Category: English

The Third Year After My Death Three years after my death, my blind ex-boyfriend returned from abroad. He brought back the luxury car and million-dollar engagement ring I had once dreamed of. But he said he never loved me. He just wanted to see the regret on my face, thinking I was a gold digger. What he didn’t know was that the corneas he received three years ago were my final gift to him after I died from breast cancer. I saw James Foster again three years after my death. His limited edition Bentley was parked in front of my old, rundown apartment, nearly blocking the entire street. He stepped out of the car in an expensive suit, his eyes filled with arrogance as he looked down on my younger sister, who was still in college. “Where’s Lily Adams? Tell her to come out and see me,” he demanded. When he mentioned my name, a clear hatred flashed in James’s eyes. My sister, feeling indignant on my behalf, angrily replied, “Why are you back? My sister is already dead…” As he was an ex-boyfriend, she had expected James to be saddened by the news of my death. But James just let out a cold laugh. “That gold digger, is she regretting abandoning me and faking her death to trick me?” With that, James snapped his fingers, and a group of men in black suits swarmed into our cramped yard. Each of them carried a briefcase, which they opened in unison, revealing stacks of crisp bills. A rough estimate put it at about ten million dollars. Neighbors gathered at our door to watch the spectacle, murmuring in astonishment. “Back then, Lily rejected me because I couldn’t afford an engagement ring, and she cruelly abandoned me when I went blind. Now that my eyesight is restored, let her come out and see if she’s worthy of this ten-million-dollar ring!” James declared, arms crossed and chin held high as he stared at my sister. He continued, “Tell Lily, I will never forgive her for what she did, unless…” James’s threat was obvious. “She kneels down and begs me.” The onlookers began to whisper among themselves. “Ten million dollars for an engagement ring? That’s insane! She always seemed like such a nice girl, who would have thought…” “Come to think of it, we haven’t seen that girl in about three years. Did she run off with some rich guy?” These hurtful comments reached my ears, and I saw my sister’s expression darken. “I told you, my sister is dead. Now get out of here, I don’t want to see you,” she snapped. When I died, my family had spent almost all their money on my treatment. To leave something for my sister’s education, my funeral had been a simple affair. So most people didn’t know about my death. It was understandable that James didn’t believe it. I had said some hurtful things to leave him, but I loved him. I would rather have the man I loved hate me than spend his life in sorrow! Clearly, James enjoyed seeing me subjected to public criticism. After hearing those comments, he left, satisfied. The commotion quickly died down. I was relieved… If James had walked in a bit further, he would have seen the memorial tablet my sister had set up for me. My sister was still shaking with anger over those nasty comments. After everyone left, she went back inside, muttering to herself. “Sis, was this man really worth it?”

James’s blindness wasn’t congenital. He lost his sight as a child after being kidnapped. As the illegitimate son of the Foster family, with his mother long gone and his father always away, no one really cared about him, which delayed his treatment. Our meeting wasn’t exactly a fairytale. I was running a small flower shop at the time. He got lost and stumbled into my shop asking for directions. I guess you could call it love at first sight. In the sea of flowers, the handsome boy’s face was half-hidden by petals. Though his eyes were vacant, they couldn’t hide his noble air. I remember thinking what a shame it was that such a good-looking boy couldn’t see. Later, I was the one who pursued him. I figured there was nothing wrong with a girl making the first move. They say it’s easy for a girl to catch a boy, and James quickly surrendered to my advances. I found a sense of home with James, while James experienced being truly loved for the first time. The unexpected happened three years ago when I was suddenly diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer. Afraid that James couldn’t handle it, I made up an excuse to break up with him. I still remember the day we broke up. It was snowing heavily. James stood across from me. When I said, “I don’t want to be with a useless illegitimate son anymore. I want to find someone rich,” James bit his lower lip hard. “So all those promises about staying together forever were lies?” he asked. “Of course. I just thought you were good-looking and wanted to play around. Did you really think I liked you?” Those words were like a knife carving out his heart, and they hurt me just as much. The cold wind crept under my clothes. I gritted my teeth, clutching the medical report in my pocket, trying to keep my voice steady, but it still trembled. “Lily, I’ll talk to my dad about working at the company. Even though I can’t see, I’ll work hard to learn. Trust me, I’ll give you a future, please don’t leave me.” “A future? You’re blind, with no money or connections. How can you compete with your brothers and sisters? How can you give me a future?” “Let’s just end this on good terms,” I said, unable to look at James’s face. I was afraid I’d break down crying the next second, so I turned and walked away. But I couldn’t help worrying about James, so I secretly followed him. That day, James fell several times on the path that usually took only ten minutes to walk. It took him a full hour to get home. Each time James fell, my heart ached. I hated myself for not being able to tell James the truth, but I couldn’t selfishly let him suffer for the rest of his life. Now, as I floated above, watching James achieve success and fame, I felt a mix of emotions. My soul followed James. To my surprise, the second place James visited after returning to the country was the flower shop I used to run. The door hit the wind chimes, making a crisp sound. A young girl turned around to greet James warmly. It felt like a lifetime ago. That girl looked a lot like me when I was younger – pure and innocent. A wave of bitterness washed over me. This flower shop held all my beautiful memories; it meant so much to me. James carefully looked around. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but I saw James’s eyes turn red. “Can I help you with anything, sir?” the girl asked as she approached. James snapped out of his thoughts and apologized. “I’m sorry, we don’t sell irises here.” The girl noticed some irises in the corner and pointed at them. “Aren’t those irises over there?” “Those… are reserved for someone I love,” James replied. His cold and cruel tone sent chills through me. “But the business here looks pretty good…” his assistant remarked, surprised. James’s face showed annoyance. “This place is my shame. It must be destroyed!” My heart clenched. So James hated me this much.

In just a week, James bought the flower shop. He came in person to watch as bulldozers razed it to the ground. I stood at the shop’s entrance, stretching out my arms to try and block them, screaming desperately. “No! Please, don’t…” My voice grew fainter. I had almost forgotten – they couldn’t see or hear me. But James used to cherish this flower shop as much as I did. He cared for it no less than I did. Once, when some thugs came to collect protection money and I couldn’t afford it, they threatened to wreck the shop. Although James couldn’t see, he still stood at the door, vowing to protect our little shop that felt like home. The thugs beat him mercilessly. Even when he could barely stand, covered in bruises, he still shielded me and wouldn’t let them come near the shop. If the police hadn’t arrived in time, he might have been beaten to death. That night, as I tended to his wounds with tears in my eyes, I asked him why he was so foolish. James said, “This is where we met. I can’t bear to lose it.” I think at that time, James must have loved me deeply, protecting our memories with his life. How many times had others tried to destroy this place, and James had desperately protected it? But now, it was he who personally ordered it to be razed to the ground. I looked back at what was once called home, now just a pile of rubble. I collapsed to the ground. James’s face was hidden in the dust, his eyes cold as ice. A woman stepped out of the car, thoughtfully draping her coat over James’s shoulders. The woman was beautiful and elegant, dressed in designer clothes from head to toe. Standing next to James, they looked like a perfect match. “It’s just an old flower shop. Why did you have to come here in person?” she asked. I recognized her. She was Vanessa Thompson, James’s high school classmate, known as a social butterfly. How did they end up together? James seemed to rely on Vanessa quite a bit. I was shocked. Even though I was dead, I worried about James being deceived by such a manipulative woman. I hurried to follow them. In the car, James held Vanessa’s hand, looking somewhat tired. “Thank goodness I have you. You helped me find the cornea donor.” These words hit me like a thunderbolt, making my ears ring. Vanessa snuggled into James’s arms, smiling. “Silly, it’s because I love you. I’m not like Lily, who abandoned you when you needed her most.” At her words, a crack appeared in James’s previously calm expression. “Don’t mention that gold digger. She doesn’t deserve to be compared to you. She makes me sick.” The disgust in James’s eyes was obvious, sending a sharp pain through my heart. No, the corneas were donated by me. I clenched my fists tightly, my shoulders shaking. Vanessa chuckled softly. “Alright, we’re getting married soon. You’d better give me a romantic wedding.” Vanessa rested her head on James’s chest again. My mind went blank. James was getting married? To such a liar? I felt suffocated, staring at James in disbelief. Only then did I notice the diamond ring on his finger. A heartbreaking pain spread through my entire being. If I had known that the corneas I donated to James would be claimed by an imposter, I wouldn’t have died so quietly. But it was too late now. James absent-mindedly looked out the car window, gripping his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white. I could see that the phone displayed the last message I had sent him. [I wish you happiness.] That was the message I sent to James with my last moments of sight before donating my corneas. I had been following James for a long time now, so long that I had lost track of time. It seemed that after death, my sense of time had become vague. “Still haven’t found her?” James looked up at his assistant from his desk in the office, his eyes full of impatience. “I’m sorry, Mr. Foster. We’ve been searching for a week, but there’s no trace of Lily Adams,” the assistant said, hanging his head. “Useless! All of you are useless! How hard is it to find one woman? I refuse to believe she’s vanished into thin air! Keep looking! Even if she’s dead, dig her up from the grave!”

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Emily’s last wish before she passed away was to see Olivia come back to visit her. I made countless phone calls, begging her earnestly for a long time. She was very impatient, “Stop calling, I’m busy.” I personally carved Emily’s tombstone, sending her off on her final journey. But that night, high-resolution photos of her night out with her secretary spread online. I completely lost it. On Emily’s birthday, the little girl lay in her hospital bed. Weak and powerless, relying on a ventilator to stay alive. I looked in through the observation window, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. Emily’s expression was pained, but her gaze was fixed on the spot next to me. Countless phone calls went unanswered. The last one finally connected. I hurriedly urged, afraid she would hang up the next second, “Honey, come to the hospital quickly, Emily…” The woman’s tone was impatient and dismissive: “I’m busy.” “Beep… beep… beep…” The surroundings fell into a deathly silence. The little girl on the bed suddenly started breathing rapidly, her body shaking violently. A group of doctors rushed into the room, nurses coming and going. Then, they left with tense expressions. I mustered up my strength to lean over the bed, calling softly: “Emily baby, Daddy’s here.” The little girl’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes full of hope: “Where’s Mommy?” My heart felt like it was being stabbed over and over again, the pain unbearable. I forced a smile, gently stroking her head, explaining: “Mommy’s on her way.” I pointed to the cake on the cabinet, “Look, this is the mango cake Mommy specially told me to buy. She remembered she promised to come celebrate your birthday with you, but she’s stuck in traffic.” As I comforted her, I sent messages to Olivia. “Olivia, Emily’s not going to make it.” “I’m begging you, come to the hospital to see her one last time. She’s your daughter.” “I’ll do anything if you come, even die.” After a barrage of messages, she finally replied, “Mr. Lucas, Mrs. Song is busy. Please stop bothering her.” … In the last moments of her life, Emily never got to see Olivia. But she believed what I told her. After all, Olivia used to spoil Emily rotten. Whatever Emily wanted, Olivia would buy without hesitation. No matter how busy work was, she would always make time to pick Emily up. For every holiday, big or small, she would prepare at least half a year in advance. She never missed any of Emily’s surgeries, big or small.

Late at night, I lay powerlessly by my daughter’s bedside, her breath now stilled. My eyes were red and swollen, tears long since dried up. My phone suddenly vibrated with a message from Jack. It was a news article, with two high-resolution photos attached. The headline blared: “Song Corp CEO’s Night Out with Handsome Man” In the photo, a woman in a tight dress clung coyly to a man’s arm, looking flirtatious. The man had handsome features, a faint smile playing on his thin lips as he gazed lovingly at the woman. Quite the picture of a loving couple. The second photo showed Olivia wrapped in a towel, smoking on a balcony. Red marks were clearly visible on her body, her gaze directed vaguely out the window. “Brother Lucas, Mrs. Song loves me. It’s time for you to step aside as her husband.” My hand trembled uncontrollably, my nails digging into my flesh as hatred surged in my eyes. How could they? How dare they! Do this to me. Jack was a college student I had sponsored. Back then, I had accidentally learned from a middle school teacher that Jack’s family couldn’t afford to send him to school, and wanted him to drop out to work and earn money for his brother’s wedding expenses. The teacher told me Jack was hardworking and promising. When I first met Jack, he wore ill-fitting old clothes, his hands clutching nervously at the hem. I felt like I was looking at my younger self. I offered to sponsor Jack’s high school tuition and living expenses for three years. After he graduated college, I even recommended him as a secretary against Olivia’s objections. I still remember his grateful eyes at the time, promising me, “Brother, just wait. I’ll definitely repay you in the future.” Later, I did indeed receive his “repayment.” Time and time again, he tirelessly proved to me the illicit affair between my wife and him. Ambitious to replace me in taking care of my wife.

I chose a fine headstone and, dusting off skills long unused, carved Emily’s tombstone myself. “Emily, beloved daughter. Radiant as the heart, forever in our hearts.” I personally laid Emily to rest. Next to her grave lay my grandmother, who had once been my only family. Yet I had never visited her since she passed away. The little old lady had doted on me since I was young. After my grandfather died, our family’s circumstances were poor and we couldn’t afford tuition. When I graduated middle school, someone advised Grandma to have me drop out to ease the family’s burden. She refused vehemently, “As long as Lucas wants to study, I’ll support him no matter how long it takes!” For three years of high school, she supported me by selling vegetables, successfully sending me to a top university. I thought then that Grandma’s blessings were still to come. But later, the little old lady who had bent her back to raise me became nothing but a mound of earth. I pressed my cheek against Emily’s cold tombstone, thinking to myself, “Emily, you won’t be lonely with Great-grandma to keep you company.” “Walk slowly, wait for me.”

After returning from the cemetery, I numbly packed my suitcase. I sat silently in the dark living room, not saying a word. The huge house, now devoid of the little girl’s cheerful laughter, felt suffocatingly oppressive. My tears had long since dried up, unable to shed another drop, my eyes bloodshot. On the coffee table sat a family photo of the three of us, radiating happiness. But it wasn’t in the original frame. I met Olivia when I was ten years old. She was thirteen at the time. Her mother had an affair and ran off with all the family’s money. Her father moved next door to us with her. Although Olivia was pretty, she was always cold and quiet. The villagers gossiped, and soon the whole town knew. At school, Olivia was constantly mocked. Only I stubbornly followed behind her, protecting her. “Sister Olivia, I’ll stay by your side forever.” I wanted to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps and become a sculptor, but Grandma strongly opposed it. Only Olivia told me, “There’s no such thing as a lowly profession. I’ll stay by your side forever.” On my 18th birthday, Olivia gave me a set of carving tools she had made herself. Seeing the cuts on her hands, my eyes stung with tears. “Does it hurt?” Seeing my wet eyes, she became flustered, hurriedly explaining: “It doesn’t hurt at all.” But she hid her hands behind her back, grinning foolishly at me: “They’re almost healed, really.” When we were 22, we went from school uniforms to wedding dresses, getting married. Olivia wanted to start a game studio, but her father strongly opposed it, thinking it wasn’t proper for a girl. Only I stood up to support her, just as she had once supported me. When I was 25, our daughter Emily was born. Overcome with joy at becoming a father for the first time, I held the newborn Emily and cried out loud. No matter how busy she was, Olivia personally took care of everything for the child. She often had to work overtime, but she always made me feel secure. I once thought meeting Olivia was the luckiest thing to ever happen to me. More than once, she reminisced about the past with me, saying she hated cheating and despised her mother for hurting her father and destroying their family. Olivia once curled up in my arms, promising me that she would never become someone fickle like her mother.

Olivia came home in the middle of the night. Seeing me, she was startled, “Why aren’t you asleep so late?” I coldly raised my head, meeting her gaze: “Where were you the day before yesterday?” Her eyes darted away, unconsciously avoiding my gaze, “Last-minute business trip.” After a pause, her tone softened, “I’ll make it up to Emily for her birthday another day. I’ve never missed one before anyway.” Hearing this, my chest tightened, and in that instant, tears slid down my cheeks. I turned away, trying hard to hold back the tears. After a long while, “Olivia” I spoke, my voice hoarse and weak. “Let’s get divorced.” Olivia’s face froze, and she asked uncertainly: “What?” I looked straight into her eyes, enunciating each word slowly: “I said, Olivia, let’s get divorced.” Disbelief flashed in her eyes, her expression bewildered. Just for a moment, Olivia’s face hardened, darkening slightly: “Lucas, this divorce talk isn’t funny anymore.” “Fine, we can divorce, but I’ll only give you $200,000. Also, I get custody of Emily.” As expected of a businesswoman – the company was now worth millions, yet she only offered me $200,000 to get rid of me. How cruel. I used to admire her ruthlessness in business, but now it was being used against me. I laughed coldly: “Fine, sign the papers.” She could have custody of Emily if she wanted, the girl was dead anyway. Olivia thought she could still use the child to tie me down, but it wouldn’t work anymore. Signing didn’t take long. I picked up my suitcase and headed for the door. Olivia grabbed my wrist, her tone languid: “It’s too late today, leave tomorrow.” I immediately shook her off, my tone measured: “No need. I’ve already packed everything.” “Monday at 10 AM, I’ll be waiting for you at the Civil Affairs Bureau.” A sudden summer downpour invaded the night, the empty oil-paved road exuding a stifling heat, making me nauseous. I shakily returned to the apartment I had bought for Grandma. It took most of my energy to clean up the long-uninhabited place. The house was simple and sparse, with only one photo frame – a picture of the three generations together.

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As the heavy rain poured down, floodwater rushed into the underground parking garage. I dialed the number of the rescue team leader’s wife. “Help me… Rachel, I’m trapped in the garage. The emergency exit is locked!” Rachel’s impatient voice came through the phone: “Enough, Jack! Ethan’s cat is stuck up a tree and can’t get down. We’re busy right now!” She hung up despite my pleas, taking all the nearby rescue personnel with her to save a cat, cutting off all my chances of survival. … The water in the garage rose quickly. With the emergency exit locked, I climbed onto the roof of a car. My phone battery was down to its last bar. After Rachel hung up, my phone went dead. In despair, I shouted at the top of my lungs, “Help! Someone save me!” Looking up at the security camera, I waved frantically, hoping to catch the attention of the monitoring staff. But no one noticed. The flood surged in, gradually submerging everything until it swallowed me whole. As my chest filled with suffocation and pain, I looked at the necklace around my neck, yanked it off, and then lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, I was floating near the ceiling of the garage. Outside, I heard shouts: “Is anyone there? Is anyone there?” “Mr. Carter!” The property manager and his team waded through the water and mud. When they saw the emergency exit, they froze. “Who locked this?!” “I don’t know! It’s always been open, and that’s not even our lock!” Floating above, I watched the manager’s face turn ashen. My heart sank. Someone wanted me dead. “Quick, find him!” “Jack!” “Jack!” They knew I was trapped in the garage? Curious, I followed them as a spirit. The community I lived in was a new development with diligent property management. During the heavy rain, the property staff had warned me that water was entering the garage and asked me to move my car out. I remembered last year when the garage had also flooded, damaging many cars. My little car was newly bought this year. Hearing the news, I hurried down, only to find water already up to my calves when I entered. I went to drive the car out, but suddenly a surge of water rushed in. I immediately turned to run. But the emergency exit had somehow been closed by the wind. I couldn’t open it no matter how hard I tried. Now I realized someone had maliciously locked the door. Who could it be? Who wanted me dead? My spirit followed them out, where I saw many rescue workers had already arrived. Their bright orange uniforms stood out. I searched for Rachel among them. She was the leader of the local rescue team, conveniently assigned to patrol nearby for emergencies. But today, by such bad luck, she had taken all seven or eight team members away with her. An ambulance had also arrived. Learning I was down there, they immediately started the rescue operation. However, the underground garage was flooded with over three meters of water. The property manager and his team had to use boats to enter. The bottom was covered in silt that sucked in their feet with each step. The rescue was difficult, and no one knew where my body was. At this moment, Rachel finally arrived late with her team. Ethan followed behind her. “Rachel, could he be in trouble? It’s all my fault for delaying the rescue.” “It’s fine. He always bothers me over little things. They’ve issued a stay-at-home notice for the heavy rain. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to go out at this time!” Rachel replied without a second thought, only to be confronted by her superior, Captain Chen. Seeing her, Captain Chen’s face darkened. “You were the closest, yet you’re half an hour late. Where were you?!” “Captain, it’s my fault. My cat ran out and got stuck up a tree. Rachel helped me find it,” Ethan explained innocently, carefully staying behind Rachel. Captain Chen was even more furious. “Rachel! Do you realize someone has died?! No matter the reason, I will definitely discipline you this time!” Rachel’s face turned extremely ugly. She hadn’t expected anyone to come out in this weather, let alone get trapped in the underground garage.

“Stop dawdling! Team Three, all members enter! The missing person is confirmed to be male, 24 years old, exact location unknown!” At Captain Chen’s order, all rescue personnel entered the garage fully equipped. At this point, Ethan held Rachel back. “Rachel, it’s dangerous inside. Let them go in.” “How can I not go? I’m the team leader. Be good and wait for me out here.” As soon as she finished speaking, Captain Chen pulled Ethan aside. “Civilians should not interfere with the rescue. Please stay behind the police line!” Faced with the captain, Ethan stomped his foot but had no choice but to stand aside. I laughed. Ethan, only a fool like Rachel would fall for your act. Anyone else wouldn’t give you the time of day. I followed behind Rachel as she entered the garage. By now the silt reached their thighs. Even the professional rescue workers had difficulty moving, let alone me when I was alive. Unfortunately, they didn’t know my exact location. I also learned that the garage’s security cameras had broken down. The property manager and his team only knew I had come down because they saw my plea for help on SnapChat. My car was parked in Area D, the innermost part of the garage. A team member next to Rachel pulled out one leg, panting, “Rachel, doesn’t your husband also live in this community?” “Could he have…” “No way. Jack is always busy with work. He wouldn’t come out.” “But didn’t he call saying he was trapped?” Rachel pressed her lips tightly. “It can’t be. He probably just said that because he knew I was with Ethan.” “He’s always such a bother!” Hearing this, her team members remained silent. I smiled bitterly on the side. Me, a bother? In all my life, this was the first time I’d been called a bother. Right, I’m not as good as Ethan at playing the victim, but I’ve always been independent. The first time I asked her for help, after being rejected, I never bothered her again. Until today, when I really couldn’t handle it myself, I called her. And she saw it as a bother. Rachel, if you knew that hanging up on me caused my death, would you regret it? With over forty rescue team members and property staff working together, after 10 hours, the property manager finally found me. By then my body was swollen, with mud filling my nose and mouth. He trembled as he pointed at the human-shaped object in the mud: “It’s… it’s him!” I had been caught on a car emblem, which kept me from sinking completely, though my body was already covered in mud. Hearing his voice, the rescue workers got excited. They trudged through the mud with a stretcher and pulled me out. After placing me on the stretcher, everyone lowered their heads seeing my tragic state. Especially Captain Chen, who took a deep breath, observed a moment of silence, then waved his hand. Everyone lifted me out together. By now Rachel’s team had also arrived, and they all helped carry me out. Rachel shook her head. “Who would come to the underground garage at this time? Anyone with common sense wouldn’t come out now. What a pity.” As they carried me out, a gust of wind blew by. Somehow, my hand suddenly drooped, and the necklace in my hand came into view. Rachel happened to turn away at that moment. I smiled bitterly. Rachel, there’s really no chemistry between us. If you had turned around, you would have seen that the dead person was me. This necklace was the birthday gift you gave me. In our two years together, it was the only gift you ever gave me. When I died, I was already completely disappointed in you. I didn’t want anything to bind me anymore, so I yanked it off. From now on, I won’t cling to you anymore. Unfortunately, Rachel didn’t see it. But Ethan on the other side shuddered and quickly rushed over. “Rachel, you must be tired.” He took out a tissue to wipe Rachel’s sweat. Rachel’s face was covered in mud. “It’s not tiring. This is what we should do.” Ethan continued, “I wonder what he was thinking, coming to the underground garage at a time like this.” “You can’t talk sense into someone bent on dying. We did everything we could. It’s his own…” Captain Chen overheard as he passed by and angrily interrupted, “Shut up! Rachel, watch your mouth! As a rescue worker, never say such things in front of the deceased. I shouldn’t have to remind you of this!” “Also, you will definitely be disciplined this time. Go write a self-criticism report when we get back!” “Why should she be disciplined?” Ethan was unhappy. “Rachel was late because she was helping me.” “This is a matter of life and death. Rachel, we’ll settle accounts back at headquarters!” Captain Chen glared at Ethan. “I also hope Mr. White won’t waste public resources next time. If your cat got lost, that’s due to your negligence as its guardian. Don’t expect everyone to revolve around you for your cat!” Captain Chen had never liked Ethan. He also couldn’t stand how Ethan always called other people’s wives “sister”. So whenever he saw me being bullied, he would remind Rachel to scold her. But after all, he wasn’t a relative, just the captain. After speaking up a few times and Rachel not listening, Captain Chen stopped saying much. But this time Captain Chen really couldn’t hold back anymore. Ethan got angry at being spoken to like this. “Rachel, how dare he talk to me like that?” “Enough, Ethan. He’s the captain. Don’t say anymore here. I have to go back to the team, you should head home too!” She patted Ethan, but he grabbed her hand. “Come to my place. I made some soup to help you recover. It’s also to thank you for saving Mimi.” Mimi was his Ragdoll cat. Rachel thought for a moment and nodded, then turned to call me. But my phone was dead and powered off. A flash of displeasure crossed Rachel’s face. “Still playing these games with me. I’m telling you, if you don’t want to answer, then don’t ever answer again!” I sighed, “Indeed, I’ll never answer again. Rachel, are you happy now?” She angrily hung up and returned to her team. When she got to the office, Captain Chen immediately started scolding her. Learning that she had delayed half an hour to save a cat, Captain Chen couldn’t hold back anymore. “Rachel, separate your public and private affairs! Don’t treat all the personnel as your personal property! If you had come half an hour earlier, that kid wouldn’t have died!” “I’m going to report this. You wait for your disciplinary action!” “Isn’t that too severe?!” Rachel was shocked. “I just had another task!” “Who assigned you that task? Is there a record?” Rachel was immediately speechless. There was no record of Ethan calling her for help. It was just a phone call. But for me, after the property management learned of my situation and contacted them, Rachel was half an hour late. If she had been even five minutes earlier, I wouldn’t have died. After being scolded by Captain Chen, Rachel hurried back to write her self-criticism report. Four hours later, my body had been cleaned up. The property management confirmed my identity and sent over the relevant information. When Captain Chen received the information, he was stunned. He quickly ran to the office. He saw Rachel hurriedly leaving. “Rachel! Where are you going? Jack…” “Don’t mention it, Captain. Jack is throwing a tantrum. He lied about being trapped, then turned off his phone. I don’t know what he’s upset about!” Before she finished speaking, Captain Chen handed over a document. “This is the deceased’s information. Take a look.” “Why should I look at this? It’s not like he’s anyone to me…” Rachel’s words trailed off as she froze. She looked at the text on the document, her hands shaking and eyes wide. After a long moment, she said, “No… it can’t be!” “This isn’t him!” “Whether it is or not, go see for yourself.” 4 My body had already been cleaned and sent to the funeral home’s morgue. Rachel stumbled over, showed her ID, and when she saw me being pulled out, she immediately covered her mouth, tears in her eyes. “Jack…” She wanted to reach out and touch me, but in the end didn’t have the courage. A staff member on the side took out a box. “These are the deceased’s belongings. Please take a look.” She took it and saw the necklace, immediately bursting into tears. Captain Chen had also followed. He patted her shoulder. “Rachel, I don’t want to say much about this, but you said he called you saying he was trapped, right? Where were you at that time?” Rachel immediately crumpled in pain, wailing as she fell to her knees. Captain Chen sighed heavily. “If I had known he called you, I should have beaten you to death when we were there!” Captain Chen pointed at her nose and berated her, “Rachel, you’re not fit to be a rescue worker at all! Starting today, you’re suspended pending investigation. We’ll deal with this after the incident is handled!” The staff then asked about my family. Captain Chen shook his head. “This kid was an orphan. He has no family. This is my number, contact me if anything comes up.” Captain Chen left his phone number. After the staff member took it down, he looked at Rachel again. She said in a low voice, “I’ll stay here with him for a while.” But regulations wouldn’t allow her to stay with a cold corpse. The staff pushed me back into the freezer. Rachel rushed over wanting to grab me, but was held tightly by Captain Chen. “Are you crazy? Calm down! Do you want to disturb him even in death?!” “Jack is gone, dead! Rachel, get a hold of yourself!” “No, he’s not dead. He’s just being a little dramatic. How could he possibly die? Captain, let me go. I have to ask him why!” “Ask my ass!” Captain Chen slapped her across the face! “What did you say when he asked you for help? Now you’re putting on this act!” Watching Rachel’s hysterical state from the side, I felt extremely satisfied. Well done, Captain! If you’re going to hit her, hit her harder! She clearly killed me, and now she’s playing innocent. She should be beaten to death! I stood to the side grinning from ear to ear. Captain Chen’s slap seemed to wake her up. Rachel stumbled and fell to the ground. In the end, Captain Chen had to drag her away. “Rachel, I’m telling you, you’re handling the funeral arrangements!” Rachel was like a soulless zombie, not knowing how she got back. Until her phone lit up – it was Ethan calling. “Rachel, why haven’t you come yet? The soup is ready. If you’re too busy to come over, how about I bring it to you?” Hearing this, Rachel suddenly came to her senses and refused. “I have to work overtime tonight. Don’t bring it over. I’m not in the mood to drink it.” “What’s wrong, Rachel? Did I do something wrong?” “No, you did very well. I’m just not in the mood right now.” She hung up immediately. Rachel ran her hands through her hair, finding it hard to believe I was really gone. She hid in her office, looking at my death report over and over again. Death by drowning. She knew that if she had come just a bit earlier, I wouldn’t have died. Now Rachel was consumed by guilt. She raised her hand and slapped herself hard several times, leaving her face swollen and red. 5 Watching from the side, I shook my head. “Now you know you were wrong, but what’s the point? I’m already dead. This won’t bring me back. Just forget it!” “But you’re in charge of my funeral arrangements. Please make me look handsome… Never mind, don’t let you handle it. Even though I have no family, I don’t want you to touch me again!” I took a deep breath, wanting to leave, but found I couldn’t. At this moment, Rachel suddenly thought of something.

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My husband, Charlie Walker, who had been dead for three years, suddenly came back to life. I thought I had regained love and cherished it so much. But I never expected that I had already fallen into the trap set by him and his mistress. He pretended to be affectionate with me for a while and then suddenly said that he had no feelings for me and wanted a divorce. I had waited for him for three years, so I didn’t want to agree. But I never thought that Charlie would team up with his mistress and burn me to death in our house, then inherit all my property. Even my childhood friend, Albert Lewis, who came to save me, was severely burned over a large area of his body. He ended up paralyzed and then died of depression. After I died, I found out that Charlie and his mistress were the ones who had set the fire that he used as an excuse to fake his death. The reason he came back to me was just that he had run out of money and wanted to get a share of my property through a divorce. “Ms. Bennett, Ms. Bennett, wake up.” My head ached like it was splitting apart, and my whole body felt burning hot. I was still wondering why the last voice I heard before dying was that of my secretary, Kelly Edwards. But the pain in my body made it impossible for me to think it through. The feeling of being burned by the fierce fire swept over me, along with a sense of suffocation and fear that filled my body. When I opened my eyes, I saw Kelly shaking my body anxiously. Looking at everything in front of me, I couldn’t help but wonder if everything that had just happened was a dream. Just a moment ago, I was in the middle of a fire, and now I was back in the bright office. Kelly said, “Ms. Bennett, are you feeling unwell? You were shaking just now. I was afraid something was wrong with you, so I woke you up.” It seemed that my body hadn’t adjusted to the dream yet. I felt dizzy and couldn’t think about anything. I waved my hand at Kelly, signaling her to go out first. After resting for a while, I came to my senses. Then, I realized that I had been reborn. What had just happened wasn’t a dream but was the real feeling I had before I died. Memories of my previous life flooded into my mind, bringing me pain and sorrow. I picked up my phone and checked the date. It was three years before I died in my previous life, and it was also a week before Charlie Walker faked his death in the fire. In my previous life, a week later, there was a mountain fire on Sunlight Mount, which was the mountain contracted by my company. The cause of the fire was never investigated clearly. Charlie was a firefighter. The fire burned for three days and three nights, and groups of firefighters were sent in one after another. Finally, on the fifth day, the fire was put out, but Charlie was nowhere to be found. The police, firefighters, and rescue teams searched the mountain for several days but failed to find him. They speculated that he had perished. A fire that burned for four or five days could completely incinerate a living person. I didn’t want to believe it. In the three years after his death, I refused to get a death certificate or dissolve our marital relationship. But what I got in return for my love for him was a heavy blow. Three years later, Charlie miraculously reappeared by my side. He told me that he had fallen off a cliff and lost his memory, and he had just remembered everything recently. He said that as soon as he remembered, he came back to me without hesitation. I was so immersed in the joy of getting him back that I didn’t have time to think about other things. In the following two weeks, he and I were in a sweet relationship. But later, Charlie asked me for a divorce and wanted half of my property. I had waited for him for three years, so there was no way I would agree. I asked him why. He said that he had been saved by a girl and had fallen in love with her. That completely woke me up from my infatuation. I said that a divorce was okay, but he wouldn’t get a single cent of my property. I thought he would at least behave himself for a while. But the next day, he and his mistress set fire to my house and made it look like an accidental fire. After I died, my resentment was so strong that my soul kept following Charlie. Then, I found out that they were the ones who had set the mountain on fire. Charlie had embezzled a lot of my money and then planned this escape with his mistress. He came back just because he was out of money and wanted to get some from me. But he hadn’t expected that I didn’t agree. In my previous life, I was so immersed in the pain of Charlie’s “death” that I didn’t think about the money issue at all. Also, I trusted Charlie, who had been with me from college to marriage for eight years, too much, and in the end, I lost my life in the fire. After I died, my soul left my body, and I saw that my childhood friend, Albert Lewis, was there. The fire was so fierce that the firefighters couldn’t put it out in time. As soon as one side of the fire was extinguished, it flared up again on the other side. The tree I had planted at the door became the last straw that prevented me from being rescued. Not only did it burn and fall across the door, but it also made the fire even bigger. Albert, when the firefighters weren’t looking at him, rushed into the fire regardless of the danger. I watched all this happen and indeed wanted to tell him not to go in and that I was already dead. Albert entered the fire. I watched as he was burned all the way. Despite the pain, he still tried to get to my room and finally fainted at my door. He was finally rescued by the firefighters, but he had severe burns all over his body. His face, which used to be as handsome as a campus heartthrob, was completely disfigured.

“Kimberly, don’t you think you should stand up and greet me?” I heard Albert’s voice coming from the door before I saw him. “Sorry, Ms. Bennett. I really couldn’t stop Mr. Lewis,” said Kelly. Ever since I graduated from college and married Charlie, Albert and I had always been at odds. I didn’t know why he was acting so strange before. It was only after I died that I found out he had been in love with me for a long time. Albert sat on my desk, poking at the succulents on it. These were the ones he gave me when he was 18. In my previous life, I hated Albert’s playboy demeanor. But now, I kind of missed it. Looking at his delicate facial features, I remembered how he had taken meticulous care of me during the three years after Charlie faked his death. At that time, he put away his playboy attitude and became more and more serious. He said over and over again, “Kimberly, let me take care of you.” But at that time, I was so immersed in the pain of Charlie’s “death” that I couldn’t respond to Albert. Now, seeing him standing alive in front of me, I couldn’t help but run over and hug him. I felt the person in my arms suddenly go stiff. After a while, Albert pushed me away, looking at a loss. He said, “What the hell are you doing? You’re already married. I won’t interfere in your marriage, and I won’t be a lover. Just forget about it. If you get a divorce, I might consider it.” Before, when he said such things, I just thought he was teasing me and never took it seriously. I was even angry because of his flippancy. Now, I noticed that his face and neck were all red when he said these words. Even though he was refusing in words, I felt that if I insisted, he might agree to be a lover. Seeing that I didn’t say anything, Albert started chattering. “If you hug me, you have to give me a proper status. But I will never be a lover. You’d better explain why you hugged me. Otherwise, I’ll spread the word that you bullied me.” Seeing that I still didn’t say anything, Albert said awkwardly, “Let me think about it. If I become a lover, my parents will beat me to death.” I was surprised, thinking, “Dude, you’re really in love.” I said, “Don’t think about it. I…” Seeing that I seemed to be rejecting his “lover application”, Albert interrupted me, “I’ve thought it over. I’ll do it. As long as they don’t beat me to death, I can endure any pain. But I’m warning you, you can’t have another lover.” I was annoyed that he interrupted me before I could finish. “Don’t you want to know what I was going to say just now?” Albert shook his head and said, “Kimberly, don’t reject me. If you do, can you please not tell others what happened just now?” I felt that Albert was about to cry. I couldn’t help but smile. How dull was I before that I didn’t notice such obvious love? I smiled, “I’ll give you a proper status, Albert, but not now. You have to wait for me for a while.” Albert was stunned. I thought he was unhappy. I reached out and pinched his chin, lifting his lowered head. Then, a tear ran from the corner of Albert’s eye onto my finger. He said, “Kimberly, I’ve been waiting for you for eight years. Eight years ago, I thought you were just having a relationship, so I kept waiting for you to break up. Then, four years ago, when I heard that you were getting married, I didn’t dare to ruin your happiness. I think I’ll be thankful to myself for the rest of my life for finally taking a brave step today.” Albert hugged me naturally as if he had practiced this action a thousand times. Just thinking about how I missed someone who loved me so much in my previous life, I couldn’t wait to get rid of Charlie and his mistress.

I told Albert to wait for me for two weeks, and he just kept nodding and wiping his tears. I would make those who betrayed true feelings pay the price and make the two of them regret everything they had done. I glanced at the time. It was three o’clock in the afternoon, and Charlie must still be at the fire station. So, I drove to an underground market that was hard for ordinary people to find. I bought three simple small surveillance devices there. After I got home, I installed these three devices in the bedroom, the study, and the living room. This time, I was going to make them lose face and reputation and nail their ugly faces to the pillar of shame. Most importantly, I wanted to know who that mistress was. In my previous life, even though I was schemed to death by her, I had never seen her true face. She had always been hiding under Charlie’s protection. This time, I had to figure it all out. When Charlie came back in the evening, he tried to hug me. As soon as I saw his face, I felt like vomiting. It turned out that the look of love in someone’s eyes could be faked. Charlie noticed my dodging and, in dissatisfaction, straightened my body, then pressed me into his arms. He said, “What’s wrong, Kimberly? Why are you avoiding me?” I gently pushed him away and pretended to be coy as I said, “You’re all sweaty. Don’t hug me.” He stood up and sniffed his clothes. “You never used to mind it before. You’ve changed. I don’t love you anymore.” Charlie was someone who was really good at acting coquettishly and expressing love. So, I was deceived by him for so long. Even after he “died” for three years, I couldn’t forget him, because he was really good at pretending. As he took off his clothes, he talked to me about what had happened at the fire station. I used to admire him because of the halo of his profession. But I never expected that he would set fire to the mountain just for money. He never considered the safety of other people on the mountain or his teammates. I remembered that in my previous life, besides him, a firefighter, whose daughter had just been born a month ago, also died because of that fire. Thinking about the incident of setting fire to the mountain, while Charlie was taking a shower, I called Kelly and told her not to allow anyone to go up the mountain in the next two weeks. I also asked her to arrange for some people to patrol around there and equip them with fire extinguishers. Although I could take care of my property, I couldn’t watch over other people’s. I could only make arrangements at the original accident site and try my best to reduce the damage. Just as I finished making the arrangements, Charlie came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. I had dinner with him. Originally, we had an agreement that we would go for a walk together every day after dinner. But now, I couldn’t even bear to look at him. Using the excuse of not feeling well, I went back to my room alone. As soon as I got back to my room, I turned on the surveillance. Sure enough, he went to the study and made a phone call eagerly.

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When I was getting divorced, I voluntarily gave up custody of my daughter. It was because on the day we went to the court to file for divorce, she clung to her father’s neck and cried, “Bad mommy, bad mommy, I hate mommy!” “If you insist on divorcing daddy, I’ll stay with him and let you grow old alone!” In my previous life, I ignored her childish threats and fought for custody. I raised her with all my heart. But she hated me her whole life, never calling me mom again until the day I died. On her wedding day, she even invited her father’s mistress on stage to give a speech of thanks. When I opened my eyes again and saw that malicious little face in front of me, I nodded indifferently, “Fine by me. I don’t want an unlikable child anyway.” 0″Fine by me. I don’t want an unlikable child anyway.” As soon as I said this, the two people in front of me froze as if struck by lightning. They looked at me in disbelief. Jack was stunned for a moment, then reacted and started cursing at me. “What nonsense are you spouting in front of the child!” I glanced at Annie, who was hiding in his arms, and repeated, “I said if she doesn’t want to stay with me, that’s fine. I don’t want such an unlikable child either.” “If you still don’t understand, I can say it more clearly.” “I. Don’t. Want. Her.” I enunciated each word forcefully. As soon as I finished speaking, Annie, who had been burying her head and throwing a tantrum to try to force me to change my mind, suddenly looked up. She looked at me and burst into loud sobs. Her face was covered in tears and snot. “Bad mommy, bad mommy, I hate mommy!” She cried while struggling in Jack’s arms. She almost fell. Jack had no choice but to lower his head and frantically try to comfort the child. “Mommy’s just joking. She carried you for nine months, gave birth to you, and took care of you. How could she not want you?” “We all know you’re her favorite.” Under his gentle coaxing, Annie’s cries gradually subsided. She clung to Jack’s arms like an octopus, tightly hugging his neck, and asked in a small voice, “Really?” “Of course it’s true. Don’t you want to ask your mom yourself?” Jack comforted her while giving me meaningful looks, wanting me to take the child and comfort her. Annie also looked over with tear-filled eyes, full of expectation. But I remained unmoved, not even raising an eyelid. Still maintaining that cold attitude. Annie seemed to have been stung, her mouth twisted as if she was about to cry again. Jack lost his patience and glared at me with a dark face, “What’s wrong with you? It’s bad enough you want a divorce, but now you don’t even want the child?” “Are you still fit to be a mother!” I sneered and said indifferently, “Wasn’t she the one who said she didn’t want me as her mother first? Of course I have to respect her wishes.” Annie’s small body stiffened for a moment, then she glared at me fiercely. She shouted, “You were the one who didn’t want me and daddy first!” “If you respect my opinion, why do you still insist on divorcing?” “My biggest opinion is that you shouldn’t get divorced. Why don’t you listen! You just don’t want us. You want to make me a child without parents!” 0

In my previous life, she accused me the same way. She called me selfish and self-centered, threatening that if I dared to divorce, she would never acknowledge me as her mother again. I didn’t argue with her, considering her young age. Instead, I patiently explained to her. I said it was because her father had another woman outside, that’s why I chose to divorce. I thought saying this would make her understand. But what I got in return was her naive yet vicious question, “Is it because you’re not good enough, so daddy had to find someone else outside?” “My classmate Rosie’s mom is beautiful and capable, and her dad would never look for anyone else.” “You’re not good enough, daddy doesn’t want you, and I don’t want you either!” At that moment, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit. A sense of frustration and despair I had never felt before welled up in my heart. I always thought that even if I wasn’t a successful wife, I was at least a successful mother. Since Annie was born, all my energy and time had been spent on her. I was afraid she would be cold or hungry, or feel wronged. I did everything myself. But after I had given all my heart and soul, all I got in return were eight words. You’re not good enough, I don’t want you. My heart trembled violently, but not for a moment did I think of giving up. I thought it would be better when she grew up. When she grew up and became sensible, she would understand my difficulties and my love for her. So I treated her even better. Until her wedding day. She invited Jack and his wife, who was Jack’s mistress, on stage. Calling them “Dad” and “Mom” in every sentence, giving a speech of thanks. In front of all the guests, she knelt before that woman and said, “You are the person I should thank most in this life.” “I want to thank you for bringing my dad out of that failed marriage, and thank you for your care and concern for me over the years.” “Without you, there wouldn’t be who I am today. Please allow me to call you Mom.” After she finished speaking, the woman pulled her up and hugged her. Jack also walked up. The family hugged together harmoniously. I stood below the stage like a joke, my heart feeling as if it had been cut by a knife. 0

The scenes from my previous life were still vivid. I couldn’t help but look at Annie with some disgust. Annie was frightened, thinking I was angry because of what she had just said. She shrank back in Jack’s arms. She argued in a small voice, “I… I didn’t say anything wrong.” “Isn’t it good for our family to stay together? Daddy has begged you so much, but you still insist on divorcing. You don’t consider my feelings at all!” I pulled at the corners of my mouth, my mocking gaze falling on her, “Your dad begged me not to divorce because he cheated. He’s the one at fault, and divorce doesn’t benefit him one bit.” Just thinking about it made me laugh. In my previous life, in order to get custody of my daughter as soon as possible, I made a lot of concessions when dividing the property. Jack schemed to take away all the cash flow, leaving me with just an empty shell of a company. This time, I won’t be so foolish. I can give up the child. But the money, I must get it all. Hearing what I said, Annie was a bit dazed. She looked up at Jack in confusion, not understanding what cheating meant. Jack’s face turned black and red when I tore off his fig leaf in front of our daughter. “Have you no shame, saying such things to our daughter!” “You had the face to do it, why shouldn’t I have the face to say it?” I looked at our daughter who still hadn’t come to her senses and asked the same question as in my previous life. “Even so, do you still disagree with me divorcing your dad? Do you still insist on staying with him?” Annie was frightened by my serious and cold voice and didn’t speak. Jack squeezed her hand. The next second, the hesitation on Annie’s face disappeared, instantly turning into determination. “Yes!” Indeed, she was Jack’s good daughter. I showed a mocking expression on my face, picked up my bag and turned to leave. 0

After leaving the Lakeside Villa, I returned to the apartment near my company. As soon as I entered the door, I received a call from my mother. She asked how the divorce proceedings went today. I said it didn’t go through. “It didn’t? Why?” Mother asked, puzzled. “Is it because Jack disagreed, or did Annie make a scene again?” “Neither. I want to draft a new divorce agreement,” I said. Mother hesitated, “You’re not planning to give up the company to get custody of Annie, are you?” She sighed, “It’s not that I don’t like Annie, but she’s all for the Jiang family. It’s not good to force her to stay with you.” In my previous life, mother had said similar things. After seeing me sacrifice my own interests for Annie time and time again, she pointed at my nose and scolded me. She said I must have been hit on the head, giving away the fortune my father had earned in his lifetime to others for an ungrateful brat. She had disagreed when I married Jack, who was from a different social class. Later, when I almost gave away the company for Annie’s sake, she was even angrier. She demanded more than once that I send Annie back. “If you want a child, you can have another one.” “If you don’t want to have one yourself, you can adopt. Annie has already been spoiled by the Jiang family and can’t be changed.” Back then, I couldn’t listen to her advice at all. Now, even without my mother’s persuasion, I’ve come to my senses. I explained, “No, the previous agreement wasn’t drafted well.” “In the new agreement, I want Jack to leave with nothing.” Mother was stunned for a moment, then tentatively asked, “What if Annie disagrees?” I snorted coldly, “If she disagrees, she can go back to the Jiang family.” In this new life, I want to cherish those who are worth cherishing. 0

After proposing new terms to the lawyer, I worked non-stop at the company for several days. Finally, on Saturday, I drove to an orphanage in a neighboring state. When I arrived, I learned from the director that the person I was looking for wasn’t at the orphanage these past few days. “That little girl is very good at studying. She was chosen by the school to participate in a math competition.” The director took out an album from the cabinet and handed me a photo from inside. I looked down at the photo of a short-haired little girl. She looked about seven or eight years old. Her body was a bit thin due to malnutrition, but her eyes were bright and spirited. I raised my hand, my fingertips gently brushing over her little face. In my previous life, when I was 46 and diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer, bedridden and unable to move, it was this little girl who took care of me. She was an orphan I had sponsored long ago. Her name was Lily. After seeing the news of my illness online, she specially took time off to come and take care of me. She would take me out to bask in the sun, cut my nails, and braid my hair for me. When I couldn’t sleep at night because of the pain, she would tell me stories. She even spent all her savings to pay for my medical expenses. She said if it wasn’t for my kindness back then, she wouldn’t have been able to continue her studies. So she wanted to repay me. How ironic. The daughter I had raised like a precious pearl treated me like an enemy and colluded with others to swindle all my money. Yet a strange little girl would come to take care of me, feeding and cleaning me, because of a little kindness I had carelessly spread. Hearing that I was this little girl’s sponsor and wanted to adopt her, the director was very happy. “Lily is both obedient and smart. If it wasn’t for her being a bit older, many families would want to adopt her.” “If you don’t mind her age, I can give you a call when she comes back. If you two meet and there’s no problem, we can start the procedures.” I nodded, indicating that I didn’t mind. After agreeing on the details, I drove back. Before going home, I went to the mall first. When leaving the orphanage, I had asked the director for Lily’s measurements. I planned to buy a few sets of clothes and shoes first, so the child could wear them directly when she came. Thinking that all little girls are the same, I bought a lot based on what Annie used to like. I didn’t expect to run into Annie when I was about to leave. 0She was holding Jack’s hand with one hand and a strange woman’s hand with the other. I glanced over – it was Jack’s mistress. Wendy.

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My family wanted me to choose someone for an arranged marriage, but I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. So I picked a notorious playboy prince as my husband, thinking we’d both do our own thing after getting married. I didn’t expect that when I was partying at a bar late one night, he’d send people to shut the whole place down. He shooed away the male models keeping me company, then placed my hand on his abs with a pitiful look: “I may not have dated before, but I can learn whatever you want.” On my 20th birthday, my parents told me I needed to choose someone for a business marriage arrangement. My brother laid out photos of eligible bachelors for me to pick from. “This is the eldest son of the Cloud family. He has exceptional intelligence and leadership skills, and heads Cloud Corporation. This one is the second son of the Qi family. Not only is he handsome, but he also has a brilliant mind and is pursuing scientific research. And this is the eldest son of the Fu family. His looks are impeccable, but… he spends all his time idling about, eating, drinking and having fun…” “I’ll take him,” I said without hesitation, pointing to Ethan Fu, the Fu family’s eldest son. My parents and brother were stunned. They never expected I’d choose a notorious playboy. First of all, I’m all about looks, and Ethan was extremely handsome in his photo. I liked that. Secondly, I’d heard he had quite the reputation as a player in the city. Most importantly, I wasn’t done having fun yet. Choosing someone who also liked to party meant we could each do our own thing. Perfect. I got so drunk on our wedding night that I blacked out. I have no idea how I even made it to the bridal suite. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan was already sitting on the couch playing video games. He glanced up at me: “You’re awake?” “Yeah. Is there anything to eat? I’m kind of hungry,” I said awkwardly. It was pretty embarrassing that the bride had gotten wasted on her wedding night. Ethan pointed to the kitchen: “There’s warm milk and eggs in the kitchen.” I brought out the milk and eggs and started eating. “Sorry about last night. I drank way too much,” I said between bites. “I understand you were excited to marry me. But you really shouldn’t drink that much. Good thing I was there, or you’d have spent the night hugging the toilet.” When he said the first part, I wanted to punch him. As if I was thrilled to marry him! But hearing the second part, I held back. Sounds like I must have been quite a handful. My girlfriends were all texting me to come out, so after breakfast I rushed out the door. Ethan wanted to come with me but I refused: “Bro, you’re too handsome. Better not come or my girls will be all over you.” The corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile as he acquiesced to my decision. I thought to myself, shouldn’t a guy that good-looking be desensitized to compliments by now? Why did he seem to enjoy being praised so much? This was my first time going out with my girls after getting married. Everyone was excited and peppered me with questions about the wedding night and my new husband. I shut it all down with one sentence: “I was drunk, I don’t remember anything.” My answer clearly disappointed them. But partying was our real purpose: “Girls, go wild tonight. Drinks are on me!” We went from karaoke to the bar. Before we knew it, it was the middle of the night. Before I got married, my parents would call to nag me to come home when it got late. Now that I was married, no one could tell me what to do. Haha, I was going to party as much as I wanted. I tossed my phone aside. It’s not like anyone was going to call and tell me to come home. Ethan was probably out drinking with his friends too.

One of my girlfriends tried to convince me: “Mia, maybe you should head home. It wouldn’t be good if your husband gets upset.” “No way! We have no real feelings, it’s just a business arrangement. Why would he care about me? Besides, isn’t it better if we each do our own thing?” As I spoke, I called out to the male model across from me: “Pour me another drink, let’s keep going!” Just then, the bar owner came in looking nervous. He told the model: “Mr. Fu is here. You all need to leave, quickly.” Next thing I knew, Ethan walked in. His face was expressionless as he scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on me. Seeing Ethan sobered me up instantly. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Before he could answer, my girlfriends all grabbed their purses and abandoned me, leaving just the two of us in the VIP room. He came and sat down next to me, gazing at me tenderly. I have to say, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. As our eyes met, I felt my heart start to race in a way I’d never experienced before. The next moment, he took my hand and placed it on his abs, saying pitifully: “I may not have dated before, but I can learn whatever you want.” Hmm? I couldn’t detect any hint of lying in his eyes. But I just didn’t believe him. Wasn’t he supposed to be a notorious playboy? How could he have never dated anyone? My hand was forced to roam over his abs. My fingertips felt electrified by the contact, sending tingles through my entire body. My face flushed hot as I quickly pulled my hand away. “It’s late, we should head home,” I said. The corners of his mouth turned up as he obediently replied: “Okay, wifey.” This was my first time being alone with a man while sober. I couldn’t help feeling nervous. I grabbed my most conservative pajamas and went into the bathroom. When I came out, he had already showered and was lying on the bed waiting for me. In the soft light, his chiseled features, damp hair, and long lean body made me swallow hard. I’d seen plenty of male models at the clubs before, but none of their looks or physiques compared to Ethan’s. How could I not be attracted? “Come to bed, wifey,” he said softly, patting the space next to him and winking at me. I often went out partying with my girlfriends and had seen lots of men, but I’d never actually shared a bed with a stranger before. Now that I was about to lie down next to him, I suddenly felt very nervous. Seeing him gazing at me so tenderly, I wondered if he was planning to do that with me. At the thought, my face turned bright red. I quickly said, “Um, I’m on my period, so don’t get any ideas.” He burst out laughing: “Wifey, what are you thinking? Even if you weren’t on your period, I wouldn’t force you if you didn’t want to. Come on, let’s just sleep.” For some reason, I believed him and climbed into bed. The next second, his strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me tightly against him. The more I tried to wriggle free, the tighter he held me. “Stop squirming. I just want to hold you while we sleep. If you keep moving around, I can’t guarantee what might happen next,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

That’s when I felt something poking me from behind. It was very uncomfortable. I froze, not daring to move a muscle for fear of what he might do next. A few moments later, I heard his steady breathing. He had fallen asleep. I finally relaxed and tried to escape his grasp. “Don’t move. Go to sleep,” he mumbled in a low voice that startled me. I didn’t dare move again. I had planned to wait until he was in a deeper sleep before sneaking away, but I ended up falling asleep myself without realizing it. The next day, he suggested we go to the store to buy some snacks and groceries, since this would be our home now and we should stock up. I do enjoy snacks and fruit, so I agreed to go to the store with him. In addition to snacks and fruit, I also bought some feminine products to have on hand. He bought lots of vegetables, rice, and other staples. I was surprised. Wasn’t he supposed to be a playboy? Did he actually know how to cook? “You can cook?” I asked. “A little bit,” he replied. Actually, I can cook too. When I studied abroad, I couldn’t get used to the food there so I taught myself to make dishes from home. But I’m lazy and just want to have fun. I rarely set foot in the kitchen unless absolutely necessary. As we passed by the checkout counter, his eyes lit up when he saw some small boxes on a shelf. He immediately grabbed two and tossed them in the cart. I quickly averted my gaze, pretending not to notice, but my cheeks instantly turned red. Even when we were checking out, I was too embarrassed to look at those two boxes. We had just left the store when a woman in a miniskirt called out to Ethan. “Ethan, baby! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she said coyly, reaching for his arm. Ethan stepped back to avoid her. “Ethan, when I heard you got married, I couldn’t sleep all night. We…” “We should keep our distance. I’m a married man now,” Ethan said, taking my hand and interlacing our fingers. The woman looked dissatisfied, giving me a disdainful glance before continuing: “But baby, it’s my birthday today. Can’t you celebrate with me?” His brows furrowed as he said coldly: “No.” “You two chat, I’ll wait in the car,” I said. I didn’t want to get involved in his personal life, just like he stayed out of mine. You can’t keep tabs on a man who isn’t faithful anyway. And this was just a business arrangement, we had no real feelings for each other. “Let me get the car door for you, honey,” Ethan said, hurrying to open the passenger door for me. The woman rushed over, saying in a cutesy voice: “Ethan, baby, can you give me a ride? It’s on your way.” “It’s not on our way.” “But I haven’t even said where I’m going yet!” “Wherever you’re going, it’s not on our way.” After coldly dismissing her, Ethan turned to me and said gently: “Buckle up, honey. Let’s go.” As we drove off, I saw the woman stomping her foot angrily in the rearview mirror. I almost burst out laughing. Ethan glanced at me, looking annoyed: “What’s so funny?” He seemed upset. Was it because I was there, interfering with their plans to meet up later? I stopped smiling and said: “Is she your… ex-girlfriend? Or just one of your many conquests? The way she looked at you was pretty intense.” “She looks at any rich, handsome guy like that. I would never have anything to do with her.” “Oh really? That doesn’t seem like your style. I thought a player like you would always have women around…” Before I could finish, he slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road.

By the time I came to my senses, his handsome face was right in front of mine, so close I could feel his breath. If either of us moved even slightly, our lips would touch. I suddenly felt very nervous, barely daring to breathe: “What are you doing?” “As my wife, do you want me to be surrounded by other women? Do you want me to be with lots of women?” “I… that’s not what I meant.” “You weren’t even a little upset when that woman was all over your husband?” “I…” I shook my head slightly, but seeing the anger flashing in his eyes, I quickly nodded instead. What I didn’t realize was that my face had turned bright red and my breathing had become rapid. The next second, one of his hands cupped the back of my head while the other tilted my chin up. He kissed me, starting gently but quickly becoming more passionate and demanding. He didn’t give me any time to react. My first kiss, gone just like that. Just as I was about to suffocate, he finally released me, looking satisfied. “I’m your husband. You’re supposed to get jealous when other women talk to me, got it?” he lectured. He forcibly kissed me and then had the nerve to scold me! He continued: “And everything you’ve heard about me is just rumors. It’s not true.” I stared at him in disbelief for a long moment before reluctantly nodding. He could tell my nod was forced. He shook his head helplessly and said: “Let’s go home. I have something important to take care of tonight.” Something important to do tonight? I suddenly remembered those two boxes he bought at the store and felt nervous all over again. That evening, he took me out to dinner, saying some of his good friends wanted to get together. I didn’t want to go, but he refused to let me stay home: “You should meet my friends. I don’t want to keep any secrets from you.” I wanted to say I didn’t care about any of that, I just wanted my freedom to party as much as I wanted. But I ended up going along. He introduced me to the five or six people there as his good friends. It was from his friends that I learned the truth – his playboy reputation was entirely fabricated. He had two reasons for creating that image. One was to avoid taking over the family company and being tied down to work. The other reason was to avoid marriage. Once people heard about his womanizing ways, no one dared try to set him up anymore. “Then why did you agree to marry me? Am I just a shield for you?” I asked, confused. His friends exchanged glances and laughed: “You’ll have to ask Ethan about that. We have no idea.” They didn’t answer my question, but I realized why Ethan had brought me out tonight. He wanted his friends to help clear up the rumors about him. Whether it was true or not, it showed he was making an effort. “So Ethan, tell us about all the romantic things you’ve done since getting married,” his friends said, looking at us curiously. I wondered, did they mean him storming into the bar to bring me home late at night? Or encountering that clingy woman outside the store? Or forcibly kissing me in the car? “Can’t you guys talk about anything else?” Ethan said, giving his friends an exasperated look. Then he turned to me and asked gently: “Are you still hungry?” I quickly shook my head, smiling. I knew I was acting a bit fake. Normally I’m very casual and straightforward, not all sweet and smiley like this. But I was trying to save face for this man. After all, I was his wife. “Want to go for a walk?” he asked me. “Sure,” I agreed readily, standing up. Even though they were his good friends, I still felt a bit awkward meeting them for the first time. At that moment, I actually felt more relaxed being alone with Ethan.

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I married Declan ten years ago, and now his old flame has come back into the picture. She is gentle and considerate, even after spending a decade in a hospital bed to save Declan’s mother. Despite the years, she still enchants everyone in Declan’s family. My husband speaks with her as if they were childhood sweethearts, as if they shared innocent memories together. My mother-in-law treats her like a savior and even said in front of me, “I wish I had a daughter-in-law like you.” And how about me? I wasn’t sad or upset; I felt relieved. Finally, the tedious narrative I’d endured for ten years was reaching its conclusion. So when my mother-in-law stood before me, holding two eggs and glaring at me to make an egg pudding for her ideal daughter-in-law, Adeline, I didn’t even flinch. I just quietly tended to my wildflowers. “How can you be so inconsiderate? Adeline saved my life!” “Oh! Then perhaps you should be the one who’s considerate!” I casually replied to my “very considerate” mother-in-law. Ten years ago, when Declan’s family was struggling, she pleaded with my father for a family alliance to save them. I followed my father’s wishes and married him. Later, when she was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer, Adeline donated part of her liver, coinciding with my marriage into Declan’s family. I provided the funds, hired caregivers, and took care of everything. Even when Adeline fell into a coma due to complications from the surgery, I covered the ICU expenses for nearly a decade! I’ve asked myself, regarding my role as a daughter-in-law to Declan’s family, I have no regrets. And now they look down on me? I glanced at the lucky charm peeking out of her pocket and felt nothing but disdain. The day after Adeline woke up, my mother-in-law brought her home, saying hospital food wasn’t good enough and that she’d be better cared for at home. Over the next month, the caregiver I hired stopped coming to my room and became her servant instead. What disgusted me the most was Declan visiting her room as well. My mother-in-law allowed it because I couldn’t have children. She called me barren and watched as Declan’s family lineage seemed in jeopardy. In this critical moment, Adeline was seen as their lifeline, the hope they desperately clung to. If that’s the case, I have nothing more to say. I’m about to return to reality anyway. Before entering this story, the system told me I could choose a role. If I lived by that role’s rules for ten years, I would receive half the bonus meant for that character. I gladly accepted. So, without hesitation, I followed my father’s advice and married Declan. This way, I’d earn more money. I figured, in less than half a month, my dream would come true. “Can’t have children, and you still pick and choose what work you’ll do?” No matter how sharp-tongued my mother-in-law is, she can’t hide her greed for that lucky charm. Then she stopped hiding it altogether and flaunted it. “Adeline is pregnant with my son’s child! Look at you, such a failure! You can’t even have a baby!” I couldn’t help but laugh at her outrageous words. Living in my house, using my caregiver, sleeping with my husband, and now carrying a child to fight me for family assets, and I have to pay for a caregiver to care for the homewrecker? I stared speechlessly at my daydreaming mother-in-law. “What are you looking at? The previous caregiver left because of you. You won’t pay for a new one and won’t care for the pregnant woman. What do you plan to do in this house?” “Yeah, I really don’t want to do anything.” For such a ridiculous mother-in-law, wasting even a word on her feels like a waste of breath. Did Auntie Iris leave because of me? Auntie Iris worked here for four or five years. I gave her bonuses during holidays and saved her the best food and drinks. She didn’t leave because she was ungrateful. I appreciated her diligent and efficient work. Why would I send her away? Even though I’m leaving soon, I refuse to swallow this bitter pill. No matter what, I was your daughter-in-law for ten years. Ten years! And you still wrong me?

Half a month ago, I heard Auntie Iris quietly sobbing in the kitchen. I was truly surprised because Auntie Iris was usually cheerful, optimistic, and sociable. I couldn’t imagine what had upset her so. I hadn’t even asked when my mother-in-law came out with Adeline from a room, standing on the second floor, looking down. “I told you not to put soy sauce in the egg pudding! Are you trying to harm her?” Her words practically crushed Auntie Iris. “It’s okay, Genevieve~” Adeline softly looped her arm through Genevieve’s, “My sister likes soy sauce in her egg pudding. Maybe Auntie Iris is just used to making it that way. I don’t mind having it with soy sauce too; I actually like it.” I wanted to gag. Look at her, just like a manipulative character from a palace drama. Genevieve smiled kindly and patted her hand, comforting her. “Don’t pretend you don’t want what you can’t have. You dare touch our Declan family heir!” I was so fed up with her nonsense that I didn’t even want to respond. I just took Auntie Iris’s hand and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Aunt Iris, for the trouble. I’ll pay your full salary for this month, plus half a year’s as a bonus, and you can work for my friend instead.” Aunt Iris looked tearfully at me, wanting to speak but holding back. I waved her off, understanding everything. How could I not understand? Later, Genevieve, seeing I ignored her, brought out her son Declan to confront me. Declan, without a word, launched into his usual routine, questioning me right away. I’ve had enough. Ten years, and he’s always been like this! Every time, without knowing the full story, he’d blame me, say I was wrong. Whenever I tried to have a proper conversation, he’d side with his mother and their family, treating me like I was invisible, just a figment of air in an unknown world. Even if I were an ancient turtle, I’d still be fed up! I stormed up to the second floor, ready to confront that manipulative woman. But before I could reach her, Declan blocked me. I hadn’t even raised my hand when he grabbed and held it tight. After struggling fiercely, I lost my balance and tumbled down the stairs. The outcome was worse than before. I broke my right leg, had multiple bruises, and although I didn’t bleed much, I’d still need a hundred days of rest, confined to a wheelchair. Genevieve, despite my condition, still wanted me to deliver egg pudding to Adeline. I quickly contacted the system, asking if it had any medicine to heal my leg fast. I didn’t want to return just to lie around.

“Did you forget, Master? You exchanged all your points for potions for Adeline. You don’t have enough points left to exchange for medicine.” Ah! I slapped my forehead, suddenly realizing my oversight. From the day I married Declan, I prepared to leave him. Because I never forgot my goal: money! But I overlooked the fact that I’m human. Humans have emotions, and even if I were an ice shard buried in the Arctic’s frigid pool, I’d still be moved by the ten years of shared experiences. Yet, in the end, I didn’t attain enlightenment. Instead, I became a resentful woman blaming the world and myself. I asked myself, I did want to leave him with a child or two, so he wouldn’t be too lonely after I left. So over the years, I took traditional medicine, consulted doctors, both traditional and modern. I even tried IVF several times, and of course, miscarried many times. But I never gave up. I heard he had a childhood sweetheart, an unrelated sister, who was perfect for him. She was the one who sacrificed her own body part to save his mother and fell into a deep sleep for ten years. I cried. It was straight out of a novel, and yet I ran into it. What a coincidence. Since this lifelong regret weighed so heavily, I’ll fulfill their wish. The system, seeing I hadn’t responded for a while, said, “Master, the Declan family fortune is ten billion. Including your share from your own family, it totals twenty billion. Hold on just a few more days, and you’ll be free to enjoy life!” Is this suggesting I go back to recover? “Nora, don’t push your luck!” Before that voice faded, another arose. Declan kicked open the door, looking furious, ready to settle the score with me. What a twist of fate. Since this lifelong regret weighs so heavily, let me fulfill your wishes. The system noticed I hadn’t responded for a while and said, “Master, Declan’s family fortune is a billion. Plus your share from the main family, it’s a total of two billion. Just hang in there for a few more days, and you can have your freedom!” Does this mean I should go back and heal? “Nora, don’t push your luck!” These words had barely left my mouth when another voice interrupted. Declan stormed through the door, looking furious and ready to confront me. “You chased away the aunt who was taking care of Adeline; fine, I’ll just hire another. You want to make a big deal out of hitting Adeline, I won’t say anything because I’m here to protect her from harm. But now, you’re even disregarding my mother. What kind of daughter-in-law are you?” Inside, I felt nothing. This scene had replayed countless times over my ten-year marriage: I just send off the old witch, and her son bursts through the door, cursing. Declan saw my indifference and, in a rage, grabbed my neck and yelled, spraying spit all over my face, “You fell down the stairs and startled Adeline, shouldn’t you apologize?” “Did we ask you to work yourself to the bone, to say three simple words: I’m sorry?” “At most, we asked you to bring a bowl of egg custard. And you can’t even do that???” Oh, so that’s what this is about! I coughed, my face flushed red, and Declan seemed to realize something and let go of his grip, deflating like a balloon. We had argued before, but this was the first time he’d gotten physical. I wiped my face with my sleeve, looked up at my husband of ten years, and said each word clearly, “I! Do! Not! Want! To!” “You did it on purpose!” Declan blurted out. He looked at me, “You intentionally drove away the aunt, fell down the stairs, upset my mom, and now you want to make my mom, me, Adeline, and her unborn child miserable.” I smiled bitterly. Living over thirty years, marrying into their family opened my eyes to a whole new world. Many suffer from delusions, but among those with persecution delusions, aside from Genevieve, Declan is quite a rising star. “Nora, Adeline is such an obedient and sensible girl, yet you can’t leave her alone. We’ve been married for ten years! Ten years! Have you forgotten what my mom taught you?” He’s still trying to persuade me! I opened my mouth, then closed it, and the breath I was holding finally escaped. I realized that explaining was unnecessary. “Yes, mutual respect can’t compete with a childhood sweetheart.” Especially when she’s the old flame. I huffed, turned my attention to my wildflowers, and said no more. He seemed to understand, taking my words as jealousy bubbling to the surface, and did not respond, “The lady is ill, very ill, and not fit to go out. Let’s wait until she’s better to meet others.”

His subtext was clear: since you don’t want us to be happy, we won’t let you be happy either. But my subtext was: Whether it’s good or bad, it will pass because I’m leaving you all! The system told me, just three more days, and when the contract expires, I can return to the real world and enjoy myself. After this, no matter how Declan or Genevieve talks about me, thinks of me, treats me, or tortures me, it has nothing to do with me. Except… my father… I still can’t let go… Ten years ago, I married Declan. To make sure I wouldn’t be mistreated, my father gave me a dowry of five billion, a car, a house, fearing that I would be bullied or looked down upon by Declan’s family. In the end, he even assigned me a bodyguard who had been with him for years. Every few days, he wanted to know if I was doing well, and every two weeks, he sent someone to bring me back to my family home for a few days. Even the traditional Chinese doctor he found to fulfill my wish of getting pregnant was personally selected after he visited all the major hospitals and clinics in New York City. Later, my father saw how painful IVF was for me. Fearing that Declan’s family would scold me for being unworthy, he even started visiting orphanages, hoping I would adopt a few children instead of suffering unnecessarily. But I refused. Because I knew with Genevieve’s personality, she would never accept a non-biological child as an elite successor for Declan’s family. And my husband Declan, being a mama’s boy, would definitely comply with his high and mighty mother’s wishes without question. I was completely alone, outnumbered and outmatched. It’s quite laughable. I took the bowl of thick herbal medicine Beatrix handed me, and the strong smell made me cough. It tasted as awful as ever. I looked at her. “They can’t stop me!” Beatrix’s words answered my current doubts. After all, Declan had gone to great lengths to trap me. “Miss! Sir said if you want a divorce, I can take you away right now!” Beatrix lowered her head, paused, then continued with a heavy tone, “Sir said if you don’t want a divorce, I can take you to live on an estate in the suburbs, far away from them.” “You can adopt a little miss and a little master, plant a whole garden of flowers and grass, have cats and dogs…” My eyes lit up. Beatrix reminded me of something I had forgotten. Adeline was allergic to pollen, so the day before she moved in, Genevieve stood upstairs giving orders, while Declan humbly obeyed. The flowers and plants I had planted in the backyard garden were pulled out one by one by Declan and sent to the waste disposal site. Yes, my flowers were trash, and so was I.

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With just one absurd comment from his little assistant, my husband impulsively decided to have one of his kidneys removed. I stared at the assistant’s latest SnapChat update with bloodshot eyes. “Getting rid of the bad to keep the good. Congrats to my boss on taking this important step in life!” In the photo, James was making a peace sign at the camera, but he couldn’t hide the tenderness and sweetness in his eyes. This time, I calmly turned off my phone without hysterically questioning him again. I knew my marriage to James was over. ……… James returned home five days later. In the past, I would have frantically called him, asking about his situation, worried he might encounter some danger outside. But now, I didn’t even look at him, just said flatly, “You’re back.” After that, I continued eating. James was clearly dissatisfied with my indifference. He stood at the door with his hands on his hips, yelling at me. He didn’t look at all like a weak patient who had just lost a kidney. “Chloe, what are you waiting for? Come here and take off my shoes!” Yes, I used to take care of James meticulously. Even for simple tasks like this, I would never let James lift a finger. But that was something the old Chloe would do. I swallowed the last bite of noodles and said calmly, “My back has been hurting lately. You’ll have to handle this yourself from now on.” “Chloe, don’t you know I’m still—” James stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that he had voluntarily donated his kidney. I calmly glanced at his stomach without saying anything, then went straight to the kitchen to clean up the dishes. James stood at the kitchen door and asked me with a strange look, “Why aren’t you reacting at all to the fact that my kidney is gone?” “The kidney was in your body. Its existence should be decided by you. If you didn’t want it, I can’t force you to keep it.” I said it lightly, but only I knew that my heart was bleeding at that moment. James softened his voice and explained to me, “It’s not that I didn’t want the kidney. The kidney was congenitally malformed, so I had no choice but to remove it.” Chapter 2 “Mm, okay.” James became irritated. He grabbed my sleeve, forcing me to look at his face. “What’s with that attitude? Why are you angry with me?” “Don’t you know that if Amber hadn’t discovered in time that my stomach was oddly shaped, I could have become disabled!” I suddenly found it amusing. For the past few years, every check-up had been fine. Even the doctors praised his kidneys for being as healthy as those in textbooks. Why didn’t James believe the doctors, but chose to believe Amber’s unfounded and confusing statement? And how did Amber know the exact shape of James’s stomach so precisely? Since last year, when James made an exception to hire Amber, a junior college graduate, as his assistant, he had become increasingly unreasonable. From initially bringing her to family dinners, celebrating New Year’s abroad with her, to now removing a kidney for her sake, James had completely shattered our once-happy home. But now, none of that mattered to me anymore. Whatever James believed in or wanted to do was his freedom. I had no right to interfere. I pulled my sleeve out of James’s hand. “Indeed, thanks to Amber.” “Chloe, can you stop being petty? You’re really wearing me out. Amber is just looking out for us. Why can’t you appreciate her good intentions?” I looked at him calmly. “James, I’m really not angry. And I truly am grateful to Amber.” Grateful to her for completely severing the last thread of affection between you and me. James looked at me suspiciously for a while. After making sure I wasn’t just sulking, he continued, “I’m hungry. Make me a bowl of noodles.” “Sorry, I have something to do. You’ll have to manage on your own.” “What?” Ignoring James’s questioning, I pushed past him, grabbed my coat from the wall, and prepared to leave. James anxiously followed behind me. “Where are you going if you’re not making me food?” “To see Ethan.” With that, I closed the door, leaving James shouting behind me. James had never liked Ethan, simply because he thought Ethan came from a poor background. He believed it was better to socialize with wealthy elites instead, as it could benefit his company. What he didn’t know was that the person he once looked down upon was now a big boss in the company, and even his strong competitor. I met Ethan at a bar, but unfortunately, my stomach ulcer hadn’t fully healed, so I could only substitute alcohol with juice. Actually, this meeting wasn’t just to catch up, but also to discuss work. Chapter 3 Ethan had opened a branch company in the United States and was in desperate need of staff. He had wanted me to help him in the US a year ago, but I had always declined for James’s sake. When Ethan learned that I had agreed to go to the US, he was so excited that he could barely speak for a while. “No rush, no rush. You… you can go after James recovers. But… will James agree?” Of course James wouldn’t agree. He was a workaholic, but he only allowed himself to work, not me. He said the money he earned was more than enough to support me, and all I needed to do was stay at home and take good care of him. In plain words, I was his 24/7 free housekeeper. I seemed free, but in reality, I was just a guard dog kept in James’s cage, unwelcome by others. The employees at his company called me a freeloader, while his friends “praised” me for being a good housewife. In the past, I didn’t care. I naively thought that as long as James loved me, it was enough. But thinking about it now, if James had valued me even a little, these hurtful words wouldn’t have so boldly reached my ears. So this time, I wanted to live for myself. When I got home, it was already 1 AM. As soon as I entered, I saw Amber feeding James. Amber turned to greet me. She seemed polite, but the pride in her eyes was almost overflowing. “Sister Chloe, you’re back. James just had his transplant surgery and isn’t fully recovered yet. I was worried about him, so I came over to check.” Amber deliberately emphasized the word “transplant”, her tone full of arrogance. The implication was clear: “I made your husband remove a kidney with just a few words. I came here today specially to see you make a fool of yourself.” But at this moment, I felt nothing inside. I nodded calmly, “Thank you for your hard work, Amber.” As soon as I finished speaking, James grabbed the water glass on the table and threw it at my head. “Chloe! You won’t make me food and you won’t let Amber make me food either? It’s bad enough that you’re not grateful, but why are you being so sarcastic towards her!” Seeing this, Amber immediately “sympathetically” patted his back. “James, you’re not fully recovered yet. You shouldn’t get angry. If Sister Chloe doesn’t like me, I’ll just leave.” James grabbed Amber’s arm as she was about to leave. “This is my house, I make the decisions. From now on, you’ll live here. I’d like to see who dares to kick you out!” James glared at me fiercely, as if I were some unforgivable villain. At this moment, a stream of blood flowed down from my temple. Amber exclaimed, “Oh no, James, Sister Chloe is bleeding. Should we take her to the hospital?” James’s eyes softened a bit, but it quickly disappeared. “Don’t bother with her. It’s just a small wound, nothing to fuss about.” I gently wiped away the blood from my temple and said calmly, “You two carry on. I won’t disturb you.” Chapter 4 James looked at me suspiciously, but finally couldn’t help asking, “Chloe, aren’t you angry that I’m alone with Amber in the middle of the night?” I looked at him, puzzled. Angry? Why should I be angry? Oh right, if it were the old me, I would have gone crazy and kicked Amber out, never allowing her to appear in my home so late. But now, not only am I not angry, I would sincerely wish him happiness in finding his true love. After all, James’s marriage to me was just a temporary arrangement to begin with. “Ah!” At this moment, Amber “accidentally” scalded her hand while pouring water. She winced in pain. Her big eyes looked at James pitifully, making him feel extremely distressed. “Amber, don’t worry, I’ll take you to the hospital!” James grabbed Amber’s hand and left. I watched their retreating figures with amusement. We have a thermos at home that always keeps water at 55°C (131°F). How could it possibly scald someone? Indeed, men in love have no intelligence. That night, I slept very comfortably. Not having to worry about James who often didn’t come home at night felt really good. The next day, I felt refreshed and energetic. I made myself breakfast and was enjoying it when James came out of the room. “Chloe, where’s my breakfast?” He looked down at me with a royal demeanor. “Sorry, I thought Amber would make it for you.” “Chloe, that was just me talking out of anger. How could I really let an employee live in our home?” “As my wife, can’t you be less petty?” Huh, not letting Amber move in is probably to avoid ruining his reputation, while the wound on my temple wouldn’t raise any suspicions. “Okay, I understand.” James stared at me, as if trying to see through me. Suddenly, he sneered, “Chloe, you still won’t admit you’re sulking? You’re deliberately not bandaging your wound and leaving it exposed, aren’t you just trying to get back at me?” “I admit I was a bit impulsive last night, but you don’t have to use such a low-level tactic to deliberately get my attention.” As he spoke, he tried to step forward to check my wound. But I got up and went into the kitchen. “James, as long as you’re happy.” Think whatever you want of me. “Chloe!” This was the first time I had avoided James’s attempt to get close to me. He was unhappy. He had never allowed me to defy him. Seeing that I was still washing dishes without any sign of apologizing to him, James stormed out, slamming the door. Before leaving, he threw out one last sentence, “Chloe, I dare you to never speak to me again for the rest of your life!” Chapter 5 After James left, I didn’t sit idle. I packed up my documents, ready to go out and handle the procedures for going abroad. I also consulted Ethan about divorce matters, after all, he had experience. Ethan let out a sharp cry on the other end of the phone, “What? You want to divorce James?” “Did… did you take the wrong medicine? How could Chloe ever let go of James’s hand!” Indeed, how could Chloe ever let go of James’s hand? He was the boy I had loved wholeheartedly for twelve years. From high school until now, my heart had been beating for him every second of every minute. He was heaven’s favorite child, and I knew I wasn’t worthy of him. I never dared to imagine that my parallel line could intersect with his. It was a class reunion five years ago that changed the trajectory of my life. He was drunk and not very happy. I heard from a classmate that he had to get married within a year to inherit the company, otherwise it would go to his father’s son with the mistress. In the dim light of the KTV, James was drinking alone in the corner. His eyes were red, his hair a bit messy, looking extremely pitiful. I knew I couldn’t help him, but I still reached out inexplicably and took away his wine glass. “Maybe a piece of candy would make you feel better.” I held out my hand, a lone strawberry candy lying in the center of my palm, “hoping” that the goddess of fortune would favor “it” just a little tonight. James lazily raised his eyes, staring at me. Suddenly, he smiled. His cold fingertips brushed across my palm, sending an electric current through my body, making me feel a bit flustered. He leaned close to my ear and said in a husky voice, “Dare to go get a marriage license with me right now?” Fireworks exploded in my brain. The goddess of fortune had really descended. I didn’t know how much sincerity and how much playfulness was in James’s words. I only knew that I was going to marry the man I loved most, and in this life, I would die without regrets. Chapter 6 I snapped back to reality and casually told Ethan about James removing his kidney that day. This matter had been bottled up in my heart for a long time, and finally, I could release it a little. Ethan’s scream sounded again, “Chloe, don’t be afraid. I’ll recommend the best divorce lawyer for you. James, we don’t want him anymore!” I was very grateful for Ethan’s help. After all, a friend in need is a friend indeed. James didn’t come home for several days in a row, and I was happy to be relaxed and free. The next time I saw him was at our high school class reunion. As soon as I entered the private room, I saw James sitting in the seat of honor, eye-catching, and Amber by his side. I didn’t expect James to bring Amber even to this kind of occasion. They really seemed inseparable in their love. When James saw me, he arrogantly straightened his back, waiting for me to come over fawningly and sit beside him. But I ignored him and sat in the farthest position from him. When Amber saw me, she gave me a challenging look and deliberately raised her left hand, showing off the couple’s ring. I didn’t even look, turning my head to chat with the classmates beside me. James had always been aloof and didn’t have good relationships, so no one talked to him. He watched me laughing and chatting with others, his face turning blacker and blacker. During the meal, my phone kept buzzing with messages from James. “?” “Why aren’t you sitting next to me?” “I brought Amber just to broaden her horizons. Do you have to be like this?” In just thirty minutes, James sent me more messages than he had in the past five years combined. Then, another new message popped up, “Since you’re being so disobedient, let’s just get a divorce.” I caught a glimpse of the sarcasm in James’s eyes, as if he was certain I wouldn’t divorce him, certain that I would kneel down and beg for reconciliation like last time. But I quickly sent him one word, “Okay.”

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I was diagnosed with acute leukemia and couldn’t stop vomiting blood. Jack happened to pass by. Seeing me face down on the street covered in blood, he spoke with disgust. “Since you’re dying anyway, give the special medicine to Emma. Otherwise, let’s get divorced!” He then grabbed his slightly bruised first love and stole my ambulance. A kind-hearted person who couldn’t bear to watch called a taxi for me. When I got out of the car, I realized that the last fifty dollars in my phone had been used by Jack to buy a box of condoms through his credit card. Back home. Disheartened, I signed the divorce papers, but then saw my daughter’s diary entry: “I hope both mom and dad can attend my graduation ceremony.” To fulfill my daughter’s wish, I voluntarily gave up the medicine and begged Jack to attend together. As a result, on that day, my daughter hugged Emma’s legs and boasted in public: “See? I told you my mom would definitely come.” “Congratulations, Ms. Zoe. The special medicine is ready. Once the family member signs, we can arrange the surgery.” The moment the doctor announced this, I finally snapped out of my fear. Today was supposed to be my 28th birthday, but I was suddenly diagnosed with acute leukemia. Fortunately, heaven was kind, and the hospital managed to get the last dose of the special medicine. Grasping at this lifeline, I immediately dialed Jack’s number. “Honey, can you come to…” Before I could say “hospital,” our daughter Lily interrupted on the other end. “Mom, Dad and I have prepared dinner, and I even fried a heart-shaped egg for you.” “When are you coming home?” Hearing that my usually pampered daughter and husband had actually cooked for me, I felt a bit comforted despite my bitterness. “Lily, you’re so clever. Mommy will be home soon. Can you pass the phone to Daddy…” But the next words I heard plunged me into an icy abyss. “When you come back, remember to clean up the kitchen. Aunt Emma isn’t feeling well, so we need to go keep her company.” “Dad, don’t forget to pack the heart-shaped egg I fried…” Before I could respond, they hurriedly hung up. I lowered my gaze to hide the disappointment in my eyes. I arranged the surgery date with the doctor alone. When I got home, it was already 10 PM. Having not eaten all day, I suddenly remembered Lily saying she had fried a heart-shaped egg. I walked into the kitchen with anticipation. Microwave, rice cooker, fridge… Finally, in the trash can, I found 29 badly fried eggs. Only then did I realize. She and Jack had cooked for another woman – Emma. Emma lived up to her name. Although she was a rich heiress, she couldn’t bear to see human suffering and had established a charity organization. Jack was one of the beneficiaries. I once teased him: “The story of a first love and a poor boy, how romantic.” He corrected me seriously. “Don’t talk nonsense. I only respect her.” “If it weren’t for Emma’s financial support, I would have starved to death long ago. How could I have entered university, met you, and had such an adorable daughter?” So when her family went bankrupt and she was diagnosed with leukemia, Jack and I helped her with all our might. Even though there were several times when Jack would abandon me and our daughter to comfort her. But today’s situation was different. I needed someone by my side too… Just as I was feeling down, Jack’s call came through. “Zoe, Emma had an attack, so I had to rush over with Lily.” The man gently explained his absence. Clutching the hospital’s diagnosis report, I felt jealous for the first time. “She’s sick, but you’re not a doctor. What can you do there?” Seemingly surprised by my retort, he lowered his voice again. “It was sudden, and she has no family left. I was the only one the police could contact.” “I couldn’t be with you on your birthday and our wedding anniversary, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Realizing that Emma’s situation was serious enough for the police to get involved, I softened a bit. “Lily isn’t in good health and shouldn’t stay up late. I also have something to discuss with you. Remember to come back early.” “I’ll try my best.” They say that not giving a definite promise is a tacit admission of inability to fulfill it. Sure enough. Jack didn’t return home until the next morning. Out of spite, I didn’t prepare their breakfast. Ignoring my haggard face, Lily picked at her sandwich critically. “Mom, why isn’t there any warm milk? And where’s the egg I like in the sandwich?” No guilt, no apology. After staying out all night, her first action upon returning home was to complain. I suddenly remembered that among the eggs I threw away yesterday, several were discarded simply because they weren’t heart-shaped. “If you want to eat them, go dig through the trash can.” Only then did Lily realize we had run out of eggs. “Oh, Aunt Emma is sick, so what’s wrong with letting her eat well?” “We ran out of eggs and you didn’t buy more. Mom, you’re so lazy.” Hearing her unfair accusations, I suddenly felt so resentful. The child I carried for ten months and raised with such care was now criticizing her mother for the sake of an outsider? Before, when Emma was sick, I had to give way to her. Now that I’m sick too, why should I still give way to her?

“She needs care, but don’t I need it too?” I slapped her hand and scolded her. “Who spoiled you with such bad habits, messing up the food like this?” Lily, who had just been hit, was stunned for a moment before bursting into loud sobs. “Mom is so mean, not at all like Aunt Emma.” “Aunt Emma knows I’m not feeling well and reminds me to wear more clothes. Mom doesn’t even make breakfast for me. Mom is a bad mom, I don’t want mom anymore!” She wiped her tears and ran upstairs. “She’s just a child who doesn’t understand. Why are you arguing with her?” Jack worriedly followed her, picked her up, and patted her back to comfort her. “If we’re out of eggs, we can just buy more. What if you scare the child?” I moved my lips but ultimately said nothing. When I hit her, how could I not feel heartbroken? Lily was born premature and spent two months in an incubator. Later, she was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. With her, I never dared to raise my voice and always did everything myself. She used to be very understanding, hugging me and showering me with compliments. Constantly praising me for being thoughtful, smart, capable, and gentle. Now, because of Emma, she calls me a bad mom. Looking up to meet Jack’s reproachful gaze, it felt like a thorn piercing my heart. I completely lost my appetite. After cleaning up the kitchen, I prepared to do the laundry. Unexpectedly, I found two tickets to a fireworks show in Jack’s clothes. The theme of the fireworks show was called “FOR MY LOVER,” scheduled for our wedding anniversary. “Zoe, I’m sorry for speaking harshly earlier. I was worried about Lily.” Before I could think too much, Jack stood in front of me with a bouquet of roses. “I was supposed to give these to you yesterday, but after all that happened, the flowers aren’t fresh anymore.” He scratched his head regretfully, his eyes sincere and bright. My gaze fell on the card attached to the bouquet, which had a childish handwriting: [Happy Birthday to the most beautiful mom in the world!] Instantly, my grievances burst forth like a flood. They hadn’t forgotten my birthday after all. “Silly, it’s the thought that counts.” Jack tenderly wiped away my tears as if handling a precious treasure, then placed a kiss on my forehead. “Of course, because you’re worth it.” “Oh right, you said you had something to discuss. What is it?” Tears of happiness kept rolling down. I suddenly felt that maybe I could wait a bit longer to tell Jack about the surgery. At least before our wedding anniversary, I shouldn’t make him worry. “I was wondering if you had any plans for Lily’s graduation ceremony. By the way, how’s Emma doing?” Pretending not to know, I smiled and changed the subject, putting the tickets back in his pocket. “Of course both parents will be there for Lily’s graduation ceremony.” “As for Emma, she’s out of danger and under observation in the hospital. I hired a caregiver for her.” Over the next few days. Without Emma as a topic, our home returned to normal. However, what I didn’t expect was that the onset of my illness was unpredictable. I had nosebleeds in front of Jack several times. Today, on my way to pick up our daughter from school, I suddenly felt a sweet and salty taste in my throat. The next moment. My clothes were stained with large patches of bright red. Afraid of being discovered, I had to notify Jack to pick up Lily while I secretly went to the hospital for a follow-up. The doctor frowned as he looked through the examination report. “Leukemia itself doesn’t cause vomiting blood, but you have gastritis, which can easily lead to complications like gastric bleeding. We need to move up the surgery date.” “Can’t we wait a little longer?” “The longer we delay, the more you’ll suffer.” I shook my head, “I’m not afraid of pain.” Yet tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. In fact. I’m quite afraid of pain. In kindergarten, I was punished by teachers. In elementary school, I was bullied by older kids. As I grew older, my parents’ relationship deteriorated, and they took out their frustrations on me. Long-term exposure to pain and hurt, Led me to develop a habit of crying at the slightest discomfort. Jack says I’m delicate, suited to be kept in a greenhouse, and fortunately, he can be that greenhouse. Thinking of Jack’s concerned expression and our daughter’s anxious face. My heart ached even more. After much debate, the surgery was finally scheduled for the day after our wedding anniversary. Lost in thought, I pushed open the door. Emma was hugging Lily on the sofa, showering her with kisses and embraces. Jack, busy cooking in the kitchen, occasionally chimed in. The scene was so warm that I felt out of place entering at that moment. It was Emma who reacted first, walking to the door to greet me with delight. “Oh, Zoe’s back. Why don’t you come in?” Her familiarity made her seem more like the lady of the house. “It’s good you’re back. I was planning to leave after dropping off some things for Lily, but Jack was busy cooking, so I stayed to help her with homework.” Lily clung to Emma, reluctant to let go. “I want Aunt Emma to tuck me in.” “That won’t do, sweetie. Only family can live together. Auntie has to go back to her own home.” Lily tightened her grip on Emma’s hand and turned to ask me. “Why can I only have one mom? Why isn’t Aunt Emma my family? Then Aunt Emma could live with us all the time.” Emma smiled and told me not to overthink it, so I smiled along with her. But the hand holding my medicine dug its nails deep into my flesh. “Oh, right,” she suddenly turned back before leaving. “Zoe, I saw you at the hospital.”

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My cousin Emma has an obsession with testing my boyfriends. Despite my repeated refusals, she finds great pleasure in this game. After successfully seducing them, she dumps them and then informs everyone in our family group chat that my boyfriend is no good. When she tried her old trick once again, little did she know that this time, I had set up a trap specifically designed for her. She had no choice but to fall into it. Emma has been divorced for three years now, still living a carefree life with the hefty alimony from her ex-husband. One day she’s dating male models, the next day she’s spoiling young boys – she’s extremely busy with her love life. Recently, she set her sights on a new target: my boyfriend of six months. I wasn’t surprised that she discovered Jack so quickly. My mom happened to meet him when she came to my rented apartment to pick up some stuff. My mom’s biggest flaw in life is her tendency to compare herself with others, commonly known as being “green with envy.” Emma married well, and even after her divorce, she still has an endless supply of alimony. Add to that my aunt’s relentless boasting about Emma in front of my mom. It has become my mom’s life motto to have me marry someone even better than Emma’s ex-husband. My lack of progress in this area has become her constant worry. I met Jack at a bar. I spotted him in the crowd and it took me over six months to finally win him over. He’s younger than Emma’s ex-husband, more handsome, and even richer. Isn’t this exactly what my mom wants? She immediately announced it in our family group chat and even sent out red envelopes, indicating that I would be getting married soon. When I saw this, I felt helpless and sent a waving hand emoji in the group. “It’s not that serious, family. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” My mom immediately countered with a photo in the group chat. “With his looks and that bag he’s carrying, how can you not be serious?” Emma chimed in, “Wow, where did our little Lily find such a catch? Do you want your big sister to test him out for you?” I didn’t respond, but I knew that whether I liked it or not, she would try anyway. However, this time, I was well prepared.

On the first day of our relationship, I told Jack, “I have a very beautiful and sophisticated cousin. She likes to add my boyfriends on SnapChat. If she tries to add you, please don’t accept.” Jack jokingly asked, “Are you afraid I’ll fall for her?” I smiled lightly and said, “I’m afraid she’ll bewitch you and you’ll meet a terrible end. That’s how all my previous boyfriends died.” He hugged me and comforted me for a while. “I would never do that. I’ll only marry you in this lifetime, Lily.” With my warning, when Emma first tried to add him, he consistently refused. He even complained to me several times, “Your cousin Emma is really persistent. She’s already tried to add me with over ten different SnapChat accounts.” I kissed him on the cheek to show my appreciation. “You must stand firm. Don’t accept just because she’s playing all sorts of tricks.” Without even pausing, he rejected another friend request from a new account, then turned to me and said, “My parents want to have dinner with you. They say we’ve been dating for six months, and you haven’t met them yet. They’re really looking forward to meeting you after hearing me talk about you.” I hesitated for a moment, then patted his head and said, “Let’s wait a bit longer. I’m quite busy these days. How about I treat your parents to dinner after this quarter when I’m less busy?” “There’s no need for you to treat them. They’d be overjoyed just to see you. We can eat at my family’s hotel when the time comes!” Perhaps because she couldn’t add Jack on SnapChat, Emma became a bit impatient. She suggested coming to stay at my rented apartment for a while. Of course, I wouldn’t agree, but my mom was eager to show off the new apartment Jack had gotten for me. She couldn’t wait to give Emma my address. So when I got home from work, Jack and Emma were sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, scrolling through their phones. Jack pulled me into the bedroom, looking a bit annoyed. “I really didn’t pay any attention to her. Why did she come to our place?” I shrugged it off, “My mom probably gave her the address. She’s just like that. Just ignore her.” He swore to heaven, but I felt a bit uneasy, my mind kept replaying the image of them sitting on the sofa. Jack wouldn’t, would he? I had pursued him relentlessly for half a year before succeeding. He couldn’t possibly be won over in just one evening, right? I still felt a bit anxious, partly due to my lack of self-confidence, and partly because I wasn’t sure how long Jack could resist.

Jack didn’t stay over that night. He has another apartment in the next building, so he went back there. Early the next morning, he came over to bring me breakfast. There were seven or eight dishes spread out on the table. Emma saw this and smiled smugly. “Brother-in-law, did you bring so much because you knew I was here today?” “Wow, I love the soup dumplings from this place, but they never do deliveries. Did you go and pack all this early in the morning?” Jack looked up at her, “No, I forgot you were here. I actually bought less than usual. It’s mainly because Lily doesn’t have a good appetite in the morning, so I buy more for her to choose from.” Emma let out a long “Oh,” but her hands didn’t stop fiddling with her newly done nails. This was her state when she was thinking. I figured if she was only slightly interested in Jack before, now she must be determined to have him. I unconsciously tightened my grip on Jack’s hand. Maybe feeling the pain, Jack looked at me. I hurriedly apologized and left the table. In the evening when I got off work, they were again sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. When I came back, Jack got up to greet me. He whispered to me, “Doesn’t your cousin have a job? Why is she here every day? Doesn’t she have her own place? What’s the deal with her always being at our place?” I looked up at him and said, “If you add her on SnapChat, she might leave us alone.” His expression stiffened. After a moment, he said, “I just added her. She said she’d go home tomorrow if I did.” I just said “Oh” and went into the bedroom. Jack followed me in, hugging me and asking if I was angry. “I just don’t want to see her every day. I added her, but I can block her, you know? Look, I’ve already set her to ‘Do Not Disturb’.” As he spoke, he took out his phone and held it up to my face, trying to prove his innocence. I didn’t say anything, but my disappointment must have been obvious because Jack held my hand and comforted me for a long time. At dinner, he kept trying to make conversation with me and piled food onto my plate. Emma saw this and just smiled, “Our Jack is very attentive, isn’t he?”

Jack ignored her. He was focused on discussing with me about the store layout problem for a direct-sales brand he was working on. Emma deliberately made a noise at the dinner table to get our attention. When we looked at her, she smiled and said, “Oh my, you’re talking about something I’m good at. I got a bit excited.” She turned to Jack, who looked confused, and said, “My ex-husband has a direct-sales brand that’s doing quite well. He has many channels that he could share with me. For Lily’s sake, I could help you out.” Then she went on to introduce the brand in detail. I could see that Jack was very tempted. He looked at me hesitantly, then at Emma, and asked, “If it’s your ex-husband’s, wouldn’t it be inconvenient?” “What’s inconvenient about it? A little pillow talk and everything’s solved, right? Just wait for my message.” This time, Jack didn’t refuse. I knew his ‘Do Not Disturb’ setting for her would soon be turned off. Sure enough, after entering the room, he said to me, “Your cousin Emma is very generous and straightforward.” I just looked up at him once, my eyes half red. He immediately came over to comfort me, “I was just saying. How could I be interested in a woman who’s still entangled with her ex-husband?”

Emma left my apartment the next day, and Jack didn’t come back for several days. He said he was out of town for work because several direct-sales stores were opening at the same time. A few times during video calls, I saw Emma in the background. He hurriedly explained, “Cousin Emma called to ask about the progress. When she heard I was in the neighboring city, she came over to take a look. This time, thanks to cousin Emma’s help, we saved a lot of trouble. Even my dad praised me.” Second-generation rich kids spend their whole lives wanting to surpass their parents, and Jack was no exception. His father and grandfather were both very successful entrepreneurs. Jack wasn’t bad either, but he was always overshadowed by his family’s reputation. He had always wanted to prove himself. This time, the direct-sales stores were set up in several cities at once, fast and in good locations. Even his father and grandfather praised him at the dinner table for doing a great job. Jack transferred me $200,000, saying it was to buy a bag for my cousin in my name. “I know she helped me out for your sake, so it’s better if you give it to her. I still have that much sense.” Then he added, “Choose one that your cousin likes. If it’s not enough, I’ll transfer more to you.” I took out my phone and called my sister, saying as soon as the call connected, “Thank you for helping my boyfriend. He says he wants to buy you a bag around $200,000. Do you have any preferences? Or should I just transfer the money to you?” There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly deep male voice came through, “Lily? Why is your boyfriend buying things for Emma?” Oh my god, my cousin and my ex-cousin-in-law’s contacts only differed by one character, and I had accidentally called my ex-cousin-in-law David. David, Emma, and I were all schoolmates. David was one year ahead of us, and we would run into each other during club activities. I only praised David for being considerate once, and the next day, Emma started pursuing him openly. When a girl chases a boy, success comes easily. Two weeks later, they got together. After breaking up and getting back together several times, they got married right after graduation. Three years after marriage, they divorced.

To avoid any misunderstanding from this big spender who still sends my sister a monthly living allowance, I quickly explained, “No, no, she helped my boyfriend with something big. But we should thank you too, brother-in-law. This time, my boyfriend’s direct-sales snack brand relied entirely on your resources.” “I thought she was being ambitious and planning to open her own business, but it turns out it’s for your boyfriend. She’s more attentive to him than she ever was to me.” Before I could respond, he continued, “Alright, I get it. I’ll buy the bag for her. You keep the money for yourself.” I returned the money to Jack, telling him that my brother-in-law said not to worry about it. He seemed a bit puzzled, “Isn’t he your ex-brother-in-law? Why is he still so involved?” “He’s her meal ticket. Where do you think all those designer brands and high-end lifestyle of my cousin come from?” Jack’s expression became a bit unnatural. Seeing me looking at him, he added, “I see.” That night, Emma came to my place again. She had been drinking and was sitting on the sofa with a flushed face, arguing with me. Clear-headed, logical, and articulate, she criticized me inside and out, up and down. Finally, pointing at Jack, she said to me, “You? You think you can land a rich guy? Let me tell you, don’t dream about it, Lily. You’ll never be able to live the life I have.” “You told David I’m stealing your boyfriend so he’d cut off my allowance? I bet I could find a new sugar daddy tomorrow if I wanted to. You believe that?” When Jack heard this, a spark flashed in his eyes. I suddenly felt it was all so pointless. I left them in the living room and went back to my bedroom. After this incident, Jack started working overtime and going on business trips more frequently. Even when I mentioned that I wasn’t busy recently and could have dinner with his parents, he politely declined, saying it wasn’t the right time yet. By this point, I understood. Emma had succeeded again. She had won again.

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