking somewhat guilty. “In-laws, judge for yourselves! Is this how he should treat my daughter?” Linda ranted. “What’s even more unbelievable is that he secretly divorced my daughter without telling her! He just dumped her unilaterally!” As soon as we met, Linda was spitting mad, her saliva flying. I realized what was happening and laughed bitterly. Ava had really turned things upside down. But the civil affairs bureau’s records weren’t open to the public, so they had no way of knowing the truth and could only listen to what Ava said. My parents, feeling guilty, let themselves be scolded. Finally, they said in a low voice, “We shouldn’t interfere in the children’s affairs, but since it’s come to this, we can compensate.” “Compensate?” Linda became even more worked up when she heard about compensation: “No matter how much you compensate, can you give my daughter back her legs?” I interrupted her: “Your daughter’s leg injury has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, my parents hurriedly pulled me aside, advising me not to argue with them. Linda had a fiery temper and had given my parents a hard time over the years. Especially after learning that Ava’s legs were injured because of me, they would come to my mom every few days demanding compensation and money for nutritional supplements. My parents were afraid of upsetting me, so they never told me about this. I only found out by accident later. Seeing that Linda was about to flare up again, I took out the dash cam recording and test results and handed them over. After watching the video, Linda’s previously haughty face finally weakened, but she still angrily said, “How do I know you didn’t fake these?” “You can verify them,” I looked at Ava, whose face was pale with shock. “Or we can go to court.” “Forget it, let’s not air our dirty laundry in public,” Robert, who had been silent for a long time, said. “Both kids are at fault in this matter, but divorcing without a word is still wrong. Let’s discuss compensation.” My parents were about to speak, but I stopped them: “We won’t pay a single cent in compensation.” “What do you mean? My daughter was married to you for so many years, and this is how you treat her?” Linda shouted. I sneered: “I was married to your daughter for so many years and supported her all that time. Isn’t this how she treated me?” Linda’s face turned red: “Just based on one video, you can’t prove my daughter had an affair.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Linda became annoyed. She stood up and went to open the door: “I’m not talking to this young punk anymore. Let the neighbors judge!” Her high-pitched voice had already attracted many neighbors who were waiting outside the door. Seeing her open it, they all looked a bit embarrassed. But Linda didn’t care. She recounted what had just happened, embellishing it along the way, glossing over the evidence with just a couple of sentences. The neighbors listened and tried to mediate, saying to me: “It’s really not that serious, it’s just a small matter. Ava surely still cares for you in her heart.” “Yeah, you’re husband and wife after all. It seems a bit much to leave her with nothing.” “…” Seeing me being criticized, my mom felt uncomfortable. She quickly stepped forward and took Linda’s hand: “In-law, let’s discuss this privately.” “Now you want to talk privately? Where were you earlier?” Linda suddenly pushed my mom. My mom wasn’t prepared and stumbled, almost falling. I hurried to support her. Just as I was about to get angry, a chubby little boy pushed through the crowd of onlookers and ran over. He hugged Ava’s legs in the wheelchair and shouted loudly: “Mommy, you haven’t come to see me in so long. I’m going to punish you by making you buy me a Transformer toy!”

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My husband had a daughter with his first love, Seraphina. I always knew. I thought if I just stayed by his side. If I used our daughter to hold him, he would eventually come back to me. That we could build a happy family. To get his attention, I pushed our daughter, Aria, to study hard, controlling her every move, molding her into a proper, elegant lady. I never imagined Aria couldn’t take the pressure and took her own life. My husband then sent me to a mental hospital. With me out of the way, he successfully brought Seraphina into our lives. But I woke up, filled with burning hatred. I was reborn. Aria jumped from a high-rise building, and I couldn’t bear the shock. I passed out. When I woke up, I was told my husband had already taken her body for cremation. I hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to my own daughter. I found my husband, demanding to know why he wouldn’t let me see her one last time. But he was embracing Seraphina, surrounded by a group of people. He told them to take me to a mental hospital. It hit me then, a sickening clarity. He was an absolute scumbag. Aria’s body wasn’t even cold, and he was already planning to send me away, seize my family’s assets, and install Seraphina as his wife. I wouldn’t accept it. I truly wouldn’t. I lunged forward, confronting him, demanding to know why he was doing this to me. He slapped me, hard. “You killed Aria. If you hadn’t pushed her so hard, controlled her every move, why else would she have taken her own life?” My husband also claimed he only married me because of my father. He only married me because I had a powerful dad. How pathetic and laughable I was. I’d always known his intentions were impure. But I believed my true heart could win his. I knew he couldn’t forget Seraphina, that he even had a daughter with her. I once thought that if I stayed by his side, if I raised Aria into a perfect lady. He would finally look at me. It turns out, I was just deluding myself. My husband was discussing with the medical staff how to deal with me, when Seraphina suddenly walked over, crouching down to whisper in my ear. At that moment, she wasn’t gentle or frail at all. All that remained was pure malice. She hissed, “You look pathetic. What good did getting his body do? You’ll never have his heart. And now, even his body belongs to me too.” Aria’s death had already shattered me, and I couldn’t control my emotions any longer. I yanked her hair, forcing her forehead to the ground, making her grovel as if begging for my daughter’s forgiveness. Seraphina shrieked in terror, drawing Damian’s attention. He rushed toward us, and I felt a sedative injected into my neck by the medical staff. The last thing I saw was my husband gently comforting Seraphina, then casting a look of utter disgust my way. Hatred coiled around my heart, a venomous snake. If I got another chance, I would never let that cheating couple get away with it.

When I opened my eyes again, hatred still surged through me. I thought I had been sent to the mental hospital. But I looked around and realized, wasn’t this our piano room? Suddenly, I heard a quiet sob. Aria knelt before me, her eyes brimming with tears, her palms red and swollen from being hit. I stood there, arms crossed, a ruler still clutched in my hand. Seeing my daughter alive and well, I couldn’t help but burst into tears of joy. I quickly tossed the ruler aside and hugged her tightly. Aria seemed startled by my strange behavior. Her body involuntarily flinched. She cautiously whispered, “Mom?” “Yes, sweetheart?” Aria saw me crying. She looked disbelieving, but also asked with concern what was wrong. I wiped away my tears. “Mommy’s just so happy.” I didn’t know how, but I had returned to the time when Aria had just started her junior year of high school. No matter what, this time, I wouldn’t let the previous tragedy happen again. All those rules about being a lady, all those strict manners, I’d throw them to the wind. This time, all I wanted was for my daughter to grow up healthy and happy. As for that despicable couple, I wouldn’t let them off easy either. Especially that scumbag husband. I would make sure he lost everything and everyone. I stroked Aria’s head, telling her she didn’t have to learn piano if she didn’t want to. She looked at me, disbelief in her eyes, then cautiously said, “Mom, didn’t you always say a proper lady had to learn piano?” I sighed. What was I thinking back then? Why did I keep pushing my daughter, making her so miserable, making her speak to her own mother so timidly? I looked at her seriously. “From now on, do what you want to do. Mom used to think those things were for your own good, but I never considered if you actually needed them.” “From now on, Mom just wants you to be happy.” A flash of surprise crossed Aria’s eyes, but her gaze was still filled with doubt. My heart ached a little. It seemed I truly had been awful before. Even my own daughter didn’t believe I could truly change. But years of ingrained behavior don’t change overnight, and I understood that. I would prove it with my actions. I would earn her trust.

At dinner, Aria was still very reserved. I remembered how she used to come home from school, excited to share her day’s stories during dinner. But I would sharply hit her arm with my fork. Back then, I’d glare at her and say, “What did Mom teach you? No talking at the dinner table. Silence while eating, silence while sleeping.” After that, she remembered it well. Now, thinking about it, we were a family. Why did we need so many rules? I served Aria her favorite braised pork ribs, telling her to eat more. “From now on, you can tell Mom anything.” Aria looked surprised but obediently said, “Okay.” After dinner, Aria dutifully went back to her room to study. I sat in the living room, sipping tea, thinking about how to deal with that despicable couple. Suddenly, Mrs. Davis, our housekeeper, walked over. “Madam, this package is for you.” I opened it. It was a photo, dated for today. In the picture, my husband was hugging Seraphina, celebrating their daughter’s birthday. In the past, seeing this would have sent me into a furious rage. Now, I just felt a quiet sense of irony. Well, isn’t that convenient? I needed to save this. Wasn’t this clear evidence of Damian’s infidelity? The photo, without a doubt, was sent by Seraphina to provoke me. It wasn’t the first time I’d received something like this, but before, my mind wasn’t clear, and I’d just endured it. This time, I planned to remain calm, not to swallow my anger. It was just that I couldn’t divorce him yet. I needed to regain control of the company first. Even though the company shares were still in my name. Damian had been managing the business for so many years that he had successfully sidelined me from the company’s management. Once I had control again, I’d kick that scumbag out, leaving him with absolutely nothing. Then, I’d like to see if his love with Seraphina was truly as solid as gold.

My in-laws, Eleanor and Richard, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, suddenly showed up at the house. Damian was away on a business trip. Aria, ready for school, dutifully went forward to greet her grandparents. But Eleanor just stared at her, then sighed. “Why is she just a girl?” My eyes turned cold. I spoke up, “A girl is wonderful. I’m very happy with her.” This old-fashioned preference for boys was unacceptable. For years, Eleanor had looked down on me and my daughter for not having a grandson. Before, out of respect, I had endured it. So much so that when I read Aria’s suicide note, she wrote that she felt like an unwanted child. Eleanor, however, ignored me and continued, “What good is a girl? She can’t take care of you in your old age or bury you. And the family fortune will go to someone else eventually.” She even wanted me to have another child. Hah, I scoffed. But Aria looked a little hurt. I took her hand and comforted her. “Don’t worry, Mom will only ever have one daughter, you.” I told her to go to school first and ignore Eleanor’s unreasonable demands. Eleanor sat on the sofa and said, “Your brother-in-law, Jasper, is getting married. Give him one of your properties for his wedding home.” So that was her real purpose for coming. But what was with that condescending attitude? Was that any way to ask for a favor? I refused. I told her I was leaving all my properties to my daughter. Eleanor shamelessly claimed, “If you give your property to Jasper, and his wife has a son, then his son can take care of you in your old age.” The nerve! I said coldly, “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I can go to a retirement home.” Eleanor was furious, cursing me as a “cursed woman.” “What’s wrong with giving Jasper a property? It’s not like you’re losing an arm or a leg!” “I’ll say it again. All my assets will go to my daughter. No one else will touch a single penny.” Why didn’t this old hag ask her own son to buy him a place? She just wanted to take advantage of me. In my past life, I had given my all for their family. Yet they showed no gratitude. They still wanted to scheme for my assets. Hmph. Eleanor’s face twisted in rage, and she lunged at me, intending to hit me. But Richard held her back. He tried to smooth things over, saying Eleanor was confused. He pulled Eleanor into a room, and I could still hear them whispering. “Damian hasn’t gotten the shares yet. Don’t ruin things with her.”

Truly, there’s no limit to shamelessness. It seems I need to accelerate my return to the company. But before I could even start making plans. That evening, Aria’s homeroom teacher called me, saying Aria had gotten into a fight at school. I rushed over, only to find my husband, Damian, who was supposed to be on a business trip, already there. In the office, besides him, was Seraphina, his mistress. She was crying hysterically, holding her daughter, Celeste, and accusing Aria of bullying her. My daughter stood helplessly to the side. Damian showed no inclination to defend Aria. He even wanted her to apologize to Seraphina’s daughter, Celeste. Aria stubbornly said, “I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I apologize?” Seeing this, Damian raised his hand, intending to slap Aria across the face. I pushed open the door and walked in, radiating power. “Try to hit my daughter, I dare you.” His hand froze in mid-air, unable to strike. Damian glared at me with disgust. “Look at the daughter you’ve raised! Bullying others!” I scoffed. “My daughter would never bully anyone. And you, you want her to apologize without even knowing the reason?” “Are you even her real father? Anyone would think you’re someone else’s dad!” His expression flickered with panic for a second. I ignored him. I asked Aria what happened. She said Celeste was bullying Chloe, and she stepped in to defend Chloe. It was then I noticed a small girl in the corner of the office, likely Chloe, the girl Aria mentioned. I patted Aria’s shoulder, reassuring her. To my surprise, my husband actually interjected. “Why are you so reckless, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong? And you scratched Celeste’s face like that!” It was just like in my previous life. Damian had always sided with his illegitimate daughter, blaming Aria for being reckless and for stepping in. Back then, I also thought Aria was undignified, not behaving like a proper young lady. I completely ignored Aria’s intentions and just kept scolding her. This time, I absolutely wouldn’t do that again. I glared at him. “Shut up.” I turned to Aria’s homeroom teacher, who hadn’t spoken yet. “I believe the teacher has already clarified the situation.” “My daughter was acting heroically. I don’t believe she did anything wrong.” The one who was wrong was the bully, Damian’s illegitimate daughter. The girl Aria had protected, Chloe, looked timid. But she also confirmed that Aria had stepped in for her. As a homeroom teacher, she naturally knew the character of the students in her class. The teacher asked Celeste to apologize to Chloe and Aria, but Celeste looked defiant. Seraphina also wouldn’t let her daughter apologize, insisting that her daughter would never bully anyone, that she was a good girl. She then cast a pitiful look at Damian, daring to flirt and provoke me right in front of me. I scoffed. Damian looked conflicted. He shamelessly spoke up, “How about we just let it go? It’s not like Aria was hurt.” I scoffed again. “Whether we ‘let it go’ or not is not up to you.”

Chloe was an orphan. In my previous life, once I found out, I forbade Aria from playing with her. Aria had a huge fight with me then, and later, I heard Chloe had been bullied until she took her own life. I couldn’t imagine if Aria had also been bullied. I only knew that this time, I had to help Chloe. I would even sponsor her education, because she was a friend my daughter accepted. In the end, Celeste reluctantly apologized. Seraphina looked as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. After settling the matter, I took Aria home. Damian followed us. On the way, I couldn’t help but taunt him. “Weren’t you on a business trip? How did you get here so fast?” Damian pompously declared that no matter what, nothing was more important than his daughter. Which daughter was he talking about? Who knows. Aria nestled close to me. She had finally completely believed that I wasn’t the controlling mother I used to be. I felt immensely relieved. That night, I slept with Aria. The next day, I went to see Uncle Liam, a highly respected elder and my father’s most trusted friend. He also held shares in the Sterling Group. I stated my intentions, and he pondered for a while. He said Damian had been diligently managing the company for so many years; kicking him out wouldn’t be easy. He could bypass Damian and arrange for me to start at a lower level, prove myself, and then be transferred back to headquarters. Otherwise, the old directors on the board might not approve of me. I assured him I would achieve great results. I used to focus solely on family, but thankfully, I hadn’t forgotten everything I’d learned before. Uncle Liam acted quickly. I was soon assigned to a struggling subsidiary of the Sterling Group. This company had been losing money for a long time, and morale was low. The first thing I needed to do was stabilize their confidence.

I parachuted in to take over this company that was on the verge of being shut down. On my first day, the existing executive director tried to put me in my place. Whatever materials I requested, she claimed weren’t available. Employee morale was also very low. The company was a mess, and that executive director even arrogantly said, “This is how we usually operate.” I flew into a rage, deciding to make an example out of her. I fired her on the spot. I told her to go to accounting to settle her severance. She was furious, claiming I had no right to fire her. I ignored her shouting and simply encouraged the others, “I’ve taken over this company, and I will lead you to success. Work hard with me, and I won’t let you down.” No matter how nice the words sounded, without actual results, there was no convincing power. What I needed most was a big deal, one that could revive this company. That evening, I arranged a meeting with some potential partners and, accompanied by a young assistant, went to negotiate a contract. To my surprise, I met a bald Mr. Henderson. He brazenly eyed me up and down, then coarsely insisted I drink with him. I thought, “I’ll endure this if I can.” For the sake of the deal, I drank. But then he reached out, trying to grope me. My assistant was a man, waiting outside the private room. I wanted to twist his arm off, but then someone walked into the room. The moment Mr. Henderson saw him, his eyes lit up as if he’d struck gold. He ran over like a bootlicker. “Well, Mr. Caleb! It’s rare to see you here. Come, come, let me toast you.” I looked up. It was Caleb Sullivan, my old university classmate. I never imagined he’d be doing so well now. Caleb exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Henderson, then sat down. He said, “I hear you’re discussing a contract with Ms. Sterling, Mr. Henderson. I wonder if I could get a piece of that action?” Mr. Henderson smiled obsequiously, “Of course, Mr. Caleb! With your involvement, it would be twice as easy. Everyone knows following Mr. Caleb means good profits!” Just like that, a major deal was sealed. I looked at Caleb with gratitude. It was all thanks to him that things went so smoothly. I took the opportunity to add Caleb’s contact information.

After that deal was secured, I distinctly felt the company’s morale rise significantly. I instructed the finance department to issue a bonus to every employee as encouragement for their hard work. This would better maintain employee loyalty. I also specifically promoted the young assistant who had accompanied me to the negotiation, putting him in charge of liaising with Mr. Henderson. And I specifically invited Caleb to dinner at an elegant, traditional restaurant. Caleb and I chatted about our university days. I couldn’t help but remark, “You were quite the campus celebrity back then, you know. So many girls had crushes on you.” Caleb just smiled, not saying anything. “And now you’re doing so well! What lucky woman gets to marry you?” Caleb paused for a moment, then said, “I’ve been divorced for a long time.” I felt a little awkward. It seemed I had said the wrong thing. Caleb smiled, reassuring me, “It’s been a long time. I’ve moved on.” With him saying that, I didn’t know what else to say, so I just chuckled and changed the subject. I asked Caleb why he suddenly appeared that day to help me. He then told me a story. He said that once, a young man, poor and about to drop out of school, met an old man fishing in the park. Seeing how distraught he looked, the old man kindly asked what was wrong. At that time, the young man told him he was going to quit school. The old man disagreed and urged him to continue his studies, assuring him not to worry about tuition. The old man asked for his ID and school details. He thought that day he had met a con artist, but it turned out he had met a savior. Because soon after, a sum of money appeared in his bank account, enough to see him through to university graduation. Caleb looked intently into my eyes. “That man was your father.” “After I started university, I met you. But back then, you already had a boyfriend.” “I told myself that if you ever faced any difficulties, I would help you with all my might.” “That day, I appeared on purpose.” So, it was my deeply loving father, helping me all along. My eyes welled up with tears. What goes around comes around. I would carry on my father’s generosity. Once I fully took over the group, I would establish a foundation. To help those in need.

fter dinner, I declined Caleb’s offer to drive me home. I decided to browse a mall and buy a gift for Aria. I walked into a jewelry store, and a sales associate warmly greeted me. I said I was looking for a piece of jewelry suitable for a young girl. The sales associate recommended a very beautiful protective pendant, with a braided cord chain that was durable and looked understated. I decided to buy it on the spot. As I finished paying and was about to leave, I saw Seraphina. She was intimately holding a man’s arm, picking out jewelry. After they exchanged some words, she even happily kissed the man in front of the sales associate. I internally exclaimed, “Well, isn’t that something!” Damian is about to get cuckolded. I quickly took out my phone and snapped a few pictures, then quietly slipped away. I wouldn’t tell Damian yet. It wasn’t the right time. I wanted them to tear each other apart when the time was right. Back home, I placed Aria’s gift in her room, planning to surprise her. But when I went downstairs, I saw Damian sitting on the sofa. I raised an eyebrow. The moment he saw me, he started questioning me. “When did you go back to work at the company?” “Whenever I felt like it. What’s it to you?” Damian had the nerve to say, “I hope you put your focus on the family. Aria still needs your guidance.” “Leave the hard work of earning money to me.” Was he starting to panic already? I decided to mimic his hypocritical act. “How could I let you suffer alone? I’m willing to share the burden.” My husband’s face cracked. He pompously stated, “I was just trying to care for you. Don’t be so sarcastic.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t bother. If you’re so concerned, maybe care about your own daughter.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296845”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

Being pregnant with the child of the amnesiac Cooper Corporation CEO, he regained his memory. I’m not particularly beautiful and my background isn’t noteworthy. When he regained consciousness, he dismissed me with disdain: “Stop bothering me. I won’t marry a nanny’s daughter.” He assumed I would cling to him desperately. Little did he know, I was unfazed and gladly accepted the 60 million in compensation. Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, here I come! Later, the once-invincible billionaire CEO chased me across the globe to win me back. With reddened eyes, he awkwardly said, “The child misses you.” I pretended not to hear: “I’m sorry, I’m unmarried and childless.” The name Jasper is well-known in New York City’s high society. It’s said that once, when his secretary wore something slightly revealing, he fired her on the spot. Since then, no company dared to hire her, fearing backlash. Everyone working for the Cooper Family fears this young master. He’s unpredictable, and the smallest mistake could cost you your job. But none of this has anything to do with me. I’m just the nanny’s daughter for Jasper’s family. I only saw him once during a family gathering at the Cooper Family’s house. His every move exuded the cold indifference of someone in power. He doesn’t take anyone or anything seriously. If nothing unexpected happens, I would never have any interaction with him in this lifetime. That winter, whether by accident or someone’s intent, Jasper got into a car accident on his way to a negotiation. His injuries were severe, and it took several rounds of rescue in the ICU to save his life. When he woke up, everyone was stunned. Jasper had lost his memory, and his intelligence and memory were like those of a three-year-old child. Previously, he had a cleanliness obsession and avoided women. Now, he was pestering the nanny and cleaning lady at home to play hide and seek with him. The family doctor did another brain check for him, sighing and shaking his head. “The young master’s brain still has blood clots, which are pressing on his nerves. Surgery is very risky; now he can only rest and see how he recovers later.” Jasper’s mother wanted to take him abroad for treatment. But now was a critical moment in the power struggle within the Cooper Family. Yes, the Cooper Family has more than one son besides Jasper. If it were revealed now that Jasper is amnesiac and foolish, he would naturally be out of this power struggle. However, there’s no secret that doesn’t find its way out. Rumors always find a way to reach others’ ears. Listening to my mom talk about these things, I felt a brief pang of sympathy for this billionaire CEO. But only for a moment. His amnesia has nothing to do with me; these are just battles among wealthy families. The world won’t stop turning, and I’ll continue living as usual. Mom has taken care of Mrs. Cooper for a long time and has watched Jasper grow up. Now that Jasper needs meticulous care, Mom is grateful to the Cooper Family and feels a bit sorry for this child she watched grow up. So she took on this responsibility. I help my mom with some chores at the Cooper Family on weekends after school. “Ah, I really don’t understand how a perfectly fine person could become like this.” I had just picked up the messy toys on the floor. “Bang bang—” Then two rubber-like things hit my head. “Where did this little witch come from! Surrender now!” I looked at Jasper, who was waving a toy gun and dancing around, and was momentarily speechless. “It seems he really is foolish now.” I took the toy gun from his hand and carefully wiped the dirt off his face with a cloth. After Jasper became foolish, the nannies who used to fear him were more daring. Naturally, the care wasn’t very attentive. He seemed a bit dazed, standing there holding his clothes and letting me wipe his face clean. With his long eyelashes fluttering and his lips pursed, he seemed particularly obedient. I accidentally met his eyes and was momentarily stunned. “Chenny’s hands are dirty too.” He pouted and reached out his hand to me, acting pitifully. I tugged at the corner of my mouth; yes, he really is like a three-year-old child. In the evening, I was planning to go home after tidying up, but Mrs. Cooper suddenly called me to her room. “Auntie.” Mrs. Cooper had maintained herself well, her face carrying a smile. I felt something was off in my heart. Seeing me come in, she stood up and circled around me, looking satisfied. “Not bad, you have a good figure; having a baby shouldn’t be a problem.” Hearing her words, I was confused. Perhaps seeing my reaction, Mrs. Cooper realized her words were inappropriate. She immediately changed her demeanor, holding my hand with tears in her eyes: “Quinn, you see Jasper like this now. It’s hard to say if he will recover. I have an unreasonable request.” “If you can have a child for the Cooper Family within a year, I’ll give you 50 million. After it’s done, you can go wherever you want. The child’s matter won’t delay you.” I was shocked; so this was her plan. “Auntie, I don’t think I can…” “Quinn, don’t decide so quickly. After all, your mom has been with me for so long, and I chose you because I’m assured.” “If 50 million isn’t enough, I’ll add another 10 million, and your mom can continue working at the Cooper Family. This money is enough for you and your mom to live worry-free for several lifetimes.” Mrs. Cooper spoke with a smile, leisurely wiping her nails. “Okay.” The threat in Mrs. Cooper’s words was too obvious. Mom has worked hard to raise me as a single parent. We are just ordinary people; if I refuse, the Cooper Family will just crush us. Besides, it’s 60 million. It can give Mom a better life. Driven by some inexplicable force, I agreed. Mrs. Cooper nodded in satisfaction upon hearing my response.

Under Mrs. Cooper’s arrangement, I changed into a high-end nightgown I’d never worn before and was politely invited into Jasper’s room. Mrs. Cooper even arranged someone to watch outside the door. I looked at Jasper lying in bed, hesitating. It’s too late to regret now. The room’s lighting was dim, and there was a pleasant-smelling incense burning, creating an extremely ambiguous atmosphere. I didn’t dare to look directly at him. Even now, though foolish, he still looked very good. “Quinn, I’m so hot, I feel uncomfortable all over.” Jasper kicked off the blanket in a huff, looking restless. I quickly stepped forward, pulling the blanket back over him. “Young master, don’t be naughty; you’ll catch a cold.” Jasper curled up in the blanket, only revealing a pair of eyes blinking at me. Somehow, I also started to feel hot. It’s the incense! Mrs. Cooper must have drugged it. The people outside, not hearing any movement inside, knocked on the door three times. Jasper struggled to pull his hand out from the blanket and touched my forehead. “Quinn, are you hot too? You’re sweating!” I steeled myself, grabbed his hand and kissed it. The next day, the person Mrs. Cooper sent saw the marks on me and nodded in satisfaction. I was exhausted and sore all over. Jasper seemed to think it was a fun game, clinging to me all night, I don’t know how many times we tangled. Though Jasper is foolish now, his physique and stamina are truly remarkable. Mrs. Cooper let me go home for a bit. Today was Mom’s day off. I usually make sure to have dinner ready and wait for her to come home so we can eat together. After I managed to brush things off with Mom, I returned to the Cooper Family and saw Jasper’s cousin, Finn. “Cousin, this is the latest toy, it’s really fun.” After saying that, he mockingly threw the toy to the floor. Hearing “fun,” Jasper eagerly crawled under the table to pick it up. Finn grinned and kicked the toy further away. As soon as I walked in, I saw Jasper crawling on the floor like a puppy, trying to fetch it. “Young master!” Seeing Jasper, who used to be decisive and ruthless, now in such a state, I inexplicably felt a twinge in my nose. My appearance made both of them stop what they were doing. Jasper beamed, “Quinn! Cousin got me a new toy!” I rushed over and picked up the toy from the floor. “Young master, remember, you are the master of this house. You can order the nanny to do anything; you don’t need to do it yourself.” Finn looked displeased: “Who are you? Why are you meddling in my bonding time with my cousin?” “I’m Jasper’s assistant.” He laughed out loud after hearing that. “Yeah, he does need a personal assistant; he probably can’t even dress himself now.” After saying that, he glanced at Jasper sitting on the floor, looking smug. “Cousin, I’ll come to see you again once I’m done with the company’s matters.” After he left, Jasper’s eyes turned red, and he tugged at my pant leg, looking pitiful. “Quinn, it hurts.” His knee seemed to have been bruised earlier, with a bit of skin scraped off. I resignedly rummaged through the medicine cabinet, carefully applying ointment to his wound. “Quinn, you’re so nice! You’re just like Mom, the best to Chenny!” Hearing this, my hand paused. “Young master, no one loves you more than Mrs. Cooper, and in this world, no one will be good to you for no reason.” “A gentle knife always has ulterior motives.”

Mrs. Cooper learned that I stood up for Jasper, and she was very grateful. With the current fierce competition for inheritance and Jasper’s uncertain recovery, she couldn’t help but frown. Seeing her looking so gloomy, I told her some mischievous stories from my childhood to cheer her up. She smiled slightly, then looked at me with regret: “What a pity.” Jasper always wanted to sneak out to play, but Mrs. Cooper wouldn’t allow it. I followed him all the way and saw him go into the playground in the community, constantly clamoring to play on the swings. Those nannies, who usually tremble at the mention of his name, were all snickering with their heads down. 3 Mrs. Cooper was grateful when she found out I stood up for Jasper. But with the ongoing fierce fight over the family inheritance and Jasper’s uncertain recovery, she couldn’t help but worry. Seeing her so downcast, I shared some playful stories from my childhood to lift her spirits. She smiled slightly but soon looked at me with regret, saying, “What a pity.” Jasper always wanted to sneak out and play, but Mrs. Cooper never allowed it. I followed him to the community playground, where he insisted on playing on the swings. The nannies, who usually trembled at the mention of his name, were all hiding their laughter. I held the swing steady for him to get on. “If the young master wants to play, then play! Quinn will watch over you!” Jasper happily sat on the swing and gestured for me to come closer with a playful air. Curious, I leaned in, and he took a candy from his pocket and placed it in my hand. “Quinn, I hope your days are always as sweet as this candy.” His words made my heart skip a beat, and I instinctively looked away. Feeling a bit awkward, I pushed him on the swing. “Quinn, about that night, can we do it again someday?” My hands froze, and I glanced around to ensure we were alone, then sighed in relief. Blushing, I gently patted his head. “Young master, that’s our little secret. You mustn’t speak of it or tell anyone else.” Seeing my serious expression, he nodded solemnly. “I understand, Quinn! It’s our secret! Jasper is great at keeping secrets!” I couldn’t help but laugh at his earnestness. Time passed quickly, and three months flew by. Jasper’s condition hadn’t improved; it worsened. Initially, he just wanted to play with the kids in the neighboring community. Eventually, he ran away and disappeared. Remembering my words, he declared himself the master of the house when the nanny tried to stop him. No one could hold him back. When Mrs. Cooper found out, she was furious and no longer gentle. She had me held down, kneeling in Jasper’s room. In the eyes of these wealthy people, we never had any dignity. “You can get up when Jasper returns.” It wasn’t until midnight that Jasper was found. He was discovered in a small room like a dog cage. The neighboring community was also wealthy, home to rich kids. They tricked Jasper into going with them, locked him up, and taunted him as an idiot. Jasper’s car accident had injured his brain, and the story of him wetting his pants while playing with kids spread throughout the villa area. After Jasper came back, Mrs. Cooper still didn’t let me get up. First, because I failed to watch over Jasper, letting him run off. Second, she wanted me to recognize my place and do my duties. I knelt for nearly ten hours, my legs numb, and finally collapsed to the ground. Jasper seemed to realize he was at fault. He looked at me kneeling in his room, bewildered. He went to plead with Mrs. Cooper to let me up, but she just gave me a cold look and turned away. Seeing he couldn’t persuade her, Jasper strode over and knelt beside me. “I’m sorry, Quinn, I shouldn’t have run off. It’s all my fault, and if Mom wants to punish you, then I’ll kneel with you!” Mrs. Cooper couldn’t bear seeing Jasper insist on kneeling beside me. “Get up, take good care of the young master, no next time.” Mrs. Cooper looked down at me, and I bowed my head. “Yes, ma’am.” After Mrs. Cooper left, I breathed a sigh of relief. Just as I was about to stand up, ignoring the pain in my knees, I staggered and almost fell again. Suddenly, Jasper caught me and lifted me up. He gently placed me on his bed, rolling up my pant leg as I had done for him to apply medicine. My knee was swollen and red. “Quinn… I’m sorry.” His eyes turned red, and he gently massaged my wound with his fingertips. “It’s Jasper’s fault. Quinn can punish me however you want; I’ll do whatever you say.” Seeing his guilty and helpless expression, my heart softened. “Will the young master listen to everything Quinn says?” He nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes! Jasper always keeps his word!” “Then I punish you to eat well, sleep well, and take good care of yourself from now on!” Jasper paused, then suddenly hugged me. His head buried in my neck, he murmured, “Quinn, Jasper wants to grow up quickly.” I gently patted his head, “Why does the young master suddenly want to grow up?” “Mom said only when Jasper grows up can he truly be the master of the house.” “Then I can protect Quinn and never let anyone bully you again!” My nose tingled; the young master was indeed naive. Why protect a nanny’s daughter? 4 The news of Jasper’s injury, which left him with the intelligence of a three-year-old, reached other members of the Cooper Family. Several illegitimate children began to stir. Mrs. Cooper was overwhelmed dealing with the strategies that came one after another and the company’s affairs. Despite her previous efforts to seek out renowned doctors, there was no progress in healing Jasper’s mind. Overwhelmed with anger and stress, she also fell ill and was hospitalized. Jasper hadn’t seen Mrs. Cooper all day and was getting anxious. “Quinn, have you seen Mom?” “Ma’am is still working overtime at the company! Be a good boy and go to sleep. You’ll see her when you wake up tomorrow!” Before being hospitalized, Mrs. Cooper had specifically instructed not to let Jasper know about her hospitalization. I had no choice but to coax him to sleep. Jasper pressed his lips together, staring at me expressionlessly. “Quinn, you’re lying to me.” “Mom didn’t come back yesterday, and last night Mrs. Wang packed up Mom’s clothes and took them away. Mom’s favorite pearl earrings are still on the table. Quinn, tell me the truth!” Though he had the mind of a three-year-old, he was still sharp. Unable to hide it from him, I took him to the hospital to see Mrs. Cooper. Mrs. Cooper was surprised to see Jasper. Jasper rushed into her arms, “Mom! Jasper will behave from now on, please don’t get sick, okay?” Mrs. Cooper’s hand trembled, but she eventually patted Jasper’s back. Tears welled in her eyes, “Forget it, living an ordinary life is fine too.” Jasper eagerly volunteered to get hot water for Mrs. Cooper, and she smiled and agreed. After he ran out excitedly with the kettle, she indicated for me to follow him to ensure nothing happened. When I caught up to the place where water was fetched, I only saw Jasper lying on the ground and the kettle of hot water spilled. He had run too fast, slipped on the water, and fell. When he woke up, he miraculously recovered. “The blood clot in the patient’s brain has mostly dissipated; he can be discharged without any issues.” Mrs. Cooper cried tears of joy upon hearing the doctor’s words. Everyone gathered around Jasper and Mrs. Cooper, returning to the Cooper Family home. I stood alone in the empty hospital room, feeling momentarily lost. Jasper had recovered, so what about me? After returning to the Cooper Family home, Jasper was furious. “Get everything replaced immediately! How did my room become such a mess? It’s disgusting!” Any trace of my existence was quickly erased. Initially, I was thrilled to hear Jasper had recovered, but now I felt like I was plunged into an ice cave. When Jasper looked at me, there was no longer any warmth in his eyes, only undisguised disdain. “Get out! Do any random stray cat or dog think they can enter my room?” He returned to his usual aloof and commanding self. “This is Adeline, Aunt Adeline’s daughter. She took great care of you when you were injured. Why not have her stay with you a bit longer?” It was only then that Mrs. Cooper seemed to remember my presence and tentatively explained to Jasper.

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Mom was gravely ill, and her dying wish was to see me get married. I pleaded with my girlfriend, Eloise, for nearly a month before she agreed to marry me. On the day, I waited at the church until nightfall, but Eloise never came. That very day, Eloise’s childhood friend, Lachlan, posted a picture of their wedding rings on social media: “Time flies, it’s been almost a month since we tied the knot.” It was then I realized that on the very first day I started pleading with Eloise, she had already married her childhood friend. At that moment, I received a message from Eloise apologizing. “Jude, Lachlan was forced into a marriage by his family, and I couldn’t stand by and watch him marry someone else, trapping him in a cage.” “We’ll get divorced in three days.” “In three days, I’ll marry you.” Three days later, when Eloise appeared in her wedding dress at the church door, she received only my message: “Eloise, never again.” In the mortuary, I looked at Mom’s face, tears streaming down. Mom raised me by herself, never asking for anything in return. Yet I couldn’t fulfill her final wish. When I learned Mom was seriously ill, I begged Eloise, my girlfriend of six years, to marry me so Mom would know I’d have someone by my side after she was gone. I pleaded with her for nearly a month. But Eloise kept coming up with excuses. On the first day, her childhood friend’s car broke down, and she rushed to help him. The second day, she was helping her childhood friend move and had no time. … On the twenty-sixth day, her childhood friend had a stomach issue, and she went to take care of him. If Lachlan hadn’t posted that picture of their wedding rings today, I would still be in the dark. I imagined countless reasons for Eloise’s behavior, but I never thought she was already married. As I knelt by Mom’s hospital bed until dusk, Eloise called. On the phone, her voice was as gentle as ever: “Why aren’t you home yet? Where are you? I’ll come get you.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. Before, I would have pretended to be angry, letting her coax me, and then waited happily for her to pick me up. But now, I could no longer say a kind word to her. Eloise’s voice had a slight urgency: “Jude, where are you now?” “The hospital.” Eloise was stunned, as if remembering that I’ve been taking care of Mom these days. “I… wait for me, I’ll come to the hospital to be with you.” After the call ended, I held back my grief and started handling Mom’s funeral arrangements. But ten minutes later, she sent me another message: [Jude, I need to help Lachlan with his family, I’ll definitely visit Aunt next time!] I wasn’t surprised. In the past two years, the phrase I’ve heard from her the most is: [Next time for sure.] Missing our anniversary, next time for sure. Promised to meet Mom, next time for sure. Avoiding marrying me. She knew I’d forgive her, so she carelessly hurt me. But this time, there won’t be a next time. Because Mom won’t have another chance. And I won’t forgive her anymore. That night, I didn’t go home; I stayed at the hospital all night. Eloise sent messages all night and called countless times. I neither read nor answered. The next day, I arrived at the company early to prepare my resignation. Eloise is the founder of the company. I’m just an ordinary designer. Since when she had nothing, I have been with her, building the business together. Now, my position in the company has become insignificant. Even if I disappeared, Eloise wouldn’t notice. As I was printing my resignation letter, Eloise suddenly appeared behind me. Under her gaze, I calmly took the resignation letter in hand. She looked at me, her tone gentle: “Finished printing?” “Yeah.” Eloise looked at me, seemingly unaware of my indifference. She cleared her throat: “Jude, come with me for a moment.” As Eloise called me away, my colleagues immediately began to gossip. “Did you know? Boss Eloise is already married.” “Really? No wonder Jude and Boss Eloise kept their relationship private. Turns out he’s the third wheel.” My dad abandoned Mom and me for another woman, making us suffer for half our lives. And now, thanks to Eloise, I’m also being called a third wheel. In the office, Eloise tried to hug me. I stepped back: “Boss, this is a company.” Eloise frowned slightly, “Don’t be mad. How about I accompany you to visit Aunt tonight?” I shook my head. “There’s no need.” My mom is already gone, and I don’t want her to see you. If she knew I was called a third wheel because of Eloise, She’d surely be angry with me. Eloise seemed to sense something different about me. After a moment of silence, she said: “In two more days, I’ll be able to divorce Lachlan. Then, we can get married.” She handed me a gift box. “This is a health supplement I prepared for Aunt.” I looked at it, somewhat in a daze. Her gesture came too late. Mom doesn’t need it anymore. Seeing my silence, anxiety flashed in Eloise’s eyes, just as she was about to speak. An urgent ringtone interrupted her thoughts. Eloise took out her phone, glanced at me, Hesitated for a moment, then left. I knew it was Lachlan calling. After all, he’s Eloise’s legitimate husband now. My heart was unruffled. After all, I no longer cared. Later, I submitted my resignation. Facing my sudden resignation request, Deputy Zhang seemed prepared. “Jude, I believe Boss Eloise will arrange everything for you.” I bit my lip, feeling it was absurd. It seemed everyone assumed I was just a pretty face kept by Eloise in the company. She had everything ready for me. But they wouldn’t believe I was Eloise’s legitimate boyfriend, now heartbroken, ready to leave. As I left the company, I ran into Eloise and Lachlan at the elevator. Seeing me, Eloise’s eyes flickered, instinctively trying to explain: “Don’t misunderstand, I brought Lachlan here to…” Before she finished, Lachlan wrapped his arm around her shoulder: “To tour my wife’s company.” I said nothing, as Lachlan spoke again: “Jude, you don’t mind, do you?” Lachlan looked at me with a provocative gaze. I silently stepped out of the elevator, giving them room. Eloise watched me, eyes filled with hesitation, wanting to say something Yet in the end, Lachlan pulled her away. In the afternoon, at the crematorium, I watched Mom turn to ashes. I placed her in the cemetery. Until nightfall. Eloise didn’t show, nor did she send any messages. I didn’t care. Without her disturbance, Mom could leave more peacefully. I believe Mom’s spirit in heaven wouldn’t want me entangled with her any longer. Nor would she want to see me marry her. Our six-year relationship should end completely. Leaving the cemetery, I walked home. It’s been a while since I walked at night. I used to hold Mom’s hand. Later, Eloise would hold my arm. From now on, I’ll walk alone. I think I’ll get used to it. I didn’t get home until early morning. The living room light was on, Eloise was on the couch sending messages. Seeing me enter, Eloise’s furrowed brow relaxed, and she rushed over to grab my hand: “Where were you? Not answering calls, not replying to messages, I was about to report you missing!” I was startled, pulling away from Eloise’s hand. “I went to be with Mom, didn’t want her disturbed.” Hearing me mention Mom, Eloise remembered what she said during the day, a trace of guilt crossing her face. She suddenly looked at me expectantly, solemnly taking out a box for me. I instinctively opened it, inside was a pair of wedding rings. I was suddenly stunned. Once, Eloise had confidently held my hand. Promising to wear the rings together, letting Mom witness our happiness. I waited countless days, hoped countless times. But that was before. I closed the box, handing it back. Eloise slightly frowned, as if realizing something, awkwardly said: “It’s already past midnight. Just one more day, and I can divorce Lachlan.” “Don’t worry, I always remember my promise.” “Tomorrow, we’ll put the rings on each other, then we’ll get married.” I wasn’t moved by her sweet talk, just said to myself: “Alright, I know, I’m a bit tired, I’ll go rest first.” Eloise’s smile froze, for the first time realizing my indifference. Panic flashed in her eyes as she tried to grab my hand. Just then Lachlan emerged from my bedroom, wearing my pajamas. He blinked sleepily at me, immediately stepping forward to wrap his arm around Eloise’s shoulder, whining: “Eloise, Jude is back, let’s go to bed.” Eloise quickly looked at me, explaining: “Lachlan had a fight with his family, I let him stay in the guest room for a night.” After speaking, Eloise watched me closely, as if afraid I’d misunderstand. I nodded, indifferently saying: “It’s alright, I can stay at Mom’s for the night.” She had a trace of panic in her eyes and reached out to grab my hand. At that moment, Lachlan emerged from the bedroom wearing my pajamas. He looked at me sleepily and immediately went over to Eloise, leaning against her shoulder and said in a playful tone: “Eloise, Jude is back. Let’s get ready for bed.” Eloise quickly glanced at me, explaining: “Lachlan had a falling out with his family, so I let him stay in the guest room for the night.” After speaking, Eloise stared at me, seemingly worried that I might misunderstand. I nodded, responding casually: “That’s fine. I can stay at Mom’s for the night.” Eloise was taken aback, as if surprised by my straightforward acceptance. However, Lachlan didn’t give me a chance to reconsider, smugly retreating back into the room. As I prepared to leave with my suitcase, Eloise was still standing in the living room. She pursed her lips, holding my hand tightly, unwilling to let go. Her eyes showed deepening guilt. Finally, prompted by Lachlan, she spoke: “Tomorrow, after we finalize everything, we’ll go see Aunt together.” When morning came, I packed up and returned to the office for the final handover. As soon as I stepped in, I noticed colleagues giving me strange looks, whispering and pointing as I passed by. It wasn’t until I saw Lachlan sitting at my desk that I understood the odd atmosphere. Everyone was focused on their screens, yet they kept glancing at the unfolding scene. Seeing me, Lachlan looked at me with arrogance: “I’m starting here today. I want this spot, so find another place.” I looked at him and calmly nodded. “Okay, I’ll pack my things.” We spoke calmly, but seeing my demeanor, the colleagues assumed I felt guilty in Lachlan’s presence. Yet, with both of us there, no one dared to say much. They just typed away on their computers, expressing disdain for me. I wanted to explain but didn’t know where to start. After all, Lachlan was legally Eloise’s husband. Saying more would only humiliate myself. As I finished packing to leave, Eloise approached. Seeing me with my luggage, her expression tightened. “Where are you going?” “I…” Lachlan cut in: “Move for me. I like sitting here.” As I was about to leave, Eloise quickly grabbed my arm. “No, this spot is yours, no one else…” Before she could finish, I interrupted: “If he likes it, let him have it.” After all, I’ve already resigned. Whoever wants to sit here is none of my concern. Eloise stood there, her expression unreadable. It wasn’t until my silhouette disappeared with the suitcase that she came to her senses. Eloise pushed aside a singing Lachlan, who was tidying the desk, and slapped him hard across the face: “Did you really think our fake marriage meant you could overstep your bounds?!” “Did you forget I warned you not to bother Jude?” After leaving the office, I received a text from Eloise. [I’ll wait for you at the church entrance tomorrow.] [The expert I invited for Aunt will arrive tomorrow.] [After we finalize everything, we’ll go see Aunt together.] I chuckled, feeling a sudden bitterness. Eloise, goodbye. I took all my luggage and headed to the airport. The next day, Eloise stood at the church entrance with a freshly issued divorce certificate. The plane began its descent, heading to Southport—a seaside city I’d never visited but always longed for. There was no Eloise, no Lachlan, none of the suffocating rumors. As the plane sliced through the clouds, I suddenly remembered that stormy night six years ago when Eloise, drenched, stood under my building and confessed: “Jude, let’s work hard together, and we’ll have a good life!” … I turned on my phone, finding seventeen unread messages, the latest from five minutes ago: “Jude, I’m at the church entrance now. When will you arrive?” I stared at the screen and suddenly burst into laughter. How ironic. Twenty-seven days of pleading, and all I got was her saying, “I’ll marry you in three days,” But now three days had passed, and I didn’t even have the strength to tear apart the lies. My fingertips brushed over the familiar number in my contacts, as six years of chat history flickered like a slideshow before my eyes. The stormy night when she confessed, soaked to the skin. The embarrassing moments of sharing a cup of instant noodles in a rented room while starting a business. Her excitement when signing the first contract, jumping into my arms.

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I was in the third year of my arranged marriage when my parents found my twin brother, who was kidnapped at the age of five. He was also my wife’s first love. She rekindled her old feelings for him and even had his child. My parents wanted me to claim the child as my own. I decided to leave everything behind. My family regretted it later. But I will never return to that home. After work, I took an overnight flight home to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. But when I wearily pushed open the villa door, I found my parents and wife happily gathered around another man. “Why are you just standing there? Come meet your brother,” my father’s commanding voice echoed. “Brother? What brother?” “The brother you lost! You’ve been running the company for years and still have no discipline! No wonder performance has been stagnant!” My father frowned, his voice rising, clearly displeased with my response. “Ethan, you’ve endured so much over the years. Your younger brother is still as immature as ever. Don’t hold it against him,” my mother said, piling more food onto his already full plate. “Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t blame him,” the man I should call brother said with a seemingly generous smile. “Ah, I knew you were the best,” my mother lovingly tousled his hair. Don’t blame me? What did I do wrong? I did have a twin brother, but he was kidnapped when he was five. My parents searched for years with no news, and now they suddenly claim this stranger is my brother. Aside from his identical features, I can’t accept this stranger as my real brother. But my parents always favored him since childhood, and this family was never mine to control. I looked at the gift bag in my hand, containing a diamond necklace I had custom-ordered six months in advance, remembering I rushed back for Avery, my wife, to celebrate our anniversary. Yes, Avery, I still had a wife. I looked up, hoping for a lifeline, only to find her eyes fixed on my newly returned brother. There was joy, tenderness, and an uncontrollable passion in her gaze. “Honey?” I called tentatively. She frowned, as if displeased with the term, or perhaps just noticing me. Avery took the things from my hands, pulled out a chair for me, and said with some reproach, “Mom and Dad just found a family member. They’re excited. Be considerate and don’t dampen their mood.” Then she returned to the newly found family member, smiling brightly. “Yes, yes, come sit down,” my in-laws chimed in, eager to please their daughter. Previously, for some unknown reason, Avery was at odds with her parents, but today she invited them over for our anniversary, and they were elated. But Avery didn’t even look at them. Instead, the man I should call brother glanced over, a barely noticeable cold smile on his lips, meeting my gaze directly. I sat down and silently ate, trying to recall childhood memories of my brother. Although Ethan was only ten minutes older than me, we were completely different in personality since childhood. He was lively, smart, sweet-talking, always able to win our parents’ favor, while I was reserved, interested only in landscapes, often sitting alone with a drawing pad all day. After Ethan was kidnapped, my parents’ attitude towards me grew colder. I was forced to abandon my dream of painting and took over the company business, barely earning their approval. I thought my life would always be like this until Avery appeared in it. Although we married through an arrangement, her gentleness and kindness healed me after marriage. She would leave a table of food when I returned late from social events and cook me hangover soup when I drank too much. I gradually fell in love with her, finding various opportunities to prepare gifts to make her happy. Knowing she had a poor relationship with her parents, I noted down their hobbies to find chances to show filial piety. But why did everything change tonight? Her gaze no longer lingered on me, and my early return didn’t surprise her at all.

After dinner, my mother asked me to check if my brother needed anything in his room. Just as I was about to knock, I saw through the door gap my wife of three years, Avery, nestled on Ethan’s lap, letting him stroke her hair. “Ethan, why is fate so unfair to us?” She cried, her face tear-streaked, “When I had finally decided to forget you and live with someone else for life, you suddenly appeared. If you hadn’t been kidnapped to the mountains, we would’ve had kids by now. How did it come to this awkward situation?” “Don’t cry, you know I can’t stand seeing you cry,” I saw my brother bend down to cradle her face, wiping her tears away. Their eyes met, hers full of tenderness. I quietly left, pretending nothing happened, and returned to the master bedroom. I decided to give my wife a chance to confess, and also buy myself some time. When Avery came out after her bath, I presented the carefully prepared gift. I took out the custom diamond necklace from the velvet box and put it on her. The sparkling diamond, accented with a sapphire, highlighted her fair skin and long neck in the mirror. I tried to ask naturally, “Honey, did you know Ethan before?” She stiffened, then casually replied, “You caught that, huh? Ethan was my college classmate, quite the campus figure. We lost touch after graduation. Funny, isn’t it? Turns out he’s your long-lost brother. Mom and Dad said it’s really quite the coincidence, haha.” Deception is the first step to betrayal. The war between the current and the beloved past was lost before it even began. 2. Early the next morning, my father yelled at me to get up, saying we needed to introduce my brother to the company. Following his instructions, I gathered all employees in the lobby. As the doors opened and I was about to introduce him, my father stepped in, arm around my brother’s shoulder, full of pride and affection, saying, “This is Ethan, your new general manager.” Everyone immediately turned their gaze to me. I heard gasps and whispers. I also heard the sound of my heart shattering. Years of hard work, and today my own father publicly dismissed me with a single sentence. Ethan looked at everyone, calm and composed, as if the position was always his. I had to admit, despite our identical features, Ethan exuded confidence and charisma, naturally suited for business. “Welcome, Mr. Jiang!” “Welcome, welcome!” “A warm welcome!” Those who saw the situation clearly quickly aligned themselves, and applause soon erupted in the crowd. I sensibly left to pack up my things in the general manager’s office, but once I closed the door, I couldn’t hold back any longer and sat on the floor, crying. Years of grievances poured out at once. I remembered after my brother went missing, my parents forced me to study business against my will, using confinement and starvation to make me abandon my dream of painting. Later, I gritted my teeth through the tedious study of business management and marketing calculations, clinking glasses and playing nice with all sorts of people for the company’s growth. Just last month, I was hospitalized with a stomach ulcer from drinking to secure a major client deal. If they truly thought I was unsuitable, why did they clip my wings of freedom back then?

After clearing out the office for Ethan and handing over the documents, it was already dark outside, and we were the only ones left on the company’s top floor. He sat in a wheelchair, looking out at the night through the large floor-to-ceiling window, suddenly spoke, “Years of hard work only to make a wedding dress for someone else, it must hurt, right?” “What do you mean?” Of course, it hurt, but I didn’t understand what he was getting at. “Nothing, really. Yesterday, you saw Avery crying on my lap, didn’t you?” He smirked mockingly. “You didn’t dare come in. With your character, you must have tested her when you got back, right? So, did she tell you? I’m her first love, the one she dated for four years, until her parents forced us apart.” His tone was certain, hitting a nerve and almost making me lose my temper. Ethan, seeing the cracks in my strong facade, laughed, a sinister smile starkly different from the image he showed in front of our parents and Avery. His expression suddenly shifted to violent, “Does it hurt? No matter how much, it won’t hurt more than me. I was a poor student from a mountain village, and no decent company was willing to give me a chance. My first love girlfriend of four years, when she first met her parents, was kicked out like a stray dog. When I returned to the mountains, those old folks beat and scolded me daily, saying they wasted their money sending me to school! Cursing me for not being able to earn money for their biological son to marry! While I was beaten and eating stale food, what were you doing? Enjoying your pampered life as a young master! And you stole my girlfriend!” “Our marital matters are none of your business.” This is a madman. I can’t go mad with him. I forced myself to stay calm.

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