Category: English

I’m the top salesperson who brings in millions in revenue for the company. Just because I didn’t compliment her looks in the company SnapChat group, she fired me without hesitation. She replaced me with her cousin. Until later, when the company’s sales plummeted to zero. She came to apologize to me in person. “Please come back. My boyfriend said he’d break up with me if you don’t return.” The boss went on a business trip for a month and left his girlfriend in charge of the company. Who knew that her first act as the new boss would be to target me? At 10 AM, I arrived at the office on time. I saw my colleague looking nervous, pointing at the boss’s office and whispering, “Tiffany’s here. She wants to see you!” Tiffany Fox was the boss’s new girlfriend, known for her arrogance and bullying. She would curse at anyone she didn’t like. Once, when a female colleague stayed a bit longer in the boss’s office to report work, Tiffany spread rumors that she was a prostitute. She bullied that girl so much that she was forced to resign. But because Tiffany was sweet-talking and good at flattery, the boss usually let her do whatever she wanted. I didn’t expect her to target me now. I put down my coffee and pushed open the door to enter the office. As soon as I entered, a file flew towards my face. “Do you know what time it is? Company policy states work starts at 8 AM. Why are you coming in at 10?” The sharp edge of the file folder left a bloody cut on my forehead. I held my head, looking at Tiffany who was throwing her weight around behind the desk. My 10 AM start time was a perk for being the top salesperson. Everyone in the company knew about this unwritten rule. Years ago, when the boss’s company was about to go bankrupt, they accidentally hired me. In my first month, I generated $5 million in sales, bringing the company back from the brink of death. Since then, the boss had treated me like a precious asset, usually listening to my opinions on major decisions. She slammed the table, her face contorted with rage: “Look at your punch card. You’ve been coming in at 10 for a whole month. Do you think you’re above company rules?” “According to company policy, three consecutive days of tardiness can result in termination!” “You can get out now!” I looked at Tiffany in disbelief: “You’re firing me? Did you ask the boss?” I created 80% of the company’s profits, and she dared to fire me? Tiffany snorted coldly, looking at me with disdain: “You’re just a salesperson. A lousy peddler. What’s wrong with me firing you?” “This is my boyfriend’s company. I’m the boss’s girlfriend, I can fire whoever I want!” The boss had treated me well, so I couldn’t just leave like this. I sat down on the sofa: “You should ask for the boss’s opinion first.” Tiffany rolled her eyes: “Who do you think you are?” Saying this, she directly called the boss. The boss’s voice on the other end sounded tired: “What’s the matter?” Tiffany, who had just been yelling at me in a shrill voice, immediately softened her tone, cooing, “Honey, I miss you.” The boss sighed: “Just tell me what you want.” Tiffany glanced at me triumphantly: “There’s a salesperson who doesn’t follow the rules, always coming in late. I want to fire him.” “Whatever, I need to rest now.” The boss casually agreed and hung up. Tiffany looked at me arrogantly: “Did you hear that? I can fire whoever I want. Now get out!”

I laughed coldly, looking at Tiffany: “Are you sure?” “If the boss comes back and finds out you fired me, he might get angry.” I kindly reminded her. After all, headhunters had been trying to poach me with high offers for years, but out of loyalty to the boss, I had always stayed. My leaving wouldn’t affect me at all, but Tiffany might not be so lucky. Tiffany glared at me, her face twisted with arrogance and tyranny. “Who do you think you are? You’re just a salesperson. I’m my boyfriend’s future wife, the mistress of this company. Do you think he’d choose you over me?” Hearing her say this, I shook my head. If that’s how it is, so be it. I turned and left the office. Outside, my colleagues had heard our argument but didn’t know what happened. They kept looking at me. “Boss, what’s going on?” I started packing my things efficiently, smiling: “What’s going on? I got fired, that’s what.” My colleague’s eyes widened, looking at me in disbelief: “Fire you? Has Tiffany gone crazy? Everyone knows you’re the boss’s golden goose. Isn’t she afraid the boss will break up with her?” I shook my head and chuckled: “Well, that’s not my problem anymore. After all, it’s her decision, she’ll have to bear the consequences.” “Besides, I’ve been working for so many years, it might be nice to take a good rest.” I had long ago saved enough money to be financially independent, but I had never taken a break and felt too embarrassed to ask. This was a perfect opportunity. My colleague was furious: “But why did she fire you? Did you offend her somehow, boss?” I frowned, thinking carefully: “I guess it’s because last time when she spread rumors about Zoe, I stood up for Zoe, remember?” “Since then, she’s been picking on me, always finding fault one way or another.” Yesterday, Tiffany uploaded a photo of herself to the company WhatsApp group, and everyone was flooding the comments with compliments. I was the only one who read it without replying. I guess that was the final straw. “Should I call the boss now? You’re the backbone of the company, you can’t just leave like this.” I shook my head, smiling lightly: “Forget it. If I ever come back, it’ll be after Tiffany and the boss break up. I really can’t stand her behavior anymore. We’ll see in the future.” I finished packing my things and headed to the finance department to collect my salary for the month. I had only worked for ten days this month, but my salary and commission amounted to $100,000. I informed the finance staff about my termination and asked her to transfer the salary to my account later. Unexpectedly, Tiffany suddenly appeared at the company entrance, glaring at me: “Jack Wilson, didn’t I tell you to get lost? What are you doing here?” I looked at her calmly. She was gloating, thinking she had found a good boyfriend, looking particularly disgusting. Seeing that I didn’t respond to her, Tiffany became agitated. She came forward and grabbed my clothes: “Are you deaf? What are you doing in the finance department? These are all important company documents. Get out now, or I’ll call the police!” I frowned and forcefully shook off Tiffany’s hand. “Let go!” “Now that I’ve been fired, is there a problem with me collecting my salary for this month? I’m already being nice by not asking for severance pay.” Tiffany glared at the young girl in front of me: “How much is his salary?” The finance girl answered honestly: “One hundred thousand and five hundred dollars.” Tiffany’s face immediately changed: “How much?” After the finance girl repeated it, she pointed at me and said: “You violated company rules by being late, so your salary for this month is forfeited.” I laughed coldly: “A $200 deduction for each tardiness, is that how you calculate? Did you even graduate elementary school?” To my surprise, Tiffany looked at me righteously: “It’s a new rule I made. Three tardies and your whole month’s salary is gone. Now get out!”

“What right do you have to make rules?” Tiffany crossed her arms, her mouth gaping like a shark, shamelessly saying: “I’ll have a share in this company in the future. What’s wrong with me making rules?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her: “Then you can expect a lawsuit from me.” With that, I strode out. I drove home and had just put my things away when I saw a group message from Tiffany in the company SnapChat group that I hadn’t left yet. “From now on, everyone must reply to any messages I post on SnapChat or WhatsApp. Those who don’t reply will be fired like that person today.” It seems she really fired me because I didn’t join in praising her. The boss really hit the jackpot with this girlfriend of his. Everyone started replying to the group message. I found it annoying and simply left all the groups. My phone suddenly became much quieter. However, since Tiffany wouldn’t let me take my last month’s salary, I decided to teach her a lesson. All the important clients were saved in my contacts, so I sent out a mass message to these clients, basically saying that I had resigned and would no longer be handling business for the company. Most of these people were clients I had brought in, and they were mainly working with the company because of me. If I left, they would likely follow me. Sure enough, within two minutes, former clients started messaging me, asking which company I had gone to and expressing their willingness to transfer their contracts. I explained the situation to each of them, saying that I hadn’t found a new job yet, but I would contact them as soon as I did. There were so many clients on my contact list that I kept replying until it got dark, and finally fell asleep from exhaustion. When I woke up the next day, a colleague had sent me a message: “Boss, many of our business partners are saying they want to terminate their cooperation and won’t renew their contracts. Was this your doing?” It seems the plan had worked. I chuckled: “I didn’t do anything. I just told them the fact that I’m no longer working there.” “You’re still the best, boss. When Tiffany came in this morning and heard about this, she blew up at several salespeople, demanding to know why they couldn’t retain the clients. Now several salespeople are planning to quit, saying they won’t put up with this crap.” It seems quite a few people in the company were unhappy with Tiffany. I wondered how she would handle the fallout. On my end, I was preparing to contact a lawyer to file a major lawsuit to get my salary back. After all, I didn’t really need the money, but I couldn’t let her off easy. Unexpectedly, after just a few days, Tiffany called me. I was surprised and answered uncertainly: “What is it?” As soon as I picked up, I was met with a barrage of abuse from the other end. “Jack Wilson, are you even human? I’m asking you, where did all the company’s client contacts go? They said you have them all. Give me those phone numbers right now. That’s company property. Don’t think I won’t sue you!” I was stunned for a moment, then realized that Tiffany must be getting desperate. “How can you be so disgusting? Give me the client contacts right now! Or I swear I’ll destroy you, you believe me?”

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# At the company’s annual gala, Luke Thatcher’s young assistant suddenly got down on one knee and proposed to him. A slideshow lit up the big screen, showing photos of the two of them skiing, watching the sunrise, and bungee jumping together. The crowd erupted in cheers: “Say yes! Say yes!” The camera panned to Luke, his brows furrowed, face clouded with a dark expression. I sat beside him, blending in with the crowd as I joined in their chant: “Say yes, honey.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Luke’s already tense expression darkened even further. But with the camera trained on him, he had no choice but to rise from his seat. As he leaned toward me, his voice was low and venomous: “Emma, don’t even think about divorce.” Then, straightening his suit, he ascended the stage. Luke’s assistant, Maddie, lit up the moment she saw him approach. This proposal wasn’t spontaneous—it was carefully planned. I’d known about it for a while. For a moment, I thought this girl might actually matter to Luke, that she might hold some weight in his heart. But yet again, he proved me wrong. Luke reached for the ring box in Maddie’s trembling hands, his expression unreadable. He glanced over his shoulder at the slideshow on the screen—images of them together, warm and idyllic. With a subtle gesture, the screen went black. Maddie’s eyes filled with tears as she gazed at him, hope shining in her expression. “Luke, will you marry me?” Luke let out a soft chuckle, but his words were cutting, devoid of warmth. “Maddie, you shouldn’t have done this.” “I’ve told you before, there’s no future for us.” Maddie’s gaze snapped toward me, panic flashing in her eyes. Luke shifted slightly, blocking her view. Tears streamed down Maddie’s face as she began to sob uncontrollably. Luke gently pulled her into an embrace, whispering something in her ear that made her stop crying and break into a soft, nervous laugh. She playfully hit him on the chest, and he led her off the stage. The gala continued, but the proposal-turned-drama had already become the night’s hot topic. I could hear whispers behind me: “Why didn’t Luke accept? They seemed perfect together.” “I thought she was going to secure her place tonight. Still, gotta hand it to her—takes guts to propose in front of everyone.” “Maybe he’s already married? I heard from some of the old staff that he used to wear a wedding ring.” The speculation grew louder until someone tapped the back of my chair. “Emma, you’ve been with the company for years. You must know Luke better than anyone, right?” I forced a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I don’t know him at all.” 2 Once, I thought I did. But that was before I stumbled upon the photos Luke kept hidden in his study—pictures of his late sister. That’s when I realized the truth: I wasn’t special to him. I was just a convenient stand-in, a face that reminded him of someone he’d lost. We had fought bitterly that night. Overcome with anger and heartbreak, I’d grabbed a knife and threatened to scar my own face. Luke’s response was chillingly calm. “If you’re not afraid of the pain, go ahead. I can always pay to have it fixed.” He knew me too well. He knew I feared pain more than anything. Even now, the memory of that knife slicing into my thigh years ago—of the kidnappers taking their time, carving inch by inch—still haunted me. It was a pain I could never forget, one that lingered even now. Ignoring the curious glances from the younger women behind me, I grabbed my bag and quietly slipped out of the hall. As I turned a corner, faint sounds of heavy breathing reached my ears. Embarrassed, I hesitated, debating whether to take another route. That’s when I heard his voice—the voice I knew so well. “Who told you to pull a stunt like that tonight?” Luke’s tone was ice-cold, almost cruel. Maddie’s shaky reply came next, her voice trembling with fear. “I just… I just wanted an answer. Mrs. Thatcher said she’d step aside for me.” Luke let out a sharp, mocking laugh. Gripping Maddie’s chin, he tilted her face up, studying her with a detached gaze. “I’ve warned you before—there’s no outcome here where you win.” “You shouldn’t have been so greedy.” Maddie shrank under his scrutiny, her voice barely a whisper. “I thought… I thought Mrs. Thatcher was the one refusing to divorce you. I just wanted to try convincing her…” “I didn’t expect her to agree so easily.” Luke’s laugh was sharp and biting. “Do you know why she’s Mrs. Thatcher?” he asked, his tone dripping with disdain. “It’s because she knows how to be generous.” Maddie blinked, confused, clearly not understanding. Luke had no patience for her anymore. Turning on his heel, he started to walk away—only to stop abruptly when his eyes locked with mine. I hadn’t had time to hide. He closed the distance between us in a few quick strides, stopping just in front of me. “Emma,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Enjoyed the show tonight?” “Leaving already? Couldn’t wait to make your exit?” I nodded blankly and replied, “Mr. Thatcher.” At work, Luke Thatcher and I always addressed each other this way, strictly professional. So, despite being married for years, no one ever associated the two of us as a couple. Maddie, standing nearby, glanced at me with her usual pitiful expression. She tugged at Luke’s sleeve and said softly, “If you won’t say yes to my proposal, can you at least wear the ring?” “I spent so long picking it out.” Luke took the ring box from her hand, opened it, and inspected the contents. “It’s beautiful,” he said flatly. Then, turning his head slightly, he asked, “Wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Miller?” I cursed silently under my breath, wanting nothing more than to leave. Luke took the ring from the box and, with a flick of his wrist, tossed it into a nearby trash can. The ring clattered as it landed. His move was identical to what I’d done years ago. Maddie’s already pale face turned ghostly white. Her lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes as she began to shake. “The ring will be reimbursed,” Luke said coldly. “And starting tomorrow, you don’t need to come to work anymore.” With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Maddie standing there, frozen in shock. 4 As I turned to leave, Maddie suddenly grabbed my arm. The pitiful, teary-eyed act was gone. Now, her face was filled with anger and resentment. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she hissed. “You knew he’d never divorce you, but you still let me humiliate myself by proposing.” “Now he’s fired me. That was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” I pried her hand off my arm and said calmly, “I would’ve been thrilled if your proposal had worked. At least then, I’d finally be free.” By the time I stepped outside, rain had started to fall. I hadn’t brought an umbrella. The cold wind carried the rain against my bare legs, sending chills through me even though I had a coat on. I pulled out my phone to call for a ride but stopped when a message popped up. [At the corner.] I looked toward the nearby intersection and, sure enough, Luke’s car was parked there. Pulling my coat tighter, I began walking toward the car. In the early days of our marriage, Luke’s car would always be waiting for me at the corner. Back then, I would walk this short distance with a heart full of joy. Now, the same walk felt like marching toward my own doom. As soon as I opened the car door, a hand shot out and yanked me inside. Caught off guard, I stumbled straight into Luke’s chest. Before I could even steady myself, that same hand wrapped around my neck—not tight enough to hurt, but enough to make me feel trapped. Luke’s voice was low, cold, and sharp. “Mrs. Thatcher, don’t try pulling stunts like Maddie did.” “With that face of yours, no one can threaten your position.” I let out a bitter laugh, my voice full of disdain. “You think I care about this position?” Once upon a time, maybe I did. After all, who wouldn’t want to marry the person they loved? But now, being Mrs. Thatcher felt nothing short of humiliating. My words seemed to ignite something in Luke. He shoved me against the car window, leaning in so close that his breath brushed against my ear. “You don’t care? So you’d just give it to someone else?” “Don’t even think about it. Stop trying to push other women my way.” He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he revealed a ring—a perfect replica of the one I’d thrown away years ago. Without hesitation, Luke grabbed my hand and tried to slide the ring onto my finger. I yanked my hand back, kicking and punching in protest. But the difference in strength was undeniable. In the end, the ring went on. “If you take it off, I’ll just put it back on. Unless you plan to cut off your hand, don’t bother.” Hearing that, I stopped struggling. I leaned back against the farthest corner of the seat, as far away from Luke as I could get, and stared out the window at the passing city lights. “Your parents called,” Luke said after a moment of silence. His voice was calm, almost casual. “They’re spending the New Year in the mountains with your sister. I’ll go with them. You don’t need to come.” I didn’t react. “Okay,” I replied flatly. Spending the holiday alone sounded fine to me. At least it would be better than sitting with a family drowning in sadness. 5 Years ago, my sister and I were kidnapped. The kidnappers filmed a video of them cutting into my thigh with a knife, using it to threaten our family. My sister fought back to protect me, but she was stabbed in the stomach. We were deep in the mountains, far from any medical help. She didn’t survive. By the time the police found us, I was too scared to react, frozen in shock. All I remember is seeing them carry her body away, covered by a white sheet. For a long time, I had nightmares every night. And when I woke up, I’d always ask myself: If I hadn’t cried or screamed when the kidnappers cut me—if I had stayed quiet and obedient—would she still be alive? But no one could give me an answer. All I heard were whispers, harsh words from those around me: “It’s her fault. Her sister died because of her.” I stayed in the hospital for months before I could finally regain some sense of myself. My parents only visited me a handful of times. They said looking at my face reminded them of my sister and made their grief worse. The day I was discharged, it wasn’t my parents who came to pick me up. It was Luke Thatcher. I didn’t know who he was or where he had come from, but he treated me with kindness. After being rejected by my parents, I couldn’t resist his warmth. I clung to him like a drowning person grabbing onto a lifeline, desperate to escape the water. But I didn’t realize I was stepping into an even deeper abyss. 6 When my parents called, Luke was packing his suitcase. I answered the phone and was met with a brief silence before my father’s voice came through. “Emma, we’re heading to the mountains this year to spend New Year’s with your sister. Is there anything you’d like us to tell her?” It felt like someone had wrapped their hands around my throat. It took me a long time to find my voice again. “No. I’ve already said what I needed to say at her grave.” “Alright.” The call ended, and I stared at the darkened screen, lost in thought. My parents always went back to the mountain where the kidnapping happened whenever they missed her. They said that when someone dies, their soul lingers where they took their last breath. I’d gone with them once. But as soon as we reached the base of the mountain, my body started shaking uncontrollably. I didn’t even make it halfway up before I passed out. Before leaving, Luke gave me one last instruction: “Hire a new assistant. Make sure it’s a man this time.” “And stop trying to pull those little schemes of yours.” I listened to the sound of his car engine fading into the distance. Then I went upstairs, changed my clothes, and left the house. By the time I reached the cemetery, it was already getting dark. But I still knew my way to her gravestone, as if I’d walked this path a thousand times before. “Sis, they’ve all gone to the mountain to be with you. I came here instead.” “If it had been you who survived that day, would everything have turned out better?” “I’m sorry I used to tell you how amazing Luke was to me. It probably made you angry, didn’t it? You must’ve thought I stole the happiness that should’ve been yours.” I spoke softly, the words tumbling out without thought, carried by the cold night air. Snow began to fall—this year’s first snow. I stood up and caught a snowflake in my palm, watching it melt against my skin. After saying my goodbyes, I turned and began walking toward the exit. Maybe I was too lost in my thoughts, but I didn’t notice the figure standing in my path until I was almost upon it. The shadow made my heart race. I wasn’t afraid while standing by my sister’s grave, but now, for some reason, fear crept in. My throat felt dry as I stammered, “W-Who’s there? Are you… human or… something else?” The figure turned around, their pale face illuminated by the faint moonlight. I stumbled back in panic, letting out a sharp scream. “A ghost!” But instead of vanishing, the “ghost” stepped closer, stopping right in front of me. “So, this cemetery only allows one living person at a time, huh?” he said, his breath visible in the cold air. I glanced around at the rows of dark gravestones, suddenly hyper-aware of how isolated we were. But the sight of his breath calmed me slightly. Warm air. He had to be human, right? Reassured, my courage returned, and I decided to walk with him the rest of the way out. Neither of us spoke, as if by some unspoken agreement. When we reached the gate, we went our separate ways. By the time I got home, it was already 10 p.m. I pulled out my phone and saw several missed calls from Luke. I’d put my phone on silent before heading to the cemetery, so I hadn’t heard them. As I debated whether to call him back, my phone lit up with another incoming call—from him. This time, I answered. “Why didn’t you pick up earlier?” His voice was sharp. “I went to the cemetery to visit my sister.” There was a long silence on the other end. Finally, he spoke, his tone colder than before. “Why didn’t you wait for me? We could’ve gone together.” “She wouldn’t have wanted to see us there together,” I replied flatly. “And I didn’t want to go with you either.” 7 Luke Thatcher fell silent again. In the end, he simply said, “Get some rest,” and hung up. By now, I’d become an expert at keeping our conversations short. I spent the New Year alone at home. The house was cold and quiet. Outside, lanterns lit up the streets, and everyone wore bright smiles, immersed in the festive atmosphere. As I walked through the lively crowds, I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider—a shadow moving through the light. Eventually, I found a quiet little park and sat down on an empty bench, trying to figure out what to do next. Luke didn’t want me hiring a female assistant. A male assistant wouldn’t make him any more inclined to divorce me either. Over the years, I had tried everything—staging chance encounters, hiring women who resembled my sister, even replacing his secretaries with women. But none of it worked. This time, I thought Maddie might be different. She’d managed to stick around him for six months. I thought I’d finally found a crack in his armor, a sliver of hope. But that, too, had failed. I let out a deep, defeated sigh. How much longer could I endure this never-ending cycle of torment? 8 I hadn’t even started looking for a new assistant when bad news came first. Luke ended up in the hospital. By the time I arrived, my parents were already sitting outside the hospital room. I froze mid-step, instinctively turning toward the nurses’ station. I asked them for a face mask and put it on before heading back. I knew my parents didn’t want to see me. I rarely visited them unless absolutely necessary, and they never asked me to. Standing outside the emergency room, I saw that Luke’s operation wasn’t over yet. When my parents noticed me, their initial expressions were filled with emotion, but the moment they saw the mask on my face, their excitement faded into indifference. “Luke fell while trying to pick your sister’s favorite flowers,” my mom said. “When he gets through this, stay by his side more often. At least you can be some sort of comfort to him.” I stood there in stunned silence, watching her lips move. But after that first sentence, I couldn’t hear another word she said. The doors to the emergency room finally opened. “The patient is out of danger. Are his family members here?” Before I could react, my mom pushed me forward. I found myself standing at the foot of Luke’s bed, staring at his pale, unconscious face. And in that moment, a dark, horrifying thought flashed through my mind: Why didn’t he die?

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I had a confrontation with the aloof campus heartthrob, and in the heat of the moment, I punched him. Then, something strange happened—I could hear his thoughts. [I’m breathless. She’s so adorable, that punch was amazing! I want to kiss her until she faints!] I yanked his tie and murmured a warning: “You creep, if you follow me again, I’ll tie you to a post and beat you up!” The guy was taken aback, his eyes unexpectedly filled with anticipation. [Tie me up? Could things get any better?] After that day, I went out of my way to avoid this weirdo. Until one night, he sneaked into my bed and covered my eyes from behind. “I’ve given you my heart, why can’t you love me a little?” Every time I walked back to my dorm after class, I felt someone trailing me, keeping their distance. I sped up, my heart racing. This shadow had been following me for a while. I reported it to the campus security, but they dismissed it as stress-induced paranoia, assuring me there couldn’t be a stalker. “Does something terrible need to happen before you take action? I’ll report your negligence!” After seeing my frustration, they reluctantly checked the surveillance. But they found nothing. Strangely, the stalker didn’t rob or harass me. He just silently followed. Later, pretending to tie my shoelaces, I finally saw the person hiding behind a tree. He wore a dark hoodie and a baseball cap, tall and lean. He actually… looked kind of handsome. I swallowed hard, a slight smile creeping up. Things were suddenly getting interesting. However, I sensed this person was different from the previous stalker. Every day after school felt like a game of hide-and-seek. Until one day, I hid around the corner of the lab building, ready to uncover this peeper’s identity. I gripped my pepper spray. If he was a handsome guy, maybe I was the creep. I’d drag him back to my place to repay him for scaring me all this time. If he was a creepy guy, I’d take him straight to the police station for questioning. But before I could act, a large hand covered my eyes, pulling me backward. My back slammed into a solid, warm chest. The familiar scent of pine and snow filled my nostrils. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. “Logan, what are you up to? Let go.” The man behind me seemed a bit surprised. “You recognized me so quickly?” I stomped on his foot, breaking free in his moment of pain. “Are you crazy? Following me after school every day, are you some kind of psycho?” Logan remained as cold as ever, hands in his pockets, looking like he deserved another punch. “Don’t flatter yourself. I was just headed to the music room to practice piano, and it just so happened to align with your schedule.” Could it really be a coincidence every single day? I knew he was getting back at me. For accidentally spilling soup dumplings on his piano! “If you keep following me, I’ll…” He moved closer, his eyes indifferent. Trapping me against the wall, he looked down at me. “What will you do?” The patience I tried to maintain crumbled in his presence. I flexed my wrist and threw a punch. “Bang!” Logan turned his head, a slight bleed at the corner of his mouth. Seeing him like that, my reason returned, and I pulled back my hand, feeling guilty. Oops, I was impulsive. What if this shameless guy clung to me? Logan licked his lip. I didn’t dare look at him, focusing on my shoes. But he forced me to meet his icy eyes by tilting my head up. Logan smirked, teasing me. “Is that all the strength you have? Didn’t eat enough?” I regretted feeling guilty. I should have hit him harder! Right now, Logan’s gaze was cold, his grip on my cheek firm and chilling. He leaned in, whispering in my ear. Like a snake waiting to strike, cold and slimy. But then I heard a strange voice. [Awww, Sweetie is so cute, that punch felt great! I want to kiss her until she faints!] What the heck? Who’s talking? Logan clearly didn’t open his mouth? Am I hearing his inner thoughts? This creep is calling me Sweetie? His mushy words gave me goosebumps. Ignoring that voice, I grabbed his collar and threatened: “If you follow me again, I’ll tie you to a post and beat you!” He was stunned, unable to hide the expectation in his eyes. [Tie me up? Is there such a good thing?] Turns out he’s not just a stalker, but maybe a masochist too. He put on a cold front, but his inner drama was intense. After his inner excitement, Logan’s face returned to its indifferent calm, graciously explaining to me. “You’re overthinking it. I wasn’t following you.” “If I really wanted to scare you, I’d just put the spiders you’re afraid of in your backpack. Why go through the trouble?” Though I wanted to hit him, I had to admit, he made sense. I could feel it recently; it was indeed Logan following me. But as for who was stalking me earlier, I had no idea. “Forget it, I can’t be bothered with you. Don’t let me catch you following me again.” I pushed him away and left without looking back. [Is Logan mad at me again?] [But she’s so cool and fierce, I love her. I want to be Logan’s dog!] Hearing these thoughts, I covered my flushed face, awkwardly quickening my pace. Damn Logan, what nonsense is he thinking?

Back at the dorm, my aunt’s video call came in. Lately, she’s been calling me non-stop. She seemed particularly worried about me. I adjusted my emotions before answering the call. After chatting about trivial matters, my aunt tentatively asked, “Logan, have you encountered anything strange at school recently?” My heart skipped a beat. Could my aunt know that I was being followed? I immediately told her everything that had happened. “So that person isn’t following you anymore?” I nodded, it seemed that way. The previous stalker wasn’t as tall as Logan and was slimmer. Recently, it’s just been that annoying Logan. I thought the stalkers were working together, but it turned out the later one was Logan. My aunt’s tense expression finally relaxed. She laughed and said, “Good thing I found the right person to have Logan protect you. That kid is reliable.” Huh? I almost choked on my water. “Aunt, you mean you had Logan follow me?” She nodded matter-of-factly. “Yes, you have classes at night, and your school’s security isn’t strict. I was worried, so I asked Logan to watch over you.” “You two grew up together and are at the same school; having him protect you gives me peace of mind.” I felt guilty. If my aunt knew that not only did I scold Logan, but I also punched him hard enough to make his mouth bleed, would she scold me? After ending the video call, I couldn’t stop thinking about it while showering. It seems the previous stalker was taken care of by Logan. But I misunderstood his good intentions. He was protecting me, but I mistook him for a stalker and even hit him. Should I apologize? After all, that punch numbed my hand. I hope I didn’t loosen his teeth. After getting out of the shower, I changed into my nightgown, slightly dried my hair, and ran downstairs to the boys’ dorm. I thought about sending him a message, but after editing it, I couldn’t bring myself to hit send. That damn Logan, a year older than me. Our families are neighbors, so he’s sort of my childhood friend. But he always wore an expressionless face, speaking with an air of superiority. I’ve always found him annoying. Now, apologizing to him is something I just can’t do. Just as I hesitated, Logan walked out of the dorm. He wore a loose gray jacket, jeans, and carried a bag of trash. Seeing me, he stopped, giving me a puzzled look as if asking what I wanted. I awkwardly greeted him. “Haha, still up this late?” Logan slowly threw away the trash, speaking elegantly: “Yeah.” The next second, his inner voice echoed: [Of course, I’m still up. I knew you’d come to apologize, so I waited at the door. Baby is so cute, kissing, kissing, kissing.] I was speechless, but he remained calm. Such a scheming guy. It must be hard for him to act so proper. Logan’s haughty gaze finally landed on me. Seeing my nightgown, he immediately frowned. Without a word, he took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. “Yan Logan, showing up in a nightgown at the boys’ dorm, do you want people to think I have a girlfriend?” I looked down at my nightgown. It was knee-length and perfectly normal, not suggestive at all. Just as I was about to retort, I heard his inner voice again. [Sweetie just showered, so soft and white, too cute. Those guys better not look at my wife.] [Her legs are so slender and white. If she kicked me hard, it’d feel amazing. Ah, I’m dead.] His inner voice spoke right in my ear, the content so embarrassing it made my toes curl. Damn creep, taking advantage of me not hearing to say all this flirty nonsense in his head. “Cora Harper, sneaking into the boys’ dorm at night dressed like that, trying to make people think I’ve got a girlfriend?” I glanced down at my nightgown. It was knee-length, perfectly innocent. I was about to fire back when I caught a glimpse of his inner thoughts. [Sweetie just got out of the shower, all soft and fair, so adorable. Those guys better not stare at my girl.] [Her calves are so slender and pale. If she kicked me, it’d probably feel amazing. Ah, I’m done for.] His voice echoed in my mind, and the embarrassing content made my toes curl. What a creep. Just because he thinks I can’t hear him, he lets his mind run wild. I touched my flushed face and turned away from him. “I’m here to apologize. I mistook you for a stalker today; my Aunt explained everything.” With that, I turned to leave. But he caught my wrist and said nonchalantly, “Is this your idea of an apology? I don’t see any sincerity.” He’s really pushing it! I’ve come to apologize, and now he’s being picky? Next time, I’ll hide his piano and see how arrogant he gets without it! [If she could just give me a kiss, I’d die happy!] “You shameless jerk, don’t even think about it. Absolutely not!” I was stunned as soon as the words left my mouth. I accidentally replied to his inner thoughts. Logan looked at me, puzzled. “What’s impossible?” Afraid of revealing that I could hear his thoughts, I quickly covered up. “I mean, for sincerity, I’ll give you a box of chocolate milk later. How’s that for sincerity?” It was from last year when a classmate visited me after I sprained my ankle. Not sure if it’s still good. [Does Sweetie like chocolate milk?] No, I don’t. Logan’s gaze drifted as if lost in thought again. Sometimes, I really wonder what’s going on in his head. Always thinking about random things. I went back to my dorm and grabbed the box of chocolate milk, even wiping the dust off with a tissue. When I returned, Logan was waiting for me by the gazebo next to the boys’ dorm. He seemed warm, his collar open as he drank water. Droplets slid down his chin and disappeared into his shirt. I found myself captivated. Previously, when Logan was voted campus heartthrob every year, I scoffed, thinking people were shallow for not seeing what a jerk he really was. But now, I realized I was just pretending to be above it all. Logan does have some charm. Once I snapped out of it, I quickly shoved the chocolate milk into his arms. “Here, my apology gift. We’re even now.” Afraid of hearing more of his shameless thoughts, I turned and ran toward the girls’ dorm. [She’s so cute, I just want to hold her and kiss her breathless.] I almost slipped. Is he crazy or what? Ever since I could hear Logan’s thoughts, I’ve been avoiding him. I’m such a mess. Usually, I can’t stand his cold face. But when I don’t see him for a few days, it feels like something’s missing. Did that jerk put a spell on me? With no classes on the weekend and feeling restless, I decided to stay at my apartment for a day. I drank too much coffee while working on my paper, making it hard to sleep that night. At 1 AM, as I was about to get up for a drink of water, I suddenly heard the balcony door sliding open. Cold sweat broke out on my back instantly. A thief? Or that stalker again? Time seemed to stretch, and I could hear my own breathing and heartbeat clearly. Creak. The balcony door was fully opened.

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Arnold finally agreed to my proposal for marriage. He specifically asked me to dress beautifully, saying he had a surprise for me. But when I arrived in full attire, there was no groom at the wedding. Arnold turned to Esther beside him and smiled. “You’ve always said weddings are tedious and boring. Today, let me show you how interesting a wedding can be. How does that sound?” My brother, Peter, loudly announced, “Wedding paused!” My childhood friend, Tyler, even pulled down a water balloon, soaking me completely. Arnold mischievously raised an eyebrow at me. “Sara, it’s just a joke. You didn’t really think I was going to marry you, did you?” This wedding was nothing but a farce, created by them to amuse my depressed stepsister. Seeing me silent, Arnold laughed again. “If you’re really so desperate to get married, just pick someone from the guests and marry them.” But when I actually walked out with my groom, they panicked. Peter finished reading the vows on stage, but the groom still hadn’t arrived. The guests below whispered amongst themselves. I realized this was yet another attempt to embarrass me. Sure enough, Arnold below nonchalantly fiddled with the ring in his hand and turned to Esther with a smile. “Esther, didn’t you say weddings are all tedious and boring? Just a couple of vows and a ring and it’s over,” he said. “Today, let me show you what a wedding can be like.” Peter immediately caught on and loudly announced, “Wedding paused!” Tyler shouted, “Esther! Look!” The water balloon above my head fell suddenly. Even though I quickly tried to dodge, it still hit me when I least expected it. My hair stuck to my face, drenched, and water dripped from my wedding dress. I gripped the sides of my dress tightly. Finally, Esther couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. Arnold slowly walked over, pretending to care, but his tone was indifferent. “What’s wrong, Sara? Aren’t you happy?” He turned and jokingly punched Tyler. “You went this far? Didn’t you think about how Sara is the bride today?” When I thought he might actually realize the joke had gone too far, he handed me the ring, still in its box, that should have been on my finger. “You wanted to get married, right? You wanted to be a bride? I’ve made it happen. I even got the officiant, best man, and guests ready for you.” Meeting my cold gaze, he sneered. “You really thought I was going to marry you? I’m just helping you fulfill your wish. I never said I’d marry you.” Then, he added with a mocking tone, “Make sure you keep the wedding ring safe. You wouldn’t want to lose it, or your groom can’t put it on for you. He then added, “Oh, wait, I forgot. There’s no groom at this wedding.” “Oh, no! There’s no groom at this wedding?” Tyler laughed openly, not even trying to hide the sarcasm. “But I think Sara is ready to marry you! Look how formal she looks!” His words drew everyone’s attention to my soaked wedding dress. If this had been before, I would have held back tears, begging Arnold not to humiliate me in front of everyone. But now, I simply wiped the water from my face, trying not to ruin my makeup. I calmly thanked him. “Thank you all for walking me through the wedding. I was a little nervous, but now I feel better. Hopefully, the real wedding will go more smoothly.” Arnold stared at me, then laughed loudly. “Are you really that stupid or just pretending? You still thought I’d marry you? “Can’t you see? I’m just trying to make Esther laugh! “Women who throw themselves at men are too cheap!” He didn’t even try to hide his teasing expression, showing no concern for how much his words would hurt me. Even Esther and the others laughed happily along. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a heavy hand, twisted and crushed. I had known for a long time that Arnold, my brother Peter, and my childhood friend Tyler were planning to humiliate me. A few days ago, Arnold had called me. “Sara, you want to get married, right? You want to be a bride? The venue you picked is ready. Let’s meet there.” My heart skipped a beat. He knew what I wanted. I’d always wanted to get married. After my mother passed, I had been living with my grandmother, and now she was very sick, gravely ill. Her only wish was to see me married. I had already booked the wedding venue long ago, and I had begged Arnold to marry me, even if it was just a fake wedding, to put my grandmother’s mind at ease. His phone call left me in a state of turmoil. I wanted to go to the study and talk to Peter about it, but I overheard them eagerly discussing how to stage this farce on the day of the wedding.

Arnold laughed loudly and said, “I just called Sara to get her to prepare the wedding details. Guess what? She really thought I was going to marry her! “She’s dumb as hell, isn’t she?” Peter said, “She has no idea. The drama can only happen if we catch her off guard. It’s only fun if Sara makes a fool of herself. That’s what Esther will find entertaining.” I covered my mouth in disbelief. Even my half-brother, I didn’t know when, had chosen Esther’s side. Tyler immediately chimed in, “How about we swap the confetti over her head with water balloons? That’ll drench her and make her look like a drowned rat. “Just make sure Esther doesn’t find out ahead of time. Otherwise, it’ll be no fun.” They all seemed thrilled with their plan to prank me. Their faces showed that they were sure of their success. I stood frozen at the door, unable to move. The wedding I had so eagerly anticipated was nothing more than a farce to amuse Esther. The three people who once ran all over town just to buy me my favorite cake to make me happy… Where had they gone? When had they changed so much? In my memories, Peter, Arnold, and Tyler were the ones who cared the most about me. But ever since Esther came into this family, everything changed. Her depression was severe. So severe that just seeing me would bring her down, and every time she had an episode, she’d beg them to stay with her. At first, they were dismissive, thinking it was all an act. But gradually, their focus shifted from me to Esther. Arnold was the man I’d loved for seven years; Peter and Tyler had always been by my side. Now, they were willing to turn my wedding into a joke just to get a smile out of Esther. Making Esther happy had become their biggest goal even if it meant exchanging my humiliation for that. They tiptoed around Esther but showed no concern for how they turned me into the laughingstock. The thought sent a numbing pain to my heart. Today, I was indeed getting married. Just not to Arnold. I fixed my hair, trying to look presentable, and lifted the microphone to announce to everyone, “What just happened was a small interlude. Please be patient for just a moment.” Then I took my dampened, heavy wedding dress and added, “I’ll go change into another dress, or I won’t have time to change when my husband arrives.” Thankfully, I had predicted how things would go today and hadn’t worn my favorite dress. To my surprise, Arnold stared at me like I was some kind of clown. “Sara, are you insane because I’m not marrying you?” he suddenly asked. “I told you, this wedding was all a trick. There’s no groom!” Peter added with mocking laughter, “Sara, even if you’re embarrassed, there’s no need to lie! “And by the way, I know exactly whether anyone wants you or not. As your brother, I’m pretty sure I’d know.” His words drew laughter from everyone. For all these years, it was a well-known fact that I had chased after Arnold. Tyler pretended to ponder for a while. Then, he said, “Could it be that you’re trying to make Arnold jealous on purpose? “Such a low-level trick. Sara, don’t you find it hilarious?” Esther softly intervened and turned to persuade me, “Sara, this whole farce was just them trying to make me happy. I’m really touched that you’re willing to play along and entertain me. “I know you’ve liked Arnold for a long time, but love is a two-person thing… “A girl should value herself. Mom and Dad are down there, and there are so many guests. Don’t drag this out any longer.” She looked at me, her tone gentle, but her words implicitly criticized me for embarrassing myself. I turned to see my father in the audience, his face dark, constantly explaining to the guests. I took a deep breath and emphasized, “This is really my wedding, and my groom is on his way.” With that, I picked up my phone and dialed the top contact.

But the phone line kept buzzing with a busy signal, and after several minutes, no one answered. My heart sank, and I felt a little anxious. After all, we had only met once. Arnold watched me with a mocking tone. “Sara, I used to think you were just a little shameless, but now I think you’re really good at fooling yourself.” Peter sneered. “Sara, you should really stop with these pointless efforts.” Esther looked at me with a false air of understanding and turned to Arnold. “Arnold, it seems like Sara really wants to get married. “Why don’t you just pretend to go along with her for the sake of completing this charade? I think she looks pretty pitiful.” Arnold didn’t hesitate to refuse, saying decisively, “I’m just trying to make you laugh. I have no intention of marrying Sara.” He took a step back, distancing himself from me as if making it clear that he wanted no part in this and was afraid I might cling to him. Esther then turned to Tyler. Tyler also quickly declined, “This is way too embarrassing. I’m not doing it!” Watching them both hurriedly refuse, pledging their loyalty to Esther, I vaguely recalled the time when they were eighteen. They’d both fought to invite me as their partner for their coming-of-age dance. They’d competed to plant roses for me, just to win my favor. Now, my heart had grown numb. I didn’t want to watch Esther’s hypocritical act anymore. I said coldly, “Don’t worry. I won’t marry either of you scumbags. I’ve had enough of you. My groom is someone else.” My father seemed to have had enough. He yelled at me. “Sara! What are you playing at? Are you trying to ruin my reputation? “Why can’t you be more like Esther? Do you really want everyone to know you’re a desperate, unmarriageable loser?” I was stuck on stage, unable to leave, while all he cared about was his face. But my grandmother held my hand and stood firmly by my side. She gave me a comforting smile. “Sara never lies! Please, everyone, just wait a little longer.” At that moment, my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up. The voice on the other end was urgent but had a soothing, reassuring tone. “Sorry, honey, there’s some traffic, but I’m on my way.” I reminded him to be careful on the road. Tyler sneered and stared at me, “You’re really good at pretending. Did you hire an actor on the fly or something? “Sara, you’ll do anything to preserve your pathetic little pride, won’t you? “You’re so desperate to get married. Why don’t you just pick a man from the guests and get married right here?” Arnold pretended to be kind and suggested, but I knew he was doing it on purpose, trying to force me into a corner. The next second, he grabbed the microphone and spoke to the audience. “We’re having a live wedding here for Sara! Any man can sign up to participate. If someone catches her eye, we’ll just hold the wedding right here.” He continued with a sneer, “Anyone willing to try? Sara is loyal and devoted, and she’s been chasing after me for years.”

The guests started murmuring, some even taking out their phones to take pictures. I felt my face burn with humiliation as I bit my lip. Yes, I had chased after him for many years, but he had always accepted my kindness and given me vague, non-committal replies. Again and again, he trampled on my genuine feelings. A cold wind blew through the room. I felt cold both inside and out. There were actually people in the audience who seemed to agree with Arnold, wanting to marry me. Arnold led a man up to the stage, a man in his forties or fifties who looked even older than my father. He grinned, exposing yellow teeth and flashing a lewd smile. “What a beauty,” he commented. Tyler and Peter pushed me roughly in front of him. I felt disgusted and couldn’t bring myself to speak. Peter, seeing I wasn’t playing along, snapped, “Isn’t this faster than bringing in an actor? Hurry up and marry him. Stop embarrassing us all.” Esther chimed in, “Sara, just stop the act. We’ve already chosen the best one for you. What else could you possibly want?” I stared at these sanctimonious people, clenching my fists. “My wedding is not something for you to decide!” Then it hit me. I had just registered my marriage yesterday. At this very moment, my marriage certificate was in my bag. I took a few steps forward, grabbed the bag, and pulled out the marriage certificate. Then, I opened it and slammed it in front of them. “This is my marriage certificate, with my husband’s name on it. Like I said, he’s just not here yet.” Peter froze for a moment, his expression odd, before he burst into laughter. “Sara, you really went all out with the drama! “Do you even know who this man is? How dare you photoshop him into your husband?” Arnold took a quick look at the certificate, too. The room erupted into laughter. “Which shady place did you get this fake certificate from? You didn’t even bother to make it look convincing. Mr. Jerome Emmerson? I just asked him to meet up with me yesterday about a partnership. “He said he had just gotten married and was busy spending time with his wife! “You say this is your husband? Stop making a fool of yourself!” I remembered that Jerome had indeed spent the whole day with me trying on wedding dresses. His phone kept ringing, so I kindly told him to go ahead with his work, only for him to insist on staying and finishing the fitting. Esther looked at me with pity in her eyes. “Sara, it’s not your fault that you can’t have the one you love. But to force yourself to play out a charade like this just makes you look like a clown.” My father couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me off the stage. “Enough, Sara. Are you not done yet?” But Arnold held onto my hand, preventing me from leaving. “Didn’t you say he was almost here? “Aren’t you going to let us meet this so-called husband? You’re not leaving without showing him off, are you?” Peter and Tyler also grabbed me, preventing me from leaving. In the chaos, I almost lost my balance and tripped down the stairs. Just when I thought I was about to fall flat on my face, losing what little dignity I had left, a man caught me tightly in his arms, and the fresh, calming scent of pine wrapped around me. “Sorry, honey, I’m late.”

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I’m Jack’s cherished wife. When I learned I would die on the operating table during the birth of my fourth child, I became aware of my fate. My future husband stands before me now, a vulnerable young man, showing me his injuries. “My dad, the gambling addict, hit me again.” “Rose, why does everyone else have a happy family, but I have nothing?” Looking at his bloody wounds, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Your dad did well; he’s meting out justice!” Chapter 1 On the way home from school, Jack showed me his injuries as usual. His hands were clenched tightly, and his face was full of restraint. I felt terrible, worriedly asking him, “Did your dad hit you again?” Jack nodded, feeling wronged: “Last night, he lost at gambling and started hitting me again.” “Why does everyone else have a happy family, but I don’t?” Jack looked at me with red eyes: “Rose, it’s good to have you with me.” “If my mom hadn’t left with someone, my dad wouldn’t have turned out like this.” He made it sound as if his mom was to blame for his dad’s gambling addiction. Something felt off to me. Even now, Jack was defending his dad. Looking at Jack’s bruises, I felt unbearably sad. I didn’t voice my doubts. I just thought about how I could give him more money to pay off his dad’s gambling debts. Even though I’ve given money many times, it still couldn’t satisfy his dad’s appetite. I said, “Why don’t we call the police and let them handle it?” Jack immediately shook his head: “No, if people find out I have a gambling addict dad, how will I face anyone in the future?” He’d rather take the beatings than seek help from the police. I had no choice but to think about how to give Jack the money without hurting his pride. I handed him a card from my bag: “Here’s three hundred thousand dollars, my mom gave it to me as pocket money. You can take it first.” Jack waved my hand away, angrily saying: “What do you take me for? How could I take money from a woman!” I said, “Everything at home is bought for me; I don’t need to spend money.” “You’re so good at studying; you’ll definitely be successful in the future. This amount of money is nothing to you.” Only then was Jack satisfied. Just as he hesitated to take the card, a truck suddenly rushed straight at me. Jack noticed it first and dodged to the side alone. I couldn’t react in time, frozen in place with fear. My mind exploded in a roaring sound, and it felt as if my soul floated upwards. Images flashed before me like a carousel. I saw my future. Chapter 2 The images showed my life with Jack. The first scene was how Jack and I met and fell in love. Jack’s path to adulthood was tough; his dad was a gambling addict, and his mom was missing. He grew up in a violent environment. In his hardest times, he met me. I was his only hope during his youth. The second scene was Jack and I ending a ten-year relationship and getting married. After college, Jack rose rapidly, becoming the CEO of a public company with our family’s help. We entered marriage amidst everyone’s blessings. We became the model couple everyone envied. The third scene was my married life. It gave me chills. To my current self, it seemed more like a horror story, exhausting my future life. After having the third child, I was required to stay home with the kids. Endless household chores drove me crazy. The kids resented me, and Jack stopped coming home. This marriage turned me from a wealthy and leisurely rich girl into a complete madwoman. Later, I got pregnant again, and Jack wanted to keep it. He said, “Children are a blessing. They are the hope for the future.” “Since we have a bond with this child, let’s have it.” I listened. On the day I died of massive hemorrhage giving birth to the fourth child, Jack was in the office flirting with his secretary. Another image showed him chatting with another woman. “I wanted to drive her crazy and send her to a psychiatric hospital, but dying works too.” “I’ve had enough of her for so many years.” “Now her family’s company is mine too. Who dares say I live off a woman now!” “That old hag is dead, Lily, we can finally be together openly.” A piercing screech brought my soul back. The truck screeched to a halt just in front of me, its bumper grazing my knee. Jack finally reacted and ran towards me. “Rose, are you okay?” He pretended to care, but his first reaction was to reach for the bank card in my hand. I dodged him. He asked confusedly, “What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to give it to me?” As he spoke, he accidentally showed me the wounds on his arm again. I originally wondered if the images I’d seen were just illusions in my mind. But Jack’s series of actions made me realize that was my future! I suddenly became clear-headed. Everything was just his ploy. He wanted me to willingly become his endless source of support. Don’t count on bad genes to win the lottery; he’s just like his dad. I smiled brightly and put the card back in my bag. “You’re right; taking money from a woman is indeed shameful.” “I was thinking too much. Your dad hitting you is deserved,” “If he doesn’t vent at home, he’d take it out on society. Bear more of it, consider it a contribution to society.” Jack was instantly angry: “Rose, what’s wrong with you? You never talked like this before.” “Do you know how hurtful it is to talk like this? Don’t say things like that again!” I laughed: “Being beaten by your dad every day is fine, but a few words from me hurt you?” “I really don’t know whether to call you fragile or thick-skinned.” Chapter 3 Jack didn’t expect me to say that. He clenched his fists, his face changing slightly. It took him a while to calm down. Then he started his pitiful routine again. But I didn’t care now and called the driver to pick me up. In the car, the driver took it upon himself to offer Jack a ride home. “Jack, why don’t you get in, and I’ll give you a ride?” I interrupted impatiently: “Emma, remember whose driver you are?” Emma apologized: “Sorry, young lady, I just felt bad for him having such a hard time alone.” I sneered: “If you feel bad, you can play his dad, not use my family’s resources to show charity.” I didn’t avoid saying this in front of Jack, knowing he heard it all. As the car started, I saw Jack glaring at me with resentment in the rearview mirror. Thinking of the conversation he had with others in the visions. He said he had enough of me. Judging by the current look, he must have approached me with ulterior motives from the start. Hah. You can really act, Jack. After spending so much time together, I didn’t even notice. Thinking back on how I gave up luxury car rides to walk home with him every day to care for his sensitive nerves. I wanted to slap myself. Misery seems to find those who can endure it, and that was probably me. Otherwise, would I have died on the operating table for a fourth child? Chapter 4 The next day at school, Jack followed me around. Our classmates egged us on like savages. I used to feel secretly proud. Now I just wanted to sew their mouths shut. Jack’s first reaction when he sat down was to open my bag and help me with my homework. I snatched it back. Kidding, I’m nearly scared to death by my future self. How could I not do my homework? I’d rather read the books to pieces than live that life. I overdid it yesterday and went out today with dark circles. My best friend Eva noticed something was up. “Rose, did you have a fight with Jack?” “Oh, you’re such a spoiled young lady. Jack must suffer a lot from you.” Her words filled my mind with question marks, so I asked her: “Tell me, how did I bully him?” She said flatteringly: “Your relationship is so good. He’s in trouble now. How can you not help him with such a bond?” I was puzzled. Jack usually avoided talking about his dad’s issues. How did Eva know he was in trouble? Before I could think further, Jack interrupted my thoughts. “I thought about it all night. Was it because I only cared about getting myself out of danger yesterday that you’re mad?” “I’m sorry, I swear that no matter what happens in the future, I’ll stand up and protect you first.” I wouldn’t believe that for a second. I took off my shoe, tossed it aside, and teased him like a dog: “Sure, go fetch my shoe and put it on for me, and I’ll believe you.” Jack looked at me in disbelief, full of grievance: “Rose, if you’re mad, you can hit or scold me, but why humiliate me like this?” He placed himself in a humble position, drawing everyone’s sympathy. Classmates echoed in support, criticizing me for being wrong. Eva stepped in to mediate: “Yeah, Rose, Jack’s a guy. How can you make him do that?” She picked up the shoe and put it on for me: “I’ll do it. Don’t make it hard for him.” Anyone who didn’t know would think Eva was Jack’s friend, always speaking for him. I felt something was off. It wasn’t until Eva bent over to put my shoe on and revealed half of a necklace pendant that I finally got it. These two were probably already together. He played the victim, winning everyone’s sympathy. Classmates chimed in, criticizing me for being in the wrong. Eva stepped in to mediate: “Rose, how can you make Jack, a guy, do something like that?” she said, picking up a shoe and putting it on for me. “I’ll do it; don’t make it hard for him.” To anyone watching, it would seem that Eva was Jack’s ally, always speaking up for him. I sensed something was off. It wasn’t until Eva bent down to put on my shoe and I saw half of a necklace pendant that it all clicked. These two have likely been involved for a while. Now they are teaming up to take everything from me. That conversation in the kaleidoscope… The girl named Eva across from me must be the same Eva standing before me. The necklace was a birthday gift I gave Jack for his eighteenth birthday. It was the first time he asked me for something, saying he wanted to give it to the aunt who took care of him. It was one of three limited editions worldwide; I spent a lot of time getting it. Turns out the ‘aunt’ is her. I sneered at Jack: “Why don’t you tell everyone how much money you’ve taken from me over the years? If I had given that money to a stray dog, it would at least bark twice at me.” “And now you’re unwilling to put on a shoe for me?” The classmates immediately turned into gossiping faces upon hearing this. Jack couldn’t keep his composure and suddenly became embarrassed and furious. “Rose, spreading rumors can get you in legal trouble. How could I possibly use your money?” he said in front of the entire class. “Today, I’m inviting all classmates to dinner. I hope everyone can make it.” I chuckled. That’s Jack for you. Playing pitiful in front of the rich and acting like a big spender in front of the poor. His buddy chimed in: “Yeah, how could someone like Jack be a kept man?” “Everyone doesn’t know, last time a girl gave him a strap worth thousands, and Jack threw it in the trash.” That girl was me, and the strap was something he begged me for. It was just to show off in front of his ‘brothers.’ Chapter 5 A group of people grandly went to a high-end revolving restaurant. I didn’t join them; instead, I booked a private room to watch the drama unfold. They didn’t know I was there. Eva sat next to Jack, inviting everyone to eat and drink, acting as if she were the hostess. Jack swapped his usual cowardly attitude in front of me for authority at the dining table: “Let me tell you, even if you gave me someone like Rose for free, I wouldn’t want her.” “Why does she deserve anything, isn’t it just because she has a rich mom? Who knows if it’s dirty money from doing shady things?” His brothers echoed: “Exactly, how dare she throw a fit at you. Let her stay far away in the future.” “Not to say anything, but you and Sister Eva are a perfect match. What interest could a boring woman like Rose have?” Eva was all smiles at the comments, happily ordering more food. But her happiness didn’t last long before the waiter came to ask Jack to pay the bill. Jack ostentatiously threw out a black card, saying to everyone: “This place is still lacking. Next time, I’ll take you to the most expensive restaurant.” Shortly after, the waiter rushed to him, whispering a few words in his ear. Jack’s face turned dark instantly. He went to the corner and picked up his phone. It wasn’t long before my phone rang. As soon as I answered, I heard Jack’s questioning voice: “Why is the money in the card gone?” I calmly said: “That’s my card. If I don’t use it, I cancel it.” “Stop messing around. I’m treating people to a meal, transfer me some money first.” These days, even beggars can stand and demand money. “Aren’t you very capable? Go earn it yourself.” After saying this, I hung up and watched Jack, shaking with anger, holding his phone. After a while, Jack pulled Eva aside. “Rose took my money. You pay for today’s meal.” He said it as if I stole his money. Eva instantly got angry. “Jack, are you kidding me? You invite, and I pay?” “Are you crazy?” Jack: “Don’t you like me? Why are you unwilling to spend this little money? Didn’t you say you’d do anything for me?” “Isn’t your family rich? This money is just small change for you.” “Trust me, I’ll definitely pay you back later,” Jack added when Eva wouldn’t relent. Eva gritted her teeth and agreed. Jack got what he wanted and happily went to ask the waiter to add more dishes. From my perspective, Eva’s expression was quite ugly. Chapter 6 After parting unhappily that day, I thought Jack would have some backbone. I underestimated the power of money. Less than a week later, Jack showed up at my house waiting for me.

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Six years of a secret relationship, and at our engagement party, the million-dollar emerald bracelet Lucas bought couldn’t fit my wrist. Tessa, his adopted sister whom he tutored in college, took the bracelet without hesitation and said, “Isn’t this sized for my wrist? Lucas, why don’t you buy her another one? I really like this.” Lucas didn’t mind her behavior at all, looking at her with adoration. Under the spotlight, I, the bride-to-be, felt my eyes welling up with tears. The atmosphere instantly became tense. Tessa smiled provocatively, “Lily, you don’t mind, do you? Lucas has always indulged me.” Lucas chimed in, “Stop acting. Are you trying to embarrass me in front of all these people?” I smiled graciously, “The bracelet suits you better, Tessa. Why don’t you take my place as the main character today?” After all, I didn’t want this fiancé anymore. 0 Seeing her success, Tessa’s face lit up with a smug smile. Lucas, however, was momentarily stunned, seemingly unprepared for my reaction. His friends quickly tried to smooth things over, and the atmosphere gradually became lively again. In truth, this wasn’t the first time Tessa had snatched a gift meant for me, nor was it the first time he had sacrificed me for her. I had lost count of how many times this had happened. At this moment, under everyone’s gaze, I just felt utterly exhausted. Suddenly, Tessa let out a cry and swayed as if about to faint. “Lucas, I suddenly feel unwell. Could you take me home first?” I couldn’t help but laugh, “Tessa, you certainly know how to time your discomfort.” Hearing my tone, Lucas became impatient. “Stop being so sarcastic. You know about Tessa’s condition.” Tessa leaned against him, looking pitiful. “Don’t blame Lily. It’s my fault for causing you trouble. I’m just unlucky.” Lucas was overwhelmed with concern and prepared to leave with her. I quickly tried to stop him, “Lucas, it’s our engagement party. All these friends are still here.” He clicked his tongue, trying to suppress his anger, “Can’t you see Tessa’s about to faint? You’re still trying to provoke her into apologizing to you. How narrow-minded can you be? Are you trying to force this marriage?” His words instantly chilled me to the bone. This engagement party was only agreed upon after repeated requests from me. He said since we were going public with our relationship on his side, there was no need to invite my family. As a result, almost everyone present was his friend or relative. Over the years, from his assistant to his girlfriend, I had always been treated as a dependent clinging to him. Before becoming his wife, I hoped he could tell everyone that Lily was his official girlfriend and the business partner who had accompanied him all along. However, I didn’t get to see this moment after all. Once again, Tessa had destroyed a significant moment in my life. At this point, did I need to continue? The answer was already in my heart. I still remember when we first met at an industry conference. He was a junior entrepreneur, passionately pitching his startup plan to my father. Standing not far away, I was instantly captivated by his demeanor. Despite my pride, I willingly fell for those expressive eyes of his. I desperately persuaded my father to invest in his company and even joined as his assistant to accompany him every step of the way. I knew then that he had an adopted sister from his college tutoring days. And this so-called sister naturally intervened in our world time and time again. When I was helping him deal with difficult clients, Tessa would call with a coquettish voice, and he would immediately abandon me to leave. In the middle of the night, Tessa would call him out to find her cat. Even when I had a high fever of 106°F, he could rush out on a rainy night just because she said she wanted dessert. Whenever I expressed my dissatisfaction, he would immediately accuse me of being narrow-minded. He said if it weren’t for taking on her tutoring job in college, he might not have had money for food. Moreover, her parents were divorced and both lived abroad, entrusting her care to him. She had poor health and could easily encounter bad people living alone, so he should naturally take extra care of her. Thus, there was always a shadow in our world of two. And I, the fiancée who had accompanied him to entrepreneurial success but developed migraines, insomnia, and anxiety, became synonymous with being overly sensitive and jealous. At this moment, I felt as ridiculous as a joke. 0

I spoke coldly, my tone resolute: “Then let’s end it. There’s no need to continue.” Sensing the tense atmosphere, his friends stood up, their faces plastered with smiles, trying to persuade us to continue. I slowly removed my white gloves, then pulled off my veil, and turned to walk away. Lucas abruptly stood up, shouting angrily: “With so many people here, you think you can just end it and leave? Get back here right now!” Tessa’s eyes welled up with tears, her voice choked with sobs: “Lucas, did I make Lily angry? Lily, you’re the main character today, how can you leave first?” Lucas gently comforted her, then yelled at me again. “There you go again with your princess attitude. If you don’t want to get engaged, then don’t!” I stopped in my tracks but didn’t turn around: “Fine, if that’s the case, there’s no need to force it.” He didn’t speak again, just roughly pushed me out of the banquet hall. The door slammed shut with a “bang,” and I heard his voice seeping through the crack, tinged with a hint of smugness and mockery: “Just wait and see, she’ll be back begging for forgiveness within five minutes.” I stood still, turning to look at the tightly closed doors of the banquet hall. I could imagine the looks of pity or derision on his friends’ faces, as I was all too familiar with them. Lucas had often mocked me in front of his friends, saying I had thrown myself at him, and that when my dad died, all my assets would be his. Although he never said it to my face, after hearing it so many times, I knew most of what was said. Just now, his friends were staring at me like I was some kind of joke, while Tessa was still nestled in his arms. I, the supposed star of the engagement party, had become a superfluous bystander. What should have been a romantic scene left me feeling cold all over, shaking uncontrollably, as if I were standing in a biting wind. My feet felt as heavy as lead, but I still walked away without looking back. Lucas didn’t come after me. I sat alone by the river until late at night, until the cold wind triggered my migraine. My phone vibrated, and a message from an unknown number popped up. I opened it to find a video of Tessa in a short skirt, being held in Lucas’s arms. He looked like an anxious father, rubbing her hands to warm them, covering her face, and muttering, “It’s okay, I’m here with you.” But I clearly saw Tessa stick out her tongue playfully. It was obvious that she had planned this with someone else to show me. In the past, her numerous provocations aimed at angering me and making me give up and back off had made me break down countless times. But now, I couldn’t find that hysterical feeling anymore. I guess once your heart dies, it can no longer be stirred. My phone lit up again, with a series of voice messages from Lucas. I played one of them, and his angry voice echoed along the riverbank. “Where the hell are you? How dare you walk out with so many people waiting? Are you out of your mind?” “Tessa’s been crying. Is this how you act as an elder? Stop being so dramatic and come back to apologize to her right now!” I laughed bitterly. Right, as the fiancée who had thrown herself at him, how could I be worth cherishing? I only fueled his arrogance. Just last month, he had thrown Tessa a birthday party, complete with celebrity performances and a drone show. He even forced me to go on stage and sing for her. When I said I had a headache due to my period and didn’t want to sing, he told me to leave if I was going to be an eyesore. Afterward, he even gave my new Chanel handbag to Tessa to cheer her up. I scrolled through my phone contacts, and finally couldn’t resist calling my father. “Dad, do you want to retire? Your daughter wants to come home and take care of you.” 0

I was my father’s only daughter. Although my mother passed away early, he never let me feel a lack of fatherly love. In recent years, as he’s gotten older and his health has declined, he’s repeatedly expressed his hope for me to visit him more often. But I was so focused on Lucas, and because of our frequent conflicts, I had also grown distant from my father. I knew how difficult it was for my father to manage a large corporation, but I still couldn’t bear to give up my life by Lucas’s side. I abandoned a life of luxury, gave up my family’s business, and devoted myself to assisting him in his startup, only to end up completely broken and hurt. My father was clearly awakened from his sleep by my call. Hearing his anxious voice asking what had happened, I couldn’t hold back my tears. “Nothing’s wrong, Dad. I just miss you.” “My dear daughter, did Lucas bully you? Why do you sound so upset?” I could no longer suppress the pain in my heart and burst into tears over the phone. After crying, I talked with Dad for a long time. I could tell he was very emotional too, constantly talking about arrangements for when I return home. Having made my decision, I started preparing to leave. My father had built his business empire from scratch, and he had intended to groom me as his successor. But after graduating and returning to the country, under the pretext of wanting to strive independently, I stayed in Lucas’s city, neglecting my father whose gray hair was increasing day by day. Now, I was eager to return home, not wanting to stay here any longer. Late at night, I returned home to find Tessa’s shoes and coat scattered at the entrance. From inside, I could hear Lucas’s doting voice: “Why are you barefoot? You’ll complain about cold feet later.” She responded in a coquettish manner: “Who told you not to prepare for me? You must have been too busy today, right?” I stood in the living room, looking disheveled, while she feigned surprise: “Lily, why are you back so late? We thought you had already come home.” Her demeanor was as if she were the mistress of the house, while I had become an unwelcome guest. I was too exhausted to care that she was wearing my new pajamas and holding my unopened Hermès perfume. She seemed to have grown accustomed to using my things naturally. Lucas always said, “It’s not that she doesn’t have money, she’s just alone here without anyone to take care of her. You’re with me now, so you’re like an elder to her. Giving her some things is no big deal.” Seeing my silence, Lucas mistakenly thought I was about to get angry and hurriedly explained, “I just took Tessa to the hospital for a check-up. It was too late and unsafe, so I let her stay for the night.” “Fortunately, nothing’s wrong with her. Otherwise, how could I face her parents?” His tone was full of reproach, but he failed to notice my wind-reddened face and weak expression. The headache made me feel dizzy, and I had no strength left to argue with them. He asked in bewilderment, “You’re not angry?” Stopping in my tracks, I explained for him: “Tessa’s parents aren’t around, so it’s right for you to take care of her. I’m used to being independent, there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll forget about it after a good night’s sleep.” They were momentarily stunned. Lucas hastily said, “You know Tessa’s been emotionally unstable since she got sick. I was afraid something might happen to her.” I interrupted him: “That has nothing to do with me. You don’t need to explain so much.” He became annoyed and forcefully grabbed my arm, but I shook him off as if I’d seen a ghost. Tessa, on the verge of tears, said: “Stop fighting. I’ll leave now and never appear in front of you again.” She turned to leave, but Lucas warned me: “She’s still just a young girl. Can’t you tolerate her? Stay at home and reflect on your behavior!” He helped her put on her coat, and before leaving, he didn’t forget to go to the bathroom and stuff her pink underwear into his pocket. As she passed by me, Tessa secretly stuck out her leg, tripping me. Already dizzy, I stumbled and fell to the ground, the pain hitting me again. But Lucas acted as if he hadn’t seen it and left directly with her.

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After falling into a coma, I heard my wife constantly talking about sleeping next to me in the hospital to conceive my child. But on the day I regained consciousness, I overheard her bringing a man back to my room. They were making out on the bed next to mine, their heavy breathing, rustling clothes, and whispered conversations filling the air. “Damn, you dare to get intimate with me right in front of your comatose husband?” the man said. With a click, I glimpsed my wife’s nimble hands unbuckling the man’s belt. “He’s just a vegetable. He can’t feel anything. Don’t you find this more exciting?” she replied. I lay motionless on the hospital bed, my mind blank with shock. Because I recognized the man’s voice. It was my brother, Adam Wilson. The sound of running water came from nearby. After what seemed like an eternity, the commotion beside me finally stopped. Adam got up from the bed, his voice tinged with smug satisfaction. “When are you planning to divorce my disabled brother?” Disabled? My parents had passed away, and I had no siblings. Adam was an orphan I had found in foster care. If it weren’t for me, he might have starved to death on the streets. I had raised him as my own, changing his diapers and feeding him. And this is how he repays me? By calling me disabled? I felt a gaze flicker in my direction. My hand, hidden under the blanket, clutched the sheets tightly. It took all my willpower not to tremble. “He’s just a coma patient. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll pull the plug, and he’ll be gone,” my wife, Lily, said coldly. “For now, I haven’t conceived yet. Once I have a baby, we can kick him to the curb.” I felt nauseous, my whole body shaking with disgust. There were several moments when I wanted nothing more than to sit up and strangle them both. But I knew my body, weakened after three months in a coma, wouldn’t allow such a move. Adam’s tone turned flirtatious. “A woman’s heart is the most poisonous of all. If you can do this to my brother today, won’t you do the same to me in the future?” Lily’s voice dripped with honey: “You’re different from your brother. He’s older than you, and in a few years, he’ll start smelling like an old man. You’re young. I could never outlast you. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years, you’ll be the one dumping me?” As they talked, they began to get entangled again. After a while, Lily, feeling it wasn’t exciting enough, suggested they continue at a hot spring hotel. When I heard the hospital room door close, the last thread of control in my mind snapped. How on earth did Lily and Adam end up together? Back then, Adam had failed his SATs and refused to study abroad despite my urging. He insisted on staying in the country. Thinking his job prospects would be limited with his low education, I had arranged for him to work as Lily’s driver, just to help him out. Even when friends had mentioned seeing Lily entering hotels with a man, I had never once suspected him. But now it seems they had been hooking up for a long time. That night, Lily didn’t return, and I lay awake the entire night. It wasn’t until dawn that I finally drifted off into a troubled sleep. The next day, I woke up with a deathly pale face. The nurse beside me was startled when she saw me open my eyes. Soon after, a group of doctors and nurses flooded into the room. I cooperated with the doctors’ examinations, and they were all amazed at how quickly I had regained consciousness. Back in the room, I overheard nurses gossiping. “His wife comes every few days, always talking about wanting to conceive his child.” “Oh, I know. Last night during my shift, I even heard water noises from the room.” “No wonder. Maybe he woke up because of his wife’s efforts.” I listened intently, my eyes filled with icy contempt. After the examination, the nurse raised my bed so I could get some sunlight. I figured Lily must be crawling out of Adam’s bed by now. If she found out I was awake, her face would probably hit the floor. Around noon, Lily appeared. “Honey, you’re finally awake!” she exclaimed. She made a move to throw herself into my arms, but I slightly turned my body towards the window. She missed her mark. I lay in bed, silently watching her. “Where have you been?” I asked. Lily’s expression froze for a moment before quickly returning to normal. She held up a thermos flask and pressed the call button for the nurse. “I’ve been by your side the whole time. As soon as I heard you were awake, I rushed home to make your favorite pork rib soup.” She tried to touch my hand, but I avoided her. Lily’s hand paused, and her eyes showed a hint of impatience. “What’s wrong with you this early in the morning? I went home to make soup for you, and now I’m the bad guy?” She slammed the thermos onto the bedside table. I bit my lip, unable to speak, afraid that if I opened my mouth, my emotions would completely collapse.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was my brother, Adam. He greeted me with a grin. “Bro, I heard you woke up. I came to see how you’re recovering.” There was a hint of challenge in his words. “You wish I was dead, don’t you?” I coldly looked at him. Adam was caught off guard by my attitude and froze for a moment. Lily stepped in front of him. “What’s wrong with you today? Are you too tired? Get some more rest,” she said, almost ordering me as she forcefully pressed the button to lower my hospital bed. “Nurse, my husband’s emotions are unstable. Can someone come and check on him?” she called out. “Sis, my brother is so fierce,” Adam whined to Lily. Lily’s voice softened. “Don’t bother with a coma patient…” The two of them started speaking intimately in front of me without any restraint. My fingers dug into my flesh as I struggled to suppress my surging emotions. Lily didn’t even glance back at me as she left the room with Adam. I could no longer contain myself. I screamed frantically, sweeping all the glass cups off the bedside table onto the floor. Lying in bed, looking at the mess around me, I completely broke down. The wife who had once vowed to spend her life with me, and the brother I had raised from childhood, were now fooling me like I was an idiot. How absurd. How laughable. I had ended up in this coma because I was trying to save Lily from a fire. When we first met, we were both just working-class people. During our toughest times, we couldn’t even afford rent. Lily had swallowed her pride and borrowed money from her parents for my sake. After paying the rent, she had hugged me and cried in our tiny 100-square-foot apartment. Looking out at the office buildings, I had vowed to start my own business from scratch and give her a good life. Six months later, I opened a small company. In winter, no matter how cold it was, Lily would crawl out of our warm bed to cook for me when I returned home late from overtime work. That night, I was out meeting a client when it started drizzling. Lily came to bring me an umbrella, but a fire suddenly broke out in the mall, trapping her in the elevator. After rescuing the customers from the fire, I rushed back in to give her my wet coat. In the midst of the flames, as I watched her escape, my only thought was, “Thank God Lily is safe.” When the firefighters arrived, I was trapped in a collapsed triangle area. As I was carried out on a stretcher, Lily ran towards me. Her face was filled with panic. My vision was blurry, but I could feel her hot tears falling on the back of my hand. As I was loaded into the ambulance, I lost all sensation. The doctor told Lily that I had narrowly escaped death but had fallen into a coma. After I woke up, I heard from the nurses that Lily had been wracked with guilt when she learned of my condition. She had knelt by my hospital bed and sworn on my deceased parents’ will that she would take care of me for the rest of her life. It had only been three months since then. The memories of our shared hardships now felt like swallowing razor blades. I had been lying in the hospital bed for exactly half a month. During this half month, apart from the day I woke up, neither Lily nor Adam had come to see me. I calmly sat up and packed my things. In my pocket was the divorce agreement I had drafted the night before. The doctor helped me do a final check on my bodily functions. He told me that my nervous system would soon fully recover. The nurse was very gentle, assuring me that as long as I persevered with treatment, I would definitely get better. I looked at myself in the mirror, my face as pale as a ghost. I let out a bitter laugh and walked out with my discharge papers. As luck would have it, just as I left the inpatient department, I ran into Lily. And the person supporting her was none other than my brother, Adam. I followed them, watching as they entered the obstetrics and gynecology department. Seeing me, Lily’s gentle smile instantly froze on her face. “Honey, how are you able to walk around?” she asked, her voice tinged with nervousness. She even called Adam to get me a wheelchair. I looked at her coldly. “So you still remember I’m your husband.” I shifted my gaze to her abdomen. Lily took a wary step back. Adam immediately stepped in front of her, his hand casually stroking her belly behind his back. “Bro, with your condition, you should be resting in bed! Don’t wander around!” he said, his words clearly challenging. I ignored his provocation and directly pointed at the obstetrics and gynecology sign, asking Lily, “What are you doing here?” Lily’s eyes flashed with guilt as she said softly, “I’m feeling a bit unwell. I might be pregnant. Your brother is accompanying me for a check-up.” “Pregnant? Whose child? My brother’s?” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. They were really trying to fool me like an idiot. Lily suddenly started playing the victim. “Jack Wilson! You bastard! I’m carrying your child!!!” I laughed. “For the past three months, I’ve been in a coma, unconscious. I didn’t know you had a fetish for sleeping with dead people?” I tried to walk past her, but Lily grabbed my hand.

“You’re not well. Let me take you back to your room,” she said. My voice was indifferent as I looked at her and Adam. “Why don’t you go check if you’re pregnant first?” Lily was taken aback. I rarely acted so cold. Three months ago, I had risked my life to save her from the fire. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that she had become bold enough to bring her lover to my bedside for the thrill of it. “What’s wrong with you? Is it because I haven’t visited you for the past two weeks?” she asked. “I explained to you, I wasn’t feeling well, that’s why I couldn’t come see you.” Her expression was irritated, her tone noticeably colder. I looked at her with utter indifference. “You two are a perfect pair, and you’re blaming me for making a fuss?” I don’t know which words hit a nerve, but Lily’s face darkened completely. “Jack Wilson, that’s enough! He’s your own brother. How can you be so suspicious of us?” “From the moment you saw me, every word you’ve said has been full of thorns. I think you’re the one who wants to replace me!” What a case of the pot calling the kettle black. My nails dug into my palms as I struggled to stay calm. At this moment, the situation was so absurd that even I found it laughable. My brother had become my wife’s lover. And yet, I was the one being accused of cheating. It was a complete reversal of roles. Adam raised his eyebrows, his gaze mocking, but his words were full of fake sincerity. “Bro, you’ve got it all wrong. How could I ever do anything to betray you?” Suppressing the rising nausea, I stared at him with a smile. “If you’re not an ungrateful white-eyed wolf, then that’s for the best.” My brother’s face changed, and he angrily stepped forward, but Lily held him back. She looked at me with irritation. “I’ll take you back to your room.” She turned back to look at my brother, her tone gentle. “Wait for me here, I’ll be back soon.” I shook off Lily’s hand. “How long are you two going to flirt in front of me?” “Haha, don’t bother. I won’t interrupt your intimate moment.” They both froze. Lily looked at me in disbelief. “Jack Wilson, have you gone mad?” Her voice trembled slightly. I looked at her. “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you.” “Two weeks ago, when you two were having your passionate encounter in the hospital room.” “Actually, I woke up that night.” Lily’s eyes were now filled with panic. “Honey, you’ve misunderstood,” she said. I smiled at her. “It’s a shame your name isn’t in the textbooks at the Academy of Dramatic Arts.” “After I fell into a coma, you kept talking about wanting to conceive my child.” “I see you’ve succeeded in conceiving, but it’s not mine, is it?” Lily staggered back two steps. The color visibly drained from her face. “Honey, I’m feeling dizzy…” She reached out, wanting me to support her. I stepped back in disgust, throwing my discharge papers in her face. “Forgot to tell you, I’m being discharged today. I’ve recovered.” I pointed at her belly and laughed. “Now, aren’t you wondering what to do with that bastard child in your womb?” Lily’s eyes trembled, and she suddenly looked up.

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I had been married to James Sullivan for two years, and he spent almost every day in the lab doing research. Everyone around me joked, “James is just focused on his research, that’s why he’s not good with words when it comes to you.” Until the day I rushed to his research lab to deliver some documents, I saw him holding his widowed mentor in his arms. His usually cold and indifferent tone was full of pleading: “Professor, can’t you just look at me?” It turned out that he wasn’t bad with words, he just had someone else in his heart. I had been married to James Sullivan for two years, and he spent almost every day in the lab doing research. Everyone around me joked, “James is just focused on his research, that’s why he’s not good with words when it comes to you.” Until the day I rushed to his research lab to deliver some documents, I saw him holding his widowed mentor in his arms. His usually cold and indifferent tone was full of pleading: “Professor, can’t you just look at me?” It turned out that he wasn’t bad with words, he just had someone else in his heart. I didn’t cry or make a scene, I calmly proposed a divorce. On the day we got the divorce agreement, his mentor was shocked: “How come the house and car all go to you in the divorce?” I smiled: “I’m sorry, but these were all my pre-marital assets.”

Outside the window, it was pouring rain, but inside, the two people were kissing passionately. The documents in my hand scattered on the floor. I was soaking wet and trembling as I witnessed this scene. On this rainy day, I discovered that my husband had forgotten to bring the test data he had stayed up all night to prepare. He had taken the car, and taxis refused to pick me up. So I ran all the way to the subway station with an umbrella, and after several transfers, I finally made it here. But unexpectedly, I stumbled upon an intimate moment between James and his mentor. After the kiss, they laughed softly. Sarah leaned into his arms and said gently, “James, are you sure about this? Being with me will bring enormous pressure.” James pondered for a moment before making a firm promise. “I’m sure, I’ve been sure for a long time.” “I’ll go home in the next few days to discuss the divorce. I won’t let you be without a proper status, Sarah.” Sarah seemed touched and raised her head to initiate another kiss. Her face, though lined with wrinkles, was still graceful and charming. No wonder James had loved her for so many years. Watching their intimate gestures, I felt nauseous and sick to my stomach. I threw the documents into the trash can and turned to go home. I don’t remember how long I walked, I only remember the sharp, continuous pain in my chest. My clothes were soaked through, and my delicate skin was scraped by the gravel. In front of me and our friends, James always appeared rational, calm, and a man of few words. Even when I complained to my friends about his neglect and coldness towards me, they would just comfort me: “Isn’t that just how Dr. Sullivan is? He’s a science nerd, his mind is full of research data. It’s normal that he’s not good at expressing affection. Actually, he treats you quite well.” That’s what I used to tell myself too. When we argued and he left me alone at the restaurant; When I had a fever and was sick, but he still had to go to the lab to do research; Even when my grandmother passed away and I was crying my eyes out, he just frowned and said “Death is a part of life.” That’s how I comforted myself. He didn’t have many complex emotions, and wasn’t the simplicity and purity what I loved about him? But today, when I caught James unable to control his feelings for his mentor, I had a sudden realization. The so-called emotional stability was just indifference all along. When faced with the person he truly loved, he was passionate and humble. Having been caught in the rain wearing thin clothes, I quickly developed a fever. I could barely open my eyes due to the heat, and vaguely heard James coming home. At this moment, I had no strength to argue, so I just wrapped myself tighter in the blanket and turned over. James quickly walked around the house and then rushed into the bedroom, pulling me up. “Mia, where are the data documents I worked on last night?” “I left them on the desk and told you not to touch them. Where are they now?” It was cold outside the blanket, and I shivered, gritting my teeth to barely squeeze out a voice: “I don’t know.” My body was burning hot, and my face was pale. These signs of illness were impossible for him not to notice. James quickly let go of my wrist, his eyes full of contempt and disgust. “You don’t even know about such a small thing at home, what use are you?” “Mia, tell me, what are you good for?”

It turned out that in James’s eyes, I was uneducated, unambitious, didn’t understand his research and dreams, and was a pedantic and ignorant existence. Before, I had been deluding myself, using his cold personality as a shield for his obvious disgust. But now, I didn’t want to fool myself anymore. “James, if you don’t love me, if you despise me, even hate me, why did you marry me in the first place?” When I shouted this sentence with all my strength, I was already in tears. He remained silent for a long time, perhaps not expecting this reaction from me. After all, I had always been submissive. Because I was always the one chasing after him. I lost my strength under his calm gaze, suddenly feeling it all pointless. “Let’s get a divorce.” “I can’t go on like this anymore.” I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and lay back down in bed. James stood behind me for a while, but still chose to leave. Hearing the sound of the front door locking, I fell into complete despair and pain. The high fever didn’t subside even after taking medicine. I forced myself to take a taxi to the hospital. While queuing for medicine after getting an IV, I saw a familiar figure. James was holding a little girl, with a lollipop in his other hand, his eyes showing a gentleness I had never seen before. His wife had a fever and he wasn’t by her side, so what was he doing at the hospital now? I was filled with anger, wanting to rush over and question him. But I stopped in my tracks when I saw Sarah. She had gotten the medicine and wanted to take the child from James’s arms. “I’ll hold her.” But James stubbornly refused to let go, his eyes flashing with worry and care. “Sarah, why are you being so formal with me?” He lowered his gaze and smiled at the little girl: “Besides, Emma and I hit it off right away. Looking at her… it’s like looking at my own child.” Sarah understood the implication in his words and blushed with a smile. They looked at each other, their eyes full of affection. Emma, the little girl, hugged James’s neck and started to act coy, kicking her little legs. “Mommy! I want Uncle James to be my daddy.” “This child!” Sarah pretended to be angry, but just stroked her hair, with no trace of blame in her expression. This scene looked warm and beautiful, really like a family of three. If only that man wasn’t my husband. My hands and feet gradually turned cold, and in the heat of summer, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cave. A doctoral student and a university professor, both highly educated, yet here they were, engaging in the despicable act of adultery. All that education seems to have gone to waste. I lowered my head and laughed coldly, raising my hand to wipe away the cold tears. At the same time, the lobby began to call my name. “Ms. Mia Quinn, please come to Consultation Room 2 to collect your prescription.” I saw James’s body stiffen, and then nervously look around. Finally, when his gaze met mine, his face turned ashen. He slowly loosened his grip, and Emma in his arms slid down. She was still struggling, grabbing onto James’s clothes and refusing to let go. Sarah’s originally somewhat reproachful expression disappeared the moment she saw me. She turned pale and fled in a panic, dragging Emma along. I leisurely withdrew my gaze and went to the consultation room to get my medicine. When I came out, James hadn’t changed his position, he hadn’t come over, nor had he gone after them. I approached him first. “Shall we go home?”

On the way home, James drove with a tense face, not sparing me a single glance. I sat on the sofa, watching James, who usually stood so straight, now slightly hunched over. Looking at his somewhat devastated expression, I felt a bit of satisfaction in my heart. I was anticipating his emotional outburst after I discovered his extramarital affair. Perhaps he would kneel and beg for my forgiveness, or maybe he would be furious at being exposed, or perhaps he would frantically ask me to cover for him, after all, he valued his reputation above all else. But none of what I had imagined happened. James just exhaled heavily, his jaw tightened, and he said in a deep voice: “Mia, it was all my fault. I forced Sarah into this. Please don’t blame her.” “I’ve loved her for nearly seven years. She has always been the person I admire and respect the most. Sarah has lived a clean and upright life for half her life, I can’t let her reputation be ruined by my hands.” “I’ll agree to any compensation you want, even divorce, but please don’t go after her.” Even now, James still didn’t show the slightest emotional fluctuation towards me. He wasn’t angry or in tears. He just calmly appeared before me, asking me not to trouble his beloved. At this point, our marriage was truly a failure. Three years of dating, two years of marriage, and James not only didn’t love me, he didn’t even care about me at all. Even though I was his wife who had been through thick and thin with him, even though I had been by his side during every difficult day. I was just like a fool. The dull pain in my heart turned into a sharp knife twisting, making it hard for me to breathe. My breath caught, and I struggled to hold back the tears that were about to fall. “Divorce, and then—” “Get out of my house.” Such a person is not worth my lingering affection. The divorce proceedings were quickly completed, and James and I walked out of the civil affairs bureau. Emma eagerly let go of Sarah’s hand and ran over to jump into James’s arms. “Uncle James, can you be my daddy now?” “Mommy said that once you’re divorced, you can live with us properly.” What a twisted view, and she’s even passing it on to her daughter. I looked up and made eye contact with Sarah in the distance. She nodded slightly, her eyes as clear as water, with a warm and charming smile on her lips. But her eyes couldn’t hide the challenge. As I passed by her, Sarah whispered softly. “What does it matter that you’re young? James has been thinking about me, a married woman, for so many years. As soon as my husband passed away, he couldn’t wait to become single again, wanting to give me a proper status.” I laughed silently, looking closely at her already cloudy eyes. “Sister, you’d better take good care of yourself.” “After all, James is only 27, and you’re almost 40.” “You—!” Sarah glared at me angrily, but immediately changed back to her gentle demeanor when James approached. “James, I’ve taken the car keys. You should move your things out of the house as soon as possible.” James nodded, thoughtfully adjusting Sarah’s collar. “What?” Sarah exclaimed in surprise, staring at me with an unfriendly expression. “In your divorce, is James leaving with nothing? How come the house and car all go to you?”

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I developed mutism due to childhood trauma. My parents, ashamed of my condition, forced me to marry my sister Olivia’s comatose fiancé, Ethan, in her place. After three years of my devoted care, Ethan miraculously woke up. But the first thing he did upon waking was to demand a divorce. He mistook Olivia for the one who had cared for him these three years, declaring he would marry no one but her. Later, I overheard his best friend explaining to him that it was actually I who had cared for him all this time. He just smiled nonchalantly and said, “I already knew that, but my wife can’t be a mute.” Completely heartbroken, I sought hypnotherapy to suppress my memories and cure my mutism. When I woke up, I looked at the man by my hospital bed in confusion and asked, “Who are you?” The man before me suddenly panicked… Ethan had been in a coma for three years. When he woke up, the first person he saw was me, but his eyes were filled with disappointment. I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. Overjoyed, I helped him sit up and shared the good news in our friends’ group chat. Soon, the hospital room was crowded with people. And I, the wife who had cared for Ethan for three years, was pushed to the corner, completely ignored. Olivia arrived late, wearing a beautiful blue evening gown, looking like she had just come from a party. Ethan grabbed Olivia’s hand, his eyes red-rimmed, “Honey, you’ve suffered so much these three years.” At these words, everyone in the room was stunned, as if the air had frozen. I stood to the side, fidgeting with my clothes, unable to speak up for myself. All because of my mutism. His friend awkwardly explained, “Ethan, Rachel is your wife.” Ethan’s brow instantly furrowed, his eyes turning cold as he looked at me, as if I had come between him and Olivia. I had always known he liked my cousin Olivia. They were supposed to get married, but a car accident left him in a vegetative state. My cousin didn’t want to marry a vegetable and cried to my parents. When I heard it was Ethan, I agreed to their request to marry him in my sister’s place. Little did I know that after three years of my devoted care, this would be the result. I immediately took out my phone and started typing, wanting to explain, but Olivia pressed down my phone. She looked at me with a fake smile, “Sister, Ethan just woke up. He probably can’t handle too much information right now. Why don’t you step out for a bit?” Sensing the awkward atmosphere, the others in the room made excuses to leave. As the door closed, Olivia burst into tears and threw herself into Ethan’s arms, as if she had suffered some great injustice. “Ethan, you’re finally awake. I’ve waited for you for three years…” My heart suddenly tightened, my hand trembling as I gripped the doorknob. After what seemed like an eternity, Olivia opened the door, her cheeks still wet with tears. I walked into the room suspiciously, only to have a glass shatter at my feet. “Rachel, you really went to great lengths to marry me!” “Using such underhanded tactics, aren’t you ashamed?” Flying glass shards cut my leg, but the pain was nothing compared to what I felt in my heart. Ethan was my childhood friend, the only one who didn’t look down on my mutism and encouraged me to seek treatment. But after meeting Olivia, he was unconsciously drawn to her. The boy who once said he would marry me gradually turned his heart towards her. Now he even saw me as the villain who came between their love. I frantically tried to use sign language, then remembered he couldn’t understand it. I shakily took out my phone to type an explanation. Olivia looked at me challengingly, knocking the phone out of my hand. It fell to the floor, the screen instantly going black. “Sister, please, let us be together!” I stood there, stunned. Apart from sign language, my phone was my only means of communication with others. And now I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but the world can be cruel, especially for someone who can’t speak.

My parents somehow got wind of the news and rushed to the hospital. I intercepted them, using sign language to ask them to explain for me. They could understand a bit of simple sign language. Mom nodded slightly, while Dad just pushed me aside and pulled Mom into the room. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Mom hesitantly spoke up, “Rachel, she…” Olivia, sensing what Mom was about to say, interrupted, “Mom, my sister just likes Ethan too much. Don’t blame her.” I widened my eyes in disbelief, grabbing Olivia and frantically signing, [You’re lying! You’re lying!] She rubbed her wrist, nestling into Ethan’s arms, looking pitiful, “I’m sorry, sister. Don’t be angry, I won’t say anymore.” I desperately signed to Mom, my vision blurring with tears, [Tell him it’s not like that!] Mom avoided my gaze. A sense of helplessness spread through my body. In the three years I had cared for Ethan alone, not a single day had been more desperate than today. Dad’s face darkened, “Weren’t you the one who forced your sister to give up her place? You even said Ethan wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I never would have imagined my own father could twist the truth so much. These words felt like needles stabbing my heart. Originally, it was my sister who despised Ethan for becoming a vegetable and didn’t want to marry him. That’s why my parents had me marry him instead. Ethan let out a cold laugh, “Rachel, it’s a good thing I woke up. Otherwise, I would have died with my eyes closed.” I bit my lip hard, the taste of blood spreading in my mouth. So this was how he saw me. Mom pulled me out of the room, her face full of guilt, “Don’t blame your father. We owe Olivia this much.” Olivia’s parents had died saving my parents. My parents took Olivia in and treated her like their own. My parents felt indebted to her, so I always had to give in to her in everything. Whenever I refused, Olivia would cry and say, “If only my parents were still here.” When I developed mutism, just when I needed companionship the most, Olivia convinced my parents to take her traveling abroad. Three years ago, Olivia’s mocking words still rang in my ears, “A mute and a vegetable are a perfect match!” Mom continued, “Now that Ethan is awake, he’ll divorce you sooner or later.” “Leaving a good impression now will only elevate your sister’s status, won’t it?” Tears fell to the ground as I pounded my chest hard, the only way to alleviate the pain in my heart. But it was my parents who owed my uncle and aunt, why did I have to pay the debt? Ethan moved quickly. He decided on divorce in the morning and had the divorce agreement drawn up by the afternoon. Afraid I might cause trouble, he had several bodyguards watch me as I signed my name. I smiled bitterly and slowly wrote my name. Ethan had saved my life, and I had watched over him for three years. From now on, we owed each other nothing.

The autumn evening breeze carried a hint of chill. As soon as my phone was fixed, I sent a message to Dr. Song, [I’d like to try the hypnotherapy you mentioned before.] Dr. Song quickly replied, [After hypnosis, you will lose some memories.] [Also, a family member needs to sign a consent form to ensure someone will take care of you during your recovery period.] My gaze fell on the words “family member”, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, unable to think of anyone who could sign the consent form for me. I kept scrolling through my contacts, my finger hovering over one profile picture, hesitating to click on it. Unexpectedly, the profile picture suddenly shook, and a message popped up, [I’m back in the country today. Would you like to have dinner?] I quickly replied, agreeing on a place to meet. Looking out at the scenery, my thoughts drifted far away. Jason was the son of my sign language teacher. Because I often went to his house for lessons, we became quite familiar with each other. Three years ago, when he learned I was going to marry a man in a vegetative state, he angrily smashed the birthday gift he was going to give me, saying his mother teaching me sign language was a waste. I fought back using sign language, saying all sorts of nasty things. Later, he went abroad to study, and I thought we would never see each other again. I didn’t expect him to return to the country. After not seeing each other for several years, he had matured a lot, giving off an unapproachable aura when not smiling. I went straight to the point, using sign language to ask him, [Can you… pretend to be my family member and sign for me?] His expression froze. After learning the whole story, his hands clenched tightly, as if trying hard to suppress something. “Are you sure about this?” I nodded lightly. What use were these memories to me anyway? Besides, after the memories were suppressed, I would be able to speak again. “Alright.” When I returned to the Jiang family mansion, it was already evening. My things had been carelessly thrown in the hallway of the villa. Ethan glanced at me coldly, “Rachel, don’t say I’m not giving you face. From now on, you’ll live in the guest room.” I nodded lightly. He hadn’t expected me to be so calm and looked me up and down. I would forget about him soon anyway, so what did it matter where I lived? Suddenly, a small dog ran out of the house. I froze, instinctively grabbing Ethan’s arm. He frowned in displeasure and shook off my hand roughly. “Rachel, know your place.” His force was so strong that I hadn’t reacted in time and fell to the ground, pain shooting through my wrist. I had been afraid of dogs since childhood, and the boy who once said he would protect me for life had now let go of my hand. A flash of regret crossed his eyes, and he reached out to help me up. I pretended not to see it and struggled to my feet, ignoring the pain. Olivia came out of the room, clinging to Ethan’s arm and pouting. “Little Darling doesn’t like being confined. Can we give it a bigger room?” Ethan fondly ruffled her hair, “Alright, let’s give the newly cleaned guest room to Little Darling.” “Rachel, you’ll move to the basement.” How laughable. In his eyes, I was worth less than a stray dog they had adopted. While packing my things, I suddenly smelled something strange. Following the scent, I saw a large yellow stain on a red coat. This coat was a birthday gift from Ethan. Because my birthday was on the same day as my uncle and aunt’s death anniversary, my parents didn’t allow me to celebrate. Ethan had secretly given me the coat, earnestly telling me, “Rachel, I’ll be with you for every birthday from now on.” Apparently, promises only count when there’s love. I had cherished this coat so much that I never dared to wear it. It seems I’ll never get to wear it now.

When Ethan saw the coat, he felt a twinge of emotion and told the housekeeper to take it for dry cleaning. But I threw the coat directly into the trash bin, along with all the photos of Ethan and me from over the years. I didn’t want to have any connection with him in the future. Ethan stared at me and slowly said, “Olivia has a kind heart and adopted Little Darling. If you dare to make her unhappy, I definitely won’t let you off.” People really do laugh when they’re at their wit’s end. It seems Ethan had completely forgotten that I’m afraid of dogs. Probably on Ethan’s orders, not a single servant helped me. Ignoring the pain in my wrist, I packed until evening, finally clearing out everything related to Ethan. This was the first time I had stayed at home in three years. After Ethan became a vegetable, I had practically lived in the hospital. At first, there were visitors, but later everyone in the Jiang family gave up on him. Most of the time, it was just him and me in the hospital room. Just as I was falling into a light sleep at dawn, I was awakened by a bucket of cold water. Ethan looked down at me condescendingly, “Rachel, you’ve really become lazy.” “You’re no longer the mistress of the Jiang family. How dare you sleep in?” My head was a bit fuzzy, and I nodded lightly to show I understood. I wiped the water off my face and got up to change my clothes. The servants in the villa were bustling about. The housekeeper glanced at me and told me to go polish the piano. Only then did I realize today was Olivia’s birthday. My fingers glided over the piano keys, and beautiful music flowed from my fingertips. Ethan once said my hands were born to play the piano, but now these hands were used to polish the piano. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the irony. Sweet words are only sincere in the moment they’re spoken. Halfway through polishing, I received a message from Dr. Song, [Tomorrow morning at 10 AM.] I quickly replied “okay” and forwarded the message to Jason. Thinking about being able to speak again, my mood improved considerably. I thought this party had nothing to do with me, but unexpectedly, Ethan pulled me to the dressing room. I was flattered to receive a dress. But he was full of impatience, “Hurry up and put it on. How will people talk about Olivia if you don’t attend?” So it was only to avoid gossip about Olivia. I felt the large stains on the dress, my heart already numb. I remembered Olivia’s social media post an hour ago: [It doesn’t matter if I stained the dress, Ethan will prepare two for me.] Olivia stood by the cake like an elegant princess, while I was like a clown for people’s amusement. I tried to minimize my presence, sitting in a corner. But the gossip still reached my ears. “What’s that on her dress? It’s disgusting!” “She’s so shameless, stealing her sister’s fiancé.” “I heard she’s a mute.” The mocking voices were incessant. I clenched my dress tightly. Olivia sat down at the piano, the spotlight focused on her, attracting everyone’s attention. The music suddenly stopped, and she cried out, “Ouch! How are there razor blades in the piano!” The housekeeper pointed at me in the corner, “Only Miss Rachel touched the piano!” Ethan glared at me angrily, roughly pulling me to the piano and pressing my hands onto the keys. The pain in my fingers was so intense I could barely breathe. “Rachel, this is the price you pay for doing wrong.” After saying this, he carried Olivia out, ignoring my bloodied hands. I clearly saw Olivia flash a smug smile at me. Later, an ambulance took me to the hospital, but all the doctors in the hospital had been called to examine Olivia. Before I fainted from blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If her hands don’t get immediate treatment, she’ll be permanently disabled!” Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I really wished I had never met Ethan. Meanwhile, the doctor looking at Ethan seemed familiar and greeted him. “How’s your wife? She took care of you for three years. It’s finally her time to be happy.”

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On Christmas Eve, Jack asked me, Emily, who had just won a silver award in the city’s fashion design competition, to design a wedding dress in the most popular 90s style. I thought Jack wanted to give me a surprise on Christmas, perhaps to officially confirm our relationship. So from conceptualization to fabric selection to cutting and sewing, I put my heart and soul into every step. However, on Christmas Day, Jack announced in front of everyone that this dress was a special Christmas gift prepared for his dream girl, Olivia. Even the position I had worked so hard for at the fashion company, Jack took it upon himself to give it to Olivia, who had just returned to the city. I had accompanied Jack for eight years, giving up many opportunities for development, but I couldn’t even keep an official status or even my beloved job position. I decisively decided to respond to that invitation letter from another well-known fashion company that I had been keeping at the bottom of my drawer. [A week later, I reported to the new company.]

Three days later, I received a reply. Looking at the words on the letter that read “We warmly welcome talented designers like you to join us, and look forward to creating brilliance together!”, I couldn’t help but shed tears. I was finally no longer a woman who could only depend on others, I finally had a dream to fight for. Eight years ago, to repay Jack for saving me in an accident, even without a promise, I silently stayed by his side to support his career. Jack was a business elite, and our life together was harmonious and happy. I gave up my own design dreams for him, thinking we could walk through the long years together. But who knew, after Olivia appeared, everything changed. He not only didn’t give me a clear future, but even my position at the fashion company was easily handed over to Olivia who had just returned. Jack walked into the room with Lily, and I hurriedly hid the letter. “What are you looking at?” Jack asked, noticing my reddened eyes. I forced a smile, “It’s a greeting letter from a friend.” “Are you still angry about the job position?” Jack frowned slightly. Lily, though young, already knew how to read the room. Hearing Jack say this, she looked at me with dissatisfaction, “Mom, don’t be so petty, Dad is just thinking about work.” Six years ago, I had been weak after a serious illness. So Jack left Lily in the care of his parents, who weren’t very warm towards me and had been instilling some unfavorable ideas about me in Lily since she was young. So Lily became cold towards me like Jack, only showing warmth when facing Olivia. Jack sighed and gently patted my shoulder, “Lily, go out for a moment.” After Lily left, Jack continued, “Emily, I hope you can understand my decision. Olivia has been through a lot of difficulties outside, she needs this position more to start anew. I’ve known her for a long time, it’s only right to help her.” I lowered my head slightly, avoiding his gaze, “I understand.” My attitude was as calm as water, leaving no room for criticism. Jack looked at me, wanting to say something but holding back, and finally left the room. In the evening, Jack brought Olivia home for dinner. At the dinner table, Jack, who was usually serious, was chatting and laughing with Olivia, as if they were the real family. I silently ate my dinner, unable to blend into their joyful atmosphere, and not wanting to. I remembered Christmas Eve, when I was full of expectations that Jack would give me a special promise. I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep all night, constantly imagining how I would look standing beside him in a beautiful dress. When Jack first gave me the dress design task, my heart was full of sweetness, and I even added my own carefully designed unique embroidery to the details of the dress. But when I saw Olivia wearing that dress, I was full of shock and anger. That day, Jack and Olivia looked like a perfect couple leaning on each other, and the imported pearl necklace Jack gave her shone softly under the lights, piercing my heart. Colleagues from the company gathered around them, whispering. “The manager really put his heart into it for Miss Olivia, they’re truly a perfect match.” “It seems the manager still can’t forget Miss Olivia, Emily is just a substitute when Miss Olivia wasn’t around.” “That’s right, if it wasn’t for Emily solving a lot of the manager’s life troubles, he would have ignored her long ago. How could she compare to Miss Olivia’s talent and charm!” Those harsh words reached my ears, and tears welled up in my eyes, but my daughter beside me didn’t notice my sadness at all. Suddenly, the spotlight focused on me and my daughter. Jack smiled and waved to Lily, “Come on, didn’t you prepare a gift for Aunt Olivia long ago? Go ahead!” Hearing this, I reached out to hold back Lily, who was eager to run over, “Lily, did you know all along that this dress Mom made was for Aunt Olivia? Did you also know that Dad gave Mom’s job to her?” “Yes!” Lily nodded without hesitation. My nails dug deep into my palm as I tried to stay calm, “Then why didn’t you tell Mom?” Jack kept urging, and Lily forcefully shook off my hand, running happily towards Olivia. I was taken aback by Lily’s action and almost fell. I smiled bitterly, regretting that only now did I see clearly my position in their hearts. At this moment, my only thought was that I no longer wanted this man or this daughter.

Three days later, I received a reply. Looking at the words on the letter that read “We warmly welcome talented designers like you to join us, and look forward to creating brilliance together!”, I couldn’t help but shed tears. I was finally no longer a woman who could only depend on others, I finally had a dream to fight for. Eight years ago, to repay Jack for saving me in an accident, even without a promise, I silently stayed by his side to support his career. Jack was a business elite, and our life together was harmonious and happy. I gave up my own design dreams for him, thinking we could walk through the long years together. But who knew, after Olivia appeared, everything changed. He not only didn’t give me a clear future, but even my position at the fashion company was easily handed over to Olivia who had just returned. Jack walked into the room with Lily, and I hurriedly hid the letter. “What are you looking at?” Jack asked, noticing my reddened eyes. I forced a smile, “It’s a greeting letter from a friend.” “Are you still angry about the job position?” Jack frowned slightly. Lily, though young, already knew how to read the room. Hearing Jack say this, she looked at me with dissatisfaction, “Mom, don’t be so petty, Dad is just thinking about work.” Six years ago, I had been weak after a serious illness. So Jack left Lily in the care of his parents, who weren’t very warm towards me and had been instilling some unfavorable ideas about me in Lily since she was young. So Lily became cold towards me like Jack, only showing warmth when facing Olivia. Jack sighed and gently patted my shoulder, “Lily, go out for a moment.” After Lily left, Jack continued, “Emily, I hope you can understand my decision. Olivia has been through a lot of difficulties outside, she needs this position more to start anew. I’ve known her for a long time, it’s only right to help her.” I lowered my head slightly, avoiding his gaze, “I understand.” My attitude was as calm as water, leaving no room for criticism. Jack looked at me, wanting to say something but holding back, and finally left the room. In the evening, Jack brought Olivia home for dinner. At the dinner table, Jack, who was usually serious, was chatting and laughing with Olivia, as if they were the real family. I silently ate my dinner, unable to blend into their joyful atmosphere, and not wanting to. I remembered Christmas Eve, when I was full of expectations that Jack would give me a special promise. I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep all night, constantly imagining how I would look standing beside him in a beautiful dress. When Jack first gave me the dress design task, my heart was full of sweetness, and I even added my own carefully designed unique embroidery to the details of the dress. But when I saw Olivia wearing that dress, I was full of shock and anger. That day, Jack and Olivia looked like a perfect couple leaning on each other, and the imported pearl necklace Jack gave her shone softly under the lights, piercing my heart. Colleagues from the company gathered around them, whispering. “The manager really put his heart into it for Miss Olivia, they’re truly a perfect match.” “It seems the manager still can’t forget Miss Olivia, Emily is just a substitute when Miss Olivia wasn’t around.” “That’s right, if it wasn’t for Emily solving a lot of the manager’s life troubles, he would have ignored her long ago. How could she compare to Miss Olivia’s talent and charm!” Those harsh words reached my ears, and tears welled up in my eyes, but my daughter beside me didn’t notice my sadness at all. Suddenly, the spotlight focused on me and my daughter. Jack smiled and waved to Lily, “Come on, didn’t you prepare a gift for Aunt Olivia long ago? Go ahead!” Hearing this, I reached out to hold back Lily, who was eager to run over, “Lily, did you know all along that this dress Mom made was for Aunt Olivia? Did you also know that Dad gave Mom’s job to her?” “Yes!” Lily nodded without hesitation. My nails dug deep into my palm as I tried to stay calm, “Then why didn’t you tell Mom?” Jack kept urging, and Lily forcefully shook off my hand, running happily towards Olivia. I was taken aback by Lily’s action and almost fell. I smiled bitterly, regretting that only now did I see clearly my position in their hearts. At this moment, my only thought was that I no longer wanted this man or this daughter.

Seeing that I was particularly cold tonight, Olivia pretended to be pitiful, pouting and tears welling up in her eyes, “Emily, are you still blaming me for taking your job? I’ll tell the company right now to give the position back to you!” Hearing this, Jack immediately put on a stern face, “What nonsense are you talking about? This position is what I fought for you, how can you say you don’t want it just like that? Emily won’t blame you, it’s just a position. She’s been focusing on family these past few years, work isn’t that important to her.” I couldn’t help but mock myself in my heart, oh Jack, for whom I’ve sacrificed so much, what have you ever fought for me in these eight years? What makes you think I’m willing to be a housewife forever? Lily didn’t even look at me, “Aunt Olivia, my mom only knows how to clean the house, she can’t do anything else. Not like you, you’re so talented. I love the painting you taught me last time! You’re amazing!” Olivia’s cheeks flushed red from the praise of the father and daughter. After dinner, Jack turned to me and said coldly, “You’re a mother now, be sensible. Go clean up the kitchen and wash some fruit for Olivia to eat.” I silently got up and went to the kitchen, not missing the flash of smugness in Olivia’s eyes. Jack was a bit surprised by my compliance, he pursed his lips, but ultimately said nothing. I washed the dishes with ice-cold water in the kitchen, while occasional laughter from Olivia and Lily came from the living room. It doesn’t matter anymore, I’m leaving this place soon anyway. The next day, I got up early and went to the bus station to buy a ticket to Ocean City. Only when the ticket was in my bag did my heart finally settle down a bit. I don’t want to have any more entanglements with the people here, nor do I want to fall into a loveless life again. In this last month, I just want to live as usual, doing what I should do. On my way home, I met Mrs. Lee from downstairs. She looked at me with surprise, “Emily? Didn’t you go to Lily’s school for the parent-child activity? You should go quickly, Lily said this activity requires parents to participate, she must have forgotten to tell you.” I agreed and immediately changed course to Lily’s school. At the school, the children were performing their talents. Lily was also on stage showcasing her dance, I watched with my own eyes as she perfectly completed her performance. I smiled and prepared to go up to congratulate her, but found that she ran straight into Olivia’s arms. Jack stood beside them, putting his jacket on Lily. I don’t know what Lily whispered in Olivia’s ear, but Olivia kissed Lily’s forehead. Then, Olivia and Lily looked at Jack with pitiful eyes at the same time, and Jack bent down with a doting and helpless expression to kiss Lily’s cheek. Olivia and Lily’s smiles were dazzlingly bright. I suddenly felt ridiculous for rushing to school to participate in the activity, the three of them were the real family, and I was just an outsider in their happy life. Jack ruffled Lily’s hair, then ruffled Olivia’s, and inadvertently looked up to meet my gaze. He immediately took his hand off Olivia’s head, scratching his head awkwardly, wanting to say something but holding back. I heard Lily say, “Aunt Olivia, I invited you to participate in the activity without telling Mom, don’t let it slip.” “Shut up!” Jack scolded. At this moment, the three of them realized my arrival. Olivia stood up, about to speak. Lily’s teacher walked over, “Lily’s mom? Didn’t you say you couldn’t come today because you had something to do? It’s good that you’re here, by the way, Lily won a silver award in the school painting competition last time. Come with me to get her artwork and certificate.” I waved to the three of them casually, pretending to be relaxed, and followed the teacher to the office to get the certificate. “Your family is so happy!” the teacher exclaimed. Lily’s artwork depicted the Christmas gathering scene, with two adults and a child standing intimately under the lights, Olivia wearing a beautiful dress, Jack holding Olivia’s arm, looking so happy that it made people envious. I wiped away the tears from the corner of my eye, thanked the teacher, and went straight home. It doesn’t matter, I’ll give my place to Olivia. Three more days, and I’ll be free. Back home, I started packing my luggage. Clothes, daily necessities, the design sketches I drew in my spare time over these eight years…

When Jack brought Olivia home, I had just finished packing. Olivia had tears in her eyes, looking pitiful and saying, “Emily, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I rarely participate in such activities, so I begged Jack to take me. I’ll tell the company right now to give the position back to you!” Hearing Olivia say this, Lily quickly explained, “Mom, it’s not like that, it was me who wanted Aunt Olivia to accompany me, it’s all my fault, don’t be angry with Aunt Olivia.” This was the first time Lily had lowered her head and admitted her mistake in front of me, the first time she said so much to explain. Jack stepped forward, pulled me into the room, and hugged me tightly. “Emily, today’s incident is my fault, blame me if you want to blame someone.” How ridiculous, because Olivia participated in Lily’s activity, the three of them are vying to take responsibility, as if I’m an unreasonable person, as if they are the real family, and I’m just an outsider. I broke free from Jack’s embrace and looked straight into his eyes. Jack was still explaining, “Emily, Olivia has had a hard life, she’s been through a lot to get where she is now, she needs this position more to prove herself. I grew up with her, helping her is a matter of sentiment.” Jack was known for being calm and rational at the company, never saying a word more than necessary. But now, for Olivia’s sake, he was willing to explain to me so patiently. “Then why are so many of my design sketches missing?” I asked calmly. Jack was at a loss for words for a moment, then explained in a low voice, “I saw you had drawn a lot before, and that day when you weren’t around, Olivia came to the house and saw them, she really liked them, so I gave them to her for study and reference.” I understood in my heart, but couldn’t even muster any anger, “No wonder Olivia’s design works submitted when she joined the company looked familiar.” Jack suddenly looked ashamed, he hadn’t expected that I knew everything. Even when he belittled me in front of Olivia to protect her face, I knew. Jack stubbornly deceived himself, believing that Olivia’s success was entirely due to her own efforts and perseverance, not mentioning his help at all, and pretending not to know about plagiarizing my works. He only saw Olivia’s hardships, but was unwilling to mention the shortcuts she took. “Emily, I’ve always known you have talent, I hope you can be magnanimous about this incident, Olivia… really needs this opportunity.” There was a flash of struggle and pain in Jack’s eyes, but he was still speaking for Olivia. “Alright. As you wish, I’ll give it all to her.” The position, the works, you, our daughter, I’ll give it all to her.

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