Category: English

Three years ago, I entered into a business arrangement for the sake of my family’s company, agreeing to a three-year marriage contract with Gideon Reed of Reed Corporation. During these years, whenever rumors surfaced about Gideon and Phoebe Walters from Walters Corporation, I would always step forward to clarify the situation on their behalf. But today, when Phoebe confronted me with ultrasound results, I had to face the truth. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” At that moment, I knew it was time. “Let’s get a divorce.” I presented the divorce papers to Gideon. After three years, this contractual marriage was finally reaching its end. He sneered, tapping his elegant fingers on the table. “Don’t forget, I paid for you!” I laughed. The next day, at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, I attended as the CEO. Holding another man’s hand, under Gideon’s pale gaze, I calmly announced, “I am divorced, and this is my new fiancé.”

Three years ago, I stood by the floor-length window in the top office of Reed Corporation, clutching the newly signed marriage agreement. The edges of the paper were crumpled from my tense grip. “Miss Adeline Reed, I hope you remember your role.” Gideon’s voice came from behind, cold and businesslike. “This is merely a transaction.” As I turned to leave, Phoebe Walters passed by me, her eyes filled with challenge and disdain, silently reminding me that I was just a pawn bought with money. She threw herself into Gideon’s arms, his eyes soft and tender as he looked at her. But when he looked at me, his gaze was always distant. Three years ago, when my father suddenly fell ill, our family business faced a crisis. Even in decline, our company held valuable core nanotechnology. My father agreed to Reed Corporation’s investment proposal, with the condition that Gideon and I marry. Gideon, always the astute businessman, agreed after some thought but demanded that I sign a marriage contract in private. For three years, Gideon consistently reminded me that ours was a contractual marriage. So, when rumors about him and Phoebe frequently emerged, I always remembered my role and helped clear them up. But today, Phoebe invited me to a café and confronted me with the ultrasound results. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” “Will you leave voluntarily, or do you need Gideon to force you out? Let’s keep this dignified, shall we?” When I returned home in the evening, finding Gideon there was unusual. His usual cold gaze sent a shiver down my spine. After hesitating for a moment, I finally said the words that should have ended this farce long ago. Unexpectedly, we both spoke at the same time. “Have you eaten?” “Let’s divorce.” The atmosphere instantly cooled. I saw Gideon’s slight frown. “Adeline, you don’t have the right to bring this up. Don’t forget, you were bought for a high price. I decide when it ends.” He dropped these words and headed to the bathroom. I was grateful to him for spending three billion to save the Reed Family, but every time he humiliated me, my heart still ached. Touching the wedding ring on my finger, its cold texture reminded me of the essence of this marriage—a three-billion-dollar investment in exchange for the empty title of Mrs. Reed. On our wedding night, Gideon didn’t even toast with me. He signed the marriage agreement and rushed back to the company for a ‘meeting.’ Not long after he left, Phoebe sent a photo of herself nestled in Gideon’s embrace, with a hotel in the background. The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. I hastily wiped my eyes. Gideon emerged in a robe, his hair still dripping. Upon seeing me, he frowned noticeably: “Why are you still here?” Since our marriage, we had slept in separate rooms. Gideon confined my activities to the guest room. “I…” I stood up nervously and accidentally knocked over the scented candle on the table. The sound of glass shattering was particularly piercing in the silent bedroom. “Sorry, I’ll clean it up right away…” He grabbed my wrist. “No need.” I froze, smelling the faint scent of cedarwood and shower gel on him. This was the first time we were so close. Close enough for me to see the shadow his eyelashes cast. “Mrs. Reed,” he let go of my hand, his tone warning, “remember your role. Play your part well. You have no right to have your own thoughts.” Role. What a ridiculous word. I crouched down to pick up the glass shards, not realizing my palm was cut and bleeding. It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the master bedroom door being locked that I realized I was crying. As night deepened, I curled up in the guest room bed, staring at the message my father sent me. “Adeline, you’ve worked hard all these years.” Suddenly, lightning flashed outside, followed by pouring rain. Driven by a strange impulse, I walked to the master bedroom door, raising my hand to knock—when I was little and afraid of thunder, I always hugged a stuffed animal and went to find my mom. But my hand fell back down, remembering this wasn’t home, and Gideon wasn’t someone who would comfort me. Just then, my phone screen lit up, a text from an unknown number appeared. “Miss Reed, how have you been? You’re such a heartless woman. I was planning to propose to you when I returned to the country.” I stared at the unknown number, my heart skipped a beat. I knew who it was. Asher Greene. Gideon’s biggest overseas business rival, and… my first love.

The rain battered the floor-to-ceiling windows. I stared at the text, my fingers hovering above the screen, unable to reply. Asher Greene— That name was like a sharp knife, easily cutting open the memories I had carefully sealed. The phone suddenly vibrated, startling me nearly into dropping it. It was an unknown number, and I couldn’t resist pressing the answer button. “Hello?” I lowered my voice, fearing to wake the person in the master bedroom. “Adeline, long time no see.” A deep male voice came from the other end, with a lazy smile. “How’s life as Mrs. Reed?” I gripped the phone tightly: “How do you know my number?” “I always know what I want to know.” He paused, “Like I know you’re hiding in the guest room crying right now.” I quickly looked around, feeling as if he was watching me from a corner: “Are you spying on me?” “I just happened to see your husband with another woman going to a hotel yesterday after I returned to the country, so I guessed you weren’t doing well.” I bit my lip, a sharp pain piercing my heart. His voice suddenly turned serious, “Open the door, I’m downstairs at your house.” “What?” I rushed to the window and indeed saw a black Maybach parked in the rain, its headlights casting blurry halos in the rain. “Are you crazy? This is Gideon’s mansion!” “So what?” He chuckled, “Afraid your husband will be jealous?” “Your husband already has a new girlfriend. I don’t mind being your boyfriend. It’s fair like that.” I bit my lip, not answering. He always teased like this, often leaving me blushing and at a loss for words. In the sound of the rain, I heard the car door close on the other end, followed by the sound of leather shoes stepping into a puddle. He really got out of the car. “Asher Greene! Don’t you—” “Either you come down, or I ring the doorbell.” He interrupted me, “Choose one.” I hurriedly put on a coat and slipped downstairs barefoot. As I opened the side door of the mansion, cold rain splashed on my ankles. Asher stood at the bottom of the steps with a black umbrella, his tailored suit accentuating his broad shoulders. In three years, a small scar had appeared at the corner of his eye, adding a dangerous allure to him. “You…” I was about to speak when he suddenly stepped forward, tilting the umbrella to cover me. Too close. Close enough for me to smell the faint ebony scent on him, just like I remembered. “Why are you crying?” He wiped my tears with his thumb, the warmth of his touch making me flinch. Then he lifted my arm, placing my foot on his shoe. “Did Gideon bully you?” I quickly stepped back, my back hitting the cold door frame. “It’s none of your business.” Asher’s eyes darkened, and he suddenly pulled a shell from his pocket. “Remember this?” In the moonlight, the crack on the shell was clear— It was from when I accidentally cut him by the sea in our junior year. Memories surged like waves, merging the Asher who stayed on the phone with me all night because I was afraid of the dark, with the dangerous man before me. “Adeline…” He took a step forward, the umbrella shielding us from the world, “I can help you.” “Help me with what?” “Leave Gideon.” His voice was a soft sigh, “Just say the word.” Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking came from the second floor. I looked up, the master bedroom curtains swaying violently—someone was there. Asher followed my gaze, a smirk forming on his lips. “Looks like your husband is awake.”

The master bedroom lights suddenly blazed, the glaring light cutting through the rain and shining down. I froze, while Asher calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows. “Looks like Mr. Reed is a light sleeper, interrupted sleep can affect a man’s married life.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing something. Once again, I blushed, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. **2.** The sound of glass shattering suddenly echoed from the second floor. I glanced up to see the master bedroom curtains shaking violently—someone was there. Asher Greene followed my gaze and smirked coldly. “Looks like your husband’s awake.” **3.** The master bedroom lights blazed on, the intense brightness cutting through the rain. I froze, but Asher Greene calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows with his body. “It seems Mr. Reed is a light sleeper. A restless man can have a troubled marriage.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing. I blushed again, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. He seemed quite satisfied with my reaction. Lowering his voice, he gently rubbed the shell with his fingertips, “I’ll give you three days to think it over.” A gold-embossed business card was slipped into my palm, with a hotel room number scrawled on the back. Before I could decline, the second-floor window flew open, and Gideon Reed’s cold voice shouted down. “Who’s there?” Asher Greene elegantly took a half-step back, raising the umbrella to reveal his smiling eyes. “Mr. Reed, sorry for the late visit.” His fingers brushed my wrist, seemingly by accident. “I came to pick up something I left with Adeline.” He pronounced ‘Adeline’ with intimate familiarity. The rain suddenly intensified. I clutched the hot business card, watching Gideon’s expression flicker in the lightning. He stood motionless in his robe, like a cold statue. “Leave.” The word splashed to the ground, mingling with the rain. Asher Greene bowed gracefully, leaving one last whisper in my ear before leaving. “There’s a surprise hidden in the shell.” The Maybach’s taillights disappeared into the rain as I turned to face Gideon’s brooding gaze. He had somehow moved to the staircase, his robe’s collar wide open, revealing ambiguous red marks on his collarbone— The marks left by the Walters heiress on last week’s finance magazine cover. “Explain.” I thought he meant Asher, but then I saw him holding out my antidepressant medication, the one I’d been taking since we got married. I reached for the bottle, but he grabbed my wrist, pinning it against the wall. Pills scattered everywhere, sticking to the wet floor. “Mr. Reed is concerned about what his wife takes, huh?” Before I could finish, he suddenly kissed me, a punishment tinged with the taste of blood. My back hit the doorframe hard, blacking out my vision with pain. When he finally let go, I heard my own ragged breathing mixed with his hoarse questioning: “Where did he touch you?” I licked the split on my lip and suddenly laughed. “Do you really care?” Gideon’s eyes darkened. As he moved closer again, the butler’s panicked voice came from upstairs. “Mr. Reed! The video conference from New York has been moved up!” He released me, his knuckles turning white: “Wait for me to return.” Watching his retreating figure, I slowly uncurled my clenched palm to reveal the shell. Inside the crack was a tiny USB drive— Engraved with “Southeast Asia project vulnerability analysis for Reed Corporation.” The rain stopped, moonlight casting over the mess of scattered pills, each one reflecting my shattered reflection. **4.** The next evening, I opened the USB drive on my computer. As it loaded, the financial vulnerabilities of Reed Corporation spread out on the screen like a web. I stared at those deliberately hidden deficit numbers, my fingers unconsciously tracing the marks Gideon had left on my neck. In the study, my phone suddenly vibrated. A message from Asher Greene: “Did you see the surprise?” I was about to reply when footsteps sounded in the hallway. In a hurry, I pulled out the USB drive, accidentally knocking over the coffee cup. The brown liquid soaked into the divorce agreement, staining the spot where my name was written. “Not asleep yet?” Gideon’s voice came from behind me. He was in a suit, carrying the chill of the night, though his tie was crooked— Unlike his usual meticulous self. “Waiting for you.” I closed the laptop, pushing the wet document into the drawer. “Weren’t you supposed to be in New York for three days?” He loosened his tie, his gaze landing on my neck. “Changed plans last minute.” He suddenly leaned over, pressing down on the hand I was using to close the drawer. “What’s this?” The coffee-stained paper still showed the stark words “divorce agreement.” Gideon’s pupils shrank, and I could smell the strong scent of whiskey on his breath. “Explain.” His voice was soft, but his knuckles were white. “As you see.” I pulled my hand away. “The three-year contract is up.” Gideon suddenly laughed. He threw a stack of documents from his briefcase, the top one being a letter of intent from Walters Corporation. “You think divorcing now will allow the Reed Family to walk away unscathed?” I flipped through the documents, my heart sinking—Walters’ investment terms clearly stated: Gideon’s marital status must remain stable. “Such a pity.” His cold fingertips traced my collarbone. “Old Mr. Walters and your father have agreed, using nano core as leverage, your father has planned the rest of your life.” “Now, your freedom is worth five hundred million.” Suddenly, lightning and thunder lit his eyes with madness. As he lowered his head to kiss me, my phone lit up. The latest email from Asher Greene: “Complete chain of evidence regarding Reed Corporation’s financial fraud.” “No need.” I opened the email in front of him. “Mr. Reed, my father will respect my choice, but do you think Walters will still invest after seeing this?” Gideon’s expression froze. I stood up, slapping the soaked divorce agreement against his chest. “Sign it before dawn.” I’m sorry, it seems there’s no text provided for translation. Could you please provide the specific content that you want translated? 5. Gideon Reed’s hand paused as the divorce agreement slipped to the floor. “And by the way, I’m aware that Phoebe Walters is pregnant. I won’t hide your affair any longer.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296452”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Even though we’re twins, other families seem to manage balancing their love between their children. But in my family, the balance is always off. Mom and Dad favor my brother because he’s been frail since childhood, earning their special care and affection. However, this love is a double-edged sword, spoiling him excessively. Ultimately, his future may not turn out as they hope. “Smack…” A sharp sound echoed as I received a solid slap from my brother, Asher. “Jude, do you think I’m joking? How dare you ignore me?” Asher shouted, pointing at me. “Asher, are you out of your mind? Adeline is my girlfriend. How can you, as my brother, bully your own brother’s girlfriend? What kind of person are you?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer, no longer caring if he was my brother. “You’ve really turned against me now, speaking to me like this.” Asher said, stepping forward to slap me again. I couldn’t take it anymore and immediately fought back, slapping Asher. Asher was furious. Since childhood, he had always bullied me, never once being on the receiving end, and he would never allow such a situation. We started wrestling with each other. Adeline tried to pull us apart, but as a woman, she was unable to handle two enraged men. Out of options, she grabbed my phone and called my dad. Adeline was our neighbor back home, and we grew up together, very close since childhood. Later, when we went to college, we moved to the city together and attended the same university. Over the years, we took care of each other. When I confessed during college, everything naturally fell into place. But my brother has always liked to take what I have, especially things that belong to me. So, he came to us and said something so outrageous, actually asking me to give him my girlfriend. Other things I might tolerate, but she was my childhood sweetheart, the woman I intended to marry. He was going too far. We fought for a long time until my mom shouted, “Stop it, both of you, stop it now!” Only then did we let go of each other. “Ah… my heart hurts so much, I can’t breathe!” Asher suddenly collapsed, clutching his chest and crying out.

“Son, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” My mom immediately rushed to Asher, her face filled with concern and worry, as if she’d forgotten about me, her other son. My dad stepped forward and slapped me hard across the face. “You worthless kid, how dare you hit your brother! You’re completely out of control. You’ve been a curse to your brother since you were little, causing him to end up like this. Do you want to kill him now? How did I end up with such a vicious child?” My dad scolded me, as if not satisfied, he even pulled out a belt and started whipping me. “Dad, why don’t you ask what happened first? Why are you always so biased?” I dodged as I questioned him. But my dad wouldn’t listen, continuing to beat me without pause. “I really regret having such an ungrateful son like you. Your brother’s heart isn’t good, and I should’ve given him yours.” He berated me while striking me. My mom yelled from the side, “Honey, Asher is in pain, we need to take him to the hospital!” My dad finally stopped the beating, dropping the belt and lifting my brother to leave. My mom, seemingly not over it, came forward, slapped me across the face, cursed, and hurriedly left with them. I sat on the ground, feeling utterly desolate. Adeline knelt down, trying to comfort me. But I couldn’t hear anything, my heart felt like it was in ashes. I didn’t know what I did wrong to deserve such treatment. Asher and I are twin brothers, but he was born with a weak heart, almost not making it, while I was completely healthy. Luckily, Asher was saved but was left with congenital heart disease, relying on medication. The doctor said he could have a heart attack at any time, so they kept emergency heart pills on hand. Our parents sacrificed a lot for the both of us.

Our family lived in the countryside, not very wealthy, bearing the cost of Asher’s medical bills made them anxious and exhausted. Sometimes, they couldn’t even afford his medication, leaving them at their wits’ end. Desperate, they turned to superstitions, burning incense, praying, and even consulting fortune tellers. The fortune teller revealed something that would haunt me for life. He said that as twins, we should have similar conditions, but I was healthy while Asher had a heart condition because we were born to clash. I supposedly took Asher’s luck and health, causing his frailty and illness. To protect Asher, we had to be separated, or I’d doom him. My parents believed the fortune teller, and from then on, they saw me as a demon. Other families rejoiced over healthy twins, but not ours. One had heart disease while the other didn’t, just as the fortune teller said — one cursed the other. When I was three, my parents sent me to live with Grandma in the countryside, while they took Asher to the city for treatment and work. Grandma had trouble walking, yet she had to care for a three-year-old. I was ignorant and always asked Grandma to carry me, and we often fell, bruising ourselves. When I reached school age, I studied in the village, while Asher went to school in the city, enjoying better conditions. Ironically, my grades were always better. I consistently ranked in the top three, while Asher was always last. Yet, my parents didn’t discipline him or guide him. They blamed me for taking his luck, making him dumb with poor grades. I was speechless. Isn’t studying about effort, not luck? I remember when I got into high school, scoring first in the entrance exam, but Asher had no school willing to take him, so they had to buy a spot. That was when my parents were at their worst. They stormed into the countryside and, without listening, started beating me with sticks. Scared, I ran and cried, but they wouldn’t stop. Finally, perhaps from exhaustion, they stopped. Only then did they reveal why they beat me. They believed I was a devil, stealing Asher’s luck. I got first place, while he was last, even with no school accepting him, all because of me, the jinx. My brother was sick, now with poor grades and no school, how would he find a job to support himself? My dad had finally settled, barely achieving a modest living, but it wasn’t enough for Asher’s needs. So, all the blame fell on me, the jinx. They beat me, scolded me, and almost killed me. At that moment, I even considered dying.

Thankfully, Grandma returned and stopped their abuse, driving them away. That day, I cried for a long time, unable to sleep, waking up from nightmares. The next morning, Grandma found me burning with fever. She quickly called the village doctor, busying herself with my care, looking both heartbroken and worried. I asked Grandma why, when Asher was sick, Mom and Dad were always there, but now I was sick, and they weren’t here for me. Grandma comforted me, but tears streamed down her face. After that, I rarely saw my parents again. Until three years later, when I got into college and moved to the city. Adeline went to the same university, and she was the only light in my life besides Grandma. She was there during my most painful days, and we had a great relationship. When I went to the city for school, Grandma couldn’t afford the tuition or rent, so I had to rely on my parents. I didn’t want to, but with no money, I had no choice. When I saw my parents again, they didn’t even look at me. Over the years, my dad seemed to earn more, buying an apartment in the city. I’d never lived in such a nice place, never even seen one, and it was my first time in an elevator. Perhaps because I was older, seventeen or eighteen, and much taller than them, they didn’t hit or scold me anymore. They paid for tuition and let me stay, but I had to do all the housework. I had no choice but to agree. For me, doing chores was easy. I’d been doing them all my life in the countryside. But Asher was the biggest problem. He was my brother in name only. Other than looking older, in everything else, he was inferior to me. But he was the most troublesome. Whenever I cleaned, he’d throw trash around, making me sweep several times. After I washed dishes and dried them, he’d pour oil on them. If I washed clothes, he’d stomp on them. He did all this openly, making it a habit. It’s not that I didn’t fight back; I did. However, the one who gives me the biggest headache is Asher. He’s technically my brother, but aside from looking obviously older, he’s lacking in every other aspect. Yet, he’s the biggest troublemaker. Whenever he’s at home, if I sweep the floor, he intentionally throws trash around, making me sweep multiple times. When I wash dishes, he spills oil on them before I can put them in the sterilizer. Even the clothes I’ve washed, he deliberately steps on. He does all this so blatantly, as if it’s just the norm. It’s not that I didn’t fight back. I did try to stand up for myself. I remember the first time he tried to dirty my freshly washed clothes, I gently pushed him away. He pretended to fall, clutching his chest and claiming it hurt. My parents rushed over when they heard the commotion. Before I could explain, he accused me of being careless with chores, saying he just casually mentioned it and I hit him, pushing him hard. Without hearing my side, my dad slapped me twice, scolding me for being ruthless, even bullying my seriously ill brother. I was already aware of and deeply felt my parents’ bias and unfairness. So from then on, I tried to control myself and endure as much as I could. I stopped explaining myself. All I could do was swallow my anger, hoping to get through college. Once I started working, I’d be financially independent and move out, never to see them again. But despite my hopes for peace, trouble kept coming. My brother didn’t get into a university; he went to a subpar associate degree program. He skips class all the time, hanging out with some unsavory classmates. My parents indulge him because he’s supposedly sick. But he crossed the line when he came to my school. Asher, with some delinquent classmates, came near our school because it’s a prestigious university with a lively surrounding area. They came to eat crawfish. During their conversation, Asher bragged that he had a brother who would come at his beck and call, asking me to serve them by peeling crawfish. Egged on by his friends, he actually called me. I didn’t want to deal with him and hung up. But as luck would have it, Adeline and I happened to pass by the crawfish shop, and Asher saw us. He immediately came out, kicked me, and ordered me to peel crawfish for his friends. I refused, and just as he was about to hit me again, Adeline stopped him. “Is it you, Asher? You can’t bully Jude.” They had met as kids, but since moving to the city, Asher never returned to our hometown and didn’t recognize Adeline. Seeing how pretty Adeline was, Asher became interested. After a brief chat and realizing her connection to me, he became displeased. “How come the younger brother has a girlfriend when the elder doesn’t? There has to be an order!” he said, as if it were only right. I asked what he wanted, and shamelessly, Asher said I should give Adeline to him. I might be submissive, but everyone has a limit. I can tolerate you hurting me, but I won’t let you harm the people closest to me, especially the innocent ones. So, I firmly refused. Asher wouldn’t have it, especially with his friends watching. He felt humiliated. So, he tried to grab her. I quickly pulled Adeline behind me, and he slapped me hard. That’s how we ended up fighting. But he repeated his trick, pretending to have a heart attack when my parents arrived, and I got scolded again. At that moment, my heart was completely shattered. No amount of sincerity can revive a love that’s dead. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected anything. I packed a few things and left resolutely. I found a work-study job at a restaurant that provided room and board, allowing me to earn a bit. This way, I wouldn’t have to live under someone else’s roof anymore. While studying and working, Adeline stopped visiting as often. I texted her, asking if she was upset because I was busy with my part-time job and couldn’t spend time with her. She said she wasn’t mad and even laughed, saying she was busy with her studies. I naively believed her. But what I didn’t expect was that one day, while delivering food at a hotel, Adeline opened the door. We were both shocked. Then, a man’s voice came from inside: “Adeline, hurry up and bring the food in, I’m starving.” Hearing that voice, I was even more shocked. It was clearly Asher’s voice. I couldn’t hold back and rushed in. Adeline tried to stop me but couldn’t. Sure enough, inside, I saw Asher lying in bed, naked. I was petrified. In the next second, I screamed. All my grievances and humiliation surged through me. “Not happy, are you? Angry, right? Jude, this is the gap between you and me.” I looked at Adeline, furiously asking, “Why? Why did you betray me too?” Caught in the act, Adeline dropped the act. She took a couple of steps forward and sat on Asher’s lap. “I fell in love with Asher at first sight.” I tearfully asked, “Love at first sight with him? What about our ten-plus years of relationship?” Adeline shook her head. “Jude, that was just childish ignorance. We grew up together, but it was just a playmate relationship, nothing more. You deluded yourself into thinking it was a childhood romance. I couldn’t help it.” “But I confessed, and you agreed. You’re my girlfriend.” Adeline shook her head again. “I agreed because of our long friendship. I couldn’t think of a reason to reject you and didn’t want to hurt you. But now that I’m with Asher, I won’t betray him. Jude, we’re breaking up now. You’ll find someone better.” Asher laughed loudly, “He’ll find someone better? Look at him, looking all pauper-like. How could he possibly find someone better? Unlike me, I have money. Dad said all of the family assets will go to me. Did you know? Dad got a big contract recently. Once it’s done, our family will be worth billions. Hillbilly, you’ve probably never even seen ten thousand dollars in your life. Do you know what a billion means? The gap between us will only widen. I can spend lavishly on Adeline, but you? You can only afford to buy her cheap breakfast with your measly salary. But I can buy her jewelry and high-end cosmetics. I won’t need to work for the rest of my life. Even living off my parents, I’ll be wealthy. And you? You’re destined to be a mere worker. What do you have to compete with me? How can you give Adeline happiness?” I furiously threw the food I was holding to the ground and ran out. I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re requesting for translation is missing. Could you please provide the Chinese text that you would like me to translate? 7 At that moment, I couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into tears. Why does everyone dislike and betray me? Was I born just to be treated this way? Even though I’ve left that family, I still carry all the pain. Why is that? If they didn’t want me, why did they bring me into this world?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296468”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

After caring for my comatose husband for three years, I sold my property to hire specialists for his treatment when I saw the comments appearing on the screen. [This is the final test. If the female supporting character spends all her money to hire experts from Country D, the male lead will believe she isn’t with him for money, will immediately wake up, and take her back to inherit billions.] [No way! If she hires experts, how can the gentle heroine continue with the male lead pretending to be in a coma?] [Exactly, I’m still waiting to see the male lead sneak up at night to sweetly kiss the heroine.] I couldn’t believe it as I looked at Gideon lying quietly. Was he faking it? No, it couldn’t be. I went back to the attending doctor to have Gideon examined. The doctor’s answer was the same as before. “Ms. Daphne, Mr. Gideon still shows no signs of waking up.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew it, Gideon couldn’t be lying to me. But the next moment, the comments appeared again. [For a moment, I suspected the female supporting character might have found out something. But luckily, the doctor didn’t spill the beans.] [My heart was in my throat too, almost thinking the male lead pretending to be in a coma was about to be discovered!] [Don’t worry~ Don’t forget the male lead Gideon’s identity as the Crown Prince of the Capital Circle. The hospital has long been bribed. Without his permission, no one dares to reveal he’s pretending. The female supporting character will never find out he’s faking.] Seeing these comments, a shiver ran down my spine. I glanced at the doctor who checked him; he avoided my gaze and comforted me: “Ms. Daphne, you’ve been taking good care of your husband for three years. As long as you keep it up, I believe he’ll wake up soon.” How soon is soon? I didn’t respond to the doctor’s words but called out to Gideon. Calling him again and again, just like when we were dating. I cried as I recounted our dating memories, hoping he’d wake up to see me, but he still didn’t react. I cried for a long time, and after venting my emotions, my mind cleared up. Even though I didn’t know what those comments were, their words hadn’t been proven, and I didn’t believe the Gideon who supported me all along would deceive me. I had already sold my property and bought a plane ticket for this afternoon. I wiped my tears, got up, and packed my things.

These past two years, to take care of Gideon, I moved a lot of stuff to the hospital room. After selling the house, I moved the remaining items here. This trip to Country D was a long journey, and as I packed, I talked to Gideon. “The first time you celebrated my birthday with me, I wished to visit Country D. You said you’d go with me, but who knew I’d go there to find someone to save you. If I’d known going to Country D was to save you, I wouldn’t have made that wish.” “Gideon, I’ll be gone for at least a week this time. During this week, I’ve hired Aunt to take care of you. When I get back, you’ll surely be awake!” But the comments appeared again: [The female supporting character is leaving for a week? Won’t the male lead and the gentle heroine baby be able to explore many places together for a week?] [Right, with the female supporting character gone for a week, the male lead and the heroine baby can snuggle sweetly in the hospital room. Maybe they can explore new places too, I’d love to see that!] [You two, stop dreaming! The female supporting character won’t make it a week because she’ll have a car accident on the way to the airport, miss her flight, and completely lose the chance to hire experts. That way, she won’t pass Gideon’s test, and Gideon won’t believe in love, only enjoys desire, and ends up with our gentle heroine.] I paused while packing my luggage. Would I have a car accident? Although these comment predictions hadn’t been verified, they seemed plausible. Could everything happen as the comments said? I still didn’t want to believe that the suddenly appearing comments were true or that Gideon, who I’d been in love with for years, was a fraud. So, I decided to test what the comments predicted. With my luggage, I got in a taxi to the airport. After getting in, the first thing I told the driver was to drive carefully. But the car still met with an accident. A car with failed brakes at the corner crashed into several vehicles, including the taxi. Although the driver and I weren’t seriously injured, the scene was blocked, and I was stranded on the overpass, missing my flight to Country D. As I was in despair, the comments appeared again: [Oh my! The male and female leads in this wildly passionate story are insane. Even the rooftop is fine? The male lead’s physique is amazing!] [Role-playing, little nurse and patient, it’s forbidden but so tempting!] [Honestly, while this sneaky togetherness is thrilling, I still wish the female supporting character would exit quickly, and the leads could show their love every day.] [Don’t worry above, the female supporting character already had a car accident, she can’t hire experts, she’s out. She’ll be kicked out in a few days! Be patient!] The comments were shocking. I ignored my wounds and rushed back to the hospital.

Gideon and I fell in love freely. I first met him during a work-study program. It seemed like he broke something and didn’t know what to do. Seeing his gloomy expression, I kindly helped him deal with the broken item and negotiated with the boss about compensation. Luckily, the item wasn’t expensive, and the boss didn’t ask for much. He paid, and we went back to school together. I learned he was from my school and, like me, was a student working part-time due to financial difficulties. I lost my parents young and relied on my grandparents and my own efforts to get through school. I felt a connection with someone in a similar situation, and since he was quite talkative, we exchanged contacts and shared many part-time jobs. Gradually, we confirmed our relationship. Our love was simple, plain, and fulfilling. There was no epic romance or dramatic turmoil, just as I expected, and I was content. In our third year of dating, he proposed to me. He said he came from a modest background, didn’t have assets, only a decent face, and hoped to marry me to live a simple life. I didn’t care about his background or looks; I liked him because our personalities matched. I accepted his proposal, but two months after our wedding, he had an accident. The doctor said he unfortunately became a vegetative state and might lie in bed for life. But he was young, and if I persisted in treatment, helping his recovery, there was a good chance he’d wake up. So, for three years, I’ve been diligently caring for him, giving up opportunities at big companies, and sold everything my grandparents left me to treat him. But now, the comments tell me. All my efforts and dedication were just his test for me. And I was just the antagonist in his story, the one who loved but couldn’t have him, who turned evil from love and faded away as a malicious non-playable character.

It was already evening when I reached the hospital. As the comments predicted, Gideon wasn’t in the hospital room. A nurse on duty saw my injuries and came to help me. My heart was utterly cold as I leaned against the wall and asked the nurse: “Where’s my husband?” The nurse looked at the hospital room, confused: “Yeah, where’s your husband? Nurse Quinn saw him during rounds, and the Aunt you hired already left. Where did your husband go?” I leaned against the wall, unmoving. The nurse, seeing my disheveled state, softly comforted me: “It’s okay. Everyone in the hospital knows your husband, and given his condition, no one could take him out. He can’t go elsewhere, we’ll find him soon. Would you like to treat your wounds first?” I waved her off, speaking each word deliberately: “I want to know where he is right now!” Seeing my distress, the nurse, though worried, went to make calls to find him. I leaned against the wall, exhausted. At that moment, the comments appeared again. [Wow, so thrilling! The female supporting character is in the corridor, while the male lead and heroine are passionately making out next door.] [Gideon’s lips are bruised, who knew our gentle heroine was such a little lion!] [You must be new here, right? Our heroine baby didn’t just bruise Gideon’s lips; there are marks elsewhere too.] [The chemistry between them is just amazing! The sweet and soft heroine pinning Gideon down to kiss him, the contrast is delightful.] A “bang” sounded from the room next door, something had fallen. I froze. The comments continued. [The heroine baby saw the returning female supporting character but still dared to make such noise, so bold yet brave!] [I think it’s brave too, but won’t their intensity get them discovered by the female supporting character? I’m worried!] [Relax, they locked the door when they went in. The female supporting character can’t open it!] [I mean, when she finds the male lead missing, won’t she discover he was deceiving her? I don’t want him to be wrongfully accused of being a jerk!] [Oh, that! She won’t find out! The hospital has doctors cooperating with the male lead. Once they’re done, the doctor will wheel him back, claiming it’s for muscle relaxation and rehabilitation. With a doctor helping, the female supporting character will believe it.] [The male lead prepared so thoroughly?] [Of course! Without such comprehensive preparation, how could he deceive the female supporting character for so long?] [The male lead baby is impressive!] Just as the comments predicted, Gideon was wheeled back by a doctor. I asked the doctor, and he gave the same explanation as the comments. “`plaintext

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296484”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Husband’s childhood friend has an unusual obsession: she enjoys raising other people’s sons. When my son Asher was just a month old, crying every night, she would sleep on the floor of my bedroom, soothing him night after night. By the time Asher was three months, he always needed to be held. She was exhausted, her muscles strained, yet she never put him down. When Asher turned one and called out “Mom,” she broke down in my husband’s arms: “That’s my son, my life. It hurts to hear him call me mom. Do you know how hard this is for me?” I witnessed it all but said nothing. Because I already knew. My husband, behind my back, had used my body to carry their child. They waited for him to grow up, succeed, and then planned to claim him as their own. And planned to leave me with nothing. But when they came to claim him, I revealed a paternity test. “Nora, can you call Asher out? I brought him a toy car from abroad.” Ever since I gave birth to Asher, my husband’s childhood friend frequently visited our home. She always brought expensive gifts. For Asher’s first month, she spent a fortune on a gold necklace for him. She even bought an apartment in our neighborhood to be close to Asher and secretly meet with my husband. I pretended not to know, as usual, and called my son out. Asher was thrilled to see the new toy. But he didn’t grab it immediately. Instead, he looked at me eagerly, waiting for my nod before politely thanking her, “Thank you, godmother.” Lydia was not pleased. She joked, “Asher, who treats you better, your godmother or your mom?” Asher didn’t hesitate, “Mom is better.” Lydia’s face turned pale, and she pinched my husband’s hand hard. My husband quickly picked up Asher and said to me, “Nora, Lydia and I will take the child out to play. You should rest at home.” His other hand comfortingly wrapped around Lydia’s shoulder, as if telling her to bear with it. I didn’t stop them, just smiled and reminded them, “Be safe.” The three of them turned and left, holding Asher between them, looking like a family of three. I watched their backs, recalling four years ago. During a company health check, I fell unconscious for a day after a gastroscopy. They said it was due to an overdose of anesthesia. Soon after, I found out I was pregnant. But this child had nothing to do with me. He was my husband and Lydia’s IVF child. That’s when I overheard that Finn married me not out of love. He didn’t want Lydia to suffer the pains of childbirth, so I was to surrogate for them. Afraid Asher would suffer in my womb, Lydia bought a lot of supplements from the start of my pregnancy. I accepted them all without hesitation. I also demanded an elective C-section, the best postpartum care, and three nannies. To appease me, Finn and Lydia spent hundreds of thousands by the time Asher was a month old. After confinement, Lydia replaced the nanny, staying until Asher could crawl before reluctantly leaving. I wasn’t angry; I actually welcomed her. Who wouldn’t like someone who gives you money and watches your kid for free? And since I didn’t have to exert effort, I returned to work right after my maternity leave. Colleagues complimented my glow, saying I looked younger than before pregnancy. I remained tight-lipped, only saying my husband was considerate. That evening, Finn returned with Asher, and Lydia reluctantly said her goodbyes at the door. “Asher, godmother is leaving. If you miss me, come downstairs to play.” Being young, Asher grew fond of her over the afternoon. Holding the Haagen-Dazs ice cream Lydia bought, he sweetly kissed her cheek, “Goodnight godmother, Asher likes you best.” Lydia’s love brimmed over at his words, and my husband was all smiles. I chuckled to myself. I’m also starting to like your godmother. Though it’s more like fondness for a perfect nanny. I turned back to my room, continuing with my project proposal. Chapter Two By the time I was promoted to director, Asher had started school. Seeing me busy with work, Lydia offered to quit her job and handle Asher’s drop-offs and pick-ups. She pampered Asher daily. If he scraped his knee playing soccer, she’d make a fuss and rush him to the hospital. This went on for years. On Asher’s 12th birthday, Lydia asked him what wish he had, promising to make it come true. Asher glanced at me and said, “Godmother, I want to go to Cambridge.” My heart ached. Had I not married Finn early, I too had a chance to go to Cambridge. I had only casually mentioned it to Asher, and he remembered. Lydia was overjoyed, “My son is ambitious. Godmother will send you to the best international school. With Asher’s intelligence and diligence, you’ll surely get into Cambridge.” She then gave my husband a meaningful look, “One day, your dad’s business will be yours to inherit.” I was intrigued. Inherit his dad’s business? Finn’s company now makes less than three million annually. He squanders his eight-figure savings partying with Lydia. This money, I’ll help him plan well. The next day, I brought out the admission brochure for the best international high school in the capital. “Honey, Lydia, this is the school Asher chose. There are 10 spots annually for direct admission to Oxford and Cambridge. But since we’re not local, there’s a 5-million admission fee. Should we send Asher?” Lydia was thrilled, “Direct entry to Cambridge?! Five million is nothing, worth every penny!” She was ready to sell her apartment, “Selling my place, I can get at least three million.” Finn stopped her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder affectionately, “I know you love Asher, you’ve given so much. You don’t work, you shouldn’t pay. I’ll handle it.” He even guilt-tripped, “Son, you mustn’t be ungrateful to your godmother.” Asher nodded sensibly. I internally laughed, then displayed a worried expression, “But I heard class placement depends on asset proof. If we spend so much and get a bad class, won’t it affect his studies?” Finn assured confidently, “Asher will be in the best. I’ll prepare the materials tomorrow.” Before bed, I even saw them encouraging each other on Snapchat. Tough days now don’t matter, once Asher is successful, finding a million-dollar job won’t be hard. Once Asher graduates, they’ll reveal themselves, and the three will immigrate to the UK, counting money at home. As for me, losing my son and home, I’d have nowhere to cry. Lydia’s hatred for me nearly spilled from the screen, “Asher’s heart is with that woman! Competing with me for my son? Is she better for Asher than me?! Just wait, I’ll see how she begs me later.” I thought, just wait. Who begs whom remains to be seen. Finn acted swiftly, transferring all assets to Asher, including real estate and stocks. He even sold his company, using cash to buy properties, acquiring many buildings and shops. When he handed me the asset documents, I found an extra ten million. Not sure where he borrowed it from. The day we sent Asher to the capital for school, Lydia clung to Asher at the airport, “Asher, grow up soon. Godmother has a surprise for you.” Seeing their touching scene, I couldn’t help but anticipate. A surprise? What surprise? Could it be better than the one I prepared for you? Chapter Three Asher did well, getting into Cambridge. For years, Lydia acted more eager than me. When Asher studied abroad, she insisted on following. Asher often complained to me about Lydia’s over-attentiveness. With her care, I had more time for my career. I started a business, surpassing Finn’s previous company, with an annual turnover over a billion. During Asher’s breaks, I brought him to the company to familiarize him with operations, preparing him for future responsibilities. Finn and Lydia were pleased. Secretly mocking me for handing over my assets to their biological son. Who would have thought, a year after Asher went abroad, he had a car accident, injuring his eyes. He was left blind. The doctor said corneas wouldn’t be found soon, advising us to wait. I was frantic, booking the earliest flight, cursing Lydia inwardly. Had she not insisted on racing with Asher, he wouldn’t have faced this tragedy. But when Finn and I arrived, we found Asher at home, and Lydia’s eyes wrapped in thick bandages. I was speechless with shock. Finn was distraught, trembling, hugging her despite my presence, “You gave your corneas?! How could you be so foolish!” The surgery was at a black clinic. One misstep and both Lydia and my son could have died. I was terrified, “Are you crazy?! Asher was lucky to be fine!” But Lydia seemed genuinely crazed. Repeatedly asking who was the best for Asher, who deserved to be his mother. Asher was scared senseless by her mania. A sedative finally calmed the situation. Years later, Asher graduated, getting into Harvard for his PhD. Finn held a graduation party for him. At the peak of the ceremony, Lydia barged in. Blind, in a wheelchair pushed by Finn’s mother, she cried before Asher. “Asher, I’m your biological mother. I’ve sacrificed so much for you. You can’t not acknowledge me!” Lydia appeared to have truly lost her mind. She repeatedly demanded to know who was best for Asher and who truly deserved to be his mother. Asher was paralyzed with fear by her frenzied behavior. Ultimately, they had to administer a sedative to calm her. Years later, Asher graduated and was accepted into a PhD program at Harvard. Finn organized a special graduation party for him. At the ceremony’s most anticipated moment, Lydia barged in. She was blind, sitting in a wheelchair pushed by Finn’s Mother, weeping as she approached Asher. “Asher, I’m your biological mother. I’ve sacrificed so much for you. You can’t ignore me!” Finn quickly stood up to confirm, “Asher, it’s true. Your Aunt Lydia is your real mother.” After he spoke, the room fell into a stunned silence. “What is happening? How can a child someone carried for nine months be hers?” “Exactly, a woman sacrifices so much to have a baby, and she just claims it’s hers? How shameless.” “What’s the story here? Did Finn cheat? Poor Nora.” I looked at Lydia, who once loved wearing Louis Vuitton and sipping coffee outside the company. Now, she looked pitiful, drab, and in a wheelchair. I smiled slightly, “You can’t just say that. Everyone knows I was the one pregnant with Asher. I still have the stretch marks to prove it. How can you claim Asher is your child?” Lydia, clearly not in a stable mental state, smugly declared, “Do you remember when you were unconscious in the hospital? That’s when they transferred the embryo from me to you.” I remained calm and continued to ask, “Why did you do it? You can have children. Why make someone else have your baby?” “Childbirth is so painful, and it makes you ugly. You get unsightly stretch marks. I wanted to avoid all that. I told Finn, and he said I didn’t have to give birth. Once you had the baby and raised him, they’d push you aside, and I’d take him back. After all, I’m his real mom by blood!” When she finished, the room erupted with shock. “This is unbelievable! She’s awful, using someone else’s body to bear her child.” “No wonder she’s so good to Asher. He’s her son after all!” “Finn is despicable, using someone like that.” Lydia added, “To be honest, I was the one who made Finn marry you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even have been qualified to enter the Finn family!” With that, Lydia lifted her chin arrogantly. I couldn’t help but smile. “But… I have a DNA test proving Asher is my biological son!” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you wanted translated is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text for translation? Chapter 4 I blinked, then gestured to draw attention. The Paternity Test report for Asher and me appeared on the large screen in the venue. Everyone present leaned forward, eyes wide, scrutinizing the test results.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296500”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

Married for ten years, Phoebe has been incarcerated ten times. Each time she is released, she arrives with a newborn, leaving the chaos for me to handle. “There are no precautions in prison, so why can’t you just take care of a few more kids?” The wives of the fathers of these children show up at my door, demanding child support and compensation for the nights they lost with their husbands. They even injured my five-year-old son because of this. On the day my son was seriously injured, after bearing humiliation, I hurried to pick up Phoebe from prison, only to find her friends had already organized a welcome party for her at the most luxurious restaurant. “Phoebe, Gideon has waited for you for over a decade and has been raising kids that aren’t his. He’s more loyal than any devoted follower.” “Yeah, while you’ve been off visiting dozens of countries under the guise of being in jail, he’s been so broke he’s been washing other people’s clothes for money.” Phoebe laughed, “If I weren’t pregnant with Asher’s child, I wouldn’t have come back so soon this time. Just looking at that old fool disgusts me. But since he’s willing to be a nanny, let him serve both me and Asher well.” My face turned pale as I left the divorce papers and walked away. Her friends tried to calm the situation, “Come on, Gideon, we’re just joking.” Phoebe stopped them, “If you want to leave, then leave for real. Don’t come crawling back later.” I looked at Phoebe, resolute, “I will never regret this.”

As I stepped out of the room, my younger son and daughter ran over, “Dad, where are you going?” I hesitated, and Phoebe immediately laughed. Her friends shouted, “Wow! That was fast. Not even half a minute!” “No wonder he’s such a devoted follower. He’s getting paid, getting paid!” Phoebe knew my weak spot. Even if these two kids were fathered by someone else, I raised them myself. I couldn’t bear to leave them. My son and daughter looked at me hesitantly, “Dad, what’s wrong with you? You smell awful.” Phoebe got up and kicked me like a dog, “I heard you slept with a woman. At least wash off the stench. What would the kids think?” I glared back at her, unable to hold back, “And what about bringing the kids to a place like this?” At that moment, Finn came out of the bathroom, and the two kids immediately ran to hug him, “Uncle Asher, we missed you so much!” Finn looked at me with a challenging gaze, “So, do you like your dad more or Uncle Asher?” “Of course, Uncle Asher!” Finn smugly handed them a piece of cake, “Uncle has a little cake for you.” The kids, who had never seen a cake before after all these years with me, were drooling at the sight. Finn elongated his words, “But only good kids get to eat cake.” Before I could understand what he meant, my son lunged at me and bit me hard, “You jerk!” My beloved daughter walked up to me, slapped me, and hugged Finn, saying, “You’re a dirty nobody, poor and always with women. You’re disgusting! I don’t want you as my dad! I want Daddy Asher!” Finn was extremely pleased, “Gideon, look at what you’ve taught the kids, using foul language and doing such things in front of them.” Phoebe looked at me with disgust, “Is this the kind of children you raise?” My hand, my face, and my heart all hurt. The two kids who had just insulted me were now devouring the cake beside Finn. They humiliated me for a piece of cake. My heart broke, “I’m not fit to be their father. Let’s get a divorce.” I handed the divorce papers to Phoebe again. Phoebe walked toward me, mockingly tore up the papers, “Gideon, you know Grandma will never agree to our divorce. You want me to sign, just to tattle to Grandma about Asher? Dream on!”

“You’re unbelievable!” I was furious, thinking of my sick son at home, and was about to leave. Phoebe grabbed my hair, “What, got a woman waiting for you in bed? We’re celebrating me being pregnant with Asher’s kid. Make us happy, and you can go.” Her friends egged me on, “Gideon, you’re here, might as well join the fun.” “Yeah, it’s a rare gathering. Tell us, how do you handle all those women? Still got your stamina?” “Do you deal with them one by one, or all together? Hahaha!” The kids finished their cake and looked at me expectantly. I couldn’t stand it, “Phoebe! The kids are here. How can you let them say such things?” Phoebe snorted, “But you don’t find it disgusting to do such things in front of them.” “Show us how you usually take care of the kids. Or maybe, give us a demonstration?” Her friends excitedly jumped up, “Phoebe, I’ll play the lead!” “I’ll be the second lead!” Without hesitation, they pulled me onto the sofa, touching me over my pants, “Gideon, don’t be shy, just let loose.” My son and daughter stared at me, “That’s not how it is! Dad is usually on the bottom!” I couldn’t believe my ears, struggling to push away the person in front of me. She grabbed my hand, “Oh, you like it rough.” “Looks like you’ve been busy. Even your niece and nephew know your moves!” My torn clothes exposed bruises and hickeys. Extreme shame washed over me. But they were even more excited, “Such a wild man! Look at those muscles, must be a beast!” My daughter said again, “Mom, where are the third and fourth leads? Dad likes a crowd.” Her words shattered my worldview. I couldn’t believe my cherished daughter said such things for half a piece of cake, “Nora, who taught you this nonsense!” Frightened, my daughter hid behind Phoebe, “Mom, I’m not lying. Dad wasn’t like this before, he used to enjoy it!” My heart went cold. Phoebe frowned at me, “Even with scum like this, you guys can still have fun? Who knows how many diseases he has.” The person with me was getting more excited, “Phoebe, you don’t know, experienced men are thrilling…” The room fell silent. Phoebe’s face turned dark, and they let go of me. I hurriedly crawled to the corner to put on my tattered clothes. Phoebe held Finn’s chin and said, “I don’t want Asher’s eyes dirtied. Drink all the wine on the table, consider it our celebration.” The person was annoyed, “Such fine wine, Gideon, you’ve never seen it, right? Consider yourself lucky.” I couldn’t handle alcohol, but for my son, I forced myself to drink. I was dizzy, “Can I go now?” Phoebe raised an eyebrow. Just as I stepped out, I remembered something important and turned back.

Standing awkwardly in front of Phoebe, “Phoebe, my son is sick, I don’t have money for his treatment…” For years, I’ve taken care of ten kids alone, with a seriously ill Grandma in the hospital, while being bullied and exploited. I had no money for my son’s treatment. Phoebe laughed, “So, you want money. My money doesn’t grow on trees. Can’t let you take it for nothing.” I felt a chill, “What do you want?” “Here, you earn it by skill.” Phoebe slapped a stack of cash on the table, “How much you get depends on your ability.” The group got interested again, “Gideon, a drink for a bill, how about it?” The 96-proof liquor was too much for me. Finn whispered something to my daughter, who immediately rushed at me, slapping me hard, “Weren’t you good at drinking and sleeping with women? Why aren’t you earning money now?” She cried and hugged Phoebe, “Mom, take me away. I don’t want to live with this dirty nobody…” Fueled by alcohol, I lunged at Finn, “What did you say to my daughter! What have you taught her?” Phoebe lost her patience, kicked me hard, “Gideon, are you done acting? Aren’t you disgusting enough! I’m nauseous at night, Asher can’t take it, you serve.” I was desperate, “Phoebe, my son is really sick! I need to take care of him!” Earlier, I was about to go to the prison to welcome Phoebe. But those women got drunk and caused trouble, clinging to me. My five-year-old biological son tried to protect me, but they mercilessly beat him until he was covered in blood, now lying in bed unable to move. Phoebe sneered, “You just want to trick me into sleeping with you, right? Gideon, look at your disgusting self, which woman would want you? In my heart, there’s only Asher.” “Take care of me until Asher’s child is born safely. I’ll have someone treat that little bastard.” I reluctantly agreed and returned home with Phoebe. Only then did I realize she never went bankrupt. She never went to jail. She just avoided me, wanting to punish me. But I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted my son to live. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry, wanting me to cook. He ate my food and vomited. Phoebe grabbed me up and slapped me hard, “You scum, are you trying to poison Asher?” “You need to keep me happy until Asher’s child is safely born. I’ll have someone take care of that little brat.” I had no choice but to agree. I went home with Phoebe. It was then that I realized she had never gone bankrupt, nor had she been in jail. She was simply hiding from me, intent on punishing me. But I no longer cared about that; all I wanted was for my son to survive. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry and asked me to make him something to eat. After eating, he vomited everything up. Phoebe grabbed me and slapped me hard, “You scumbag, are you trying to poison Asher?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296516”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

During a layover, I was invited to a casino opening. I never expected to run into my sister Lily in this glittering den of luxury and vice. A corpulent man had his arm wrapped around her waist. Nearly everyone had gathered around them. Her fiancé Carter was showing the crowd high-definition videos of Lily on his iPad, playing them on a loop. “Lily, Zoe’s underwear is pure silk. You should consider yourself lucky she only asked you to hand wash them. How dare you refuse?” His tone was contemptuous, his gaze sharp. “Why should I have to wash her period-stained underwear?” Lily bit her lip, her body trembling with anger. “I didn’t realize you’d grown such a backbone. Maybe I need to break that stubborn spirit of yours. I have twelve videos of you here. In them, you’re begging me and calling me ‘master’, remember?” Lily clenched her fists so tightly her palms nearly bled. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor, observing everything happening at the gambling tables below through narrowed eyes. Since when did these lowlifes dare to bully my sister?

The pit boss noticed my dark expression and barely dared to breathe. “I’ll kick these people out right away. If you’re still not satisfied, we have other ways to make it up to you.” I smiled coldly and waved my hand dismissively. “No need. I want to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.” Carter seemed to think he hadn’t gone far enough. He paid a hefty sum to have the video content projected onto the display screens. Suddenly, the dazzling screens around us were filled with intimate videos that made people blush. “Who would have thought the Lin family’s daughter knew so many tricks? I hear the Lin family is going downhill these days. Could it be that Lily pretends to be a rich heiress by day, but services men at night to earn pocket money? Is that how she’s managed to keep up appearances for so long?” “Tsk tsk, curves in all the right places. She was truly born for this line of work.” Countless onlookers surrounded the screens, their mouths watering as they made lewd comments. “Carter, you must be bored of this chick by now. Why not let us have a turn?” Lily’s face was flushed bright red with shame. She stared at her feet, not daring to look up. Carter swirled the red wine in his glass and smiled playfully. “Why don’t we use these videos as a wager and have a few rounds of poker?” The men around him clapped and cheered. “Carter always has the best ideas. Count me in!” “Me too!” There were six seats at the table. These men sat down with lecherous grins on their faces, their eyes undressing Lily. “This is way better than some Japanese porn video.” “An AV starring the Lin family’s daughter – now that’s premium content.” Lily’s whole body shook. She finally raised her head defiantly amidst the humiliating comments. She looked at Carter with hurt and confusion in her eyes, her voice hoarse as she questioned him. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m your fiancée!” She was trying to appeal to whatever conscience this man had left. But Carter just sneered dismissively. “If you had just washed Zoe’s underwear earlier without making a fuss, we wouldn’t be here now. You brought this on yourself by being difficult.” He then looked around at the other men. “There are twelve videos in total. When you win them, you can edit them together into a compilation. Uploading it to the dark web might even earn you back your money.” Lily’s eyes were rimmed with red, tears welling up. Zoe, standing next to Carter, couldn’t hide the glee in her eyes as she deliberately poured salt in Lily’s wounds. “Lily dear, why the long face? Carter is kindly helping increase your value. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” “The Lin family is clearly on its last legs. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a name for yourself. No matter where your family goes from now on, everyone will know who you are.” She laughed exaggeratedly as she spoke. All these years, people only knew the Lin family was wealthy. But they didn’t know how, in just twenty short years, the Lin family had managed to carve out a place for themselves amidst such treacherous waters. Back then, my mother had insisted on marrying a poor man. My grandfather couldn’t dissuade her, so he made an agreement – their firstborn child would be sent overseas to be groomed as the heir. Little did he know my mother would give birth to twins. I was sent abroad as my grandfather wished, while my mother kept my sister by her side to give my father an heir. It wasn’t until I saw my sister enduring humiliation with a face so similar to mine that I truly empathized. I let out a cold laugh, hiding the darkness in my eyes. “Since you want to play, I’ll play with you until you’ve had enough.”

After the Lin Corporation stabilized, my grandfather focused all his energy on grooming me. Who would have thought my father would be so useless, nearly squandering the family fortune in just a few short years. “Carter, please explain to everyone. It was because I loved you that I agreed to make those videos when you insisted. It’s not what they think. Tell them! Please clear my name. If you’re tired of me, I’m willing to leave. But you can’t play with my reputation like this.” Lily carefully tugged at Carter’s sleeve, but he shoved her to the ground. “Stop bothering me. If you’re so capable, why don’t you win back those videos yourself?” Lily clutched her chest in pain. The light had gone out of her eyes. “Carter, let’s start a round! Just watching that preview got me all worked up, haha!” Lily’s face turned ghostly pale. Forget about whether she could afford to play at their level. She couldn’t even keep a poker face while betting and showing her cards. She had always been a passionate and sincere girl, unable to hide her feelings. For her, playing Texas Hold’em would be no different than playing with her cards face up. Those men leaned in close, surrounding her and making crude, insulting gestures. They had nearly pushed Lily to the brink. “Look at that pitiful expression. Why don’t you come with me tonight? I’ll help you win back those videos and we can watch them together. Isn’t that better than having so many people see them?” Lecherous laughter echoed all around. Carter drummed his fingers on the table and crossed his legs. As if granting Lily a favor, he said to her: “If you’re willing to kneel down and apologize to Zoe, and promise to hand wash all her clothes, including her intimates, for a year, I’ll consider letting you off the hook tonight. How’s that sound?” Lily seemed to waver. She opened her mouth, about to agree. Carter added another condition, as if toying with Lily brought him immense pleasure. “Of course, I can’t guarantee what will happen tomorrow night.” He exchanged a look with Zoe. The two of them burst into raucous laughter. Seeing Zoe’s smug face, I suddenly remembered – she was the daughter of our former housekeeper. How dare she think she can look down on my sister Victoria! Rage bubbled up in my chest. I crushed the poker chip I had been fiddling with, snapping it in half. Pushed to her limit, Lily defiantly got up from the ground and sat down at the poker table. “I’ll play against you!” Disappointed that Lily hadn’t been crushed, Carter’s face showed his displeasure. He rapped his knuckles on the table, signaling the dealer to deal the cards. Those beastly men were all eagerly rubbing their hands together. Some were even licking their lips in anticipation. Three cards were pushed in front of Lily. She didn’t look at them, not wanting to give away her hand easily. Everyone at the table spent their days in casinos. They were experts at mind games in Texas Hold’em. “Look! The video is starting! What a body, absolutely incredible!” The next second, the screen froze on a shot of Lily’s bare back.

“Stop!” Lily’s face turned ashen. If her body was truly exposed for all to see, she would have no face left to live in this world. “The house speaks.” Carter opened with a bet of $300,000. They were all worth over a hundred million. $500,000 was nothing to them. Everyone eagerly matched the bet. Lily gritted her teeth and followed suit. The men exchanged knowing smiles, reaching an unspoken agreement. Without hesitation, they casually raised the stakes to $2 million. Just as Lily was about to match the bet, Carter spoke up again. “Lily, take a look at the scraps you have left. Do you really think you’re qualified to play with us?” Lily fidgeted anxiously in her seat. She bit her lip and said, “I’ll put up 10% of Lin Corporation’s shares as collateral. Is that enough to match the bet?” These 10% shares weren’t given by our father. They were shares I had specially bought back from minority shareholders on her 18th birthday to celebrate her coming of age. Lily had always treasured the gifts I gave her. She even carefully preserved the bowls and chopsticks I had used in display cases. I knew Lily didn’t have much pocket money, but I never imagined she had fallen to such desperate straits. If she wasn’t pushed to the brink, she would never touch those 10% shares. “What? How do you have shares in Lin Corporation?” “I own 40%, my mom owns 40%, and the rest should all be held by minority shareholders.” Zoe’s shrill voice was filled with disbelief. Only after Lily produced proof were they willing to exchange the shares for chips. I had been busy with my overseas business ventures. It wasn’t until today that I learned Lin Corporation had been taken over by this vile mother-daughter pair! Unfortunately, Lin Corporation’s market value had shrunk. Plus, the casino deliberately undervalued the shares to curry favor with Carter. Those shares were only exchanged for $10 million in chips. To make matters worse, they maliciously raised the stakes. The smiles tugging at their lips revealed their intentions. “$2 million.” “$5 million.” “$10 million!” Large beads of sweat rolled down Lily’s forehead. When it came time to show their hands, Lily’s fingers trembled so much she had to flip her cards several times before revealing them. “Straight flush.” Fortunately, Lily won this round. It was a close call, and the tension on her face eased slightly. “It’s no fun if there’s no back and forth.” In the second round, Carter continued betting. He opened with $5 million right off the bat. There were twelve rounds in total. They didn’t believe Lily could be so lucky every time. “Lily, stop putting on airs. You’re fighting a losing battle. If you insist on being stubborn, you might end up losing everything.” Zoe’s fake concern didn’t achieve the desired effect. Lily truly lived up to being my sister. The more critical the moment, the calmer she became. She stared intently at her cards, not allowing anyone to mess with her state of mind. When the betting in the second round reached its peak, the other players all folded. It wasn’t out of pity for Lily’s isolation. They simply felt it wasn’t worth spending so much just to humiliate someone. But Carter was willing to spare no expense to crush Lily. “$20 million. Are you still in?” His mocking gaze deeply wounded Lily, but at this point, she had no way out. She had no more chips in front of her. The $10 million she had just put up as collateral was all on the table. “I know the rules here.” “I want to wager all my organs.” Lily’s tone was resolute, but it made Zoe burst out laughing. “Don’t be ridiculous. Even if we chopped up all your organs and stir-fried them, they wouldn’t be worth this much.” Lily parted her dry, chapped lips and revealed the physical condition that had once made her feel inferior. “I have situs inversus. Specimens like me are extremely rare in the world. I’m willing to bet my life. If my body is used for research, it should be worth quite a bit.” The entire room was in an uproar. “Has she gone mad? Betting her life?” “Tsk tsk, the more they’re like this, the more I like it. The contrast between a chaste woman and one begging on her knees – no matter how much the next round is, I’m definitely in!” Murmurs of astonishment and lewd comments rang out. These people showed not a shred of compassion, only excitement at the prospect of corrupting an innocent woman. “Alright, have it your way.” Carter pursed his lips. As Lily signed away her life to exchange for chips, he openly flirted with Zoe. This round, only the two of them were left betting against each other. Their lives and fortunes had all been turned into cold, hard chips. When Carter finally grew bored and called for Lily to show her hand after using up all her chips, everyone held their breath. All eyes were focused on the poker table. The two of them revealed their cards almost simultaneously. “We have a winner!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296533”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

When we got our marriage license, Lucas told me he didn’t know how to love, so for five years of marriage, he gave me sex and desire. It was an arranged marriage, and I knew I couldn’t be greedy. I thought that was enough. Until our anniversary night. I broke his bedroom rule and secretly removed my blindfold for the first time. But I accidentally saw the name tattooed on his lower back. At that moment, I realized. Lucas wasn’t incapable of love; he had just hidden it away, saving it for my sister. We had a huge fight, wishing each other dead. Who would have thought those words would come true, as we both died in a car crash off a cliff. Before dying, Lucas looked at me, his face covered in blood, and begged: “Aria, if there’s a next life, let’s not be husband and wife, okay?” I stared at him, laughing miserably like a madwoman. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Lucas kneeling with his back straight: “Uncle, Aunt, I can’t marry Aria. I’m in love with Rose.” I was stunned. But I quickly accepted it. As it happened, I didn’t want to choose him this time either.

“Are you sure you want to marry Zachary?” Lucas’s mother asked, somewhat reluctantly. I calmly exchanged marriage documents with her, and after confirming that Zachary’s name was on them, I smiled gently: “I’m sure, Aunt.” Lucas’s mother tried to persuade me again: “The fortune teller said Zachary won’t live past thirty. You…” “Aria, even if Lucas doesn’t agree to the arranged marriage, you don’t have to choose a husband from the Lu family.” In my previous life, Zachary did indeed die at thirty. His mother fainted from crying, and his father aged years in a single night. Everyone lamented his passing. He was brilliant, becoming the head of the Lu family at such a young age. His frail body housed the most determined heart. Before he died, I had intended to see him one last time. But I heard him say: “I like Aria Young.” “She doesn’t need to know anything I’ve done. I just want her to be happy.” He said not all love needs to be spoken, not all love requires reciprocation. So much so that year after year, except for his assistant, no one knew. He hid his love so deep that I never noticed a hint of it until the last moment he left this world full of regret. So, even if it was just for that “like.” I wanted to help him, at least not let him die with regrets again. After a long pause, I smiled and gently patted the back of her hand. I reassured her: “Aunt, Zachary will live to be a hundred years old.”

After Lucas’s mother left, my mother also came to ask me: “You’re not just angry at Lucas, are you?” She knew how much I liked Lucas. Childhood sweethearts, when I first fell in love, I couldn’t see any other boy. I thought he felt the same way, but I never imagined it was just my one-sided love all along. In my previous life, when Lucas and I got our marriage license, he told me: “I’ve lived in calculations since childhood. I don’t understand love and can’t love, but I’ll give you everything I can.” For five years of marriage, we were known in our circle as a talented and beautiful couple, a loving husband and wife. So to maintain this marriage, I was willing to teach Lucas how to love me. I could even indulge his occasional willfulness. Even his bedroom quirks, I could endure. In my previous life, before we went to bed, Lucas would always hand me a blindfold or use a tie to cover my eyes. He said: “Aria’s eyes are too beautiful. I’m afraid I’ll lose control and hurt you.” Each time, I would blush to the tips of my ears. Later, there were once or twice when he forgot to cover my eyes. I was delighted to see his passionate expression, but he just coaxed me to change positions, then lovingly kissed my back bit by bit. We almost never faced each other. I thought it was just Lucas’s habit. Until our fifth anniversary. For the first time, I secretly removed the blindfold, only to accidentally discover the name tattooed on his lower back. Humiliation and betrayal washed over me simultaneously. At that moment, I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I went crazy, smashing everything in the bedroom, grabbing an ashtray and throwing it at Lucas. I hurled all sorts of vicious words at him, wishing he would die. Cursing him to go to hell. But this time around, I didn’t want to do anything. I just wanted to stay away from him. Thinking carefully. Lucas did treat me well. He just didn’t love me.

The engagement party was set for next month. Lucas’s mother said the Lu family would handle everything, and I just needed to wait patiently. She gave me the chance to change my mind at any time. I smiled helplessly and replied: “That wouldn’t be fair to Zachary.” He’s just sick. I sent a message to the research institute’s assistant, asking them to prepare experimental equipment for me. In my previous life, after Zachary had his heart transplant, I locked myself in the lab for a while to research antibacterial drugs. Later, when the drug was ready for production, he had already died from infection. I hope we’ll be in time this time. Suddenly, Lucas sent me a message: “Come to the Nine Nights Club. I have something to discuss with you.” I refused directly. After Lucas was reborn, the first thing he did was come to my house to cancel our engagement and confess his love for my adopted sister, Rose. To make Rose happy, he set off fireworks all night. The topic about them had been trending at number one for a while. Everyone was saying they were a perfect match. Some paparazzi had recorded a video of them walking on the beach. Rose seemed to get tired and asked Lucas to carry her on his back. I thought he would refuse. But he didn’t. He smiled indulgently, knelt on one knee, gently rubbed her ankle first, and then carried her on his back. His movements were smooth and tender. Some netizens commented: “Young Master Lu really loves Rose to death.” During this time, he had been by Rose’s side, dutifully pleasing her, spoiling her like a little princess. He was trying hard to make up for the regrets of his past life, wanting to live a different life. I didn’t object, as long as it didn’t involve me. But in the end, I still went to the Nine Nights Club, though not because of Lucas. I wanted to see Zachary. His assistant called me back: “Miss Young, Mr. Lu is at Nine Nights for a business meeting. If you have urgent matters, you can come directly.” I frowned instinctively and couldn’t help but joke: “He’s still drinking when he’s sick? Is he afraid he’s not dying fast enough?” The assistant on the other end immediately muted himself. After a moment of silence, only a very light cough came through. Finally, the assistant hurriedly left a private room number and hung up.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296549”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

For the tenth time, my boyfriend Kevin abandoned me at the altar after receiving a phone call from his childhood friend. I was left standing alone on stage, completely humiliated. Swallowing my pride, I tried calling Kevin, begging him to come back and finish the ceremony. But he wouldn’t even answer my calls! His childhood friend Zoe smugly sent me a photo of the two of them lying in bed together, taunting me: “I win!” My heart turned to ice. Ten weddings planned, and ten times postponed. The officiant looked at me sympathetically. “Do you still want to continue with the ceremony?” I forced a smile. “Yes! We must finish it!” I sent a message to Jack, the boy next door, and breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed to come. I told the officiant to wait just a little longer. This was my tenth attempt at getting married. It couldn’t be ruined again. Jack arrived quickly, his confident aura immediately drawing attention. He strode directly to center stage, standing beside my lonely figure with a mischievous smile. “Well, Miss Lily, have you made up your mind?” I nodded. It was just a marriage of convenience to appease our families. Anyone would do at this point. Besides… Grandpa’s condition couldn’t wait any longer. His health had started rapidly deteriorating six months ago. Whenever I visited him, he would always talk about wanting to see me married before he died. As the person I was closest to growing up, Grandpa’s only wish was to see me find someone worthy to spend my life with. That way, after he passed, I would have someone to rely on and wouldn’t be taken advantage of. Watching Grandpa grow thinner by the day, I couldn’t bear to let him leave with regrets. So I became determined to get married. My boyfriend Kevin had promised we would get married. But after ten wedding attempts, he failed to show up every single time. Leaving me to become the laughingstock of the entire city over and over again. And his excuse for missing every wedding was always because of his childhood friend Zoe. Zoe never seemed to have any problems, except on my wedding days. She would either claim to be having a depressive episode and threaten suicide, or say she was too scared to be alone after watching a horror movie. The most ridiculous time was when she suddenly decided she wanted to take wedding photos while out shopping, and called Kevin to be her stand-in groom. I wasn’t allowed to express any dissatisfaction about these absurd reasons. If I dared to send a message asking about it, I would be met with a barrage of angry words from Kevin. “Lily, can’t you be more understanding?! Zoe is like a sister to me. She needs me right now. We can have the wedding any day, why are you being so petty?” But after ten times of being abandoned and betrayed, my patience had finally run out. This time, I wouldn’t stand around waiting anymore. After truly letting go, I found the pain in my chest had eased. Perhaps I had become numb to it all. Or maybe Grandpa’s words had given me strength. “Our Lily is such a wonderful girl. After I’m gone, Grandpa hopes you can find someone who loves you and won’t let you be mistreated.” Grandpa’s aged face flashed in my mind, immediately giving me renewed determination. I couldn’t let down those who truly loved me. So I took Jack’s hand, and together we walked down the aisle. I was determined to face this wedding with my best self, so that Grandpa could watch the video later with peace of mind. As we exchanged rings, my phone buzzed with a message from Kevin. He was still completely oblivious to his wrongdoings, using the same careless tone as always: [Lily, don’t make a fuss. Zoe has a stomachache today, I really can’t get away. We can have the wedding any day, I’ll make it up to you later.] Seeing those words again, my heart couldn’t help but ache sharply. I gripped my phone tightly. Jack noticed and raised an eyebrow. “Do you still want to put on the ring?” I looked up, my gaze resolute: “Yes!” After completing all the ceremony procedures, I was utterly exhausted. Before leaving, Jack stared at me intently. “Lily, I’ll give you two days to change your mind. In two days we’ll go get the marriage license. I hope you’ve thought it through.” Those words gave me a graceful out, but I had already made up my mind to end things with Kevin. “Don’t worry, I won’t regret this!” After Jack left, I received a message from Kevin. [Lily, you have 10 minutes to buy painkillers and bring them over. Don’t make me angry.] Below was an address for a well-known lovers’ hotel in the city. A moment later, my phone buzzed again. It was a photo of two people lying in bed together. The sender was Zoe. And my boyfriend was one of the people in the picture. [I win again!] More than the pain of being betrayed and abandoned, what I felt most was disgust. On my wedding day, my groom was in a hotel with another woman. I unconsciously clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood.

In the end, I still went to the hotel. This relationship was completely over as far as I was concerned. I didn’t want to have any more entanglements with Kevin after this. So I wanted to break up with him face to face, and get back the key to my house. After all, the place he was living in now was an apartment I had bought outright! When I arrived at the hotel, Kevin saw that my hands were empty. He immediately flew into a rage. “Lily, what’s wrong with you? Where are the painkillers I told you to buy?” Zoe sat in the corner of the bed, looking pitiful as she said: “Kevin, don’t be angry. Big sis Lily was probably too tired after preparing for the wedding all day. She must have forgotten.” She knew full well that the groom had been called away from the wedding, yet she still spoke so casually about it. Being mocked to my face like this, even though my heart was already in tatters, I still couldn’t help but feel a stabbing pain. My fingers slowly clenched into fists, almost drawing blood from my palms again. When disappointment reaches a certain level, I didn’t even have any tears left. The cramped, intimate atmosphere of the lovers’ hotel room was suffocating. Kevin and I had been together since college. It started with his crazy, passionate pursuit that gradually made me fall for him. After we got together, he remembered every holiday better than I did, always surprising me with gifts. Even when I would occasionally throw little tantrums, he would take all the blame on himself and patiently coax me. My girlfriends often envied me for finding such a good boyfriend. I thought the same, which is why I wanted to get married right after graduation. But everything changed the day Kevin’s childhood friend Zoe returned from abroad. From that day on, Kevin’s heart completely turned towards an outsider. Between me and Zoe, I was always the one left behind. Kevin affectionately ruffled Zoe’s hair. “Ah, you’re always so understanding.” Then he walked over to me, frowning to show his displeasure. “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?” My repeated concessions had only made Kevin more and more presumptuous. He had abandoned our wedding and me, yet the first words out of his mouth were accusations. I tried to calm myself, keeping my tone cold. “I forgot.” Kevin was stunned, seemingly shocked by my tone. I coldly raised my eyes to look at Kevin. “Kevin, you stood me up again today.” Hearing this, a flash of guilt crossed his eyes, but he angrily defended himself. “It’s not like I did it on purpose. Zoe wasn’t feeling well, I couldn’t just ignore her, could I?” “We can have the wedding another day, can’t we? Lily, stop being so unreasonable, can you be more understanding?” He had clearly done something wrong, yet he was trying to turn it back on me. I no longer had the desire to argue with him, and forced myself to coldly spit out a sentence. “Well, I don’t want to wait for you anymore. Let’s break up!” With that, I turned decisively to leave. “Lily, what the fuck did you just say?!” Kevin shrieked and immediately chased after me. At that moment, Zoe let out an “Oh no!” behind us. Followed by the crisp sound of something shattering. I stopped in confusion and turned to look. The next second, my eyes went wide. On the ground was a jade pendant, smashed to pieces. It was the one Grandpa had gotten for me to keep me safe, by kowtowing step by step to the temple! I stood there completely dumbfounded, with anger about to erupt. When I came to my senses, I forcefully pushed Kevin away and rushed over to carefully pick up the pieces of the jade pendant. “Why is my jade pendant with you?!” I glared at Zoe, demanding an answer. Kevin came over, looking very displeased as he grumbled. “Lily, what are you freaking out about? You’re going to scare Zoe.” I looked at Kevin in disbelief. He clearly knew how important this jade pendant was to me, yet he could still say something like this so casually. In an instant, a feeling of powerlessness crept over my heart. The soft flesh of my palms was rubbed raw, bloody and mangled. Sure enough, when it came to Zoe, I would always be the one to back down. But this time it involved Grandpa. I didn’t want to hold back anymore. I raised my hand and slapped Kevin hard across the face. “If you’re blind, go to the hospital and get treated!” “She stole the jade pendant Grandpa gave me without my permission, and then broke it. What right do you have to forgive her on my behalf?” The room fell silent for a moment. In the past, no matter how angry I got, I had never raised a hand to him. Now it was Kevin’s turn to be dumbfounded. “You dare to slap me? Lily, you actually dare to hit me now?!” He lunged at me and grabbed my neck, squeezing so hard I could barely breathe. He glared at me, his eyes full of viciousness and hatred, as if looking at a mortal enemy. I couldn’t help but wonder, when did the person who once looked at me with nothing but love change like this? I remember back when we weren’t even together yet, I had posted a photo on social media of a tiny 2mm cut from a small knife. Kevin waited outside my dorm at 4am just to bring me a first aid kit. The young man’s eyes were bright and clear, filled with concern. It was at that moment that I was moved by his sincerity and agreed to date him. But just half a year later, he could viciously berate me for the sake of another woman. It was only now that I understood… True feelings can change in an instant.

Once you fall completely out of love, No matter how much you argue, it all feels pointless. The pain in my neck reminded me just how foolish all my efforts over the years had been. I could only give a self-mocking smile. Zoe peeked out from behind Kevin at that moment. I unexpectedly met her eyes, full of mockery. It felt like my heart was being stabbed with needles, hurting even more. The next second, her eyes turned red as she spoke to me in a slightly resentful tone: “Big sis Lily, don’t be angry. I just found the jade pendant and was planning to return it to you when I had the chance.” She rubbed Kevin’s head. “Kevin, don’t blame big sis Lily anymore.” Kevin finally calmed down and reluctantly let go of me. “Zoe is always so sensible.” “Lily, why can’t you learn from her?!” The near-suffocation left my whole body trembling. Zoe pretended to come over and support me. “Big sis Lily, can you forgive me?” Her tone was slightly pleading, but I clearly saw the provocation and mockery in her eyes. As if arrogantly saying: “Yes, I stole it and broke it. What can you do about it?” I felt a chill run down my spine and disgustedly avoided her touch. But Zoe took the opportunity to let out a shrill scream and fall backwards. “Ah—” She clutched her wrist, looking at me in terror. “Big sis Lily, I just wanted to apologize to you…” I hadn’t even touched the hem of her clothes, yet I had become the bully. Seeing Zoe fall, Kevin immediately anxiously crouched down to help her up, then turned to angrily berate me. “Lily, didn’t you hear Zoe say she just found the pendant? What’s the point of taking it out on an innocent person like this?” I almost laughed at his words. The jade pendant Grandpa gave me was something I always treasured. I had carefully kept it in the drawer in my bedroom. Found it? Are you telling me Zoe accidentally entered my house, accidentally walked into my bedroom, and then accidentally found the pendant in my most private bedside drawer? I couldn’t be bothered to expose this clumsy lie. I just smirked sarcastically. “Fine then. I’ll report it to the police and let them investigate exactly how Zoe ‘found’ my jade pendant!” “And I’ll press charges against you for assaulting me today!” Zoe panicked and immediately clutched her chest. “Kevin, my heart hurts so much…” Hearing this, Kevin forgot about everything else and rushed to support Zoe to go to the hospital. “Don’t be afraid, Zoe. I won’t let anything happen to you!” As he passed by me, he glared viciously. “Lily, you just wait! If anything happens to Zoe, I won’t let you off the hook!” He deliberately slammed into my shoulder hard. Caught off guard, the impact sent me crashing to the floor. But Kevin didn’t even spare me a glance, just coldly snorted and left.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296565”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

I married a billionaire in a coma. On our wedding night, my comatose husband took me again and again. Each time, I nearly lost my resolve. But the next day, I learned that my family had been in a car accident on their way home from the wedding. Twelve out of thirteen family members died, leaving only my mother in the ICU. I begged my billionaire husband to save my mother. He sneered, “This is karma for your family. If you obey me, I might consider sparing your mother’s life.” Six years after our marriage, I became pregnant. Overjoyed, I ran to tell him, but he pushed me down the stairs to protect his adopted sister. He even allowed her to desecrate our child’s ashes. When I stood on the rooftop, ready to jump, He knelt before me, begging me to look at him one last time. … A loud bang echoed as the massive door slammed open. I lifted my tear-stained eyes, clutching the urn containing my child’s ashes. Zack Chapman’s large hand was already around my throat, his temple throbbing with rage as he glared at me with knife-like eyes. “Aria Frost! How could you be so vicious!” “Mia is so pure and kind-hearted. You’re playing with fire, always trying to cause trouble for her!” “Don’t think I won’t do anything to you!” His grip tightened until I nearly passed out before he finally let go. I stumbled back, collapsing to the floor. “Zack, it’s all my fault. I deserve whatever punishment you give me.” He frowned at me. “Aria Frost, are you planning some new trick to hurt Mia?” I shook my head, my voice devoid of emotion. “I’ll kneel before your precious Mia and beg for her forgiveness. No matter how upset she is, it’s all my fault.” The urn tilted, spilling a small amount of ashes. I silently gathered them with trembling hands, tears occasionally falling onto the white powder. Each time I wiped away a tear, it left a sticky mark. Zack approached me, slowly crouching down and gently wiping away a tear that was about to fall. When I looked at him, he abruptly pulled his hand back. Mia wasn’t just his family’s adopted daughter; she was his prized possession. Whatever Mia said, he believed. Whatever I said, he suspected ulterior motives. I had long understood that in his heart, I was nothing but a sinner through and through. If Mia caught a cold, he’d say my negative energy was affecting her. If Mia was unhappy, he’d interrogate me about what I’d done. Three days ago, Mia had faked a miscarriage, claiming I’d pushed her down the stairs. After returning from the hospital, Zack actually made Mia stand on the same stairs to push me down. I tried to protect my eight-month pregnant belly, desperately attempting to escape, but Zack grabbed me by the collar like a helpless chicken. No matter how much I begged, it was useless. At the hospital, even though the baby still had a faint heartbeat when delivered, the doctor declared him dead after accepting a red envelope from Mia. The tiny spark of hope I had kindled for life was thoroughly extinguished. Zack watched me lovingly caress the urn in my arms, a fleeting look of sympathy crossing his face. Just as I set the urn back in its place, Zack suddenly picked me up. “What are you doing?!” He carried me into the bedroom, tossing me onto the bed before starting to tug at my clothes. As he leaned down towards me, I saw the hickey on his neck. I shrank back. “My body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Maybe next time.” Zack first doubted he had heard correctly, then looked at me with a cold smirk, his tone full of mockery. “You think you have any value to me beyond your body?” I stared at him blankly as he forced himself on me, tearing my clothes despite my resistance. Tears streamed down my face, but his actions didn’t pause for a moment. Zack and I were childhood sweethearts. From playing games in kindergarten where I often played his bride, I grew up listening to his constant declarations of love. Even though he became comatose, I never gave up on marrying him, always hoping he would wake up one day. But what I waited for was greater pain and an even longer wait. My mother lay unconscious in the hospital, with no idea when she might wake. I was so tired. Perhaps it was time to leave this heartbreaking place behind.

The next morning, I found that Zack hadn’t left as usual. “You’re awake?” Zack held a steaming bowl of Chinese medicine, preparing to feed me. “Aria, stop thinking about the child. His existence was just an accident.” “You never had the right to raise a Chapman heir anyway.” Zack wasn’t wrong. I knew I had no right. Our families had always been rivals, with competition growing fiercer as we grew up. Everyone used underhanded tactics to grab market share. Later, my father hired gangsters to kidnap Zack’s mother as leverage. Who knew that his pregnant mother would be raped and die along with her unborn child. Zack snuck in and witnessed this horrific scene. While fleeing, he was hit by a car and fell into a coma. The Chapman family rose again but kept a low profile, suppressing news of their heir’s recovery until they had devoured the Frost family, leaving nothing behind. Only I remained, along with my comatose mother in the hospital. Eight months ago, Zack had a nightmare. Dead drunk, he burst into my room in the middle of the night. “You know, during the time I was in a coma, I kept dreaming. I saw my mother over and over, covered in blood, struggling on the ground, calling out to me.” “She told me to run, but no matter how much I ran, I could never escape that place.” “In my dreams, I was crushed to pieces over and over again, overwhelmed by fear and despair.” “I thought I had been locked in the depths of hell, punished for eternity. But when I woke up, my mother was gone forever.” “Today I finally dreamed of her again. She waved goodbye to me, saying farewell for the last time.” “Aria Frost, you grew up pampered and privileged. Your family feasted on Chapman flesh and drank Chapman blood. Tell me, shouldn’t I hate you?” “But what can I do? I can’t shake this bad habit of loving you…” For over a decade, we had believed we were destined for each other, longing for the day we could be together. But our wedding became the Frost family’s funeral. We had such a long life ahead, yet every step we took was drenched in blood. We carried sins that could never be atoned for. After forcing me to take contraceptives, Zack would always try to make amends. Sometimes with my favorite childhood snacks, other times by taking me to places we used to visit. I indulged in these small moments of happiness, knowing full well they were poisonous, yet addicted and unable to break free. I couldn’t tell if I loved him more or hated him more. Whenever love began to grow, hatred would tear at my heart. Later, Mia followed suit. She got Zack drunk and climbed into his bed, claiming – truthfully or not – to be pregnant. Just as I was lost in thought, I heard her voice. “Brother, I feel so dizzy! Come quick and check on me!” Mia kept knocking on the door. Zack set down the medicine and hurried out. As Mia dragged Zack away, she shot me a challenging look. It was time to go. I started packing a few clothes, ready to leave this city. I wanted to search for renowned doctors across the country, seeking a chance to cure my mother. As I was almost finished packing, I went to the small room where we kept the urn. But I saw Mia holding it, pouring the ashes onto drawing paper in a messy scatter.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296581”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Finn’s beloved Adeline has returned from studying abroad. Her return immediately put her on the same level as me, who has been working tirelessly to climb the company ladder for the past five years. But I’ve reached my limit; I comply with Finn’s wishes and act as the compliant puppet he desires. Everyone in the company knows I’m just a stand-in for Finn’s beloved Adeline. The foundation I’ve built with years of hard work has become their playground. With a simple nod from Adeline, I pack up my things and hand over the office I’ve occupied for two years. If she so much as frowns, Finn will do anything for her, even if it means stepping over me. Finn doesn’t understand why I’ve stopped crying and fighting, or why I no longer call him heartless. With Adeline perched on his lap, she giggles “Finn, you really know how to keep things in order; even the sister knows her place.” I smile faintly; they’ve forgotten that Finn has already signed the divorce agreement. I will leave this company and never see them again. 0

“Tonight, you meet with Mr. Johnson. Adeline and I have other plans,” Finn said, tossing the prepared meeting notes back to me as he left the meeting room with Adeline. This left me with a half-finished presentation on the screen and unfinished words. The room was so quiet I could hear the click of the lock. “Oh, poor Lydia has to work overtime again tonight.” “We really aren’t familiar with the project; it’s best if Lydia handles it.” “Finn trusts you, that’s why he gave you this task.” Adeline’s team members packed their things and offered me empty words of comfort as they passed. I knew they were just flaunting their favor with Finn in front of me. Finn’s favoritism towards Adeline is obvious to everyone, even though I am his legal wife. For a whole month, I’ve been putting in extra hours on the project with Mr. Johnson. When I handed it to Finn, he barely glanced at the proposal before telling me to pass it to Adeline’s team. I argued for my team’s hard work and had a huge fight with Finn in the office. Everyone outside could hear my hysteria, but no one spoke up for me, even though we’ve shared hardships for five years. That was the last time I argued with him. It wasn’t for me or because of Adeline, but for my team’s dedication. In the end, I paid out of my own pocket to take the team out for dinner to soothe their frustration, then stayed late to reorganize the project details for Adeline. She tugged Finn’s sleeve and pouted, “Taking over the sister’s project, she won’t get mad, will she? Besides, I don’t even know this project yet.” So, Finn waved his hand and told me to organize a meeting to hand over the project details. Standing in front of the two of them, the air was tense. They seemed to be waiting for me to get angry or break down. But I calmly gathered my documents and agreed coolly. Today’s scene repeated itself; Finn seemed determined to use humiliating me as his way to win over Adeline. It seemed the crueler he was to me, the more sincere his feelings for his first love, Adeline, appeared. I should have realized sooner that I could never replace Adeline, even though I am his wife. Finn and Adeline’s story is clichéd, like a Prince and his Cinderella. Adeline is an only child from a regular family, not poor but not a match for Finn’s high-status parents. Finn was set on Adeline, declaring he’d marry no one else, and fought with his family over it. His parents resorted to the oldest drama trick—a half a million dollars to leave their son. Actually, they arranged for her to study at her dream school abroad, covering all expenses. Adeline agreed, somehow convincing Finn to accept it too. While Adeline was abroad, Finn’s parents approached me. They promised that if I agreed to marry Finn, they would revive my family’s fortunes. It was a windfall for me. Finn and I knew each other from childhood, attending the same schools since elementary. My feelings for him grew wildly during my teenage years; I secretly loved him for seven years. I asked why me, and they said I looked like Adeline, and they knew me better since they’d watched me grow up. “Besides, we can revive your family, or crush it like an ant if we wish,” Finn’s mother said with a smile that had the sharpness of a sugar-coated blade. Despite knowing the dangers, I accepted it naively, dreaming that love would grow over time, like kids playing house. Until one day, I accidentally saw his chat history with Adeline on his smartphone during a meeting and confronted him. Finn turned it on me, telling me to know my place, and brought Adeline into the company, raising her to my level. He wanted revenge, so he publicly favored Adeline, leaving me embarrassed. He took Adeline to social events, and even at company dinners, held her hand and doted on her publicly. I got angry, but he didn’t care, turning it into my one-sided cold war. If I apologized, he would lecture me in front of everyone, calling me a stand-in who couldn’t compare to a hair on Adeline’s head. Luckily, I woke up from this five-year dream long ago. This unhappy marriage should have ended sooner. 0

It was late at night when I finished discussing the project with Mr. Johnson. He’s notoriously difficult—hard to crack, hard to get a signature, hard to please. Even though my proposal covered all his needs, he dragged it out until he finally signed. In the freezing winter night, not even taxi drivers wanted to pick me up. Finally, shivering with cold, I got into a taxi and came back to life with the warm air from the heater. I numbly scrolled through my smartphone, and my Facebook Feed was flooded with Adeline’s posts. In the pictures, she and Finn were holding hands, sweetly nestled in a Ferris wheel cabin. She smiled brightly at the camera, while Finn’s eyes were tenderly fixed on her face, a faint smile on his lips. When the amusement park opened, I had asked Finn to go with me. At that time, Adeline hadn’t returned, and Finn and I were getting along. But he said it was childish and crowded, and asked me if I wasn’t embarrassed to go. So, I pouted but said nothing, unable to imagine him in a cartoon headband on a Ferris wheel. It wasn’t his style. I thought so and shelved the plan, passing the park countless times but never entering. Now, I realize childishness and crowds were never the issue. It was about who you went with. Like Finn’s gaze in the photo, I’d never seen that look from him. The comments were full of colleagues fawning: “Oh my, so sweet, I’m dying!” “Why call her Ms. Adeline? She’s Mrs. Finn~” “Adeline returns, and Finn dotes on her deeply.” Adeline chimed in, sharing how she had begged Finn to wear matching headbands: “Isn’t it cute, our Finn~” The comments buzzed with speculation, but Finn and Adeline only said they were just out relaxing. A new employee, clueless, asked when they could drink at their wedding. Finn replied with a question mark, and Adeline sent a “shush” emoji. I didn’t react like before, getting angry at their relationship and calling Finn. Instead, I messaged him about successfully closing the project with Mr. Johnson and that I’d leave the documents in his office for signing tomorrow. The bumpy road made me turn off my smartphone, lean against the car door, and close my eyes in exhaustion. Back home, I saw a message from Adeline using Finn’s account: “Lydia, it’s Adeline. Thanks so much for handling the project with Mr. Johnson. Finn didn’t want me to be too tired right after arriving, so he wouldn’t let me do anything! I owe you a meal to thank you~” Finn’s smartphone was off-limits to everyone, even if I accidentally picked it up. He would accuse me of disrespect and invasion of privacy. Yet, Adeline could freely use it, see our chats, and expose everything to her. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Lydia, it’s Adeline. Thank you so much for your hard work on the project with Mr. Johnson. Finn doesn’t want me to be worn out right after I arrive, so he hasn’t let me do anything! I’ll treat you to a meal someday as a reward~” Finn never lets anyone touch or look at his smartphone. Even when I picked it up from the coffee table by mistake, thinking it was mine, he got upset, saying I was invading his privacy. Yet, he lets Adeline use it freely to reply to messages, exposing all our chats to her without any privacy concerns. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Is this what they call the power of “Adeline”? The importance placed on someone in one’s heart dictates how they are treated. However, I felt unusually calm and even gave her a like on her Facebook Feed. What once seemed like the end of the world now feels trivial. I’ve wasted too much time on them. From now on, I’ll live for myself. I pulled up the data I compiled recently and called my dad: “Yes, I’ll handle those companies abroad. We’re divorced now.” 0

Finn didn’t come home all night, and I didn’t leave the entryway light on for him or wait up in the living room like before. He might still be out enjoying himself while his parents are probably worrying about the company deficit. Finn’s company was initially started to impress his parents. His father and mother saw it as a chance for him to gain experience, so they secretly helped a lot, investing much money. Otherwise, the company wouldn’t have taken off so quickly. Did Finn, who used to skip class to hang out with friends, and I, who only had a bunch of theoretical knowledge from university professors, really think we could run a company? Finn thought he was some business prodigy, always getting new project collaborations whenever there were signs of losses. But it was all his parents and I handling things behind the scenes. While I was learning how to run a company day and night, the Aiden family’s money wasn’t just filling the void for their playboy son. I used the company as a transit hub to support our own industry. The way Finn’s mother looked down on me back then still feels like a splinter lodged in my skin. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it always bothers me when I think of it. Now, our industry, with my help, has risen from decline to become a leading enterprise. Finn doesn’t know or care about any of this. Since he reconnected with Adeline, every time I share my success excitedly, he can’t take his eyes off his smartphone. In front of him, even when I dress according to his preferences, I feel like I’m acting foolish. But it doesn’t matter anymore. These years have just been me working here. I’ve spent five years in this company, understanding every level and experiencing every process firsthand. This experience will be my capital to build my own world. Suddenly, Finn called: “There’s a company annual party tonight, remember to come and wear the dress I sent over.” I agreed calmly, not saying much. He seemed surprised I didn’t ask about the dress design this time, realizing it was Adeline’s favorite style and causing a scene. In the past, it always ended with us fighting, me tearfully wearing the dress to make peace, and seeing a hint of admiration in his eyes. But nothing would change. I politely said, “I understand. Is there anything else?” “You…” He started but couldn’t finish, ending the call with a busy signal. The divorce agreement has taken effect, and now we’re just boss and employee. The procedures to go abroad are almost complete. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be at my own company, sitting at the main seat, holding the first shareholders meeting. I’ll still attend tonight’s annual party, as a farewell to my youth. But when I walked in wearing the dress Finn sent, I saw Adeline clinging to his arm, wearing the exact same dress. 0

I paused at the entrance of the banquet hall, standing opposite them across the crowd. People were starting to notice, whispering around me. “Wow, how awkward. The replacement and the original.” “A replica can never be as good as the original. One’s by his side; the other’s entering alone.” “Such a rich family’s drama, and I’m seeing it live.” I was considering leaving to save face, but Adeline spotted me through the crowd. “What a coincidence, dear Lydia! You like this design too? Finn said it was custom-made for me. I thought there was only one.” Up close, I noticed differences. Her dress had gemstones on the skirt hem, sparkling like a starry river under the banquet hall lights. Finn looked flustered, avoiding my eyes. Was he embarrassed for making a scene or surprised the dress matched his Adeline’s exactly? Whatever the reason, it wasn’t my concern anymore. I raised my wine glass with a graceful smile: “What a coincidence. Mr. Finn likes it, but I think it’s just okay.” Before I could take a sip, Adeline suddenly stumbled, spilling all her red wine on my skirt. The wine glass shattered, cutting my skin. My white skirt bloomed with dark red stains, whether from wine or blood, I couldn’t tell. The culprit collapsed tearfully into Finn’s arms: “I’m sorry, sister. I must have stepped on something and twisted my ankle. I’m really sorry. Do you have another dress?” I lifted my skirt to avoid the wet fabric sticking to my legs. I have a cleanliness habit, and the dress clinging to me was uncomfortable. I said coldly: “Adeline, is this necessary? “I hadn’t even seen this dress before wearing it. “No one’s competing with you for anything.” Perhaps my rare cold attitude caught her off guard. She paused, a barely noticeable smug smile on her lips: “Today’s the company’s annual party. Calm down, don’t make a scene. It’s about the company reputation. After the party, you can hit or scold me all you want! I’m just clumsy. Sister, why don’t you hit me?” She closed her eyes, grabbing my hand to slap herself with. She held on so tight I couldn’t break free. Before my hand could reach her face, Finn’s hand grabbed my wrist. “Lydia, enough! Don’t be so harsh. Adeline didn’t do it on purpose. Learn to consider the bigger picture like Adeline. Think about the company. She’s apologized; let’s end it here. I’ll send ten more dresses to your house tomorrow for you to choose from!” I laughed in frustration, pulling my hand free with all my strength, slashing my skirt with a wine glass shard. Rip— The dirty fabric tore off cleanly, transforming the cumbersome long skirt into a brand-new short one. “Hopefully, you two can think more about the company.” I tossed the dirty fabric at their faces and turned to leave. “Enough, stop being stubborn. I know what you’re up to. Don’t worry, with my parents backing you, your position is secure for now. They want me to bring you home tomorrow. Ask for whatever compensation you want.” He rambled on, oblivious to Adeline’s increasingly displeased expression. “But we’re already divorced.” Every tear on my skirt was my creation. On me, it’s the original. Under the torn dress, my leg bled from the glass cuts. It hurt, but I stood tall. I’ll never bow to Finn again. “Finn, whether as legal spouses or work colleagues, we have no connection anymore. “You should call me boss now.” 0 Adeline’s eyes sparkled at the words, and she gripped Finn’s arm more tightly, though she quickly masked her excitement: “Please, don’t be upset with Finn…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296597”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #狼人Werewolf #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic