Category: English

At a banquet, my father Wyatt Roberts arranged for me to marry Julian Ortiz, the financial talent he had personally mentored. At that time, I didn’t know Julian already had someone he loved. Later, Wyatt’s company was exposed for product fraud. The stock price plummeted, and they faced criminal prosecution. Julian immediately brought his first love, Natalia Hall, back home and told me right to my face that he wanted to marry Natalia. Then Julian’s mother, Luna Ortiz, scolded me too. She said, “Your family is bankrupt now, and you can’t even have children. What right do you have to stop my son from marrying another woman?” Julian pushed the divorce papers in front of me and said with contempt, “If you sign obediently, I might still let you stay in the house and live with Natalia.” I simply booked a plane ticket to leave this place. In seven days, I would be going south with Wyatt and my mother, Eloise Roberts. ***** Right after my family went bankrupt, Julian couldn’t wait to bring Natalia home. He pushed a divorce agreement in front of me and said, “In five days, I’m marrying Natalia. I’ve wronged her for too many years already—I can’t let her down anymore. If you behave, I might still let you stay in the house and live with her.” My family had just gone bankrupt, yet Julian was in such a rush that he wouldn’t even wait one more day. I looked at him quietly. Julian’s eyes were ice-cold, looking at me like I was a complete stranger. We’d been married for five years, and I hadn’t touched his heart even once. I hurriedly lowered my head, fighting back the trembling in my body, and took out a pen to sign the divorce papers. I said softly, “Okay.” Anyway, I wouldn’t be staying here much longer. From now on, whoever Julian chose to be with had nothing to do with me. Julian raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting me to be so straightforward. He picked up the agreement, glanced at it to make sure I’d signed correctly, then stood up. Then he said, “Fine. When I have time, I’ll take you to finalize the divorce.” After saying that, Julian walked away without looking back. He never wasted words on me. Once his figure disappeared, I took out my phone and booked a flight south for five days later. Once we got the divorce certificate, we’d be completely separated, never to bother each other again. Five years ago, at Wyatt’s company Christmas party, I fell in love with Julian, whom he had personally cultivated. The next day, Julian got my WhatsApp through Wyatt. Within half a year, we were smoothly married. I thought it was a perfectly matched, happy marriage. Later, Natalia posted photos of her wedding online. That day, Julian got very drunk. I was worried he felt sick, so I ended the remaining events early and brought him back to our room. But I never expected that as soon as I helped him onto the bed, he shoved me away hard. I crashed heavily into the table behind me. The vase on the table wobbled, then rolled off and shattered beside me. My heart jumped, and I didn’t dare move. Julian, who was usually so gentle, looked at me with bloodshot eyes. He roared, “Isabella, I hate you!” Isabella Roberts is my name. After a pause, Julian continued, “If you hadn’t liked me, if I hadn’t been forced to listen to your father just to escape my situation, how would I have been forced to marry you and watch Natalia marry someone else?” Julian’s gaze was as cold as if he were looking at an enemy. So all the sweet romance I thought we had was fake. I took a deep breath but felt suffocated, unable to catch my breath. We stared at each other for a long time, and his look scared me into tears. Julian sneered, then stood up unsteadily and threw the towel I’d used to wipe his face at me. He said, “Who cares? I want to divorce you and go find Natalia.” Julian’s eyes were unfocused, his cheeks flushed red—he was obviously very drunk. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said such things. My voice trembling with tears, I said, “You’re drunk. Let’s talk about this when you sober up.” Julian ignored me and stumbled out of the room. I was stunned, then sat on the floor and cried my heart out. After crying myself exhausted, I went back to bed and fell asleep. When I woke up the next day and opened the door, Julian and I locked eyes. Then, with perfect understanding, we both turned our heads away. He didn’t mention divorce again, and I pretended he’d never said it. I pushed down the unease in my heart, thinking, “It’s okay. Natalia is already married. Someday I’ll be able to win Julian’s heart.”

Natalia’s husband had been abusing her. Starting three months ago, Julian helped Natalia gather evidence and eventually got her husband sent to prison. Later, when Julian saw Natalia covered in bruises and limping as she walked, he immediately arranged housing for her nearby. Now, he’s brought Natalia back to our home and says he wants to marry her. When Julian brought Natalia to my room, I was inside packing my things. Back then, Wyatt was worried I wouldn’t be well taken care of at Julian’s house, so he gave me a lot of money along with many wedding gifts. Even though Julian refused to share a room with me, I still used that money to decorate the room according to his preferences, hoping for the day we could live together. Now, I need to liquidate all these decorations and valuables to pay for Wyatt’s legal fees. Julian said coldly and firmly, “This room will be Natalia’s from now on.” This room had the best natural light and its own private balcony. Natalia stood behind him, looking toward the balcony with excitement in her eyes. This was the first time I ever refused Julian. I said, “I don’t agree. There’s another guest room downstairs. Why can’t she stay there?” Julian’s expression darkened. He said, “Because Natalia likes it here. She’s not well and needs to recover somewhere with plenty of sunlight. Besides, the room’s decor perfectly suits her taste.” Looking at the rich oil painting-style decorations throughout the room, I said nothing. Natalia wore a pink dress and smiled at me, looking just like a girl from an oil painting. So that was the truth. Seeing me staring at Natalia, Julian blocked my view with his body. He said, “I’m not asking for your opinion. Have your things moved out by 3 PM.” Then Julian’s tone softened slightly. He said, “Just be good, okay?” I lowered my head and said, “Okay.” Since my family went bankrupt, I’d lost my biggest source of support. Julian no longer needed to consider my feelings or pretend we were a loving couple. Before 2 PM, I had moved my luggage to the guest room downstairs. This guest room had no balcony. With trees blocking the windows, I had to keep the lights on even during the day. Afterward, I took out all the expensive jewelry Julian had given me over the years, planning to sell them. Chloe Gray, the jewelry store owner, knew me. When she saw me, she smiled and welcomed me into the back room. I laid out all the jewelry pieces in front of her, one by one. The first was the black pearl necklace Julian gave me when he confessed his feelings. Back then, he had just gained Wyatt’s trust and spent all his savings to buy it. The second was the blue diamond ring he placed on my finger with tears in his eyes at our wedding. He had just been promoted by Wyatt then and had someone buy it from downtown. The third was his apology gift after his last drunken episode—a pair of deer-shaped earrings. I loved those earrings because he once said I was as lively and cute as a little deer, like a little sprite. Watching me take out each piece of jewelry, Chloe straightened up. She asked, “Aren’t these all gifts Mr. Ortiz gave you? They’re all quite valuable now and hard to find. Are you sure you want to sell them?” I nodded and said, “Yes.” Chloe carefully examined each piece. After confirming their authenticity, she transferred the money to my account. I didn’t haggle and left the jewelry store as soon as I received the payment. As I walked out, I saw Julian holding Natalia’s hand as they browsed the shops. Julian bent down to listen to Natalia whisper in his ear, the two of them standing very close. He asked Natalia, “Do you like this bracelet?” Natalia smiled and nodded, “It’s beautiful.” Julian immediately had the clerk wrap up the bracelet. When he looked up, our eyes met, and surprise flashed across his face. Then he instinctively looked at my hands. The blue diamond ring I always wore was gone. Julian immediately walked over and grabbed my wrist, asking, “Where’s the ring?” I looked at him quietly and lied for the first time. I said, “I put it away when I was packing.” Julian clearly didn’t believe me and gripped my hand tighter, causing me pain and making me struggle. Natalia hurried over in panic and tugged at Julian’s sleeve. She said softly, “Julian.” As if suddenly snapping back to reality, Julian released my hand. Then he said quietly, “I’m sorry.” Chloe watched this scene with disbelief. Feeling humiliated, I lowered my head and quickly left.

The day before I was set to leave, Luna called asking me to handle Julian and Natalia’s wedding arrangements. I had other unfinished business to deal with, so I declined outright. However, Luna, who usually appeared gentle, instantly flew into a rage. She screamed at me: “Your family is bankrupt now, and you can’t even bear children. What gives you the right to stop my son from remarrying?” I didn’t argue with her, instead responding calmly: “He can remarry. I’m just busy lately and don’t have time to deal with wedding arrangements.” Julian never asked for my opinion before deciding to divorce me and marry someone else. Why should I help them prepare their wedding? Not wanting to hear Luna speak anymore, I hung up directly. When I returned home, I encountered Julian again in the front yard. He was wearing light gray casual clothes, chatting with Natalia, his face full of relaxed smiles. He laughed while pouring coffee for Natalia. Natalia wore a pair of exquisite pearl earrings that sparkled in the sunlight. The flowers in the yard swayed gently in the breeze. Against the backdrop of the blooms, their gazes appeared particularly intimate. Julian had left the Wyatt company the second year after our marriage to start his own business. All these years, he’d been busy—so busy that he never had a proper conversation with me, let alone spent time with me in the yard enjoying the sunshine. I froze for a moment, then immediately turned around and fled back to my room like I was escaping. The intimate image of the two of them kept flashing before my eyes. I shook my head desperately, trying to dispel these scenes. That fondness I had for Julian at the Christmas party years ago had trapped me until now. Only today did I finally understand—he had never loved me. His heart had always belonged only to Natalia. I ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to stay alert. After calming down, I began systematically checking the wedding gifts Wyatt had originally given me. However, after counting repeatedly, I found one item was still missing. I took out the list Wyatt had originally given me and compared it item by item, finally discovering the missing piece was a pair of pearl earrings. I had seen those earrings on Natalia’s ears. I immediately rushed into Natalia’s room. She had just returned, holding a diamond tiara in her hands, the smile still lingering at the corners of her mouth. Natalia and Julian’s wedding was in three days. I had assumed Julian had prepared everything long ago. I never imagined he would simply take my tiara for Natalia. I angrily snatched the tiara from her hands. Then I saw the pearl earrings on Natalia’s ears. I pinned her against the table with one hand while reaching for her earrings with the other. Natalia’s ear was injured because I used too much force. She cried from the pain, saying: “Let me go first. If you want the earrings, I’ll take them off myself.” I clutched the earrings and tiara to my chest, staring at her coldly. Natalia straightened up awkwardly, looking completely wronged. She said: “If you wanted them, you could have just asked me. Why did you have to treat me like this?” I snorted coldly and said: “You stole my things, and you still expect me to be nice to you? Dream on!” Natalia looked at me with innocent wide eyes, saying pitifully: “I didn’t steal anything.” Just then, I heard footsteps behind me. Julian suddenly pushed me aside and rushed forward to embrace Natalia. I crashed into the wall, my grip loosened, and the tiara rolled to the floor with a crack appearing in the center diamond. Julian stared at me, his eyes full of disgust. He said: “It’s just a tiara. I’m the one who gave it to her to wear. Now you’d rather break it than let Natalia wear it? Your family is already bankrupt. If you keep making trouble, I’ll throw you out.” Natalia cried heavily in his arms. When she looked at the tiara on the floor, she frowned with obvious disdain. Julian held her close, comforting her. He said: “Don’t cry. I’ll have someone make a new one right away. We’ll definitely have it ready for the wedding.” I wiped away my tears, then coldly bent down to pick up my tiara and earrings again. My heart felt torn in half, with pain spreading through my limbs. I just needed to wait a few more days. Once I got the divorce papers, once the plane took off, I could leave this place.

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My best friend Claire Miller and my boyfriend Andrew Evans never got along, even getting into physical fights several times. I thought this was what people online called “a good friend with boundaries” and “a considerate boyfriend who knows his place,” so I never had my guard up around either of them. Until one day during a trip, I accidentally saw Claire with her arms around Andrew’s neck, kissing him passionately. Claire even said, “That idiot Raelynn really thinks we don’t get along. She has no idea how many times we’ve hooked up.” Raelynn Phillips is my name. Then Claire continued, “Every time you and I pretend to fight, she gives me gifts to apologize. She’s such a fool. But don’t you dare break up with her. Otherwise, I won’t get this thrill anymore.” Listening to them mock me so mercilessly, my heart turned cold as I secretly pointed my phone camera at them. Since they loved making me their plaything and victim of deception, I was going to scheme against them too. ***** The intimate sounds from the room kept coming. My fingertips trembled—I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. My best friend Claire was actually with my boyfriend Andrew? Hadn’t they always had a terrible relationship, fighting every time they saw each other? But their intimate conversation reminded me that this was all real. Andrew said, “Baby, don’t worry. If I break up with her, you’d lose your graduate school recommendation, wouldn’t you? She told me a couple days ago that her academic report is almost finished. When the time comes, I’ll steal it and give it to you to help you win the first-place scholarship.” Hearing this, Claire was thrilled and leaned in to kiss Andrew again. She said, “Andrew, you’re so good to me. Raelynn has such a wonderful boyfriend, yet she neglects you every day at the library. She’s so stupid. But once she’s done with her studies, she’ll have plenty of time to spend with you. You won’t dump me for her, will you?” “Her?” Andrew acted like he’d heard the biggest joke in the world. He snorted and said, “I’ve been fed up with her for ages. We’ve been together for over a year, and she won’t even let me touch her. When I kiss her, it’s like kissing a piece of wood. How could some boring prude compare to you? If it weren’t for you, I would’ve broken up with her already.” He sounded particularly indignant, making Claire laugh non-stop. And I stood outside the door, feeling like all the blood in my body had stopped flowing. How could this be? What I thought was a “good friend” and “sweet romance” was nothing but a stupid joke in their eyes. Had they been lying to me about everything? I suppressed the urge to confront them and stumbled back to my room. That night, I couldn’t sleep at all. When I woke up the next day, my eyes were swollen and I looked haggard. As soon as Claire saw me, she rushed over with concern. She said, “Raelynn, what’s wrong? Didn’t you sleep well last night? I know what it is. Andrew must have been snoring too loudly and kept you awake! I told you we shouldn’t have brought him—just the two of us girls should’ve gone on this trip, but you wouldn’t listen!” Andrew immediately shot back, “Claire, what’s that supposed to mean? Raelynn is my girlfriend. As her boyfriend, of course I need to come along to protect her. Why do you always try to get between us?” Here they went again. I’d forgotten when it started, but these two seemed destined to fight whenever they were in the same room. At first, I thought they both wanted alone time with me, and I was caught up in the happiness of “being cared about by two people.” I even foolishly created opportunities like this trip for all three of us to hang out together, thinking I could help ease their conflicts. But now I knew their arguments were just a disguise to cover up their illicit relationship. I was the one who’d been playing the fool in the middle all along. The more fiercely they argued, the more abnormally I refrained from stepping in to stop them. Finally, Andrew put on his fed-up act and left the villa. After he left, Claire sat beside me and started her usual routine of trying to convince me to break up with him. She said, “Raelynn, look at that attitude of his. Being with someone so emotionally unstable, you’re bound to end up in an abusive relationship sooner or later. We’re best friends. Would I ever hurt you? I can’t bear to see you in such a bad situation.” The worry in Claire’s eyes looked genuine. Before, I’d been repeatedly deceived by this very expression, unable to see the truth and thinking Claire was genuinely concerned about me. Unfortunately, now I knew the whole truth. So every word she said made me feel sick. Probably seeing that I wasn’t reacting, Claire put on her usual disappointed and anxious expression. She said, “You still don’t want to break up with him? What kind of spell has Andrew cast on you? I’m telling you—if you don’t break up with him this time, we’re done being friends!” Claire angrily finished speaking, then deliberately moved to sit farther away from me and started playing on her phone. Soon enough, I saw a $2,000 skincare set appear in her recommended videos. When I looked up, I caught Claire stealing glances at me. I almost laughed out loud from anger. Claire had done this before. Every time she and Andrew finished “fighting,” she would “accidentally” let me discover something she was interested in lately. I was afraid of losing her as a friend. So no matter how expensive the item was, I would buy it and give it to her, hoping she wouldn’t hold grudges against Andrew. Claire’s daily necessities were pretty much all covered by me for this reason—headphones, clothes, cosmetics. But this time, I just glanced at the skincare set and said nothing. I’d already been scammed out of so much money by these two jerks. I hadn’t even figured out how to get that money back yet. And now Claire wanted me to keep spending? No way!

Because I didn’t respond, Claire and I fell into a strange cold war. Even Andrew noticed. After dinner, he made a point of asking me: “Raelynn, did you and Claire have a fight?” I nodded. “She told me to break up with you. I refused.” Andrew was stunned. After all, I’d never talked to him about these things before, and I was always singing Claire’s praises in front of him. He hadn’t expected me to be so direct, and he even forgot to put on his usual act of being upset. Finally, Andrew said: “No wonder she seemed to be in a bad mood. You should go apologize to her and cheer her up. Claire’s pretty great—you need to be more tolerant of her.” Did I hear that right? Andrew, who fought with Claire every single day, was telling me to be more tolerant of her? I let out a cold laugh and looked at Andrew. “That’s strange. You two fight every day, so I thought if Claire and I had a falling out, you’d be celebrating for three days straight. Why are you noticing her bad mood today and telling me to cheer her up?” Hearing my words, Andrew realized he’d said the wrong thing. He gave a guilty smile and reached out to hug me. He said: “I just don’t want you to be in a bad mood too. Everyone knows you two are closest. If you really had a falling out, you’d definitely cry. Baby, how could I bear to see you upset?” He called me “baby”—the exact same term he’d used for Claire that night. I felt a wave of nausea and instinctively dodged his embrace. I said: “You just finished smoking. The smell is too strong. Stay away from me.” Andrew sniffed at himself. He said: “Is it that bad? Then I’ll go take a shower first. Later I’ll come with you to find Claire so you can apologize. You need to be good.” Without giving me any chance to refuse, Andrew headed into the bathroom after speaking. Looking at his phone in his jacket pocket, I hesitated for a moment, then took it out. His passcode hadn’t changed—it was still my birthday, and his wallpaper was still a photo of us together. But everything had already changed. Andrew’s phone was clean, without even Claire’s social media accounts. I thought about it and kept searching. Sure enough, I found another WhatsApp hidden in a messy folder on his desktop. I clicked on it and discovered it was Andrew’s alternate account. His chat history with Claire was still active from just moments ago. The two of them were even calling each other “honey” now. My hands were shaking as I scrolled through their chat history, and I suddenly remembered I’d seen this account’s profile picture before. Back then, Claire had openly bragged to me about her flirtatious conversations with this account. She told me that’s how men were these days, and advised me not to be so traditional, or Andrew would be stolen away by someone else. But back then, I was completely absorbed in the illusion Andrew had created, and I’d confidently told her: “That won’t happen. Andrew is the most honest person in the world.” Thinking back to that moment, I wanted to slap myself hard for being so stupid. I scrolled through their chat history bit by bit. Even though I’d mentally prepared myself and tried to stay calm, tears still fell one by one. For three hundred and seventy-four days straight, they hadn’t gone a single day without contact. They’d started chatting just three months after Andrew and I got together. On the hundredth day anniversary of my relationship with Andrew, while I was heartbroken and guilt-ridden because family issues prevented me from coming back to celebrate, they had slept together. When Claire and I went shopping together, who could have imagined we were actually texting the same person? Even during those few days when I was away on a research trip, Andrew would chat with me until 2 AM every night, telling me he “loved me” and saying “goodnight,” but in reality he was holding another woman in his arms, having just finished having sex with her. All the timelines connected, like two parallel worlds sharing the same axis of time. Fighting back tears, I took screenshots of their chat history one by one, then restored his phone to exactly how it was, pretending nothing had happened. But no one knew that inside, I was dying from the pain.   I ultimately turned down Andrew’s suggestion. Using the excuse that I wasn’t feeling well, I returned to my room early. Though he noticed something was off about me, he didn’t say much—just told me to get some rest. Then he left. I didn’t need to think twice to know he was definitely going to see Claire. Sure enough, before long, Andrew came back putting on a caring act, bringing me a glass of milk. His attitude seemed sincere, but there was a lipstick stain at the corner of his mouth that he hadn’t wiped clean. It was Claire’s favorite shade. Andrew said, “Raelynn, have some milk. You haven’t seemed yourself these past couple days. Is something bothering you?” As I brought the glass to my lips, I paused slightly. I suddenly remembered that every time I drank something Andrew brought me, I’d sleep unusually deeply. And that night when I caught them together—I’d only had a couple sips of what he brought because my stomach was upset, then put it down. Could there be something wrong with what he was giving me? A cold sweat broke out across my body. Looking at Andrew’s smile again, I found it strangely sinister and cold. Not knowing what I was thinking, he just smiled and urged, “What’s wrong? Baby, do you need me to feed it to you?” “Go ahead and drink up. Get some good rest afterward. We’re heading back tomorrow, so you need to be well-rested.” I shook my head. “I don’t want it right now. Just leave it there.” Andrew’s expression immediately became unnatural, but he couldn’t very well force me. After hesitating for a long time, he had to compromise: “Alright. Just remember to drink it later.” Andrew gave me a few more reminders. Seeing that I really wasn’t going to cooperate, he finally left the room. After he left, I immediately poured the milk down the sink, then crawled under the covers and pretended to be asleep. Sure enough, after what felt like forever, Andrew finally came back to check on me. Claire was following behind him. Seeing that I was “asleep,” they both relaxed, and their behavior became bolder. After some rustling sounds of clothes, I heard the sounds of them having sex. They were shameless enough to do this in my room! Claire said, “You bad boy! Right next to her, you dare to sleep with me. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out?” Andrew replied, “What are you worried about? I put in more of the drug today. Look, she’s sleeping soundly. She dared to upset my baby, so she has to pay the price.” Claire laughed, “You’re so good to me. Raelynn’s been in such a bad mood these past couple days, actually daring to ignore me. She’s not even bringing me gifts anymore. You don’t think she’s figured something out, do you?” “How could she?” Andrew kissed Claire’s lips, reassuring her. “I’ve handled everything perfectly—didn’t leave any evidence.” “Besides, you and I fight every day, so there’s no way she’d suspect us. Once we get back, we can play some more exciting games.” Andrew’s last words were drowned out by the sounds of him and Claire kissing. I felt nauseated, my palms bearing deep marks from my fingernails. I was indeed heartbroken by Andrew’s betrayal, but what I found even harder to accept was how much Claire seemed to be enjoying this. Claire came from a poor family. When we started freshman year, she was mocked and bullied by some troublemakers in our class because of her heavy accent, and they even stole the scholarship she’d applied for. I couldn’t stand watching it, so I took her all the way to the administration office to get the leadership to help resolve the situation. Later, because I was constantly coming and going at odd hours, I was worried about disturbing my roommates’ sleep, so I moved out of the dorm. When Claire heard about this, she said she wanted to move out with me too, but she didn’t have the money. So I just had her cover utilities while I took care of the rent and other expenses. That’s how we ended up living in the same place and gradually became best friends. I’d share half of whatever good things I had with her, and I’d often buy her things she liked. We once got drunk together and promised to be best friends for life. But how did we end up like this?

I don’t know how I made it through that day. From then on, it felt like something inside me had been ripped out by the roots, leaving nothing behind. On the way back, I sat in the passenger seat. Unlike before, I deliberately acted intimate with Andrew. Fighting back the nausea in my stomach, I made sure to say suggestive things. At first, Andrew nervously stole glances at Claire’s expression through the rearview mirror. But after just a few words from me, his attention was completely drawn away, and he even started playing along with me. Men, especially cheating men, are all the same. You think his willingness to betray his morals for you means true love, but he’ll always be attracted to the next person who actively approaches him. Claire sat in the back seat, making a few snide remarks. On the surface, she was criticizing me, but every word was actually a threat to Andrew. She said, “Raelynn, get a grip, will you? You’re actually going to wear that kind of outfit and dance for him? Does he deserve it? Andrew, I’m warning you, don’t you dare go along with this. Raelynn is precious, and if you dare to look, I’ll gouge your eyes out!” Andrew snorted coldly, “She’s my girlfriend. If I want to look, I’ll look. I can even hold her in my arms while I watch. What’s it to you?” For once, Claire didn’t argue back. She probably couldn’t tell whether Andrew’s words were just an act or if he meant them. I leisurely admired the scenery outside the window. Their conflict needed to escalate further. Only when their contradictions intensified would they lose control of their emotions and make mistakes, allowing me to smoothly proceed with the next phase of my plan. I had Andrew drop Claire off at home first, then used the excuse of needing to pick up something from school to have him give me a ride. On the way, I casually mentioned that I’d be going back to my hometown in a couple of days. Andrew’s eyes filled with delight, though he tried to suppress the excitement in his voice. He asked, “Going back home? Why so suddenly? How long will you be gone?” I made up some random excuse: “My mom said there’s an issue with my passport information and wants me to come back to fix it. Probably three to five days. Too bad it coincides with your birthday – I won’t be able to celebrate with you.” Andrew thought for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively, “It’s fine, business comes first. I have a birthday every year.” I sneered inwardly. How considerate of him – he’d probably already planned what wine to drink with Claire on his birthday. I calmly exchanged “I’ll miss you” type pleasantries with Andrew. After getting home, Claire was still giving me the cold shoulder over what happened in the car. It wasn’t until she heard me packing that she poked her head out and asked, “You’re leaving?” I repeated the same story I’d told Andrew. After hearing it, she became excited too. She said, “Well, be safe on your trip. If that bastard Andrew makes you angry, just tell me and I’ll rush over to beat him up for you.” I smiled without responding. She wanted to help me beat him up? Knowing them, they’d probably end up in bed together after all that fighting.   That day, while Andrew and Claire were both in class, I dragged my suitcase and pretended to leave. But I took a detour at the community gate and went straight to Andrew’s rental apartment. Then I pulled out my phone and opened the live streaming platform. I wrote the stream title: [I want to secretly prepare a birthday surprise for my boyfriend to see his reaction. You guys have to help me keep it a secret, okay.] As soon as I started streaming, dozens of people joined. Most of them were classmates from our school. Comments immediately started flooding the live chat. [Wow! You’re so romantic!] [Did your boyfriend save the galaxy in his past life?] [I really want to see a man moved to tears!] I smiled sweetly at the camera. Then I said, “You guys need to keep it down, don’t give away my plan. I told my boyfriend I was going back home, but I’m actually trying to surprise him.” After that, I pointed the camera toward Andrew’s bedroom and pretended to prepare decorations for the surprise. Actually, I had already hidden my phone in a safe corner, waiting to watch their little show. Sure enough, they didn’t disappoint me. Before long, I heard the sound of the door lock turning. Then came the continuous sounds of a man and woman kissing, mixed with Claire’s voice that carried a hint of tears. She said, “You have to make this clear to me today. Do you love me or do you love Raelynn? Last time in the car, you actually said you wanted to hold her in your arms while watching? Are you going to abandon me?” Andrew said, “How could that be, baby? If I didn’t want you, why would I be so eager to see you? I heard you prepared a birthday surprise for me? Show me what it is.” Their entire conversation was captured on camera, and comments instantly flooded the live chat. [Isn’t that Claire’s voice? How is she at Andrew’s place?] [Wait. I remember Claire is Raelynn’s best friend. They have such a close relationship and go everywhere together. She’s actually doing this behind her best friend’s back?] However, some comments urged everyone to stay calm, saying it might not be what everyone was thinking. But the next second, Claire’s revealing clothes and their gradually embracing figures were captured crystal clear on camera. At that moment, the viewers went completely crazy. [Oh my God! Am I getting to watch this for free?] [Raelynn, is this setting up a surprise?] [This is totally catching them in the act!] The number of viewers multiplied, and some people even started posting screenshots on the campus social media platform. Of course, the “surprise” Claire and Andrew had for me didn’t stop there. They were so brazen that they even started plotting about my academic report again. Claire said, “Andrew, I regret this. I don’t want to share you with her anymore. That day in the car when I saw you two being so intimate, I was furious. Her academic report is almost finished, right? When she comes back, help me steal her academic report. Then we’ll both get recommended to the same school and continue being together. You can dump her ruthlessly!” Andrew was extremely excited, so he agreed to whatever Claire said. He said, “Okay. I’ll do whatever you say, baby. When the time comes, I’ll say she’s too busy and doesn’t have time for me. She’s so stupid, she’ll definitely think it’s her fault. Then I can take the opportunity to squeeze some money out of her.” Even though I had orchestrated all of this, hearing them plot against me so shamelessly still made my heart ache inexplicably. I had treated them sincerely, but I never expected I’d raised two ungrateful people. At this point, the live chat was filled with comments defending me. [These two are disgusting. Raelynn treats them so well, and this is how they repay her?] [Plus, I often see Andrew and Claire fighting. I had no idea they were all acting.] [Not only do they eat and drink at Raelynn’s expense, but they also want to steal her academic report. They’re shameless!] The constantly scrolling comments kept my stream’s popularity high. However, because the content was too explosive, my account was banned shortly after. But it didn’t matter. The most important part of the video had already been screen-recorded and was spreading widely among our classmates. I had achieved my goal. Several friends who usually got along well with me came to comfort me. I deliberately put on the act of a victim, crying as I told my story. For a moment, all public opinion was on my side.

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Eight months pregnant and struggling with mobility, I satisfied my drunk husband Samuel Garcia in other ways. My movements were clumsy and awkward. He leaned against the headboard, his tone filled with dissatisfaction: “Compared to Adeline, your technique is terrible. When I get the chance, I’ll arrange for you two to meet, so you can learn from her.” Adeline Moore was his childhood sweetheart. Hearing this, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. My voice trembling, I asked: “She’s helped you like this too?” Samuel didn’t care at all, even burping from the alcohol: “That was her punishment for losing at Truth or Dare. Don’t worry, we didn’t have any real contact.” I was stunned, then said: “Let’s get divorced.” ***** Samuel laughed and crossed his legs. Being drunk, his words were somewhat incoherent. He pointed at my belly: “Besides me, no other man would want you—a pregnant whale covered in stretch marks.” Stretch marks? Pregnant whale? Those words stabbed into my heart like knives. My voice shook: “Have you forgotten how many shots I took, how many pills I swallowed, how many hospital visits I made just to fulfill your dream of becoming a father?” Samuel didn’t care, lighting a cigarette: “Same pregnancy, but Adeline’s belly doesn’t have all those disgusting stretch marks like yours. She just applied stretch mark oil a few times, and her belly stayed smooth as a young girl’s.” I collapsed onto the sofa, tears streaming down my face. I asked: “You’ve applied stretch mark oil on her?” Samuel exhaled smoke: “Not just applied it—I’ve also done prenatal education for the baby in her belly. Don’t worry, she doesn’t have a man, so I just wanted to let her feel what it’s like to be cared for by one.” I completely broke down. I grabbed the water glass from the table and threw the honey lemon water right in his face. Samuel instantly sobered up. He was stunned for a moment before coming to his senses, asking cautiously: “Stella, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been smoking. I apologize to you and the baby.” Stella Myers is my name. Samuel tried to lie on my belly and talk to the baby like he used to. I pushed him away directly: “Get out.” Samuel rarely looked this panicked: “Stella, you know men say stupid things when they’re drunk. Did I say something that upset you just now?” Samuel immediately made a swearing gesture: “I swear, I only love Stella and our baby.” Fighting back nausea, I grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at him. The corner of the pillow grazed his eye, making Samuel wince in pain. He stood up, his voice cold with anger: “Stella, stop being unreasonable. Adeline and I didn’t have any real contact. What man nowadays doesn’t have close female friends? Her helping me with her hand was just a Truth or Dare punishment—would you rather I cheated on you while you’re pregnant?” I stared at Samuel in shock. I never dreamed that the man who always claimed to love me could speak so matter-of-factly about another woman helping him with her hand. Swallowing the bitter taste in my throat, I pointed toward the door: “Get out.” Samuel’s face turned ashen. He angrily shoved past me: “Stella, I’ll be waiting for you to come begging me to come back.” The thunderous slam of the door completely shattered me. I slid painfully from the sofa to the floor, tears flowing endlessly. The baby in my belly seemed to sense my despair, constantly kicking at my stomach. In the early morning hours, sharp pain suddenly shot through my belly. Instinctively, I reached for my phone to call Samuel, but my trembling hand accidentally opened Instagram instead. I saw Adeline’s latest post. Her naked, prominently rounded belly had a hand gently applying stretch mark oil to it. Just like Samuel said, her belly was smooth without a single stretch mark. Adeline’s caption read: [My baby may not have a father, but his godfather hasn’t let him fall behind at the starting line. Prenatal education begins!] Enduring the severe pain, I called Samuel. The phone rang for a long time with no answer. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I felt warmth between my legs. This icy despair was suffocating me. Before losing consciousness, the last thing I saw was that huge wedding photo on the wall.

I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up, my parents Levi Myers and Gianna Myers were sitting by my bedside, their faces filled with worry. I instinctively touched my belly. The flat stomach left me stunned. I looked at Levi and Gianna, my voice trembling: “Dad, Mom, was the baby born safely?” Gianna, who had always been strong, had tears in her eyes as she turned her face away. She said through her tears: “Stella, you need to be strong.” Those words pierced my heart like a knife. The bone-deep pain nearly made me faint again. My heart was breaking, yet I couldn’t shed a single tear. Gianna held me and said: “Stella, you still have us.” Looking at their gray hair, I was filled with regret. Three Christmases ago, they had already disapproved of Samuel. They had warned me more than once to be careful of Adeline, who was always around Samuel. But back then, with my head full of love, I not only ignored their advice but also blamed them for meddling. I even shouted that I would cut ties with them when they strongly opposed my marriage to Samuel. Thinking about all this made my heart ache. I said: “Dad, Mom, I was wrong.” Gianna held me and cried, while Levi kept wiping his tears beside us. During the week I was recovering, Samuel didn’t call even once. Fortunately, with Levi and Gianna’s care, my body recovered quickly. Half a month later, I received a call from Samuel. It was noisy on the other end, and I could vaguely hear Adeline’s voice. She said: “Samuel, when we play the ‘remote underwear removal’ game, you absolutely cannot let my skin be exposed. Only you can see, touch, and kiss my belly.” I gripped the phone tightly. Then Samuel said: “You have half a month left before giving birth. As long as you apologize to me now, I’ll come back immediately to be with you.” I hung up directly. After my recovery period ended, I finally removed Samuel from my blocked contacts. Almost immediately, his call came through. My voice was calm as I asked coldly: “Where are you?” My proactive inquiry made Samuel laugh. He said: “I knew you’d give in.” Then he gave me an address. I put on makeup, changed into a loose maternity dress, picked up a box beside me, and went to the club where Samuel was. Samuel was leaning back on a sofa with Adeline sitting beside him, along with several of his friends. Seeing me, Adeline mocked: “Stella, you’re so lucky to have found a man like Samuel who hasn’t cheated despite not satisfying his desires for a month.” I sat across from Samuel. Seeing my carefully applied makeup, Samuel frowned. He said: “You’re pregnant and still wearing makeup? Don’t you know cosmetics are bad for the baby?” Adeline coughed lightly. Then she said: “Samuel, I saw news yesterday saying that women in their third trimester have very strong sexual needs. Stella hasn’t contacted you for a month, and today she’s dressed up so beautifully. She wouldn’t be thinking of…” She didn’t finish her sentence, deliberately leaving room for misunderstanding. At the same time, her body suggestively brushed against Samuel’s arm. Looking at Adeline in her tight top, deliberately showing her belly, I let out a cold laugh. I said: “Miss Moore, just because I put on makeup, you want to label me as having a ‘messy private life.’ What about you? You’re showing your belly, using the excuse of being ‘good friends’ to hang around men all day, flirting with a married man, and carrying a child whose father is unknown. What does that make you?” Adeline hadn’t expected me to be so direct, and her face darkened. She bit her lip pitifully and looked at Samuel: “Samuel, maybe I really shouldn’t get too close to you. No wonder my child can’t even feel a father’s love.” Samuel immediately felt sorry for her. He patted Adeline’s back and said: “Silly girl, I promised you I’d take care of you and the child. I am this child’s father. From now on, whatever my son has, your son will have too.” Adeline smiled and shot me a provocative look. She suddenly raised her hand and placed it between Samuel’s legs. Then, with a smug expression, she said: “Stella, you’re overthinking. Even if I touch him, he won’t react. We’ve been friends since childhood, and our relationship is as pure as a blank sheet of paper.” As soon as she finished speaking, there was an obvious change between Samuel’s legs.

Adeline burst into laughter and pinched Samuel’s waist with her hand. Samuel let out a moan that mixed pleasure with pain. Adeline didn’t think there was anything inappropriate about her behavior at all. She pulled her hand back and said, “We friends always play around like this. Stella, if you’re jealous, you’ll die of jealousy.” I looked at Samuel and said, “Your ‘pure friendship’ is truly eye-opening.” Samuel smiled and said, “She just touched me a little, it’s not like I’m losing any flesh. Don’t worry. Stella, I’ll remain faithful to you and won’t touch other women.” Adeline slapped the table. She said, “Samuel, we should move on to the next activity.” Their friends nearby started cheering them on. One of the men said, “Samuel, you’re going to ‘enjoy yourself’ again today.” Samuel smiled and turned Adeline around directly. Then, with practiced movements, he used his mouth to unzip her top. With his hands raised, his mouth worked its way down until it stopped at Adeline’s bra clasp. Next, Adeline’s bra fell down. Everyone present applauded and cheered. Adeline even put the bra right on Samuel’s head. Seeing this scene made me feel sick to my stomach. Samuel tossed the bra aside. Then he said, “Stella, this is the most inappropriate thing between us. You don’t need to be jealous of her.” As soon as he finished speaking, Adeline shoved the pregnancy oil into Samuel’s hands. She said, “Time for the oil massage.” Samuel first warmed his hands, then dripped the pregnancy oil on Adeline’s belly and began massaging skillfully. He worked from top to bottom, not missing a single spot. My eyes stung with tears. When I was five months pregnant, I had also asked Samuel to apply pregnancy oil for me. But after seeing the stretch marks all over my belly, he immediately rushed into the bathroom and threw up. Later, when I asked him to do prenatal education for the baby in my womb, he disgustedly threw the prenatal education book into the trash. He said, “A barely formed fetus doesn’t need prenatal education.” After saying that, he turned and left. But now, the same man who had been disgusted by me was lying on Adeline’s belly under his friends’ teasing, gently telling stories to the baby in her womb. Every gentle movement Samuel made felt like stepping on my wounded heart. Only after finishing two stories did Samuel look up at me. He said with a smile, “Don’t worry. When we get home tonight, I’ll tell stories to our child.” I said coldly, “No need.” Samuel didn’t notice anything unusual about me. He even said, “Then don’t blame me anymore for not doing prenatal education for the child. Adeline has no one to take care of her. I’ll spend more time taking care of her from now on.” Adeline linked arms with Samuel, smiling happily. She said, “Samuel, you won’t forget my due date, will you?” Samuel gently tapped her neck with his finger. He said, “The twenty-third of next month. How could I possibly forget?” A friend sitting nearby, perhaps sensing something was wrong with me, blurted out, “Samuel, when is Stella’s due date? We’ll go to the hospital to see her and the baby then.” Samuel froze. He stared intently at my belly and said, “Her due date is…” After a long time, he still hadn’t said the date. Samuel let go of Adeline’s hand and sat down next to me. He said, “Stella, I have too much going on at the company. It’s normal for me to forget. Tell me now, and I’ll write it down in my notebook immediately.” As he spoke, he opened his phone’s notepad. I glanced at the notepad and saw it was densely packed with various reminders. Without exception, they were all related to Adeline. Samuel said awkwardly, “Adeline and I grew up together. It’s normal for me to care about her.” After saying that, he placed his hand on my belly. He said, “Baby, I’m waiting for you to be born. When the time comes, I’ll buy you…” Before he could finish, Samuel’s expression suddenly changed. He immediately stood up, staring intently at my belly. After a moment, he asked with a trembling voice, “Where’s the child?” I pointed to the box I had brought with me.

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My Family Tossed Me Aside, But I Came Back to Reclaim Everything When I was little, my brother Brandon and his first love, Leo, were kidnapped. The kidnappers were ruthless. They specifically demanded that I, a small girl, deliver the ransom. Brandon and Leo were safe, but I was taken as a hostage and eventually sold into a brothel. My parents were heartbroken, so they adopted a girl to replace me. Ten years later, relying on hazy memories, I finally found my way back to the house I once called home. My family hugged me, weeping floods of tears. Not wanting to make things difficult for me, they didn’t hesitate to send the adopted girl away. But the day before Penelope was supposed to leave, Brandon cruelly pushed me down the stairs. “Sometimes I wish she’d just died ten years ago.” “But she’s your sister, your *real* sister. She risked her life for you back then.” “Does being ‘real’ even matter? I only see Penelope as my sister.” Mom and Dad didn’t argue. Maybe that’s what they secretly thought too. I slowly opened my eyes, deliberately feigning confusion. “Who… who are you people?” I wasn’t welcome here. So, I’d take everything back to square one. My fake family? I didn’t need them. And everything that was rightfully mine? I’d take it back with my own two hands.

My head still spun, and I tried to sit up. A voice, laced with fury, crashed down on me: “Don’t pretend you’re still asleep now that you’re awake!” It was my own brother, Brandon Albright. He stood by the hospital bed, his brows furrowed, his tone dripping with impatience. “You hit Penelope, and we haven’t even settled that score yet. Now you’re playing the victim?” Before I could even open my mouth, Leo Davis, my childhood sweetheart, suddenly stood up from the corner, his voice filled with urgent concern for Penelope: “Penelope? What happened? Is she hurt?” His face was etched with worry, and his gaze towards me carried an added layer of blame. But Penelope knew perfectly well this was all her made-up story. Yesterday, I caught her secretly tossing the new dress my mother bought me into the trash in the living room. Afraid I’d tell, she deliberately cried to Brandon, claiming I pushed and insulted her. And now, somehow, it had become *my* fault. Leo quickly walked to the bedside, his voice firm and unyielding: “Chloe Albright, you apologize to Penelope right now! She’s so kind; how could you lay a hand on her?” I rubbed my throbbing temple, my face cold as I looked at Penelope, who was standing behind Brandon. “I don’t remember anything. Did I… do something to you?” Penelope’s eyes instantly flickered with panic. She didn’t dare speak, just shrank further behind Brandon. Brandon immediately shielded Penelope, glaring at me with a harsh reprimand: “Don’t you dare try to scare my sister! You’ve clearly been in that brothel too long; you can’t get rid of that wild streak!” “Chloe, if you still consider me your brother, then apologize to Penelope right now!” Watching him protect someone else, the last shred of hope I had for my family crumbled. I forced a smile, my voice icy: “Who wants to call *you* brother? I don’t even know you.” “You’re faking it! Keep faking it!” Brandon was enraged by my words. He reached out, grabbing my arm. “Mr. Albright, please calm down.” The doctor quickly intervened, seeing the situation. “When the kidnappers took Ms. Albright ten years ago, they detonated a bomb to deter police pursuit.” “Ms. Albright’s head sustained an impact, leaving a lasting sequela. This fall down the stairs likely stimulated those nerves. It’s highly probable she’s genuinely suffering from amnesia right now.” The kidnapping of the eldest sons of the prominent Albright and Davis families had been a widely known scandal back then. As soon as the doctor spoke, Brandon, who had been so aggressive just moments ago, froze. His outstretched hand hung awkwardly in mid-air. He looked at me, the anger on his face slowly fading, replaced by a flicker of undeniable embarrassment and guilt. Mom rushed to the bedside, sobbing, her voice choked: “Chloe, you really don’t remember anything?” I nodded gently, pulling my hand away. A perfectly timed look of confusion crossed my face: “Ma’am, may I ask who… you are?” Mom’s tears flowed even harder. She opened her mouth, her voice trembling: “Chloe, I’m your…” “She’s your owner!” Brandon suddenly cut off Mom’s words. He stepped forward, blocking Mom from me, his eyes cold as he stared at me, speaking each word distinctly: “She’s your owner. And you, you’re just a servant we took in out of pity when we found you, a long time ago.”

Brandon’s cold words momentarily confused Mom. But Leo was the first to react. He took half a step forward, as if convincing himself: “That’s right, you’re just a servant of the Albright family.” “Mr. and Mrs. Albright kindly took you from that remote place and raised you, but you’re so ungrateful. You’re jealous of their real daughter, Penelope Albright, and you even attacked her. That’s just too much.” His words pierced me like a needle. I looked at him—Leo Davis, who used to cling to me so much as a child, the person I risked my own safety to save. Now, for another girl, he was saying such insane things to me. Ten years really could change so much. Mom’s eyes slowly shifted. Perhaps, deep down, she’d long wanted to get rid of me, this burden. I’d spent ten years in isolation, a world away from Penelope, whom she had carefully groomed to impress her high society friends. Before, guilt might have made her hesitant, but now, this was her golden opportunity to finally shed me. Still, she hesitated, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something. Just then, Penelope hugged Mom’s arm, her voice soft and tearful as she comforted her: “Mom, don’t be sad. You still have me; I’ll always be your daughter.” Penelope’s words melted away Mom’s last bit of hesitation. She hugged Penelope: “Penelope, Mom knows, I only have you, my good daughter.” I couldn’t stand to watch this sickening display of a loving mother and daughter. I turned my gaze to Dad, who had been silently standing in the corner. I spoke softly, “Excuse me… is what they’re saying true? Am I really a servant the Albrights adopted?” The words had barely left my lips when Brandon exploded: “What do you mean by that? You don’t believe what I’m saying?” “You’re a servant who saw my kind and easily bullied sister, and you wanted to take her place!” “Yesterday, you tried to harm Penelope, but you accidentally tripped and fell down the stairs yourself. You brought this on yourself, serves you right!” “Let me tell you, the Albright family doesn’t owe you anything. Don’t think you can play the victim and fish for sympathy here!” *I* tripped and fell down the stairs? I sneered internally. It was *him*, the brother whose life I saved, who personally shoved me down the stairs. If I had truly lost my memory, as they believed, I might have actually fallen for his lies. But I hadn’t. I waited for him to finish yelling everything before I slowly spoke. “I wasn’t even asking you. Why are you explaining so much? Is it because you have something to hide?” “You!” Brandon choked on my words, his face instantly turning scarlet. I watched his exasperated expression, still wanting to provoke him further. Then, Dad, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. “You are indeed a servant the Albright family took in, all those years ago.” I froze. I thought Dad would at least show a flicker of doubt, But I never imagined that even he would so readily deny our blood ties.

I looked at Dad’s face, recalling childhood memories. I was his favorite child, but now, the way he looked at me held no trace of his former warmth. Instead, it was as if he was looking at an Albright family possession that didn’t belong to him, something that could be discarded at any moment. I steadied myself, slowly nodding. “Alright, I understand. Thank you to the Albright family for taking care of me all these years. The money spent on me, I will pay back every cent.” Mr. Albright looked at my expressionless face and actually showed a hint of imperceptible sadness. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something more, but Brandon’s cold scoff interrupted him. “Pay back? Look at yourself!” Brandon crossed his arms, his face full of disdain. “A day’s stay in this fancy hospital would probably wipe out a year’s worth of your wages. What are you going to use to pay us back?” I met his gaze, my tone still flat: “Is that so? If I can’t afford it, then I’ll leave right now.” With that, I started to throw off the covers and get out of bed. Seeing this, Mr. Albright quickly stepped forward, his voice tinged with a hint of pity: “Don’t be impulsive, you’re not well yet. Why don’t you come home with me first? The family will continue to look after you.” I stopped, turning to him and giving a slight nod, my voice distant: “Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Albright. I will repay the Albright family in the future.” Hearing that address, Mr. Albright’s face blurred for a moment. He looked at me with complex eyes, as if remembering something, or regretting something. Brandon, however, couldn’t hold back. He stepped forward, blocking me, warning fiercely: “Who needs your repayment? Just don’t cause trouble! You can come home with us, but if you dare to bully Penelope again, I swear I won’t let you off!” I ignored him, just looked at Mr. Albright, silently waiting for him to decide. Finally, Mr. Albright took me back to the Albright house. Mrs. Albright instructed Maria to prepare dinner. The ingredients were already ready, and soon the dishes were served. I didn’t move, instead turning and walking towards the small room where the staff ate. Mr. Albright, seeing this, opened his mouth in confusion: “Where are you going?” I looked back at him, calmly asking in return: “Mr. Albright, didn’t you say I was a servant the Albright family adopted?” “How can a servant sit and eat with their employers in the dining room?” The single sentence froze everyone present, all of them looking awkward. Penelope’s eyes suddenly reddened. She tugged at my sleeve, softly saying: “Sister, don’t be like this. I’ll give you my seat; I can stand and eat.” Mrs. Albright immediately pulled Penelope close, her voice gentle and pained: “Penelope, you’re our precious daughter. How can you stand and eat? Come, sit with Mom.” Penelope immediately leaned into Mrs. Albright’s arms, whining playfully: “Mom, you’re so good to me.” Another dazzling display of a loving mother and daughter. Seeing this, Brandon and Leo immediately jumped to Penelope’s defense. “Look at you, Penelope is being so accommodating, and you’re still so relentless!” Brandon glared at me. Leo also frowned, saying: “Chloe, you’re being far too aggressive. How could you treat Penelope like that?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “She offered her seat herself. I didn’t force her.” “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to eat.” With that, I no longer looked at their displeased faces and walked straight into the staff room. Early Monday morning, I was carrying my faded backpack, ready to go to school, when Brandon stopped me just as I reached the door. “Don’t go causing trouble at school, and don’t tell anyone you know us. You’ll just embarrass the Albright family.” “Also, don’t bother me or Leo unnecessarily. We’re not in the same league as you.” Leo stood beside him, tacitly agreeing with Brandon’s words, though he cast a complicated glance at me before quickly looking away. I didn’t reply. I opened the door and walked directly to the bus stop. Since they declared me a servant, the family car had never once taken me to school.

At school, Penelope and her clique of friends always tried to cause me trouble. But I never paid them any mind, treating them like annoying dogs barking in my ear. This morning, as I reached the school gate, Penelope and her friends blocked my way. I had an old-fashioned MP3 player plugged into my ears. I didn’t have the chance to go to school when I was in the brothel, and I always wanted to study properly. Now that I was back in the city, I could finally slowly catch up. “Chloe Albright, what is that piece of junk you have plugged into your ears?” One of Penelope’s friends reached out and yanked off my headphones, her voice full of mockery. “What century are you living in? Still using a prehistoric MP3 player. What a total geek!” “What kind of lame music are you listening to? Let us hear it, huh?” She turned on the speaker. Penelope, hearing it, immediately covered her mouth and laughed: “Oh, you’re studying English? With your pathetic level, what’s the point?” Her friend chimed in: “Exactly! Penelope’s English is way better than yours. She’s going to an Ivy League university abroad with her grandmother after she turns eighteen!” “Chloe, you could study English your whole life and never surpass Penelope!” Penelope listened to their words, her face beaming with pride. I hadn’t even opened my mouth when an elegant old lady, with silvery hair, walked up, carrying a suitcase. She wore a well-fitted trench coat, her face showing a hint of urgency. It turned out she was Grandma Eleanor, a wealthy matriarch who had lived abroad for decades and was not fluent in the local language. She asked for directions in English, and I understood enough to communicate with her and point her the way. Penelope scoffed at me: “Chloe Albright, your English accent is so embarrassing, you’ll make everyone laugh.” I rolled my eyes at her, speaking flatly: “Didn’t you say your English was so good? Then *you* help her with directions.” Penelope adopted a haughty posture: “Why should I help her? An old lady, it’s none of my business if she falls and dies.” With that, she dragged her friends into the school. I ignored her. I turned back to the old lady, offering a polite smile, and conversed with her fluently in English. The old woman looked at me with an admiring gaze. Only after her back disappeared down the road did I pick up my MP3 player from the ground and head into school for class. Time flew by, and soon it was Penelope’s eighteenth birthday gala. The Albright family hosted a grand party, with everyone fawning over Penelope, who was the center of attention. No one remembered that today was also *my* birthday. Just then, the ballroom doors opened, and a distinguished old woman walked in – it was the Albright family matriarch, Grandma Eleanor. She usually lived abroad and had returned specifically to take her chosen grandchild overseas to further her career. Mrs. Albright’s eyes lit up. She immediately nudged Penelope forward: “Penelope, quickly go help Grandma and sit with her.” Penelope instantly put on a sweet and innocent act. “Grandma, you’re back. What a tiring journey for you.” But as her hand just touched Grandma Eleanor’s sleeve, she froze. Grandma Eleanor was staring at her with an icy gaze. The next second, Grandma Eleanor brushed her hand away, her voice as cold as ice: “I don’t need your help. It’s none of your business even if I fall and die.” Penelope’s face flushed with embarrassment, her hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air. I stood in the corner, barely holding back a laugh. Wasn’t that the matriarch I met at the school gate that day? Turns out, she’s *my* grandmother. “Chloe Albright! What are you laughing at?!” Brandon immediately yelled at me. “This has nothing to do with you! Get out of here right now!” I was about to turn, but Grandma Eleanor called out: “Wait, child.” She quickly walked to my side, grabbing my hand, her voice instantly softening as she showered me with concern: “How have you been? Are you eating properly? Come, sit with Grandma.” Mrs. Albright quickly stepped forward to intervene, a forced smile on her face: “Mom, this isn’t proper. She’s just a…” Her words were cut short by Grandma Eleanor’s sharp interruption. “Just a what?” “Regardless of her status, *I* feel a connection with this girl. She feels more like my granddaughter. Do any of you have an issue with that?”

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My Boss Tried to Frame Me… But I Can Hear Thoughts?! I collapsed at work, my heart seizing up, dying right there. Not a single colleague bothered to call 911. They just watched, cold-eyed, as I faded away. In my last moments, a familiar voice echoed in my ears. “I can control everyone to hear my thoughts. What makes you think you can compete with me?” “Ashley, a poor girl like you should just stay in your village. This isn’t where you belong.” Even as I died, I had no idea how I, a small-town girl who’d put herself through college with scholarships and the tight-knit support of my community, and then worked tirelessly to land my dream job, had ever offended anyone so deeply. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day I’d exposed the expired pre-packaged meals in the conference room, just before my last life’s sudden demise. I was still reeling from the strange, familiar voice I’d heard right before I died. Then, a voice popped into my head. *{Should I tell the Director that Ashley intentionally changed the packaging dates? If it comes out, the entire team’s year-end bonus will be forfeited.}* I spun around, staring in disbelief at Brittany, my supposed best friend, sitting beside me. She was smiling at me, her face innocent and sweet. But she didn’t know that this time, I could hear her thoughts too.

I couldn’t believe it. The girl who had looked out for me so meticulously since I joined the company was actually the one who’d caused my death. I remembered my last life. The Director had heard Brittany’s thoughts and wrongly assumed I’d changed the dates myself, just to claim credit. He’d immediately announced that our team’s year-end bonuses were canceled. Afterward, the entire team isolated me. They were too scared to oppose the Director, so they unleashed all their anger on me, ostracizing me completely. I regretted it then, blaming myself for being too tongue-tied to explain things clearly to the Director. I carried that guilt, always feeling like I’d let everyone down. And that was exactly what set the stage for my eventual heart failure. I snapped back to the present. The Director was scrutinizing the photos of the expired pre-packaged meals I’d submitted earlier. A moment later, his eyes widened, as if he’d noticed something, and he looked up at me. “Ashley, did you take these photos during your store visit?” I slowly stood up, my gaze sweeping across everyone in the conference room, especially my closest friend. As expected, the next second, Brittany’s thoughts echoed in my mind. *{No wonder I saw her editing the dates on those photos in Photoshop yesterday. She was fabricating evidence.}* *{The Director keeps looking at her. He must have realized the photos are off.}* I pulled my gaze away from Brittany’s feigned innocence. When I looked up, the Director was frowning at me. Then, he slammed the photos onto the table, stood up, and strode towards me. Knowing the truth, I faced the situation with an unsettling calm this time. The Director quickly reached my side, his voice sharp with anger. “Ashley, there are hundreds of employees at Eastbay Group. How is it that *only you* could find expired pre-packaged meals?” “Are your eyes better than everyone else’s?” “Or are you saying everyone else in the company is blind except for you?” I lowered my head, my voice barely a whisper. “Director, I didn’t. I truly found these during my store visit.” The Director sneered. “I’ve played all the games you’re trying to pull. I’ve seen countless people like you.” “Today, I’ll show you what happens when you try to be a hero! The year-end bonuses for Ashley’s entire team are canceled!” “Anyone who has a problem with it, come talk to me. Grab your termination papers, and I’ll ensure you get every penny of your severance.” Everyone in the conference room stared at me. My teammates’ eyes were practically spitting fire. “Who the hell does Ashley think she is? What’s with her trying to act so smart?” “She’s a menace! Our whole team was counting on those thousands for the holidays, and she just ruined it all!” Instead of returning to my seat, I silently moved to a corner. I secretly sent a SnapChat message to Leo, the store manager of the location with the expired food. ‘I can’t help you anymore. The Director won’t accept this. It’ll probably go to the General Manager sooner or later. I advise you to confess to the GM yourself.’ The Director caught my small movement from the corner of his eye. He swiftly walked over and snatched my phone. “Ashley, you’ve got some nerve.” “You ruined the entire team’s year-end bonuses, and you’re still shamelessly playing on your phone? Aren’t you ashamed?” I bit down hard on my lip, saying nothing. Just then, Mr. Davies, my manager, also came up to me. “Ashley, are you freaking mute?” As I slowly released my bleeding lip, about to speak, the conference room door suddenly swung open. Sarah, the secretary, rushed in, whispered something to the Director, and then quickly left. With the Director gone, I instantly became the common enemy. A torrent of insults rained down on me.

A few minutes later, the conference room door opened again. The General Manager’s secretary called me and the rest of the team out. As soon as I stepped into Mr. Thompson’s office, he rushed over, taking two steps at a time, to apologize to me. “Ashley, Mr. Davies unfairly accused you in this matter. I’ll have him apologize to you right away and clear your name.” Mr. Thompson spoke, his eyes filled with resentment as he glanced at the Director standing behind him. I kept my head down. “General Manager, an apology isn’t necessary. I’d like to transfer departments.” He had doubted my integrity and suspected me of fraud based solely on Brittany’s word. Such a person didn’t deserve to be my leader. Mr. Thompson nodded, readily agreeing. Then he continued, “Mr. Davies, if this expired pre-packaged meal incident isn’t handled properly, do you know how much damage and loss it could bring to the Group?” “I don’t think you should continue as Director.” My heart lurched. I had thought the Director would, at most, face some penalties or a fine. I never expected him to lose his job. Mr. Davies was in his forties; being fired at his age meant his future was over. He realized this too, and the light in his eyes instantly faded. But he dared not blame me, and certainly not the General Manager. He turned, searching for something, and when he spotted Brittany hiding behind the crowd, he lunged forward and grabbed her collar. “You b*tch, if you hadn’t said Ashley fabricated evidence, why would I have accused her?” “You ruined my future!” Brittany struggled, her face filled with terror. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about! You disgusting old man, let go of me!” Mr. Davies yelled hysterically. “You’re still lying, damn it! From the first day you joined the company, I noticed you constantly looking at Ashley like a resentful woman! Do you dare deny you deliberately provoked me to lash out at her?” His words sent a jolt through everyone in Mr. Thompson’s office. Those who could hear Brittany’s thoughts believed him implicitly. A few team members mumbled, “No wonder we always heard her badmouthing Ashley. She was just jealous.” Hearing this, Mr. Davies’s bloodshot eyes widened, and he clamped his hands around Brittany’s neck. “You b*tch! I’ll f*cking kill you!” The General Manager’s office erupted into chaos. Mr. Thompson frowned, signaling Sarah to call security. The security guards arrived swiftly, dragging the Director out. Until the very last moment, as he was dragged from the office, Mr. Davies’s venomous gaze remained fixed on Brittany.

Brittany’s hateful glare lingered on me for a few more seconds before she quickly concealed it. Then, as if nothing had happened, she walked over to me. “Ashley, don’t listen to the Director’s nonsense. We’re best friends, you have to believe me…” Before she could finish, I excused myself to the General Manager and left. Brittany was left standing there awkwardly. Once my team colleagues understood the truth, they all sincerely apologized to me. Brittany, who had once been the group’s darling, was now thoroughly despised by everyone. That afternoon, as I packed up my belongings, preparing to transfer to another department, I saw Brittany still hunched over her desk, sobbing alone. A cold snort escaped me internally. She can’t handle this already? The pain she caused me in my last life, it’s time for her to experience it herself. The expired pre-packaged meals incident eventually quieted down. A few days later, while on a routine store visit in my area, a boy started vomiting uncontrollably right after leaving a restaurant. His reaction was exactly like the food-poisoned boy I’d saved in my previous life. Seeing his grandfather’s helpless, bewildered eyes, I decisively scooped up the boy and, speeding through at least ten red lights, rushed him to the hospital. The final diagnosis confirmed the boy was poisoned due to excessive aflatoxin from expired pre-packaged meals. If I hadn’t gotten him to the hospital in time, his life would have been in danger. The incident quickly caught the attention of various media outlets, and all Eastbay Group stores were subjected to investigation. Thankfully, no other expired products were found. Mr. Kingston, the Group Chairman, specifically instructed the General Manager to publicly commend me at the company. At the commendation ceremony, just as I stepped onto the stage, Brittany’s thoughts rang out in my head. *{First, she finds expired food, now she saves a kid just in time? How could it be such a coincidence?}* *{She probably hired that kid as an actor. She’s just vain, trying to get fame and money this way. She thinks the General Manager is an idiot.}* Next to me, Mr. Thompson’s face suddenly stiffened, and he looked at me with suspicion. A wave of murmurs rippled through the colleagues in the audience. Seeing everyone’s reaction, a bitter smile touched my lips. Brittany, why are you trying to ruin me, again and again? The terrible plight of my last life flashed through my mind. In that commendation ceremony, swayed by Brittany’s manipulations, the General Manager had believed her. He canceled the ceremony, citing disruption to the month-end workflow. Hearing his words, everyone directly chased me off the stage. My pre-existing heart condition, exacerbated by emotional stress and pressure, flared up, and ultimately, no one called 911. I died filled with resentment. But now, I had a plan to deal with it. I snapped back to reality, Brittany’s thoughts hadn’t stopped. She continued: *{There are so many intersections on the way to the hospital. How could she have gotten there so smoothly if she hadn’t rehearsed it beforehand?}* *{It must be Ashley, that b*tch, who staged this.}* *{Oh god, if the company praises such a calculating girl, won’t it discourage everyone else?}* On stage, Mr. Thompson’s face completely changed. Just as I was about to speak, the General Manager cut me off directly. “Ashley, the company recognizes the positive impact you’ve brought to the Group.” “However, could you please explain in more detail what exactly happened at that time?” I let out a long breath. Grateful that the General Manager still retained a shred of rationality. I glanced at Brittany below the stage and recounted the entire incident in detail. Finally, I pulled out my phone and projected my Google Maps activity history onto the large screen. “General Manager, ever since I transferred to the new department, the first thing I did was familiarize myself with all the stores in my jurisdiction and the surrounding routes.” “I believe this is a basic professional quality for every Eastbay Group employee.” Mr. Thompson nodded approvingly. Brittany’s thoughts resurfaced. *{What can a broken map prove? With how advanced the internet is, all this can be faked.}* *{I think she’s just avoiding the crucial points, being vague about the poisoned boy and his grandfather from start to finish. There must be a hidden agenda.}* *{And what about Mr. Davies, who was suddenly demoted? Who knew this young girl had such deep schemes? Who knows if the General Manager is next on her list?}* *{I also heard Ashley already approached the Chairman, expressing her desire to become a department General Manager.}* Mr. Thompson’s previously softened expression clouded over again. He considered it carefully. It was true that Ashley had just been reprimanded by the Director, and then, immediately afterward, the expired pre-packaged meals incident had been brought directly to him. His gaze at me became complicated. The quiet murmurs from below the stage turned into open whispers and hisses. Mr. Thompson looked at me and said, “Ashley, doing good and being a good person are inseparable.” “Some things, if you don’t want others to know, then don’t do them.” “This commendation… think carefully, do you really deserve it?” With that, Mr. Thompson walked off the stage, saying coldly as he went, “It’s month-end, and everyone’s rushing to meet their deadlines. This commendation ceremony, in my opinion, can wait until next month.” “Everyone, get back to work. Disperse.” I stood there, stunned. Below the stage, several burly men approached. Disregarding my struggles, they simply dragged me off the stage. In an instant, I was the biggest mistake again. “Pfft, what a piece of trash. Someone like her is a menace to Eastbay Group.” “Just get lost already. I feel sick being her colleague.” I never imagined Brittany would be so ruthless, so utterly without a bottom line, just to discredit me. Brittany slowly walked toward me from a distance, her face full of mocking amusement. “What’s wrong with these people? They’re really going too far, leaving an excellent employee alone here, like this.” “Ashley, what exactly did you do that was so shameful?” “If it were me, after something like this, I’d be so embarrassed I’d quit.” I looked at Brittany, a cold laugh forming in my mind. I hadn’t even gone looking for you, and you delivered yourself right to my doorstep. “My dear friend, I’m returning the General Manager’s words to you, exactly as he said them.” “Some things, if you don’t want people to know, don’t do them.” Brittany’s eyes flashed with a hint of panic. “What do you mean by that? I don’t understand.” A sneer played on my lips. “The entire Group strictly ordered a crackdown on expired pre-packaged meals. How is it that no other store had them, but a store in *my* area did?” “You never expected things to blow up this big, did you?” “You must have wanted the company to fire me, right?” Brittany’s gaze changed completely as she listened to my words. “You… Ashley, what nonsense are you spouting? We’re best friends!” I slowly leaned in close to Brittany’s ear. “I’ve already found evidence that you arranged for someone to secretly place expired pre-packaged meals in the kitchen.” “If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Kingston should already know about this by now.” Brittany recoiled several steps, muttering, “No, this can’t reach Dad’s ears.” My brow suddenly furrowed. Dad? Mr. Kingston is Brittany’s dad? Just then, a panting young man wearing an Eastbay Group catering uniform walked up from the stairwell. “Excuse me, where is the General Manager’s office?” The young man’s appearance drew some colleagues’ attention. The moment Brittany saw him, her triumphant expression instantly turned to terror. She rushed forward to block him. “What are you doing here?” The young man’s eyes darted nervously. He whispered, “Ms. Evans… the famous fraud investigation team has already uncovered everything.” “If I keep covering for you, I’ll go to jail.” With that, the young man ignored Brittany and hurried straight towards the General Manager’s office.

Hearing this, a flicker of unease crossed Brittany’s face, then she looked at me. “Ashley, is there some misunderstanding between us? We’re best friends!” I just gave her a cold smile and said nothing. Brittany pressed on. “Ashley, don’t forget how you were when you first joined the company. If I hadn’t helped you every step of the way, would you be so secure in this position?” “Just because you overheard the Director and some other colleagues talking nonsense in the General Manager’s office a few days ago, are you going to be so ungrateful to me?” I looked at Brittany with a detached gaze. “Brittany, you hypocrite. I genuinely thought you were my best friend, and you’re still trying to fool me like I’m an idiot?” Brittany realized her lie had been exposed and staggered back a few steps. Her gaze lingered darkly on the General Manager’s office, then she turned. “Ashley, do you really think you can beat me like this?” With that, Brittany turned and walked away, heading straight for the General Manager’s office. I looked around. This was where I’d died from a heart attack in my previous life. But this time, I would begin my new chapter right here. Brittany still didn’t know I could hear her thoughts, and that would be my ultimate weapon against all her schemes. A moment later, the General Manager’s assistant called me into the office. Inside, Mr. Thompson looked at me with a complex expression. The young man who had rushed into the GM’s office earlier had already left. Only Mr. Thompson, I, and Brittany were in the room. Mr. Thompson looked at me and said, “Ashley, Brittany just told me that you submitted some information to Mr. Kingston that’s unfavorable to the Group’s internal harmony.” As he spoke, Mr. Thompson gestured for me to sit on the sofa. “The Group fully acknowledges your heroism in saving the child. However, the media is closely watching the Group right now.” “I think, at this juncture, we should set aside personal conflicts, shouldn’t we?” I understood Mr. Thompson’s meaning. Clearly, Brittany had used some tactic to get him on her side. But I was already prepared for the worst. If it came down to it, I’d take everyone down with me. Having experienced death once, many things I couldn’t let go of in my past life, like my job, now seemed insignificant. “I don’t understand the General Manager’s words. It sounds like everything is my fault?” Mr. Thompson hadn’t expected me to reject his flattery. He gave a dry laugh and continued, “Ashley, I know you’re still angry. As for the details of the incident, you must have seen, the young man who came to report to the company has already told me everything.” “This whole thing, it was Brittany’s rashness. She’s already recognized her mistake.” “As for your commendation ceremony, I will certainly reschedule it for you.” “Not only that, but I’ll also submit an application to the Group headquarters to promote you to Manager.” “As long as you…” Mr. Thompson didn’t finish his sentence. I cut in. “As long as I tell Mr. Kingston that the information I submitted about Brittany’s unauthorized placement of expired pre-packaged meals was all false, then everything will be fine, right?” Mr. Thompson exchanged a knowing smile with Brittany. I stood up and scoffed. “You two are truly shameless.” “Brittany, I’m going to tell you plainly today.” “I am determined to expose this matter of an internal Group employee placing expired pre-packaged meals in stores to Mr. Kingston.” “Want to coerce or entice me into compromising? No way!” With that, I walked directly out of Mr. Thompson’s office. For the next few days, perhaps Brittany realized that her mind-reading abilities were useless against me, so I enjoyed a rare period of peace. Although some colleagues still misunderstood me, occasionally glancing at me with disdain, I didn’t care. I simply continued diligently with my work, visiting stores, organizing documents—everything proceeded as usual. One day, as I went to the underground parking garage to dispose of trash, I unexpectedly stumbled upon Brittany complaining tearfully to a stranger. I slowly approached. “Brother, you know Mom has always been good to me since I was little, but Dad has always been so stingy with me. Even during my internship, he wouldn’t let me do any management work, saying I needed to be down-to-earth.” “Am I really that much less in his eyes than that worthless child his ex-wife gave him?” The man sighed deeply. “Brittany, you know Mom came into the picture later. Dad’s feelings for Mom were never as strong as they were for his deceased first wife.” “Plus, Mom intentionally made sure the child his first wife left behind went missing back then.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298948”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

A devastating car crash ripped Ashton’s world apart, turning a brilliant future into a broken present. He tried everything – jumping, cutting, a desperate, endless search for oblivion, determined to turn himself from a broken man into nothing at all. It wasn’t until I came into his life that Ashton found a reason to live again. He threw himself into grueling physical therapy, even undergoing procedures to minimize the jagged scars on his wrists. He diligently relearned the ropes of corporate management, all because I’d once whispered, “I just want you to live, Ashton. Really live.” Everyone said I’d pulled Ashton back from the brink of death, that I *was* his life. But in the four years we’d been together, while Ashton showered me with countless treasures, he never once publicly acknowledged our relationship. Then, on our four-year anniversary, I suddenly received a call from Ashton’s friend, Liam. “Aurora, Ashton’s gone insane! He’s risking his life for a stupid badge, insisting on trying that extreme alpine skiing challenge!” My hand trembled, clutching the phone. I knew exactly what that challenge was. Rushing down an impossibly high snowy mountain – one wrong move and he could die on the spot. “Put Ashton on the phone!” But Ashton never came to the phone. The call abruptly disconnected, leaving me with a gut-wrenching sense of dread. Ignoring everything, I sped towards the ski resort. But the moment I arrived, the scene before me made my mind go completely blank. “Ashton, are you really going to get that badge for me? Won’t it be too dangerous?” A girl who looked eerily like me, a solid six or seven out of ten resemblance, stood beside Ashton. Though her words feigned concern, her clear, bright eyes betrayed her, fixated on that badge with an undeniable longing. “Wait for me.” Ashton looked at the girl, the raw affection in his eyes was so thick, so palpable, it felt like it could never melt away. That intense emotion, witnessed by me, was incredibly piercing. He was risking his life for a badge that *this* girl wanted! I rushed forward, blocking Ashton’s path. “Ashton! Your legs just barely recovered! You can’t afford another accident, don’t go!” Ashton’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly when he saw me, but in the end, he still raised a hand and pushed me away. “Don’t get in my way.” Amidst the gasps of the crowd, Ashton stepped onto the ski platform. I watched Ashton, so stubbornly set on his path, and my heart went cold, dropping like a stone. Since Ashton confessed his feelings to me four years ago, he had never dismissed my existence so completely, nor had he treated his life so recklessly. My eyes were locked on Ashton, terrified to even blink. I was so afraid something terrible would happen to him. Thankfully, Ashton had a smooth run, with only the final stretch of the cliff remaining. That’s when everything changed. Ashton’s right leg suddenly buckled. I instantly realized it was his old injury flaring up. Before anyone could even process what was happening, I broke through the safety barriers at the finish line, pounced forward, positioning myself to break Ashton’s fall. “Ugh!” I managed to break Ashton’s fall, but the combined weight of him and his equipment, along with the impact of the fall, slammed into me. A choked gasp escaped my lips, and I uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood. Ashton had just started to check on me when someone hugged him from behind. “Oh, Ashton! Ashton, you were incredible!” The girl stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ashton’s cheek. I watched Ashton’s retreating figure, never coming closer to me, and then I completely passed out. In and out of consciousness, I heard voices. “Liam, you protected Seraphina in that car accident, but she abandoned you and went abroad. Now that she’s back, you’re risking your life for her again.” “You even hurt Aurora. She broke five ribs protecting you. Are you really going to abandon her and go back to Seraphina?” A heavy silence stretched between them before I heard Ashton’s voice. “My heart has always belonged to Seraphina.” “As for Aurora, she filled a void these past few years, a stand-in for Seraphina. I’ll make sure she’s compensated.” 2. “Seraphina twisted her ankle on the way here. I’m going to check on her first. As for Aurora, you guys make sure the doctors take good care of her.” When my consciousness fully returned, there was only one man visiting me in the hospital room. “Mr. Julian.” “You’re awake?” Julian handed me a glass of warm water and pressed the call button by the bed. I didn’t take the water. Every breath I took felt like steel needles piercing my lungs. I remembered the conversation I’d overheard while unconscious. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Why, out of all the students the Pei family had sponsored, Julian had specifically picked me to get close to Ashton. I was just a substitute for Seraphina. And now, the real one was back. “Mr. Julian, Ashton doesn’t need me anymore. The person he truly loves is back.” “Our contract is up in seven days. Please arrange for me to leave then.” Julian seemed surprised by my decision to leave, but after Ashton’s callous actions, he didn’t object. “In seven days, I’ll have everything arranged for you.” I stared at the stark white ceiling, lost in thought again. Four years ago, I graduated with Julian’s sponsorship, the CEO of the Pei Group. After graduation, Julian only made one request of me. “Spend four years by my nephew’s side, help him overcome the trauma of his car accident. If you succeed, I’ll give you fifty million.” I’d heard about the accident. Months earlier, the news had reported that Ashton Pei, the young heir of the Pei family, had been in a severe car crash. He had virtually no sensation in his legs, and the doctors offered little hope for recovery. Julian had been kind to me, and fifty million was a massive reward. I had no reason to refuse. Under Julian’s arrangement, I became a nurse at the hospital where Ashton was recovering. The first time we met, a flicker of light returned to Ashton’s eyes. From that day on, Ashton began to pursue me. Whatever I desired, fame or fortune, Ashton was ready to lay it all at my feet. But whether it was jewelry worth millions, or public displays like a sea of roses that had the whole city talking, nothing moved me. It wasn’t until my fingers brushed against the jagged scars on Ashton’s wrist that I finally spoke my first wish. “Ashton, I just want you to live well.” Ashton froze for a long moment, then responded with his actions. Even when physical therapy left him sweating profusely from the pain, Ashton never gave up, because I was there by his side. In just six months, Ashton’s legs had fully recovered—it was nothing short of a medical miracle. That same day, I moved into Ashton’s mansion, and we officially became a couple. From then on, I became the key to Ashton’s compliance, his every action hinged on my word. Ashton was completely obedient and gentle with me. I believed we would be like this forever. Now, it seemed all that special treatment was only because I was Seraphina’s stand-in. Everything I received was merely a proxy for her. After Julian left, I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer. I’d fallen for my target, and that was my biggest mistake. Ashton no longer needed me, and I wouldn’t cling to him. Leaving was the best choice. I recuperated in the hospital for half a month. The day I was preparing for discharge, Ashton, who hadn’t contacted me at all, suddenly sent a message. “Come to the Cloud Terrace Hotel immediately.” Before I could even reply, a group of burly bodyguards burst into my hospital room. “Ms. Aurora, Mr. Ashton sent us to escort you.” Though they said “escort,” their actions were anything but gentle. The IV needle was violently ripped from my arm, tearing my skin and leaving a trail of blood. They forcibly dragged me into a car. 3. When we arrived at the Cloud Terrace Hotel, I realized Ashton was hosting a welcome party for Seraphina there today. Ashton saw me, still in my hospital gown, and his brow furrowed slightly. “What happened to you?” Ashton’s tone was sharp, but not directed at me. He simply saw my pale, sickly face and the bloodstains on my hand, and an inexplicable anger flared within him. The bodyguards exchanged glances, unsure how to reply, when Seraphina, who had been the center of attention, walked over. She casually linked her arm through Ashton’s. “Ashton, didn’t you say you invited Ms. Aurora here to make an announcement?” I, who had been silent, looked up at Ashton. He had ignored my physical condition, forcibly bringing me to Seraphina’s welcome party. What exactly did he want to announce? More and more guests gathered, and seeing me, who bore a striking resemblance to Seraphina, they couldn’t help but whisper. Hearing their chatter, Ashton suppressed the confusing swirl of emotions in his chest and walked over to me with Seraphina. “There have been some baseless rumors circulating about me, and I need to set the record straight.” “Aurora was merely the nurse who cared for me during my recovery. There has never been anything more than a friendship between us.” “Seraphina and I have known each other since we were kids, and our families have always intended for us to be together. You could say we’ve been unofficially engaged since childhood.” “All these years, Seraphina has been the only one I’ve been waiting for.” “Now that my fiancée is back, I don’t want her to be upset by any false rumors.” Ashton’s last sentence held a veiled threat, but I couldn’t respond. The word “friendship” completely erased any blurred lines between Ashton and me. So, all these years without a title, it was just Ashton clearing the path to openly give that title to another woman. Even calling me here today was just to “clarify” our relationship and prevent Seraphina from being upset. But in those four years, when had Ashton and I ever kept to the boundaries of “friends”? His words were like a blunt knife, slowly, agonizingly carving into my heart, leaving me raw and bleeding. My fractured ribs flared with pain again, and my face grew even paler. But no one cared about my feelings. The guests applauded enthusiastically. Amidst the applause, Seraphina, feigning emotion, flung herself into Ashton’s arms. “Ashton, thank you for waiting for me all this time.” Ashton gently wiped away Seraphina’s tears, his charming eyes gazing at her with profound affection. “My heart has always belonged to you.” I stood there, stunned, watching Ashton and Seraphina’s interaction. At some point, tears blurred my vision. The two in front of me looked so perfect together. And I was merely a witness to their happiness. Though my four years with Ashton had begun as a transaction, through our daily interactions, I had long since given him my heart. I couldn’t bear to watch another second. I turned to leave, but several strangers blocked my way. “You, a mere stand-in, occupied Seraphina’s place for so long. Letting you just walk away is too easy.” Sensing their malice, I turned to run, but they caught me anyway. They dragged me towards a less crowded area. I screamed for help, but the guests who saw me were unwilling to offend these people for my sake. Ashton, the only one who might have saved me, was engrossed in kissing Seraphina and didn’t notice the commotion. “What do you want?” “Just to teach you a little lesson, so you’ll know to stay away from Ashton.” As soon as she spoke, I was roughly shoved into a nearby pond. I struggled to surface, but they fiercely held my head down, forcing me deeper underwater. The intense pain of suffocation gradually stole my ability to fight. More and more water flooded my already injured lungs and chest. Before I completely lost consciousness, I dimly saw a figure plunge into the water, rushing desperately toward me. 4. “Cough, cough…” I awoke with a violent cough. Staring at the stark white ceiling, the antiseptic smell reminded me that I had been saved. The doctor stood nearby, a hint of pity in his eyes. “Ms. Aurora, fractured ribs, lung infection. Another incident like this, and we might not be able to save you.” I heard his words but couldn’t make a single expression. The doctor shook his head and left. Only then did I feel like I’d found my breath again. I gasped for breath, looking at the empty room, and realized I was still that unwanted orphan, utterly alone. “Did you jump in on purpose?” Ashton’s voice came from the doorway. He leaned against the doorframe, his gaze icy as it fell on me. “What?” Ashton saw my pale face and somewhat bewildered expression, and his face actually darkened further. “You knew that party was for Seraphina. After I confessed my feelings to her, you chose to ruin the party in *this* way.” Hearing Ashton’s words, I felt an incredulous surge of disbelief. I had been pushed into the water, even held down, almost drowned in that pond! And now Ashton was here accusing me of malice! “I didn’t!” “I was pushed into the water! If you don’t believe me, check the surveillance footage!” Ashton’s gaze grew even colder, laced with impatience and even more disappointment. “The surveillance around the pool conveniently broke down two days ago. I asked everyone there, and they all saw you jump into the pool willingly. What else do you have to say for yourself?” I felt like my breath was completely choked off. My face grew even paler. My fingers dug so hard into my palms, leaving deep crescents, I could almost feel the skin break. My aching lungs and fractured ribs still throbbed with relentless pain. I’d thought after four years, Ashton would trust me, even just a little. Just a little. But without evidence, Ashton still chose to believe strangers over me. Ashton’s eyes filled with increasing disappointment, already convinced my reaction was the silence of someone caught red-handed. “You ruined the party. You need to apologize to Seraphina.” I stared at Ashton, aghast. Seraphina’s friends pushed me into the water, I almost lost my life, and now I had to apologize to *Seraphina*? But in Ashton’s eyes, this was me being unrepentant. “I originally wanted to spare you some dignity. Now, it seems completely unnecessary.” Ashton let out a cold laugh. Bodyguards streamed in, and despite my struggles, they forcibly dragged me out of the hospital room. Ashton had intended to take me to Seraphina’s family to apologize, but just outside the room, he saw Seraphina in the hospital corridor. “Seraphina, why are you here?” “I had the housekeeper make some soup. I wanted to come see Ms. Aurora.” “Perfect. I was just about to bring her to you to apologize.” At Ashton’s signal, the bodyguards forced me to my knees before Seraphina. Many passing doctors, nurses, and patients in the hospital corridor stopped to watch the spectacle. My dignity was trampled into the ground. “Apologize.” As Ashton’s words fell, my forehead was pressed down hard against the floor. Pain and shame intertwined, and my tears flowed uncontrollably. The crisp thud of my forehead hitting the tiled floor echoed through the hospital corridor. Seraphina watched for a moment before finally speaking up to stop it. “Alright, alright, I don’t blame Ms. Aurora. I think what happened last night was just an accident.” Seraphina walked closer to me. The bodyguards released their hold. “Ms. Aurora, please get up.” As Seraphina moved to help me up from the floor, her heel landed squarely on the wound on my hand. 5. I cried out in agony, instinctively trying to pull my hand away. Seraphina, however, lost her balance, spilling the entire contents of her thermos of hot soup all over me. “Seraphina! Are you okay?” Ashton steadied the falling Seraphina. Seeing a splash of hot soup had reddened her hand, his eyes filled with distress. “I’m fine, it’s just Ms. Aurora…” Prompted by Seraphina, Ashton finally saw my wretched state. The skin on my neck and shoulder was scalded red, covered in large blisters. It was just a fraction of an inch away from scalding my entire face. Ashton’s breath hitched, a wave of concern churning in his chest, but he forcibly suppressed it. “I saw everything. If she hadn’t tried to push you away, the soup wouldn’t have accidentally spilled.” “She deserved it.” My tears and blood mingled, dripping onto the floor. Listening to their conversation, my heart shattered completely. I leaned against the wall, enduring the pain, and left without a word of protest. Ashton’s heart had always, from the very beginning, belonged to Seraphina. He would believe anything she said. All I could do was wait until the contract ended and leave for good. After having my burns treated at the hospital, I went to the house Ashton and I used to share. I packed up all my belongings. There were matching toothbrushes, identical towels – all couple’s items Ashton had insisted we use together. Thinking of that phrase, “she deserved it,” I expressionlessly threw them all into the trash. I opened the closet, looking at the array of gentle, feminine dresses. I suddenly felt a pang of disorientation. This wasn’t my usual style of clothing, but Ashton had always insisted on buying these kinds of dresses for me. I’d once asked him why, and Ashton had replied that these dresses suited me. Then I remembered that Seraphina always wore similar styles when she appeared. So, when Ashton bought me these clothes, did he truly think they suited me, or was he just trying to see more of Seraphina’s reflection in me? The thought flashed through my mind for a brief second, but I didn’t dwell on it. Ashton and I had no connection anymore. I also gathered every piece of jewelry Ashton had given me, from million-dollar gemstone necklaces to hundred-thousand-dollar earrings. Ashton had said these things, once given, were mine. I planned to sell them all and donate the money to orphans who, like me, had a tragic past. As I was organizing, I heard Julian’s assistant’s voice from the doorway. He hadn’t found me at the hospital, so he’d tracked me down here. “Ms. Aurora, these are the things you’ll need.” Because of Julian’s instructions, the assistant was extremely polite to me. I looked at the plane tickets and visa in his hand, a little surprised. I thought Julian would wait until the very last day to send these. “Thank you.” “Please don’t mention it. Mr. Julian instructed me that if you need anything else, just ask. This is the Pei family’s way of making amends.” “I don’t need anything else. This is enough.” I clutched the plane tickets and visa tightly. “Alright.” After clarifying the departure time and arrangements, the assistant left. I looked at the plane tickets and visa in my hand; they represented my future. The items felt heavy in my grasp, but my heart felt lighter than ever before. I finished packing and was about to leave the mansion when Ashton returned. Seeing the luggage I’d packed, his face didn’t look too good. “What are you doing?” 6. I looked at him, subtly hiding the plane ticket in my hand. “My belongings.” “After all, Seraphina is back. She wouldn’t be happy if I continued to live here, would she?” Ashton looked at my face, nodding slightly. “Hmm, you’re right.” “Seraphina is back. It’s truly not appropriate for you to stay here.” “I can find you another place.” Ashton didn’t hear my reply, finding my silence unusual. He was about to say something else when he caught sight of the plane ticket in my hand. Ashton grabbed my hand and snatched the ticket away. The ticket clearly showed the destination: France. “You’re going abroad?!” “Why are you going to France? I don’t recall you having any reason to leave the country.” I didn’t understand Ashton’s meaning. Seraphina was back, and I was leaving according to his wishes. Shouldn’t he be happy? Ashton waved the ticket, staring intently at me, almost as if he wanted to drill a hole through me with his gaze. “Ashton, Seraphina is back. Don’t you want me to leave?” My words struck a chord with Ashton, stirring up emotions he couldn’t quite sort out himself. He looked at me, then tore the ticket to shreds. “Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to get my attention this way?” “Aurora, I’ve already announced that Seraphina is my fiancée.” “Don’t cross that line.” I stared at the shredded ticket, my lips pressed together, unable to speak. I was truly leaving; I wasn’t playing games. “Just be good. Don’t do anything else unnecessary.” “I…” At that moment, a phone call interrupted my impending goodbye. Ashton answered the phone. After he hung up, his face darkened considerably as he looked at me. “Aurora, I warned you not to do anything else unnecessary. Why are you making things difficult for Seraphina?” I didn’t understand why Ashton’s topic had shifted so abruptly. When had I ever made things difficult for Seraphina? “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to her.” Ashton looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment. “Seraphina is missing right now! Seraphina’s friend said she went to meet you before she disappeared!” My heart seized in my chest as I met Ashton’s disappointed gaze. I’d been by Ashton’s side for four years; I thought he knew me, that I would never do such things. But Ashton would never believe me, just as we had never truly understood each other in those four years. “I didn’t.” “You can check the surveillance. I only came here after leaving the hospital; I haven’t seen Seraphina.” Ashton clenched my hand tightly, his eyes bloodshot. “Aurora, I’m giving you one last chance.” “Where did you take Seraphina?” I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and spoke each word clearly: “I don’t know.” “I told you, I haven’t seen her!” “You’re clearly not interested in dignity.” I was dragged to the mansion’s basement. It was dank and gloomy, filled with an array of chilling torture devices. “Ashton, what are you going to do?!” My voice was hoarse and trembling as I looked at the instruments. But Ashton merely stood coldly by the doorway, watching me. “Tell me when you’ll talk, and I’ll let you go.” The bodyguards grabbed my hair and dragged me to the center of the basement, fastening a finger vice onto my hand. “Let me go!” I struggled, and my defiance only made the bodyguards more aggressive. They yanked hard, and the vice tightened. I could feel my fingers being squeezed inch by agonizing inch. The pain was excruciating, shooting straight from my fingers to my heart. A guttural scream tore from my throat. “Ah—” “No, please, I really don’t know! I didn’t kidnap Seraphina…” 7. Wave after wave of agonized screams echoed from the basement, chilling anyone who heard them to the bone. I couldn’t understand why Ashton could treat me like this. Even without love, could he be so heartless? Ashton, meanwhile, had left the mansion as soon as he locked me in the basement, determined to find Seraphina himself. An hour later, Seraphina suddenly appeared in his office. “Ashton, look! I specially bought you a gift!” Ashton was momentarily stunned to see her. Hadn’t I kidnapped her? “Seraphina, where were you?” “Why couldn’t I reach you?” “Didn’t your friend say you were going to meet Aurora?” Ashton clutched Seraphina’s shoulders, staring at her. Seraphina seemed startled by his intensity, her eyes welling with tears, looking somewhat wronged. “I was going to meet Ms. Aurora, to ask if your preferences had changed over the years.” “But I didn’t see her at the hospital…” “Ashton, you’re hurting me.” As Seraphina spoke, a single tear fell perfectly. Ashton, seeing her tears, panicked and quickly tried to comfort her, afraid she would be upset. “I was too anxious.” “You suddenly disappeared and I couldn’t reach you. I thought you…” As he spoke, Ashton suddenly remembered me, still locked away. Ashton’s face changed slightly. He quickly called someone to release me. But the news he received was that I had been tortured unconscious in the basement. When I vaguely awoke, I was back in my room. My mind was still sluggish, unsure what had happened. I tried to raise my hand to turn on the bedside lamp, but my fingers throbbed with excruciating pain. “Ugh…” A moan of pain escaped my lips. I looked at my bandaged hand, wrapped like a mummy, and then recalled everything I had endured in the basement. In that dark, gloomy basement, I had been tormented by those bodyguards. No matter how much I cried for help, no one came to my rescue. The agony of having my fingers slowly crushed was unforgettable. I had never wished so desperately to leave that place. I couldn’t understand why Ashton could be so cruel to me. Even if it was for Seraphina, how could he inflict such torture on me without even bothering to check for evidence? My tears silently soaked into the pillow, leaving a large damp patch. I lay on my side, my back to the door. At some point, Ashton had appeared in the doorway. “Aurora.” Hearing Ashton call my name, I instinctively flinched. At some point, I had developed a physiological fear of Ashton. “This time, it’s my fault. I misunderstood you.” “There’s an auction tomorrow. I’ll send someone to pick you up.” “You’ve suffered. I’ll compensate you.” I remained with my back to him, not turning around. Ashton stood in the doorway for a long time. Seeing my unwillingness to acknowledge him, he didn’t say much more. He simply closed the door, leaving me to my space. I curled up on the bed. Ashton’s starkly contrasting attitudes confused me. He had been so cruel to me, and now suddenly he had changed. I didn’t need compensation. I just wanted my life to return to peace. The next day, Ashton still arrived on time to take me to the auction. After Ashton forcibly led me into the car, I realized it was just the two of us. I was a little dazed. Was Ashton taking me to an auction behind Seraphina’s back? “At the auction, you can have anything you want. Consider it my compensation.” Ashton glanced at my bandaged hand, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. I keenly caught the change in his expression and instinctively shrank my fingers. I lowered my head, no longer looking at Ashton. I didn’t want to see emotions I disliked in his eyes again. 8. When the car stopped, I keenly picked up the sound of high heels outside. “Ashton!” Seraphina rushed into Ashton’s arms. She leaned over, smiled, and greeted me. “Ms. Aurora, you’re here. Ashton accidentally hurt you because of me, so I specifically asked him to invite you.” “It’s all his fault. Go ahead and bid on whatever you want later. Spend his money lavishly!” So, this was all Seraphina’s doing. A hint of bitter smile touched my lips. I nodded and softly hummed in agreement. I had no choice but to agree. At the auction, there were countless precious jewels, paintings, and calligraphy, but I didn’t want any of them. I wasn’t after Ashton’s money; these things were useless to me. I spent the entire time absentmindedly, completely unaware of Ashton’s frequent glances my way. “Next is the final item of this auction.” “It’s said that those who acquire this pair of rings will be happily married until old age with their beloved.” “Starting bid, fifty million.” Hearing those words, Ashton immediately raised his paddle. “No matter the price, I’m in.” The auction ended before it even began, with Ashton’s declaration. I recognized those rings. They belonged to an elderly couple. Ashton and I had met them two years into our relationship, during a trip to the seaside. That couple had started from nothing and built their way up to become the wealthiest in the city, enduring over sixty years of ups and downs. They had never once quarreled and were deeply devoted to each other. “Aurora, I hope we can love each other until old age, just like them.” I still remembered Ashton’s sweet words to me then. At that moment, looking into Ashton’s sincere eyes, all I could hear was my own heartbeat. After the couple passed away, these rings were donated to be auctioned for charity. To me, these rings represented Ashton’s promise to me. A promise of forever. But now, I could only sit by, watching Ashton place the female ring on Seraphina’s finger. Under the gaze of everyone at the auction, he expressed his love for Seraphina. “Seraphina, the true value of this ring lies in its symbolism.” “Seraphina, I love you.” The entire room erupted in applause, celebrating Ashton’s declaration of love. My mind was filled with a ceaseless buzzing. The Ashton who had confessed his love to me under the sunset was completely gone. The man standing before me now was Ashton, deeply in love with Seraphina. The day after the auction was the last day of our contract, and my day to leave. I took nothing with me, only the new plane ticket Julian had arranged, and headed to the airport. “Aurora, where are you right now? Ashton’s going to challenge giant wave surfing! We can’t talk him out of it, come quickly!” I received a call from Ashton’s friend on my way to the airport. The other end of the line was chaotic and unclear. Before I could say another word, the call was disconnected. I couldn’t just leave Ashton to his own devices. Today was the last day, and I couldn’t breach my contract with Julian. I sent a message to Julian. “Ashton is surfing at the beach. I might arrive at the airport a little late.” After sending the message, I told the driver to change course and head to the beach. “Ashton!” As soon as I got out of the car, I saw Ashton, about to set off. The weather was bad today; the waves were churning, and the deep sea exuded a dangerous aura. I rushed to Ashton, gritting my teeth against the pain, and grabbed his arm with my injured hand. Ashton looked at me, frowning slightly. Before he could speak, I cut him off. “I know this time, you’re doing it for Seraphina again.” “But this challenge is too dangerous. I’ll go instead.” 9. Ashton’s face changed slightly, but I didn’t give him time to hesitate. I pushed him off the surfboard. I quickly and efficiently had the staff prepare safety measures for me. Ashton had never seen me so decisive. I had always been gentle and warm in front of him. This was the first time he’d seen such determination and unquestioning resolve in me. Ashton was somewhat stunned. This version of me felt strangely unfamiliar to him. Before Ashton could even react, I had already stepped onto the surfboard and was riding the waves. Ashton remembered I was still injured, and his face instantly paled. He was about to tell someone to pull me back. But Seraphina rushed from behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his back, whining playfully. “Ashton, you’re so good to me!” Seraphina’s words made Ashton pause. He instinctively placed his hand on Seraphina’s arms around his waist. When he looked up again, I was already far out. It was too late to call me back. The waves out at sea were considerable. Even though I was giving it my full attention, it was still exhausting. A sharp, piercing pain in my chest – my old injury had flared up again. My head spun. By the time the pain subsided, a ten-meter-high giant wave was towering before me. There was no escaping it. I was swept under by the oncoming wave, swallowed by the seawater. Salty seawater continuously poured into my mouth. I struggled desperately but was carried further and further away by the waves. I screamed for help towards the shore, but no one seemed to notice I had been swept away by the sea. Ashton stood with his back to me, tightly embracing Seraphina. Seraphina was on her tiptoes, her head tilted up, and they looked like they were passionately kissing. Watching this scene, I realized I was on my own. I struggled to swim towards the shore. But just as I managed to fight my way to the surface, Another colossal wave crashed over my head, submerging me completely in the seawater. Ashton seemed to suddenly realize something. His heart clenched, and he abruptly turned to look at the sea. The surface was empty. There was no sign of me anywhere. Only a lone surfboard was washed back to shore by the waves. I was gone.

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My Fiancé Filmed Our Bedroom for His Mistress The day before my wedding, my fiancé installed four cameras in our marital bedroom, all pointed directly at the bed. I warned him that these internet-connected cameras weren’t safe and posed a huge risk of privacy leaks. But he just brushed it off, accusing me of paranoia. “You’re marrying into *my* family, so you’ll listen to *my* decisions. Stop questioning me.” I thought it was just one of his little quirks, until I caught him talking to the cameras: “Serena, I did everything you asked. Please, don’t be mad, take me off your block list.” “I’ll keep them on during our wedding night tomorrow too. I’ll do anything for you.” A wave of disgust washed over me. I immediately dialed his father. “Mr. Davies, it seems your son is quite keen on… filming. In that case, let’s just forget about him getting any share of my family’s assets, shall we?” … I can tolerate my partner having a few quirks, but loyalty is my absolute bottom line. Less than two minutes after hanging up with Mr. Davies, Damian stormed into the study, furious, to confront me. “What did you tell my dad?! When did I ever say I was making a movie?!” I lifted my eyes, giving him a flat look. “Your dad misunderstood. What I meant by ‘filming’ was, you know, adult films. You’re so eager to put on a show for others, but don’t drag me into it.” Damian clearly thought I was just bothered by the cameras in the bedroom. A flicker of disdain crossed his face. “You’re so naive. Bedroom cameras are pretty common now.” “You should count yourself lucky you’re even marrying into our family at your age.” “I advise you to stay in your place. Otherwise, if I break off the engagement, you might regret losing the fifty million I’m giving you.” I paused, completely stunned for a few seconds. What was he talking about? That fifty million was clearly *my* money, which I was providing *him*. How had it become his money to give *me*? Seeing my silence, Damian curled his lips into a sneer. “What, speechless now that you might have to give the money back?” “Typical gold-digger. If you don’t want to lose the cash, you’ll behave. You don’t get to call the shots in this house.” With that, he spun around and left. Outside, the housekeepers, who had been secretly watching, whispered amongst themselves: “Fifty million still isn’t enough for her? She dares to defy the Young Master?” “Exactly! Fifty million! What’s wrong with a few cameras? It’s not like it’s her first time, so why is she so shy?” I frowned, glancing towards the door. Damian’s father had practically *begged* for this marriage arrangement, relying on his long-time friendship with my dad to save his company from bankruptcy. I’d bought the house and the car. And to ensure Damian would be comfortable after the wedding, I’d even hired his family’s old housekeepers to serve him. I never imagined… goodness is truly taken for weakness. 2. Seeing Damian’s arrogant expression, I made up my mind to break off the engagement. I immediately called contractors to come and dismantle the cameras. If I was calling off the wedding, he should take all his junk with him. Halfway through the job, Damian rushed in and halted them. “Who gave you permission to tear these down?!” “Each one of these cameras costs over a hundred grand! If you break them, can you afford to pay for it?!” The workers exchanged nervous glances, unsure what to do. Hearing the commotion, I followed them into the bedroom. “I told them to. This is *my* house. I have the right to decide what stays and what goes.” But Damian scoffed as if I’d told the funniest joke, pointing at me. “Every brick in this house belongs to the Davies family!” “You haven’t even walked down the aisle yet, and you’re trying to take over? I guess I need to teach you the Davies family rules.” With that, he ignored my protests and the presence of outsiders, pushing me directly under a camera. He brutally ripped at my clothes. Then, he ordered the housekeepers to bring a whip and saltwater. Two female housekeepers, catching me off guard, kicked the back of my knees, forcing me to the ground. They held me down tightly. “Damian! What right do you have to punish me like this?!” Damian took the whip and snapped it, the terrifying crack echoing through the room. He smirked coldly. “The right of a man whose family put up fifty million! I can discipline you however I see fit!” As the whip was about to descend, I trembled and quickly cried out to stop him. “Damian, you have no idea about our engagement!” “I advise you to calm down now and immediately call your dad to clarify everything!” But Damian didn’t care. He coldly poured saltwater onto the whip, his eyes frigid. “Whatever it is, you can talk about it after you’ve endured your punishment!” Just as he raised the whip, poised to strike, an urgent report came from the security guard outside the door: “Young Master! Ms. Serena is here for you!” 3. The moment the words left his mouth, Damian’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and he quickly exited the bedroom. Once they were gone, I shakily leaned against the wall to stand, quickly grabbing another piece of clothing to cover myself. I instructed the contractors to continue their work. After sorting that out, I went downstairs as well. Damian was holding a pretty girl’s hand, surveying the villa with her. My brows furrowed as I watched housekeepers carrying in luggage. “You’re letting her move in?” Damian gave me a cold look, tightening his grip on the girl’s hand. “This is *my* house, so of course, I can have anyone I want live here!” “Serena is the love of my life. If you want to keep your place as my wife, you’d better treat her with respect!” Not only had he installed cameras in our bedroom to please his mistress, but he dared to bring her to live in our marital home! I took a deep breath, reining in my emotions, forcing down the urge to kick him out right then and there. “Regardless of whose house this is, are you really so brazen as to bring your mistress home? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell my dad and yours?” Damian heard me invoke our elders, but his face remained indifferent. “Trying to scare me? That won’t work on me!” “With fifty million, I could have ten mistresses, and you’d just have to put up with it.” Serena pouted, batting her eyelashes. “Is this the ugly woman you spent fifty million to marry? She doesn’t look like much to me!” Seeing this, Damian quickly adopted a gentle tone, echoing her. “Exactly. She’s old and a gold-digger. How could she ever compare to you?” “If you weren’t so curious to see her reaction in bed, I’d be disgusted to even touch her.” “Perfect, I’ll take you to see the cameras I installed in the bedroom. Let’s check how clear the footage is.” I was fed up with this farce and was about to turn and go upstairs when Serena suddenly grabbed an apple from the table and hurled it squarely at my head. “Did I say you could leave?! Get over here and toast me!” 4. I rubbed my throbbing forehead, a surge of anger rising within me. “Toast you? Who do you think you are to demand a toast from me?” Serena linked her arm through Damian’s, looking at me with her nose in the air. “Because Damian dotes on me! If you make me unhappy, I’ll livestream your wedding night for the whole world to see tomorrow!” “And who knows, your dad might even be secretly watching, getting off on it…” *Smack!* I’d had enough. I rushed forward and slapped her across the face. “If you ever disrespect my dad again, I promise you’ll regret it!” Serena was stunned by my sudden outburst, covering her face and mumbling for a long moment. Damian, seeing his beloved at a disadvantage, pulled her behind him, shielding her. “Anya Blackwood! A woman with no upbringing like you doesn’t deserve to enter our Davies family’s door!” “Go back and tell your dad, I’m not going through with this wedding!” I nudged the suitcase beside my foot, casting a meaningful glance between their faces. “Are you sure you want to call off the wedding?” Given the Davies Group’s current financial situation, without my family’s support, they’d be bankrupt in three days, at most. Serena jumped in before Damian could speak. “Scared now, are we? Too late!” “Just leave! See who’d want a used goods like you after being rejected!” Serena was incredibly eager, as if my departure would immediately clear the way for her. I looked at Damian. He nodded, tacitly agreeing with Serena, so I saw no need to say more. “Fine, then. Let’s annul the engagement.” The contractors who were dismantling the cameras had just finished and came downstairs. The foreman held up a camera, asking me what to do with it. Serena suddenly flared up, kicking him. “Why are you asking *her*? We’re the owners of this house! So clueless, you’ll all be out of a job!” The workers broke out in a cold sweat, looking to me for help. I opened my phone and generously tipped them fifty thousand dollars through an app. “Don’t worry, you did nothing wrong.” “After all, the property deed for this villa is in my name.”

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My husband, Mark, was a renowned psychologist, a master of hypnosis, never having failed a single session. Yet, when he was treating my mom, his hypnosis went disastrously wrong. Her condition relapsed, and she plummeted from the rooftop. I held my mom’s bloodied body, tears streaming down my face. He, however, casually told me, as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “Psychological treatments often have a high relapse rate, and hypnosis errors are common. I truly did my best.” A few hours later, a post from his junior protégé, Luna, on Ins struck me like a sledgehammer. “First time doing hypnosis, and I got stuck with an older woman in her fifties. Failed miserably. Luckily, my senior brother stepped in to clean up my mess.” “To comfort my wounded little heart, my senior brother even hypnotized me. In the dream, we got married on the beach. Is that a hint, perhaps?” The intertwined hands in the photo felt like a jagged, barbed blade, piercing deep into my heart. I gritted my teeth, almost shattering my phone screen. “It’s a hint, alright. You’re about to get exactly what you wished for.” The next second, a phone number, previously switched off, flashed across my screen. “Anya, what is wrong with you now?! Luna’s upset because she failed her first hypnosis session. What’s wrong with me, as her senior, comforting her?” “Therapists are under a lot of pressure, you know. What if your post makes her overthink and get depressed? Delete it, now! And apologize to Luna!” I hung up the phone, looking at a photo of Mom and me. I whispered. “Mom, I’m going to make them feel your pain too, okay?”

This photo was taken when Mom was feeling better; we went to the park together. Back then, Mark had solemnly promised me that Mom had overcome her psychological trauma and would soon be completely healed. But within a mere week, Mom’s smile was forever framed in that picture. At the funeral home, relatives and friends looked around, asking me. “Anya, call Mark and tell him to hurry. If he doesn’t come soon, your mom will be buried.” My expression blended with my black attire, making me look like Mom’s tombstone. “No need. He won’t come.” My relatives were all astonished. “How can that be? Mark is so devoted, and your mom always praised him.” I didn’t explain further. It wasn’t until the burial, the sealing of the tombstone, and the end of the ceremony that Mark finally arrived, rushing in. He was driving so fast that he even ran over Mom’s funeral wreath. Yet, he showed no trace of remorse. Dressed in a blue suit, he walked up to me and sighed. “This was an accident. People in her age group have weaker psychological defenses, and relapses are common. I poured all my knowledge into helping Eleanor, but I only stepped away to get a glass of water, and she jumped.” “Eleanor lived longer than many other patients with depression. Try to see the brighter side. Now, Luna is being gossiped about because of your words. You should find a time to apologize to her on Ins.” “Long-lived,” he said. If I hadn’t seen Luna’s Ins post, I might have actually believed his nonsense. It turned out he rushed here just to make me apologize to his mistress. Meeting his blaming gaze, I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “When my mom jumped, it took you all day to walk down three flights of stairs. But when your lover felt wronged, you rushed from the city to the suburbs in minutes.” Mark instantly flared up, but guiltily avoided my eyes. “Anya, can you stop being so harsh?” “I’m just stating facts! Failures in psychological treatment are a dime a dozen. If every family member acted as unreasonably as you, then therapists might as well quit!” He put his hands on his hips, scanning the funeral arrangements. “I’m sad Mom’s gone too, but you’re making such a grand display. Do you want everyone to know she died of depression and be judged even after death? Clean this up quickly. She’s dead, what’s the point of putting on a good show?” There was no remorse in his tone, only blame and resentment. The relatives and friends who had kindly stayed to help me clean up all froze, shocked by his words. He snapped back to reality, clearing his throat to save his reputation. “Alright, I know you and Mom relied on each other, and you’re heartbroken that she’s gone. But it’s done. You just have to accept it.” “Don’t dwell on it. At most, we’ll pick a more expensive burial plot, and we can visit it every year…” *SMACK!* A five-finger print quickly appeared on his face. I had put all my strength into it, and my hand was red and throbbing. Mark and I met when Mom was undergoing psychological therapy. Back then, to pursue me, he had solemnly promised that he would restore Mom to her old self. Mom had been through two marriages, suffered multiple domestic abuses, and faced endless societal judgment. As a child, I didn’t know the reason for Mom’s quiet demeanor was depression. By the time I realized it, she had already started self-harming to cope with her trauma. I took her to countless renowned therapists, but the effects were minimal. Only Mark gave me hope. Under his guidance, Mom’s mental state steadily improved. He used this as an opportunity to ask me out repeatedly, launching an intense pursuit. Once, I asked him: “Are you working so hard to treat my mom because of me?” He shook his head: “In my heart, Eleanor is first and foremost my patient, and only then your mother.” It was because of that sentence that I felt safe enough to wholeheartedly be with him and marry him. Just six months ago, he told me that Mom no longer had self-harming tendencies and her condition was much better. I could start trying for a baby with peace of mind, and by the time the child was born, Mom would surely be fully recovered. And now, standing before Mom’s black and white photo, he casually offered a more expensive burial plot in exchange for Mom’s life. How sanctimonious, how utterly disgusting! Mark snapped back, roaring at me. “Anya, are you insane?!” With that, he raised his arm to strike me. Chloe, my friend closest to me, grabbed his hand. “Mark, are you really going to hit Eleanor’s daughter in front of her memorial picture?!” My relatives and friends immediately stepped in front of me, sticking up for me. “Anya’s mom worked so hard to raise her. Now that her mom is dead, aren’t you intentionally trying to provoke her with those words?!” “Exactly! Don’t you know how much Anya loved her mom? How could you hit Anya in front of the deceased? How heartbroken would her mom be if she saw this from heaven!” “I must have been blind! I was just comforting Anya, saying you must have been delayed. But what you just said, it chills me to the bone!” Mark violently shook off Chloe’s hand, pointing at me with a sneer. “Seriously, like mother, like daughter!” A sudden ringtone pierced the air. He irritably pulled out his phone, his fury instantly extinguished, his voice softening. “What’s wrong?” Luna’s plaintive and dependent voice echoed through the empty funeral home. “Senior brother, a patient just came in, and I failed the hypnosis again. He called me incompetent and threatened to complain about me.” “Please come back quickly, I’m so scared…” “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there to back you up.” He quickly said his piece, turned, and left. Suddenly remembering something, he looked back and warned me. “Anya, when I’m done, I’ll come back and settle things with you. You’d better not try to deliberately smear my name in front of our relatives again!” With that, he walked out without looking back. Once in his car, he floored the accelerator, deliberately running over the wreath he had knocked down earlier, as if to vent his frustration. When Mom was alive, Mark always said she was like his own mother. Now that Mom was dead, he not only ran over her wreath but didn’t even light a single stick of incense for her. I bit down on the flesh of my cheeks, using the pain and blood to restrain my heartache. It was late when I left the funeral home. Luna had already deleted her previous posts. Her latest one was posted an hour ago. “Oh yeah, senior brother makes me feel so safe! He not only cleaned up another one of my messes, but he hypnotized me again! This time the hypnosis was a little naughty. I even had a baby with senior brother in the dream, and his ears turned red when he found out. If he weren’t married, I’d really think he was some innocent college boy.” Even knowing it was fake, a strong wave of physical nausea surged from my stomach, making me dry heave on the spot. Therapists don’t easily use hypnosis because during the process, patients reveal their deepest, most private secrets. Many therapists, after learning too many secrets, can’t bear the inner pressure and become depressed. Even Mark, with his strong psychological defenses, didn’t easily hypnotize people, and his hypnosis sessions were incredibly expensive. Before, because of Mom’s condition, I had almost fallen into depression myself and asked Mark to hypnotize me to help process my emotions. He had flatly refused me, saying he’d worked all day and didn’t want to expend more mental energy when he got home. But now, in less than a day, he had hypnotized Luna twice. He even used the hypnosis to have a dream-relationship with her. The urn in my arms was chillingly cold, and my last shred of self-deceiving fantasy shattered. I made a call. “Withdraw all funding from Serenity Mind Clinic. Have hackers infiltrate Mark and Luna’s therapy room computers.” It’s standard practice for therapists to record audio and video sessions, to protect themselves if a patient causes trouble. I needed to know: what exactly happened to Mom? What made her relapse and jump? After arranging everything, I returned home. Mom’s bedroom still held her scent. I collapsed onto her bed, instantly feeling small again, as if back in her warm embrace. The immense grief and exhaustion caused me to hallucinate. “Anya.” Mom’s voice sounded above me. Opening my eyes, she was gently stroking my head. “Anya misses Mom, doesn’t she? Mom’s right here, I won’t leave.” Her warm breath was so close. I was enveloped by a sudden wave of happiness. I hugged Mom’s waist tightly, terrified she would disappear the next second. “Mom, don’t leave me, don’t…” Before I could finish, Mom’s pained voice echoed. “Anya, I hurt so much, save me, Mom!” “Mom doesn’t want to leave you, but she said it was Mom’s fault, Mom deserves to die…” “Anya!” I looked up. Mom’s face cracked open, and blood dripped into my eyes. “Mom!” I screamed, jolting awake from the nightmare. Cold sweat instantly chilled me, and I shivered, suddenly terrified by Mark standing at the doorway, my pupils trembling. “You’re awake? Did you have a nightmare? I heard your scream from far away.” My heart still pounded. As I came to, he had already turned on the light. The light stung my eyes, as did his condescending words. “Anya, I know you’re sad, but the dead cannot be brought back. Eleanor’s spirit wouldn’t want to see you looking like a ghost. Can’t you pull yourself together?” I heard no genuine concern, only saw a wolf in sheep’s clothing. My throat was dry and sore. I slowly sat up. I didn’t want to see him. I pointed to the door, telling him to get out, not to be in Mom’s room. Suddenly, Luna’s figure appeared at the doorway. She was wearing a couple’s bathrobe that I had bought for Mark on our anniversary. She had nothing on underneath, her body pressed intimately against Mark’s bathrobe. Meeting my gaze, she gave a playful greeting. “Sister-in-law, I’m here to visit! You don’t mind, do you?” Mark instinctively stepped in front of her, offering a strained explanation. “I forgot to tell you, there were police in Luna’s building, and she’s on a lower floor. I was worried something might happen to her, a girl living alone, so I asked her to stay here for a few days.” Just a few days? Wearing my husband’s bathrobe, in the middle of the night, right after my mom’s burial, standing before me like the lady of the house. Whether it was a temporary stay or a permanent move, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. I hadn’t even spoken when Luna casually walked into Mom’s room, looked at Mom’s memorial photo, and sighed. “Eleanor, really. Any hurdle can be overcome. Why jump because of a little depression, leaving you all alone, Sister-in-law?” Hearing her condescending tone, I forcefully pushed her away, roaring with red eyes. “Get out! You killed my mom!” A flicker of guilt crossed Luna’s eyes, then she tearfully snuggled closer to Mark. “Senior brother, is sister-in-law misunderstanding something about me?” At her words, Mark shielded her, his face turning foul. “Anya, stop being crazy! Your mom’s death has nothing to do with Luna. Spreading rumors has consequences!” I grabbed a nearby decorative item and threw it. “You get out too!” Mark instantly flared up and started arguing with me. Seeing this, Luna, behind him, pouted. “Sister-in-law, whatever you have, direct it at me. Speaking like that will hurt senior brother’s feelings.” “Don’t worry, I won’t stay for free. I’ll help with cleaning. This box looks dusty, I’ll wipe it for you…” “Don’t touch it!” Just as I shouted, Luna seemed startled by me, bumping into the cabinet. Mom’s urn fell with a crash. *BANG!* The urn shattered, and Mom’s ashes scattered across the cold floor. My blood ran cold, my breathing and heartbeat stopped. Luna’s tearful voice in my ears grew shrill. “I’m sorry, Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean to. Senior brother, please explain for me, I just wanted to help clean up…” Mark’s face was troubled, but he still defended her. However, before he could open his mouth, I, with bloodshot eyes, lunged at Luna. “Who told you to touch it?! I’ll kill you!” Luna’s face turned pale with fright, and she cowered behind Mark. “Ah! Senior brother, save me!” Mark didn’t budge, grabbing my hands firmly. “Anya, didn’t you hear Luna say it was an accident?! Don’t make such a big deal out of it!” “She did it on purpose! Mark, you’re an accomplice, both of you deserve to die!” I cursed loudly, kicking and punching Mark without mercy. He was enraged by me, violently shoving me away. “Have you caused enough trouble?!” I was sent stumbling backward by his sheer force, falling hard onto the shards of the urn. Cuts appeared on my arm and waist, making me break out in cold sweat from the pain. Mark looked down at me from above. “I don’t think you *seem* crazy, I think you *are* crazy!” “Every time, you just cling to those small mistakes, never looking forward! You and your mother are exactly alike!” “I’ll tell you this right now. Eleanor’s depression was her own fault. She didn’t work every day, lived so comfortably, yet still clung to old issues. It’s a miracle she even got better! Even if she hadn’t died now, she would have sooner or later dug her own grave!” Those words, “dug her own grave,” struck me like thunder. I froze, as if plunged into an icy wasteland. I stared at Mark in disbelief. He knew… He knew how much injustice my mom suffered in her youth. Because she was a girl, she was denied an education. She was forced into an abusive marriage as a teenager, and nearly beaten to death when she bravely divorced to protect me. Fate had been so cruel to her. I had tried every way to make money, to give her a good life. But still, she withered day by day like a flower in autumn. Every time I saw the cuts on Mom’s wrists, I felt a helpless, agonizing heartache. So many times, it was Mark who stood by me, comforting me. And it was Mark who, time and again, told Mom. “Pain cannot be compared; there’s no such thing as ‘big’ or ‘small’ suffering.” Now he was saying Mom dug her own grave! I slowly slid to the floor, tears silently streaming down my face. Mark realized his words had gone too far. He rubbed his temples, softening his tone. “Alright, stop acting like you’re dying. She’s dead. Ashes are just a keepsake. We’ll clean this up and buy another urn tomorrow, that’s all.” This wasn’t about the urn! This was my mom, the only family I had! Mark lost all patience. He protected Luna and walked out. “I apologize to you on your sister-in-law’s behalf. It’s late, you should rest.” A moment later, I knelt on the floor, gathering Mom’s ashes, piece by piece. Then, I calmly left the house. At the hotel, my assistant sent me the video of Mark’s last therapy session with Mom. After watching the entire video, I broke down, smashing everything in the hotel room, vowing to make the culprits pay for their blood debt! I didn’t sleep all night, my eyes bloodshot. When my phone rang for the ninety-ninth time, I finally answered. Mark’s furious roar immediately filled my ear. “Anya, how dare you withdraw the funding?! Do you have any idea how much effort I poured into that clinic, how many patients are waiting for treatment? Are you really going to make all those patients suffer because of an accident involving your mother?!” An accident? I scoffed coldly. “Whether it was an accident or not, you know perfectly well yourself!” Mark clearly didn’t want to get tangled up in that question with me. “I’m warning you, you’d better reverse your decision, or we’re getting a divorce!” Luna’s panicked voice chimed in. “Senior brother, don’t rush! Sister-in-law is definitely mad at me. I’ll go apologize. Don’t let me be the reason you two divorce…” “I won’t divorce.” Luna instantly fell silent, and Mark seemed to regain his composure. “Anya, if you don’t want to make things ugly, do as I say…” I hung up the phone. Not only would I divorce him, but I would also make him and Luna pay for their blood debt! Opening my eyes again, I caressed Mom’s photo, my gaze firm.

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My Savior Stole My Life** I was the envy of the entire metropolis. My billionaire husband adored me, holding me as the very core of his being, and my newly wealthy brother cherished me down to my very soul. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare illness. They swore they’d give their lives to see me well again. And they made good on that promise. My husband halted several crucial projects, pouring billions into the global search for a kidney donor. My brother, too, canceled all his social engagements, and was by my side at the hospital every single day. Three years later, my health had largely recovered. I could finally come back to the city. I didn’t tell them, wanting to surprise them. But I was stopped at the familiar villa gates. The security guard’s voice was sharp with警惕: “Who are you looking for?” “This is my home, I’m Julian Thorne’s wife.” I smiled. The guard paused, then his face twisted into a look of pure disgust, like I was some low-rent gold-digger. “Mrs. Thorne doesn’t look like you.” As he spoke, the guard pulled out his phone and opened his gallery. The woman in the photo looked incredibly similar to me, even down to the two faint dimples when she smiled. I knew her. It was Seraphina Hayes, the woman who had donated her kidney to me years ago.

I stumbled back, my phone nearly slipping from my grasp. The guard’s disgusted glare intensified. “See? If you had an ounce of dignity, you’d know better than to come here and make a spectacle of yourself.” “Mr. Thorne treats his wife wonderfully, we all see how much they love each other. Don’t you go living in a fantasy.” With that, the guard shoved me hard. I wasn’t steady on my feet, and after a long, restless journey, I fell heavily. My head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and my mind spun. Just then, the guard’s walkie-talkie buzzed. A familiar voice crackled through— “What’s all that noise outside?” The guard’s attitude instantly turned fawning. “Mr. Thorne, just some crazy woman claiming she knows you.” “Get her out of here immediately. Mrs. Thorne just fell asleep, don’t disturb her.” I heard Julian’s voice clearly. It was arrogant, impatient, yet filled with a deep, protective affection for the “Mrs. Thorne” he spoke of. So, Julian and his “wife” were living in this villa now. In the home we built together, our matrimonial haven. My blood ran cold, solidifying in my veins. How many beautiful memories did we share within those walls? How could he let another woman live there? My blood boiled, and a sickeningly sweet, metallic taste flooded my mouth. “Julian, who is it?” A woman’s sleepy voice drifted from the walkie-talkie. Then came Julian’s voice, soft to the point of melting. “It’s nothing, darling, just a minor issue. Go back to sleep.” “Stay with me, though.” “Alright, alright, you always get your way, don’t you?” “Tomorrow, I still need to see my brother…” The walkie-talkie went silent. My heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a vice, the pain stealing my breath. That gentle voice, brimming with love. Before, he only spoke to *me* like that, adoring me as if I might melt right there in his hands. And my brother… Could Cameron know about this too? Of course. How could anything happening here be kept from my brother? I don’t remember how I left. I stumbled along the street, my phone vibrating incessantly. A message from Julian popped up. 【Darling, are you feeling better today?】 【Did you take your medicine? When is your surgery scheduled?】 My brother’s message arrived at the same time. 【My sweetest, most adorable little sister, do you miss me?】 【Brother’s been swamped with work lately and couldn’t visit you abroad. Are you mad at me, sis?】 Looking at those messages, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. They seemed to love me so much, but why? Why would they let someone else take my place? Seraphina Hayes was the kidney donor Julian and Cameron found for me. She had a face strikingly similar to mine. The first time I met her, I even joked that we might be alternate versions of each other from a parallel universe. Back then, my brother had cupped my face and said: “My sister is one of a kind. No matter how much she looks like you, she can’t compare to even a fraction of your beauty.” Julian, from beginning to end, hadn’t spared Seraphina a second glance. Julian’s assistant spoke with Seraphina about the compensation after the kidney donation. That’s when I learned Seraphina’s family was extremely poor. She was forced to donate her kidney to pay for her seriously ill mother’s treatment. I still remember Seraphina back then, wearing a faded T-shirt, looking at me awkwardly. “Ma’am, I will take good care of my body and cooperate fully with the surgery.” I looked at her, my heart softening a little. I handed her a card: “Take this for your mother’s treatment first.” But she refused to take it, saying she wasn’t accepting charity. 2. The memory abruptly cut off. I suddenly looked up, towards the brightly lit villa in the distance. On the second-floor balcony, Julian held a petite woman tightly in his arms. On a whim, I called him. The next second, he hung up. I called again. He hung up again. My heart ached, and I squatted on the ground, gasping for air. About ten minutes later, he lifted the woman into his arms and carried her inside. Then, he reappeared on the balcony. My phone rang. “Hey, darling, what’s wrong? I was just on a video call.” I wanted to expose him right then and there. But the words caught in my throat, bitter and dry, unable to escape. “Darling?” Julian sounded confused. I still didn’t speak, biting my lip hard to keep from crying out loud. Julian finally sensed something was wrong and his tone turned worried: “Did someone upset you?” I wanted to say, *the ones upsetting me are you two.* I managed a bitter smile: “Julian Thorne, do you remember what day today is?” The other end fell silent for a moment, then he chuckled. “Oh, you’re mad because I forgot our wedding anniversary. My little princess is angry again.” “I’m sorry, darling, I’ve just been so busy today. I’ll come visit you abroad in a few days and make it up to you, alright?” Just then, I saw Seraphina come out again. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Julian on the lips. The wet, sticky sound of the kiss was clearly audible through the phone. A wave of disgust washed over me. My voice was already hoarse: “No need. If you’re busy with work, then focus on that. Don’t worry about me.” “Okay, darling, you’re becoming so understanding.” The call ended, and the two figures on the second-floor balcony embraced under the moonlight, truly a loving couple! Tears instantly welled in my eyes. Was this what betrayal felt like? Eighteen-year-old Julian Thorne and Aurora Sterling could have never believed that twenty-five-year-old Julian would become a betrayer. He had loved me so fiercely. That summer, a boy held a basketball, dazzling under the sun. The wind brushed my cheek, carrying the eighteen-year-old’s voice across the years— “Aurora, I love you, and I’ll only ever love you. If I ever betray you, Aurora, may I drop dead on the spot!” The night wind made my entire body tremble uncontrollably. I slowly stood up, leaning against the wall, then turned and walked away. I hailed a taxi. The place I went was the small apartment my brother had given me for my eighteenth birthday. My hand trembled as I inserted the key into the lock. The moment the door opened, a suffocating wave of stale air and dust assaulted me. Clearly, no one had lived there in a long time. The furnishings inside were exactly as I’d left them three years ago. On the desk was a photo of my brother and me. Cameron wore a black suit, and I, standing next to him with a high ponytail, smiled joyfully. Cameron and Julian learned of my return the next day. Both of them gathered at my small apartment. Two powerful men, now facing me, their faces showed surprise and a touch of awkwardness. Julian was the first to step forward, reaching out to take my hand as he always used to. “Aurora, you’re back? Is it… is it all clear now?” I subtly avoided his hand. My brother’s eyes were moist, his voice choked. “Sister, this is wonderful. It’s great that you’re alright.” Julian’s hand froze in mid-air, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Then, an even deeper tenderness softened his gaze. “Are you perhaps too tired from the long flight?” Hearing that, my brother hurried to my side, already worried, and reached out to touch my forehead. I didn’t move, my body stiff. Cameron checked carefully, “No, your temperature’s normal.” I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m probably just a little tired.” Julian smoothly took over the conversation. “In that case, you should stay here for now, don’t run around. “This place is close to the hospital, it’ll be convenient for your follow-up appointments.” My lips curved into a bitter smile. Was this his way of preventing me from discovering he was keeping his mistress hidden away? How absurd. His wife was living outside, while his lover brazenly moved into our home. It seemed I was the one who looked like the ‘mistress.’ I smiled bitterly, “Whatever.” It wasn’t like I’d be staying long anyway. Julian’s brows unfurrowed, his tone imbued with his usual doting affection. “Such a good girl. Rest well here, I’ll come visit you often.” Cameron also visibly relaxed: “Okay, I’ll have Mrs. Olsen come tidy up. Tell me if you need anything, sis.” “Mm-hm.” I played along with their charade. 3 Julian’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, then uncomfortably looked at me. He walked to the balcony, his voice deliberately lowered. Yet, blurred words still drifted into my ears. “Be a good girl, I’m busy right now, can’t come back yet… I’ll be done soon… Mm, I’ll bring you a small cake…” When he hung up and turned around, the tenderness hadn’t yet faded from his face. Julian walked back, a hint of apology in his eyes as he looked at me. “Something urgent came up at the company, I need to handle it. I’ll be back later for dinner.” I nodded, saying nothing. My brother looked at Julian with concern. “Is something wrong?” “Minor issue.” They were putting on a show, talking in veiled terms in front of me, thinking I didn’t know. Cameron eventually left with Julian. At the door, both of them turned back to look at me. Julian’s gaze was lingering: “Aurora, wait for me. I’ll be back tonight.” Cameron also looked at me dotingly. “Sister, get some sleep. I’ll take you to the hospital for your follow-up tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded. The next second, the door gently closed. The door separated me from them, and it severed my last shred of hope. In the empty living room, only I remained. The wall clock ticked, each beat seemingly echoing in my shattered heart. It felt like Cameron and Julian were slowly, agonizingly destroying me, all in the name of ‘love.’ That night, Julian didn’t return. He only sent me a message: 【Company business is demanding. I’ll have to stay at the office tonight. Get some rest, darling.】 And the next day, my brother, who had promised to take me for my follow-up, didn’t show up either. I took a taxi to the hospital myself. As I was leaving after my check-up, a commotion suddenly broke out nearby. I instinctively looked up. Just one glance, and my blood instantly turned to ice. Julian was carefully supporting Seraphina, his face full of tenderness and concern. My brother walked on the other side, his tone cautious and worried. “Slow down. The doctor said you have a threatened miscarriage. You can’t overexert yourself right now.” I froze. Seraphina was pregnant… Seraphina pouted at Julian, her voice sickly sweet. “It’s all your fault. You didn’t come back to be with me all night, that’s why I almost miscarried.” “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault.” Julian looked down, one hand supporting her shoulder, the other stroking her belly. The doting in his eyes was impossible to hide. “I’ll stay with you from now on, alright?” “My husband is so good to me.” Seraphina broke into a smile through her tears. My brother chimed in: “As long as you’re well, we’ll do anything for you.” The three of them stood there, backlit, their figures searing my eyes. Seraphina leaned against Julian’s chest: “Husband, will you always be good to me?” “Of course, you’re my wife, and you’re carrying my child. Of course I’ll be good to you.” Julian looked at her, his profile unbelievably soft. My brother joked from the side. “You spoil her too much.” But there was no hint of blame in his tone, only doting affection. Seraphina giggled. That sickeningly sweet taste flooded my throat again. I covered my mouth, forcing myself to swallow the blood. Shortly after leaving the hospital, my phone vibrated a few times. It was a message from my brother: 【Sister, how were your follow-up results?】 【Brother’s a bit busy here and couldn’t get away. I’ll definitely go with you next time.】 I looked at the text message and laughed, tears streaming down my face. After returning home, I took a cold shower. It finally cleared my head a little. Julian’s words to Seraphina, “You’re my wife…,” kept echoing in my ears. I sent a message to a contact with a completely black profile picture. “Marcus, my senior researcher, help me look into Julian Thorne…” About ten minutes later, he called me back. “Aurora, I found out you and Julian Thorne divorced six months ago.” “Julian Thorne’s current wife is Seraphina Hayes.” I clutched my agonizing stomach, laughing and crying on the sofa. It was so absurd, so ridiculous. I was nothing but a joke. In three years, someone had completely taken my place. The person on the other end of the line sounded very concerned. “Aurora, are you okay?” “I’m fine, Marcus, I’m fine. And—I agree to marry you.” “What? Really?” “Yes.”

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My husband, a Chief Physician, desperately tried to stop me from operating on Maya, Director Thompson’s daughter, who had fallen four stories. All so his ‘precious’ first love, Veronica, a surgical specialist fresh back from overseas, could take the lead. It was the same in my previous life. She knew absolutely nothing about actual surgery, only theory, no practice. We almost missed the optimal window for the operation. I was the one who fought tooth and nail, insisting on the initial treatment plan, pulling Maya back from the brink. But Veronica felt humiliated. She actually jumped from the hospital rooftop, ending up with high paraplegia. In retaliation, my husband banished me to a tiny rural clinic for “training,” even arranging for people in the village to torment and humiliate me. I tried to hide and call for help, but his voice on the other end was ice cold. “Scarlett, it’s just one surgery. Do you *really* have to hog all the glory from Veronica?” “Then you should taste what it’s like to be tormented.” My location was exposed because of that call, and I was ultimately humiliated to death. When I opened my eyes again, the emergency gurney was already being wheeled in front of me. This time, I didn’t rush. My hands were in my pockets, just waiting to see how his beloved first love would handle all of this. .

“What’s taking this overseas doctor so long? We’re racing against death here!” “The patient’s body temperature is already rising, and her limbs are swelling.” “If she starts convulsing, we might not be able to save her.” Everyone in the operating room was behind me, frantic. But no matter how anxious they were, how much they urged, all they got was Derek’s angry shouting. “What’s the rush? Do you honestly think any of *you* can save this patient?” “Veronica graduated from the best hospital overseas. As long as she’s operating, there’ll be no problem.” Derek’s yelling left the surgical team disoriented. But he always had full control over major surgeries, and no one dared question him. Chloe, a neurosurgeon from my university days, who was standing behind me, couldn’t hold back. “If we wait any longer, we might not save her. Let’s just get her into surgery, intubate her, at least that’ll buy us some time.” Every department in the hospital had rushed to the consultation, desperate to finalize the best surgical plan and save her life. But Chloe’s words didn’t sway Derek; they only made him more irritated. “This entire operation is under my full authority! You neurosurgery folks just wait for my orders.” Chloe got angry. “How are you talking to me? All departments are equal here!” “Besides, I’m giving you advice!” But Derek’s face was cold. He looked at the Chief of Neurosurgery. “Replace her. Send her back to Neurosurgery. We don’t need her here!” Chloe turned away furiously, glaring at Derek before she left. Then, Derek’s eyes landed on me. “Scarlett, what do *you* think?” Chloe was my college roommate. Derek had just yelled at her and sent her away, only to ask me after she’d gone. His meaning was crystal clear. I looked at him and smiled faintly. “You’re the Chief of Surgery and the one in charge of this operation. Of course, I’ll follow your lead.” Derek hadn’t expected me to be so compliant today. He gave a satisfied laugh, then looked at the consulting doctors behind him. “See? *This* is the kind of obedience a doctor should have.” I stood calmly behind him, watching it all unfold. In my previous life, I chose to fight him to the bitter end, and in return, he had me killed in the countryside for Veronica. This time, I wouldn’t be that foolish.

Just as everyone was anxiously waiting, Veronica finally arrived, fashionably late. She had a perfectly made-up face and strolled in without a hint of urgency. Maya’s body temperature was steadily rising. Veronica walked up to the patient, looking around. “Did you take X-rays? How am I supposed to pinpoint the fracture without X-rays?” Nurse Reynolds immediately handed her the imaging films. The nurse’s swift action cut Veronica’s pretentious speech short. But Veronica still didn’t admit she couldn’t do the surgery. “Just images aren’t enough. I also need to know the amount of blood loss, whether it’s suitable for an incision.” Nurse Reynolds finally lost her patience. She looked at Veronica, her eyes full of disdain. “Dr. Veronica!” She emphasized “Doctor” with a hint of thinly veiled sarcasm. “You’re supposed to be a *doctor*! Are you even capable of performing this surgery?” “This isn’t the time to assess blood loss! We need to get her into the operating room immediately. Every second counts; every minute she’s out here increases her risk exponentially!” Veronica bristled. She looked at Nurse Reynolds and spoke coldly. “Am I the lead surgeon, or are you?” “You’re just a Head Nurse; how dare you speak to me like that!” Nurse Reynolds had worked in this hospital for over twenty years, accumulating as much knowledge and experience as any doctor. Veronica, utterly arrogant, then turned to Derek, whining slightly. “Derek, darling, since they all look down on me so much, maybe I should just leave.” Derek quickly stopped Veronica, then looked at me. He whispered conspiratorially in her ear. I didn’t hear what they said, but Veronica finally conceded. “Fine, let’s get her into the operating room.” Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly wheeling the patient into surgery. But then came another long wait. Everyone in the operating room looked at me, hoping I would take charge. I looked at the girl’s increasingly faint heartbeat on the cardiac monitor, feeling a wave of helplessness. “Scarlett, please, at least stabilize her breathing, get the airways clear. We can prevent further lung damage to the child.” I hesitated for a moment, just about to nod. Veronica, dressed in surgical scrubs, strode in. Everyone’s eyes fixed on her, filled with an unspoken resentment. If this precious life were to be lost because of this imbecile, they’d tear Veronica limb from limb. But Veronica remained oblivious. She walked forward arrogantly, glanced at the girl’s body, and spoke indifferently. “It’s not as serious as I thought. To call me here for *this*? I hadn’t even finished my facial mask yet.” Nurse Reynolds gritted her teeth in anger but held back. Then Derek walked in. Veronica huffed, then went to Derek’s side. “Derek, darling, with you here, this surgery is bound to be a success.” Derek tenderly brushed her cheek. “Of course, you’re the best doctor in the world.” Their intimate display made the other doctors in the operating room exchange glances, their gazes involuntarily drifting to me. My mask hid my face, but it couldn’t hide the simmering resentment in my eyes. Not for their private affair, but for the life on that table. I finally couldn’t hold back. “Can we start now?” Veronica rolled her eyes at me, then scoffed. “What, you want to do it?” “Ordering me around now, are you? *I’m* the lead surgeon!” “Go get an overseas doctorate if you’re so capable.” I didn’t speak, but the cardiac monitor suddenly shrieked. Nurse Reynolds yelled in a panic. “Oh no, the patient’s heart is in ventricular fibrillation!”

The atmosphere in the operating room instantly became frantic. “Quick! Get the defibrillator ready!” “Asynchronous defibrillation, 200 joules!” “One! Two! Three! Clear!” The nurses were a flurry of motion, everyone passing the torch to extend a life. Veronica, however, was terrified by the commotion. She ran into Derek’s arms, whimpering dramatically. “Oh, Derek, darling, this is too scary.” “I don’t want to stay here. I want to leave.” No one in the operating room had time to deal with her sickening display, and neither did I. Derek, however, guarded Veronica like she was precious cargo. “It’s alright. Just let them resuscitate her, and then you can continue.” Finally, after more than two minutes of CPR, the girl’s heart resumed beating. But there was little time left to waste. Nurse Reynolds was barely able to control her inner anxiety. “Dr. Veronica, can you or can you not operate on this patient?” “If not, then get out of here!” Veronica shot her a venomous glare, then looked at me. “This kind of surgery isn’t worth my time.” “You.” She raised her hand and pointed at me. “You do it.” I frowned. A shiver of surprise ran through me. I had been hiding my presence, waiting until the last moment when I absolutely *had* to step in. But not only had Derek singled me out earlier, Veronica, too, seemed to have a tracking device on me. She had zeroed in on me. I pressed my lips together. In my moment of hesitation, Derek also spoke. “Scarlett, since Veronica wants you to do it, then you do it.” Derek’s expression was calm, making it impossible to guess what they were truly planning. And everyone else in the operating room, hearing Veronica pick me, ask me to do the surgery, felt like a ray of hope piercing through the storm clouds. Nurse Reynolds quickly ushered me to the operating table. “Dr. Scarlett, we really can’t let them mess around anymore.” “This is a human life! They’re wasting precious time like this!” I reassured Nurse Reynolds with a glance, then began preparing for the surgery. Incision, intubation – a seamless, practiced flow. Nurse Reynolds stood beside me, handing me the surgical tools. I didn’t need to speak; I’d just extend my hand and receive the exact tool I needed. Though I had performed this very surgery once before in my previous life, I still couldn’t afford any mistakes this time. Maya was severely injured. She had fallen from five stories, sustaining skull damage and comminuted fractures in both arms and legs. I had to proceed methodically, step by painstaking step. My forehead was already glistening with sweat. After the neurosurgeons finished with the skull, I would take over the arms and legs. The skull work was done, and the neurosurgeons handed the reins over to me. I nodded, ready to pick up a tool and begin on an arm, when Veronica, who had been silent, spoke again. “Derek, darling, I want to learn from Scarlett how to perform surgical procedures.” I looked at Veronica, puzzled. Her face was alight with a challenging smile. Derek didn’t hesitate. “Of course, darling. Veronica can go wherever she wants, see whatever she wants.” “Scarlett, you don’t mind, do you?” I couldn’t refuse, nor could I afford to. Veronica came to my side, pushing Nurse Reynolds away. “Scarlett, dear, let me be your assistant.”

I knew that the person beside me wasn’t truly interested in watching my surgery, despite what she said. But I looked at the monitors; the patient’s vitals were steadily worsening. There was absolutely no time to waste. I forced myself to focus all my attention on the surgery. “Forceps.” I spoke coldly, reaching my hand to the right to grab the tool. But I waited and waited, and no tool came. Veronica’s shrill voice cut through the silence. “Oh, Scarlett, dear, there are so many forceps here! Do you want toothed forceps, or non-toothed forceps?” “Non-toothed.” Only after getting a definitive answer did she place the forceps in my hand. And that was just the beginning. After that, anything I asked for wouldn’t be provided immediately. Finally, on the fifth time, she asked me. “Scarlett, dear, do you want a laser scalpel or an ultrasonic scalpel?” I swept a cold gaze over her. The triumphant look on her face made me want nothing more than to plunge the scalpel in my hand straight into her cold, manipulative heart. How could anyone be so careless with a human life? “Do you know how to do this or not? If not, just stand aside and watch.” I spoke calmly. “Nurse Reynolds, please take over.” I had no time to argue with her. Now that this surgery was in my hands, I *had* to complete it and save this child’s life. Veronica scoffed dismissively. She stomped angrily to the other side, then watched my every move, incessantly chattering. “Scarlett, dear, if all the doctors in this country were as professional as you, wouldn’t our national medicine already be far ahead in the world?” “Scarlett, dear, why don’t you teach me? I’ve only studied these things, I haven’t gotten any hands-on experience.” I frowned, not looking at her. “If you haven’t gotten hands-on experience, go watch videos and practice.” She felt the sting of rejection, bit her lip, then huffed contemptuously. “Fine, don’t teach. What’s with the arrogance?” “You’ve just been stuck in this hospital longer. You’re nowhere near as capable as Derek.” “He’s a Chief Physician now, and you’re just a lowly surgeon.” I completely ignored her, which only fueled Veronica’s indignation. She raised her hand and shoved me. “Hey, I’m talking to you! Why aren’t you answering?” The push itself wasn’t the problem; it was *when* she pushed me – just as I was about to remove the necrotic tissue. Her shove made my hand falter, and the scalpel sliced through an artery. Blood instantly began to spray, throwing everyone in the room into a panic. “Quick, stop the bleeding!” “Oh no, the patient’s blood pressure just dropped to 60! We need to stop the bleeding immediately!” Even Veronica hadn’t anticipated such an accident. She froze, unable to move. It was then that Derek finally spoke up. “It’s alright, as long as you stop the bleeding.” Veronica seemed to draw comfort from his words. She continued her boorish chatter in my ear. “Oh, Scarlett, dear, how could you make such a huge mistake!” “If Director Thompson finds out you’ve caused his daughter more injury, what kind of punishment do you think you’ll get?” I finally stopped being indifferent, glaring at her with wide eyes. “What do you mean?” Just then, more bad news came from the anesthesia team. “Dr. Scarlett, bad news! The patient’s blood oxygen is dropping rapidly! We need to stitch the wound immediately!” Veronica bent closer to me, whispering in my ear. The blaring warning from the monitors and her words were like a demon’s whisper from the very depths of hell. “I don’t think this child is going to make it.” “But it’s fine. Even if the surgery fails, you’ll be the one to take the fall.”

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