Category: English

I used to be a food delivery driver in a sleepy Texas border town. No matter how hard I worked, my fiancée, Chloe, called off our engagement because I couldn’t afford the fifty-thousand-dollar wedding and the house down payment her family demanded. That was when Victoria, a mysterious woman who ran an overnight courier service, came to me. She told me a man needed to have some pride, and asked if I wanted to make some real money with her. So, I followed her to her warehouse. Every night at midnight, I would drive a beat-up, modified cargo van to a remote, private estate on a hill we called Copper Ridge. My beautiful boss set three strict rules for me: First, never open the cargo doors. Second, pretend to be deaf no matter what kind of noise you hear. Third, do not say a single word to anyone at Copper Ridge, unless they ask, “Is the cargo here?” Then, and only then, you answer, “Yes.” I once asked her what would happen if I broke the rules. Victoria just gave me a cold look. “We’re all adults here, Ethan. You get paid to do a job. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” Until one stormy night, due to an unexpected breakdown, I broke the second rule…

“Yeah, I get it. I’m turning back now.” I sat in the driver’s seat of the cargo van, put down my phone, and slowed down to turn back toward Copper Ridge. Victoria had just called. She said they hadn’t finished unloading the cargo, so I had to make another trip back. It was pouring outside. The heavy rain hammered against the metal roof of the van, making a deafening racket. Under normal circumstances, the sound of rain would be quite soothing. But the mountain road was treacherous. Especially the path up Copper Ridge. Even though it was paved, the shifting soil underneath meant the asphalt was constantly cracked and riddled with deep potholes. The second half of the road was even worse—just one incredibly steep, hairpin turn after another. I didn’t dare go over twenty-five miles per hour. The old van wasn’t sealed well. Besides the heavy rain, a fierce wind was howling outside. Even though it was mid-summer, it was freezing inside the cabin. “Help… help me…” Suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice—coming from the cargo hold right behind me! In an instant, whether from the chill or sheer terror, goosebumps exploded all over my arms. The van had been heavily modified. A thick, solid steel partition separated the driver’s cabin from the cargo area. I had never once been in the back. Every time I arrived at the luxury estate at Copper Ridge, I would get out, smoke a cigarette, and wait for their people to unload the goods. Then, I would just drive away. “Why the hell is there a woman’s voice in the back in the middle of the night…?” Was it a ghost? As an experienced driver, especially with a manual clutch like this old van, I could tell by the drag on the engine whether the vehicle was carrying a heavy load. Remembering my boss’s rules, I forced down the rising panic in my chest and kept driving. The eerie voice kept pleading. She sounded incredibly weak. She kept repeating the same words, sending chills down my spine. It was starting to make me anxious. Distracted, I didn’t see the massive puddle ahead. The front tire slammed into a deep ditch. The engine sputtered and died. “Damn it!” I slammed my hand against the steering wheel in frustration. I turned the key, trying to restart the engine. It cranked slowly, making a dying *whir-whir-whir* sound, but refused to catch. “Help…” With the engine dead, the wind and rain seemed to quiet down, making the cry for help even clearer. It was definitely coming from the cargo hold. There was a real person inside! I threw on my raincoat, grabbed the heavy wrench from the passenger seat, and cautiously walked to the back of the van. I tapped the metal door with the wrench. The cries for help stopped instantly. “Who the hell is…” Mid-sentence, my boss’s second rule flashed in my mind: *Pretend to be deaf no matter what kind of noise you hear.* A horrifying realization hit me—was I smuggling something highly illegal? Or worse? I quickly clasped my hands together, mumbling whatever prayers I could remember from Sunday school, and turned to get back into the cab. “Help me! I’m not a ghost!” The rain was letting up, and the wind had died down. The woman’s voice was much clearer now. She definitely didn’t sound like a ghost. I had never heard of a ghost speaking with a local Texas accent. But thinking of Victoria’s warnings, I hesitated. *Buzz! Buzz!* My phone started ringing loudly. “Aren’t you there yet? You’re taking too long. Did something happen?” Victoria’s cold voice came through the speaker. “Yeah, the rain is crazy. The van stalled out.” “Victoria, seriously, can you get a better vehicle next time? This piece of junk should have been scrapped years ago. It breaks down every other day!” I didn’t say a word about driving into the puddle. Instead, I blamed the vehicle. Rule number one of being an underpaid worker: never blame yourself. Bosses don’t actually care about you anyway. You have to deflect the blame immediately. “I see. Wait for roadside assistance. And remember the three rules I gave you.” “Otherwise, you might not live to see tomorrow.” She emphasized the last sentence heavily before hanging up. Her tone made me seriously wonder: was I really transporting something dangerous? The pay was incredibly high. When I was delivering food, I worked from six in the morning until midnight just to make about three thousand dollars a month. But with this job, I only had to make one trip at midnight, and I got paid five thousand dollars a week. Victoria even let me stay at her place. When she found out I liked gaming, she even put a high-end gaming PC in my room. Free room and board, great pay, and video games. It seemed like the perfect job. The only catch was that Victoria didn’t wear much when she was at home. She walked around in very revealing clothes. It made me hot under the collar every single time. But since she always spoke to me with such a cold, professional detachment, I forced myself to ignore any wild fantasies. As I sat in the driver’s seat playing on my phone, waiting for help, the cargo hold rattled again. This time, the movement was violent. The entire van rocked slightly. I heard the screech of rusted metal rubbing together. But I forced myself to stay still. *Boom!* A flash of lightning illuminated the dark forest. In that split second, a pale, ghostly woman’s face appeared right outside my driver-side window. “Holy shit! A ghost!!!” I screamed, terrified out of my mind. I instinctively scrambled over to the passenger side. My stomach knotted in pain. The sheer terror had triggered my chronic ulcers. Trembling and clutching my stomach, I pointed the wrench at the window. “Are you a person or a ghost?!” The forest plunged back into pitch blackness. When the next bolt of lightning cracked across the sky, the face was gone. I swallowed hard, slowly turning my head to look at the passenger-side window. It was too dark to see anything outside. I unlocked my phone and turned on the flashlight, pointing it at the glass. The terrifyingly pale face was right there, staring back at me. Her dark, hollow eyes were filled with absolute despair and resentment. My brain short-circuited, and everything went black. … I didn’t know how much time had passed when I finally woke up. A violent jolting motion dragged my consciousness back to reality. Dazed and confused, I heard voices nearby. “He was completely passed out when we found him.” “He’s always been smart, kept his mouth shut. He’s lasted the longest out of all the drivers. Are you sure we have to do this?” “…Yeah, copy that, boss.” I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t move. Looking down, I realized I was tightly bound with thick ropes. “Marcus? Marcus, what the hell? Why am I tied up?” The man I called Marcus was the guy who received the cargo. Every night after midnight when I reached the Copper Ridge estate, Marcus would toss me an imported cigarette, tell me to take a break, and unload the van by himself. By the time I finished my smoke, he was usually done. We didn’t talk much, but we were friendly. A cigarette is the quickest way to break the ice between guys. Even though we were both just working a job, Marcus drove a much nicer car than my beat-up van. He drove a brand-new Mercedes SUV. “You screwed up, Ethan. The boss wants you punished. Cooperate, and you might still keep your job.” Marcus’s voice was dead cold. “I get it if I made a mistake, but is tying me up really necessary?” “I’m just a guy trying to earn a living. This is a bit degrading, don’t you think?” “Degrading?” Marcus looked back at me and laughed, a dark, unsettling sound. We drove in silence after that. Soon, Marcus pulled up to the estate. I usually drove in through the back gate, but this time, he took me through the front. I had no idea how luxurious the place actually was. Having barely finished high school, the only word I could think of to describe it was “palatial.” But the gold-trimmed hallway walls were lined with framed, explicit photographs of various young women. Laughter and cries echoed from the rooms lining the hallway. I could hear the distinct, sickening sound of a whip cracking against bare flesh. Marcus led the way, pulling me along like a dog on a leash. I felt incredibly humiliated. Along the way, we passed a few women who threw cold, indifferent glances at me. I squirmed under their stares. I was a man, and I had my pride! “Marcus, this is too much. I’m a human being, not an animal!” “Too much?” Marcus said flatly, “You’re lucky to still be breathing. Don’t start crying about human rights now.” He gave the rope a violent tug. I stumbled, and he shoved me hard into a room at the end of the hall. The room was dimly lit and largely empty. There was only a leather sofa and a marble coffee table. A man with a short, slicked-back ponytail sat on the sofa. The tea on the table in front of him was still steaming. I recognized him. He was the big boss Marcus had mentioned. He had a massive black dragon tattoo wrapping down his arm. A jagged, terrifying scar ran from his temple down to his jawline, giving him a permanently menacing look. Scarface—Leo—glanced at me with total indifference. He picked up a cigar cutter and began prepping a cigar. “Did you find the cargo?” he asked. Marcus shook his head. “She probably ran. I already sent the boys down the mountain road to track her.” “The terrain out here is brutal. She can’t outrun a car on foot.” Leo lit his cigar, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a thick cloud of blue smoke. The smoke swirled around him, obscuring his face. Then, he reached behind his back, pulled out a wicked, razor-sharp hunting knife, and tossed it onto the coffee table. “You know the rules,” he said quietly, taking another drag. I watched in horror as Marcus’s brow furrowed for a split second. Then, grinding his teeth, he stepped forward and picked up the knife. Before I could even process what was happening, he brought the blade down and sliced off his own pinky finger. “Holy shit…” A wave of absolute terror washed over me. Marcus didn’t even flinch. Was I really trapped in some twisted cartel den? Based on their conversation, the “ghost” I saw last night wasn’t a ghost at all. She was a captive who had tried to escape. What about me? Were they going to cut my finger off too? Marcus, incredibly, didn’t make a sound. He bandaged his bleeding hand with a rag and asked Leo, “What do we do with him?” He was pointing at me. “Throw him in the back. Feed him to the dogs,” Leo said, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a pizza. “Whoa, hold on, man! I’m just the delivery guy! This is insane! You can’t do this, it’s illegal!” Leo looked at me, a cruel smirk playing on his scarred face. “Illegal? Kid, we aren’t in the States anymore.” Not in the U.S.?! My heart plunged into a frozen abyss. Suddenly, it all clicked. My boss’s warehouse was right on the Texas border. No wonder I had to drive at midnight on those dark, unmarked dirt roads. I had been unconsciously crossing the border into Mexico every single night! Leo gave a slight nod. Marcus understood immediately. He grabbed me, covered my mouth, and dragged me out of the room. His fresh blood smeared all over my face. For the first time in my life, I was dragged like a dog in front of a crowd. Despite the terror, a burning rage began to swell inside me. Marcus felt me resisting and, without warning, slammed his fist into my face. Stars exploded in my vision, and my head throbbed. A moment later, I was thrown into a filthy, concrete pen. Then, he locked the gate and left, likely to tend to his severed finger. A single, grime-covered bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a dim, yellow glow. Even though it looked like an animal pen, I could smell a mixture of cheap women’s perfume and rotting copper. I looked into the shadows of the pen and gasped. I wasn’t alone. Three women were huddling in the corner, their torn clothes barely covering them. They stared at me with wide, terrified eyes. One was covered in horrific whip lashes. Another was nearly naked, her belly slightly swollen—she was pregnant. The last one had a brutal “X” carved into her right cheek. “Are you guys…” After a few quiet words, my heart grew even heavier. They were the “cargo” I had been delivering all this time. The woman with the scarred face seemed mentally unstable, and the whipped woman couldn’t speak—her tongue had been cut out. Only the pregnant girl, Lily, was able to tell me what had happened to them. Lily asked how I ended up here. I made up a quick lie. I didn’t dare tell them the truth. If they knew I was the driver who brought them to this hellhole, they would probably tear me apart. Before long, Marcus returned with a fresh bandage on his hand. He didn’t say a word. He dragged me out of the pen and began pulling me toward the dark woods behind the estate. In the distance, I could hear the low, menacing growls of large attack dogs. Marcus and Leo were monsters. I knew that if I didn’t act fast, I was going to end up as dog food. I swallowed my fear and looked at Marcus. “Marcus… look, I’m a dead man anyway. Can you grant me one last wish before I go?” Marcus paused, turning his cold eyes toward me. Seeing his hesitation, I pressed on. “You know I only took this job for the money because my fiancée left me. I told you about it.” “I’ve never… you know, been with a woman. Can I at least experience it once before I die?” “There are three girls right there in the pen…” “Don’t think I’m a freak, Marcus. But if I die a virgin, I’ll haunt this place forever!” I was betting he would say yes. Lily had whispered to me earlier that Marcus was a sick bastard who enjoyed watching people suffer and degrade themselves. Marcus stared at me for a long moment, then let out a sick chuckle. “Well… I guess that’s a fair request. For old times’ sake, I’ll let you have some fun.” Relief washed over me. He dragged me back and threw me into the pen for the second time. “Make it quick. I want to see a good show,” he said, leaning against the bars with a sadistic grin. “What are you waiting for? Get to it!” Seeing me hesitate, Marcus’s grin faded. “You trying to stall for time, kid?” “It won’t work. No one can save you from Leo.” When I still didn’t move, Marcus lost patience. He stepped inside the pen, grabbed Lily by her hair, and dragged her over to me. “Do it! You’re about to die anyway, what are you hesitating for?” “Marcus, man, you’ve got to untie my hands first. How am I supposed to do anything like this?” Marcus blinked, then burst into a loud laugh. “Right! Of course!” He knelt down and began to untie me. But he only untied my legs, keeping my hands bound in front of me. As Marcus bent over, I locked eyes with Lily and gave her a desperate nod. Lily gritted her teeth and slammed her entire body weight into Marcus.

He was caught off guard and tumbled to the ground. Lily was vicious—she immediately sank her teeth into Marcus’s freshly bandaged, injured hand. I didn’t waste a second, raising my legs and stomping violently on his back. The whipped woman joined the fray, quickly tearing at the ropes around my wrists. Once my hands were free, I pinned Marcus to the dirt and began raining heavy punches down on his face. The girl with the “X” scar on her cheek, triggered by the chaos, crawled over and bit hard into his thigh. This was the plan Lily and I had hastily whispered about. To survive, we had to fight dirty. But I hadn’t expected the other two women to join in so fiercely. With our combined forces, we quickly subdued Marcus. “If he hadn’t been injured already, we never would have pulled this off!” I gasped, using my own ropes to tie him up tightly. “What do we do now?” Lily asked, trembling. I pointed toward the back of the estate. “There are cars parked out there. We take one and run.” Leo was right about one thing—the mountain road was brutal. If we tried to run on foot, they would catch us in minutes. Our only shot was to steal a car. Fortunately, most of Leo’s men were out searching the mountain. I quickly found an SUV with the keys left in the ignition. I waved the three women inside, jumped into the driver’s seat, and slammed the car into reverse to turn around. Suddenly, a blinding light cut through the darkness. Before I could react, another vehicle rammed into us at full speed. *Crash!* The violent impact flipped our SUV onto its side. Because we were rushing, none of us had buckled our seatbelts. My head slammed hard against the window, and darkness claimed me once again. *** When I woke up the next day, I was back in the filthy concrete pen. Marcus was sitting on the low concrete wall, staring down at me with pure hatred. He had fresh gauze wrapped around his head, his hand was heavily bandaged, and he was holding a black stun baton. “Look who’s awake,” he sneered. Without another word, he stepped down and began beating me with the heavy baton. I tried to shield myself, but the cold metal rods bruised my ribs and back. I wanted to fight back, but I knew that if I did, he would kill me on the spot. Thankfully, my abusive, alcoholic father had given me a high tolerance for beatings when I was a kid. Otherwise, I would have broken. I swore to myself right then: if I ever got the chance, I would kill this bastard. “Hey, stop hitting him. We need to deal with this one first.” Leo appeared, flanked by a few of his henchmen. Two of them were carrying a semi-conscious woman between them. My eyes widened. It was the pale-faced woman from the storm—the undercover who had scared me in my van! Leo patted Marcus’s cheek with a cold smile. “We have some big-paying clients coming tonight. Victoria has prepped a new batch of cargo.” “You’re driving tonight, Marcus.” Then, Leo turned his gaze to me and the other women in the pen. “As for these… it’d be a waste to feed them to the dogs. Let’s sell them off to the buyers.” … The courtyard fell quiet after they left. Marcus had gone down the mountain to meet Victoria at the warehouse. According to Leo, we were going to be sold tonight. The “ghost” woman was tossed into the pen with us. It was almost funny. In my twenty-odd years of life, I had never been in a small room with four women. The only girlfriend I ever had left me because I was broke. Now, I was surrounded by four beautiful women, and we were all about to die. About ten minutes later, the new woman groaned and woke up. I crawled over to her. “Are you the one who scared the shit out of me last night?” She rolled her eyes and mouthed a single word: *Idiot.* I bristled, instantly losing interest in talking to her. But after a moment, she leaned in and whispered, “My name is Audrey. I’m an undercover cop.” A cop? A female cop? “Then why the hell did you try to scare me last night?” I whispered back. Audrey sighed. “When they were unloading, I slipped into the back of your van while Marcus was distracted. I thought you were one of them. When I realized you thought I was a ghost, I tried to play along to keep you quiet. How was I supposed to know you’d faint and the engine would die?” That explained everything. After I fainted, she had to run on foot. But the mountain was pitch black and surrounded by dense jungle. Afraid of getting lost, she had to stick to the road, which made her an easy target for Leo’s patrol. “If we can hold out until this afternoon, backup will be here,” Audrey whispered. “But I need all of you to cooperate with me.” Hearing that we had a chance to live, my eyes lit up. “What do we do?” Lily asked. Audrey looked at her. “We play dead. Here’s what we’re going to do…” … A few minutes later, Lily and I started screaming at each other. She called me a piece of trash, getting angrier by the second, until she flew at me like a feral beast, sinking her teeth into my shoulder. “Whoa, easy! Are you for real?” I hissed. Her teeth dug deep into my collarbone, making me wince in pain. I shoved her off, raising my fist. But looking at her slightly swollen belly, I hesitated. “Do it!” Lily hissed under her breath. “It’s a cartel bastard’s kid anyway, I don’t care! Hit me!” I gritted my teeth and threw a punch. But at the last second, I couldn’t bring myself to hit her stomach. My fist landed on her collarbone instead. “You coward!” Lily yelled, throwing herself on top of me and punching me square in the eye. My vision went black for a second, and a dull throb bloomed across my right eye. The commotion brought one of the guards running over. “Hey! What the hell is going on in there?” Lily sat on chest, pointing at me. “This animal tried to touch me!” The guard sneered. “Do you think I’m stupid? You’re acting. I don’t see any blood.” “Stop wasting your breath. You’re all getting shipped out in an hour anyway.” My heart hammered against my ribs. Audrey had warned us that once they moved us, we’d be as good as dead. Lily gritted her teeth, grabbed my arm, and bit down with everything she had.

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I bought a bouquet of fresh red roses, wanting to give my fiancée a surprise. Instead, I caught her completely naked, tangling with another man on the bridal bed I had painstakingly prepared for our upcoming wedding. And that man was none other than Justin Carter—my best friend, the guy I’d been joined at the hip with since childhood. Later, the wedding went on as scheduled. But I made sure every single guest got to enjoy a high-definition video of them screwing. After her reputation was completely ruined, she came crying, begging for my forgiveness. But she ended up being stabbed and permanently disabled by my dear “best friend.” 【1】 These past few weeks, I had been working myself to the bone preparing for our wedding. Today, I took a day off specifically to decorate our new house. I glanced at my watch as I unlocked the front door. It was 10:50 AM. Chloe was lazy. She was probably still sleeping in. I couldn’t help but think of the sweet morning kiss she had planted on my forehead before I left earlier. I touched my forehead, smiling like a happy kid. Treading softly through the hallway, I held the red roses behind my back and reached for the master bedroom door handle. Then, I heard it—the unmistakable, breathless moans coming from inside. Through the crack of the door, I saw my girlfriend of five years, Chloe Miller, tangling on the bed with a man whose face I couldn’t see. They were going at it so hard that the bed wouldn’t stop squeaking. Chloe’s giggles, mixed with the man’s dirty talk, drifted straight into my ears. “Baby, who’s better? Me or him?” “You, of course! He’s just a pathetic, rich simp.” “You look so sexy in this lingerie. Did he buy this for you?” The man slid the silk strap off her shoulder, his hands roaming over every inch of her skin. Chloe closed her eyes in ecstasy. “Of course. He has more money than he knows what to do with. It’s his job to spend it on me, isn’t it?” Listening to those filthy words, I gripped the doorframe. Rage almost obliterated the last shred of my sanity. Five years ago, right after Chloe broke up with her ex, I had showered her with flowers, jewelry, and endless affection for six months before I finally won her heart. I genuinely loved her, even though she had always been cold and distant. I believed that if I just loved her enough, treated her like a queen, and met every single one of her material desires, she would eventually fall in love with me. Last month, I finally gathered the courage to propose. To my surprise, she agreed without a second thought. Filled with beautiful dreams of our future, I threw myself into planning the perfect wedding. She, too, changed her cold attitude. She started kissing me goodbye in the mornings and greeting me with a warm smile when I came home. For a moment, I thought I was finally experiencing true happiness. Until I saw this disgusting scene. The happiness that had filled my heart for weeks shattered into a million pieces. Was I not good enough to her? Why did she have to humiliate me like this? It turned out that these five years of love were nothing but a one-man show. She had had a side piece all along. She only kept me around as her personal ATM, bleeding me dry for her lavish lifestyle. My family was incredibly wealthy. My parents were successful real estate investors. Though they passed away early, they left me a massive trust fund. I was raised by my wealthy Uncle Marcus, never lacking anything. I could easily live a luxurious life without working a single day. So, she was only with me for my money? I couldn’t accept it. I couldn’t accept that she was enjoying my wealth while using my money to fund her secret hookups. But then, I thought about how sweet she had been to me lately. Maybe… maybe she just made a mistake? Like a wild bachelorette party mistake? Maybe she just hired a hot male model on a whim? If she was willing to apologize, if she just gave me a good explanation, I would probably still forgive her… Five years of dating was too long. I really couldn’t bear to throw it all away. Suppressing the urge to kick the door open and smash both of their faces in, I slammed my fist hard against the hallway wall. My silent rage bled through my knuckles. *Thud!* The two on the bed froze. Chloe tried to get up to investigate, but the man eagerly pinned her back down. “Stop it… what if Ethan is back?” “Don’t worry about him. What can he do? He’s practically a dead man anyway.” *A dead man? What did he mean by that? I was standing right here, perfectly healthy.* A wave of confusion washed over me. I stopped my footsteps and kept listening. “Are you sure about this? Messing with his car brakes… will it really kill him?” “Trust me. Back in college, we used to go street racing. I’ve known him for ten years; I know exactly how he drives.” “I managed to coax him into signing a one-million-dollar accidental death insurance policy a couple of days ago. The sole beneficiary is me!” “Once you guys are officially married and we make our move, you’ll get his entire estate too!” My heart, which had already sunk into a frozen abyss, turned completely cold. I couldn’t see his face before, but now, hearing that familiar voice, I knew exactly who it was. Justin Carter. We had ten years of friendship. We grew up together. He was closer to me than a biological brother. Three years ago, when his family went bankrupt, I immediately hired him as the Vice President of my company—only one step below me. At the time, he patted my shoulder and promised he would help me take the company to the next level, swearing he would never betray my trust. For a second, I felt completely disoriented. The hallway around me began to blur. What was real in this world, and what was a lie? The woman I cherished above all else, and the brother I would have taken a bullet for. Since when had they been screwing behind my back? They were actually planning to murder me for my insurance money and steal everything I owned… 【2】 *Calm down.* I walked quietly into the guest bathroom, locked the door, and splashed cold water on my face. I needed to think of a way to deal with this trash couple. On the coffee table in the living room lay the insurance policy she hadn’t had time to hide. It triggered a memory from three days ago. Chloe must have been bragging about her “victory” to Justin before I came home. The reason she had been so affectionate lately was to keep me from suspecting anything. Three days ago, she had sweet-talked me into drinking a lot of wine. While I was completely wasted, she took my ID and forged my signature on the application. After it was approved, she grabbed my phone and deleted all the confirmation texts and call logs. The hilarious part? She had been living off my money for years. Even the premium for this insurance policy was paid using my credit card. She really took “parasite” to a whole new level. They wanted to make me a fool and steal my estate? Without hesitation, I called the insurance company, declared that the policy was opened without my knowledge or consent, and cancelled it immediately. The disgusting sounds from the bedroom were still going. I walked out of the house silently and called our wedding planner. “Hi, there’s a change of plans. I want to swap out the video slideshow for the reception.” Because I wanted to respect Chloe, I had lived like a monk for the past five years. Our physical intimacy had never gone past hugging and kissing. To gather cute footage for our wedding video, I had installed a small, discreet camera in our bedroom a few days ago. This morning, I was still planning to edit a clip of our morning kiss into the slideshow to show everyone our “sweet love.” Now, it seemed entirely unnecessary. I had spent five years treating her like a saint, only for my “best friend” to get the prize. Was there any man on earth more pathetic than me? I opened my laptop, downloaded the footage of their passionate afternoon session from the cloud, and replaced the original wedding slideshow file. Since they loved screwing behind my back so much, I was going to let them perform in front of all our family and friends. Over the next few days, I acted completely normal. I didn’t reject any of Chloe’s advances. “Babe, let’s go get our marriage license registered early.” Under the dim lights, she breathed softly into my ear, wearing the exact same red silk lingerie she wore when she slept with Justin. She was using every trick in the book to seduce me. In the past, this would have been the ultimate reward for me. But now, looking at her, she was no different from a streetwalker. She just wanted to become my legal wife as quickly as possible so she could claim my estate once I “accidentally” died, and then run off with Justin. I closed my eyes, forced a tired smile, and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. “I’m so exhausted tonight, babe. Let’s do it another day.” She pulled away in disappointment. She tried to tease me a bit more, but seeing that I was as unmoved as stone, she rolled over and went to sleep. Trying to lock down my assets before the wedding? No way. The big day arrived quickly. I had specially invited our high school and college classmates—anyone who had witnessed our five-year relationship. Over a hundred guests packed the grand ballroom. Chloe, dressed in a gorgeous white bridal gown, gasped as she looked at the crowd. “Wow, even the nerdy kids from college are here! How did you manage to get them all to come?” Chloe was incredibly vain. This lavish wedding had boosted her ego to the sky. Seeing all her old classmates here to admire her luxury made her ecstatic, though she still tried to act surprised. Only I knew how much money I had spent on “gift cards” just to make sure every single one of them showed up for the show. I gently took her white-gloved hand and kissed it, acting mysterious. “I just wanted everyone to witness our happiest moment.” She swung my hand playfully, looking so sweet and innocent. You could never guess she was the same woman who had been moaning under another man in our bed just days ago. “You’re the best, Ethan. I love you so much.” Right. Loved me enough to sleep with my best friend and plot my murder. “Alright! Let’s welcome our beautiful couple, Ethan Vance and Chloe Miller!” the MC announced. “And now, for the next part of our ceremony, please look at the big screen for a special tribute video!” Chloe held my hand tightly, not forgetting to throw a subtle, flirtatious glance at Justin, who was standing right next to us as my best man. Everyone turned their eyes to the massive projector screen. I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and quietly let go of Chloe’s hand.

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After three years of secret marriage with Julian Ryder, he told me he would give me a surprise at his new company’s launch party. I thought he was finally going to announce me as his wife to the world, but instead, he took his first love’s hand. With tears in my eyes, I demanded answers, only to receive his ruthless mockery: “It’s been three years, Evie. I’ve been sick of your face for a long time.” A month later, holding his half-brother’s arm, I showed up at the Ryder family gala. The massive diamond ring on my ring finger blinded him with rage, while the handsome, younger brother beside me smirked contemptuously at him: “It’s been three years, Julian. Honestly, I’m tired of calling her my sister-in-law anyway.” 【1】 “The best surprise for my beloved.” Under Julian’s latest Snapchat story, our mutual friends were leaving comments like crazy. “No way, man! Keeping it a secret from Evie to pull off something this romantic?” “Are you finally going public? Congratulations!” The picture on his story showed a romantic sea of 9,999 red roses and a massive, custom-made diamond ring. It was in my favorite color—a rare, natural purple diamond. It was crystal clear. It must have been incredibly hard for him to find one of such high quality. Looking at the Snapchat story, I couldn’t help but smile. We had a huge fight last month. Julian hadn’t texted me for over two weeks, and he hadn’t even come home. I thought he was giving me the silent treatment because of our argument. But it turned out he was secretly preparing a surprise for me… Tomorrow was the press conference for the public listing of the Ryder Group’s new subsidiary. This was also Julian’s first major media interview since securing his position as the sole heir of the Ryder family. For Julian to prepare something so grand, was he planning to publicly reveal my status as Mrs. Ryder? After three years of secret marriage, my wait was finally paying off. I hugged my pillow, lying in bed, imagining Julian standing in the spotlight tomorrow, proudly announcing to the world: “She is my legal wife, Evelyn!” He would hold my hand and kiss my forehead gently. I couldn’t help but screenshot his Snapchat story to look at it again and again. He actually forgot to block me from seeing it. What an idiot. I wanted to text him to ruin his “little surprise,” but then I thought about how busy he must be at the office. Since he was being so sweet, I decided to forgive him a little early. I would buy a nice dress and wait for tomorrow’s surprise. The next day, I wore a stunning red evening gown and sat in the VIP section, watching the confident, handsome man on stage from afar. He looked sharp, and his voice was deep and steady, just like the day I first fell for him. “Today, I want to publicly announce someone very important to me.” “Without her, I wouldn’t be standing here today.” The spotlight followed him as he walked down the stage, coming right toward my row. My heart raced, and I shyly reached out my hand, waiting for him to take it. But he only gave me a cold, passing glance, walked right past me, and grabbed the hand of Seraphina Vance, the heiress of the Vance family. “Will you marry me, Sera?” He slipped that beautiful purple diamond ring onto Seraphina’s finger, his eyes filled with a deep tenderness I had never seen before. It was a perfect fit. The camera flashes from the media went wild. “It’s the Vance heiress! What a perfect high-society match!” “When is the wedding, you two?” Seraphina’s expression turned from shock to pure bliss, a beautiful blush creeping up her cheeks. “This is so sudden… I’m not even prepared…” The Ryder and Vance families were both elite powerhouses in New York, but there had never been any rumors of them dating. The reporters went crazy, instantly surrounding the two of them. In the chaotic crowd, someone stepped on my red gown, leaving a dirty footprint on the fabric. My hand remained frozen in the air. Under the bright camera lights, the sight of him and Seraphina looking so in love was so blinding that tears started rolling down my face. I stood there like a pathetic clown, while they were hailed as a match made in heaven. The surprise was never meant for me. The man I loved was abandoning me to marry someone else. 【2】 Because I loved him and didn’t want to ruin his reputation in front of the cameras, my confrontation was pathetic and quiet. I watched Julian laughing and talking with Seraphina backstage. I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and sent him a message. “I am your wife. Why did you propose to her?” My hands were shaking so hard that the message was full of typos. From a distance, I saw him glance at his phone. His eyebrows knitted together for a second, then relaxed. My phone buzzed. His reply was short and ice-cold. “Get lost.” I waited with red eyes until all the guests had left, then followed Julian to the VIP parking lot. “Why? Why are you doing this to me?” I refused to let it go, raising my voice as I ran after him. Seraphina had no idea about my secret existence. She looked at Julian, confused. “Julian, who is this crazy woman?” He whispered something sweet in Seraphina’s ear to reassure her, then walked over to me and threw a set of divorce papers right at my chest. A wave of despair washed over me. I grabbed his arm with tear-filled eyes, like a drowning person clutching at a straw. “It’s my fault for arguing with you. You’re just trying to make me jealous with another woman, right?” During our three years of marriage, there were occasionally other girls around him. But every time I got mad, he would always coax me back with sweet words. I assumed he was just furious because I had pushed him to go public with our marriage a few days ago. “Please don’t do this. I was wrong, okay? We don’t have to go public… As long as we’re together, nothing else matters.” He just looked down at me. The way I was begging him made me look like a stray dog in his eyes. “The Vance family can help my business expand. But you?” He let out a low laugh, his voice dripping with pure disdain. “Other than warming my bed, what value do you bring to my life?” My grip on his sleeve slowly slipped away. He brushed his sleeve in disgust, then leaned down to whisper the most brutal words directly into my ear: “It’s been three years, Evie. I’m sick of your face, and honestly, I’m done playing with you.” I watched his sports car roar away with Seraphina in the passenger seat. Overwhelmed by despair, I slid down against the concrete wall and collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for air. Tears poured down, soaking the divorce papers in my hands. My heart ached so badly, as if it were being crushed by giant, invisible hands. He wasn’t always like this. He used to love me so much that he wouldn’t let anyone disrespect me. Now, he was using the most toxic words to cut all ties with me. He seemed to have completely forgotten that I was the one who saved his life. Years ago, Julian had lost his mother in a brutal family power struggle. Depressed and broken, he wanted to end his life. That day, on the busy highway bridge, I saw him standing alone on the edge, ready to jump. Risking a horrific car crash, I slammed on my brakes, ran over, and dragged him back from the edge of death. In my cheap, tiny apartment, a spark of hope returned to his eyes. Just like a cliché romance novel, the broken, suicidal boy fell deeply in love with his savior. On my birthday, he told me he wanted to take me somewhere special. When he placed our signed marriage certificates in front of me, I felt a rush of pure happiness. “This is my promise to you, Evie. I will never make the woman I love cry.” But the Ryder family was a snake pit. As an unloved eldest son, he had no maternal backing. He had to fight tooth and nail to become the heir. I understood his struggles. I knew the board members were watching his every move. He told me that having a wife with no elite background would ruin his chances of securing the inheritance. “Just wait a little longer, Evie.” He promised that once he took full control of the Ryder family, he would give me a grand wedding that everyone would envy. I loved his ambition and his drive so much. I truly believed I would spend the rest of my life with him. But I didn’t realize that ambition would eventually consume his heart. The marriage I cherished was nothing but a transactional stepping stone to him. My three years of devotion were nothing but a joke. 【3】 I don’t even remember how I dragged myself back to the apartment, or how I forced myself to sign those divorce papers. Julian was incredibly efficient. He had already ordered his assistants to pack my things and throw them out of the house. He was already moving Seraphina into the master bedroom that used to be mine. I sat in the living room like a ghost, listening to the muffled sounds of their laughter through the closed door. On the table in front of me sat a cold black credit card. Half an hour ago, he tried to buy off my three years of devotion with money. “There’s three million dollars on this card. Let’s end this cleanly.” “And don’t ever bother me again.” My parents died when I was young, and I had lived alone in New York for years. I thought marrying Julian meant I finally had a family. But my love was misplaced, and now I had no way to take it back. I wanted to call someone to talk to, but when I opened my phone, my entire contact list was filled with people associated with Julian. During these three years, to help him secure his position, I had accompanied him to countless business dinners. The irregular sleep schedule and constant drinking had made me look exhausted, much older than other girls my age. My stomach burned with a sharp, agonizing pain. The doorbell rang loudly. I struggled to stand up and opened the door. Standing there was Julian’s younger half-brother, Christian Ryder. Unlike Julian, Christian grew up surrounded by love. He was an artistic genius with grand dreams in the fine arts. With no interest in corporate greed, he never cared about the Ryder family inheritance, so Julian never saw him as a threat. I had only met Christian a few times, so I had no idea how he found my place. Through my blurry, drunken eyes, I could see the deep worry on his face. I grabbed his arm and started rambling like a crazy person. I talked about how Julian and I met, how happy we used to be, and how brutally he had abandoned me. “He promised me a real wedding! He’s a liar! A total bastard!” Terrified that I might hurt myself, Christian gently grabbed my flailing hands. Three years ago, he was just a high school kid. Now, he had grown into a handsome young man who stood a full head taller than me. His beautiful, expressive eyes weren’t cold like Julian’s. They were filled with a mix of longing and restraint, looking like a startled deer that had accidentally stumbled into my messy, broken life. “Evie, he’s not worth it.” I laughed and cried at the same time, waving my hand dismissively. “Christian, don’t call me that anymore. I don’t deserve to be anyone’s sister-in-law.” “Come on, have a drink with me!” My voice was forced, still holding onto the remnants of my love for Julian. Christian’s eyes darkened, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve wanted to stop calling you that for a long time anyway…” I only saw the worry on his face, failing to notice the deep passion swirling in his eyes. It wasn’t until the next morning, when I woke up and saw Christian lying naked next to me, that I realized how wild last night had been. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been drunk in so long, but I didn’t know I could be so reckless… I had just divorced my ex-husband, and now I was in bed with his younger brother. The young man’s chest was covered in light hickeys, and his muscular back had faint, healing scratch marks. His breathing was soft and even, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly. Oh my god. He just turned twenty-one, didn’t he? I tried to slide out of bed quietly to make my escape, but his hand shot out and gripped my wrist firmly. “Where are you going, Evie?” Christian flipped over, pinning me beneath him. His deep, raspy morning voice was incredibly sexy:

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At the class reunion, someone asked the former top student: “Claire, we’re all in our thirties now, and everyone who should be married is married, so why are you still single?” Claire Summers smiled faintly. “I’m still waiting for the person I gave my love letter to when I was eighteen to write me back.” As she spoke, she looked toward Ethan Carter, who was sitting beside me, and her eyes slowly turned red. Ethan froze and murmured, “I never received it…” The truth from back then slowly began to unravel. It turned out Claire’s letter had been delivered to the wrong place. It was that tiny mistake that kept them from being together. The room instantly erupted with teasing. “You and him were seriously the couple I shipped the hardest back then! I was so upset when Lily cut in later.” “Lily totally took advantage of the situation, and you clearly knew Ethan first.” “A love letter just happened to be put in the wrong place? Don’t you think… someone switched it on purpose?” Everyone in the room turned to look at me. Amid the noise, I gently touched the man beside me and asked in a low voice, “Honey, they’re saying I got between you two back then, so what do you think?”

Ethan did not answer me and instead stared at Claire. His eyes were also a little red. The classmates were the ones who lost their composure first, crying out one after another, “Lily, you and Ethan are married?!” Claire also jerked her head up and fixed her gaze on Ethan, disbelief flashing through her eyes. A few classmates laughed awkwardly again. “Why didn’t you tell any of us? We’ve been classmates for so many years, and you two really kept us in the dark!” “Yeah, unless… Ethan didn’t actually want to.” “When Claire went abroad back then, he was heartbroken for a long time, and I heard he almost tried to kill himself.” “Then wasn’t it only natural for Ethan to choose Lily?” “Why are you speaking up for Lily? Everyone knows Claire’s family was too poor back then, and Lily basically took advantage of her when she was down…” … I ignored all those comments and only looked at Ethan, wondering when he would explain things for me. He was the one who pursued me back then, and after we dated for two years, we had been married for three. It was not like every first love who returned from overseas could pick up where things left off. Besides, Ethan and I could be considered childhood sweethearts too, and I was the one who asked him to come with me to this reunion today, or Claire would not even have had the chance to see Ethan. But Ethan, who sat beside me, remained silent, and I turned my face to look at him. Too many emotions churned in his eyes: surprise, heartache, and regret that had been buried for years but had never faded. Yet he still did not explain. The atmosphere gradually cooled. I pressed my lips together and put down my utensils too. Could it be… that he really still could not let go? I had almost forgotten. Back in college, Ethan liked Claire so much that almost the entire school knew. She always wore washed-out shirts, and her lunch was always just a single slice of bread. Ethan found all kinds of ways to bring her meals, books, and contest prize money, and he even secretly stuffed his own allowance into her desk. But Claire never appreciated it. She returned the lunch box to him untouched and looked at him coldly. “Keep your pity to yourself.” “You’re no different from them.” But Ethan still refused to give up. It was not until the end of freshman year that Claire was finally moved, and they slowly became friends. After that, during sophomore year, Claire suddenly disappeared. She left without saying goodbye and gave no explanation, leaving only one note. “I’m starting to hate you, so please forget me.” Ethan chased her all the way to the airport, only to see the plane streak across the sky. He broke down crying on the spot, and when he went home, he fell into depression. It was true that I took advantage of him at his lowest point, pushed open the door he had shut himself behind, and pulled him back from the edge of the rooftop. “If she doesn’t want you, I do, so what do you like about her? Her stubbornness? I can change myself to match.” From that day on, I lived as another Claire Summers. I learned the way Claire spoke, grew my hair long like hers, and even wore the white dresses she liked. And my family’s business barely survived with the Carter family’s support. When the Carter family arranged a marriage alliance later, I had originally planned to step aside tactfully, but he grabbed me and held me tightly. That night, he cried and begged me to love him a little and not abandon him too. “I don’t want to be abandoned again, so please marry me.”

I sighed and touched his face. “Ethan, we can still be friends.” “But I love you.” “What about Claire?” He tightened the arm around my waist even more and kissed me. “I hate her, and from now on, I only want Lily.” After that night passed, the Carter family accepted me as their daughter-in-law. People in our circle all said behind my back that I was shameless and manipulative, that the Bennett family had nearly gone bankrupt, and that I had forced myself on Ethan to revive Bennett Group. They were all waiting. They were waiting for me to get divorced and become a joke. But over the past five years, Ethan and I had only grown better and more loving. Until I saw the way he looked at Claire at this moment. My heart suddenly tightened with pain. “How ridiculous, I, Ethan Carter, never pick up trash.” Ethan’s words instantly froze the smile on Claire’s face. Ethan’s words made the private room fall completely silent. He took my hand and laced his fingers with mine. “Let me introduce her.” “This is my wife, Lily Bennett.” “If anyone uses those old stories to disgust her again, don’t blame me for turning on you.” “I married Lily because I love her, and who hasn’t met one or two toxic women when they were young? Don’t open your mouths and throw dirt on my wife for no reason.” His tone shifted, carrying blatant mockery. “As for Ms. Summers, did going abroad leave you with nothing but this? So what if you started a company? Do you even have assets over ten million? Do you even have ten employees under you?” Claire could no longer smile at all. But Ethan took my hand and softened his voice. “Honey, I told you I didn’t want to come, so what was the point of seeing these people?” “You’re not wrong,” I answered softly. “Whoever you scold deserves it.” The entire room fell into silence, and the class reunion was basically over. The classmates who had been gossiping earlier came over to apologize before leaving and wished us happiness. Claire sat in her seat with her head lowered and did not move. But when Ethan stepped out of the private room, he still turned his head back once. Regret and sorrow made that woman look much more haggard in just a few hours. I clearly felt Ethan’s hand tighten around my waist. Then he turned his gaze forward, acted as if nothing had happened, and got into the car with me with a smile. But after we got home, I still felt a little uneasy when I thought about what had happened. I put down my bag, and my voice was hoarse. “Ethan, if you want to get back together with Claire, we can get di—” Before I could finish, he suddenly pushed me down onto the sofa, gripped the side of my neck, and leaned in. His fingers sealed my lips, then moved down along my collarbone, and paired with his cold, restrained face, my breath immediately caught. “What nonsense are you talking about…” He moved close to me, his breath warm. “Can I carry you back to the bedroom? I want you.” After he said that, he kissed me. We tangled all the way to the bedroom. For one moment, I almost forgot all the unpleasantness, and just as the corners of my lips lifted into a smile, Ethan’s phone suddenly rang. I answered it instinctively. Soft breathing came from the other end of the line, and Claire’s voice carried drunkenness and broken sobs. “Ethan… couldn’t you have waited for me a little longer? It’s only been five years…” “You called me toxic, but you don’t know at all… the only person I’ve ever loved is you.” I was silent for a moment before speaking. “Claire, it’s three in the morning.” “My husband just fell asleep from exhaustion, so do you need me to wake him up?” The other side went instantly quiet, then the call was abruptly hung up. My expression turned serious for once, and I frowned tightly as I looked at the sleeping Ethan beside me. His lashes trembled lightly, and his lips pressed into a straight line, as if he was having a nightmare. I lay down, curled into his arms, stopped thinking about it, and closed my eyes wearily. But after sleeping for less than two hours, I woke up. I instinctively reached for the person beside me, only to find the bed empty.

Where had Ethan gone in the middle of the night? For some reason, panic rose in my chest. At that moment, I faintly heard voices outside, and because I was worried a burglar had broken in, I rushed to the door without even putting on shoes and opened a crack. The moment I saw the scene in the living room, I could not describe how I felt. I only felt that the summer air conditioning and the floor under my bare feet were like falling into an ice cellar. Claire sat on the sofa with messy hair and red eyes, as if she had been crying for a long time. Ethan stood in front of her, his expression terrifyingly cold. “Are you done?” he said in a very low voice. “If you’re done, go home.” “I’m sorry, Ethan, I regret it, so can’t you give me one chance?” Ethan coldly pulled his sleeve back and was using Claire’s phone to call someone. “Hurry up and come get your fiancée, and don’t let her come to someone else’s front door drunk in the middle of the night!” Not long after, hurried footsteps came. I opened the door crack a little wider and realized I actually knew this man. It was Sebastian Ford, who also lived in this villa district. He was the only son of the biggest tourist resort developer in New York, and his family background was even more prominent than the Carters’. Looking at his anxious, red-rimmed eyes, I could not help sighing inwardly. How much good karma had Claire built up in her past life? She had been a little poor in her teens, but in college, Ethan paved the way for her and nearly lived and died for her. Now, after going abroad and polishing her résumé a little, she directly made this heir of the Ford family worry over her. People really were different from one another, and I did not go out to create a famous old-love-new-love disaster scene before quietly closing the door. But then a message from my best friend suddenly popped up on my phone. [That bitch Claire got drunk at a bar tonight and cried into the camera while confessing her love to Ethan, and the video has already been posted online!] [I’ve never seen such a disgusting woman, and now that she’s almost thirty and her career isn’t going well, she probably regretted everything after seeing you and Ethan being happy together!] I cut off her outrage and sent her the living room scene I had just filmed. [Claire seems to have a boyfriend, and it’s Sebastian Ford.] [Holy shit! Does that bitch have some kind of poison on her that lowers men’s IQ? Is Sebastian Ford blind or what?] After hearing the sounds outside gradually disappear, I quietly returned to bed. However, early the next morning, I was woken by the sound of arguing outside. I opened the door half-asleep and saw Ethan’s parents sitting on the sofa with ashen faces. They must have seen today’s trending topic. “Get Claire Summers out of New York right now!” Ethan’s father said sternly. “What the hell was that video of her crying in a bar last night? The shareholders are all asking about this!” “She was the one who abandoned you and went abroad back then, Ethan, so don’t be foolish, and now she’s actually using such low tactics to ruin your marriage with Lily!” “If you don’t clean this up properly, don’t blame Carter Group’s official channels for blacklisting her!” After dropping those words, Ethan’s father left. Ethan clenched his fists and turned around with red eyes, only to suddenly see me. “Honey?” A trace of panic flashed through his eyes. “The trending topic has nothing to do with me, and Claire is already engaged to Sebastian Ford, so I don’t know why she keeps pestering me like this.” “I’ll handle this properly.” Ethan had already been gradually taking over Carter Group, and after this incident, he seemed to have truly gone head-to-head with the Ford family. He personally dragged me into several couple endorsements for the company, improved the corporate image, and secretly stole the Ford family’s business to pressure Sebastian into sending Claire away. Until one month later. That day, a group of us had just finished gathering at a private club, and when Ethan and I opened the door of the private room, Claire suddenly stumbled out from the end of the hallway. She wore a white dress, her clothes were disheveled, and there were scratches and blood marks on her face.

“Ethan, save me! Please save me…” This scene felt so familiar. It made me feel as if I had returned to five years ago, and I had to admit that Claire in college was like a wild crabapple blooming in barren soil, stubborn and proud. That was why Ethan had fallen for her. She gritted her teeth and used all her strength to grab Ethan’s sleeve, but after seeing me, her entire body stiffened before she hurriedly lowered her head, let go, and stepped back. “Ms. Bennett, I didn’t mean to, and I’ll leave New York right away and never again…” A tear fell from the corner of her eye, and she clenched her fists and closed her eyes. “I’ll never appear in front of Ethan again.” Then she turned and limped toward the door. Looking at her back, as if she were the only person left alone in the world, I was stunned. Mainly, I never expected that Claire would one day become scheming enough to stage a scene like this and frame me. Her acting was so convincing that it was as if I had really sent people to teach her a lesson and warn her to stay away from my husband. On the surface, she was asking Ethan for help, but in reality, she was shaping me into a sinister, vicious woman. But she was now Sebastian Ford’s fiancée, and the Bennett family could not afford to offend the Ford family at all. I forced out a mocking smile and turned to observe Ethan’s reaction. His face was expressionless, making it impossible for me to see what he was thinking. “I heard Carter Group blacklisted her, and her company is about to go bankrupt, so she’s been begging people everywhere lately.” Ethan took my hand and smiled coldly. “What does that have to do with me?” After we got in the car, I tested him again. “Then Ethan, about what just happened… do you also think I did it?” But he held me in his arms. “I believe it wasn’t you.” I nodded. After all, the Ford family was someone neither Carter Group nor Bennett Group could afford to offend, and I was not that stupid. And Ethan had witnessed me barely making it step by step from the edge of bankruptcy to where I was today, so he should understand better than I did how much I cherished the present. However, the next day, four hundred million dollars was suddenly transferred out of my account! Bennett Group was about to go public, and that four hundred million almost determined whether Bennett Group lived or died! I called Ethan, but no one answered, so in my panic, I drove straight to his company to find him. When I pushed open the office door, I saw Claire sitting there with tears streaming down her face, and the wounds on her face had just been bandaged. Ethan sat beside her and lifted his head to meet my gaze. “Four hundred million dollars was suddenly transferred out of my account, and was it you…” Although I already had a guess in my heart, I wanted to hear Ethan admit it himself. “I took it.” “Why?” Coldness seeped through Ethan’s eyes. “Claire’s company owed four hundred million, so I helped her pay it back.” Even Claire raised her head in shock, pulled out her phone, and immediately checked her company’s repayment records. The assistants beside them exchanged looks. I looked at Ethan in confusion. But I saw him tighten his grip on Claire’s hand beside him and protect her behind him like a guardian. “Lily Bennett, this is what you owe her!” After saying that, he threw a stack of documents hard onto the coffee table, and photos scattered across the floor with a rustle. The first photo showed Claire at the club, being pinned to the floor with someone’s foot on her face, her white dress covered in filthy cigarette ash, her clothes disheveled, and her eyes unfocused. The second photo showed her being yanked by her long hair, her chin forced open, as if she was being fed some kind of drug. The third photo showed extreme terror all over her face, and her neckline had been roughly torn open, exposing her collarbone and the edge of her underwear. Among the opened documents were two fingerprinted confessions, where two thugs admitted in black and white that they had been instructed by me to “teach Claire Summers a little lesson…” He actually believed such a cheap frame-up.

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I was four months pregnant when my husband started dating a college girl behind my back. And the matchmaker was none other than my own mother-in-law, Brenda. As it turned out, they had a backup plan: whichever woman gave birth to a boy first would get to stay. Later, when they found out I was actually a billionaire heiress, they literally got on their knees and begged for my forgiveness. I didn’t budge. Scum like them deserve to rot in hell. My husband, Ethan, hadn’t come home for a week. Believing that marriage should be built on trust, I didn’t ask too many questions beyond checking in on him. But a woman’s intuition told me something was seriously off. Just as I was starting to suspect he was cheating and getting ready to confront him, he suddenly walked through the front door. He even brought me a bouquet of flowers. I was so thrilled that I practically spun in circles, hugging him tightly and silently scolding myself for overthinking. He was always so good to me. How could he ever do anything to betray me? But later that night, while sorting the laundry, I found a makeup wipe stained with bright red lipstick in his jacket pocket. It made my previous relief look utterly pathetic. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I slammed the dry wipe right onto Ethan’s face and demanded, “What is this? Ethan, are you seeing someone else?!” He froze for a second. Then, his forehead creased, and he snapped impatiently, “What is wrong with you, Chloe? Can you stop being so paranoid all the time?!” His reaction only fueled my anger, but I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Parody? Then explain to me why you’ve been coming home so late every single night. What have you been doing?” He ignored me entirely, rolled over in bed, turned his back to me, and closed his eyes. I kept talking, trying to get a straight answer out of him, but he didn’t utter a single word. Only when I finally stopped talking and the room fell dead silent did he speak up, his voice ice-cold. “I’ve told you a thousand times, I’m buried in work!” “I have to work tomorrow, so stop keeping me up with this nonsense.” “If I wasn’t working my ass off to bring home the bacon, how do you think we’d pay our bills? Can you grow up for once?” His words choked back everything else I wanted to say. I stared at his back, my heart aching. A wave of intense humiliation and sorrow washed over me, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face. Busy with work? What a joke. The tech giant Ethan worked for was owned by my family. I knew his exact workload better than anyone. I had only kept my family’s wealth a secret because I didn’t want him to feel pressured marrying into a rich family. And yet, he was using this job as a cheap excuse to lie to my face.

The more I thought about it, the more miserable I felt, and my quiet sobbing turned into loud cries. Ethan noticed my distress and let out a heavy, irritated sigh. He shifted under the covers, making a move to turn around. To be honest, in that split second, I imagined a few different scenarios. I thought he might turn around, wrap his arms around me like he used to, and whisper, “I was actually planning a surprise for you, babe. I didn’t want to ruin it.” Or maybe he would keep lying, telling me how exhausting his job was, playing the victim to guilt-trip me into submission again. Or maybe he would tell me he was facing some serious trouble at work and had to stay late to fix it. … “Can you shut the fuck up? Stop being such a drama queen!” Ethan suddenly bolted upright, snatched his pillow, threw it violently onto the floor, and screamed at me. I froze in pure shock. I had imagined so many reactions, but never this. I stared at him in utter disbelief, unable to comprehend how the sweet, attentive man I married had turned into this monster. He glared at me with pure hatred, as if I were his worst enemy. Hearing the commotion from the guest room next door, my mother-in-law, Brenda, burst in. “What’s going on? What’s wrong, my sweet boy?” Seeing Ethan so angry, Brenda panicked. She immediately rushed over, pulled him into her arms to soothe him, and shot me a venomous look. “What kind of wife are you?! How dare you upset my son like this!” “Don’t think you can boss us around in this house just because you managed to get pregnant!” I finally snapped out of my daze. I shook my head frantically, trying to explain, but my sobbing was so violent that I couldn’t form proper words. “She’s literally psycho,” Ethan muttered under his breath, looking at my tear-stained, messy face with sheer disgust. He threw on his clothes and slammed the door as he stormed out. On his way out, he grabbed the bouquet of flowers from the table, threw it onto the floor, and crushed it to pieces under his boot. Brenda turned back to me and pointed a finger in my face. “Keep crying in the middle of the night and drive your husband away, you useless brat!” “You better hope that thing in your belly is a boy. If you give birth to some useless girl, you can pack your bags and get the hell out of this family!” With that, she stomped out, and another loud door slam echoed through the house.

I curled up under the blanket alone, not sleeping a wink the entire night. Ethan didn’t come back. I called him more than a dozen times, but it went straight to voicemail every time. As the hours dragged on, my anger slowly faded into worry. Maybe… maybe the lipstick stain was just an accident? What if he was driving while angry and got into a car crash? What if he got into a fight with someone? What if he was hurt? … Endless guilt flooded my mind, and I began to wonder if I had indeed been too sensitive. First thing in the morning, I went downstairs, bought groceries, and cooked a massive, delicious breakfast, planning to apologize to Ethan the moment he walked through the door. But once the table was set and I finally dialed his number, a woman’s voice answered the phone. “Who is this? Ethan forgot his phone here when he left earlier.” “I’ll have him call you back when he gets back.” The girl’s voice was sweet and youthful. I stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning. After a long pause, I asked with a trembling voice, “What… what is your relationship with Ethan?” The girl paused for a second, then let out a soft, amused giggle. “Aren’t you on his Snapchat? He posted photos of us on his stories. I’m his girlfriend.” Girlfriend… What did that mean? Ethan was actually cheating on me? I forced myself to stay calm, burying the storm of emotions raging inside me, and replied after a moment of silence, “Sorry, I dialed the wrong number.” Then, I hung up. I had spent the entire night worrying about his safety, while he was out having the time of his life with another woman? He had even publicly posted photos of his mistress on Snapchat? But as far as I knew, Ethan never posted anything on social media. Whenever we went on trips and took cute couple photos, he always refused to post them, claiming it was too much of a hassle. I opened Snapchat and checked his profile. Indeed, his public stories were completely empty. Had he blocked me from seeing his posts? Just then, Brenda pushed open her bedroom door. Seeing my bloodshot eyes, she rolled her eyes in disgust. “Look at that pathetic face. You look like a curse!” “No wonder you can’t keep your man!” I took a deep breath, ignored her, walked back into my bedroom, and slammed the door. From outside, Brenda’s muffled insults continued. “Getting pregnant has only given you a nasty attitude. What a classless, uneducated small-town brat.” Brenda had always treated me like garbage. But in the past, Ethan would always tell me that his mother just had a sharp tongue but a good heart, and asked me to bear with it. So I did, over and over again. But my patience only made Brenda bolder and her insults meaner. Before, whenever I cried from Brenda’s abuse, Ethan would hold me tight, stroke my hair, and gently comfort me. But the moment I got pregnant, everything changed. Not only did he stop comforting me, but he also started calling me dramatic and high-maintenance. “Every daughter-in-law gets scolded by her mother-in-law. She’s in her fifties, can’t you just let her have her way?” “You’re about to be a mother yourself. Stop being so petty!”

I sat on the bed for a long time. I knew I couldn’t just rely on a single phone call to accuse him of cheating. I needed to wait for Ethan to come home and ask him face-to-face. What if there really was a misunderstanding? With those thoughts spinning in my head, I eventually drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, it was already evening. My stomach was screaming in pain from hunger. Just as I was about to go to the kitchen to find something to eat, I heard voices coming from Brenda’s bedroom. “Mom, Chloe called me today, and Hailey picked up the phone.” “Do you think she knows about me and Hailey?” It was Ethan’s voice! I quieted my footsteps, walked over to Brenda’s door, and peeked through the crack. I pulled out my phone and quietly tapped the voice memo app to record. Brenda’s tone was filled with utter contempt. “What are you scared of? Even if she knows, what can she do? She doesn’t have any proof!” “Besides, she’s just a penniless girl from a dead-end town with no family backing here. She even quit her job because of the pregnancy.” “She won’t dare make a scene. If she leaves you, she won’t even be able to pay rent!” “By the way, how are things going with Hailey? That girl has wide hips, she’s definitely built to give us a grandson.” Hearing Brenda’s reassurance, Ethan relaxed, his voice turning light and casual. “I have to thank you for setting us up, Mom. Hailey’s body is amazing. Chloe used to be hot, but now that she’s pregnant, she just grosses me out.” Brenda let out a sly chuckle and nudged Ethan. “So, last night…” Brenda trailed off, looking at her son with a knowing smirk. Ethan grinned and nodded. “It was her first time, so she insisted on a condom. Annoying as hell.” Then, a greasy, repulsive grin spread across his face. “But I poked a few holes in it when she wasn’t looking. There’s a high chance she’s already pregnant.” Brenda patted Ethan’s shoulder and laughed. “That’s my smart boy!” “We’ll see which one of them gives us a boy first, and we’ll keep that one!” Ethan nodded in agreement. “Whatever you say, Mom! Whichever one gives birth to a useless girl gets kicked to the curb!” “If they both have boys, we’ll keep Hailey. She’s younger and tighter anyway.” With that, Brenda pulled Ethan into a tight hug. Ethan buried his face in his mother’s chest, snuggling against her like a toddler, and murmured, “Chloe is asleep. Mom, can I sleep in your room tonight?” “Since I married Chloe a year ago, I haven’t slept with you once. I miss my mommy!”

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I was born with the ability to detect lies. My stepsister, Chloe, looked down on her blind date because she thought he dressed like a hobo. She forced me to go in her place just to reject him. “I thought my blind date was going to be some rich heir driving a Ferrari, but he’s just a broke loser,” she sneered. “If he clings to me, my life will be ruined. Go reject him for me. Just tell him you’re the one he’s supposed to meet.” I should have said no. But I desperately needed an opportunity to escape the house that had kept me trapped for over twenty years. Yet, the moment the man across from me spoke his very first sentence, I knew he was lying. He said his monthly salary was only five thousand dollars. 【Lie.】 He said his family background was totally ordinary. 【Lie.】 Well, since he wanted to play a part, I wasn’t going to let his performance go to waste. Looking at the glowing golden wealth line rising rapidly behind his head, my eyes welled up with emotion. I eagerly grabbed his hand. “Who cares if you only make five grand a month? Honest work is the most honorable! I don’t care that you’re poor. Let’s get married !” — ###

“Amber… do you really not mind that I’m broke?” Christian Vance’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he asked tentatively. “Of course I don’t mind!” I sat up straight, riding the wave. “I can tell you’re an honest, down-to-earth guy, Christian. You’re definitely not the lazy type. Being broke now doesn’t mean you’ll be broke forever.” I looked at him with a beaming smile. Well, not exactly at him. To be precise, I was staring at the golden wealth line rising behind him. That glittering golden curve was shooting straight up, climbing faster and faster by the second. So this was what a truly wealthy person looked like? Even when he was doing absolutely nothing, his wealth was practically multiplying on its own. If I could stick with him, I wouldn’t just escape my toxic family—my future would be completely set. While I was lost in my fantasy, Christian continued to test me. “You’re really sweet, Amber… But let me lay the ugly truth out first. I’m just a regular blue-collar worker. I barely make five thousand a month. No house, no car.” *[Lie.]* “And I have an ailing father to support. Life with me will be very hard.” *[Lie.]* *[All lies.]* Red warning signs flashed wildly in my mind. Five thousand a month? I glanced at the blazing golden line behind him and almost snorted. No house, no car? Fine, whatever you say. Since he wanted to play the part, I had to be his perfect co-star. I reached out and firmly grasped his hand on the table, looking into his eyes with absolute sincerity. “I really don’t care about the money. As long as we work hard, our lives will get better and better!” Christian stiffened at my sudden touch. He probably hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. He lowered his head, pretending to look even more self-conscious. “Seeing me dressed so cheaply, riding a ragged Lime bike just to meet you… you really don’t look down on me?” Christian was wearing dirty canvas shoes, and his clothes were indeed very worn and cheap. But the golden wealth line behind him was about to break through the ceiling. I squeezed my thighs to keep from laughing out loud. Forcing myself to look solemn, I replied, “I’m wearing old clothes passed down from my stepsister anyway. It seems we both know how to save money. No wonder we get along so well.” Chloe had previously tried to act poor on her blind dates to gain sympathy from rich guys so they would spend money on her. But she never expected this. Christian had beaten her to the punch, pretending to be broke to test his date. Seeing that I was indeed dressed in faded clothes and looked thin and pale, Christian’s suspicion seemed to fade a little. But his test wasn’t over yet. “Since you think so highly of me, Amber, we can’t just sit here drinking cheap coffee. Let me buy you lunch.” “We can talk about our future wedding, too.” When he pulled out his phone to pay the bill, he made sure I saw the badly cracked screen of his old phone. I didn’t say a word. Instead, I pulled out my own shattered phone and bought him a bottle of cold water. “It’s hot today. Have some water. We have to start saving money from now on.” I wanted to see just how far Christian was going to take this act. He led me down the street and stopped in front of a cheap, low-end buffet. — ###

Seeing me freeze at the entrance, Christian had an “I knew it” look on his face. Still, he rubbed his hands together, pretending to be embarrassed. “I’m just a warehouse mover. I don’t make much. After rent, there’s barely anything left.” “Amber, I’m so sorry to bring you to a place like this. Honestly, I usually can’t even afford a buffet.” *[Lie.]* The red warnings in my head flashed so bright my eyes practically ached. I snapped back to reality, my stomach rumbling loudly. “You have no idea. Ever since my dad brought my stepmother and stepsister into our house, I’ve barely had enough to eat.” “I have to work part-time to pay for my own tuition. When I’m hungry, I just buy expired clearance food from the grocery store.” “Don’t worry. This buffet is a feast to me.” I spoke the absolute truth, without a shred of shame. In fact, I couldn’t wait. I marched right in and grabbed a tray. If this were Chloe, she would have thrown the tray at Christian’s face and told him to go to hell. But my eyes were practically glowing as I piled food onto my plate. “Fried chicken, yes please…” “Mashed potatoes, definitely…” “Roast beef, oh my god, yes…” Christian followed behind me. Seeing my plate piled high like a mountain and watching me eat with pure, unadulterated joy, he was utterly stunned. “I can tell you’re actually starving. You weren’t lying.” I was eating so happily that I barely heard him. Compared to my black-hole stomach, Christian clearly wasn’t used to this kind of food. He barely touched his plate. I ended up finishing all of his leftovers, too. After cleaning every plate, I patted my full stomach and thanked him repeatedly. “Thank you so much. This is the most satisfying meal I’ve had in months.” “Don’t worry. When I make it big, I’ll treat you to the finest dinner.” Christian’s eyes flickered, and a faint, genuine smile appeared at the corner of his lips. When he offered to take me home, I waved my hands in refusal. “I’m not going back there. I’ve already rented a small basement room. I plan to stay there while I look for a job.” Before our date, Chloe had bragged to the matchmaker about being a pampered little princess. She despised this date, hated his cheap clothes, and refused to even show her face. So now, when Christian tried to dig deeper into my situation, I could tell him the truth with zero guilt. “My mom passed away when I was young. Not long after, my dad married Tiffany and brought Chloe into the family.” “Since then, I became Chloe’s favorite punching bag. She had so many ways to torment me. My dad knew, but he just didn’t care.” “But hey, they gave me a roof over my head, so I guess I should still be grateful.” Christian’s fists clenched as he listened. “And you just took it? You let your stepmother and stepsister bully you like that?” I nodded, pulling up my sleeves. I showed Christian the old scars on my arms. Some were burn marks from Chloe’s curling iron, others were deep scratches from her nails. “I couldn’t help it when I was a kid.” “When I got older and wanted to move out, they took my passport, birth certificate, and Social Security card so I couldn’t leave.” I looked up and smiled at him. “But it’s fine now.” “I’ve finally graduated from college. I can survive on my own.” “Once I save enough money, I’ll pay them back for the food and cut ties with them completely.” “Amber… to be honest, when I first met you today, I thought you were just playing victim to scam me.” Christian was now entirely convinced I was telling the truth. He fell silent for a few seconds, his eyes deep and intense. “If you could make one wish right now, what would it be?” — ###

I sneakily glanced at the golden wealth line rising behind him. He was still pretending to be broke. Asking him to give me millions was unrealistic. But asking him to use his connections to get me a job? That wasn’t too greedy, right? I sighed, pretending to be stressed. “Just being able to eat three meals a day would be great! I hope to find a job as soon as possible, save some money, and move out of that basement.” Christian raised an eyebrow mysteriously. “Maybe your wish will come true sooner than you think.” *[True.]* My heart swelled with anticipation. Although I still didn’t know the exact details of Christian’s background, I knew he was powerful. After thanking him sincerely for the lunch, I splurged to buy him a cheap ice cream for dessert. He finally walked me to the subway station, looking reluctant to say goodbye. To my absolute shock, right after Christian left, I received a phone call from the HR department of a major listed corporation I had interviewed with earlier. “Is this Miss Amber Miller? Congratulations, you’ve passed the interview. Is it convenient for you to come in tomorrow to complete the onboarding process?” I held my phone, freezing for several seconds. I didn’t know the exact connection between this company and Christian. But I was absolutely certain this stroke of luck wasn’t from heaven—it was from Christian. The next day, I smoothly completed my onboarding. The entire process was easier than I could have ever imagined. Excited, I messaged Christian on Snapchat: *You are literally my lucky charm! I actually got the job!* *This luck is all thanks to you. I have to treat you to dinner to thank you!* Christian readily agreed. He still showed up in that same cheap, worn-out outfit, even adding a lame excuse: “I haven’t bought new clothes in forever. I only have this one set to wear for dates. Please don’t write me off.” While he said this, the warning *[Lie]* was screaming in my head. But I didn’t call him out. I just smiled. “Once I get my first paycheck, I’ll buy you some brand new clothes!” Christian looked genuinely surprised. “You can barely feed yourself, and you want to buy me clothes?” “Well, you treated me to a buffet and listened to me complain. You’re good to me, so I should be good to you.” The warmth and emotion on Christian’s face this time had absolutely no hint of acting. From that day on, I threw myself into my new job, working hard for my future. Christian and I met up almost every day, and we grew closer and closer. Even though we still mostly met at cheap diners, Christian seemed more and more relaxed. He didn’t try to test or probe me anymore. On payday, I kept my promise and took Christian to buy a new shirt and jeans. Holding the clothes I bought him, Christian looked at me with a deep, emotional gaze. “Amber, don’t worry. Your good luck has only just begun.” He told me he had to be busy for a few days. Once he was done, he would give me a massive surprise. I wasn’t sure what he meant, and I didn’t dare to fantasize too much. In fact, I thought it was better if Christian just kept pretending to be broke. When he was pretending, we could interact like equals. What if one day he stopped acting? What if he turned back into a high-and-mighty billionaire? I wouldn’t even know how to face him. For the next few days, I really couldn’t reach him. He would occasionally send me a Snapchat message, telling me to be patient. But before I could wait for Christian, the person I least wanted to see showed up. Chloe had somehow found out my office address. “Amber, how far have you gotten with that blind date of mine? Call him out right now. I need to take a good look at him.” “I went to a luxury hotel with my friends today, and I saw him from a distance. He was surrounded by a crowd of people, and everyone was calling him Mr. Vance!” With a furious expression, Chloe shoved her phone screen right into my face. — ###

The man in the photo was indeed Christian. It turned out he was the sole heir to the legendary Vance family of New York! He was wearing a bespoke, luxury designer suit, sporting a multi-million-dollar watch, and surrounded by a flock of bodyguards. Thinking about how this untouchable billionaire heir had actually worn rags just to eat a cheap buffet with me, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Christian really went all out to test his blind date. Terrified that Chloe would find Christian and expose the fact that I had impersonated her, I racked my brain to keep her calm. “You’re overthinking things, Chloe. That guy took me to a dirt-cheap buffet for our first date.” “Every time we meet, he wears the same trashy clothes.” “Even his phone has a shattered screen.” “With how broke he looks, how could he possibly be the heir to the Vance family?” Seeing Chloe look at me with deep suspicion, I quickly pulled up my Snapchat history and showed her the photos of the cheap buffets and the receipts. Chloe scrolled through my phone for a long time. Then she looked at my worn-out clothes, and her suspicion finally faded. “True. If he were actually rich, there’s no way he wouldn’t spend money on you. Why would he make you suffer with him?” “Besides, a man of his status would have extremely high standards. He’d never look at a charity case like you.” Before she left, Chloe didn’t miss the chance to insult me. “Amber, you were born to be at the bottom. You deserve to be with a broke loser like him.” “Just don’t tell anyone you’re a Miller when you’re out. We can’t afford to lose face because of you.” Looking at Chloe’s smug, arrogant face, I swallowed my anger. But a tiny spark of hope flared up in my heart. What if… What if one day Christian proudly chose me in front of everyone as the Vance heir, completely slapping Chloe in the face? What would her expression look like then? But after only a few seconds of fantasizing, I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Christian had already gotten me this amazing job. I had already used up all my luck. How could I dare to expect a miracle like that? After stabilizing my emotions, I kept my head down and worked peacefully for another three days. That afternoon, my supervisor called me to join a major project launch meeting. They said a powerful executive from the partner company was coming, and all the new hires had to be there to show respect. Clutching my files, I walked into the conference hall, only to freeze instantly. The figure standing on the stage looked so much like the man who had eaten cheap buffet food with me—and yet so different. In the next second, the host spoke respectfully into the microphone: “Now, please join me in welcoming our CEO, Mr. Christian Vance.” My brain went entirely blank. I stood there, frozen like a statue. As soon as the meeting ended, I tried to slip away. But Christian had already cut through the crowd, walking toward me with a gaze full of gentleness. “Amber, why are you staring? Did you forget me after just a few days?” All the surrounding employees began to whisper, speculating about my relationship with Christian. My heart was pounding like crazy. Was this real? Had the miracle actually happened? Just as I was hesitating to respond, a sharp, screeching voice suddenly pierced the air from behind me. “Mr. Vance! You’ve been tricked by Amber! The person you were supposed to meet that day was me!!” My breath hitched. I turned around stiffly. Chloe was storming through the crowd, marching straight up to Christian. “I, Chloe Miller, am your actual blind date!” Seeing Christian’s face instantly turn cold, I felt like I had been plunged into an ice bath. It was over… I had finally waited for Christian to reveal his identity to me. But if he found out that all our sweet memories were built on a foundation of lies and deception… Forget about being with him. I would probably lose my job and my livelihood instantly. I desperately wanted to open my mouth and explain. But terror gripped my throat, and I couldn’t squeeze out a single word. The mocking whispers and contemptuous glares from the crowd made me want to shrink into the floor. “Look, this is the message the matchmaker sent me! Here is the date, time, and location of our meeting!” “I have so much proof that Amber lied to you! You can’t let this fraud get away with it!” Under Chloe’s hysterical shrieks, Christian calmly took her phone and glanced at it. The next second, he frowned, turned his gaze to me, and spoke in a chilling voice…

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Six months ago, my son Ethan, who was preparing for his high school graduation and SATs, was brutally bullied at school. They threw him off the school rooftop. His body was covered in horrific wounds. The school claimed it was a suicide. Before we could even get an independent autopsy, the local authorities rushed his body to be cremated, claiming it was standard procedure. I knew who those kids were. They all came from wealthy, powerful families, so the school district refused to hold them accountable. People online even said it was my son’s fault. They said he was book-smart but socially awkward, that he couldn’t handle pressure. They blamed him for his own death. I had been a trauma surgeon for twenty years. I saved countless lives. They used to call me an angel in a white coat. But from the moment I saw my son’s cold, bruised body, I decided to become a demon. One night, under the cover of darkness, I wore a black tactical jacket and slipped into Tyler Sterling’s house. He was one of the monsters who bullied my son. His father, Robert, was a high-ranking executive at a major local pharmaceutical company, always out late drinking with clients. Tyler was the star of the school basketball team. Tall, athletic, and popular with girls. He was the polar opposite of my nerdy son, Ethan. They should have lived in different worlds. But in the two months leading up to his death, Ethan was subjected to Tyler’s living hell. Someone told me Tyler had kicked Ethan to the ground and urinated on his head. And now, this monster was fast asleep in his warm, comfortable bed, while my son’s ashes were buried cold in the ground. I clenched my fists, my breathing growing heavy. My face must have looked terrifying. I pulled out a chloroform-soaked gauze and pressed it tightly over his nose and mouth. He struggled weakly for a second before slipping into a deep sleep. I wasn’t going to let him off that easily. I used IV tubing to tie his hands and feet securely to the bedpost. Then, I crept into the master bedroom. His mother, Cheryl, was lying in bed with a face mask on, scrolling through TikTok. She didn’t look up, probably thinking it was her husband coming home late. “Home so late? You might as well have slept at whatever whore’s house you were visiting,” she muttered. It was only when I pressed the chloroform rag over her face that she realized something was horribly wrong. She thrashed wildly, but she was no match for a grown man fueled by pure vengeance. She blacked out soon after. I tied her up as well and dragged both mother and son into the living room. Five minutes later, they both woke up. As a surgeon, my dosage of anesthetics is always precise. Cheryl opened her eyes, saw her son tied up across from her, and panicked. She thrashed against her restraints, but it was useless. When she looked up and saw my face, her eyes filled with absolute terror. We actually knew each other. We met back when she was still a pharmaceutical sales rep. Later, she married Robert Sterling, quit her job, and gave birth to Tyler. She had used her connection with me to skip the line at the hospital when Tyler was sick. Ethan was with me that day. I remember how he shrank back, looking terrified of Tyler. Back then, I never could have imagined that one teenager could do something so monstrous to another. Every time I recalled that day—recalling my son’s innocent, sweet face—rage would boil in my chest, tearing me apart. I pulled out a surgical hammer. I began tapping Tyler’s body, targeting very specific, painful areas. Even though I had only gotten a fleeting glance at Ethan’s body, every single bruise and scar was permanently burned into my memory. I was just returning the favor. Then, I delivered a heavy blow to Tyler’s throat. His airway collapsed instantly. Blood began leaking from the corner of his mouth as he suffocated. Cheryl watched her only son die right in front of her. I knew she wasn’t innocent. She knew exactly what her son was doing, but she chose to enable it. Since she raised a monster, I made her watch him die. Cheryl’s mouth was gagged, but I could read the curse in her eyes. She was probably cursing me to rot in hell. But for a father who had already lost his son, I was already living in hell. I didn’t torture Cheryl. I simply took a scalpel and slit her throat clean. Then, I sat on the sofa, turned off all the lights, and waited quietly for Robert to come home. At 2:00 AM, the heavy stench of alcohol preceded him. Robert was back. Drunk and slurring, he yelled: “Where the hell is everyone? I’m home! Someone get my slippers!” He fumbled for the light switch on the wall. The sudden glare forced his eyes shut for a second. When he opened them, he let out a blood-curdling shriek. He saw the bodies of Cheryl and Tyler. The shock sobered him instantly. He spun around to run, but I was faster. With one swift slice of my scalpel, I severed the tendons in his wrists. His hands went limp, blood soaking down his white shirt. “Bro, look,” he whimpered, shaking with fear. “If it’s money, take it all. Just don’t kill me. I have credit cards, cash. I’ll give you the PINs.” But the moment he saw my face, the words died in his throat. He knew exactly why I was here. Still, the desperation to live overcame his fear. He dropped to his knees, begging. “Please, man. Your boy is already gone. I’ll give you everything I have. I won’t call the cops. Just let me go.” I remembered seeing him at the hospital once. He was dressed in a sharp suit, arrogant and demanding. Tyler had beaten someone up, and Robert had brought the victim in, throwing cash around as if money could erase any crime. Like father, like son. Robert was responsible for at least half of Tyler’s sins. Seeing me step closer, he realized there was no mercy. He scrambled up and tried to run. But the blood loss had already drained his strength. Within three steps, I caught up to him. I plunged the scalpel straight into his heart. He slumped to the floor like a rag doll. I turned and walked out of the blood-splattered house.

I buried Ethan in our quiet hometown. We didn’t want the media and clout-chasing TikTokers to disturb him. My elderly, white-haired parents wept bitterly at his grave, lighting candles. My wife, Sarah, had fainted from crying so many times. But I kept my distance and didn’t show my face. I couldn’t drag them into my mess. When it first happened, Sarah slapped me hard. She screamed at me, asking why I hadn’t noticed Ethan’s pain, why I hadn’t fought for justice. I had even refused the school district’s offer to simply suspend the bullies. Because to those monsters, a suspension wasn’t a punishment. It was a shield. I would deliver their real punishment myself. I bowed to my son’s grave from afar. *Dad is going to get you justice.* There were four bullies in total—two boys, two girls. The next target was Brandon Miller. He was also on the basketball team and a straight-A student. His father, Richard Miller, was the School Board Superintendent. It was Richard who pulled the strings to bury Ethan’s case, preventing us from even getting an independent autopsy. News of the Sterling family’s slaughter had leaked, but the media was being heavily censored. A massacre like that would throw the entire city into a panic. Honestly, I was confident the police wouldn’t find me anytime soon. As a surgeon, I knew how to maintain a sterile environment. I knew exactly how to leave no trace. But I was running out of time. I couldn’t stand the thought of those monsters breathing for another day. And they were starting to feel the heat, too. That evening, over dinner, Richard warned his family: “Be careful when you go out. Actually, don’t go out at all. Brandon, you’re staying home from school for a few days.” Brandon’s mother, Vicky, protested: “I can stay home, but what about our son? He can’t miss school. He’ll fall behind.” Brandon chimed in: “Yeah, Dad. We have the championship game coming up.” Richard slammed his fork down. “Are you both brainless? Do you have any idea that the Sterlings were slaughtered?” “It was probably Marcus Vance—Ethan’s father. If he could kill Tyler’s entire family, do you think he’ll spare you?” But Brandon didn’t look scared at all. He smirked. “Who? That wimp’s dad? We beat his son to a pulp and he couldn’t do a thing. If his dad comes, I’ll handle him too.” “Dad, just hire some security. Get those guys who helped us take the body last time.” Before he could finish, Richard slapped him across the face. “How did I raise such a stupid son? Do you have any idea who those people are? Having them do dirty work comes with a steep price.” Vicky shoved Richard angrily. “If you don’t care about our boy, I do! He’s just a kid. So what if he made a mistake?” Richard was about to yell back: “Murder isn’t a mistake—” But suddenly, a heavy wave of drowsiness hit him. He looked over and saw his wife and son already slumping over, their eyes half-closed. He realized what was happening, but it was too late. He drifted into darkness. When they woke up, they were tied up back-to-back in the master bedroom. The whole family, nice and neat. Thanks to modern medicine, it was easy to get my hands on tasteless, odorless sedatives to slip into their dinner. Richard was the first to fully wake up. When he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly masked it. Typical politician. He spoke to me in a calm, soothing voice: “Marcus, please. Don’t make things worse. I promise you, I will get you justice for Ethan. Just trust me.” I had heard him give the exact same high-and-mighty speeches on TV. Back then, people clapped and cheered. But his audience tonight wasn’t buying it. Vicky spat, “Richard! If he touches our son, I’m divorcing you!” Richard snapped, “Are you blind? Look at the situation! Shut up!” But right after he yelled at his wife, his idiot son opened his mouth. “Marcus, right? You better hope I don’t get loose. If I do, I’ll beat you just like I beat your useless son.” “Who did he think he was? Trying to get better SAT scores than me? Trying to steal my girl?” Hearing his words, a sharp pain pierced my heart. Ethan had once told me that a girl at school liked him. But he had ignored her to focus on his studies. Brandon kept mouthing off, calling Ethan a weak coward. Furious, I took out my surgical hammer and smashed it directly into his groin. He instantly doubled over as much as the ropes allowed, screaming in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face. Vicky screamed, “You animal! Don’t touch my baby!” But when *my* baby was being tortured, who was there to protect him? When *her* baby was destroying lives, who was there to stop him? I smashed the hammer into other parts of Brandon’s body. Every single strike mapped to a bruise I had seen on Ethan. I was going to make him feel ten times, a hundred times the pain. Finally, Brandon started begging for mercy. But it was too late. I knew Ethan must have begged him too, and Brandon hadn’t stopped. So, I wouldn’t stop either. Then, Vicky sealed their fate. She shrieked at Richard: “He’s castrating your son and you’re just sitting there? Tell this psycho that his son is already dead, but he still has a wife! He still has parents! Doesn’t he care about what happens to them?” Richard’s face drained of color. He looked horrified. He knew Vicky had just crossed the ultimate line. The next second, I slipped the hammer away, pulled a scalpel from my pocket, and sliced it across Vicky’s throat. She looked at me in shock, trying to speak, but no sound came out. A fountain of dark blood sprayed from her neck. Blood splattered all over Brandon’s face. He lost his mind, sobbing and begging, kneeling as much as his ropes allowed. “Mr. Vance, I’m sorry! Please, we were classmates! I’ll apologize to Ethan. I’ll buy him flowers, I’ll do anything!” Hearing him mention Ethan only made me angrier. “You knew you were classmates. What kind of sick hatred drove you to do that to him?” “Bullying is fun, right? Now that you’re the victim, do you regret it even a little bit?” Brandon opened his mouth to say “I—”, but I drove the scalpel straight into his temple. His eyes bulged, shocked by how fast death had claimed him. Richard watched his wife and son die right before his eyes. In an instant, he seemed to age twenty years, his shoulders slumping in total defeat. In that moment, I saw a reflection of myself in him. The absolute, gut-wrenching despair of having nothing left. For a brief second, I wondered if I should spare him. Then Richard spoke: “Marcus… you lost your son. Now I’ve lost mine. And my wife. Isn’t that enough?” “Just pretend I’m dead too. I’ll spend the rest of my life doing charity, helping schools… please.” Hearing this, I put my weapons away and stood up. He let out a long sigh of relief, slumping against the floor, relaxing his guard. But then, I slammed the surgical hammer straight down into the crown of his skull. He was the one who ordered Ethan’s body to be cremated. He denied me the chance to even look at my boy one last time. He had essentially murdered Ethan a second time. How could I ever let him live? I walked out of Richard’s house and spent the night hiding under a bridge. A homeless man walked under the bridge later that night. I don’t know if he saw the look of a killer in my eyes, but he took one glance at me and immediately hurried away. The next morning, I headed to the old town district. The next target was a girl named Chloe Bennett. Ethan used to talk about her. He said she was beautiful, bright, and sweet. Yet, she was deeply involved in the bullying that killed him. I wanted to know exactly what role she played in his death.

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Ethan and I grew up together. When I was grounded as a kid, he would sneak out to stay with me. When I was sick, he would drive across town just to get me my favorite strawberry cake. When I was bullied, he fought them until he bled, then looked at me with a bruised face and smiled. “Don’t worry, Chloe. I’ve got you.” Everyone said he loved me. I believed them too. Until my twentieth birthday. Tipsy and brave, I finally gathered the courage to kiss him. But Ethan took a step back, his handsome brow furrowing. He took Naomi’s hand, who was standing right next to him, and said: “Chloe, I have only ever seen you as a sister.” Our friends went dead silent, staring at us. After that, I stopped crossing the line. I stayed in my place as his “sister.” I watched him and Naomi go everywhere together. I even smiled and gave him advice, teaching him how to make it up to Naomi when they fought. But one night, Ethan got wasted. With bloodshot eyes, he grabbed my wrist. “Are you really that okay with this? Can’t you at least show some jealousy?” I just smiled. But I didn’t want to cross that line anymore.

At the company’s anniversary gala, Ethan walked up to me with a champagne glass. His voice was as gentle as ever. “Chloe, I will drive you home after this.” I shook my head, my eyes drifting to Naomi, who was laughing and chatting with some investors nearby. “No need. Stay with Naomi. She is wearing high heels tonight; it is not convenient for her to be alone.” Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly. “When did you start being so polite with me?” I smiled but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t politeness. It was the boundary a “sister” should keep. During the highlight of the gala, the host decided to play a game to hype up the crowd. “Mr. Carter, what would you say is the luckiest moment of your life?” The spotlight hit Ethan. He let out a soft smile, his gaze sweeping past the crowd to land on Naomi. “The luckiest moment… was meeting my sunshine when I thought my entire world had gone dark.” The crowd cheered and swooned. Naomi blushed and lowered her head. And I, sitting in a dark corner, downed my glass of red wine. Only I knew that during those “dark days” he talked about, I was the one who pulled all-nighters for three months straight to rewrite our business proposals. I was the one who poured all of my parents’ inheritance into his company to save him from bankruptcy. But now that he was in the clear, Naomi was his sunshine. And I was nothing. Some drunk colleague boldly teased him. “Hey Ethan, what about Chloe then? You two grew up together. That is a real-life childhood sweetheart romance!” “Yeah! If it weren’t for Chloe back then, Carter Tech wouldn’t even exist today!” The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. The smile on Ethan’s face faded. Just as he was about to speak, I stood up first. I raised my glass toward them and smiled. “Guys, stop joking around. Ethan and I are like family. As his sister, I only want him to be happy.” “Come on, let’s toast to Ethan and Naomi!” I threw my head back and drank the wine, swallowing all my bitterness and pain along with it. After the gala, I took the initiative to leave early. Ethan and Naomi caught up to me from behind. “Chloe.” Ethan called out, but before he could say more, Naomi’s phone rang. She answered it, and her face instantly turned pale. “Ethan… my mom. She has been rushed to the ER!” Ethan’s expression changed. He immediately held her up. “Don’t panic. I will drive you there right now.” He turned to look at me, hesitating. Even though this had happened countless times, seeing him hesitate still made my heart ache. I took a deep breath and pointed to the headlights of an approaching car. “My Uber is here. You guys should go. Her mom is more important.” Ethan looked relieved. He got into the car with Naomi. The window rolled down. He leaned out, his brow furrowed as he said, “The final pitch for the Starlight Initiative is tomorrow. Don’t wander off. Wait for me to come back.”

I laughed at myself. Ethan wouldn’t come back. And I wouldn’t be stupid enough to wait. I pulled my coat tighter and walked down the street alone. If every heartbreak is a slow death, then my heart had already died twice because of Ethan. The first time was on my twentieth birthday, when he announced to everyone that Naomi was his girlfriend. I deleted every cozy post about him on my Snapchat, and threw away every gift he had ever given me. But twenty years of connection are carved deep into your bones. Even now, the model spaceship he built for me sits on my bookshelf. He once told me he would take me to see the universe. A custom gown he stayed up all night to buy for me still hangs in my closet. And the Starlight Initiative on my laptop was a dream we had brainstormed since college. It was the career we swore to build together for the rest of our lives. He once said, “Chloe, my parents passed away early. I have no family left. I want you to fill the rest of my life.” But later, he said, “Naomi is the only one I owe in this world. Chloe, don’t cross the line. You are just my sister.” My twentieth birthday was my first attempt to set myself free. And this time, it was time for a final goodbye. As long as tomorrow’s Starlight pitch went smoothly and we secured the funding, I could disappear from his life forever. But the next day, when I stood in the conference room, Ethan was missing. His phone went unanswered. I called him again and again, moving from anxiety to complete numbness. Finally, on the dozens of attempts, the call connected. “Ethan, where are—” “Oh, Chloe,” Naomi’s sleepy voice came through the speaker. “Ethan stayed up with me all night. He is too exhausted and is still asleep. Is there something you need?” My mind went blank. Through the speaker, I heard Ethan’s muffled, groggy voice. “Who is it? Is that Chloe?” “No, babe. Just a telemarketer…” For the next two hours, I felt like a lone soldier, facing the investors’ sharp questions and doubts all by myself. But Starlight was a dream created by both of us. Without his technical presentation, my explanations sounded hollow and powerless. In the end, the investors politely declined. I packed up all the project files alone and left the office. For a whole week, I locked myself in my room. I frantically called every investor we knew. But the response was always the same. “Miss Miller, we are sorry, but we cannot trust a project where the core team shows such a massive lack of commitment.” Until an investor I was close with finally spilled the truth. “Chloe, stop wasting your breath. Naomi Vance personally explained everything to us. She said you and Ethan have irreconcilable personal conflicts, which led to this disaster. She said for the sake of the project, she will be taking over.”

When the call ended, my body went cold. I walked to the mirror and looked at my pale, exhausted reflection. Suddenly, it all felt so pointless. On the eighth day, Ethan finally showed up. “I am sorry, Chloe. I—” Before he could finish, I used all my strength to slap him across the face. “You bastard, Ethan!” His face turned to the side from the impact. But he didn’t get annoyed like he usually did. He just took it in silence. Once I stopped breathing heavily, he explained in a low voice. “Naomi’s mother was in critical condition. I couldn’t just stand by.” “We can always find another opportunity for the project. But a life can’t be replaced.” My hands shook with rage. I pointed at his face, but not a single word could come out. He apparently thought this explanation wasn’t enough. He grabbed my wrists, forcing me to look into his eyes, and said syllable by syllable: “You grew up in a happy, loving family, Chloe. You can’t understand the terror of losing your only family.” I stared at him in utter disbelief. He knew. He knew damn well that my parents died in a plane crash during my senior year of college. That was the deepest wound in my heart. He had held me back then, promising he would be my family and stay with me forever. At this moment, the last shred of warmth in my heart evaporated. I suddenly laughed. I slowly pulled my hands out of his grip and looked at him calmly. “Yeah, you are right. I don’t understand.” “Ethan, so in your heart, even my parents’ tragic deaths can’t compare to a single whine from Naomi.” The color drained from his face instantly. His lips trembled, as if he wanted to explain. But I didn’t want to hear it. Like a madwoman, I grabbed everything within reach and hurled it at him, screaming at him to get the hell out. He just watched me quietly. Once I collapsed to the floor out of exhaustion, he walked over, looked down at me, and sighed. “Chloe, look at yourself. You are only acting this spoiled because you know how much I pamper you.” “I will find new investors for the Starlight Initiative. But since you are emotionally unstable right now, Naomi will take your place.” After he left, I curled up in the mess of my room and sobbed until I lost my voice. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Naomi. “Chloe, I heard your project fell through. What a pity. But don’t worry, Ethan and I will bring this project back to life!” “It is all Ethan’s fault. I told him my mom was fine, but he insisted on abandoning your precious pitch just to stay with me.” “But then again, you have been clinging to him for so many years. You brought this on yourself.” I stared at the screen, my mind completely numb. After a long silence, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in a very long time. “The offer you made… I accept.” Suddenly, another notification popped up on WhatsApp. “Chloe, you need to get to the office right now. Something happened!” I grabbed my phone and rushed to the company. I pushed open the conference room door without hesitation. Everyone’s eyes immediately locked onto me.

“Chloe, about the Starlight pitch…” I interrupted the board member directly. “It was my mistake that caused us to lose the investment.” Ethan snapped his head up to look at me. “I am deeply sorry for causing such severe consequences. Therefore, starting today, the Starlight Initiative is entirely Ethan’s. I am resigning from the company and stepping down from the board.” My words caught everyone off guard. The shareholders looked at each other, stuttering, “Well… it doesn’t have to go that far…” I just smiled. “I take full responsibility. I failed to get the funding, and I accept the consequences.” Ethan shot up from his chair, calling out instinctively, “Chloe…” I barely glanced at him. “Ethan, I am tired. I am done playing your games.” The news of my departure spread like wildfire through the industry. After that day, Naomi was promoted to a shareholder and took over the Starlight Initiative, basking in glory. My bio on the company website was taken down and replaced by her photo and resume. The comment section was filled with flattery and congratulations, as if I had never existed. Ethan and Naomi attended various industry galas and forums together. Someone posted their photo in our Snapchat group chat with the caption: “High school sweethearts, meeting at the peak of success.” It got dozens of likes. As for me, many in the industry started kicking me while I was down. “Ethan was just too nice, spoiling her for so many years. Now that he has stopped, she has gone into hiding!” “Pfft, everyone knows the Starlight Initiative was Chloe’s masterpiece. Now Ethan put Naomi’s name on it.” Through it all, I never showed my face. Until the day of the Starlight launch event. I took a cab to the venue, found a staff uniform backstage, and changed into it. Once I was sure I wouldn’t be recognized, I slipped into the main hall. At that moment, Naomi was on stage as the lead project manager, giving her speech. She was dressed in a high-end white designer suit, her makeup flawless. “…To achieve today’s success, I want to thank my team, and most importantly, Ethan. It was his unconditional trust and support that gave me the courage to make this dream a reality!” Thunderous applause erupted. Countless spotlights focused on her. The host smiled and took over the mic. “Thank you, Ms. Vance, for that wonderful speech! Next, with our warmest applause, let us welcome the legend of our tech industry, Mr. Ethan Carter, to reveal the official launch name of the product!” Ethan walked onto the stage, his gaze warmly landing on Naomi as he took the mic. “Ms. Vance is the most talented and resilient woman I have ever met. This project is like our child, representing the sweat and blood of both of us.” “She deserves this glory entirely!” The applause grew even louder. Then, Ethan and Naomi stood side by side, preparing to press the launch button together. The double doors of the hall pushed open. I looked at the man walking in, stood up, and shouted: “Wait a minute!”

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My sister and I were kidnapped when we were kids. I gave her the only chance to escape. After years of living through hell, I finally dragged myself back home. By then, my sister, Sienna, had already become the pampered heiress of the Hale family. I thought we’d have a tearful reunion and I’d finally get to live a peaceful life. But my own flesh and blood stole my fiancé, turned our parents against me, and ruined my reputation. In the end, she had me thrown into the freezing ocean, leaving me to rot in the dark, unknown to anyone. But I survived. No, I was reborn. I woke up on the very day we were kidnapped. This time, Sienna, I’m not giving you the chance to run. *** **1.** Even as the icy water filled my lungs, I couldn’t believe how much Sienna hated me. She had told everyone that I was a greedy traitor who stole family money and ran away to Europe. She had cried those crocodile tears so convincingly that our parents held her, weeping with her. “She wasn’t raised by our side since she was little,” they’d sighed. “Of course she has no loyalty to this family.” They had no idea that my bloated body had been floating in the ocean for three days and nights. Unclaimed. Unloved. As I lost my footing and plunged into the abyss, I stared at the hands that had pushed me. “Why, Sienna?” I gasped. My own sister smiled, her eyes cold and venomous like a viper. “Why couldn’t you just stay in that godforsaken mountain shack, Chloe? Why did you have to come back?” “No one is taking my life away from me. Not even you, my dear sister.” The heavy, crushing waves swallowed me, tearing the last bit of oxygen from my chest. I didn’t even have time to cry out my regrets. When we were six, Sienna and I were taken. I gave her the only escape route. I told her to memorize our location and promised she would bring help back for me. I waited for so long. But help never came. Eventually, a couple who wanted to buy a child came to the camp. I didn’t want to be sold to some old creep in the woods, so I used every ounce of my wit. I faked amnesia, put on my most pitiful face, and grabbed their attention. “Are you my mommy and daddy? I missed you so much,” I cried, throwing my tiny arms around the woman’s neck. Her heart melted, and she actually bought me. The traffickers blindfolded me, and after days of bumpy riding, we arrived at an isolated, run-down farm deep in the mountains. But when the husband saw his wife had brought back a girl instead of a boy, he lost his temper and beat me mercilessly. “Why did you waste money on a useless mouth to feed?” Years of harsh sun, endless farm labor, and countless whip scars aged me far beyond my years. By the time I turned eighteen, the man tried to sell me to a creepy old hermit in the next valley to be his “wife.” I fought back with everything I had. The man beat me half to death and locked me in the barn. But that night, the wife finally showed a shred of mercy. Under the cover of darkness, she unlocked the door and let me go. I ran out of those mountains. The first thing I did was look for my real family. Every single night, fearing I would forget my parents’ names, I had whispered them like a mantra. Fortunately, the Hale family was prominent and wealthy. It didn’t take much digging to find them. When I finally returned, they were warm to me at first. But gradually, things changed. They began to resent my timidness and my lack of high-society etiquette. “A daughter of the Hale family cannot look so unpolished,” my father, Robert, would say. Soon, they stopped taking me to galas and charity events. “Just stay home, Chloe. Don’t go out. We can’t let the media snap photos of you looking like this.” Their eyes and hearts only had room for Sienna. Julian Vance, the boy I had been betrothed to since childhood as part of a family alliance, came to see me once. He shook his head in disgust. “A sun-baked, uneducated hillbilly? I’d rather die than marry her!” Fine. If he didn’t want me, we could call off the arrangement. But the very next day, a scandal broke. Julian and my sister were caught in bed together, and the photos were leaked all over Instagram. Holding Julian’s hand in front of reporters, Sienna sobbed, “Julian and I are truly in love. But my sister… she just won’t let him go.” The media swarmed me. Overnight, the internet tore me to pieces. “Look at her. She looks like a maid. How does she think a childhood contract makes her worthy of Julian?” “She has no degree, no class, and no looks. She can’t even hold a candle to Sienna.” My parents suggested buying me a house in Switzerland to “let things blow over.” I agreed. But somehow, the narrative was spun that I had stolen millions from the family and fled the country. Sienna came to see me off. She offered comfort as we walked along the cliffside by the sea. And then, she pushed me. I closed my eyes in agony. I had been so stupid. Even in my final moments, I had been craving a sliver of sisterly love. *** **2.** “Chloe. Chloe, wake up!” A high-pitched, childish voice called out, accompanied by a violent shaking of my shoulders. I gasped, my eyes flying open. Sienna’s young face stared back at me, startling me. We were crammed inside the back of a moving truck that smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap beer. The suffocating feeling of drowning was gone. I had been reborn. I was back to the day we were kidnapped. “Chloe, are they going to sell us? Do something! Please!” Sienna clutched my arm, her face pale with terror. I looked at her coldly. I felt absolutely nothing for this sister of mine anymore. “Be quiet,” I muttered. In my past life, it was because she wouldn’t stop crying that I took several brutal beatings for her. Hearing my cold tone, Sienna shrieked even louder. A scrawny trafficker opened the cabin window, brandishing a wooden club. “Shut the hell up back there! You want to die?!” He swung the club toward us. Sienna screamed and tried to hide behind me. This time, I stepped aside. The club landed squarely on Sienna’s shoulder. She screamed in pain. Annoyed, the man hit her a few more times. I stood there, watching. I was never going to shield her again. Sienna finally realized that crying only brought pain, and she shut her mouth, trembling. I quietly studied our surroundings. Every time the truck slowed down, I made mental notes of the landmarks. Finally, the truck pulled over near a highway construction site at the edge of a small town. This was it. The exact moment of escape from my memory. There were two guards. One rushed off to find a restroom, leaving only one behind. The remaining guard saw some construction workers playing cards and betting money nearby. He tied us up hastily and went over to join them. Seeing him walk away, I squirmed toward a nearby wooden crate. I slammed my body against it, sending a glass bottle rolling out and shattering on the floor. Reaching behind my back, I grabbed a sharp shard and began sawing at the ropes around my wrists. Sienna, who had a cloth stuffed in her mouth, saw what I was doing and began to mumble frantically, “Me… save me…” She was only five years old right now. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then sliced her ropes open. She glared at me immediately. “You’re a horrible sister! You were going to leave me behind!” I frowned and ignored her. Quietly slipping out of the truck, I relied on my memory and kept low, scanning the area. My eyes lit up. A flatbed cart loaded with high stacks of hay. It was right there. “You’re going to hide in *that*? No way, I’m not doing that. It looks filthy, and they’ll find you in two seconds,” Sienna sneered, pinching her nose. “Go wherever you want then,” I said coolly. I didn’t try to convince her. The hay cart was only big enough to hide one child anyway. In our past life, she had refused to get in, and I had spent precious minutes begging her until she finally relented and took the spot, leaving me to be caught. Without another word, I wiggled into the deep, sweet-smelling hay. Being small and flexible, I managed to bury myself completely. I started counting in my head. In ten minutes, an old local worker would come to wheel this cart away. But at minute eight, chaos broke out outside. I heard the trafficker’s harsh voice. “Just disciplining my stubborn kid, folks! Nothing to see here!” *Smack!* The sound of hard slaps echoed, followed by Sienna’s hysterical wailing. My heart leaped into my throat. Suddenly, the cart jolted. The old man had started moving it. I prayed silently for him to push faster. “Stop hitting me! My sister is hiding in the hay cart! Go get her!” Sienna shrieked through her tears. Heavy, rushing footsteps approached. The cart ground to a halt. “Hey, old man. Our girl ran off. We need to search your hay.” I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the worst. But the hay wasn’t uncovered. The old man stood his ground. “I packed this hay myself. There’s nothing in here but feed.” The trafficker didn’t care. “Get out of the way, old man, before we show you what these fists can do!” Instead of backing down, the old man threw himself onto the dirt road and wailed at the top of his lungs, “Help! These young thugs are beating up a poor, helpless old man!” His loud cries immediately drew the attention of the nearby construction workers. Many of them knew the old man. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing to George?!” they yelled, stepping forward. Seeing a crowd gather, the traffickers panicked. With a muttered curse, they turned and fled. The cart began to move again. I didn’t know how much time had passed. Drowsiness washed over me, but I kept pinching my thigh to stay awake. Finally, the cart stopped, and George’s gentle voice drifted down: “You can come out now, kiddo.” I hesitated, then slowly poked my head out of the hay. George pulled a cold roll from his bag and handed it to me. “Hungry? Here.” I took it, whispering, “How did you know I was in there?” The old man chuckled. “That cart was awfully heavy today. Made this old man sweat buckets.” He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a worn handkerchief, unfolding it to reveal a few crumpled dollar bills and some coins. He handed some to me. “Wait here. A bus to the city will be by soon.” Warmth flooded my chest. “Thank you, George…” I bowed deeply to him. *** **3.** The rest of the journey was smooth. Once I reached the city, I went straight to the police station. Within twenty-four hours, my parents arrived. It was ironic. The journey that had taken me over a decade to complete in my past life took only a day this time. Eleanor held me tight, weeping. “Chloe, oh my god, where did you go? I was losing my mind!” I froze in her arms, not knowing how to react. The loving parents and the affection I had craved so desperately in my past life were right here. But I couldn’t bring myself to hug her back. Seeing my stiff posture, Robert touched my forehead. “No fever. What’s wrong, sweetie? We’re your mommy and daddy. Don’t you remember us?” I swallowed my emotions. “I’m okay. But… Sienna…” They froze, suddenly realizing someone was missing. They looked around frantically. “Where is Sienna?” I shook my head. “She didn’t make it out.” In my past life, they had asked Sienna the same question. But Sienna had told them: *“Chloe fell into the river while we were running, and she drowned.”* They had believed her, stopped looking for me, and poured all their love onto her. When I had finally reappeared years later, they had been awkward and distant. Even though they tried to make it up to me, I wasn’t the daughter they had raised. There was always a wall between us. Sienna could lounge in Eleanor’s lap and gossip, while I stood awkwardly by the door. I was always the outsider looking in. And every time I tried to get closer to my parents, Sienna would chime in with her passive-aggressive remarks. “Oh, Chloe, that’s not how you eat steak.” “Mom, Chloe didn’t even finish high school. It’s going to be so embarrassing if she works at the company.” “You can just throw away the leftovers, Chloe. Why are you hoarding them in the fridge? It smells awful.” She constant reminded them that I was a peasant. That only Sienna was worthy of being a Hale. Eleanor squeezed my hand, her voice soft and reassuring. “It’s okay, Chloe. Don’t blame yourself. It’s our fault for not watching you closely enough. We will find your sister.” I forced a stiff smile. I gave the police a detailed description of the traffickers and the last location I saw them. As for whether Sienna would be saved, that was up to her own fate. I hated her, but I didn’t want her to die at the hands of traffickers. Those monsters deserved to be locked up anyway. The detective gave me a thumbs-up. “Your kid is incredible, Mr. Hale. To stay that calm under pressure and memorize so many details… this information is gold.” Robert smiled proudly. “A daughter of the Hale family is bound to be extraordinary.” They took me home. I remained quiet during the ride. When we arrived, I stared at the bright, spacious living room and the pink, princess-themed bedroom. It felt too beautiful to touch. It was nothing like the mold-infested, drafty shack I had lived in during my past life. Here, the roof wouldn’t leak when it rained, and rats wouldn’t crawl into my clothes at night. I touched the brand-new school backpack on the bed. I was finally going to get an education. Tears welled up in my eyes. Eleanor noticed and pulled me onto her lap, looking confused. “You didn’t cry when you saw us, but you’re crying over a backpack? Is a backpack more important than your mommy?” I couldn’t help but ask, “Mom… if I didn’t have an education, and if I were dirty, dark-skinned, and ugly… would you still love me?” “You’re my flesh and blood, Chloe. No matter what you look like, I will always love you.” Robert walked over and tapped my head playfully. “Silly girl. We’re here now. We would never let you become like that.” I slowly lowered my head. *Liar.* My throat tightened, and a silent tear soaked into my sleeve. *** **4.** Over the next few weeks, Eleanor barely left my side. Whenever Robert had free time, he took me to theme parks. There were no endless farm chores, no livestock to feed, and no local bullies throwing rocks at me. Yet, I could still see a faint, lingering disappointment in their eyes whenever they looked at me. One afternoon, Eleanor answered a phone call. She broke down, clutching me as she sobbed. “They might never find your sister!” Based on the information I provided, the police had busted the first ring of traffickers. But Sienna had already been sold down the line. The people who took us were just low-level runners. The trafficking network was vast and terrifyingly complex. Finding her now would be like finding a needle in an ocean. I didn’t shed a single tear. Eleanor pulled back and stared at me like I was a monster. “Chloe, that’s your sister! Aren’t you sad at all? Ever since you came back, you’ve been so cold. We do everything for you, but you don’t care. How can your heart be so stony?” I pretended to feel sick, slipped out of her embrace, and went up to my room, locking the door. Of course I could have squeezed out a few fake tears. But I didn’t want to. In my past life, did anyone cry for me? No. With the soul of a twenty-something woman trapped in a child’s body, I was living a completely different life. *** **5.** Twelve years later. I was representing Hale Enterprises at a high-society charity gala when my phone buzzed. It was Eleanor. Her voice was shaking violently. “We found your sister. Come home right now!”

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Julian was a famous “doting dad” on Instagram. To document our daughter’s growth, he set up a shared family iCloud album. “Babe, upload your photos directly here. Whether I’m working late or on a business trip, I want to see our little princess as soon as possible.” I believed him. Every day, I diligently uploaded photos, basking in the happiness of his likes and comments. Until one day, my phone memory ran out. I logged onto my laptop to clean up the iCloud space and accidentally clicked on a hidden, locked folder. A system prompt popped up: “Do you want to merge ‘My Only Love’ album data?” I clicked confirm. Instantly, thousands of photos flooded my screen. In the photos, Julian was holding another woman, with a boy who looked slightly older than my daughter standing next to them. Under every single picture, Julian had left a journal-like caption: “May 20, 2025. Spending Valentine’s with my real love. Had to find time to appease the maid at home. Exhausting.” “Oct 1, 2025. My son’s drawing is amazing! Way better than that useless brat at home who does nothing but cry.” It turned out his fatherly love was a mountain indeed. But it was crushing me and my daughter to death.

Looking at the dense rows of photos on the laptop screen, my blood ran cold. The woman in the photos was Sienna Ward. She was a charity case—a low-income college student I had personally sponsored through my family’s foundation years ago. And the boy Julian was holding high in the air had his exact facial features. They looked like they were cast from the same mold. Thousands of photos documented the boy’s life from birth to five years old. Just an hour ago, Julian had been holding our feverish daughter, crying and saying he wished he could take her pain away. Yet, he had just updated a status in this hidden album: “The useless brat is sick again. So annoying. Crying in the middle of the night keeping me awake. My son is strong, just like me.” Click. The sound of keys turning came from the front door. Julian was back. Panicked, I closed the tab and pulled the power cord of my laptop. “Babe? Why are the lights off?” Julian’s voice came from the living room, sounding as gentle as ever. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stand up. “I’m… putting Lily to sleep.” Julian pushed the bedroom door open, holding a cheap pink plush toy. “Look what Daddy got for his little princess! I saw it on the street and thought it was so cute.” He smiled and walked over, reaching out to feel Lily’s forehead. Instinctively, I stepped in front of him, blocking his hand. His hand hung in mid-air. He looked at me, surprised. “What’s wrong, Chloe? Still worried about her fever?” I stared at his face. This was the face I had loved for seven years. The man I thought was the most honest, hardworking husband in the world. Now, he just looked disgusting. “No. I’m just worried your hands are cold. I don’t want to shock her awake.” I looked away, not wanting him to see the burning hatred in my eyes. Julian didn’t care. He tossed the cheap toy onto the nightstand. “Good. You scared me. I was so worried at the office today that I couldn’t even focus on work.” As he spoke, he pulled out his phone. From the corner of my eye, I saw him quickly switch accounts on Snapchat, his fingers flying across the screen. No doubt he was texting her. “Babe, you’ve had a long day. Go take a shower. I’ll watch the baby.” He gently guided me toward the bathroom, his voice dripping with affection. The moment the bathroom door closed, I heard him whisper outside. “Hey, buddy, not asleep yet? Do you miss Daddy?” It was completely different from the dismissive tone he used when calling our daughter “little princess.” I turned on the faucet and let the cold water splash over my face. The woman in the mirror had a pale face and red eyes. This was me. Chloe Miller. For him, I had given up a high-paying corporate job to become a housewife, turning myself into a tired, neglected woman. And in his private notes, I was just a “maid” and a “stupid spendthrift.” Since you love acting so much, Julian… I’ll play along. My phone buzzed. It was a Snapchat from Julian: “Babe, why is the shared album lagging? Did you touch something?” Even through the screen, I could feel his panic. “No, I just cleared my cache. Why?”

“Oh, nothing. Just a system glitch. Scared me for a second.” He was testing me. If I rushed out to confront him now, he would just claim it was a misunderstanding or a glitch. He might even turn it around and accuse me of not trusting him. I had no concrete proof yet. Those photos were still in his cloud. He could wipe them clean in a second. I had to endure. When I walked out of the bathroom, Julian was sitting by the bed, tucking Lily in. His phone was placed face down on the nightstand. “Done? Come, lie down.” He patted the spot next to him, wearing his signature “perfect husband” smile. Suppressing my urge to vomit, I lay down, turning my back to him. “Honey, I want to get a new phone. This one is getting really laggy.” I brought it up casually. Julian stiffened for a second, then wrapped his arms around my waist. “Sure, let’s get one tomorrow. But… the company’s cash flow is a bit tight lately. Can we get a cheaper model?” If this were before, I would have felt bad for his startup struggles and said, “Never mind, I don’t need one.” But now, it was just pathetic. In that hidden album, Sienna was wearing a Cartier bracelet worth $7,000. He bought it for her last month—right after he told me his company was struggling and asked me to sell the gold bullion my parents gave me as a wedding gift. “Sure, whatever you say.” The next morning, Julian prepared breakfast. He took out his phone, snapping photos of the table from a dozen different angles. “A beautiful day starts with making breakfast for the two women I love most,” he captioned it and posted it on Instagram. Within minutes, the comments blew up. “Julian is literally the perfect husband!” “Chloe is so lucky. I’m so jealous!” “Men who care about family like this are rare nowadays. Treasure him, girl!” I looked at the comments, feeling sick. While Julian was showering, I picked up his phone. The password was changed. It used to be my birthday, but now it showed an error. With trembling hands, I typed in the boy’s birthday—the date from the hidden photo captions. “0520.” Unlocked. His wallpaper was still a family photo of the three of us, but his pinned contact on Snapchat was saved as “Client – Mr. Johnson.” I opened the chat. The messages were vile. “Client – Mr. Johnson” (Sienna): “Babe, our son wants that limited-edition Lego set. It’s $300. Just buy that useless girl a cheap toy. Don’t waste money.” Julian replied instantly: “Don’t worry, that brat doesn’t know the difference. Her future fund is for our son anyway. I won’t waste a penny on her.” “Client – Mr. Johnson”: “You’re the best, babe. Love you!” Followed by an intimate photo of Sienna. Tears hot with anger fell onto the screen. That is my daughter. His own flesh and blood. In his eyes, she was just a cash cow to fund his illegitimate son’s life? I took out my phone and photographed every single chat log. My hands shook so hard I almost dropped the phone. The shower stopped. I quickly put his phone back, wiped my tears, and slipped into the kitchen. Julian walked out, drying his hair, humming a tune. “Babe, I have a three-day business trip to Orlando next week for a big project.” He hugged me from behind. “Thanks for taking care of everything while I’m gone.” Orlando. Disney World is in Orlando. In the hidden album, Sienna had posted a wish list last night: “I want to take my son to Disney World to see the fireworks.” I turned around, straightened his collar, and gave him a gentle smile. “Sure, honey. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of home.” Since you want to go so badly, Julian, I’ll prepare a grand gift for you. A gift that will send your whole family straight to hell.

The day Julian returned from his “trip” was Lily’s sixth birthday. He suggested a massive party in our family group chat on WhatsApp, inviting all our relatives and friends. “Our little princess’s birthday must be grand!” he sent a voice note, sounding incredibly generous. His mother, Eleanor, spammed thumbs-up emojis. “My son is so responsible and caring!” I stared at the screen coldly. Just five minutes prior, I had overheard his phone call with Eleanor on the balcony. “Mom, invite as many people as possible, especially the wealthy relatives. We can collect cash gifts and checks to cover my son’s private school tuition.” “A birthday party for a girl doesn’t cost much anyway. We’ll save the rest for my boy.” Eleanor had giggled, praising him for being smart. To them, my daughter’s birthday was just a fundraising scam. The party was held in the grand ballroom of a luxury downtown hotel. Julian even hired a local media crew to film it, claiming he wanted to “document beautiful memories.” In reality, he wanted to boost his “perfect family man” brand to attract investors for his company. The venue was packed. Sienna walked right up to me, bold as brass. “Hi, Chloe. I’ve always heard how supportive you are. Nice to finally meet you.” She scanned me up and down, her eyes full of provocation. On her wrist, the $7,000 Cartier bracelet gleamed under the chandeliers. Bought with my wedding gold. I looked at her like she was a clown. “Nice to meet you, Vice President Ward. That’s a beautiful bracelet. It looks awfully familiar.” Sienna’s smile stiffened, and she instinctively hid her wrist behind her back. Julian quickly intervened. “Alright, we’re all family here. Let’s go inside and sit down.” He seated Sienna at the VIP table, right next to me. The banquet began. Julian stood on stage, giving a tearful speech thanking me. “I want to thank my wife, Chloe. She gave me a warm home and our beautiful daughter.” He sounded so sincere that the crowd erupted into applause. But I saw his eyes constantly darting toward Sienna. They were exchanging flirtatious glances right in front of me. “Now, let’s take a look at a video of our little princess growing up.” The giant screen lit up. Warm music played. Lily rolling over for the first time, taking her first steps, calling him “Daddy”… It was incredibly touching. Many relatives were wiping tears. But near the end of the video, the screen flickered. Suddenly, a photo flashed onto the screen. It stayed for just one second. In the photo, a boy was sitting on Julian’s shoulders, holding the exact same plush toy Julian had bought for Lily. The background? Disney World in Orlando. The crowd gasped. “Whose kid is that? He looks exactly like Julian.” “Wasn’t that photo taken a few days ago? I thought Julian was on a business trip?” Julian’s face drained of color. He almost dropped the microphone. He looked frantically at the control booth, screaming, “What’s going on?! Turn it off! Turn it off now!” The screen went black. But the terror on his face was exposed for everyone to see. I sneered inwardly. Don’t panic, Julian. This is just the appetizer. Julian wiped his sweat, trying to laugh it off. “Ah… that was an editing mistake. That’s a relative’s kid. Don’t misunderstand, everyone!” The guests exchanged looks. No one said anything, but suspicion was already brewing. This birthday party was destined to be the start of his nightmare.

After the guests left, Julian couldn’t wait to grab all the gift envelopes and checks, stuffing them into a black briefcase. “Babe, the company is facing a cash crunch. I’ll take this money to keep things running.” He hid the bag behind his back, terrified I would snatch it. Tens of thousands of dollars. That was our daughter’s birthday money, and he was stealing it for his bastard’s tuition. I watched his desperate face and smiled inwardly. “Why don’t we refinance the house?” I threw out the bait. “Interest rates for business loans are low right now. You can use that money for cash flow, and once you make a profit, you can buy me a new purse.” Julian’s eyes lit up. Our house was worth over $1.5 million, co-owned by both of us. “Babe, you’re a genius! Let’s do it!” The next morning, I handed him a stack of documents. “This is the bank agreement. Just sign here.” I flipped to the signature page. Without reading a word, Julian scribbled his name. His mind was entirely on using the cash to fund Sienna’s demands. He didn’t notice that hidden beneath the loan papers were a Deed of Gift and a Waiver of Property Rights. He was signing over his entire share of the house to our daughter. Once signed, he had absolutely no claim to this property. After signing, Julian happily left with a credit card I gave him. The card only had a $5,000 limit. Just enough for him to buy Sienna a bag or pay a small deposit. As for the rest of the money? He would never see a dime of it. That night, Sienna bragged on Instagram, showing off a contract for a luxury condo in a premium school zone. Caption: “Only the best for my baby boy. Daddy is the best!” I looked into it. The down payment was made with funds Julian had embezzled from his own company. Just then, Lily started crying from her bedroom. I rushed in. Her face was flushed red, and her body was convulsing. She was having a febrile seizure. Panicking, I scooped her up and ran outside. It was pouring rain, and I couldn’t hail an Uber. With shaking hands, I called Julian. “The user you are trying to reach is busy…” Once, twice, ten times… Always busy. Rain mixed with tears on my face. Lily’s convulsions got worse, her lips turning blue. Finally, the call went through. I heard loud music, laughter, and a boy screaming excitedly: “Daddy, lift me higher! I want to ride the horse!” I screamed into the phone, “Julian! Lily is having a seizure! Get back here and drive us to the hospital now!” The other end went quiet for a second. Then Julian’s annoyed voice barked back: “It’s just a fever! Give her some Tylenol! Stop overreacting! I’m closing a multi-million dollar deal right now. Don’t bother me!” Beep— The line went dead. At that moment, I heard my heart shatter. Lily stopped moving in my arms, her little hand falling limp. I knelt in the pouring rain, sobbing in despair. Julian. Since you don’t care if she lives or dies… Don’t blame me for dragging you to hell. Holding Lily, I ran into the middle of the road to block a car. A black SUV slammed its brakes in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing a stern, cold face. “Get in.”

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