Category: English

My best friend Liam gave me a mansion. But not long after I moved in, someone broke in with a knife in the dead of night. “Liam, you framed me, ruined my family, took everything from me! I’m gonna kill you!” I immediately realized I was being set up as a patsy. But before I could even speak, the attacker slit my throat in one quick motion. After police shot the deranged killer dead at the scene, Liam put his arm around my wife Scarlett and strolled over. He smirked, “Thanks for getting rid of that pain in my neck and leaving me your fortune. I’ll enjoy everything you left behind, including your wife. Rest in peace, pal.” Scarlett melted into his embrace, compliant. “Liam, I told you I’d help you take everything he had. I kept my promise. Now you owe me—marry me.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my “brother” gave me that mansion. “Alex, we’ve built so much together over the years. To show my appreciation, I want to give you this mansion.” “You’re a big shot at a public company now, and you and Scarlett deserve a place that matches your status.” Hearing that familiar voice jolted me back to reality. Looking at Liam’s smiling face, I realized I’d been given a second chance. In my past life, just a few nights after accepting Liam’s “gift,” I ended up with my throat slit. Now I saw the truth. He’d purchased that mansion publicly with reporters watching to expose its location, then secretly transferred ownership to me. All to make me his fall guy. That way, he could have his enemy commit murder while seizing everything I owned. A perfect two-for-one deal. Seeing me hesitate, Scarlett chimed in. “Honey, Liam’s like family. It’s just a little something to show he cares. Don’t be so uptight.” A bitter laugh rose in my throat. She’d never so much as held my hand in public, but now she was practically clinging to Liam. If I hadn’t lived through this before, I might’ve bought that “brother-sister” act. But now I knew the truth—she and my “best friend” had been hooking up for years, and she was helping him set me up to die. This time, with all the facts, I wasn’t about to let them make me their fool again. The killer got out of prison in three days. As long as I didn’t move in before then, I’d be safe. “You keep it. If I want a place, I’ll buy my own.” Liam and I usually had that bro bond where gift-giving was normal, and I never said no. But this time, my answer threw them off. Liam’s smile dropped. “Alex, what’s with you…” Scarlett scowled, clearly irritated. “Alex, what’s your problem? Liam’s being nice—why are you being like this? You wanna hurt his feelings or something?” I let out a dry laugh, nodding at how close they were standing. “He’ll survive. You’re already keeping him plenty warm, aren’t you?” That set Scarlett off. “Alex, what the hell are you insinuating?!” “I only see Liam as a brother! We’ve been married for years—don’t you trust me at all?!” I stayed quiet, and Scarlett got even more worked up. But Liam stepped in first. “Calm down, Scarlett. Alex is probably just jealous—that’s why he won’t take the gift. Maybe we should keep our distance so Alex doesn’t get the wrong idea.” His words said one thing, but his body stayed put. In fact, he inched even closer to Scarlett. Then he turned to me with a smile. “Don’t worry, I only see Scarlett as a sister. There’s nothing going on between us. If the mansion’s not your style, I’ll hook you up with something else later.” I forced a small smile. “Sure. Just make sure it’s not another ‘surprise’ like last time.” “Of course not.” Liam looked uncomfortable, while Scarlett shot me a dirty look, muttering about how I’d gotten too big for my britches since the company went public and forgotten who my real friends were. But I didn’t care. As I headed for the door, I said, “Believe what you want. I’ve got work to do. Later.” Behind me, Scarlett kept bitching about my attitude. But at that point, I couldn’t have cared less. I really did have bigger fish to fry. Before I died, I recognized the guy. It was David, our former CFO, who Liam had framed for embezzlement and sent to prison. But now, there seemed to be more to the story than that. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone after Liam the second he got out. I needed to dig into that old case. I wasn’t about to let the bastards who killed me get away with it.

But the case was cold, and I had no leads. That evening, I got a text from Scarlett. “Working late tonight. Won’t be home till late.” If she’d actually come home, she would’ve known I wasn’t there. Chances were she was with Liam—otherwise she’d know I’d been at the office all day. A minute later, I heard the elevator ding. I quickly shut off my office lights. It had to be Scarlett and Liam. I wanted to see what those two were doing at the office so late. Their voices filtered through the door. “Babe, I had my guy check. David gets out in three days, and the story about me moving into the mansion is already blowing up online. When he gets out, he’ll definitely go there for payback. He’ll be so blinded by rage, he’ll mistake Alex for me.” “Then the cops will take David down for murder, and I’ll never have to worry about him again. And we won’t have to hide from Alex anymore.” “Too bad Alex isn’t taking the bait—he won’t accept the gift.” “Liam, don’t stress. I’ll fix it.” “Good. He was totally jealous today. You not coming home tonight—he didn’t suspect a thing, right?” Scarlett laughed. “Suspect? That man’s been my doormat for years. If my parents hadn’t forced me to marry him, I wouldn’t give him the time of day. I could cheat on him with the entire football team and he’d still beg me to stay.” “Perfect. Can you imagine his face if he knew his best friend and wife have been hooking up for three years? Fucking priceless.” “Babe, the office is empty tonight. Hotels are too risky—how about we… here?” Scarlett giggled. “You’re such a pervert…” Then came the sound of heavy breathing. That bitch! All those years I’d loved her—wasted! Scarlett and I met in high school. I first saw her getting jumped by some thugs. I fought them off, took a beating, and saved her. After that, I always had her back. I even turned down better colleges to go to the same one as her. Once we were together, I catered to her every need. When her parents got sick, I scraped together money and handled everything. She was scared of having kids, so I never pressured her. But I never thought she’d always seen me as beneath her—and was helping someone murder me. A few minutes later, they went into the next office. I was burning with rage, but now wasn’t the time to expose them. I needed evidence to take Liam down for good. I snuck out of the office. One thing bugged me: even if you’re framed, would you really kill someone right after getting out? What did Liam do to David?

On the way home, I remembered someone important. I made a call, gave instructions, then headed home. I hadn’t been asleep long when I heard the front door open. When I walked out of the bedroom, Scarlett jumped. I noticed hickeys all over her neck. Scarlett noticed and quickly covered her neck, looking guilty. “Honey, you’re still up?” I kept my voice flat. “Yeah, just got back from the office.” My words made her smile freeze, then she forced it back. “Oh! I went to the office looking for you! Didn’t know you’d come home early. What a waste of a trip. You owe me.” She looped her arm through mine and pouted. Back then, her little games always worked. I’d pull her close right away. But now? Nothing. I gently pushed her off. “Honey, what’s wrong?” “I stuck up for Liam earlier—are you still mad about that?” “I just thought you two shouldn’t be so formal after all these years. You always used to accept each other’s gifts, but you hesitated this time. It’ll make him think something’s wrong.” “You wouldn’t be where you are without your friends. If you fall out with them, where does that leave you? I’m looking out for you. Just take the mansion.” A bitter laugh rose in my throat. *Looking out for me while trying to kill me.* I kept a straight face. “If they’re so great, go be with them.” That set Scarlett off. “Alex, what the hell are you talking about?! I’m your wife! How could you say that?!” “My parents were wrong about you. They never should’ve let me marry such a petty man!” I scoffed. “Guess I am petty—otherwise I never would’ve married you!” Scarlett lost it. She grabbed a glass and threw it at me. It hit my forehead, drawing blood. She pointed at me, screaming, “Alex, are you serious?! If you want this marriage to work, take the mansion! I’ve been with you for years! You don’t want to live there, but I do!” “And I even planned a company banquet in your honor to boost your reputation! You’re such a disappointment!” I was about to fire back when Mark, our CFO, called. “Mr. Alex, Scarlett said there’s a celebration banquet this afternoon. You’re not at the office, so hurry! Everyone’s waiting.” I didn’t know what Scarlett was planning, but with the company newly public, I couldn’t let employees get demoralized. So I agreed. When I agreed, Scarlett finally looked satisfied. She left, warning me not to let her down and to make sure I showed up. That afternoon, I arrived at the address Scarlett sent. I noticed it was less than a hundred yards from that mansion.

Walking into the hotel, I saw employees had already arrived. Scarlett and Liam looked at me, sharing a weird smile. I ignored them, sat down calmly, and turned on my phone’s voice recorder. Maybe I could get Liam to slip up when he was drunk. When the time came, most top performers still weren’t there—but some uninvited guests showed up instead. “Tyler, Jake—what are you guys doing here?” Those two had slacked off all last year, breaking company rules and harassing female employees. They were basically thugs. If Liam hadn’t kept protecting them, I would’ve fired them months ago. I barely finished speaking when Liam cut in smoothly. “They were just passing by.Since they’re here, let them stay.” Then he told them, “You two, stay sharp. Keep Mr. Alex’s glass full.” They nodded quickly. Once the banquet started, everyone there began toasting me. Soon I started feeling dizzy. I tried to stop drinking, but Liam suddenly held me down, telling Tyler and Jake to force my mouth open. “Before we came, Mr. Alex said he’s in a great mood today—no holding back! Anyone else want to toast? Hurry up! Don’t keep Mr. Alex waiting!” The others hesitated when they saw this. Then Mark, the CFO, poured a glass of wine straight down my throat. “Mr. Alex, here’s to you!” The alcohol made me dizzy. I was pinned down, unable to speak. Liam shouted: “See? Mr. Alex doesn’t mind! Everyone have another toast. Anyone who doesn’t is dissing Mr. Alex!” Scarlett chimed in: “My husband’s in a good mood—you all better drink up! Anyone who doesn’t gets fired tomorrow!” No one dared hesitate after that. They kept pouring wine down my throat. Liam leaned in and whispered: “I offered you the mansion, but you said no. Had to do this the hard way, huh? Pathetic.” I was furious. That bastard was playing dirty! But I was too drunk to fight back. Liam, seeing his plan work, pulled Scarlett into a kiss right in front of everyone! And everyone acted like they didn’t see a thing. When the banquet ended, Liam sent everyone home. That’s when Ryan—Liam’s right-hand man—finally showed up and whispered something to him. Liam grinned. He told Ryan to take me to the mansion. After tying me up, Liam smirked at me. I stared daggers at him, then spat in his face. “Liam, what the hell do you want?!” “I treated you like family, made you Vice President! How could you do this?!” I barely finished when Liam kicked me. “Shut the hell up!” “But since we’re doing this, you might as well die knowing the truth. Why do you think I bought that mansion at the press conference? So everyone would think I lived there. Remember David? He gets out tonight, and he’s coming here to kill me. And you’re gonna take the fall.” “I already sent my guys to the prison. They even gave David the exact address. Just sit tight.” I ground my teeth. “You framed him for embezzlement! And you’re proud of it?!” Liam smirked. “So you figured that out? But don’t you wanna know why I’m so sure he’ll come for revenge?” I muttered, “If it was just the frame job, he wouldn’t murder someone. Unless…” Liam laughed. “Exactly! I had his wife killed for kicks, and his kid? Sold to traffickers.” “Every time I visited him in prison, I told him how I messed with his wife and how his son got chopped up by those traffickers. I wanted to push him over the edge—use him one last time to take everything from you.” My blood ran cold. I stared at him. “Does Scarlett know about this?” Liam grinned. “Do you really think she’d help tie you up if she knew I’d killed someone’s wife?” “Oh, and you didn’t happen to have a recorder on, did you?” Liam patted me down, found my phone, checked it, and scoffed. “Thought so.” He smashed my phone against the floor and stomped on it. “Alex, you’ve always been such a chump. Never saw it coming, did you? Everything you built—just gonna be my payout. I’ll swing by tomorrow morning to clean up your body. Ha ha ha.” After his maniacal laughter, Liam hit me with a stick, knocking me out cold. Then he laid me flat, making it look like I was asleep. Before leaving, he told someone not to lock the mansion door. Only after making sure David could get in easily did he leave, looking satisfied. I don’t know how much time passed before someone shook me awake. I looked at the person and smiled faintly. “Did you record everything he just said?”

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On New Year’s Eve, while my mother-in-law was pressuring me to have a second child, my husband’s female assistant, Chloe, showed up uninvited, holding a baby. “Aurora saved my life,” Chloe announced dramatically. “I gave birth to the son you wanted for her! Can’t you stop pressuring her now?” She turned to me then, adding, “Better I stepped up than him running off with some random woman, right? Besides, I didn’t want you going through childbirth pain!” Every eye in the room turned to me—awkward, judgmental stares that burned into my skin. In that sickening moment, it hit me like a slap to the face. But she mistook my shock for blame, and her tears intensified. “To make your marriage happy, he exploited me from the office to the bedroom. And you still blame me?” Blake pulled the sobbing woman into his arms, comforting her. When he looked at me, his eyes were icy. “Chloe’s being so generous she’ll even let you raise our son! How can you be this cold, Aurora? Can’t you at least say thanks?” I was hit with this overwhelming sense of absurdity. I stared at him, my heart turning to ice. He probably didn’t even remember. Everything he had, everything he was—I gave that to him!

Maybe my face looked too stiff, because Blake paused, his tone softening a little. “Aurora, Chloe was practically family. You helped her get out of that small town. Does it really matter who gave birth?” He reached for my hand, his voice gentle but unyielding. “Let’s not make this worse than it has to be, Aurora. Look at Lily—she’s about to cry because of all this.” I glanced at my daughter beside me. Her little face was red, tears welling in her eyes as she called “Mommy” with a confused, worried frown. In that moment, a dull, belated ache hit my chest. I fought back the emotions threatening to spill over, yanking my hand away from Blake’s grip. “Don’t touch me!” The dining table went completely silent. His face hardened into a cold mask too. “Aurora, if you can’t pull yourself together, I’ll have the driver take you home.” “I’m celebrating New Year’s with my family tonight. I won’t be going with you.” Family? I almost laughed through my tears, glaring at everyone around the table. “None of you have anything to say? Don’t forget—if it weren’t for me, Aurora Hayes, none of you would be here right now!” Years ago, Blake was a nobody—dead broke, going nowhere. I went against everything to be with him, using the Hayes family’s connections and money to build Harrison Corp. into what it is today! Just minutes before, when they were pressuring me for another baby, his parents were all smiles—calling me the family’s savior, even promising Lily a huge gift! But now their tune had changed. His mother, holding their new grandson, scolded me. “Aurora, that’s not true! Blake’s talent is what made the Harrisons successful. What did you really do?” “Harrison Corp. is a major company now. We can’t just have a female heir.” “Honestly, you should be thanking Chloe. She gave us a healthy baby boy—finally, an heir for the Harrison name!” They even went further, picking on Lily. “Lily, sweetie, look at your baby brother! You better be good from now on, or Grandma and Grandpa might only love him and not want you anymore!” My daughter was only five—still little and sensitive. Her lips trembled, and she buried herself in my arms. “Waaah… Mommy, I don’t want a baby brother. Don’t stop loving me.” My heart broke. I held her close, my eyes locked on Blake. “Blake, you’re gonna regret this!” With that, I turned and walked out, no second thoughts. On New Year’s Eve, my husband of six years kicked me out of our house. After finally getting my sobbing daughter to sleep, I let my own tears come. I buried myself in the covers, crying until my chest hurt—heartbroken, silent. Six years. Six long years. From the slums where he had nothing to this big house we lived in now. Yesterday, Blake was inside me, kissing me like crazy, whispering he’d only ever love me. But why? How could that sincerity have been a lie? How could his love flip so fast? My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Then my phone rang. As soon as I answered, I heard Chloe’s soft, teary voice. “Blake… what are you doing? I need to call Aurora and say sorry…” Wet, muffled sounds of them having sex followed, making my blood run cold. I heard Blake laugh, out of breath. “Sorry? She’s so in love with me she can’t function without me. In a couple days, she’ll be crawling back, begging. Chloe, be a good girl and open your legs…” He lowered his voice, every word a knife. “Who else would want a woman who can’t have kids anymore? Is she even still a real woman?” All the blood in my body turned to ice.

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. My hands shaking, I hung up, only then noticing my face was covered in tears. Betrayed and humiliated by the person I trusted most. He said it himself—I wasn’t even a woman. But he was the one who shielded me with his body when we got in that car crash when I was eight months pregnant. He was coughing up blood, trying to keep me calm. “Aurora, just hold on… we’re gonna be okay.” His blood and tears mixed on my face, burning like acid. “Aurora, this is our first baby—you don’t wanna lose them, right? The ambulance will be here soon…” I fought to stay alive, and Lily was born safe. But the accident meant I could never have more kids. He promised me then, kissing me and telling me over and over, that Lily would be his only child—his whole world. Yet here we were, five years later, and he had a second kid with someone else. I wiped my tears and threw my wedding ring in the trash, hard. Staring at the red-eyed woman in the mirror, I laughed and cried at the same time, couldn’t help wondering. Aurora, what the hell were you even fighting for? You went from a privileged heiress to a wife and mom who gave up everything for her family. And in the end, someone else got all the benefits of my sacrifices! Finally, I called my dad. Taking a deep breath, my voice still cracked with unshed tears. “Dad… I wanna come home.” Dad said he’d be there in two days. But in the middle of the night, Lily spiked a high fever. I had no choice but to call Blake. “Blake! Lily has a fever! The driver…” “Aurora, is this your way of groveling? You’re so desperate you’d wish our kid was sick? Don’t you realize Chloe feels guilty and cried for hours because you left?” Cried for hours? Whether it was guilt or post-sex hormones, only they knew. “You’ll get your status as Mrs. Harrison back when you apologize to Chloe and she forgives you!” He hung up. I bit my jaw, hugging my burning daughter. I walked the streets at night, crying until I had no tears left, finally hailing a cab to the hospital. The next day, after grabbing some food, I found Chloe and Blake by Lily’s hospital bed. I panicked and rushed over, shoving Chloe away. “Don’t touch my daughter!” The next second, a sharp slap hit my face. Blake steadied Chloe, who almost fell, looking disappointed. “Aurora, Chloe found out Lily was sick and talked me into coming. You don’t have to thank her, but shoving her like that?” Chloe frowned, tears filling her eyes, shaking her head hard. “Don’t say that, Blake. It’s all my fault…” My cheek stung where he’d hit me, but I held back tears. The last bit of love I had for him disappeared completely. I begged him for so long, but he didn’t care that our daughter had a high fever. But Chloe says one word, and he comes running. I used to think even if he got tired of me, he’d at least be a good dad. But I was wrong. Lily and I together meant less to him than Chloe. I closed my eyes and pointed to the door. “Both of you get out. You’re not welcome here!” Chloe looked heartbroken. “Aurora, why can’t you forgive me? I know I messed up, back when you were pregnant…” “Chloe! Enough!” Blake cut her off sharply, panic flashing in his eyes. He turned to me with a cold laugh. “Aurora, since you’re so ungrateful, I’ll transfer Lily’s shares to Leo as soon as I get back! You…” He didn’t finish before freezing, like he’d seen a ghost. His pupils shrank, and he grabbed my wrist hard. “Where’s your wedding ring? Aurora, how dare you take off our wedding ring!”

I stared him cold in the eye, every word clear. “I threw it away.” Those wedding rings. He’d made them himself, from a piece of his own bone, after saving me from kidnappers back when he actually loved me. He’d broken ribs and gotten stabbed for me then. He said I was his missing rib—that with me, he was whole. How pathetic. He squeezed my wrist tighter, practically growling the words. “Threw it away? Aurora Hayes, you’re unbelievable!” His face went completely dark. He dialed a number, never taking his eyes off me. “Freeze all of Mrs. Harrison’s assets. No one gives her a single cent! And…” Blake let out a cold laugh, speaking directly to my face. “Transfer Lily’s trust fund to Leo’s name!” My eyes went wide, shocked. “Blake! You wouldn’t dare!” He shrugged off my hand violently, pulling Chloe close with a sneer. “Just watch me! Aurora, this is what happens when you cross me. You think throwing a fit will make me back down?” “Since you refuse to accept Leo as your second child, Lily’s trust fund will go to him as compensation!” I was shaking with anger. Behind me, my daughter still slept with a fever. I couldn’t even protect her shares, and now they were taking her trust fund too! Chloe frowned, pretending to persuade him. “Blake, that’s Aurora’s mom’s inheritance…” Blake stroked her face gently, each word like a knife to my heart. “You’re right. A dead woman’s things are bad luck for Leo’s first birthday gift. Let’s donate it to… St. Jude Hospital instead.” I didn’t know I could scream that loud. Bodyguards held me down. My eyes burned, I bit my cheek till it bled, screaming in agony. “Blake! You can’t—you can’t do this! You know St. Jude Hospital is where my mom died!” I’d suffered countless nights over my mom’s death. Even after making those people pay. Even after Harrison Medical barely survived my family’s retaliation, clinging to life by a thread, I still hated them! And Blake knew all of this, yet he still did this to me! I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe, my throat closing up. Through my tear-blurred eyes, I thought I saw his expression soften for a second. But then Chloe’s voice cut in, sweet and happy. “Really? Blake… you’re amazing. You remember—that’s where we first met.” Those words shattered whatever was left of my love and hate. I heard Blake hesitate for a second, then laugh, giving in to her. “Of course. Our special place. I’ll keep it forever, and Harrison Medical… will stand strong forever, just like our love.” Lily woke up behind me. She got scared by the scene and started crying. Blake, completely heartless, left with Chloe. His last words were: “Aurora, let’s see how long you can last!” My heart felt completely crushed. He was forcing me—forcing me to accept that bastard, forcing me to take the humiliation of being betrayed by the two people I trusted most! As Lily snuggled into my arms, I got a call from the private investigator my dad had hired. “Ms. Hayes, during my investigation, I found that the car accident five years ago—when you were pregnant—wasn’t an accident. It was deliberate!”

It hit me like a lightning bolt. I swayed, barely staying on my feet. “Who… who did it?” That accident— the one that left me unable to have more kids, that almost took my only daughter. I used to think it proved Blake loved me— how he fought for his life in the ICU to save me. “The investigation shows Blake personally planned that accident.” I almost laughed out loud. My numb, aching heart felt like it was being torn out. The nightmare that haunted me for five years was caused by the man I shared my bed with— my husband. What was he thinking all those times I struggled with depression, thought about ending my life, and tried to find strength in his so-called love? I closed my eyes, too devastated to speak. My dad had already gathered all the evidence, found the weaknesses that would take down Harrison Corp. He told me to wait, that he’d pick me up soon. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I called Chloe. “You really want to lose your son? Let me become his mother instead?” “Aurora, I would never…” I cut her off, my voice cold. “I’ve already sent the divorce papers to you. Whether he signs them is up to you and your ‘talents’.” “And don’t call me Aurora. You make me sick.” That same night, I got the signed divorce papers from Blake. Chloe dropped the act on the phone, sounding triumphant. “Too bad, Aurora. Blake was head over heels for me from the start— the second you brought me here.” “When you were pregnant, he took my virginity right there in his office. He said I gave him something new and exciting.” My stomach twisted. I fought back the nausea. “If he loved you so much, why did he wait until you had a miscarriage, then a child, and still wouldn’t give you the Mrs. Harrison title?” “Guess your ‘love’ isn’t that special after all.” I hung up, ignoring her angry yelling. I picked up Lily. “Lily, Mommy’s taking you to Grandpa’s house, okay?” My daughter hugged my neck, nodding hard. But I didn’t get to leave. After packing our bags, the hospital called. “Hello, is this Ms. Hayes? Further tests show Lily Harrison’s fever is an early symptom of leukemia…” I couldn’t believe it. I rushed my daughter to the hospital, but then bodyguards burst in and grabbed Lily! They pinned me down. I watched helplessly as my daughter cried and struggled while they carried her away. “Aurora, I’m so sorry, but Leo is only one, he’s so little, please save him?” Chloe clung to Blake, sobbing hysterically. Blake avoided my accusing look, just saying: “Leo’s kidneys are failing. Lily’s the only match. Don’t worry, I got the best doctors…” I collapsed to the floor, staring at him in shock. “So you’re gonna make five-year-old Lily donate a kidney? Blake! Lily is your daughter too!” He frowned, annoyed. “I know! But Leo’s my son too! It’s just one kidney— she’ll be fine!” I watched in horror as they gave my daughter anesthesia. No matter how much I begged, apologized, or screamed, nothing worked! I was frantically blocking the operating table, my fingers getting crushed, but I couldn’t stop them. Then a group of bodyguards burst in, kicking the crooked doctor aside and breaking Blake’s wrist with a sickening snap! Blake cried out in pain and fear as a loud, angry voice boomed through the room. “I’d like to see who dares touch my daughter and granddaughter!”

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When I was eighteen, I caught a cash-strapped college kid named Lucas stealing pigs from our family farm. To keep Lucas in school, I was up before dawn daily feeding the hogs and shoveling manure. I even sold the gold bracelet my mom left me. He knelt by the pigpen and vowed: “Aria, when I make it big, I’ll make you the most cherished wife.” Seven years later, Lucas was a tech tycoon with a publicly traded company, worth hundreds of millions. But the day before our wedding, a girl who bore a 70% resemblance to me showed up at my door. She wore the exact same wedding dress as mine, pinching her nose in disgust: “Lucas always said you smell like pig slop. He’s put up with that stench for seven years and can barely stand it anymore.” “Watching you wallow in the mud with those sows all these years—it’s just pathetic and ridiculous.” “Here’s a $100,000 check. Take it and go back to your filthy pig farm. Don’t ruin my wedding to Lucas.” Staring at that check, I didn’t cry or cause a scene. I just quietly pulled out my phone, and called my uncle. “Brain, cut off all funding to Lucas’s company. And tell him…” “That core patent he’s so proud of? That’s not his. It clearly has my name written on it.”

“Lucas was right. A lowlife pig farmer like you can be bought off with a little cash. He didn’t even need to come himself.” “Take the money and get out. Don’t let your pig stench ruin tomorrow’s wedding venue.” I bent down to pick up the check—not for the money, but to tear it up and throw it in her face. As soon as she finished speaking, the gate was abruptly pushed open. “Who told you to come here?” Lucas stood there in a tailored suit, his tie hanging crookedly. Beads of sweat dotted his temples—he’d clearly run all the way over. When he saw Vivian standing in front of me, he grabbed her wrist so hard she yelped immediately. Lucas’s voice turned terrifyingly cold: “Tell me! Who told you to come here?” Vivian’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at him in shock. “Lucas, I did this for you! This woman won’t let you move on…” “Shut up!” Lucas shoved her away roughly. In her high heels, Vivian stumbled backward, nearly landing in the feed trough. “Get back in the car. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Lucas didn’t spare her a glance, his eyes fixed on me. Vivian shot me a venomous look, but ultimately feared Lucas’s anger and awkwardly climbed back into the car. The yard fell silent, except for the occasional oinks from the pigpen. Lucas took a deep breath and turned to face me. His previously fierce expression softened instantly, even taking on a hint of nervous ingratiate. He stepped closer, trying to take my hand, but I stepped out of his reach. Lucas’s hand froze mid-air. He gave a helpless, bitter smile: “Aria, don’t listen to her nonsense.” “I never wanted to drive you away, and I’ve never been disgusted by how you smell.” He pulled out a handkerchief and took my hand, carefully wiping the dirt from between my fingers. “You know the company’s about to go public. I need the resources Vivian’s family can provide.” “Marrying her is just a temporary measure—she’s basically a prop.” “In my heart, you’re the only woman who’ll ever be my wife.” I looked up at his face. Seven years had refined him into someone increasingly handsome. He was no longer that poor kid cramming vocabulary by the pigpen. And I was still Aria, the one who’d been shoveling pig manure behind him for seven years. The affection in his eyes seemed so genuine. So genuine that if Vivian hadn’t shown up today, I might have almost fallen for it. “What exactly are you trying to say?” I asked flatly. Lucas thought I was warming up to him. A flicker of hope crossed his face. He immediately pulled a velvet box from his jacket. Inside was a diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg. “I bought you a downtown penthouse. It’s in your name.” “Once I marry Vivian and lock in her family’s investment, I’ll push her to the side.” “You’ll still be my only wife—we’ll just skip the marriage certificate.” He leaned down, his warm breath brushing my ear, his voice cajoling. “Aria, you know I can’t live without you. But I also can’t lose the company.” “Just do this for me—compromise a little, please?”

Compromise a little. Lucas made it sound so easy. Seven years ago, he’d said: “Aria, just keep raising pigs a little longer until I make it big.” Seven years later, he said: “Aria, just be my secret lover for a while. Once I’m done with Vivian’s family, I’ll come back to you.” He reached out to ruffle my hair, the way he used to when he wanted me to buy him new sneakers. Lucas, even the old sow in the pigpen would get tired of your manipulations. “You want me to be your side piece?” I looked into his eyes, my voice steady—surprisingly so, even to myself. Lucas frowned slightly, clearly not liking the term “side piece.” “Side piece? That sounds terrible.” He walked to the window, looking annoyed, and lit a cigarette. Through the smoke, his expression was hazy, but his words dripped with entitlement. “Aria, you’re a smart woman. You know in today’s world, it’s all about who you know.” “But when it comes to feelings? I only have eyes for you.” “That Vivian—she’s got money, but she’s not worth one of your fingers. She’s just a hollow copy of you.” He turned around and pointed at the check on the coffee table. “Keep the hundred grand Vivian gave you—think of it as walking-around money.” “The condo I’m giving you is worth twenty million, plus an unlimited credit card.” “Quit the pig farm. Shut it down.” “That dirty, backbreaking work isn’t for you.” “Just stay in the condo, take up flower arranging, get spa treatments, and wait for me to come home. Doesn’t that sound better?” He said it so earnestly, like he was offering me some amazing gift. In his mind, pulling me out of the pigpen and locking me in a gilded cage was saving me. I couldn’t help but laugh. Seven years ago, when he made that vow by the pigpen, he’d worn the exact same expression. Now that he had money, the first thing he offered me was to be his secret lover. “Lucas, do you honestly think I’d be stuck in the mud without you?” Lucas hesitated, then put out his cigarette and pulled me into a hug. “Aria, don’t be ridiculous. You only have a high school diploma. What else can you do besides raise pigs?” “The world out there is tough. Without me looking out for you, people will eat you alive.” “Tomorrow’s wedding will be packed. I don’t want Vivian’s family giving you a hard time.” “I’m doing this to keep you safe.” Protect me? Was he protecting his wedding from disruption, or keeping me as his fool? Looking into those so-called loving eyes, the tight string I’d held for seven years suddenly snapped. “Fine.” The worry in Lucas’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a satisfied grin. He bent down and kissed my forehead, like rewarding a well-behaved pet. “I knew it—Aria’s always so reasonable.” “After the wedding, I’ll come stay with you.” “We’ll go to the Maldives, just the two of us.” In high spirits, he grabbed his jacket, like he’d just wrapped up a big deal. “I still have a meeting. The driver’s downstairs to help you move.” “Make sure to throw out all those old clothes. I bought you new ones.” After speaking, he tried to lean in for another forehead kiss. I stepped back, avoiding his advance. “Fine, you’re still upset. I won’t push it.” He turned and strode toward his Maybach, and I stood watching the taillights disappear around the bend. I crumpled the hundred-thousand-dollar check in my hand into a ball. Lucas, you really didn’t let me down. You’re even more rotten than I thought.

The next morning, I got a call from an unknown number. It was Vivian. “Aria, Lucas said you agreed to be his side piece?” On the other end, her voice dripped with triumphant arrogance: “Since you’re the other woman, you should know your place.” “Come to the downtown bridal shop. I have something for you to do.” She hung up before I could respond. I stared at my phone, a cold smile tugging at my lips. Perfect. I wanted to see what other tricks this pair of scumbags had up their sleeves. As soon as I walked in, I saw Lucas helping Vivian try on wedding dresses. Vivian wore a million-dollar mermaid gown, preening in front of the mirror. Lucas sat on the nearby sofa,furrowed his brow, clearly bored. When he saw me enter, he jumped to his feet, panic flashing in his eyes. “Who told you to come? Didn’t I tell you to wait at home?” “Do you think this is the kind of place you belong?” He spoke while nervously glancing at Vivian, afraid she’d blow up right there. The classic cheater move—trying to keep his wife and mistress separate. He played the part perfectly. “I’m the one who called her.” Vivian lifted her skirt and walked over, wearing a smug smile. “Lucas, since you can’t bear to get rid of this country bumpkin, why not make her my bridesmaid?” “Let her watch our happiness firsthand. That way she’ll learn her place faster, don’t you think?” Lucas’s face darkened significantly: “Vivian, knock it off. Aria doesn’t know anything about this.” Vivian latched onto Lucas’s arm, pouting while shooting me a provocative gaze. “Aria, don’t you love Lucas? If you do, can’t you handle this little compromise?” Lucas, clearly fed up, looked at me helplessly: “Aria, since Vivian’s set on this, maybe you should…” “Just do me this favor.” He leaned close to my ear, speaking so only we could hear: “Seeing you in a bridesmaid dress will tide me over. Then tonight I’ll come to your place and make it up to you properly.” Absolutely revolting. Looking at Lucas’s two-faced hypocrisy, I agreed without hesitation. “Sure.” “Since you’re both so eager, I’ll definitely play along.” Lucas froze, clearly surprised by my willingness. A glint of victory flashed in his eyes. He thought I was still that Aria who loved him desperately, willing to endure any humiliation for him. Vivian pointed to the corner: “There, that’s yours. Go change.” “Don’t let your filth ruin my clothes—they’re imported.” I took the dress and headed for the fitting room. Looking at the cheap, neon green dress in the mirror, I smiled coldly. But I put it on anyway and pushed open the door. Sure enough, Vivian doubled over laughing, holding up her phone to take pictures: “Oh my god, it’s perfect on you! Don’t you look just like a green worm crawling out of a garden?” Disgust flashed in Lucas’s eyes. He waved dismissively. “Take it off. Keep the dress and bring it to the venue yourself tomorrow.” He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and tossed it to me: “This is the condo address. The code is your birthday.” “Don’t go wandering around, and definitely don’t go back to the pig farm. I don’t want you bringing that smell with you.” I silently picked up the paper and changed back into my clothes. Lucas. Vivian. Laugh all you want. Because after tonight, neither of you will ever laugh again.

The condo Lucas prepared for me was definitely luxurious. A 2,000-square-foot river-view unit with fancy decor. The walk-in closet was filled with the season’s latest styles. Even the vanity was covered with expensive skincare products I’d never normally dream of buying. If I were some ordinary girl, I might have cried tears of joy. I might have gladly become his lifelong mistress. That night at ten, Lucas arrived, reeking of alcohol. As soon as he walked in, he wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Aria, do you like it?” He buried his face in my neck: “Tomorrow at the wedding, don’t look at me, okay? Not even once.” “Because I’ll weaken. I’ll want to take you away.” “But I can’t.” He closed his eyes dramatically, like he was having some epic internal battle. “For our future, I have to marry Vivian.” “Aria, do you get what I’m going through?” Watching this display of supposed devotion, I just felt sick. Wanting to be a player while acting like a saint—that summed Lucas up perfectly. “Lucas.” I gently pushed him away and picked up the document he’d tossed casually on the table. It was a prenuptial property agreement. But not between him and Vivian—between him and me. Titled as a gift, it was really a contract of servitude. The agreement stated that while the condo was in my name, it was fully mortgaged, with Lucas’s company as the lender. If I violated the terms, the condo would be immediately repossessed, and I’d be stuck with massive debt. Even more absurd was a clause at the end: [The female party must unconditionally cooperate with the male party’s technical research and development needs, including but not limited to providing inspiration and organizing data.] So he didn’t just want my body—he wanted my mind too. He’d long suspected that the company’s key technical breakthroughs were connected to me. But he refused to admit that Aria the pig farmer was his technological savior. He’d rather believe it was my “inspiration”—a resource he could exploit whenever he wanted. “Lucas, do you really love me?” I held up the agreement. Lucas’s eyes shifted, then he stepped over and took my hand. “Of course I love you. If I didn’t, why would I give you all this?” “Sign it, Aria. Then we can be together forever.” He pressed a pen into my hand, watching eagerly. In Lucas’s mind, I was like that old sow back in the pigpen. Useful for breeding when alive, good for meat when dead. He wanted to squeeze every last drop of value from me, leaving nothing behind. “Okay, I’ll sign.” I bent my head and scribbled on the agreement. But it wasn’t “Aria.” I drew a little pig. Lucas didn’t look closely. Seeing me put pen to paper, he immediately relaxed, satisfied, and tucked the agreement away. “That’s my girl.” “Get some rest tonight. Wait for my text tomorrow.” He left in a rush, not even staying the night. Probably hurrying back to sweet-talk his fiancée, or eager to lock this “contract of servitude” in his safe. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching his luxury car vanish into the night. I pulled out my phone and called Brain. “Tomorrow at ten in the morning, I’m going to Lucas’s wedding.” Lucas and Vivian’s wedding was at the Peninsula Hotel, the fanciest in the city. I heard they’d flown in dozens of tons of fresh flowers, and the champagne tower was taller than a person. All of River City’s elite showed up. Media cameras lined the entrance. Vivian clung to Lucas’s arm at the door greeting guests, grinning from ear to ear. Truly a match made in heaven—if it weren’t for me. The ceremony time arrived. The emcee on stage passionately told their “love story.” “Mr. Lucas and Miss Vivian met in humble beginnings, childhood sweethearts who grew up together…” Thunderous applause broke out below. Lucas looked at Vivian with deep affection, about to exchange rings. “Wait.”

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It was Daniel Harper’s mother’s fiftieth birthday, and his female assistant, Tiffany, suddenly sent me a picture. The photo showed Daniel’s mother locked in a dog cage, her teeth all pulled out, her mouth bloody. I immediately called Tiffany: “Tiffany, what are you doing?!” Tiffany chuckled coldly. “You have the nerve to ask? Daniel just opened a new restaurant, and your mother immediately shows up to freeload? Are you that desperate?” “Let me tell you, Daniel gave this restaurant to me. If you want to take advantage, this is what happens!” I gasped in disbelief. “Are you insane? That’s Daniel’s mother!” Tiffany sounded completely unfazed. “Daniel said that even though he married you, he never considered your mother his family.” Daniel loved his mother deeply. No wonder Tiffany dared to do this to Daniel’s mother – she thought it was my mother? Tiffany hung up right after saying that. I didn’t dare waste a second and immediately called Daniel. “Daniel, your mom was hurt by Tiffany, you need to go…” “Alright, I know what you’re going to say.” Daniel cut me off, his voice chilling. “I think Tiffany’s lesson was well-deserved.” I froze. “What did you say?” Daniel sighed, sounding exasperated. “Scarlett, we might be married, but your mother needs to learn some basic boundaries. She can’t just keep looking for handouts and trying to scam me.” I started to panic. “You’ve got it all wrong, that’s your…” “Enough!” Daniel snapped impatiently. “So what? I’m not obligated to tolerate her greed.” “She dares to scrounge for food at the restaurant today; tomorrow she’ll show up at my company asking for money.” “Tiffany teaching her a lesson, making her remember, is actually for her own good.” Daniel’s words instantly froze my frantic heart. My mother, though from a rural background, had always been kind and honest her entire life. She’d never taken advantage of anyone and had given everything to Daniel. When Daniel was starting his business and short on funds, my mother didn’t hesitate to give him all the retirement savings she’d accumulated over a lifetime. Knowing he had a sensitive stomach, my mother, no matter how busy, would make time to prepare various stomach-friendly foods and travel a long way to the city to deliver them. Yet, this simple, kind elderly woman who treated him like her own son had become, in Daniel’s eyes, a greedy wretch with no boundaries who deserved to be taught a lesson. My heart ached with desolation, and my voice turned distant. “Daniel, I suggest you go to the restaurant and check on your mother. After all, it wasn’t easy for her to raise you.” Daniel exploded. “Scarlett, are you out of your mind? When did your mother ever raise me?” “No wonder Tiffany couldn’t help but teach your mother a lesson. With a daughter like you, she deserved to be hit!” “Today is my mother’s fiftieth birthday. I’m still preparing her party, I don’t have time for your messy nonsense.” “If you have any conscience at all, stay out of this and let your mother learn her lesson.” With that, Daniel abruptly hung up. A few seconds later, he sent me a text message: “In an hour, my mother’s birthday party will start promptly at the Marriott Hotel. Get dressed and come over. Don’t embarrass me like your mother.” I didn’t say anything more, just silently texted back: “Okay.” Since you, her son, are telling me to mind my own business, then why should I worry?

An hour later, I changed my clothes and arrived at the Marriott Hotel. The entire banquet hall was meticulously decorated, filled with flowers, balloons, and gifts everywhere. It was clear that Daniel truly valued his mother; he had put a lot of thought into her birthday. Daniel’s family, friends, and all the partners of Harper Group were there. Daniel was busy greeting them, occasionally checking his watch and glancing towards the entrance, seemingly waiting for his mother’s arrival. Tiffany, dressed in a delicate dress, was laughing and chatting with Daniel’s sister, Brittany. Seeing me walk into the banquet hall, the two exchanged a look and walked towards me together. Tiffany sneered. “Well, well, isn’t this the good daughter who lets her mother go out scrounging for food?” “Are you planning to pack up some good stuff for your greedy mother to try today?” Brittany looked at me with an expression of disgust. “Scarlett, you’re married to Daniel now. Can you please drop your family’s cheap habits and stop embarrassing the Harper family?” “Anyone who doesn’t know us might think the Harper family is raising a bunch of beggars!” Hearing their chatter, the guests in the room began to speak up with disdain. “When I arrived, I heard someone was freeloading at Cloud Haven Restaurant today. I wondered how anyone could be so shameless these days. Turns out it was Scarlett’s mother!” “I heard her mother was brutally taught a lesson by Assistant Tiffany, and her teeth were all pulled out!” “That kind of person totally deserved it! If she can’t behave herself, fine, but to embarrass the Harper family? Having her teeth pulled is getting off easy.” “Exactly, if she isn’t taught a harsh lesson, what if she goes out and humiliates them again later?” Hearing the mockery from the crowd, Daniel’s face darkened considerably. He walked up to me, looking down with cold disdain. “Scarlett, today is my mother’s fiftieth birthday. If her mood is ruined because of your mother’s ridiculous mess, I swear I won’t let you get away with it – or your clueless mother!” His words were incredibly harsh, and I found them utterly ridiculous. “Daniel, if you truly care about your mother, you should go check on her at the restaurant.” Daniel frowned. “What would I go to the restaurant to see?” “Your mother throwing a tantrum?” “Or seeing her make a fool of herself?” “Scarlett, stop disgusting me with your mother’s affairs!” Brittany lifted her chin, echoing him contemptuously. “Exactly, it’s our mother’s birthday today. Is your mother’s trivial mess really worth Daniel’s time?” “If you ask me, she should be locked in the restaurant and starved for a few days, so she learns what proper behavior is.” “Save her from truly believing that just because you married into the Harper family, your whole family gets to live the good life.” Tiffany looked at me smugly. “Scarlett, I know you care about your mother. Don’t worry, I just taught her a little lesson to make her remember the rules. I didn’t actually do anything to her.” The moment her voice faded, Mr. Harrison, the manager of Cloud Haven Restaurant, rushed into the banquet hall, breathless. “Tiffany, bad news.” “The old lady locked in the dog cage… she’s dead!”

Mr. Harrison’s words instantly sent the entire banquet hall into an uproar. Tiffany herself was frantic, demanding. “What happened?!” Mr. Harrison panted. “We followed your instructions, pulled out her teeth, and locked her in the dog cage, and we didn’t check on her at all.” “Who knew the old lady had a heart condition? Not long after you left, she started clutching her chest, struggling to breathe, and then she was gone.” Hearing this, Tiffany’s body went limp, and she almost collapsed. Daniel quickly caught her, comforting her. “Tiffany, don’t be scared.” “This is just Scarlett’s mother having poor health. It has nothing to do with you.” Brittany also recovered and immediately nodded in agreement. “That’s right, Tiffany, you can’t be blamed for this. Blame that old woman herself for being so frail and still going out to cause trouble.” “If you ask me, she deserved to die. Saves her from embarrassing the Harper family again.” Seeing Daniel and Brittany side with Tiffany, the previously shocked guests quickly chose their stance. “That’s right, people who love to take advantage like that are just parasites on society.” “Assistant Tiffany was doing a good thing. There’s nothing to be afraid of.” “Exactly, who told her to go eat free food first? With her bad heart, she still went out looking for trouble. Wasn’t she just asking for it?” Suddenly, everyone was comforting Tiffany. As if she, the perpetrator, was the one who had suffered, not the poor deceased. Seeing everyone on her side, a flicker of triumph crossed Tiffany’s eyes. But the next second, she shyly glanced at me and spoke weakly to Daniel. “But Daniel, the person who died is Scarlett’s mother after all. What if she comes after me?” Daniel looked at her with tenderness. “Don’t worry, with me here, no one will hurt you.” With that, Daniel immediately instructed someone to draft a waiver of liability and handed it to me. “Scarlett, your mother was in the wrong first. If she died, it’s her own bad luck; you can’t blame Tiffany.” “For the sake of our marriage, I’ll arrange a lavish funeral for your mother.” “But you must sign this waiver, promising to let this matter end here and not cause trouble for Tiffany.” Brittany, arms crossed, spoke condescendingly. “Scarlett, your mother brought this on herself. Don’t even think about framing Tiffany. Be smart and sign the waiver.” The siblings arrogantly commanded me, waiting for me to sign the waiver. But I pushed the waiver back to them, speaking calmly. “If anyone’s signing, it should be you. I’m not qualified.”

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While waiting for my prenatal check-up, a young woman behind me accidentally bumped into me. A faint trickle of blood stained my clothes. I gritted my teeth, clutching my agonizing pregnant belly, ready to call for help. The young woman, Chloe, cried, begging me not to: “My boyfriend is a famous OB-GYN. I promise your baby will be fine! I’ll call him down right away.” She quickly called her boyfriend. I heard him on the phone, his voice laced with concern: “Chloe, I told you I’d pick you up today. Why did you come to the hospital yourself? The first trimester is the most dangerous!” When her boyfriend arrived, I was shocked. Her boyfriend was my husband! When my husband, Daniel Miller, appeared, my stomach pain intensified. But his eyes held no one but Chloe. “Are you okay? Were you scared? Do you feel unwell?” Chloe looked up at him, her voice soft. “I was afraid of causing trouble for you.” Daniel ran a hand through her hair. “Chloe, I fought my way to this position just so you could rely on me. I want to solve all your problems, you know?” His words drained all strength from me. I couldn’t even straighten my arm to prop myself up from the floor. Amidst the gasps of the onlookers, I slid bonelessly to the ground. But when I was pregnant, Daniel was nothing like this. My pregnancy was fragile, and I bled often. I tried to be sweet, asking Daniel to book a VIP check-up for me. But Daniel just stared at me, his face blank. “Ava, you’re an adult. Can you stop causing me trouble every single day?” “I’m a medical associate professor. I have to treat all my patients fairly. If you want a VIP appointment, you’ll have to wait in line like everyone else!” “I’m up for a promotion next year. Do you think a ‘good wife’ would jeopardize that?” “Ava, you used to be so understanding. Why have you become so selfish since getting pregnant?” My heart felt like it had been punched. I stammered out an explanation. “I’m sorry… I just worried something would happen to our baby.” Daniel and I had been married five years. We’d gone through countless treatments, countless tests, and finally conceived this baby through IVF. After I got pregnant, I was careful every single day. But Daniel would say impatiently: “I’m an OB-GYN. I know best if there’s a problem with the baby, Ava. Don’t be so fussy!” It wasn’t until my face turned ghost-white that he finally sighed, softening his tone, trying to reassure me. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to our baby. Don’t you trust me? Come on, don’t cry.” So I swallowed my hurt. Every prenatal check-up, I obediently waited in line for two hours, not even daring to ask Daniel to accompany me, afraid of bothering him at work. But I never imagined he’d be spending that time with another woman! At that moment, someone in the crowd finally noticed me. “This pregnant woman is bleeding! She needs to go to the ER!” Daniel finally turned his head and saw me. He froze for a moment, then rushed over, trying to pull me up. With my last ounce of strength, I slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me!” But the searing pain made me pass out. I drifted in and out of consciousness, hearing Daniel’s frantic voice. “Ava, hold on, I’ll save you. I promise.” “Massive bleeding, high-risk miscarriage. Prep the OR!” The nurse stammered, hesitant. “Dr. Miller, you have an important lecture coming up…” Daniel cut her off. “No one else can save this baby. I have to perform the surgery myself. I’ll take full responsibility for missing the lecture.” My hand fell limp. Thank God. Daniel still cared about our baby. With him, I wouldn’t lose this little life. I don’t know how long passed before I woke up on the operating table.

I’ve always been sensitive to anesthesia. Daniel knew that. He would never let me wake up mid-surgery. A searing pain ripped across my belly. A dark premonition coiled in my gut. I struggled to prop myself up, only to see a stranger’s face. He was making the first incision across my lower abdomen. My eyes widened, and I shrieked. “Who are you?! Why isn’t Daniel performing my surgery?!” “Daniel said he would save my baby, even cancel his lecture for me! Why is it you now? You’re in the wrong place, aren’t you?!” The man was startled that I’d woken up. He quickly explained: “Ms. Miller, I’m Dr. Miller’s colleague, Dr. Evans. Your situation is critical. If we don’t operate now, you might even lose your uterus.” “Before you went into surgery, a patient named Chloe fainted from stress, and Dr. Miller went to stabilize her pregnancy.” “Dr. Miller said her number was before yours. He couldn’t break protocol, even for his wife. But he was very responsible, he said, and specifically called me in to operate on you. I’m the only one who can save your uterus.” But I wanted my baby. I could still feel a heartbeat inside me. My baby hadn’t even seen the world. He’d fought so hard to grow this big, and I hadn’t even had the chance to name him ‘Jumpy’. I refused to let him die like this. I bit down hard, pushed the doctor away, clutching my profusely bleeding stomach. I gritted my teeth against the searing pain, rolling off the bed, stumbling and screaming Daniel’s name at the top of my lungs. “Daniel! Get out here! Please! Save our baby! You promised you’d protect him!” “Daniel, I don’t blame you! Just save our baby, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened, okay? Our baby, the one we waited so long for, he kicked your hand last night, remember? How could you forget?” “Please, don’t be so cruel! Please, I’m begging you, save him!” Strange looks were cast my way, and whispers broke out. “Is this woman crazy? Dr. Miller’s in surgery. She’s yelling for him to come out!” “She looks like Dr. Miller’s wife. But even a wife can’t be that demanding, expecting him to abandon another patient to save her first. How selfish!” But I didn’t care about their scornful words. I just kept wailing, over and over. The relentless blood loss streamed down my thighs, leaving a winding crimson trail everywhere I stumbled. Dr. Evans rushed after me, steadying my swaying body, pleading with me to go back. “Are you trying to kill yourself? It’s just one baby. You can always have another one with Dr. Miller, can’t you?” I gritted my teeth, stubbornly pushing him away. As long as there was one shred of hope for my baby, I wouldn’t give up. Finally, I found Daniel in another operating room. He was performing surgery, his face grim with concentration. My eyes lit up. I threw myself against the glass window, screaming. “Daniel! Our baby’s still alive! He’s still alive! Please, just this once, can you make an exception for me?” “I can’t lose him, Daniel. Please.” My hands were weak, so I pounded my head against the glass, begging him to see me. Daniel’s steady hand suddenly trembled. He slowly looked up, finally seeing me, disheveled and sobbing. I felt his body stiffen for a split second. I ignored it all, desperately pleading with him to choose me for once. But the next second, Chloe on the operating table winced. Daniel’s gaze snapped back to her. His mask shifted. A nurse came out, and without a word, pushed anesthetic into my arm. All strength drained from me. I slumped to the floor. The nurse turned to Dr. Evans, who was still trailing me. “Dr. Miller instructed that she’s sensitive to anesthesia, so use a heavier dose. If the baby can’t be saved, don’t worry about it. Just save her uterus.” “He’s at a critical point in his surgery. If you can’t keep this patient under control and she disturbs Dr. Miller again, he’ll make sure you fail your annual review.”

The OR doors closed again. I lay there, eyes wide open, silently crying, pushed back into the operating room, utterly hopeless. Consciousness blurred the edges of pain as I felt my belly being cut open, the child, my flesh and blood, ripped from my womb. Thrown unceremoniously into a biohazard bin, disappearing from my sight forever. My head reeled. The pain in my lower abdomen spread to my heart, a crushing agony that stole my breath. The stitching was quick. Dr. Evans wiped sweat from his brow. “Your uterus is saved.” “Ms. Miller, please don’t blame Dr. Miller. To him, the patient’s needs always come first.” “He’s never pulled strings for a VIP room before. This time, he insisted the nurses reserve one for his family. Dr. Miller really cares, and as his family, you should support his work.” Dr. Evans rambled on, defending Daniel. My hands pressed against my now-flat stomach, a self-inflicted wound. I gave a cold, humorless laugh. “So, I should thank him?” Dr. Evans awkwardly fell silent, pushing open the VIP room door. “You rest well. Dr. Miller will be by to see you soon…” He didn’t finish. My gaze flickered to the ward. Daniel was holding a sleeping Chloe, carefully wiping a tear from her eye. “I know you’re sensitive, you can’t sleep with any noise. I specifically got this room for you. Don’t worry about anything else. I’ve got you. Our baby will be born healthy.” Noticing the movement at the door, Daniel looked up. His eyes met my ghost-white face. His lips tightened. Dr. Evans quickly pushed me back out, awkwardly apologizing to Daniel. “I’m sorry, Dr. Miller. I heard you’d requested a room for your family, so I brought Ms. Miller here…” Even then, Daniel carefully settled Chloe before finally turning to face me. He even thoughtfully closed the door, so Chloe wouldn’t be disturbed. He rubbed his forehead, dismissed Dr. Evans, then finally looked into my eyes. “Ava, Chloe just got a shock. She needs bed rest to stabilize her pregnancy. One of my children is already gone. I can’t let another one be at risk.” “I know I messed up, Ava… But the most important thing now is for you to recover…” I slapped Daniel across the face. After the peak of grief, a terrifying calm settled over me. “How did you two meet?” Daniel turned his head, closing his eyes as he answered. “She was my junior. Chloe is very sweet. She knew I was married to you, and she didn’t want me to divorce you and break your heart, so she was willing to be with me without any title.” “She knew you were pregnant and always encouraged me to go home and take care of you. She even insisted I not accompany her to her appointments.” “Chloe has been through enough. Take your anger out on me. This has nothing to do with her.” Ha. I started to laugh, a bitter, broken sound, tears streaming down my face. So he’d already considered divorcing me, and the only reason our marriage lasted was Chloe’s pity. Daniel’s blatant defense of her was the sharpest thorn, tearing me to shreds from the inside out. I lunged at Daniel, scratching and biting him like a madwoman, yelling curses. “Daniel, I hope you rot in hell! I want you to pay for Jumpy’s life!” Daniel stepped forward, clapped a hand over my mouth, and then, impossibly, injected me with a sedative. “Ava, I’ll compensate you. But the hospital can’t know about this. I still have that promotion, remember?” “Hospital beds are tight. I already pulled strings for one room. I can’t ask for another. Just for my sake, please endure the extra bed in the hallway.”

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I was pinned against the hockey rink locker room wall by Alpha Jace, making out passionately. After it was over, I got dressed and was about to leave when I overheard his friends mocking me. “She was moaning so loud the whole rink could hear! More shameless than a prostitute!” “Are you really going to marry an Omega?” Jace shrugged. “Mira is just a sex toy. The one I’m really going to mark is Helena. Only she’s worthy of bearing my heir.” My face went pale. So that was why Jace had never marked me in all our three year. I was his mate, but the one he loved was my own sister, Helena. The next day, I left the Ravencrest pack. When I met Jace again, the Alpha King was kissing me wildly against his office desk. Jace stood outside the door waiting for the Alpha King’s summons. The Alpha King deliberately asked me. “Mira, who satisfies you better-me or Jace?” I moaned and hooked my arms around the Alpha King’s neck. “Who’s Jace? Oh right, I remember you have a dog named Jace too.”

Jace was the Alpha of Ravencrest pack. When I turned 18, I discovered I was his mate. He despised my Omega bloodline, yet was obsessed with my body. He loved the thrill, always pulling me into sex on horseback, in the forest, even at cliff edges. I thought this was love. That is, until today. After he claimed me in the locker room at the rink, I finally asked him. “Jace, when will you mark me?” Jace gently helped me get dressed. “Soon!” Then he left. But as I was about to leave the locker room, I heard Jace’s men laughing. “Who knew that Omega was more shameless than a prostitute!” Jace laughed. “But cleaner than a prostitute!” Someone asked. “Alpha Jace, are you really going to mark her? I still can’t accept having an Omega as our Luna.” Jace said. “No choice-she’s my mate. If I break the mate bond with her, my power will weaken.” Then Jace paused before continuing. “But don’t worry, I won’t mark her, and I definitely won’t let her bear my heir! Only Helena is worthy of bearing my heir!” A sharp pain pierced my heart. I should have known. Who wouldn’t love the radiant Helena? But Jace… if you never loved me, why lie? My face pale, I left the rink alone and went home. I was the illegitimate daughter of Ravencrest pack’s Beta. My mother was a lowly Omega nurse. Twenty-two years ago, my father was injured in battle, and my mother took care of him. Because my mother was beautiful, my father forced himself on her. My mother got pregnant and gave birth to me. But afterward, my father claimed my mother had seduced him on purpose. When I was ten, my father’s wife beat my mother to death out of jealous hatred. Father brought me home, but I was treated worse than a servant. I once thought Jace was my salvation, that he could take me away from this hellhole. But I never imagined he was just pushing me into another abyss. I remembered the first time Jace returned victorious from fighting Rogues. He turned his head in the crowd to look at me and winked. I had just turned 18. I caught the unique scent of cedar in the air-Jace’s scent. In that moment, I knew he was my mate. That night, he secretly climbed through my window and took me to the forest. Under a pine tree, he claimed me like a crazed beast. It was my first time. It wasn’t as beautiful as I’d imagined. I only felt pain, blood flowing endlessly between my legs. But Jace comforted me. “I didn’t expect you to be a virgin! I’m sorry, I should have been gentler. But you’ll get used to it, and you’ll even enjoy it!” I lowered my head shyly. After climbing off me, Jace got dressed and said. “With Rogues running wild at the border right now, I can’t announce our relationship yet. I’m afraid you’ll be in danger.” He kissed my forehead. In that moment, I was grateful to the Moon Goddess. But now…

I returned home alone, dejected. Helena was trying on a sharp hunting outfit. She was preparing for our pack’s hunting festival tomorrow. The next morning at the hunting festival, Helena mocked me when we met. “Does an Omega even have the right to participate in the hunting festival? Or are you here to play the prey?” The werewolves present all laughed. Jace, the host, didn’t stand up for me. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. But I thought, if I could just win the championship at this hunting festival, maybe Jace would see me differently. I wasn’t inferior to Helena! After the hunting competition officially began, when I was chasing a deer, Helena deliberately rushed ahead. She wanted to steal my achievement. I snapped at her. “I spotted this deer first!” She raised an eyebrow. “So what? I can steal your man, so of course I can steal your deer! This is fair competition! Lowly Omega!” As we argued, a tremendous roar came from the mountaintop. I looked up to see mud and rocks thundering down like a giant beast. A mudslide! Helena immediately pushed me down and fled in panic. My foot twisted, but I used every ounce of strength to escape toward safety. The sky gradually darkened. Then I heard a car horn behind me. It was Jace’s car! A faint hope rose in my heart. Jace did care about me after all! But the car just drove past me, splashing mud all over me, then stopped ahead of me. Then I saw Helena standing not far in front of me. The moment Jace stepped out of the car, Helena rushed over and threw her arms around him. “Jace, you have no idea how dangerous that mudslide was! If I hadn’t warned Mira in time, we both would’ve been buried at the bottom of the mountain!” What the fuck? How could this woman be so shameless?! I rushed over and shouted at Helena. “You just tried to kill me! You-” But before I could finish, Jace frowned and looked at me like I was garbage. “Mira! Helena saved you, and you’re accusing her?!” “I’m telling the truth!” But Jace clearly had no interest in hearing my defense. He glanced at the wound on Helena’s calf and said to her. “You’re injured. Let me carry you to the car.” Helena looked at me with contempt, then deliberately pushed Jace away. “Mira will be upset. You should take her home first. After all, she’s your mate!” Jace coughed awkwardly, then gathered his courage to say to Helena. “Helena, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you. Even though Mira is my mate, the one I truly love is only you. Don’t worry, I won’t mark her.” Helena leaned into Jace’s embrace. “I love you too! Alpha Jace!” I clenched my fists. Three years ago, Helena didn’t even love Jace. Three years ago, Jace wasn’t yet the Alpha of Ravencrest Pack-he was just one of the heirs. Helena had said disdainfully to her mother. “Jace isn’t tall enough, and he’s crude. I would never like him. I like men like the Alpha King-tall, handsome, noble, and elegant.” But now Jace had become Alpha, while the Alpha King was a man she couldn’t even get close to. So Helena had started seducing Jace instead. I watched as Jace carried Helena to the car. As he closed the window, she looked back at me with a triumphant smile. Then through the receding rear window, I saw Helena straddle Jace. A piercing pain struck. I fell to my knees. When a werewolf cheats, their mate suffers tremendous physical pain. I was a weak Omega. This pain was potentially fatal for me. By the time I limped home, it was already late at night. Soaked and freezing, I went to the bathroom for a hot shower. When I came out, I saw Jace sitting on my bed. “Mira.” I stood still, looking at Jace coldly. He got up, walked over, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lowered his head to kiss me. I turned my face away to dodge. “Don’t touch me.” Jace’s body stiffened. He was confused. “Are you angry? Mira, I know you’re the most understanding. Helena is a powerful Beta warrior. I just need to have a strong heir with her. But you’re my mate, the future Luna of Ravencrest Pack.” I used all my strength to push Jace away. But he continued to explain. “What I said to Helena this afternoon-I was just humoring her.” I couldn’t hold back my tears. “Jace, you don’t need to lie to me anymore. You just see me as a sex toy, don’t you?” Jace lifted my chin with some pity, kissing away the tears on my face bit by bit. “Mira, stop crying. We’ve been together for three years. Don’t you understand my feelings for you?” His hand moved down suggestively. My wavering heart suddenly cleared. The man before me just saw me as a tool for venting his desires. I closed my eyes, covered my chest, and turned my face away, refusing to let him kiss my lips. Jace panicked a little. He’d never seen me act so cold toward him. He said in a low, humble voice. “Mira, after I mark Helena and have a child with her, I’ll definitely hold a grand wedding for you. I’ll make you the Luna of our pack!” I smiled bitterly. “Jace, I never wanted the title of Luna!” Jace gritted his teeth, as if making a huge concession. “How about this-in the future, I can let you raise the child Helena and I have.”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe he could make such an absurd request. Let me raise their child? And he actually thought this was a favor to me? I pushed him away and said wearily. “Get out! I’m tired.” Jace grabbed my hand, looking impatient. “Mira, don’t forget-you’re just an Omega!” I shook him off, raising my voice a little. “When you claimed me, why didn’t you despise me for being an Omega? You could have just rejected me! But you were afraid your power would weaken! You’re a coward!” My words stung Jace. He already had a bad temper. He grabbed my throat and said. “Mira, looks like I’ve spoiled you too much!” I said viciously. “Reject me right now!” Jace laughed coldly. “Mira, you’re just an Omega I’ve used up. As long as I don’t reject you, who else could you marry? I’m proposing to Helena tomorrow!” With that, he slammed the door and left. I finally collapsed on the bed and cried all night. At first light the next day, I heard commotion outside. “Helena! Come out quick! Alpha Jace is here to propose!” I secretly pulled back the curtain and looked out. I saw Jace in an expensive suit, standing in the garden, full of confidence. I stood by the window, lost and disoriented. I couldn’t believe he was really going to propose to Helena. Then I heard Helena talking with a maid in the hallway outside my door. The maid sounded worried. “Miss Helena, since you’ve agreed to Jace’s proposal, after the Alpha King comes to our pack tomorrow, should we still drug him?” Helena said leisurely. “Drug him? Of course we’ll drug him. If I can spend a night with the Alpha King, maybe I’ll have a chance to become the Luna Queen. I heard that after the Alpha King’s mate died, he still hasn’t found a second chance mate.” The maid hesitated. “But if the Alpha King really falls for you, how do we explain it to Alpha Jace?” Helena snorted. “Then let Mira marry Jace! Anyway, since childhood, Mira has only been fit to pick up my leftovers, hasn’t she?” The maid flattered her. “Miss Helena, you’re so clever. Not only can you keep Alpha Jace fascinated, but you’ll soon win the Alpha King’s favor too.” After they left, my heart was racing. Alpha King Mason-the man who made every female werewolf swoon.

I looked at my young, beautiful face in the mirror. A bold idea formed in my mind. Since Jace believed that as long as he didn’t reject me, no other man would dare marry me, why shouldn’t I try to find Alpha King Mason? I had once attended a banquet hosted by the Alpha King with my father and caught a glimpse of him from afar. He had lake-green eyes and curly golden hair. They said his wolf also had golden fur and was twice the size of a normal wolf. The next day, I watched Helena’s car leave the estate and quietly followed. I was still thinking about how to intercept Helena when, unexpectedly, Jace stopped Helena’s car up ahead. He said to Helena. “Helena, there’s a hockey game this afternoon. Want to go watch?” Helena hesitated, but Jace pulled her away. Meanwhile, I quickly found out which five-star hotel Mason was staying at. Then, finding the right moment, I slipped into Mason’s room. And so, under the influence of an aphrodisiac, Mason claimed me wildly. When he gradually regained clarity, he cupped my face in the moonlight and asked. “Little wolf, how did you slip into my room? And you even drugged me?” I knelt on the bed, frightened, looking at Mason pitifully. “It was my sister Helena. She bribed one of your servants to put drugs in your wine. But today she went to a hockey game with her fiancé, Alpha Jace. So I…” “So you took her place and slipped into my room? Do you know I could have you executed at any moment?” I trembled like a frightened cat. “I know I shouldn’t have done this. I just admire you so much… If you want to kill me, I have no regrets.” Mason suddenly laughed, then lifted my chin. “Mira, I was deliberately scaring you just now. You finally thought to come find me.” Wait, how did he know my name? Probably seeing my confusion, Mason smiled and reminded me. “Three years ago, you saved me in the mountains when I was poisoned by wolfsbane. Later I went to find you, but I learned from Alpha Jace that you were already his mate. So I didn’t disturb you again.” Then I suddenly remembered. Three years ago in winter, I shifted for the first time and was running alone in the mountains. Then I saw a man covered in blood, lying in the snow. I realized he’d been poisoned by wolfsbane. When I was young, I grew up in the mountains with my mother. She taught me a lot about medicinal herbs. So I found some herbs in the mountains that could suppress wolfsbane poison and applied them to the man. When he woke up, I realized that because I’d shifted, all my clothes were destroyed and I was naked. So before talking to him, I ran away in embarrassment. I heard him ask my name from behind me, and I answered. “Mira, my name is Mira!” At the time, I had no idea that injured werewolf was the Alpha King, because he was so weak then. I never imagined he would still remember me! I looked at Mason in shock. Fate was so coincidental. Mason pulled me into his embrace, then kneaded my breasts. Seeing me blush, he asked with a smile. “What? You were so forward just now. Why are you shy now?” I smiled and playfully punched his chest with my fist. The next day, Mason brought me back to his estate. Although he hadn’t officially marked me yet or held a wedding ceremony, all the servants in his estate knew I held a special position. A few days later, as I brought Mason his coffee, he suddenly pressed me against his office desk. His hand slipped under my skirt as he asked,”Mira, who do you think satisfies you better, me or Jace?” There was jealousy in his words. I was about to answer when I heard Jace outside the door. “Alpha King, I have something to discuss with you.” My eyes grew unfocused. Seeing this, Mason slid his fingers into my panties and asked louder, “Why aren’t you answering, Mira?” Hearing my name, Jace suddenly looked up and pushed the ajar door open.

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He divorced me. After seven years of marriage, our relationship seemed unbreakable. Nathan and I rarely even argued. Until the clerk told me, “Your husband got married again. And it’s not to you.” Diana POV Our Samoyed destroyed our marriage certificate. I went to the county records office for a replacement, only to be told coldly that I could not obtain one. “Divorced?” When did Nathan and I get divorced? We had been married for seven stable years. He was a partner at a top law firm, and I was the perfect wife supporting him from behind. How could we possibly be divorced? It was absurd. I argued my case, insisting there must be a mistake in the system. The clerk sighed with a hint of pity, drawing me aside and lowering her voice. “Ms. Diana, our records are definitive. They show your marriage was dissolved. Your ex-husband has since remarried. The name listed as his spouse…is no longer yours.” The words hit me like a physical blow. For a moment, I questioned my own hearing. “It appears you were divorced without your knowledge. What does your ex-husband do, to have that kind of…reach?” Nathan was a famous top lawyer, invincible in this country’s legal world. Countless wealthy people wanted to hire him for cases. Even having money didn’t guarantee you could engage his services. He was a VIP to billionaires. Just then, my phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated a few times. The message was from Juliet, the heiress of the ‌Lloyd‌ Group. For some reason, she’d recently added me on social media out of the blue. Nathan served as the ‌Lloyd‌ Group’s legal counsel, so to avoid being rude, I’d accepted the friend request. After exchanging polite greetings, we hadn’t chatted again. Confused, I opened the message thread. “Want to know what Nathan’s been doing these past few days on his business trip?” “Come to this place tomorrow night, and you’ll get a surprise you never expected.” She’d sent a location pin for a coastal city. Five days ago, Nathan had said he’d taken on a case out of town and needed to travel for about a week. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. Juliet’s cryptic message suddenly stirred a strong sense of unease in my heart. That evening, I booked a flight. Flying to the coastal city, I took a taxi to the address from the location pin. Standing under a dimly lit palm tree, I saw an extremely romantic beach wedding taking place in the distance. The groom on stage wearing a custom-tailored suit and the bride in a pristine white wedding dress were unmistakably Nathan and Juliet. The officiant held the microphone and asked, “Do you, Miss Juliet, take Mr. Nathan to be your husband, for richer or poorer?” Juliet blushed shyly and answered, “I do.” The question was repeated for the groom. After the vows, Nathan’s gaze rested on her, full of tender certainty. “I do.” Applause and cheers immediately erupted from below the stage, mixed with various envious whistles. Not many people had come to this wedding, but they were all Nathan’s closest friends, along with some wealthy and powerful people I didn’t recognize. Like being struck over the head, my mind exploded with a buzzing sound. I really had been divorced, and Nathan really had remarried another woman. They were holding a wedding, and I was the last to know. How absurd! Trembling, I picked up my phone and video-called Nathan. Seeing the incoming call, Nathan said something quietly to Juliet, then walked aside. He declined the video call and sent a text message instead. “What’s wrong, honey?” Looking at this term of endearment that once made me feel sweet, my heart felt torn, my fingers trembling too much to type. I took a deep breath and quickly typed: “Where are you?” “On a business trip out of town, didn’t I tell you?” “I want to video call.” “Hmm? Suddenly checking up on me?” “Yes.” Nathan replied: “I’m discussing a case with a client right now. It’s not very convenient. Let me video call you back when I get to the hotel.” His tone brooked no argument. “What if I want to video call you right now?” “Honey, you’re always so good. I’m working right now. Wait until I finish work, okay?” I stared at that last message, then looked up at the man in the white suit on the beach, pulling my lips into a smile. I smiled until my eyes turned red, tears blurring my vision. My entire heart felt like it had been viciously torn in half by a savage beast. The pain was bloody and raw, making it almost impossible to breathe, like I was dying. I hid in the restroom of a nearby hotel to calm my emotions. From outside the stall, I heard the voices of several men. “Nathan, how did you manage to divorce Diana without her knowing?” Another voice answered first. “You guys wouldn’t know this, but for a major international case these past two years, Nathan’s been traveling abroad frequently.” “He submitted false proof that he and Diana had been separated for two years and filed for divorce litigation.” “Then he tampered with her contact information and address to block the court summons, did some maneuvering, and the default judgment came through.” Nathan was a legal ace. As long as he wanted, he could completely argue that black was white. “No wonder everyone says you should never cross Nathan. If you want to play games, you really can destroy people.” Nathan’s voice came through faintly, accompanied by the sound of running water. “It’s just a little trick.” “But what if Diana finds out? You two were childhood friends for so many years, together since high school…” Nathan’s voice suddenly turned ice cold. “Diana is the person I love most. I can never lose her.” “So she’d better never find out.” The other two men laughed in agreement. “Don’t worry, we know what to say and what not to say.” After all, none of them wanted to offend someone so well-versed in the law. After I heard Nathan turn off the faucet and leave with the others, I finally opened the stall door and walked out. In the mirror, my face was completely bloodless, my eyes red and swollen. He’d already married Juliet, yet still wanted to keep me deceived like a fool in the name of love. My heart, shattered overnight, ached as if bleeding. It made me, who until recently had been immersed in a happy marriage, feel like I’d had an absurd nightmare. Since he said he could never lose me. Then I’d make sure he lost me forever.

Diana POV After returning home, I did two things. First, I reviewed all assets under my name. To my relief, my parents’ trust fund and inheritance remained intact, and the balance in my personal account was untouched. Nathan was immensely wealthy. After our marriage, he couldn’t stand the thought of me working, so he insisted I become a full-time homemaker. A generous monthly allowance was deposited directly into my account. But I only liked spending money on him. In the walk-in closet, all his suits, ties, luxury watches, even his shoes-I’d carefully selected and bought them all. Beyond that, I’d barely touched that cash. Over the years, it had accumulated into quite a substantial sum. Then I applied for an overseas visa and a new passport. “Ma’am, your visa procedures will be completed within fifteen business days. Please watch for our phone notification.” “Okay, thank you.” Since Nathan had personally manipulated legal loopholes to sever our marital relationship, once I went abroad, I’d have a way to make sure he could never find me again. Just half a month more, and we’d have nothing to do with each other. The night Nathan returned, I’d already gone to bed. He quietly got into bed and, as usual, reached out to pull me into his arms, gently kissing my forehead. “Honey, I’m back.” His honeymoon with Juliet was over, and he’d finally deigned to come home? My heart stung with sarcasm as I pushed his hand away. I sat up and moved back, creating distance between us, pretending to rub my eyes sleepily. “Did the case go smoothly this time?” “Pretty smooth. I just need to follow up locally from now on.” Watching him lie so effortlessly without changing expression, I hadn’t expected his acting skills to be this good. Nathan reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, looking at me in the bright light. “What’s been going on with you these past couple days? You haven’t replied to messages or answered calls.” Since he’d refused my video call request on the beach, I’d ignored all his calls and messages. Nathan thought I was throwing a tantrum about it. “Are you angry?” I forced a smile. “No, you’re busy with work. I didn’t want to disturb you.” To Nathan’s ears, this only confirmed I was sulking about that incident. He reached out and pulled me into his arms, kissing my cheek. “It’s my fault. I promise from now on, I’ll put you first in everything. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?” He coaxed softly, burying his face in the curve of my neck, breathing in the scent of my body wash. “I haven’t seen you in over a week. I missed you so much. Did you miss me?” As he tried to kiss me, my gaze inadvertently swept over his bare ring finger. Startled, I instinctively asked, “Where’s our wedding ring?” Only then did Nathan notice something was missing from his hand. A flash of panic crossed his eyes before he explained seamlessly: “I had some business entertainment before. I was afraid I’d lose the ring if I drank too much, so I took it off and had my assistant keep it safe. I’ll get it back from my assistant tomorrow.” My heart ached with cold disappointment. “But before, you never took off our ring.” Nathan’s heart panicked slightly. Just as he was about to change the subject through a kiss, his phone rang. Seeing the message content, he frowned and said to me: “The law firm has an emergency case. I need to go handle it.” “I probably won’t be back tonight. Get some rest early.” He grabbed his coat and left quickly. I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. I’d seen who messaged him-it was clearly Juliet. Soon, my phone also received a message. “Ms. Diana, I heard that when you and Nathan got married, you just registered at the government office without a wedding ceremony, right?” “Such a happy moment, and you never got to experience it. What a shame.” She immediately sent several photos from the beach wedding. In the photos, Nathan looked gentlemanly and elegant, standing with Juliet in her luxury brand wedding dress-they looked perfectly matched. I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white. In his youth, Nathan’s billionaire father had an affair. Not only did he have the mistress bear a child, but he also drove Nathan’s mother, who suffered from severe depression, to her death. Nathan was subsequently expelled from the family home and left homeless. When no relative was willing to take him in, it was my father who found him unconscious from hunger and cold in the dead of winter and, unable to bear it, brought him back to our home. From the time I was twelve, Nathan and I had lived under the same roof. We were high school sweethearts, and we registered our marriage after college graduation. When we married, I’d fantasized about having a wedding, but he said he wanted to wait until he had fame and confidence before giving me the grandest wedding. I knew he hated his father and was determined to take revenge on the family that abandoned him. So I didn’t insist on having a wedding. Later, he got his wish. He collected evidence and used legal means to drag that cold-blooded family into the abyss, successfully sending his father to prison. He became famous in one battle, becoming a sought-after top lawyer. He finally achieved success and fame, gained confidence and status, but never mentioned that promised wedding again. The wedding Nathan never gave me, he’d now given to another woman. Seeing my long silence, Juliet sent another image. It was a dazzlingly brilliant diamond necklace. “Isn’t this necklace beautiful? Nathan just took me to an auction and, to make me happy, bought it without even looking at the price.” “Did he ever go to such lengths to make you happy before?” “Oh, by the way, I threw your old rings in a roadside trash can at the beach. Even if Nathan wanted to find them, he couldn’t.” “They’re things from the past anyway. Not important anymore, right?”

Diana POV Juliet’s provocations cut my heart like knives, anger surging through my veins, but I didn’t want to reply with a single word. More than that, I wanted to know when Nathan had started his affair. I clicked on Juliet’s social media profile. Of her posts, eight out of ten subtly showed off their relationship, with Nathan undoubtedly the protagonist. One image showed a man’s slender fingers with the caption: “These hands don’t just flip through documents in court-today they peeled shrimp for me.” Another showed the shadows of a man and woman on the ground: “He says he doesn’t love me, but when he heard I was going on a date, wasn’t he the first one here?” There was even one of a man’s back as he worked by a floor-to-ceiling window: “Men really are most attractive when they’re working.” Although none showed a clear face, how could I, so familiar with Nathan, not recognize him? I forced my trembling fingers to continue scrolling through the history. I discovered that as early as two years ago, when Nathan went abroad for that sensational international case, Juliet had flown there to see him. I hadn’t imagined they’d been secretly together for so long. Nathan had witnessed his father’s betrayal and his mother’s tragedy. He used to be the person most deeply disgusted by marital infidelity. So I never doubted him in this regard, not wanting to touch his wounds. How could I have thought that this unconditional trust would blind me for over two years? A chill spread from inside out, as if I were in an ice cellar. Nathan, weren’t you the person who most hated betrayal? The next afternoon, Nathan came home. He entered the villa, closely followed by Juliet in a high-end tailored suit. Juliet extended her hand graciously. “Ms. Diana, hello.” I froze completely, watching this absurd scene. Nathan pulled me into the kitchen and explained in a low voice: “Juliet is the heiress of the ‌Lloyd‌ Group and an important client of mine. I ran into her at the office today.” “She heard you decorated our home with great taste and insisted on visiting. I couldn’t refuse.” Looking at his handsome yet hypocritical face, I gradually shifted from shock to a deathly calm. I said nothing. My gaze just fell on his still-bare ring finger as I asked knowingly: “So, did you find the ring?” Nathan’s expression flickered with unnaturalness. “My assistant has been too busy these days and accidentally forgot which safe he put it in. I’ve asked him to check again.” I nodded, not exposing his lie. Inwardly, I sneered-he’d never find it again in his lifetime. “Diana…” He’d just started to speak when suddenly the frantic barking of our Samoyed came from the living room, followed by Juliet’s scream. “Help!” “Woof woof!” “Get away! I don’t like dogs! Nathan, save me!” Hearing the commotion, I was about to step forward when the man in front of me changed expression drastically and rushed out first. In the living room, the pure white Samoyed was barking frantically at Juliet. Juliet had fallen to the ground, desperately hitting it with her limited-edition handbag. “You beast, get away!” Seeing this, Nathan rushed over and kicked the Samoyed hard, then crouched down to shield Juliet in his arms. “It’s okay now, it’s okay.” Juliet looked pale with fright, sobbing as she nestled in his embrace. “Nathan, I’m so scared. Was that beast trying to bite me…” “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. It can’t hurt you.” Following behind, I saw this scene, then looked at Cotton Ball rolling away several times, whimpering pitifully. My mind went blank. Cotton Ball was usually so gentle-why would it suddenly bark at Juliet?

Diana POV Juliet was taken by Nathan to a private hospital. After examining her, the doctor said: “From the shock, the fetus in Ms. Juliet’s belly is a bit unstable. She needs good rest and recuperation, and absolutely cannot be stimulated again.” Hearing this, I looked up sharply. “Fetus?” Juliet lay in the hospital bed, weakly but triumphantly smiling. “Ms. Diana probably doesn’t know yet-I’m pregnant. Over two months.” Over two months… Whose child this was needed no explanation. My gaze, full of brokenness, suddenly turned to Nathan with his back to me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see his expression at that moment. No wonder he’d quietly held a wedding with Juliet-she was carrying his child. I felt utterly frozen, feeling this world was absurd to the extreme. Juliet looked at him grievously. “Nathan, that dog was so vicious. What if it scared me into a miscarriage?” Nathan’s jawline tightened, his voice low and cold: “I’ve already had someone go home to deal with that dog. It won’t appear again.” I looked at him in shock. “What did you say? You’re taking Cotton Ball away?” Taking in my horrified expression, Juliet’s lips curved slightly before she said to Nathan: “Never mind. After all, it’s Ms. Diana’s pet.” “A beast that doesn’t understand people has no reason to remain.” His cold, ruthless words entered my ears. My heart trembled violently as I rushed forward and grabbed his arm: “I won’t let you touch it! Call them right now and tell them to stop!” Nathan’s face darkened. “I’ve already decided on this, Diana. Whether for Juliet’s sake or for safety, that dog cannot stay.” His face was cold, his attitude allowing no discussion. Realizing he was determined to get rid of Cotton Ball, I couldn’t care about anything else anymore. I turned and ran out of the hospital room. Nathan chased after me and grabbed my arm firmly. “Diana! It’s already shown aggression. It’s not suitable to keep at home.” My eyes reddened as I glared at him. “Let go of me! I won’t let you touch Cotton Ball!” Over these years, he’d been busy with law firm business. In that empty mansion, most of the time it was Cotton Ball keeping me company. It wasn’t just a pet-it was my family. Nathan frowned coldly. “It’s just an animal. If it dares to be vicious to people today, it’ll dare to hurt people next time. Keeping it around is a hazard. I’m worried it’ll eventually hurt you.” My heart broke as I sneered sarcastically. “Are you worried it’ll hurt me, or do you want to vent Juliet’s anger?” “Diana, she is, after all, the heiress of the ‌Lloyd‌ Group, and she’s pregnant…” “Is it a dog’s fault that Juliet got frightened? Since she’s pregnant, you shouldn’t have brought her to our home without permission!” His thin lips moved slightly, wanting to refute something. I shouted angrily and disappointedly, “Nathan, don’t forget why you gave me that dog in the first place!” Nathan’s body stiffened, his eyes frozen. “Juliet is pregnant, but I may never be able to have children again! Cotton Ball was the companion you sent to me. You said it would be our child from then on!” Once, he’d been maliciously retaliated against by a losing party, causing our car to have a serious accident. That accident made me lose the five-month-old baby in my belly. The doctor said I’d injured my uterus, and my chances of getting pregnant again in the future were extremely low. Seeing me cry all day after losing the child, Nathan brought back this Samoyed to comfort my grief. Cotton Ball had been by my side for so long. Aside from being a bit mischievous, it never hurt anyone. I shook off his hand and rushed home from the hospital. As soon as I reached the door, I saw two strange men carrying a canvas bag containing something heavy out of the villa, throwing it into a dirty cargo van, then driving away.

Diana POV Instinct told me the canvas bag contained Cotton Ball. Like a madwoman, I floored the accelerator, chasing that cargo van all the way. Finally, at the suburban waste disposal site, the cargo van stopped. The two men dragged the heavy object from the canvas bag and threw it into the landfill like garbage. They clapped their hands and spat at the garbage heap. “That beast was pretty tough. With such a large dose of poison, it took until now to stop moving.” As they turned around, I rushed out of the car and lunged at them. “Where’s Cotton Ball? What did you do to my dog!” One of them raised an eyebrow, looking completely indifferent. “You mean that dog? It’s dead!” “What did you say?” My heart seemed to stop suddenly. He pointed to the nearby garbage heap. “There, over there.” My gaze froze, looking at the canvas bag ruthlessly thrown in the garbage pile. My eyes instantly reddened. Like a madwoman, I punched and kicked the two large men. “Who gave you permission to do this! Give Cotton Ball back to me!” The other man impatiently pushed me away. My feet became unsteady and I fell to the ground, my palm pressing on sharp stones, instantly sending severe pain through my palm. “That beast frightened Ms. Juliet. Killing it directly was letting it off easy.” “We’re following the boss’s orders. Crazy woman, don’t cause trouble.” With a cold laugh and curse, they drove the van away. Ignoring the blood seeping from my palm, I stumbled to my feet, rushed into the garbage pile, and threw myself at that sack. With trembling hands, I untied the sack. The Samoyed inside had already been fed deadly poison, foaming at the mouth, its body stiff and cold. Seeing this little companion who’d been with me day and night become like this, my heart felt like it had been stabbed viciously. Heart-wrenching and desperate pain swept through my entire body. Holding its already cold body, I broke down crying in the foul-smelling garbage dump. How I carried Cotton Ball away from that place, I couldn’t remember anymore. I didn’t want to leave it in that cold garbage heap. I took it to be cremated and put its ashes in a small jar. After handling all this, the gray sky began drizzling cold rain. I returned home in a daze, completely numb. My hair and clothes were soaked by the rain, but I didn’t feel cold, because my heart was colder. When Nathan came home and saw me like this, I seemed not to hear anything he said. He sighed helplessly. “It’s just a dog.” “I did have someone take it away, but since you’re this sad… I’ll buy you another one with better bloodlines that’s more obedient. How about that?” I sat on the sofa like a sculpture, not wanting to respond to him with a single word. Seeing my silent, deathly appearance, Nathan’s eyes flickered with an unprecedented panic. “I didn’t realize that dog was so important to you.” He spoke more and more gently. “Diana, please don’t be like this. You’re really scaring me.” But I still had no reaction, not even giving him a glance. Perhaps experiencing such cold treatment from me for the first time, Nathan’s expression gradually became uncomfortable. He never noticed that in my hand, I was tightly gripping a cold urn of ashes. Two days later, unable to cheer me up, Nathan booked my usual favorite upscale French restaurant as an apology. However, when he half-coaxed, half-forced me into the restaurant, I saw Juliet sitting in the best window seat. Juliet waved at us with a smile. “Nathan, over here.” My steps stopped abruptly. Nathan noticed and explained softly in my ear: “Cotton Ball being sent away made you so sad. Juliet feels very guilty about it and wants to have dinner with you to apologize.” I looked coldly at this extremely hypocritical man before me. Afraid I’d turn and leave, Nathan held my shoulders with both hands and forcibly brought me to the table to sit down. Then, exquisite signature dishes were brought to the table one after another. Before all the dishes had arrived, Nathan’s phone suddenly rang. It was a work call, so he took his phone and walked to the terrace to answer it. At this moment, Juliet curved her red-painted lips. “Ms. Diana, I’m so sorry for making you lose such an important pet.” I didn’t want to acknowledge her, lowering my head to cut the meat on my plate. But I heard Juliet lower her voice, full of triumph. “I heard from my people that the dog had quite strong vitality. They poured a whole bottle of poison into it, yet it somehow held on for over ten minutes before dying.”

Diana POV Hearing this, the knife and fork in my hand suddenly stopped, metal scraping across the porcelain plate with a jarring sound. “You had someone poison Cotton Ball to death?” Juliet sipped her wine, her smile dismissive. “You can only blame yourself. I gave you countless hints, yet you still refused to leave Nathan’s side.” “That dog was my lesson to you. Occupying a position that doesn’t belong to you-this is the consequence.” “Juliet!” Anger instantly surged to my head. I stood up abruptly and raised my hand to slap this vicious woman. However, my wrist was seized firmly in mid-air. Nathan had returned at some point and said angrily in a deep voice, “Diana, what do you think you’re doing!” His grip was extremely strong, crushing my wrist bones painfully, tears nearly falling. I opened my mouth to explain, but before I could speak, Juliet had already changed her expression. She bit her lower lip grievously, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t blame Ms. Diana. She’s sad and upset about that pet. It’s normal for her to take it out on me.” “It’s just a dog. Diana, must you resort to violence over an animal?” It’s just a dog. That was the phrase Nathan had repeated most often these past few days. Hearing it from her now was a fresh, grating wound. Nathan’s voice turned stern. “Juliet, as the Lloyd Group heir, has lowered herself to apologize to you personally. Must you keep bullying her?” Looking at his face full of anger, hearing his words of reproach, I felt utterly absurd.I remember the man’s rough hand, Nathan always spoke softly to me from our youth through our marriage. He never even raised his voice. Whenever I threw a little tantrum before, he was always full of patience, gently and indulgently coaxing me. He often said, “My Diana is the gentlest, kindest person in this world. If you’re unhappy, it must be my fault.” The man who once felt heartache even when I frowned was now accusing me of going too far-all for another woman who killed my pet. Nathan forcefully pushed me back into my seat. “Diana, stop making a scene. Don’t act like a shrew.” Disappointment completely filled my heart. I chose silence without a word. Juliet said softly, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Nathan, didn’t you say you wanted to make Diana happy and specially prepared a surprise for her?” Nathan’s expression eased slightly as he clapped his hands. Soon, my favorite renowned violinist appeared in the restaurant. After a simple greeting, melodious violin music began to play. Watching Nathan and Juliet listen enraptured, as if they were the perfect couple, I felt no interest whatsoever-even nausea. Midway through, I got up to go to the restroom. “Fire! Get out quickly!” Suddenly, chaos and piercing fire alarm sounds came from outside. My expression changed drastically as I rushed out of the restroom. I didn’t know where in the restaurant a fire had started. Thick smoke billowed, and everything had descended into chaos. I was about to go forward to find Nathan when I was knocked to the ground by the panicked crowd. My forehead accidentally hit hard against a corner of the wall. The pain made me see stars, and then I felt warm, sticky liquid trickling down. I struggled to open my eyes, blurred by blood. Through the chaotic smoke, I saw Nathan. His expression was panicked, holding Juliet tightly in his arms, running toward the exit without hesitation. I lay numbly on the ground. In a daze, I recalled the car accident that caused us to lose our child years ago. At that time, Nathan was covered in blood, his own life hanging by a thread. Yet the first words he said to the medical personnel who came to rescue us were: “Save my wife first.” Once, he valued me above his own life. Now, he held another woman and didn’t bother to glance back at the table I still occupied. For so long, I had wrestled with the question: why had he changed? But now, watching his resolute back, my heart suddenly turned to ash. I felt nothing mattered anymore. If he no longer loved me, then I owed him no expectations.

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Today is our wedding anniversary. I bought some sexy lingerie, planning to surprise my husband. Just as we were kissing passionately, urgent knocking came from the door. My husband got out of bed to check. But his phone, left on the bed, lit up. I picked it up to look, and my hand flew to my mouth in shock. My best friend was sending my husband nude photos! [Babe! Open the door quick! I’ll give your wife her sleeping milk again tonight] [Once she’s asleep, I’ll strip completely and show you my new lingerie] [I put even more sleeping pills in this time. She didn’t notice on your wedding night, and she won’t escape this time either!] My hands were shaking as I put the phone back. My husband walked in carrying a glass of milk. “That knocking was Lauren. She saw you haven’t been sleeping well lately, so she specially brought you some warm milk.” I stared at the milk in his hands, my mind still reeling from shock. Ethan’s face showed what seemed like genuine concern. Remembering the messages I just saw, I immediately shook my head. “I don’t want it.” Ethan frowned, about to try persuading me again. My best friend Lauren suddenly appeared at the bedroom door. Startled, I quickly put my clothes back on. But she walked in naturally, like the lady of the house, taking the milk from my husband’s hands. “I’m not interrupting, am I?” Lauren sat down on my bed. “Raina, stop throwing a tantrum. Only Ethan has the patience to put up with you.” “He’s just worried about you. Come on, drink it.” Before I could speak, she shoved the cup right up to my lips. Seeing the smirk suddenly curl at the corner of her mouth, I instinctively raised my hand and knocked it away. Her hand slipped, and the cup crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. My leg was cut by the broken glass, blood immediately streaming down. Lauren let out a frightened cry. “Raina! Lauren was trying to help. Why are you taking it out on her?” Ethan urgently scooped up Lauren in his arms, placing her on our bed. His large hands gripped her leg, then spread it apart. Lauren’s face instantly flushed red, her resistance half-hearted. “I’m fine—” Ethan held her leg firmly, running his hand upward, his voice gentle. “Don’t move. Let me check if you’re hurt.” Seeing a small scratch on Lauren’s leg, his eyes filled with heartache. He completely ignored me. I stared at him blankly, opening my mouth without thinking. “Ethan, I’m hurt too—” Without even looking at me, he coldly cut me off. “Enough. I’m just making up for your mistake. Is there any point in being jealous right now?” Lauren bit her lip, her face full of guilt. “Raina, this is my fault. Did I disturb you two today? Is that why you’re angry with me?” “Please don’t fight because of me. I’ll leave right now, okay?” As she tried to stand, Ethan pressed her back down. His gaze shifted to me, quietly watching. I thought he’d finally noticed I was badly hurt, that he’d ask if I was in pain. Reality hit me like a slap in the face. “Lauren came all this way to bring you milk. Instead of being grateful, you hurt her. How can you be so vicious?” His face showed complete impatience, a far cry from the gentle tone he’d just used to comfort Lauren. My heart felt like it was being pricked with needles, dense pain spreading through it. Today was supposed to be our wedding anniversary. What was Lauren doing here? Especially now—Ethan’s eyes were practically glued to Lauren. I even felt confused for a moment, like I was actually the outsider here. I suddenly remembered how whenever something happened to Lauren in the past, he’d always rush to her side first. On a stormy day when Lauren’s car broke down, he kicked me out of the car to go pick her up. When he traveled abroad, I asked him to bring back a souvenir. He found it too troublesome. But when Lauren casually mentioned she liked something, he’d run halfway across the city to buy it for her. And me? As his wife, if I showed even the slightest unhappiness about this, I’d be accused of being unreasonable. Every time, I told myself he was only good to Lauren because she was my best friend, that he actually loved me. This time, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. My whole body trembled. I couldn’t say a word. Ethan scooped up Lauren and walked past me. “I’m taking Lauren home. You should reflect on yourself.” Watching their retreating figures, my nails dug into my palms. That night, I came across a post on Lauren’s social media. “He’s so intense, I can’t take it anymore.” She’d attached a photo from inside a car. The reflective glass showed two figures entwined. I’d recognize that man’s profile anywhere, even if he turned to ash. I’d just taken a screenshot as evidence when the post was deleted. Just then, Ethan called, his voice hoarse. “Something came up at the company. I won’t be home tonight.”

On the other end of the line, I could faintly hear a woman’s moans. Before I could speak, he hung up. I gripped my phone tightly, my stomach churning. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up violently. I didn’t sleep all night. When Ethan came home and saw my pale face, he froze for a moment. “Raina, what’s wrong?” He put down his coat and walked toward me. He reached out to feel my forehead, but I turned my head away. His hand stopped mid-air, looking somewhat bewildered. “Nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night.” I met his gaze and replied flatly. Sensing my coldness, he surprisingly softened his tone to placate me. “Are you angry? I was wrong. I shouldn’t have yelled at you last night.” “But Lauren is your best friend. You’re usually so pampered, and Lauren’s always been accommodating. I was just worried you’d hurt her feelings and lose her as a friend. I got a bit worked up.” “Please don’t be mad at me anymore.” He sounded so sincere, as if he really was thinking of me. Every time he fought with me over Lauren, this was his excuse. Now I found it utterly disgusting. Seeing my silence, he pulled out a small box. “This is your anniversary gift from yesterday. I accidentally left it at the company. I’m giving it to you now—do you like it?” I glanced at the bracelet in his hand. It was from a brand Lauren had always loved. He moved to put it on me. As he got close, I noticed the kiss marks on his neck. His body gave off a strong jasmine scent—the perfume Lauren always wore. I covered my mouth and shoved him away hard. “Stay away from me.” I rushed into the bathroom and threw up violently again. After placating me for so long, Ethan finally exploded. “Raina! What the hell is your problem?” “Can’t you learn from Lauren? She’s always so gentle, not like you—always causing drama!” I washed my face and came out, meeting his impatient gaze. “If Lauren’s so great, go be with her then.” He pointed at me, yanked off his tie and threw it hard on the floor. “That’s enough from you!” He slammed the door on his way out. In the living room, only the jasmine scent lingering in the air kept me company. I stared at the door he’d slammed so violently, my eyes burning with tears. Just then, my phone buzzed. I’d noticed something was off about that post Lauren had quickly deleted yesterday. Following my husband’s following list, I discovered Lauren’s alternate account. This account of Lauren’s was filled with flirtatious exchanges with my husband and put-downs of me. After seeing today’s content, my heart felt like it was being shredded by knives. “The gift he gave me yesterday~” “Just because I like this brand, he bought me all the new releases from this season, saying it’s to make up for me having to watch him celebrate his anniversary with another woman.” “But this bracelet is so tacky. I actually threw it in the trash, but then that idiot threw a tantrum, so I graciously let him take it back to placate that idiot. After all, she’s only worthy of picking up my garbage anyway.” Two photos were attached. One showed a living room filled with gifts. In the other photo, lying in a trash can, was the necklace Ethan said was my anniversary gift. My fingertips had gone numb. The trembling crawled from my fingers through my whole body, even my jaw was shaking. Back in college, Ethan was poor. But to give me a birthday gift, he worked multiple jobs simultaneously for several months, then spent his entire paycheck to buy me a diamond ring. Seeing his hands covered in chilblains and calluses as he held out the ring, I cried from heartache. I told him through tears that any gift would do, he didn’t need to spend so much. He smiled indulgently, his eyes shining with light as he promised earnestly: “How could I just give you anything? You deserve the best things in this world.” “Don’t worry, once I’m successful, I’ll bring all the world’s best things to you.” I smiled through my tears and said okay. I waited and waited, finally waiting until he achieved success. But those old promises had long since scattered with the wind. Now, in his eyes, I was only worthy of picking up someone else’s trash. I used to think the saying “where the money goes, there goes the love” was too cynical. Now I see it’s absolutely true. I accompanied him from poverty to becoming one of the business world’s hottest rising stars. He’s still handsome, and my heart still flutters for him. Until this moment, when my heart was ground to pieces inch by inch, unable to beat anymore. Ethan, we have no future.

For several days, Ethan didn’t come home. I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. During this time, Lauren called. I answered, just about to speak. From the other end came the ambiguous sounds of lips and tongues intertwining. After some rustling, Lauren’s usually gentle voice carried a hint of seduction. “Raina, don’t misunderstand. Ethan had too much to drink and mistook me for you.” “He’s been at my place these past few days. Once he calms down, he’ll come home. Don’t worry.” Her tone carried barely concealed smugness. I felt no emotion whatsoever and calmly hung up. Over these years, similar situations had happened frequently. Ethan and I had been together for so many years, the model couple in everyone’s eyes. Lauren was my best friend since childhood, crying and laughing with me. I’d always considered them the two most important people in my life. But I never noticed anything wrong between them. They’d played me for a fool all along. I started packing, preparing to move out. That evening, Ethan brought Lauren home. As soon as they entered, he first helped Lauren take off her coat. Then he knelt down and personally put slippers on her feet. As if he’d done it countless times, his movements were completely natural. Meeting my gaze, Ethan paused. “Raina, today’s your birthday. I brought Lauren to celebrate with you.” “You should have calmed down by now, right?” Lauren walked over and took my hand, smiling gently. “Raina, happy birthday!” “I specially made you a cake.” I looked at the cake in her hands, remembering the post she’d made this morning: [Made a cake for that idiot. I specially added peanut bits that she’s allergic to.] [Haven’t seen her swell up like a pig in a while. Kind of miss it.] Right now, the smile on her face was sickeningly fake. I coldly shook off her hand. “Get out. You’re not welcome here.” Lauren’s eyes instantly reddened, and she lowered her head, looking lost. Ethan grabbed my hand and dragged me aside, his voice icy. “What’s your problem? If you don’t want to celebrate, just say so. Why take it out on other people!” I looked into his eyes and said seriously: “Then let’s get divorced.” He was clearly stunned. “What did you say?”

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In the seventh year of my dad’s affair, my mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Her first reaction was to kneel and beg the doctor not to tell my dad. Aunt Rachel, who worked at the hospital, cried in frustration: “Willow, why do you have to torture yourself like this? Do you think this will make that scumbag cry and wake up to reality? Using your own death to punish someone else—don’t you have any self-respect?” But Mom just smiled, her gaze falling tenderly on me. “I don’t need his regret.” “I just need to secure a bright future for my Sienna.” When Mom walked me out of the hospital, Dad had already left. He’d only left her a message: [My time is valuable. You were five minutes late, so I left.] Mom stared at her phone, a bit dazed. I remembered how things used to be. I have hemophilia, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been in and out of hospitals constantly. Dad would always drop everything and wait patiently. Mom would act coy with him: “Aren’t you tired of this?” Dad would take me from her arms and kiss her cheek: “Not tired. Every second I wait for you two, I’m happy.” I’d be sandwiched between them, warm and happy too. Mom’s fingers trembled as she deleted the message. Then she sent a text to Aunt Rachel: [Did you send the forged health certificate to Vivian?] After getting confirmation, she took me home. Mom used to walk lightly—I could barely keep up with her. But now I had to support her just so she could move. When we got home, she immediately rushed to the bathroom and coughed up blood. After vomiting, she looked up and stared blankly at two overlapping handprints on the mirror. The blood was dark red, almost black. I panicked and called Dad. There was a woman’s laughter on the other end. I was used to it by now, so I pretended not to hear. Crying, I told him Mom had late-stage stomach cancer. Dad came home quickly. Seeing the shocking red in the toilet, he scooped Mom up in his arms: “Don’t be scared. We’ll find the best doctor for a second opinion right now.” “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He’d said before that the other women were just playthings—Mom was the one he loved most. He was a man of his word. But just then, the sharp click of high heels echoed, and that woman in the white dress, Vivian, appeared again. She held her head high and threw a piece of paper at Dad: “Dylan, you’re so stupid! That plain Jane fooled you and you don’t even know it!” “Late-stage stomach cancer? It’s all just her way of getting attention!” “This is from my friend at the hospital—she’s perfectly healthy!” I recognized it—the paper was the forged health certificate Mom had asked Aunt Rachel to make. I opened my mouth to explain, but Mom gripped my hand tightly. I could only watch helplessly as Dad’s face darkened. “Faking illness to get attention, and making Sienna help you lie.” “Willow, you’ve really outdone yourself!” Dad stormed off despite my attempts to stop him. Mom watched him leave with his arm around that woman, a faint smile appearing on her pale face. I sobbed uncontrollably. “Mom, why did you pretend to be healthy?” Mom sighed softly: “Because Vivian is too stupid.” “So stupid she’d never think of framing me for faking an illness on her own.” “So I had to help her create the evidence.” “This is building moral capital. The more I accumulate, the more he’ll feel he owes you…” “Besides, once your dad discovers her report is fake, he won’t believe any report she shows him in the future.” I didn’t understand. All I knew was that Mom was dying, so I cried even harder. Mom wiped my tears, and as she did, she started crying too: “Dylan, you’re so smart—how could you fall in love with an idiot like Vivian?” Mom used to be a coal baron’s mistress. Dad was a poor man groveling for investments. At a banquet, their eyes met—a rose blooming unexpectedly in rotten soil. Mom acted coy with the coal baron and secured Dad a huge investment and massive orders. Later, the coal baron went to prison, and Dad had become a business tycoon. Amid everyone’s mockery, he found Mom, who’d been passed around several times. Without another word, they got married immediately. After marriage, Dad pampered Mom into the most radiant woman. He gave her a French château, shares in his company. When she got pregnant with me, he even spent a fortune to buy her the naming rights to a small asteroid. They could have stayed happy like that forever. Until I was born.

I have hemophilia. Dad hired a girl with the same rare blood type as a secretary. Her name was Vivian. She was a bit dim-witted, but likable enough. He said she was my walking blood bag. But gradually, when the blood bag came to give me transfusions, Dad would frown with concern. Even when I was critical, if Vivian said she was afraid of needles, Dad would pull out my IV. I nearly died that day. Thankfully, the hospital contacted a blood bank in another state. When I woke up, I saw Dad holding Vivian’s hand, saying to Mom: “I’m sorry, Willow. I’ve fallen in love with Vivian.” “As long as you accept this, you’re still my wife, and Sienna is still my only daughter.” Mom calmly accepted reality. She said, my Sienna is still sick—if we divorce, I really can’t afford to raise her. Just like that, Mom became the most magnanimous wife in the entire city. So magnanimous that when photos of Dad in bed with club girls leaked, she personally handled it herself. Whenever that happened, Dad would apologize to her, then transfer money into my account. Mom would accept it on my behalf and act like nothing happened. Until a few days ago, when Vivian showed up with a pregnant belly. She said she was carrying Dad’s child—a boy. “He was ecstatic. I knew right then that this fetus would eventually threaten Sienna’s position. It had to be eliminated.” “And I’m dying anyway… After being a parasite my whole life, using this life to pave the way for my daughter—I’m satisfied.” As Mom spoke, she pulled out a brand-new diary. A gold-digger with only an elementary school education naturally had no habit of keeping a diary. So she had to forge one. Her fingers were swollen, barely able to grip the pen. But she still wrote about all these years with Dad, word by word. After finishing, she sent the diary to be aged, then locked it in a safe. She made me memorize the combination: “After I die, on the day your dad misses me most, guide him to find this diary.” Forging the diary took several days. Mom clutched her stomach, sweat pouring down from the pain. She gave me a black card and told me to buy her painkillers. How strange—it was only September, but snow was falling from the sky. I didn’t have time to think about it. I fell several times running to the pharmacy. Buy medicine. Swipe card. “Beep beep. This card has been frozen.” I froze. This was Dad’s supplementary card, always with unlimited credit. It couldn’t be frozen. I immediately called Dad. But the person who answered was Vivian, her voice lazy. “That’s your dad’s punishment for your mom.” “He also told me to tell your mom to be a good wife and stop playing those manipulative games.” I screamed: “Impossible! You must have provoked Dad!” Vivian laughed softly, lowering her voice: “Yes, I provoked him. So what?” “After all, with one sentence about the baby brother in my belly wanting to see snow, your dad spent tens of millions on artificial snow!” I looked at the bruises on my body and sobbed. So this snow that made me fall so many times was Dad’s gift to his mistress. By the time I bought medicine with my piggy bank savings, Mom had already fainted from pain. I fed her the medicine. Mom looked at my injuries, her eyes reddening. I heard her call Aunt Rachel: “He loves her more than I imagined.” “I need to accumulate more moral capital for Sienna. I need to die more tragically.” I don’t know how long passed before I woke up in Mom’s bed. Mom was panting as she packed things. She threw wedding photos into the fireplace, sold all her clothes and jewelry. Just as she was about to destroy the scarf she’d knitted for Dad herself— I rushed over to stop her. But she kissed my cheek: “Mom knows Sienna can’t bear to part with it.” “But Mom has to make sure you’re Mom’s only keepsake.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. Dad’s assistant called Mom. “Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hayes just took Miss Vivian for a prenatal checkup and was photographed by reporters.” “He wants you to film an apology and clarification video as soon as possible to avoid affecting the company’s stock price.”

Mom responded coolly and skillfully set up the camera. I shouted angrily: “Dad’s mistake—why should Mom bear the consequences!” “I don’t want Mom to be the one who’s humiliated anymore!” I knocked over the camera. Mom set it back up. “Sienna, be good. The company will be yours eventually.” “Mom protecting the company’s stock price now is also protecting your interests.” I still didn’t understand, but Mom’s eyes looked so sad. In the camera, she was gracious and poised: “It’s all a misunderstanding. Miss Vivian is our company employee. Since no one was around to look after her, Dylan kindly took her to the hospital.” After the video was posted, the internet was full of mockery. Everyone said Mom was acting like a dog as the legitimate wife. But Dad was very satisfied. He finally came home. As soon as he walked in, he spun me around in a circle and put a jade bracelet on my wrist. Then he kissed Mom and gave her a jade peace pendant. “This is my magnanimous Willow,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ve unfrozen the card.” “I wasn’t angry because you faked illness and played games. I was angry because you cursed yourself.” “We’re going to grow old together. Please don’t say such unlucky things again, okay?” Dad was so gentle. He still loved Mom and me, didn’t he? I stared at them dreamily, suddenly feeling like the injuries on my legs didn’t hurt anymore. After Dad left, I happily moved closer to Mom, wanting to touch the peace pendant. But Mom sneered and took it off. She patted my little head and showed me a news article. [Billionaire Dylan Hayes’ True Love: Ten Million Dollar Jade Bracelet!] I looked at the photo of the full-green jade bracelet on Vivian’s wrist. Suddenly I realized. My bracelet, fitted with Mom’s peace pendant—they were just scraps from the custom bracelet made for Vivian. I wanted to confront Dad angrily. But Mom calmly contacted Aunt Rachel to confirm the date for taking the euthanasia medication. She chose the date to be her and Dad’s wedding anniversary. “This way, whenever he gets married, he’ll remember my death.” “Only by remembering me for a long time will it benefit my Sienna more.” I didn’t dare cry in front of Mom. I could only hide in my room counting the days. I was about to lose my mom. Although Mom held me and said she’d become a star in the sky— I was already seven years old. I knew those were all lies. I couldn’t expose Mom’s lie. I didn’t want her to be sadder before she died. Mom was very busy over the next few days. She contacted an uncle surnamed Thompson and whispered with him for a long time. Then she carefully selected a dress because Dad was taking her to a charity gala. Just her—not that mistress. She even helped Dad placate Vivian. But when she turned around, she taught me how to provoke the placated Vivian: “Hehe, so what if he made it snow for you? You’re still just my dad’s plaything.” “At formal occasions like charity galas, the only one who can appear hand-in-hand with my dad is my mom!” Vivian was so easy to bait. She got angry immediately and took action. On the night of the charity gala, our family of three had just sat down. Vivian, disguised as staff, appeared. She didn’t say anything, just looked at Dad with red-rimmed eyes. I clearly saw Dad’s Adam’s apple bob. “Dylan,” Mom pleaded, “this is a big occasion. Give me some face…” But under everyone’s gaze, Dad still patted Mom’s hand: “There are so many people here. Vivian is pregnant—I’m afraid she’ll get hurt.” He went to sit with his mistress. The whole room buzzed with whispers. Mom lowered her head as if embarrassed, but secretly gave Uncle Thompson a look.

I knew this Uncle Thompson—he was one of Dad’s biggest investors. After Dad’s affair, he’d asked Mom to leave with him. I remembered him as a gentle, polite man. But today he was very rude. Rudely grabbing Vivian, asking her to drink a few glasses with him. Vivian panicked and kept refusing. Dad stepped in front, politely saying she was pregnant and it wasn’t convenient. But Uncle Thompson seemed enraged and issued a threat: “If Mr. Hayes won’t even give me this face, then our cooperation ends here!” Seeing Vivian’s terrified expression and Dad’s awkward face, I felt pleased. I even silently cheered for Uncle Thompson, hoping he’d help Mom vent more anger. But the next second, I heard Dad say with a laugh: “How about this, Mr. Thompson—let my wife drink with you.” “Vivian just has some looks. My wife is a real beauty.” I froze, unable to believe the man saying this was my mom’s husband. Mom didn’t move, letting Dad drag her toward Uncle Thompson: “Just a few drinks… You won’t refuse, will you?” I rushed over to protect Mom: “My mom is sick! Aunt Rachel said she can’t drink! She said it would kill her!” Dad grabbed me by the collar and tossed me aside, glaring at Mom: “Look what you’ve taught Sienna. Lying endlessly.” Uncle Thompson got his wish and pulled Mom over, forcing her to drink with several men. Mom numbly downed glass after glass. Uncle Thompson seemed to have tears in his eyes. Finally, after who knows how many glasses, Mom suddenly vomited blood. “Willow!” Dad’s face changed dramatically and he ran over. But Vivian cried out. “So much blood, Dylan. I feel a bit uncomfortable seeing it…” Dad hesitated for a second, then turned to pick up Vivian: “The hilltop villa isn’t far from here. I’ll take you there to rest.” The hilltop villa was his wedding gift to Mom. Mom treasured it and never let outsiders in. She stared at Dad intensely: “No! You can take her anywhere else—don’t defile my villa!” Dad tried to reason with her at first, but this time Mom was immovable. They argued all the way to the villa. Vivian’s deliberate moaning grew louder and louder. Dad lost his temper and actually slapped Mom: “Are you crazy? It’s just a house!” “Since you think it’s more important than my son, then rot to death in this house!” With that, he shoved Mom into the villa and locked the door to prevent her from chasing after them. Uncle Thompson, Aunt Rachel, and Aunt Rachel’s police officer boyfriend— They waited patiently with me outside the villa. Until Dad’s car drove away in a cloud of dust. Only then did we enter the villa. Mom was still vomiting blood heavily. Her body and the floor were stained red with blood. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain. But she persisted, having Uncle Thompson set up complex mechanisms. “Make sure… once they’re intimate in bed… my body will drop down.” “Don’t forget to lock the door when you leave… Make him think I died from being forced to drink, then locked in with no way to call for help…” “All traces… must be eliminated with professional forensic methods…” “The infertility drug… Sienna, you must find a chance to put it in Dad’s water after you get home…” “The report saying Vivian’s fetus isn’t his biological child—is the forgery good enough? Let me see if it looks real…” “He must only have Sienna as his heir. He must…” Her voice trembled with pain. Finally, with everyone’s help, she used her last strength to climb up to the skylight. She put a white pill in her mouth, finally showing a relieved smile on her face: “There shouldn’t be any flaws.” “Thank you all for your help.” “Sienna, goodbye. Mom loves you, will always love you…” Her voice grew weaker and weaker until finally, it couldn’t be heard anymore. All the aunts and uncles were sobbing. Uncle Thompson was crying so hard he collapsed to his knees. Only I didn’t cry. I watched Mom meticulously arrange her own death. My tears had already run dry. I looked at the sunflowers in the villa’s yard. That snowfall had made the sunflowers wither early. I sat there quietly, waiting for Dad to come back. Finally, at midnight, the doorbell rang.

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On New Year’s Eve, I received a bouquet of flowers with a card inside: “Wishing Jenna Smith a Happy New Year.” The signature was just a simple letter “J.” With one glance, I recognized that person’s handwriting, and his face came flooding back to mind. Along with our shameful past. My fingers unconsciously tightened around the card. A moment later, I tossed the bouquet into the trash. Jason Crawford—the man who had once nearly walked with me into the halls of matrimony. But ever since my brother died, there’s been nothing between him and me. Seeing me throw the flowers in the trash, my colleague Ms. Lewis guessed who they were from. “Is it him?” I didn’t answer, just kept working on my lesson plan. Ms. Lewis sighed softly when she saw my reaction. “I heard he’s planning to come teach at our school too. You’ll be colleagues eventually. Besides, he was your brother’s best…” “Ms. Lewis.” I cut her off. “In my brother’s short twenty-seven years of life, he never had a friend like that.” Ms. Lewis looked at me. “Jenna, after all these years, do you still hate him?” “Yes.” My answer was crisp and cold. My colleague looked stunned. After a long pause, she shook her head and left. When I left work, I ran into Principal Anderson, who had once been my brother’s and Jason’s teacher. After exchanging brief pleasantries, he suddenly spoke with a complicated tone. “I got a call this afternoon. Jason is coming back.” I hummed in acknowledgment. The principal was silent for a moment, then tried to persuade me: “Your brother was a very forgiving person. If he were still alive, he wouldn’t want to see you two like this.” Like what? Like enemies? I didn’t understand why everyone kept telling me to let the past go. Just because something has already happened, does that mean the victim has to be forced to accept it? Clearly I had the right to stand on moral high ground, yet I kept being held hostage by them. Colleagues. Leadership. Why were they all speaking up for Jason? I didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to understand. On my way home from work, the evening breeze carried a chill that stung my cheeks. I composed my expression and slowly climbed the stairs. When I pushed open the door, my parents and my husband were making dumplings. My three-year-old daughter Lucy sat on the sofa, holding a small piece of dough in her hands, poking at it and having the time of her life. “Mommy!” Lucy spotted me immediately. She dropped the dough and toddled over to me on her little legs. I bent down to pick her up and kissed her soft cheek. She held up the oddly shaped piece of dough in her hand and said sweetly, “Mommy, look! I made a cookie.” I held back tears. “Lucy, that’s amazing!” I took the “cookie” and walked to an empty spot at the dining table, gently setting it down. That was my brother’s place. It had been that way for five years. As if he were still with us. Lucy tugged at my sleeve and asked in confusion, “Mommy, why is Uncle always stuck in that frame?” “Why doesn’t he come out to eat cookies? Why doesn’t he come play with me?” I looked at my brother’s photo not far away. He would forever remain twenty-four years old, in the prime of his life. The air went quiet for a moment. My parents’ movements paused, then resumed as if nothing had happened. My husband squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring look. I looked at my daughter’s innocent eyes, stroked her hair, and said nothing. I thought, if my brother were still here, he would surely be a good son, a good brother, a good uncle. But there are no “ifs.” Over these five years, I thought I had buried those shameful memories, along with that person, in the deepest corner of my heart. But it turns out that just the slightest disturbance can make those scabbed wounds bleed again.

The next day, as soon as I stepped through the school gates, I ran into Jason. After five years apart, his features hadn’t changed much. He’d just shed his youthful awkwardness and gained a mature sharpness in his expression, his entire presence radiating a cold, unapproachable intensity. Students passing by kept greeting me, but I barely had the capacity to respond. My gaze was fixed on Jason’s face. My chest felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. I couldn’t help thinking: if only it had been him lying in the morgue five years ago, and my brother sitting here today—how much better that would have been. “How have you been these years?” Jason spoke first, his voice devoid of emotion. I didn’t answer. I turned to leave, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist. He frowned, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible urgency. “Jenna, I know what happened back then was my fault. But no matter what, I’m not an ungrateful person.” “I’ve never forgotten how good your family was to me all these years. Let’s just let the past be the past, okay?” I whipped my head around and stared into his eyes. Hatred surged up like a tide, forcing my eyes to redden. “Jason, what makes you think everything can just be ‘the past’?” His frown deepened. “Jenna, I know you’re still upset with me, but it’s been so long since it happened…” I cut him off. “But time doesn’t change what happened!” He was left speechless, his Adam’s apple bobbing several times. “I know what Serena and I did back then was wrong to you and your brother.” He looked at me, his tone serious. “That’s why I came back—to apologize to you both in person.” His words were like a fuse, instantly igniting the rage I’d suppressed for five years. I violently shook off his hand, the force of it making him stagger. “You’re not worthy to mention my brother!” I screamed, tears finally spilling over. After saying that, I couldn’t bear to look at him another second and turned away. I’d just entered the office when a figure came rushing in—it was my best friend Sarah Quinn, who’d just returned from an academic exchange abroad. She’d also been one of my brother’s friends. She grabbed my arm, her voice urgent. “When I heard Jason was being transferred back, I rushed home as fast as I could.” She looked at my reddened eyes. “Did you run into him?” I nodded. Sarah rolled up her sleeves, ready to go find him. “That beast! How dare he come back! I’m going to tear him apart today!” I quickly held her back and shook my head. She stopped and looked at my pale face, tears of sympathy streaming down her own cheeks. “If it weren’t for your parents and Nathan’s financial help back then, he might not have even finished college. But what did he do? Turned around and had an affair with your brother’s girlfriend.” “A thankless bastard like him deserves what he gets!” My heart throbbed with dense, piercing pain. Yes, someone like Jason deserves to suffer. Back in college, Jason was my brother’s closest roommate. He came from poverty—his father had died young, and his mother had been bedridden for years. During his sophomore year, his mother passed away, and he couldn’t even afford the funeral expenses. My brother went home and begged our parents for help. My parents were soft-hearted. They not only paid for his mother’s funeral but also regularly helped him with living expenses. Later, he worked desperately at part-time jobs and paid back every cent with interest within a year. He even volunteered to tutor me, and kept it up for two years. Back then, my brother treated him like a real brother. My father treated him like a second son. Our whole family thought we’d taken in a grateful, good kid. But who could have imagined that this person we’d treated as family would ultimately betray both my brother and me in the most disgraceful way possible, tearing our family apart.

The woman who almost became my sister-in-law, but ended up being the homewrecker between Jason and me, was named Serena Sullivan. She was sweet and considerate, and my parents adored her. Back then, Jason and I were close to our wedding date. The invitations were already printed. But every time we got together, I kept catching the way Serena looked at Jason. Her gaze was wrong. Tender and lingering, full of undisguised affection, like she was holding a pool of spring water in her eyes. She never looked at my brother that way. I’d hinted to Jason about it several times, but he always just smiled and ruffled my hair, saying I was overthinking things. “How could I possibly like your brother’s girlfriend? You think I’m that kind of scumbag?” Seeing how straightforward he seemed, I suppressed my unease and temporarily dismissed my doubts. But before long, their behavior became increasingly intimate. Laughing and playing around in front of me became routine. Once, Serena even held up her half-finished cup of coffee to Jason. And he drank it without any hesitation, right from where she’d been drinking. In that moment, my heart sank. Jason and I had a huge fight. My tears fell on the floor, shattering into pieces. “How can you do this? How can you face my brother? How can you face me?” He fell silent, head down, not speaking for a long time. Finally, he looked up, his face calm, and promised me he’d never get too close to Serena again. Over the following days, he did seem to restrain himself and stopped being so close to Serena. But I also keenly noticed that his attitude toward me had visibly cooled. No arguments, no conflicts—just that intimacy and warmth had vanished into thin air. An inexplicable unease began growing in my heart. Three days before the wedding, I went to our new apartment with a newly purchased celadon vase to decorate. I’d carefully selected it to place on the display shelf in the living room. I entered the passcode, turned the handle, and pushed open the door. The scene before me made all the blood in my body instantly freeze. The bedroom door wasn’t closed. On the festive red wedding bed, two figures were tangled together. Disheveled clothes were scattered all over the floor, stabbing at my eyes. The vase in my hand crashed to the floor with a loud clatter. The celadon shattered into pieces, making a piercing sound. The people on the bed were startled. Jason whipped his head around. When he saw me standing in the doorway, his face turned ashen. He practically roared three words at me: “Get out!” I was shaking all over. I didn’t even have the strength to cry. I stumbled out of the apartment. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Serena. Just one short line, like a poisoned knife stabbing straight into my heart. “Sorry, Jenna. Some people, you just can’t hold onto.” Tears poured out. I crouched by the roadside, sobbing my heart out. I couldn’t understand how they could do something so vile. How could they face me? How could they face my brother? Right—I couldn’t let him stay in the dark. I pulled out my phone, my fingertips trembling, wanting to call my brother. But before I could tell him everything, an accident happened. My brother was in a car crash. With a roar, my world completely collapsed.

My brother remained unconscious for a long time after surgery. The doctor said his consciousness was clear, but his injuries were too severe. They told us close family members to talk to him more often. As long as his will to live was strong enough, he might wake up soon. The police said my brother’s accident was caused by speeding. They’d found his phone at the scene. The phone was a bit banged up, but it still worked. I took it and hesitantly entered a few numbers. It unlocked. The passcode was Serena’s birthday. I opened his messages on SnapChat. The most recent message was a voice note from Serena. The date was exactly the day I’d discovered Jason and Serena’s affair. My hand trembling, I clicked on that message. Her obscene moans and Jason’s heavy breathing poured out. I finally couldn’t hold back and rushed to the trash can to vomit. Tears mixed with vomit kept streaming down. So my brother had been provoked by them, which made him speed over, which caused the accident. They had killed my brother. I kept that information hidden. I didn’t even tell my parents. At such a critical time, they couldn’t handle any more shocks. I went to the hospital every day to talk to my brother. I talked about our childhood, about growing up, rambling on endlessly. But whenever I was about to mention Jason and Serena, I would deliberately avoid it and say nothing. A week later, my brother’s fingers moved. Before I could feel any joy, Serena came to see him. Through the glass of the ICU, I saw her standing by my brother’s bed, bending down and saying something. When she saw me, her eyes curved into crescents. “Jenna, you’re here! I was just talking with Nathan for a bit. We even mentioned your wedding with Jason.” “He needs to get better soon so we can all attend your wedding together.” The taunting tone in her words was too obvious. I was shaking with rage. During this time, I hadn’t confronted her about it. That didn’t mean I’d forgotten how she’d betrayed my brother and cheated with my fiancé. And it certainly didn’t mean she could stand by my brother’s hospital bed and gloat. Fury coursed through my entire body. Without caring that this was a hospital, I rushed in and dragged her out. I kicked her hard in the stomach. Serena didn’t even have time to react before I kicked her violently into the corner. Jason arrived at that exact moment. He shoved me hard. My head hit the wall with a dull thud, the pain making it hard to breathe. He shouted at me, “Jenna Smith, what the hell are you doing!” Before I could say anything, Serena on the ground suddenly let out a cry of pain. “Jason, my stomach hurts so much.” “The baby… our baby…” Her words left me completely frozen in place. They already had a child together. Jason glared at me, then gently comforted her. “Don’t be scared.” Then he scooped Serena up and went to find a doctor. I was left standing there alone, unable to snap out of it for a long time. Serena’s baby was fine, but I completely fell apart. I could only force myself to endure the pain and keep everything hidden inside. That day, after I’d sent my parents home, I was walking back to the ICU when I saw a scene that made my eyes burn. Serena was nestled in Jason’s arms, and the two of them were kissing passionately, oblivious to everything around them. They were standing right in front of my brother’s hospital bed, making out shamelessly. Serena’s voice was coy. “When Nathan wakes up, he’ll definitely bless us.” Jason held her tighter and murmured breathlessly, “When he gets better, we’ll tell him.” As soon as he finished speaking, the monitor suddenly let out a piercing, continuous alarm. My brother’s fingers curled sharply, and the previously fluctuating heart monitor flatlined into a cold, straight line. “Doctor! Doctor!” I screamed like a madwoman, my voice shaking. Nurses and doctors rushed in immediately. The room descended into chaos. The sound of the defibrillator rose and fell. The doctor’s urgent commands hammered at my heart. I rushed in and shoved Jason and Serena aside, my eyes red as I roared, “Get out! Both of you get out!” Jason’s face turned pale, then flushed. He wanted to say something but was driven back by the madness in my eyes. He pulled Serena out of the room. I slumped against the wall, watching the busy figures in the resuscitation room, tears flooding out. The monitor kept beeping, each sound striking my heart that was on the verge of collapse. All I could do was pray over and over: Nathan, please hold on. Please don’t let anything happen to you. But God didn’t hear my prayers. He took my brother away. I watched with my own eyes as that tall figure who’d protected me since childhood was wheeled into the crematorium. In just a brief moment, he was burned to a pile of ashes. … Being under the same roof as Jason was ultimately too difficult. I pulled myself back to the present, planning to go home and rest for the day. Suddenly, the elevator stopped on our floor. Jason rushed out and practically ran over to grip my shoulders. His voice trembling, he asked me: “Why is everyone saying your brother is dead?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352016”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic