Category: English

After a Business Marriage, I Got a 4-Year-Old Son Before meeting my son, I was complaining non-stop. I imagined I’d live a “miserable” life with a husband who ignored me and a stepson who pretended I didn’t exist. But when I saw the little cutie calling me “Mom” while nervously tugging at my clothes, I surrendered instantly. I even asked my husband, “If we divorce, can I keep our son?” A certain man: “???” When my company ran into trouble, my father didn’t hesitate to arrange a business marriage for me with a business tycoon who already had a son. Of course, I was perfectly fine with this arrangement. After all, I was a firm believer in staying single. If he already had a son, I wouldn’t have to worry about having children in the future. Moreover, the guy was a workaholic who had no time to spend with his son. The child was mostly taken care of by a nanny. I figured I could just coast through life from now on. My husband was a CEO after all, and I wouldn’t even have to raise the kid. The wedding ceremony wasn’t lively. It was a simple, small wedding with few attendees. Of course, I didn’t see the child either. True to his workaholic nature, my husband went straight to the office as soon as the wedding was over. As he was leaving, he said, “The company’s busy, so I won’t be home for the next few days.” “Samuel’s already at home. You should go back and get to know him later.” Samuel Quinn, that’s the name of my stepson. My parents divorced, and I had a distant relationship with my father. I didn’t take much from home when I left, just a necklace pendant.

“Mrs. Quinn, young master is waiting for you in the living room,” the housekeeper cheerfully informed me as soon as I entered. Ugh… giving me a hard time so soon? Well, I’ll deal with whatever comes my way! How scary can a kid be? But… Who’s this adorable little mochi sitting on the sofa?! So tiny! So cute! So soft! While I was still in a daze, the little mochi walked up to me. Then in his baby voice, he said: “Mrs…. Auntie, this is… a gift… Sam prepared… for Auntie.” It was a pink teddy bear. Even though the teddy bear was bigger than him, he was still trying his best to hand it to me. Despite this being our first meeting, he was incredibly friendly towards me. I was so touched that I quickly took the teddy bear and crouched down, holding his chubby little hands. “Wow! Thank you, baby! I love it! Your name is Sam, right? I’m your mom, you know. There’s no need to be so formal. We’re family now, you can call me Mom.” Wow! So adorable! I want to hug him! That good-for-nothing husband of mine is truly heartless, neglecting my son like this. My poor baby! That’s right, from now on, he’s my own son! The little mochi seemed surprised by my words. His tiny body trembled, and his fair face turned bright red. He nervously clutched at his clothes and timidly called out: “Mo…Mom?” After saying this, he shyly lowered his head, occasionally stealing glances at me. Oh my god! Forget about the dad, the son is mine now!! I cleared my throat and solemnly responded with an “Mm-hmm.” Then I turned to the housekeeper who had been standing nearby and said, “I’ll take care of the child from now on. You can go about your business.” “Yes, Mrs. Quinn.” This feeling is simply amazing! I suppressed my inner joy and tried to act nonchalant as I gently picked up the little mochi. Then, with one arm holding the little mochi and the other carrying the teddy bear, I headed upstairs. I had visited a few times before the wedding, so I was quite familiar with the general layout of this six-story mansion, complete with three elevators and two small gardens. As expected of a tycoon, even the decor was grand. I took Sam to the room Alexander had prepared for me and placed the teddy bear next to the pillow. “Sam, I’m sorry I didn’t prepare a gift for you, but this necklace pendant is very important to me. Can you keep it safe for Mom?” “I’ll look at it every day,” he promised. I put it around his neck, and he looked very happy. “How about sleeping with Mom tonight, and then tomorrow Mom will take you to preschool? Is that okay?” I asked, trying to keep my voice soft and gentle. If my best friend saw me being this gentle, she might think I was possessed. “Okay,” came another soft reply. So cute. I was lost in my own thoughts and didn’t notice the momentary stiffness on the little mochi’s adorable face. That night. “…And so, the little fox and his mother lived happily ever after.” After finishing the story, I looked down at the sleeping Sam and gently put down the storybook. Just then… my phone suddenly rang. I was so startled that I almost dropped my phone, and I quickly hung up. Hearing Sam’s steady, even breathing, I finally let out a sigh of relief. I tiptoed out of the room and only called back when I was sure Sam couldn’t hear me. “Charlotte West, how dare you hang up on me!” the woman on the other end of the line shouted unhappily. “I was with my son just now. Besides, it’s my wedding night, for goodness’ sake. Why are you calling so late?” I said, exasperated. “Oh, please. Everyone knows your husband isn’t even home. He went straight to the office after the wedding.” “Wait! What did you just say? Son? Since when did you have a son?” The person on the other end was shocked. I frowned, “It’s my husband’s son, but now he’s my own son too.” It’s normal that she didn’t know. I only found out when I was told about marrying Alexander Quinn. Alexander had kept this child very well hidden. But now the news about the child has been made public. “And don’t be so loud,” I added. “Aren’t you the one who doesn’t like kids? I know you’re alone in that big house, so I came to comfort you,” Sarah said bluntly. How could I have known Sam would be so adorable? Although that’s what I thought, I didn’t say it out loud. “What’s up?” I asked instead. “You must come to the class reunion this Saturday. That little princess is coming too. Remember! Dress up beautifully and outshine her!” Just from her tone, I could tell how angry Sarah was. Her expression must be awful. I couldn’t help but laugh, trying to comfort her, “Come on, it’s been years. I’ve long forgotten about all that.” She just snorted, not saying anything more. After chatting briefly, we hung up. I stood by the fifth-floor window, staring at the sky lost in thought. Suddenly, I remembered the summer after high school graduation.

In high school, Sarah, Chloe, and I were very close friends. At a dinner gathering after the college entrance exam, the school heartthrob suddenly confessed to me. At that time, everyone was cheering and watching the excitement. I was annoyed by the commotion and rejected him outright. But what I didn’t know was that Chloe had liked that guy for a long time and had been chasing him privately. Because of my rejection, the heartthrob, feeling upset, immediately got together with Chloe. Everyone said she was able to be with the school heartthrob because of me. This way, our relationship became increasingly strained. I thought we wouldn’t see each other again after going to college. But what I didn’t expect was that even though we weren’t at the same university, she still came to spread rumors about me, always trying to make things difficult for me. However, she and the heartthrob didn’t stay together for long before he cheated on her. I heard that Chloe will also be attending the class reunion on Saturday. “Argh! So annoying!” I vented by ruffling my hair. But well. It’s been such a long time, maybe she’s forgotten about it all. Thinking this, I relaxed. For the next few days, I stayed at home every day to accompany Sam. Apart from picking up and dropping off the child every day, I worked on my design drafts. I’m a fashion designer for a well-known brand, and I won’t abandon my work just because I’m married. That would be too boring. Recently, because of Sam, I’ve been bursting with inspiration. It would be a shame not to design something!

On Saturday morning, I watched Sam quietly playing with building blocks, and my face bloomed into a smile. But when I thought about the people I had to deal with in the afternoon, I couldn’t help but sigh. Why am I going to a class reunion instead of a parent-teacher conference? Noticing my mood wasn’t good, Sam looked at me worriedly. “Mom, are you unhappy?” I rubbed his chubby little face and said, “Mom has to go to a gathering this afternoon. Can Sam stay at home and play by himself?” After these few days together, Sam had become increasingly close to me. “Can Sam go too? Sam will be very good,” he said. Thinking about Chloe coming to the gathering, I refused Sam’s request. Those bright eyes immediately dimmed, “Okay, Sam will wait for Mom at home.” Great, now I feel guilty. It should be fine to take Sam along, right? I’ll keep an eye on him. If I leave him alone at home, wouldn’t I be just like his dad? “You can go, Sam. Will you accompany Mom?” I asked. “Okay~” Seeing those eyes brighten again, I breathed a sigh of relief. But why do I feel like I’ve been tricked somehow? The gathering was in a private room. When we arrived, it had already started. “Isn’t this the goddess Charlotte? Why so late? Come quick, we’ve been waiting for you.” As soon as we entered, we were noticed. So much for quietly staying in a corner. I smiled and greeted everyone, then saw Sarah waving at me. I took Sam’s hand and walked over. At this point, everyone else stopped what they were doing. “The goddess is here. And this child is…?” someone asked. I sat down and lifted Sam onto my lap. Frowning at the bottles of alcohol on the table, I spoke softly, “My son.” Then I turned to a nearby waiter and asked quietly, “Do you have any drinks here suitable for children?” “Yes, of course.” After settling Sam, I looked at Sarah, “Stop staring like that, you’re scaring my son.” Sarah grinned, “Your son is so cute. Does he need a godmother?” She looked mischievous. “Get lost,” I said, giving her a look of disdain. Then we chatted while eating. After a while, a strong scent of perfume wafted over. The next second, Sam sneezed. At the same time, a familiar voice rang out, “Charlotte, I heard you recently married a man with a child. Are you that desperate? You’re not… ” She didn’t finish her sentence, but I knew what she meant. “Chloe, who are you trying to provoke with your sarcasm!” Sarah’s temper flared instantly, and she glared angrily at Chloe.

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At my cousin’s wedding, she announced in front of everyone that I had over a hundred million dollars in savings and demanded that I buy a new house for the newlyweds. She then incited our relatives to pressure me into revealing my secret to wealth. I opened my phone to show them my overdue payment messages, looking helpless. “Megan, have you gone mad with poverty? Where would I get that kind of money?” Two months ago, Megan discovered my social media account. She kept sending me private messages trying to confirm my identity, but I ignored them all, pretending not to see. Over the next few days, my videos were repeatedly reported for no reason. After multiple appeals, the platform finally restored my account. I knew Megan was behind this, but I chose to continue playing dumb. Three days ago, I received an invitation to my cousin’s wedding. I initially planned to just send a cash gift and not attend, but then Grandpa called, saying he missed me and wanted me to come back for sure. Before moving away for middle school, I had always lived with Grandpa. He was very good to me. Realizing that the last time I visited was during the New Year, I decided to make the trip this time. But before going back, I had to make thorough preparations. On the day of the wedding, I rushed to the village right after getting off the plane. These days, not many people hold weddings in villages anymore, as most prefer hotels to appear more prestigious. The bride was from a neighboring village, and after discussing it, both families decided to hold the wedding in the village to save money. When I arrived, the ceremony had already started. Megan spotted me from afar and ran over to help with my luggage. I nervously clutched my suitcase, not letting her take it. She smiled at me, “Lily, let me help you carry it inside. You must be tired from the trip, right?” I quickly waved her off, “No, no, I’m not tired at all. I’ll go see Grandpa at his house first, then come over later.” Seeing me run off in a panic, she became certain that I was the million-dollar influencer she suspected. I chatted with Grandpa for a while, taking out the clothes, pants, and supplements I had brought for him from my suitcase. Grandpa had always been frugal, with four sons and one daughter. He always thought of his children first, while he remained skinny as a rail and still worked on the farm. Just as I was about to take out the prepared cash gift to give to Grandpa, Megan burst in. “Cousin, what nice things did you bring back? Did you bring any gifts for me?” She was wearing what appeared to be an expensive outfit, but the loose threads at the seams screamed “cheap knockoff.” Before I could stop her, she snatched the cash gift from my hand. She felt its thickness and sneered, “Is that all? You’re so stingy! You should give Grandpa at least twenty or thirty thousand!” I grabbed the envelope back from her and gave it to Grandpa. “Keep this for yourself, don’t give it to anyone else. They’re all able-bodied and can earn their own money. An old man like you doesn’t need to support them.” Grandpa lowered his head without a word and put the envelope under his pillow. I turned and pulled Megan outside. “I don’t know how much you gave Grandpa. Twenty thousand? Or thirty thousand?” Megan choked, “How could I have that kind of money? Unlike you, who’s earned so much without telling us.” I didn’t respond and walked straight to the wedding venue. There were a lot of relatives, but I wasn’t close to many of them. After moving away as a child, I rarely came back. I had only added a few cousins on social media in recent years, but we hardly ever communicated. However, they seemed overly enthusiastic when they saw me. I could guess who was behind this.

My aunt Sarah came over and put her arm around my shoulders, fawning, “Oh my, Lily, you’ve become more and more beautiful. They say money nourishes a person, and it seems to be true!” I smiled politely, “Aunt Sarah, you’re joking. What does this have to do with money? I’ve always been pretty.” Aunt Sarah wasn’t angry at my retort. “Yes, yes, our Lily has always been beautiful. Come, sit with us at our table.” She pulled me to a round table and sat me down. This was the main table for the groom’s closest relatives. I instinctively wanted to leave, but Aunt Sarah firmly held me in place. “Don’t go, just sit here.” Aunt Sarah smiled at me, but I found it rather creepy. When most of the guests had arrived, the kitchen started serving the dishes. While everyone around was chatting and laughing, the people at this table were silently staring at me. Aunt Sarah, sitting next to me, kept putting food on my plate. An ominous feeling swept over me. Sure enough, Aunt Sarah spoke up: “Lily, what kind of work are you doing these days?” I added a piece of braised beef to my plate. “Just a regular job, what else could I do?” Megan snorted coldly: “You’re no fun like this. I saw your account, you know. Over two million followers!” I looked at her in confusion: “What account? What followers?” Megan seemed surprised that I would deny it. She stood up and took out her phone to show me. “This one, with the username ‘Sesame Seed.’ Isn’t this you?” I shook my head, hiding my nervousness, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Megan became more agitated. “Fine, pretend you don’t know. But I’ve already confirmed that this account is yours! You accept so many sponsorship deals every day, you must be making at least a million dollars a month, right?” Everyone at the table’s eyes lit up. “A million dollars? A million dollars a month? My goodness, that’s incredible.” Megan came over trying to look at my phone, but I protected it, not letting her see. She smugly said, “What are you hiding? Didn’t you say you don’t know what I’m talking about? You’re really not being fair.” “We’re all struggling here as a family, and you’re secretly making a fortune? Without even helping us out!” I put down my chopsticks and looked into her eyes, seeing nothing but greed. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about. If I could make a million dollars a month, why wouldn’t I tell you all?” Megan didn’t believe me at all. “Hmph, you say you don’t have money. Then how did you get that Hermès bag? That bag must cost over a hundred thousand dollars, right? How could you afford such an expensive bag if you don’t have money?” I stood up and showed the bag to Megan. “Is this Hermès? Really? I just bought it online randomly. It only cost forty or fifty dollars!” Megan came closer to examine my bag, looking at it for a while before taking out her phone to search for images online. “You’re lying, this is Hermès!” She showed the phone to Aunt Sarah sitting next to me. “Aunt, look, isn’t it exactly the same!” Aunt Sarah looked at the phone and then at my bag. “It does look similar, but the capital H seems a bit different. See, it doesn’t protrude on the sides. The one in the phone image protrudes.” Hearing this, Megan ran over to compare, “It really is different! Cousin, don’t tell me you deliberately brought a fake bag to trick us.” My heart skipped a beat, she had actually guessed it, but I definitely couldn’t admit it. I quickly took out my phone and found the order. “I bought this several months ago, why would I trick you?” Everyone immediately lost interest, looking at their phones as if the big money tree they imagined had suddenly vanished into thin air. Uncle David muttered, “I knew all that talk about getting rich overnight was nonsense. People only have the fate of earning money through honest work. Our family just isn’t destined for wealth.”

I nodded along, “That’s right, isn’t it better to earn money honestly? Life should be down-to-earth, don’t always daydream.” Megan still wasn’t giving up. She took out her phone and kept sending messages. Suddenly, she shouted, “Look at this influencer’s IP address! She’s in Cloud City right now! It’s you! You’re just pretending to be poor, aren’t you?” My secret had been exposed, and I nervously took a sip of cola from the table. Aunt Sarah got excited and patted my shoulder, “Lily, tell Auntie the truth, do you really have money or not?” Uncle David chimed in, “Yeah, we’re all family, give us a straight answer. Look at your second uncle’s wedding today, we originally wanted to have it at a restaurant in town.” “It’s only because we didn’t have money that we’re having it in the countryside. If you have money, you should contribute some to help the family. Life is hard for everyone, you can’t be so selfish.” Megan coldly walked towards me, “Cousin, how much did you give as a wedding gift? Why don’t you just buy a house in the county for your second cousin? A house in the county only costs about a million dollars, you earn that in a month.” Aunt Sarah wasn’t happy, “Your eldest cousin doesn’t have a house either. Buy one for him first!” The groom and bride happened to come to our table for a toast. Everyone stood up to raise their glasses with them. After exchanging pleasantries, I was about to sit down when Megan said, “Brother, Lily has promised to buy you a house in the county! You should thank her quickly.” My second aunt’s eyes widened, “Really? Lily, are you really buying a house for my son?” I laughed awkwardly, “Don’t listen to Megan’s nonsense. Where would I get money to buy a house? I’m still renting myself.” The newlyweds smiled and moved on to the next table, but my second aunt pushed my second uncle to sit with us. Megan looked at me sideways, her face full of calculation. I couldn’t eat another bite at this table, just listening to Megan speak again, “I heard before that Aunt Linda was selfish, but I didn’t expect you to be just as selfish as her.” My hand on my leg tightened. This bitch dared to insult my mom! I held back from lashing out, after all, it was someone’s wedding. I couldn’t make too big a scene, but I couldn’t sit still anymore. I had already toasted the couple, so I stood up to leave. Unexpectedly, Megan rushed over and snatched my bag, starting to rummage through it in front of me. The bag wasn’t big, with only a few items inside: a phone, a cushion compact, and a hotel key card. Megan looked at the key card back and forth, “Lily, why are you staying in a hotel when you’ve come back home?” She stared at me greedily, making my back break out in a cold sweat. I sat down and took back my things, “My business is none of your concern. You dropout troublemaker, haven’t you caused enough chaos outside? Now you’re making a scene at your second cousin’s wedding! Has your brain gone bad?” “If you’re sick, you need treatment. A small illness untreated becomes a big one, and a big illness untreated leads only to death!” I took my things and walked towards the exit. Megan angrily cursed behind me, “You bitch, how dare you insult me! Your brain is the one that’s messed up, your whole family’s brains are messed up! Didn’t your mom die of a brain tumor? I bet you won’t live long either!!!” I stopped and turned back to look. Megan’s expression was particularly vicious, with the people around her wearing expressions of schadenfreude. I smiled at her, took out my phone to switch accounts, and sent her a message. …

[You’re destined to be poor and lowly. Even beggars on the street have more integrity than you. You’re just a maggot squirming in a trash can! Even if you try your hardest, you’ll only make it from the trash can to the dump, you worthless piece of garbage!] Megan saw the message and ran out screaming, trying to grab me. I was one step ahead, getting into the taxi waiting at the village entrance. Through the car window, I waved goodbye to Megan. She screamed hysterically, even scaring the taxi driver. “What’s wrong with that young lady? Does she have some business with you?” the driver asked. I smiled and answered, “It’s nothing, she’s just hungry.” The driver didn’t ask any more questions. I returned to the hotel and immediately packed my things to return to New York. Knowing Megan, I was sure she would come after me. Just as I arrived at the airport, she sent me a message. [I’m already downstairs at your hotel, don’t think you can escape. I’ll definitely catch you, and you must hand over the money.] [Aunt Sarah, Aunt Linda, and Aunt Mary are all here. You just wait!] I took a photo of the airport and sent it to her. [Dear sister, have you ever been on a plane in your life?] The next second, I blocked her account. I could imagine her screaming and shouting in frustration now, as that’s her only trick. The drama Megan stirred up continued for over two months. My account kept receiving baseless reports, so I simply stopped updating it. After all, I had other accounts. Megan sent harassing messages to my WeChat every day. I set her to “Do Not Disturb” and let her rant. Such colorful and vulgar language was usually off-limits, but I guess I learned something new.

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I discovered a box of birth control pills in the widow’s room. I swapped them out for regular stomach medicine. The reason was simple: since my mother-in-law was so eager to have a grandchild, why not have one herself? Later, Mrs. Welmann came over to see her and handed her a bank card. “This is your reward for giving our family a child.” I installed a miniature camera in our bedroom. After work, I often found that the neatly made bed had wrinkles, and the alarm clock or glass on the nightstand had subtly shifted. But there were only three people in our house: me, my husband Jeremy Kohn, and my mother-in-law, who had recently moved in. Yet, just two months into our marriage, Jeremy wielded every trick in the book, employing a relentless charm and persuasion to convince me to welcome his mother into our home. He swore, “My mom is just a weak woman; she won’t interfere with our lives.” But on the second morning after she moved in, she knocked on our door at six o’clock. “Fennie, why haven’t you made breakfast yet?” When there was no response, she started pounding on the door. I dragged my tired body to open it. “Mom, don’t we have a maid to make breakfast?” “That’s expensive! It’s just breakfast; why waste money on that?” Her head barely reached my nose, but her presence was overwhelming as she stared me down. Jeremy was still snoring like a log. Knowing he’d worked late the night before, I decided not to wake him. Resigned, I headed to the kitchen, reheated some bread, fried up eggs and ham, and made a sandwich. She pushed the sandwich aside. “Is this all for breakfast? Are you trying to fool me?” “Jeremy and I usually have this for breakfast. What would you like?” “My needs aren’t that high. We must have oatmeal every morning, and it should be varied throughout the week. The sides can be simple, but there should always be fresh pastries and a hot breakfast sandwich. Meat is good, but it shouldn’t be too greasy—just like the ones from that fancy café downtown.” Her saliva sprayed onto my face as she ranted. I wiped my face, grabbed the keys, and went downstairs to buy breakfast for her. She continued, her voice sharp with criticism, “I didn’t ask you to buy it; homemade is always healthier. Who knows what kind of oil or meat they use? And why are you walking away while I’m still talking?” As time passed, her aggression grew more relentless. She chased away the hourly maid, leaving me buried under the mountain of housework. The washing machine was off-limits, as she insisted that hand-washing was the only way to ensure cleanliness. She severed the power to the dishwasher, decrying it as a waste of electricity and water. In the dead of night, she would storm into our room to shut off the air conditioner,, saying she was worried we’d catch a cold… I harbored a growing resentment. It all came to a head when I saw the surveillance video. Two days after installing the camera, I sat down to review the footage after finishing a project at work. With a sense of mounting dread, I fast-forwarded through the recordings of the past few days. What I saw left me stunned and breathless: Mr. Welmann was kissing my mother-in-law as they entered my bedroom. They tumbled onto my bed, entwined in a passionate embrace Mr. Welmann lived next door, and he had a happy family. I would never expect that he would cheat with my mother-in-law? As I watched their entangled bodies on the screen, a wave of nausea surged over me, overwhelming every sense. My stomach churned violently, and I stumbled toward the bathroom, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Their movements were smooth and practiced, a damning testament to the fact that this betrayal was not a fleeting moment but a repeated, calculated affair. Suppressing my trembling hands, I decided to tell Jeremy everything that night and then have a conversation with his mother.

After dinner, I fiddled with a USB drive in my hand. It contained a copy of the video. I was thinking about how to bring it up. Jeremy came out of the bathroom, freshly showered, with only a towel around his waist. He wrapped his damp arms around me, rubbing his stubbly chin against my face. He picked up the USB drive. “What’s on this?” I took a deep breath. “Why don’t you take a look?” Curious, he plugged it into the computer. Just as he was about to open the file, I stopped him because of a sharp pain in my abdomen—the worst pain I had ever felt. My legs started to tremble. I collapsed to the ground, clutching my stomach. He rushed over, trying to soothe my pain. “I can’t… I need to go to the hospital…” He quickly threw on some clothes, scooped me up, and sped off to the hospital. After enduring a grueling blood test and examination, I was left utterly drained, sweat pouring down my forehead as I sat in the sterile, clinical room. My body trembled, a prelude to the fever that soon consumed me. The diagnosis was acute liver damage, cause unknown. I spent the night vomiting and with diarrhea, the fever raging on. I even started talking nonsense, calling out for my parents. Jeremy took care of me the whole night, and I felt slightly better the next day. The doctor suggested that my condition might be due to inappropriate medication. Jeremy and I exchanged puzzled looks. I hadn’t taken any medication recently, and my diet had been quite ordinary. The only difference was the soup my mother-in-law had insisted on making for me that night, saying it was to nourish my body, made especially for me. Under Jeremy’s questioning, my mother-in-law finally admitted that the soup contained medicine she had gotten from a “master”. “What kind of medicine?” “A fertility tonic.” I was utterly spent, both physically and emotionally. From childhood, I had been frail, and the doctor had long advised against pregnancy. My inclination towards a child-free life had always been clear, a choice Jeremy and I had meticulously discussed before our marriage. He had steadfastly supported my decision Driven by a pang of guilt, my family had covered the full cost of our marital home. When the time came for her to move in, I didn’t hesitate. She had previously tried to feed me all manner of bizarre remedies, each one a disturbing echo of her control, but I always managed to find an excuse to refuse them. I had voiced my concerns to Jeremy, only to be met with his dismissive attitude. He brushed it off, attributing it to the quirks of the older generation and urging me not to take it to heart. But now, she had gone too far. If it had been any more serious, I could have accused her of attempted murder!

I spent quite some time recovering in the hospital, and the matter was brushed off. Jeremy sternly warned his mother never to give me any strange substances again. She grudgingly agreed. The day I was discharged, Jeremy came to pick me up. While he was handling the paperwork, I overheard my mother-in-law’s voice around the corner. “Jeremy, I asked the doctor. He said Fennie probably can’t have children.” Jeremy already knew and just brushed it off with a few words. Then, in a hushed tone, my mother-in-law continued, “I’ve found a nice girl for you.” “What are you talking about, Mom?” “I promised not to force any more medicine on Fennie, but you still owe me a grandchild,” she declared with a chilling resolve. “This girl has wide hips and strong bones—she’ll surely bear you a healthy son. And she has feelings for you, as well. If Fennie agrees to raise the child, that’s perfect. If not, well, you can always divorce her!” I felt my illness surging back, the anger within me spinning my world into a dizzying haze. My mother-in-law, already a ruinous force in our lives, was now audaciously trying to push another girl into the role of mistress to her own son. Truly, she was rotten to the core. I forced myself to stand, leaning against the wall, just to hear Jeremy’s response. “I can’t divorce Fennie.” Hearing his words, a flicker of relief washed over me. But then, the cruel twist came: “I need to get more money out of her family first. Once she’s no longer of use, I’ll divorce her. Mom, show me that girl’s picture.” I don’t know how I made it back to the hospital room or how I managed to act normal as we left the hospital and went home. I just felt utterly cold, the flames of revenge consuming me. I shredded the file on the USB drive, walked straight to my mother-in-law’s room, and swapped her birth control pills for regular stomach medicine. The Kohn family, I won’t let you have an easy time. Jeremy had pursued me since our school days, promising, “With you, I’ll never look at another woman.” I thought I had married for love. But now, I realize that if a woman truly believes a man’s sweet talk, there’s nothing more foolish. Just like I once was. Don’t place high expectations on marriage. It’s merely two people coexisting, navigating the mundane struggles of daily life together. If you hold onto the illusion of true love, you’re destined for disappointment. Embrace the truth: view him as just a roommate, and you might find a sliver of solace amidst the harsh reality. But I won’t divorce Jeremy so easily. The real drama is only just beginning.

My mother-in-law’s appetite seemed insatiable, growing more ravenous with each passing day. As she reached for a third serving of mashed potatoes at dinner, Jeremy’s gaze turned sharp. He put down his fork, his voice laced with a hint of irritation. “Mom, why are you eating so much lately?” She set her fork down as well. “What, are you saying your mother eats too much? Are you upset that I’m spending your money?” Jeremy shook his head helplessly. She then turned her gaze toward me, her eyes gleaming with a chilling triumph. “I’m eating more than Fennie, which proves that I’m healthier than she is,” she declared, her voice dripping with disdain. “Her? Hmph, she can’t even give us a grandchild.” I’m not a broodmare, why should I produce offspring? Whenever my mother-in-law targeted me, Jeremy would pretend to be busy and avoid getting involved. In the past, I might have put down my fork and argued with her. But now, I gave her a sheepish smile and admitted my fault. “You’re right, you’re much healthier. You still look like you could have more kids,” I said, forcing a tone of mock humility, the words slipping through my lips with a strained courtesy. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion and confusion mingling in her gaze. “Wait. What are you saying?” “Fennie, how can you speak to our mom like that?” they both erupted in unison, their voices rising in a simultaneous crescendo of outrage. I was laughing on the inside, but on the outside, I showed a terrified expression. Suddenly, my mother-in-law hurled her chair back and bolted for the bathroom. A moment later, the room was pierced by a horrifying retching sound, as if she was expelling her very soul in a fit of violent sickness. I gasped in shock, my heart racing as the unsettling noise echoed through the house. With a voice trembling with concern, I suggested to Jeremy that we take her to the hospital for a thorough checkup. His eyes, wide with alarm, met mine, and he nodded in agreement. The car ride to the hospital was silent. Out of nowhere, I said, “Mom, your symptoms are a bit like pregnancy.” Her face turned ashen, and she coldly snorted. “Mom, there’s an old legend from our hometown,” I began, my voice deliberately calm despite the tension crackling around us. “They say that long ago, a hunter stumbled upon the egg of a serpent god and, in his greed, ate it. In retribution, the serpent god cursed the hunter’s mother. She was doomed to conceive child after child, her body relentlessly bearing the burden until she perished from sheer exhaustion.” Jeremy was driving, glaring at me through the rearview mirror. “Fennie, you have a master’s degree. Why are you spouting such nonsense?” I smoothed my skirt with a practiced grace, forcing a slight smile as I said, “Oh, it’s just an old tale I heard.” My mother-in-law, her face now a mask of unease, leaned back and closed her eyes. I pressed on, my voice cold and deliberate. “They say that ever since, any woman who has an affair in our hometown meets that same fate. My grandmother always said that people from our hometown carry that curse with them wherever they go.” Jeremy’s face darkened with fury, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel. I looked at my mother-in-law, noticing her eyelids twitching slightly, and her hands turning pale from tension. Satisfied, I fell silent. We arrived at the hospital without her babbling. My mother-in-law’s anxiety was palpable as we waited for the test results, her hands twisting in her lap and her eyes darting nervously around the waiting room. When her name was finally called, she tried to insist on going in alone, but Jeremy, his expression a mix of disbelief and determination, firmly took the lead.We followed closely behind The doctor adjusted his glasses, his face a mask of clinical detachment. “At her age,” he said, his voice heavy with professional gravity, “pregnancy isn’t recommended.” Jeremy leaned back, a harsh, unsettling laugh erupting from him. “You must be joking,” he said, his voice laced with disbelief. “My mom is fifty, and my dad’s been dead for two years. How can she be pregnant?” “We don’t joke about these things.” “Then you must have the wrong report.” Seeing the seriousness on the doctor’s face, Jeremy stopped laughing. “Whose is it? Whose baby is it?!” Jeremy’s voice reverberated through the sterile hospital hallway. His mother sat on the bench, her shoulders hunched in defeat, her eyes swollen and red from crying. She fumbled with a handkerchief, her stammering words barely coherent. “The… the serpent god’s…” “Serpent god, my foot!!!” Jeremy was livid.

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I never imagined I’d be able to share sensations with my husband. Not only could I feel the pain from his injuries, but I could also experience the pleasure when he did things he enjoyed. Until one night, when he was livestreaming a skydive in America. I watched as he and his female partner overlapped, suddenly sensing an indescribable ecstasy… My husband, Aiden, is an extreme sports enthusiast, especially passionate about skydiving. I’m a professional designer. We’re opposites – one active, one calm – brought together by chance. Extreme sports often take place abroad, so Aiden and I are frequently apart. After a skydiving accident left Aiden with a broken leg, he was forced to stay put in the hospital for a while. When I brought him some soup, he was engrossed watching a livestream. I peeked over his shoulder and saw the iPad screen: #US “Star Cup” Paragliding Challenge Preliminaries Underway# I sighed. “Honey, can’t we stop with these dangerous sports?” Aiden loves skydiving and paragliding. He’s had dozens of metal pins put in his body for this sport. He’s mastered it to perfection and even competes professionally abroad. Startled by me, he still shook his head with a grin. “Babe, I know you worry, but money can’t buy the thrill this gives me. The novelty and excitement are endless.” I gazed at Aiden’s handsome profile, lost in thought. Extreme sports are an expensive hobby that not everyone can afford. Being able to not work and still have money to burn, Aiden was clearly from a wealthy family. Everyone envies me for landing such a handsome and rich husband. Only I regret that we can’t be together all the time. More than a partner, I envy his teammates who fight by his side. I fed Aiden spoonfuls of soup. He smiled happily. “My wife is amazing – elegant and domestic. While I risk life and limb out there, I can rest easy about things at home.” I quickly stuffed a piece of meat in his mouth. “Don’t talk about life and death. Shut up.” Aiden is rarely home. Since marrying me, I’ve been the one taking care of his whole family in the States, handling all the household affairs smoothly. He choked a bit on the soup, coughing hard but still grinning mysteriously. “You’re that worried about your husband? Haha, looks like I better leave you a little seed soon, so you won’t miss me too much.” As we were joking around, a beautiful woman appeared at the door. She knocked and smiled, taking off her sunglasses. “Am I interrupting? Didn’t realize you two lovebirds were having a private moment.” Seeing Skye for the first time, I was visibly stunned. I’d seen many photos of her on my husband’s Instagram. She’s been Aiden’s female partner for six years – an American-born Chinese who often competes with him professionally, winning many trophies. Despite constant sun exposure, her skin was still snow-white and glowing. She had a wasp waist and perky bottom, not to mention enviably beautiful legs. She dressed boldly, wearing a low-cut camisole exposing half her chest in 50-degree weather, her cleavage on full display. As soon as she entered, she flicked Aiden’s forehead and even lifted his blanket to check his injured leg. “What happened? How pathetic, getting yourself banged up like this.” I was shocked, since Aiden’s cast had just been put on and he was only wearing underwear. Noticing my discomfort, Skye laughed casually: “We’re the best professional partners and closest buddies in life. You don’t mind, right Vera?” Aiden quickly covered his leg. “She doesn’t mind, but I do. Don’t I get any dignity?” As the two bantered, I only noticed the obvious reaction under Aiden’s blanket earlier. Was I seeing things, or did Aiden get aroused after seeing Skye?

After Skye left, the doctor came to examine Aiden’s injured leg. I stepped aside. As the doctor adjusted his cast, I saw Aiden wince in pain. The next second, I inexplicably felt a sharp pain myself! The pain came from my leg, exactly where Aiden’s injury was. I collapsed to the floor, startling both the doctor and my husband. “Honey, what’s wrong? It’s my leg that hurts, why are you limping?” I quickly rolled up my pant leg to check my left leg. Strangely, there was no injury. And after the doctor finished examining Aiden, the pain disappeared. Could I have shared sensations with my husband for a moment just now? Suspicious but uncertain, I shook my head. “It’s nothing. I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Seeing you in such pain made my legs weak.” Aiden squeezed my palm guiltily. “Babe, I’m so sorry. You have to work and still find time to take care of me. No wonder you’re so weak.” Seeing Aiden’s caring expression, I didn’t think more of it. I tucked him in and left for work. The afternoon flew by, my mind occupied with busy work. Heading home after work, I got a call from Aiden. His voice was lazy, full of magnetic charm. “Honey, I miss you. Once I’m out of the hospital, let’s try for a baby, okay?” Aiden and I have been married three years. Due to being apart so often, we haven’t had kids yet. It’s also because absence makes the heart grow fonder – he’s extra fierce each time he returns. As a sports enthusiast, he’s very fit and has a strong libido. I’m familiar with Aiden’s current tone. Sure enough, he asked me to say his name. I scolded him with a red face: “You’re really hungry. You’re still in the hospital, don’t be naughty.” “What’s there to worry about? I’m alone in the room.” Aiden has a private hospital room with good soundproofing. The doctors and nurses are on night shift in the duty room, so there’s nothing to worry about. “Hurry up, honey. I can’t wait.” He urged impatiently. I had no choice but to open his video call and do as he asked. Then I heard indescribable sounds from his end. I was about to hang up in embarrassment. Suddenly, my whole body tingled. A strange sensation spread all over. Two minutes later, Aiden finished. Looking at my flushed face on video, he panted and smirked. “Honey, what a coincidence. Judging by your expression, were you doing the same thing as me?” My heart skipped a beat. Just now… did I share sensations with my husband again? Over the next period of time, I gradually discovered I could share all his intense physical reactions. Aiden often gets minor injuries abroad but always hides it from me. So I kept this secret too, afraid of worrying him. Soon after being discharged, he was dead set on flying to America again, saying he wanted to join a paragliding competition. He said for him, the pleasures of money and material things were far from enough. He had to pursue this oneness with nature, this unity of body and spirit, this ultimate joy. I sighed helplessly, pinching him hard at the airport. “You better not be pitifully carried off the plane next time, needing me to take care of you! Be careful!” Aiden hugged and kissed me with a laugh. “Don’t worry honey! I’m looking forward to news of your victory.” I blushed immediately. Before leaving, Aiden and I had made love for days and nights without protection. He hoped I could get pregnant soon, promising to quit extreme sports and focus on family once we had a baby. Calculating when his plane would land in Michigan, I video called Aiden. “Honey, have you arrived?” It was already dark here, but still bright and sunny there. Skye answered the call, playfully hooking her arm around my husband’s shoulders. “Don’t worry,Vera. I’m taking good care of Aiden. He won’t lose a hair.” Seeing her embrace my husband across the ocean, replacing my position, I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. They were joining a tandem paragliding preliminary this time, which would be livestreamed online. At 10:30 PM, I nervously opened the livestream. When it was finally Aiden’s turn, I sensed his excitement. Because my heart was also pounding wildly in my chest. The paraglider took off smoothly over the verdant wilderness. I watched anxiously as the camera captured their distant silhouettes. When zoomed in, the high-speed camera could capture their faces. I saw them both with excited, contorted expressions. I couldn’t help but marvel – is this the joy of extreme sports? Suddenly, I felt an indescribable pleasure course through my body. I instinctively clenched my thighs.

The commentator was going on about how immersed this pair of contestants were in the experience of extreme sports. My scalp tingled. That strange, stimulating pleasure was different from any other time. So-called “ascending to the heavens” – this must be what it feels like. What shocked me more was that Aiden was in the middle of competing! How could he be feeling… this way? After that wave of sensation passed, I was sweating, staring intently at the two of them flying until they landed safely. They both looked normal, fully dressed, calmly accepting reporters’ interviews. But I was still deeply confused. Finally, in Skye’s interview, I detected a hint in her trembling voice. “How was your flight experience this time?” “Oh… Well, as thrilling and amazing as always. I have to thank my teammate for the great teamwork that gave me such an unforgettable glide.” Her shy tone still quivered with excitement at the end. I called Aiden to congratulate him on passing the prelims. His tone was normal, laughing heartily. “How about that? Your husband is amazing, right? The prelims were a breeze. This championship is mine for sure.” I held back the questions bursting to come out, not wanting to alert them. After all, I had no solid proof. How could I prove they did such a thing during such a dangerous aerial sport? That night, I couldn’t sleep at all. I scrolled through a lot of foreign news. One story was about a couple caught being intimate in a hot air balloon. The man accidentally knocked the woman out of the balloon in his excitement, causing her death on the spot. The incident was captured by their aerial recorder. The man was convicted of manslaughter. The comment section was buzzing: [They really risked their lives for ultimate thrills!] [Man, if I were that guy, I could brag about this for life.] [At least she died happy. Her last moments were blissful.] Reading these news stories, my suspicions grew deeper. I tossed and turned all night. Could my husband of three years have really betrayed me? To experience how open they are about this sport abroad, I decided to fly to Michigan and try paragliding myself. When I showed up at their training base after landing, Aiden was clearly surprised. I pretended not to notice, giving him a hug. “Honey! Did you miss me? I took my annual leave to come find you.” Skye was there too, in a tight black outfit that hugged her petite, sexy figure. She elbowed Aiden with a smirk. “Aiden, your little wifey really can’t bear to be apart from you, chasing you across the ocean.” Aiden didn’t look too happy, seeming displeased by my intrusion into his domain. “What are you doing here? If there’s nothing else, go rest at the Windsor apartment. Just treat it as a vacation.” But I shook my head, hugging his neck. “I do have something. Watching you compete on livestream got me so excited, I want to try paragliding too.” Aiden froze, just noticing my special sportswear. He quickly grabbed my hand. His expression was hard to read. “Honey, as a professional athlete, I have to warn you this sport is very dangerous. Ordinary people shouldn’t try it lightly.” I impatiently shook off his hand. “It’s fine. I’ve watched your competition videos for years. Plus there’s an instructor. What’s there to be afraid of?” “The scenery from thousands of meters up, the thrill you experience… What is it that keeps you away from home for three years? I’m really curious.” I specifically hired a handsome white instructor at the paragliding base. He was all muscle, his abs visible even through his t-shirt. The wind was gentle today, the sky clear – perfect weather for paragliding. Seeing he couldn’t dissuade me, Aiden sighed. “Honey, foreigners are very open. You need to be careful.” I ignored him. The white instructor helped me put on all the equipment and explained all the precautions. Then he had me sit in front, embracing me from behind to control the direction. Finally, when the wind blew, we used its power to take off from the slope. “Little bitch, we’re going to start now!” Before I could process his words, I suddenly felt something hot press against my pants. My mind went blank. Before I could react, the paraglider had left the slope. I screamed as we soared towards the valley.

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My Boyfriend’s Junior Was Cornered by Debt Collectors Ryan’s junior was cornered by debt collectors. I tried to stop Ryan from getting involved, but I never expected the junior would attempt suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. Ryan acted nonchalant and prepared to marry me. Until one drunken night, he caressed the junior’s photo lovingly and forced me to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills. He said if it weren’t for my cold-heartedness and selfishness, his junior wouldn’t have committed suicide. If I could live again, I would never interfere in their affairs. “Babe, how much money do you have left? Bella’s family has come again. You know we’re close, and those people said if the debt isn’t paid today, they’ll take Bella and sell her off.” I was momentarily dazed, the lump in my throat yet to dissipate, when a large hand tightly gripped my sleeve. I had a vivid dream, reliving the day when Ryan was desperately trying to borrow money for Bella White. Bella was his junior in college, and as her name suggested, she was gentle and beautiful, with exquisite features. However, she had a gambling-addicted father who had reportedly borrowed a lot of high-interest loans over the years. Unable to repay, he committed suicide, leaving his beautiful daughter to be constantly harassed by debt collectors. To be fair, Ryan had always been good to me, and everyone knew he loved me dearly. So when he was borrowing money everywhere for Bella in my dream, saying she was like a sister to him and he couldn’t bear to see a girl in such a predicament, I didn’t think much of it. But Bella’s father owed over $8 million in total. It wasn’t easy to come up with such a sum, especially when the debt collectors were involved in illegal activities. Getting involved could easily cost one’s life. Naturally, I didn’t want my soon-to-be-married boyfriend to be entangled in such affairs. So in my dream, I gave Ryan all my savings, with the condition that he would no longer interfere in Bella’s matters and focus on preparing for our wedding. But unexpectedly, Bella overdosed on sleeping pills and committed suicide. When I heard the news, I felt deeply sorry for her – a young girl in the prime of her life, burdened with such a father. Ryan only showed a moment of sadness but didn’t say much to me. However, I never imagined that he would kill me for Bella. Now, looking at the anxious Ryan in front of me, my mind was filled with the words he said to me before I died in my dream. “I told you Bella and I weren’t what you thought! Why, why wouldn’t you help her!” “Isn’t your family quite wealthy? You rich people will never understand this kind of desperation. Amelia Young, how can you be so selfish and cold-hearted!” “You could watch her die, and still expect me to marry a viper like you!” “You rich people are all the same, not a single good person among you!” Thinking of this, I smiled bitterly. My family had an annual income in the millions, and I was their only child. So my parents didn’t approve of Ryan, who came from a rural background. They hoped I would marry someone of equal social status, but they couldn’t resist my genuine fondness for Ryan. They could only cut off my financial support, hoping to force me to compromise. Yet Ryan harbored such malice towards me because I didn’t ask my family for money to save his dear junior. Over $8 million – did he expect me to sell everything I owned to fulfill his wishes with his sweetheart?

Seeing that I didn’t respond, Ryan tenderly cupped my face. The gesture I once loved now seemed utterly disgusting. “Babe, trust me, I just want to help her because I feel sorry for her. You know we’ve known each other for so long. Bella is a good person, and she even said she likes you a lot.” I pushed his hand away and said coldly, “My parents cut off my money long ago because I wanted to be with you. Where would I get money to give you?” Ryan seemed not to hear the sarcasm in my words: “Babe, you’re your parents’ only child. If you explain the situation to your aunt and uncle, they’ll surely help you, won’t they?” I asked in return, “Do you like Bella?” Ryan’s eyes clearly flashed with guilt, but he quickly covered it up. “How could that be, babe? Everyone knows you’re the one I love most. She’s just a junior I’m close with. I just feel sorry for her and want to help. Don’t overthink it, babe.” I stood up, not even looking at him: “That’s your friend, not mine. I have no obligation to help you solve their family problems.” Ryan frowned: “Amelia, weren’t you always the kindest and most understanding? Why have you become so unsympathetic now? Your family has money, your parents are still alive and have income sources. What about Bella? She lost her mother at a young age and ended up with such a father. You’re really… really out of touch with reality!” Saying this, he went into the room and dug out his bank cards, then left for Bella’s house without another word to me. I didn’t know how Ryan could say such shameless and morally manipulative words, as if I was the root cause of all Bella’s suffering. I quickly packed some of my belongings and sent Ryan a text message: [Let’s break up.] Then I blocked and deleted him. In this life, I’ll see how long he can last without my wholehearted support. Right now, Ryan is at a crucial stage in his startup. In my dream, I knelt before my parents for his company, drank until I had a gastric hemorrhage at business dinners, and wholeheartedly helped him. And him? Did he really like me? In every intimate night we shared, was he thinking of me or his deceased junior?

I carried my luggage back home. My parents were visibly surprised to see me. My dad said irritably, “If it’s for him, you might as well not come back. Your mom and I are tired of seeing this.” Seeing my middle-aged parents still healthy, I immediately teared up. In my dream, after Ryan killed me, how desperate must my parents have been when they saw my body? Thinking of this, I burst into tears at the doorstep. My mom nudged my dad, frowning, “It’s all your fault, why speak so harshly? Look how our daughter is crying.” I buried myself in my mom’s embrace and cried my heart out. Regret, resentment, all emotions poured out at once. “There, there, our precious daughter. What’s wrong? Did that Ryan bully you?” my mom asked, comforting me. I nodded: “I… I broke up with him. I don’t like him anymore. I want to come home.” The expression on my parents’ faces was like they had finally seen the light at the end of a long tunnel, a bit funny and a bit amusing. As if afraid I might change my mind, my dad tentatively asked, “Is it the kind of breakup where you won’t get back together?” I laughed through my tears, nodded, and then explained the whole situation. My parents’ faces were filled with anger: “That Ryan, I always said that boy had ulterior motives. A perfectly good company, yet he needs you, a girl, to go out and socialize for him. You even stopped coming home for him, and he dares to turn around and blame you?” Hearing this, I looked at my parents with a guilty expression. How could I have been so bewitched in my past life to abandon my parents for a man? “It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back,” my mom said, gently patting my back, comforting me like when I was little. Perhaps because too much had happened in one day, I was indeed tired and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up the next day, it was already noon. I opened my phone to see twenty missed calls from Ryan and Bella’s SnapChat story. In the photo, she was sitting in Ryan’s passenger seat, with Ryan wiping her tears intimately. The caption read: [No matter what happens, you’ll always be by my side.] Even though I was mentally prepared, seeing it with my own eyes still made my heart ache. Ryan and I had been together for six years. He loved me so much that people joked if we didn’t get married, they would never believe in love again. Yes, feelings do change, don’t they? My phone rang, and I picked it up to see it was Bella. [Sister Amelia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to post that SnapChat story. You know my family situation is complicated right now. Ryan… Ryan just felt sorry for me and stayed with me all night. I heard you broke up with Ryan. Please don’t let it be because of me. I would feel so guilty.] I didn’t reply. This low-level manipulation didn’t even deserve a response. Posting that kind of story and then saying these things to me, what did she hope to achieve? Did she want me to kneel and beg Ryan not to leave me, or to rush to her house and beat her up in a rage? People who play innocent while stirring up trouble are just as disgusting as ungrateful people like Ryan.

I once accidentally saw Ryan and Bella’s chat history. [Ryan, you’re so kind. I envy Sister Amelia for finding a boyfriend like you.] [Sister Amelia is so lucky, with a happy family and a loving boyfriend. I wish I could be like that too.] And Ryan actually fell for this act, insisting on treating her like a sister, sending food when she was hungry, water when she was thirsty. When my best friend Zoe heard I had broken up with Ryan, she insisted on taking me out to celebrate. Seeing her vibrant smile, I couldn’t help but feel in a good mood for once. “You don’t know how much I hated that Ryan. Ever since you got together with him, you hardly ever had dinner with me. Love-brain syndrome is the beginning of misfortune, and that’s exactly what happened to you, forgetting your friends for a man!” Hearing Zoe’s scolding, I hugged her shoulders and kept agreeing. “You’re right, I was wrong. I was blind and couldn’t see people clearly. Are you satisfied now?” Zoe finally nodded, then dragged me into various luxury brand stores. I felt a bit emotional. Ever since I got together with Ryan, I seemed to have lost my former self, becoming a woman who only revolved around him. Plus, his business was just starting, and he was short on money, so I never came to browse these boutiques I used to love. “Hey, isn’t that Ryan?” Zoe suddenly turned her head and exclaimed. I followed her gaze and saw Ryan and Bella with a suitcase, looking a bit sneaky, not knowing what they were up to. Originally, I didn’t want to have any more contact with them, but Zoe is a very curious person and insisted on going over to take a look. We saw them enter a second-hand bag recycling store. I had a vague guess in my mind. “Isn’t that the bag I gave you for your birthday two years ago?” Zoe pointed at a limited edition designer bag inside and said to me. I frowned. A few days ago when I was packing to leave, there were still some things I didn’t have time to pack. I was planning to call a moving company to bring them back to me in the next few days. I never expected Ryan would try to secretly sell my bags for Bella. I walked in. When Ryan saw me, his first reaction was guilt, which quickly turned into joy: “Amelia, why are you here? Why didn’t you answer my calls? I… I was planning to explain everything to you after I finished here, you…” “Slap!” I raised my hand and slapped him. Ryan’s eyes were full of disbelief. Bella quickly came forward to check the mark on his face: “Sister Amelia, how could you hit Ryan? You…” “Slap!” The second slap landed on Bella’s face. “Hitting you was just an afterthought.” Zoe cheered from the side, finding it extremely satisfying. People in the store gathered around, wanting to see what was happening.

“Amelia Young, you shrew, why did you hit Bella? What did she do wrong for you to target her like this?” Ryan pulled Bella behind him, looking like a mother hen protecting her chick. I pointed at the pile of bags on the table. “Did you get my permission to sell my bags?” Ryan’s face immediately turned red: “I… I was just borrowing them, not like I wasn’t going to return them to you.” “Borrow my bags? How come I don’t know about it? We’ve already broken up. Doesn’t this count as theft of someone else’s property?” I retorted. “Amelia Young, how can you be so vain? They’re just bags. So what if they’re sold? You can always buy more. But a life can’t be bought back. Do you really want to watch someone be forced to death before you’re happy?” Ryan became more and more agitated as he spoke, as if I was the one who cheated, not him. I marveled at how he could say such shameless things. “Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Too bad I have no morals,” I shot back sarcastically. The onlookers had started whispering among themselves. “First of all, we’ve broken up. Secondly, these are my bags. And lastly, you wanting to help your dear junior has nothing to do with me. Are you expecting me to raise the children you have with your future wife too?” Ryan was left speechless by my retort. Knowing he was in the wrong, and seeing people around starting to take out their phones to record videos, he knew dragging this out wouldn’t do anyone any good. He could only say reluctantly: “This one, this one, and that one, these three bags were bought by me. I have the right to sell them.” Both Zoe and I were shocked. What kind of logic was this? Gifts given to a girlfriend during a relationship can be taken back? “Fine, fine, do whatever you want,” I said, not wanting to get further entangled with him. I turned to the store manager and said, “Those few are mine. Can you estimate how much they’re worth for buyback and transfer the money to my card?” I figured Ryan also knew his company had just started and funds were tight, so he couldn’t spare extra money to help Bella pay off her debt. To think he would resort to such a despicable method – truly a scumbag who wants to have his cake and eat it too. “Amelia Young, do you really want to break up with me? Have you thought it through? You’re already 28 this year, don’t you know how old you are? Who would dare to want you if you break up with me now? Considering that I truly loved you before, why don’t you ask your parents for $500,000 to pay off Bella’s debt first, then we can talk about everything else.” Ryan spoke very seriously, as if breaking up with him would immediately leave me with nothing. “Ryan Shaw, has your brain stopped working? With Amelia’s conditions, she was the one who lowered herself to be with you,” Zoe interjected angrily. “Besides, my brother is 32 and single, 6’2″, a golden bachelor, handsome like a movie star. Our Amelia will live a much better life without you. Go be with your little green tea b*tch!” With that, Zoe pulled me away, not sparing them another glance. [Translator’s note: “Green tea b*tch” is a Chinese internet slang term for a woman who pretends to be pure and innocent but is actually manipulative.]

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The scorching heatwave was approaching, and I had stocked up on all the necessary supplies. However, my husband, concerned about our weak female neighbor, invited her to stay with us. “We have plenty of supplies, and how much can a frail woman eat? What’s wrong with helping out a neighbor?” he said. Later, I caught them having a steamy session in my bathroom. The neighbor girl blushed, saying shyly, “Your ‘big popsicle’ is the best way to cool down in this heat, honey.” When I caught them in the act, they panicked and locked me out on the balcony under the scorching sun. In the end, I died from heat stroke and dehydration. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the first day of the terrifying heatwave. My phone was pushing out a high-temperature warning: [Tomorrow, our city will reach a new high temperature of over 107°F (42°C). All citizens are advised to stay indoors and avoid going out.] When I saw this message, my whole body shuddered. There was no pain from dehydration or near-death experience, and I was casually holding an iced Americano. I tilted my head back, trembling, and gulped down the iced Americano like a person about to die of thirst. In my previous life, I did indeed die of thirst. I’m a well-known risk assessment expert in the industry. Before the terrifying heatwave hit, I had already noticed the drastic effects of global warming. So, I stocked up my luxury mansion with supplies and cooling measures. The house even had its own internal circulation system and power supply box. Even if doomsday came, we could be self-sufficient for over a year. Originally, this was supposed to be the perfect shelter for me and my husband. But in my past life, Samuel Song suddenly had a moment of inspiration and insisted on being charitable. He felt sorry for our single neighbor living next door, Molly, who was frail and couldn’t withstand the high temperatures alone. He proactively suggested bringing her to live with us. “It’s just an extra set of cutlery, really. Her husband is overseas and can’t take care of her. We’re neighbors, what’s wrong with lending a helping hand?” he said. At first, I strongly disagreed. Although Molly was our neighbor, she had only moved in a few months ago, and we weren’t close. Secondly, as a married woman, it wasn’t convenient for her to stay in someone else’s home. “Honey, if you’re worried about her frailty, I can go check on her every day,” I said. But my husband directly pulled Molly in front of me, crying like a fragile flower. “Aria, I know I’ll be a bother, but I have fainting spells and can’t handle the extreme heat. If I faint alone at home, I’m afraid I’ll die without anyone even knowing,” Molly said. Even Samuel frowned: “Yeah, honey, why are you being so stingy? We have so many supplies, and plenty of rooms. It’s just for a few days!” I had no choice but to agree. Before the terrifying heat hit and the power and water were cut off, we welcomed Molly to live under the same roof. Until that day, Samuel said he wanted to eat some fresh vegetables and asked me to go buy some. By then, the outside temperature was already close to 122°F (50°C), and you had to wear protective gear to go out. Samuel had a nosebleed and claimed he was lacking vitamins and might get sepsis. I had no choice but to brave the scorching sun and drive to a national cold storage facility dozens of miles away to buy vegetables. But when I returned, I caught my husband and Molly together, with the air conditioning set to a cool 75°F (24°C), taking a bubble bath in my bathtub. Molly was completely naked, her delicate hands resting softly on Samuel’s chest. “Where’s my cucumber? I still need to make a cucumber face mask!” she said. Samuel carelessly wrapped his arms around her smooth arms. “I’ve already asked Aria to go buy it. She shouldn’t be back so soon. That woman is madly in love with me, she’s just my lapdog. We can stay here comfortably and treat her like a maid.” They were living in my house, enjoying my supplies, and yet they were rolling around together right under my nose! I was instantly overcome with anger and rushed into the bathroom to catch them in the act. But this pair of scoundrels panicked and jumped at me, stripping off my protective gear and locking me out on the north-facing balcony. In the terrifying heat of over 122°F (50°C), I collapsed on the ground, parched and desperate. Before long, I was literally steamed into a mummy! After my death, Molly even persuaded my husband to dismember my body and throw it into the sewer, taking over all my property. At this moment, my phone rang again with a call from Samuel. I calmly answered. It was Samuel’s breathless voice: “Honey, come to 3044 quickly and give me a hand. Bring me a valve stem wrench!”

3044 was where Molly lived. Today, with temperatures soaring to 104°F (40°C), my husband wasn’t resting at noon but was helping our female neighbor fix her air conditioner. When I arrived, Molly was wearing a skimpy crop top, leaving little to the imagination. She was sucking on a banana-flavored popsicle, not biting it, letting it melt and coat her lips with a glistening sheen. Meanwhile, Samuel was standing on a chair, sweating profusely as he fiddled with the central air conditioning unit. “So cool! But it doesn’t really beat the heat. Though with you here fixing my AC, I don’t feel hot at all,” Molly said with a dazzling smile. She turned and saw me, feigning surprise and sticking out her tongue playfully. After experiencing my past life and this one, I finally understood that her carefree act was just a ploy to seduce men. I walked past her and looked up at my husband, whose back was soaked with sweat. “What are you doing?” I asked. He scratched his head sheepishly. “Honey, I grew up in the countryside. My dad used to fix appliances, so I’m used to doing this stuff. It’s a piece of cake.” Samuel was too lazy to even change a light bulb at home, always calling the housekeeper to do it. But now he was enthusiastically exploring new territory from scratch. It seems beauty really can make men more diligent than a lapdog. “Did you bring the valve stem wrench?” he asked. I shook my head. “You’ve never done this kind of work at home. We don’t have the wrench you mentioned.” “Oh well, forget it then, Sam. You should go back with Aria. I’ll call a professional to fix the AC. Don’t trouble yourself,” Molly said, hugging her arms. Her thin fabric was almost see-through, and from Samuel’s angle, he could perfectly see her enticing curves. After years of marriage, based on my understanding of him, I noticed Samuel was actually getting aroused. He quickly turned away, trying to hide it. “Alright then, call me if you need any more help,” he said. I looked around, taking in the messy state of the room. On the large table were instant noodle cups that had been left out for a long time, while the window table displayed an elaborate dessert stand. On an old plastic hanger hung a pair of GUCCI’s latest black stockings. The contrast between slovenliness and sophistication was perfectly embodied in one person. Molly was a boudoir model. She normally couldn’t afford to live in our neighborhood, but she had rented this house for a photoshoot. Her Instagram was full of posts showing a luxurious lifestyle and artistic poetry. And my husband would comment “Admirable!” on every single post, consistently liking them rain or shine, his excessive care almost spilling off the screen. I had never noticed these thoughts of his before because I didn’t use Instagram. She looked at Samuel standing next to me with a sour expression: “I’m so envious of Aria! Financially independent, with such a good husband by her side every day. Not like me.” Molly had been married for three years, but her husband worked overseas and only came back a few times a year. At this moment, I suddenly noticed a brand new Hermès bag on the table. Without even thinking, I knew Samuel had bought it for her. She saw me staring and proudly lifted her chin. “Isn’t it pretty? A big fan bought it for me!” “You know, as a woman, you have to be independent. You can’t just rely on your husband. The real skill is making other men willingly spend money on you.” Samuel’s expression didn’t change a bit. “Honey, do you like this style? I’ll buy you one someday.” I almost laughed out cold. He really was a hypocrite through and through, using my money to play the generous and gallant man. When I first met Samuel, he was still a vibrant college student on the green football field. I was already working at a research institute and had made a name for myself. Occasionally, when I went back to my alma mater as a guest lecturer, I would see him on the basketball court. When he dunked, the wind would lift his tank top, revealing his pumping abs. His waist and abdomen would contract, his eyes blazing with passion. Whenever he saw me, his ears would turn bright red as he called me “big sis.” There was a six-year age gap between us. Although I was moved, I didn’t really entertain any serious thoughts. Later, he took a part-time job at the gym where I had a membership, volunteering to be my diving instructor. One thing led to another, and we naturally got together. In adult relationships, I didn’t shy away from what we were both after. Before we got married, I made it clear to him that as long as he maintained his abs, I could support him financially. He wouldn’t need to worry about making money. Besides working at the research institute, I also invested in the US stock market and had a considerable income. I would give him $200,000 in pocket money every month. My only requirement for him, apart from maintaining his physique, was fidelity. Yet he still fell for someone else. Unfortunately, once a man is tainted, there’s no reason for him to exist anymore.

These past few days, the temperature on the streets at noon had reached a frightening 113°F (45°C). Just like in my previous life, I had stocked up on various supplies and was calmly facing this natural disaster. All outdoor work had completely stopped, switching to online remote work. Only personnel in certain special positions were still gritting their teeth and persevering. The internet was constantly filled with anxiety. Even a one-hour water outage could cause widespread panic. The recent trending topic was about an elderly scavenger who collapsed on the street. His skin stuck to the asphalt surface, causing severe burns that led to his death. Netizens were praying and mourning, but no one used the candle emoji anymore because it was just too hot. As the high temperatures persisted, power systems in many places experienced problems, and news of heat-related deaths became more frequent. But in my little mansion, I remained vigilant, conserving electricity and not daring to let my guard down. Fortunately, my parents lived in a colder northern city, where the terrifying heatwave hadn’t spread yet. “Aria, it’s only in the 80s (30s°C) here, and we have enough supplies. Don’t worry about us, just take good care of yourself!” my mom said. I reminded my parents to use the air conditioning without hesitation, and then transferred $10,000 to them for electricity bills. This allowed me to focus on devising a perfect hunting plan to get revenge on the cheating couple. As the heatwave descended, Molly had already fainted several times at home, each time calling my husband to take her to the hospital. I didn’t stop him, still calmly eating ice-cold watermelon on the sofa while watching TV. Samuel finally couldn’t hold back and made the same request to me. “Aria, why don’t we invite Molly to stay with us?” “We have plenty of supplies, and how much can a frail woman eat? What’s wrong with helping out a neighbor?” This time, I didn’t even think before agreeing. “Sure, honey. Of course we should help our neighbors.” I smiled and went along with Samuel. He seemed surprised that I agreed so readily, nodding appreciatively. “I knew my wife was the most kind-hearted and generous. Please don’t feel bothered by this.” But he didn’t know that I had already upgraded the whole-house system of the mansion. Dear husband, how could I feel bothered? I can’t wait for you both to come and deliver yourselves to death. On the first day Molly moved in, she secretly wore clothes from my walk-in closet. When I called her out for dinner, Samuel’s eyes were filled with undisguised admiration. “Why are you wearing Aria’s clothes?” he asked. Molly said, “I saw so many beautiful clothes in Aria’s closet, I couldn’t resist trying them on.” My husband couldn’t help but praise her again. “I think it suits you very well. Aria has so many clothes anyway, this one can be yours.” He didn’t even ask for my opinion, clearly treating me like thin air. But I just shrugged indifferently. It was just a piece of clothing, I didn’t mind at all being the most patient hunter. Even while staying home to avoid the heat, Molly claimed to be career-minded and wouldn’t give up her modeling work. Samuel enjoyed photography as a hobby, so Molly asked him to help her shoot a set of photos, even coming up with a title: #HotandSpicy! Goddess Street Style in the Heatwave. She said proudly: “I plan to send it to the editor of a fashion magazine. I have a feeling this set will definitely go viral.” I glanced at Molly’s new outfit. It turned out she had cut up my $20,000 dress, transforming it from its original simple home style into a revealing, tattered look. In my past life, as they were taking photos like this, they ended up rolling into the bathtub together. Samuel knew that I always had a regular schedule, going to bed early at 9:30 PM. Today, I even made an excuse that I wasn’t feeling well due to my period, telling him to sleep alone, conveniently creating the perfect opportunity for him. As night fell, I coldly stared at the computer screen. Sure enough, Samuel and Molly went to my largest bathroom. While countless people outside were dying from the heat, they turned on the air conditioning to a cool 75°F (24°C), not cherishing the precious electricity resources at all, and started taking a bubble bath together. Samuel hugged the woman in his arms, gently massaging shower gel onto her body. Seductive moans could be heard from the bathroom. Molly looked at him with bedroom eyes. “If your wife finds out, she’ll definitely kill me. Your wife is so scary.” Although she said this, she showed no fear at all, giggling flirtatiously. Samuel frowned: “That old hag? I’m just putting on an act with her. She’s after my looks, I’m after her money. She’s crazy about me, no need to worry about her.” He cupped the woman’s face, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Tonight, why don’t you be on top? I’ll be at your mercy.” Molly playfully hit his chest. “You tease! Only you know how to sweet-talk me like that.” I felt sick to my stomach. How could I ever have fallen for such a despicable man? Meanwhile, I acted like the sleeping husband in those Japanese movies, completely oblivious. Fifteen minutes later, they finished, not realizing the bathroom door had automatically locked. Samuel grinned mischievously, “Still feeling hot?” Molly blushed, mumbling something indistinct. “…Your ‘big popsicle’ is the best way to cool down in this heat, honey.” Afterwards, they turned on the overhead shower, embracing under the water. Through the surveillance, I watched their entangled bodies. My bathroom was also a sauna room, with remotely controlled temperature and shower settings. When the sauna mode was activated, the dry heat could reach over 167°F (75°C), potentially going as high as 212°F (100°C). However, the human body can hardly withstand such extreme heat and sweating. If the time isn’t controlled, it can easily be fatal. Remembering how I was literally roasted to death in my past life, I shuddered, my teeth chattering from the cold in this scorching weather. Since they were seeking thrills, why not indulge them? With that thought, I pressed the temperature control button without hesitation.

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During my post-abortion checkup, Adrian once again made an excuse to suddenly leave. This had become a familiar occurrence, so I was used to it. I had to admit that I was stung with a sense of abandonment at first, but slowly, I no longer cared. I took the medicine after the checkup and went back by myself. As I made my way home, I could not shake the feeling of loneliness that seemed to echo within me. I opened Twitter once I arrived, and saw someone named Lovely One tagged Adrian in a post. It read, [Just had a sore throat, but he insisted on dragging me to the hospital and has been accompanying me since. After all this time, you’re still the best!] I did not bother to ask Adrian why he kept lying to me, nor did I lose my temper like I used to. Looking back, I should have felt betrayed and confronted him, but it just felt like another exhausting chore, another hurdle in a race I no longer cared to win. Later, he took this Lovely One to the company’s team building event, and I received intimate photos of them. Was I angry? No. On a different occasion, I ran into him holding Lovely One’s child on the street, looking like a family of three. I had to admit that I was surprised to find myself smiling calmly and said, “The child needs a father figure. You should spend more time with them, Adrian.” Adrian, however, grabbed me in a panic and asked anxiously, “Madeline, why don’t you care at all?” ***** I had a miscarriage because someone accidentally collided with me on my way home from work. Today was the second month after my abortion surgery, so Adrian accompanied me for a checkup. I did not stop him as he left in a hurry after making an excuse. No longer did I cling to him, pleading for his company as I once did. Watching Adrian’s back as he slowly walked away, an unexpected wave of detachment washed over me. I suddenly realized that his presence or absence held little effect over my emotions. I did not seem to be that sad anymore when he was not around. A nurse called my name, and I quietly accepted the test results before gathering my things and heading home. Not long after, I received a message from Adrian, which read, [Madeline, you can go home on your own, can’t you? I still have things to do.] In the past, I would have refused desperately and replied with something like, [But I need you to come get me.] Now, it just felt pointless to do so. With a resigned acceptance, I simply typed, [Ok.] I put away my phone and hailed a cab. As I settled into the backseat, a familiar sight caught my eyes. It was Adrian’s car. Well, that was odd. Why would he return to the hospital? Did he not he say he could not pick me up? As soon as I got home, I saw Lovely One tagged Adrian in a post on Twitter, which read, [Just had a sore throat, but he insisted on dragging me to the hospital and has been accompanying me since. After all this time, you’re still the best!] Unsurprisingly, Sophie posted a photo in her WhatsApp status with the same exact words. A corner of Adrian’s shirt was visible in the picture. It was the one I had picked out for him on his birthday. Yes, the Lovely One was Sophie Davis, Adrian’s childhood sweetheart. A few years back, Sophie had moved with her wealthy husband out of town. However, fate had taken a harsh turn last year when her husband went bankrupt. Following their divorce, she returned with a four-year-old child. In Adrian’s eyes, I was nothing more than a replacement for Sophie after she left. However, I had been deeply in love with him at the time, foolishly choosing to marry him. At one time, I had even wanted to get pregnant and bear his child. The following miscarriage was probably a sign, having a child with Adrian would not be good for me or the baby. After taking the prescribed medication, I drifted off to sleep. The creak of the door woke me up in the middle of night. “What did the doctor say today?” Adrian came to my bedside and gently stroked my head I caught a foreign scent on him, a woman’s perfume. My head shook in a silent refusal as I avoided his hand. “Nothing important.” I forced a smile and continued, “Everything’s fine.” Adrian nodded and offered a hurried explanation, “Work just got hectic and I’ve been kept very busy lately.” Instead of calling him out on his lie, I rolled over and went back to sleep. “Well, maybe you should take a shower before going to bed.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he said nothing. I then heard the bathroom’s door being opened and the trickles of the shower.   The next day was a pre-dawn shift, so I went to the hospital early. After the morning meeting ended, I received a call from Adrian. His voice was dripped with a subtle annoyance when he said, “Madeline, why didn’t you wake me up? You left early without telling me and I overslept.” I used to take care of him in every possible way and even more so after we got married. Clothes laid out, breakfast prepared with love and a gentle morning call, a routine I meticulously followed. His tone now suggested that he took those things for granted. It was as if my acts of love were mere obligations, a chore I was simply expected to perform. However, I was never his caretaker, I was his wife. I had the right to refuse. “Well, since you’re going to be late, you’d better get up soon.” He asked again, “What am I going to wear today?” “Just choose whatever you want to wear. It’s all in the closet,” I replied. “But I can’t find it….” Adrian tried to say. My colleague called me over for some help, so I hurriedly said, “I have something else to attend to, I need to go. Just find your clothes yourself.” Barely a moment later, Adrian’s message pinged on the screen. It read, [The shirts are wrinkled! You haven’t ironed them yet? I can’t show up in the office wearing them.] It did not stop there. Another one came, saying, [You haven’t prepared breakfast either?] Just then, the department head happened to call me over, so I did not have time to reply to Adrian. “Madeline, good news!” he boomed, “After assessing your performance, it looks like the hospital wants to discuss your further training. Oh, look, you’re fully recovered now, too.” I had initially planned to marry Adrian and have children, so I declined the hospital’s offer before I was pregnant. But now I figured it out. Marrying him, building a family, those naïve aspirations had lost their charms. Staying with Adrian felt not just pointless, but foolish. “I’ve thought about it, sir. I’ll go,” I replied with a newfound conviction. “Excellent choice!” The department head was practically beamed. He then asked me to prepare everything and said he would notify me when the date was set. His enthusiasm was infectious. I agreed that the time was indeed right. This was my ticket to a future I could finally design on my own terms.

Time seemed to melt away as I dove into work. Before I knew it, the world outside the window had turned to dark. However, just as I settled in with another stack of documents, Adrian called me. “Why aren’t you home yet? Where’s dinner?” I found the very thought of returning to Adrian was somehow revolting. That was why I stayed in the office preparing documents until late. “My colleague had something urgent coming up and had to switch shifts with me. Takeout’s probably your best bet tonight,” I said, casually found an excuse. “Takeout?” Adrian sounded surprised. Back then, eating out was not even an option for us. I practically catered to every meal, three times a day. “Is there anything wrong?” I asked him. “No.” Adrian hesitated before continuing, “Just take care of yourself and don’t get too tired.” “Thank you,” I replied flatly. Adrian was silent for a while, then asked again, “Madeline, are you angry?” The question, so slow to come, sparked a flicker of something akin to anger. But mostly, it was a disappointment. Was he truly this oblivious, or simply did not care about my feelings? However, it did not matter. I would not be angry anymore.   In an apologetic tone, Adrian took the initiative to explain, “Madeline, it’s not easy for Sophie to raise a child alone. She doesn’t know anyone else here. She only has me.” His words felt like a slap. He conveniently forgot sometimes that, I too, only had him. “Of course, I understand. She must’ve been through a lot,” I answered calmly. “Madeline, what’s that supposed to mean? What’s your attitude?” He lost his temper all of a sudden. “I said I understand,” I repeated, my voice losing its lightness, “Is that a problem?” “Do you have to talk to me like that?” he snapped. “Then what do you want me to say?” I countered, frustration creeping in. Silence fell between us, heavy and suffocating. Finally, he mumbled a defeated, “Do as you wish,” before hanging up. Wasn’t it ironic? He once said I was annoying when I questioned him visiting Sophie. And when I called him to ask when he would be back from Sophies’s, I was also the annoying one. Now, even trying to understand him earned me his frustration. With a sigh, I tossed my phone aside. Dwelling on it would not change anything. There was more important thing to do, like a stack of documents in front of me. The night shift ended and I deliberately lingered after cleaning up my desk. The thought of returning home, held no appeal. When I arrived, Adrian had already left for work. I took a shower and went off to sleep, but just as I began to drift off, had the tranquility was shattered by the insistent ringing of my phone. It was Adrian. “Madeline,” he sounded like he was holding back pain, “my… my stomach hurts.” I mumbled a response, but I was too tired and fell back asleep. In a dream, I seemed to hear Adrian calling my name, but the sound felt distant, so I pushed the dream away. After some time, I was completely awakened by the sound of the door opening. Adrian stood by the bed, his face a mask of hurt. “Madeline, why don’t you care anymore? You used to be worried when I was sick and you would even make porridge and give me medicine.” That was indeed the old me. I remembered it only too clearly. Once, Adrian had a stomachache, so I asked for leave to bring him medicine at his office. As luck had it, I got caught in the rain on my way there, leaving my hair soaked and me looking quite a mess. However, things just got better when his colleagues laughed at my appearance and Adrian did not even try to stop them. To top it off, he told me never to come to his office again because, in his words, I was an embarrassment. “Are you feeling better now?” I rubbed my eyes. “We might be out of medicine, though. Maybe you can grab some yourself.” Adrian was speechless, then frustration boiled over. He grabbed my arm and shouted, “Madeline, how long are you going to keep fighting with me about Sophie? I told you, there’s nothing between her and me!” “Oh, okay,” I said, my calm a stark contrast to his anger. In a fit of rage, Adrian slammed the door and left. The silence that followed was liberating.   Days bled into each other. After leaving, Adrian did not go home for several days and I did not bother to ask where he went. On the third day, my phone screen flickered with a message from him. He said that he was on a business trip and shared his location. [Okay, stay safe,] I typed. A sardonic chuckle escaped my lips. Just after sending the reply, a picture Sophie posted on Twitter taunted me from my feed. The caption read, [First holiday in what seems like forever. I never thought I’d miss cotton candy! Someone insisted on buying it for me.] The accompanying picture showed Adrian’s hand, with our wedding ring still on his finger. Moreover, the location on Sophie’s tweet matched the one Adrian had sent me. The ring on my own finger felt like a searing ember, so I took it off and threw it into the drawer. Since then, work became my refuge. I busied myself to push aside the churning emotion within. When Adrian would return became a question lost in the whirlwind of activity, a question I no longer cared to answer. Unexpectedly, he came to the hospital one day to pick me up after my shift. A wave of surprise washed over me as I saw a familiar car parked across the street. “Why are you here?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. That day was particularly exhausting. “Did you forget that today is our wedding anniversary?” he answered after opening the door for me. “Oh,” I mumbled, “sorry. I’ve been really busy and it slipped my mind.” “Madeline, you used to care about this the most, didn’t you? How could you forget?” Adrian was stunned for a moment before replying.

In the past, whether it was a wedding anniversary or his birthday, I never forgot. Dinners meticulously planned, decorations painstakingly chosen, all fueled by a need to celebrate and enjoy our time together, to show him how much he meant to me. But, those efforts, once met with smiles and anticipation, were later dismissed as “over the top” and “embarrassing.” I still remembered his words when I decided to throw a surprise party in a restaurant. He said, “Madeline, you’re making such a big deal out of this. Everyone’s looking at us. It’s very uncomfortable, you know?” I thought he would be happy, but instead, he dragged me away in front of colleagues and friends. So, now, there was really nothing to celebrate. The spark had died out. “Come on, let’s go have dinner and celebrate,” he said, ushering me into the car. As Adrian drove, the silence stretched between us. He stole glances at me, searching my face for a flicker of the old enthusiasm. “Madeline, what’s wrong? Are you upset?” he finally blurted out. “No.” I shook my head. “No?” he echoed, his voice rising in frustration. “Then why the attitude? Here I am, putting in the effort, picking you up for dinner. Can’t you at least pretend to appreciate it?” “I’m not angry, Adrian.” “Fine!” He let out a long sigh. “I promise, no more contact with Sophie again, Okay?” I stared at him. Did he really think a simple gesture could erase months of lies and betrayal? “Are you happy now?” he asked again. I did not answer and remain silent for the rest of trip. The car drove all the way to a fancy restaurant. Apparently, Adrian had gone all out, reserving a table and even arranging for flowers and a gift. The scene was a picture of romantic bliss, complete with envious glances from other diners. However, before I opened the gift, Adrian’s phone rang. “Fever? Do you have any medicine?” he asked, answering the call. “I can’t take you to the hospital today, I have something to do. What? That high? Okay, wait for me. I’ll be right over.” Hanging up, Adrian turned to me, his eyes filled with a mixture of awkwardness and something I could not quite decipher. “Madeline, it’s Sophie. Her child has a fever. I need to….” I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat. “It’s fine,” I managed, my voice a monotone that surprised even me. “You should go. The child’s important.” He stood up and hesitated for a moment before looking at me again. “Wait for me to come back and pick you up. I’ll be back soon.” With that, he hurriedly grabbed his coat and left. I was left alone, staring at the half-eaten cake. Rain lashed against the windowpanes, mimicking the tears I refused to shed. After a sigh, I finished the cake, then got up and left. A cab passed by and I hailed it to go home. However, I did not bring an umbrella, and there was still a bit of a walk from the entrance to our apartment building. The drizzle hit my face, making it very cold. After I got in and took a shower, I saw Sophie’s tweet with a picture. It was Adrian accompanying her and her child. The warm yellow light in their room was a stark contrast to the coldness of the rain outside.   Adrian did not come home until the next morning. As soon as he came back, he started explaining, “Jesse had a high fever all night. It wouldn’t go down.” Jesse was Sophie’s child. To my ears, the name felt like a foreign word. “Is everything okay now? Why didn’t you stay longer? It must be hard for Sophie to handle a sick child alone,” I asked after offering a curt nod. Adrian paused mid-motion when taking his coat off, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. “Are you being sarcastic again?” He sighed, the sound heavy with weariness, real or feigned, I could not tell. “Look, I didn’t sleep all night. I’m very tired.” “Then you should get some rest. I’m going to work.” I turned around and reached for my bag. “Madeline….” He pulled me and spoke. “What is it?” “We’ll make it up for the anniversary celebration next time, okay?” A ghost of a smile played on my lips, devoid of any feeling. “I’m not mad.” He looked at me inquiringly and hugged me, a gesture that felt as empty as his promises. “There’s a company team-building event this weekend,” he mumbled into my hair. “Let’s go together.” Adrian’s family background was much better than mine. He was a local, and I stayed here after graduation because I married him. His colleagues and friends did not think much of me. Despite their loathing to interact with me, however, they often asked Adrian to have me help them with simple sniffles or coughs because I worked at a hospital. In the past, I would frequently bring Adrian meals or medicine whenever he had stomachache at his office, but he never introduced me to his colleagues. I snapped back to reality and replied, “No, I might have to work overtime next weekend.” “Well, suit yourself.” Adrian gritted his teeth and hissed. I did not go, but I did not expect him to take Sophie instead. My phone buzzed incessantly when I was writing medical records in the office. I had to open it and found out that someone had added me to the group chat for Adrian’s company’s team building event. The pictures from different activities in the event streamed in, and a lot of them featured Sophie. She was having a great time with Adrian’s colleagues, blending right in. During one of the activities, Adrian carried Sophie in his arms like a princess, lifting her from one end of the lawn to the other. Meanwhile, Sophie held onto Adrian’s neck, pressing her cheek against his chest. If she lifted her head just a bit more, she could have kissed his chin. Everyone in the group chat was cheering them on, tagging the two and saying they were a perfect match. Given Adrian’s high position in the company, people were eager to flatter him. One after another, they lined up to comment on how well-matched they were. Since I had been added to the group, it would not look good if I pretended not to see it. So, I followed the crowd and typed two words in the chat, [Perfect match.] I also added a clapping emoji. With a click, I exited the digital charade and put my phone on silent mode. By the time I finished writing the medical records, it was already dark. I took out my phone and found that Adrian had called me dozens of times. One WhatsApp message after another popped up.

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My roommate claimed to be the daughter of a famous CEO. Just as I was wondering which company it was, I heard the name of my mom’s firm. I rushed to the bathroom to make a phone call to my mom, asking excitedly: “Mom, do you have a secret daughter? Does Dad know?” She was even more excited than me: “Yes, your dad knows too.” My face immediately fell, only to see my mom send me a photo of my brother in drag. On the first day of college, I was the last one to arrive at the dorm. I had gotten dirty rescuing a stray dog on the way. When I entered, the previously lively chatter in the room suddenly went quiet for a moment. All five roommates turned to look at me, as if I was an intruder in their territory. Sensing their not-so-friendly gazes, I simply nodded and went in. They quickly resumed their discussion, but as I looked at the bed labeled with my name, I couldn’t help but frown. There were six beds in total in the dorm. My assigned bed was the upper left bunk in the middle, but that bed was already made up. “Did anyone get the bed assignments mixed up?” I asked in a neutral tone, interrupting their conversation. The room fell silent again. After a while, Chloe, wearing a white dress, smiled at me and said softly: “It was me. My bed is below yours, but I’m not used to having someone sleep above me. I wanted to switch with you, but you hadn’t arrived yet, so I went ahead and made the bed.” I nodded in understanding and said: “Then let’s switch back. I’m not used to it either.” Chloe paused for a moment, her smile faltering: “But I… I’m allergic to dust mites…” My eyes lit up and I smiled: “What a coincidence, I’m allergic to dust mites too.” Chloe’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Her friend Zoe, who was standing next to her, couldn’t bear to watch and said with a sneer: “How can you compare yourself to Chloe? Do you know who she is? Look at how dirty you are, your mom must be a garbage collector or something.” Emily, who was nearby, rolled her eyes at me and said sarcastically: “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? It’s just switching beds. You came late anyway…” “Eager to defend her? Why don’t you switch with her then?” I looked at Emily as I said this. “You…” Emily was left speechless by my retort, her face turning red as she couldn’t find the words to respond. She could only glare at me angrily along with Chloe, who also looked aggrieved. In an instant, the three of them showed a united front against me, as if I was some kind of heinous villain. I had given up a prestigious private school to come to University A just to be with my online boyfriend. Who would have thought that on the first day of school, I’d run into a nest of mean girls and their lackeys? I decided to lean into the villain role they’d cast me in. I put on a stern face and tapped the bed frame: “Hurry up and move. Either find someone willing to switch with you or rent a place off-campus. Just get out of my bed.” In the end, Chloe moved to the lower bunk with a dejected look on her face. As I was unpacking, my roommates started getting ready for bed. Suddenly, Zoe called out: “Chloe, how can you use that expensive black face mask as hand cream?!” Emily also gasped: “As expected of the daughter of Legate Group’s CEO. Even though I’ve seen you use Hermès scarves as cleaning rags before, I still can’t help but feel bad seeing you do this.” Hearing Emily’s words, I paused what I was doing and glanced over. Legate Group? My mom’s company? Does my mom have a secret daughter?! Chloe graciously accepted their flattery and said generously: “It’s not a big deal. If you like them, I’ll give you some later. I have unopened ones in my suitcase.” The two roommates let out shrill screams of excitement. Zoe hugged her enthusiastically and said: “Chloe, I sleep in the upper bunk. Why don’t you switch beds with me? So you don’t have to deal with certain people’s attitude.” Emily chimed in: “Yeah, or just ask the counselor to have her moved out. I heard your mom is a major shareholder of the university and donates money every year. Switching beds should be no problem, right?” Emily’s words were true. My mom does donate money every year because she’s an alumna of University A and wants to give back. Even if you are my mom’s secret daughter, you can’t just do whatever you want, right? My mom donates, not bribes, okay? Chloe pursed her lips and said softly: “Actually, Mom bought me a villa near the university, but she said I should be low-key when I’m away from home. Plus, I want to live with you guys.” I nodded inwardly. A secret daughter should indeed keep a low profile. “See? Rich people just have better manners. Unlike some people,” Zoe said, shooting a pointed glance at me. Chloe followed suit, looking at me smugly. I rolled my eyes and hurried to the bathroom to call my mom and find out what was really going on. When I asked if she had a secret daughter, my mom scolded me and even docked half a month’s allowance. I pouted. Whatever, it’s not like I spend all of it every month anyway.

After Freshman Orientation Week, there was a welcome party where Chloe performed a dance of indeterminate style. During the free socializing time, she used her status as the Legate Group heiress to steal the spotlight. Many guys actively approached her, asking her to dance. I didn’t have time to bother with her. I was busy searching the crowd for my online boyfriend. I had been in an online relationship since high school. He had seen my face, but never showed me his. He was always asking to borrow money from me too. What he didn’t know was that I had long figured out who he was. His name was Lucas, and he had been quite popular with the girls in high school. When I finally spotted Lucas in the crowd, I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. He didn’t look as clean-cut and handsome as he had in high school, and his figure had gotten a bit out of shape. But I’m not shallow about looks. Even though he wasn’t as handsome as before, he had always treated me well. Plus, he had sworn that he would only love me from now on. To give him a surprise, I pretended to bump into him by chance. I went up to chat with him, asking if his username was “Beyond the Years”. Lucas looked at me for a moment, then said with an odd expression: “No, that’s my roommate’s username.” I was taken aback. I hadn’t changed that much, had I? We had been video chatting all summer, how could he not recognize me? “Sorry, I have something to do,” he said abruptly, hurrying away before I could respond. I saw him walk up to Chloe and extend his hand gentlemanly, inviting her to dance. That’s when I understood. He was dumping me, right? He must have set his sights on Chloe’s status as the Legate heiress. Noticing my gaze, Chloe raised an eyebrow at me triumphantly, then took Lucas’s hand. I spat in disgust. A liar and a gold digger – a match made in heaven! After the party ended, Lucas and Chloe had disappeared. When I got back to the dorm, Chloe and the other two roommates were there. Seeing me, Zoe deliberately raised her voice to ask: “Chloe, you must have gotten a lot of confessions today, right? Did anyone catch your eye?” Chloe smiled shyly, but her words were far from modest. “They’re all worth getting to know. That senior Lucas wasn’t bad. He helped me carry my luggage at the start of the semester. He asked me out to a trendy restaurant tomorrow.” The room fell awkwardly silent for a moment. Zoe was the first to cheer: “Senior Lucas is the campus heartthrob in his junior year, and he’s the student council president too! Some people shamelessly tried to chat him up earlier, not knowing their place.” As she said this, she shot me a sideways glance. I was pretty annoyed, but could only silently curse Lucas for being such a two-faced jerk. Originally he said he would come pick me up when school started, but that day I waited for him at the station for half an hour without seeing him. The last school bus came, so I had to leave. It wasn’t until I got to the school gates that I received a text from him. Just a brief message: “Too busy, no time to come. See you another day.” So that day he was busy picking up Chloe?

It would be too easy to just let that jerk off the hook. At the very least, I needed to get back the money he had borrowed from me. Hearing the restaurant location Chloe mentioned, I followed them there the next day. When I went in, the atmosphere in the restaurant was lively. In the crowd, I saw Lucas holding a bouquet of champagne roses in one hand and a necklace box in the other, gazing lovingly at Chloe sitting at the table. “The meaning of champagne roses is that falling in love with you is the greatest happiness of my life. Just like my feelings for you, Chloe…” “Will you be my girlfriend?” Hearing these all-too-familiar words, I felt a bit nauseous. The exact same confession, different flowers. The value of the flowers probably represented the different prices Lucas put on us in his heart. People around started cheering. Chloe’s face showed a mix of surprise and emotion as she opened her mouth, about to accept the confession. “Wait!” I pushed through the crowd and walked up to the two of them. Seeing me, both Lucas and Chloe were surprised, though Lucas’s expression held a hint of nervousness. I looked at him calmly and deliberately said: “Lucas, since you’ve found yourself a big corporate heiress, why don’t you pay back the money you owe me? It’s a total of $10,000.” Lucas tried to keep his composure but couldn’t meet my eyes. He spoke in a distant and disdainful tone: “Excuse me, miss, take a good look at yourself. How could I possibly know someone like you?” I didn’t bother arguing with him. I just dialed a number, and his phone immediately started ringing. Lucas’s face turned pale. I hung up the call and raised an eyebrow at him: “Still want to deny it?” Lucas lowered his head, his face a mix of anger and shame. Chloe seemed to realize something and glared at me before storming off. Lucas saw this and wanted to chase after her, but I grabbed him: “Either you admit you’re not a real man, or I’ll consider this measly amount as money wasted on feeding a dog.” He clenched his fist and shot me a gloomy look, then reluctantly spoke: “I don’t have that much money right now. Can I pay you back in installments?” “Fine, I’ll give you two weeks. If you don’t pay up by then, I’ll go to the police and you can forget about staying in school.”

When I got back to the dorm, I overheard Chloe talking to Zoe. I’m not sure what Chloe said, but Emily indignantly exclaimed: “I can’t believe Senior Lucas is that kind of person. He hasn’t even dealt with his loose ends outside and he’s already chasing our Chloe. Isn’t that disgusting?” Chloe sighed: “Lucas told me he doesn’t like Alice at all and never borrowed money from her. He only chatted with her a bit because she’s a junior. Alice just misunderstood.” “Huh? I knew it. How could Senior Lucas like that kind of poor girl? She doesn’t even wear branded clothes.” “Forget it. My boyfriend isn’t any worse than Lucas anyway. If Alice likes him, she can have him. It’s not up to me whether Lucas wants her or not.” Emily sighed: “Chloe, you’re too nice. Why are you even considering her feelings?” I couldn’t listen anymore. I pushed open the door and walked in, smiling at Chloe: “That’s right, don’t bother considering my feelings. You have a hobby of sorting trash, but I don’t have a habit of collecting garbage. After all, trash belongs in the trash can.” “What do you mean?” Chloe’s face flushed red with anger. Emily patted her and comforted her: “Don’t get upset over a poor girl. She’s just jealous of you.” I couldn’t help but laugh and asked her: “What am I jealous of? Her fake goods? Or her collecting trash?” “What nonsense are you spouting? Are you crazy? What fake goods?” Emily looked baffled. I glanced at the skincare products on her and Emily’s desks and kindly reminded them: “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you’ll find out when your faces break out and you end up in the hospital.” “How dare you curse me?!” Emily got emotional. Chloe held her back: “Forget it, don’t bother with her. She probably just hasn’t seen the real thing before.” “Right, sour grapes because she can’t have it.” Although angry, Emily still had some sense and didn’t use Chloe’s skincare products that night. When Chloe asked, she just said she had already used them. Two mornings later, a scream rang out from the bathroom. Everyone was woken up by the noise. I drowsily pulled back the curtain to take a look and almost fell out of bed in shock. Zoe’s face was covered in dense clusters of pimples, and her neck had a rash-like patch of bumps. “Help! Am I going to be disfigured? It’s so itchy…” She kept scratching until her whole face looked awful. “You should go to the hospital right away,” suggested one of the roommates. “I’ll go with you. Chloe, why don’t you come along?” Zoe glanced hopefully at Chloe’s bed. She was the only one who hadn’t pulled back her curtains and seemed to still be sleeping. Usually she would complain if I so much as rolled over in bed, but today she was sleeping so soundly? In the end, only Emily went with Zoe to see the doctor. When they came back, I had just used the bathroom and was about to go out. I overheard Zoe saying dejectedly: “Why did you stop me earlier? That quack doctor actually said I used substandard skincare products. Those were all from Chloe, how could they be substandard?” Emily was silent for a moment before saying hesitantly: “Maybe she didn’t know the stuff was fake. Anyway, you should stop using it for now. And don’t tell Chloe, so she doesn’t overthink it.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. These two lapdogs were practically Chloe’s brainwashed fans. To my surprise, Chloe actually took the initiative to tell the two of them that she had been scammed with fake goods. Zoe had stopped using Chloe’s products on Emily’s advice, and her skin gradually recovered. A few days later at a class meeting, our counselor suddenly announced some big news. “As you all know, Mrs. Johnson from Legate Group is an alumna of our school and has donated several buildings. Recently, she donated another dormitory in her daughter’s name. You should all know that her daughter is in our class…” At these words, everyone turned to look at Chloe.

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I had a task system bound to me. I had been by Adrian’s side for eight years when he accidentally overheard my conversation with the system. I lied to him, saying I was here to win his heart. From then on, he stopped coming home at night, completely abandoning his former image as the model boyfriend. He kept me trapped by his side, letting his friends humiliate me, forcing me to watch him being intimate with other women. But winning his heart was just my lie. My real mission was already complete, and it was time for me to leave. According to this world’s timeline, I had been with Adrian for eight years. Today was my birthday. It was already 8 PM, and Adrian still hadn’t come home. However, I saw traces of him on Instagram. He was surrounded by women, looking like he was having the time of his life. Even though I knew the truth, I still sent Adrian a message asking if he was coming back. Adrian replied quickly with a video call. In the video, Adrian adjusted the angle to show everyone in the private room. I saw several sleazy-looking men among the scantily clad beautiful women. Adrian then turned the camera back to himself and said teasingly, “Kiss me.” Immediately, two women leaned into the frame and planted a kiss on each of Adrian’s cheeks. One of the women even greeted me, “Hey sis, don’t worry about Adrian. We’re taking good care of him!” Adrian smiled contentedly. He went out of his way to send me this video just to upset me. Just half a year ago, Adrian was still praised by everyone as the model boyfriend. Now, when his friends saw me, their eyes were filled only with pity.

Adrian was the CEO protagonist of this world. My task was to help Adrian accumulate wealth before he met the female lead. But when I first met Adrian, he was still a poor college student living on scholarships. Adrian’s original family background not only left him in poverty but also affected his personality, making him insecure and stubborn. Back then, in that tiny 100-square-foot rental apartment, I already predicted that the future Adrian would definitely be a dark and obsessive CEO. Adrian’s feelings for me came suddenly. To maintain our relationship and ensure the smooth completion of my task, I became Adrian’s girlfriend. Last month, Adrian accidentally overheard my conversation with the system. Afraid of exposing my real mission, I lied to Adrian, saying my task was to win his heart. After that day, Adrian’s attitude towards me changed 180 degrees. He started bringing all sorts of women home and deliberately showing intimacy in front of me. It would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt. I had been with him for eight years; even if I were made of stone, I would have developed some feelings. I didn’t understand why eight years of feelings could change so suddenly. Even if Adrian felt that I had betrayed his feelings, considering how I had helped his career progress step by step, he should have at least parted ways with me amicably. But he insisted on bringing women to upset me, to humiliate me. I also deeply realized that developing feelings was a big taboo for the mission. Fortunately, I had the foresight not to tell him my real mission. Otherwise, I didn’t know if I could leave smoothly. After watching the video Adrian sent, I couldn’t accept it for a moment and hesitantly reminded him: “Today is my birthday.” Adrian’s response was, “So what if it’s your birthday?” I laughed self-mockingly. I can’t believe I still fantasized about him changing. I turned off my phone and looked at the dishes I had prepared on the table. I picked up my fork. I had barely eaten a few bites when Adrian messaged again: “I’ve been drinking and can’t drive. Come pick me up.” I didn’t want to face that room full of women, but knowing that none of his friends were reliable, I was worried something might happen. As far as I knew, Adrian had an important project recently. Once Adrian secured it, my task progress bar should be full. Just bear with it a little longer. Adrian probably looked forward to my departure too.

As soon as I opened the door to the private room, I saw a haze of smoke. At first glance, I thought everyone in the room was practicing some kind of mystical cultivation. As soon as they saw me, someone shouted, “The sister-in-law is here!” This was followed by meaningful laughter. These were all Adrian’s drinking buddies, who only gathered to flatter him. Previously, when they saw me, they would still compliment me a bit. Now, knowing Adrian’s cold attitude towards me, they just teased me when we met. “Sister-in-law is so generous, not even getting angry seeing so many women around Adrian.” How could I not be angry? But showing anger would only make Adrian laugh at me. In the dim light, I couldn’t see Adrian’s expression clearly, but I heard his cold laugh. Adrian had asked me to come pick him up, but the gathering showed no signs of ending. They were still as noisy as ever. With no place to sit, I could only stand to the side. Their gazes swept over me, either mocking or teasing. Did Adrian call me here just to embarrass me? I didn’t want to put up with this nonsense anger, so I reminded Adrian: “When are you leaving? I don’t want to wait too long.” Although the room was noisy, Adrian glanced at me. He should have heard me speak, but he turned his head to talk to others, ignoring me. With his attitude, I bet even if I whispered in his ear, he would pretend not to hear. I directly picked up the microphone used for singing, making sure the entire room could hear my voice: “If you’re not coming back now, I’m leaving!” Everyone was startled by my action. After a brief silence, someone finally spoke up: “Don’t be in such a hurry. It’s still early! Waiting a bit longer won’t kill you.” With this, everyone started criticizing me: “Sister-in-law, why are you so impatient now? No wonder Adrian doesn’t care for you!” “Don’t be so petty. We’ve barely started having fun!” Adrian let them stab at me one by one before slowly speaking: “You’re so boring. What’s the point of going back?” This sentence seemed to have a hidden meaning, causing another round of laughter. I gritted my teeth, not daring to meet their eyes, staring fixedly at the floor. The woman to Adrian’s left was charming and coquettish. She softly collapsed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck: “I’m much more fun, right, Mr. Adrian?” Adrian allowed the beauty in his arms to touch him freely, but he stared fixedly at me. Adrian seemed to enjoy seeing my discomfort. I wanted to pretend not to care, but I couldn’t help looking at the person in Adrian’s arms. Why did I do so much, only to end up like this? I immediately comforted myself, saying that my task was almost complete, and I would soon forget Adrian after leaving this place. Amidst the sneers, someone suddenly spoke up: “Adrian, if you find your sister-in-law boring, can I borrow her for a couple of days?” The man was drunk and swaying as he approached me from not far away. His words plunged the whole room into a deathly silence. The others were probably wary of Adrian. In their hearts, I was trying to please Adrian, and I was his property. But I wasn’t Adrian’s possession, so how could I be casually given away? I stared at the man, ready to hit him with a bottle when he came closer. Suddenly, someone stood in front of me, blocking the swaying drunk man. He broke the silence: “We shouldn’t joke like this in the future.” I was about to tilt my head to see who this kind person was when I was suddenly pulled into an embrace. Adrian’s cold, suppressed voice exploded above my head: “You don’t need to protect what’s mine!” The next second was the sound of glass shattering, accompanied by Adrian’s fury: “You, get out!” I turned my head to see the drunk man with blood flowing from his forehead, looking dazed. He was completely sobered up now. After Adrian’s outburst, everyone was breathing carefully, not daring to make a sound. For a moment, I mistakenly thought our relationship had returned to the past, that Adrian was still that considerate and thorough man. Adrian had lost interest and led the dazed me out of there. Didn’t he hate me? Why did he defend me? “What are you staring at? Have I mesmerized you?” I was lost in thought, staring at Adrian, and he took the opportunity to tease me. His mood seemed to have stabilized a bit. “Adrian, since you’re already tired of me, I’ll leave tomorrow.” I thought Adrian defended me only because that drunk man had challenged his face. Hearing my words, Adrian furrowed his brows again, gripping my hand tighter. “Impossible!” Adrian only said these three words, not even giving me an explanation. But I felt my suggestion was beneficial for both of us. Why wouldn’t he agree? After walking a couple more steps, Adrian suddenly seemed to realize something. He turned around and came close to me: “Haven’t you been by my side all this time for your mission?” “Now you want to give up on the mission too. Are you hiding something from me?”

I was startled. Had Adrian discovered something? Seeing that I didn’t speak, Adrian guessed on his own: “Or are you playing hard to get?” Hearing this, I felt relieved. Adrian wasn’t as smart as I thought. But I pretended to be seen through, turning my head away awkwardly. Adrian sneered, “I’ve seen all your tricks. Don’t bother.” Then he grabbed my wrist again and threw me into the car. “Cassandra, I won’t let you complete your mission easily. I’ll make you stay by my side and watch me fall in love with someone else.” I laughed coldly, “What deep grudge do you have against me that you’d rather disgust yourself just to hurt me?” Adrian slowly fastened my seatbelt, his voice low: “Everyone who has hurt me must pay the price. You should know this best.” This wasn’t untrue. All of Adrian’s apparent enemies and those who had backstabbed him hadn’t met good ends. I argued, “Even if my feelings for you were fake, all my help was real. You’re being ungrateful!” I don’t know which word struck a nerve with Adrian, but his expression grew colder: “All your clothing, food, housing, and transportation have been paid for by me. Isn’t that repayment enough?” “I don’t need it! I’d be eternally grateful if you just let me complete my mission and leave!” I wasn’t even from this world. All these things he mentioned were useless to me. I wanted to argue more, but seeing the moving scenery outside the window, I suddenly remembered that Adrian’s excuse for calling me over was that he had been drinking and couldn’t drive. But he clearly had a driver, right? Did he call me over just to let that group of unsavory people humiliate me? Adrian had such a vicious heart, completely disregarding our past relationship. Had I spent these eight years devoted to a dog? “I drove here. My car is still parked there!” All my anger was condensed into these two sentences. I swallowed all the curses I wanted to say. The personality of this character couldn’t be changed with just a few words. After all, I hadn’t changed anything in eight years. Adrian was taken aback by my sudden outburst about the car. He paused for a moment, then shouted: “What are you yelling about? That piece of junk won’t get stolen. Don’t worry about it!” There was nothing left to talk about with Adrian. He was dead set on not letting me go. Fortunately, the task was almost over. At worst, we’d just have to disgust each other for a while longer. I turned my head and pretended to doze off, occasionally hearing Adrian arrange tasks with his subordinates. “Thank you for the tip, Mr. Adrian. Remember to come find me next time you miss me, mwah~” Adrian seemed to have deliberately turned on the speakerphone. This affected voice startled me. I saw Adrian’s smiling face in the reflection of the car window. I heard Adrian clear his throat, his tone dropping an octave: “I’ll remember, baby.” So greasy, it made my scalp tingle. I stared at Adrian in the car window, unable to believe that this was the same person who used to hesitate even to hold hands. How could a person change so much in just one month? I felt a lump in my throat, as if a tree I had nurtured for years had been taken away and grown crooked. The woman on the other end spoke again: “Mr. Adrian, won’t you give me a kiss?” It felt like a bolt of lightning struck my head. I couldn’t describe my inner feelings with words. I sat there dumbfounded, waiting for Adrian’s reaction, but he suddenly turned his head and stared at me. I couldn’t see Adrian’s expression clearly in the car window reflection, nor could I understand his thoughts. Adrian stared for a long time, then suddenly spoke: “Come with me on a business trip next week. There’s an important contract.”

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My twin sister attempted suicide and was hospitalized. Her tormentors followed her to the hospital, mocking her for bringing it upon herself. Later, I went to school wearing an identical face to my sister’s. The bullies were excited, but I was even more so. Because I am a born monster, and the only one who could suppress my evil thoughts was my sister. This was my sister’s second suicide attempt. Our parents didn’t hesitate to call the police this time. But even when faced with law enforcement, the main bully remained smug and defiant. “How can you say I bullied her? I could say she bullied me!” she protested. “That’s right, my daughter is such a sweetheart. She wouldn’t even hurt an ant,” her mother chimed in. I watched this mother-daughter duo defend themselves from the other side of the security camera feed. Meanwhile, my sister – who had greeted me cheerfully just this morning – lay weak and pale in her hospital bed. Zoe, the ringleader of the bullies, raised an eyebrow and smirked. “If she acts like a b*tch, I’ll treat her like one. Simple as that. What are you going to do about it? Throw me in jail? I dare you!” She then made a mocking face at my sister, showing not a shred of remorse or fear. Zoe’s mother met my mom’s gaze, her eyes filled with contempt. She quickly looked away, clicking her tongue. “Tch, like mother like daughter. Cut from the same cloth, I see.” My mom let out a casual laugh. I knew that laugh – mom was angry. Mia, Zoe’s little sidekick, seemed to have found her courage. She glared at my sister with disgust. “Cutting your wrists? That’s nothing. If she really wanted to die, she should’ve jumped from the 18th floor. That would’ve turned her into mush for sure. Why bother with wrists? She didn’t even die. I bet she just wants to extort money from us. Right, Zoe?” “Hmph! Ugly people always make a fuss,” Zoe sneered. Due to lack of concrete evidence and the fact that they were all minors, the incident ended with Zoe giving a verbal apology. Back home, our little princess – the one we had cherished and protected – lay motionless in her bed. Bruises of various sizes covered her body. My parents and I finally noticed some things we had missed before. After a long silence, I said, “I’ll go to school in my sister’s place.” My parents understood what I meant. They knew what I was going to do. I turned and went into the bathroom. In the mirror, I saw a face identical to my sister’s staring back at me.

My sister and I are twins. Most people can’t tell us apart. Even our parents have almost mixed us up a few times. Lily loves pink. Her backpack, stationery, and even her bedding are all pink. I, on the other hand, prefer black. Mom often teases Lily, “If I hadn’t given birth to you myself, I’d think we picked you up somewhere!” Mom’s joke isn’t without reason. In our family, Lily is the special one. She’s different from us. She’s naturally pure and kind-hearted, carefully protected by me and our parents since childhood. I, on the other hand, was born with a “condition”. I’m a monster in the eyes of others. Since childhood, only Lily would play with me. To protect others, our parents had me study at home. I didn’t complain because with Lily around, I never felt lonely. Our parents said Lily was our family’s top priority for protection. So, from a young age, I’ve always protected her from the shadows. But we never imagined that after just one year of high school, Lily would end up like this. The doctor said we needed to be careful with Lily’s emotions. I stroked Lily’s forehead and whispered, “Lily, big sister will definitely avenge you.” Just then, a jarring phone ringtone broke the silence. Lily’s face turned ghostly pale. She covered her ears and started screaming. I picked up the phone and opened the message. It was a video. In it, Lily was being held down under a faucet in the bathroom, her wet hair plastered to her cheeks. Her face was red from choking on water. The perpetrators were laughing hysterically in the background. “If I catch you talking to him again, I’ll scratch up your face. See how you like seducing boys in our class then!” The video ended with this threat from the bully. Rage nearly burst through my chest. I closed my eyes for a moment and turned off the phone. Lily’s teeth were chattering. She stammered, “They… they took so many videos of me… without clothes.” I stroked Lily’s hair, looking at her tenderly. “Do you trust your big sister?” Lily nodded. I opened the door and walked into the backyard, where I dug another small patch of fallow ground with a hoe. Soon, there would be another addition here. Nearby, curses and pleas could be heard. “You’ll be struck by lightning! You’ll die a horrible death!”

I put on my sister’s backpack. From now on, I would be Lily, no longer Emma. As soon as I entered the classroom, a book flew towards my face. I dodged it easily. “Where’s Zoe’s breakfast? You want to die?” It was Mia, Zoe’s lapdog. She had been laughing the hardest in the video. It seemed bullying others gave her a sick pleasure. I ignored her and walked straight to my sister’s desk. The wooden desk was covered in insulting words carved into its surface – “btch”, “slt”… “Still admiring those words made specially for you? Can’t get enough? How about we carve them on your face instead?” Mia approached me, looking down with a sneer. Her narrow eyes narrowed further, a malicious smile spreading across her face. “I think that’s a great idea. Zoe would love it.” Something began to swell in my veins, gradually boiling and spreading throughout my body. It was uncontrollable, and I didn’t want to control it. Seeing Mia’s smile made me even more irritated. I stepped forward quickly and swung my right arm. A loud slap echoed through the classroom. Clear fingerprints appeared on her face. “You dare hit me? Just wait until Zoe gets back. You’re dead meat!” Her voice suddenly became shrill, as if her vocal cords had been struck by lightning. “Tsk tsk tsk…” The other classmates seemed surprised that I had hit her. Their smiles quickly froze on their faces. I narrowed my eyes. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you laughing anymore?” When she finally reacted and raised her hand to hit me back, the bell for class rang. She glared at me viciously before returning to her seat. I stuffed my backpack into the desk. It felt wet and sticky inside. It was full of oily residue from various snacks, emitting a nauseating smell. Soon, the homeroom teacher came in. She looked at me first, then said, “Lily, class has started. Why aren’t you sitting down?” “My desk is full of garbage that Zoe and her gang stuffed in there. The chair is also covered in glue.” I watched her expression gradually stiffen. She slowly raised her eyes and snorted coldly. “Are you saying Zoe is targeting you?” I didn’t speak, just stared at her silently. She sneered, “How is that possible? Zoe is the top student in our grade. Why would she target you? Even though Zoe is absent today, I won’t allow you to baselessly accuse her!” Mia looked at me smugly, nodding slightly with a small smirk. “Ms. Lee, I think she’s just jealous of Zoe’s good grades. All the teachers know Zoe is a good student in our class.” “Sit down. If you don’t want to listen to the lesson, that’s fine, but don’t disturb other students,” Ms. Lee glared at me. I pushed the desk over, spilling its contents onto the floor. The garbage was exposed, and oil stains spread across the floor, causing gasps from those around us. Mia glared at me fiercely. “Maybe you’re just a glutton and a slob. You ate snacks and didn’t throw away the trash. Now you’re trying to frame me!” Ms. Lee nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t think Zoe is that kind of person. If she really is targeting you, you should think about why. Why doesn’t she target anyone else? As they say, it takes two to tango…” I rushed forward in one swift motion. A crisp slap echoed through the classroom. I looked at the homeroom teacher contemptuously. “Ms. Lee, do you hear how loud one hand can clap?” No one had expected me to be so bold. Even the homeroom teacher was stunned. My action inevitably infuriated her. Her face turned red, her neck swelling as if about to explode. “Lily! How dare you… how dare you lay hands on a teacher! I see you don’t want to study anymore! I’m calling your parents right now. They can take you home. I don’t think you need to continue your education here!”

Soon, my mom arrived at the school. When she saw me, she gave a slight smile, as if to say “well done.” In the office, the homeroom teacher poured out a litany of complaints to my mom, emphasizing how unruly and disrespectful I was. “As a teacher, I just said one word to her, and she dared to hit me? I’ve been teaching for most of my life, and I’ve never encountered such a disrespectful student!” My mom tilted her head slightly, glancing at her with deep disgust in her eyes. “Ms. Lee, that’s where you’re wrong. Why did Lily only hit you and not other teachers? Have you considered that it might be your problem?” These words sounded familiar. I smiled. The homeroom teacher couldn’t utter a word in response to my mom’s smiling-yet-not-smiling face. In the end, she said, “Let’s go see the principal. We’ll see if they want to keep this worthless student or me, a teacher.” “Fine,” my mom agreed. As soon as we saw the principal, my mom rushed forward to shake his hand. “To think such a small matter would trouble the principal. Our Lily is really inconsiderate. How about this – my husband and I have discussed it. For any student from a poor family with good character, we can sponsor them all the way through graduation.” The principal’s eyes lit up at this. “Really?” My mom nodded. When she looked at the homeroom teacher, her eyes flashed with a challenging light. “We wouldn’t joke about such an important matter, of course.” “That’s good, that’s good. Actually, this isn’t a big deal. Children, you know, are at a mischievous age. She just accidentally hit Ms. Lee once. Ms. Lee has been teaching here for so long, she’s seen all kinds of students. Apart from being a bit naughty, Lily doesn’t have any other problems, right, Ms. Lee?” The homeroom teacher was shaking with anger, her face ashen. After a long while, she nodded. The words she had prepared to expel me stuck in her throat, neither able to come up nor go down. Her face turned an iron blue. I chuckled lightly. This was just the beginning. I believe my sister must have reached out to the homeroom teacher before, begging her to pull her out of the mire. But she chose to turn a blind eye and even aided the bullies. My foolish sister, don’t you see? The very methods you despise are often the most effective in manipulating people. Even when pushed to the brink of suicide, she never told me or our parents about what was happening at school. Whenever we asked, she always brushed it off, saying the teachers were good, the classmates were nice. Even now, she’s still protecting those demons. Because my sister knows that if those people fell into my or our parents’ hands, death would be a mercy for them.

Zoe came back. She seemed to have heard about my story from other classmates. For example, “Lily’s personality has changed dramatically. She even hit a teacher and caused a scene with the principal.” She kicked over my desk. “I was away for two days and you’ve become so tough? Which hand did you use to hit Mia? Let me see.” I smirked coldly, not even bothering to lift my eyelids. I slapped her across the face. “See? I used both hands.” Zoe’s fingers clenched into fists, her knuckles cracking. “You b*tch, how dare you hit me!” She charged at me, and we tumbled into a fight. Her little tricks were nothing new to me. It was just hair-pulling and arm-pinching. She quickly found herself at a disadvantage. I dragged her into the bathroom and shoved her head into the sink. This scene reminded me of my sister. She too had been held under water, unable to breathe. Mia seemed scared stiff. She stood at the bathroom door, hesitating to come in. It wasn’t until Zoe let out a yell that she finally entered, holding a mop. “Mia, what are you standing there for? Strip her clothes off. I’m going to post her video online today and make her famous!” Zoe’s eyes suddenly turned vicious as she was held down in the sink. Her features twisted into a grimace of extreme anger. “If you had the guts to fight me fair and square, I might have some respect for you. But you resort to these dirty tricks. It’s disgusting.” Mia took advantage of my distraction and hit me hard on the back with the mop. In that moment, Zoe broke free from my grip and pinned me down. “Btch, slt, how dare you hit me.” Her nails raked across my face. Only then did the anger on her face give way to pleasure. “You filthy sl*t, let’s see how you seduce men now!” The taste of blood spread in my mouth. Thinking about this, I suddenly laughed. “You target me so much just because I’m prettier than you? You’re jealous that all the boys in class revolve around me, right?” I guessed right. As soon as I said this, Zoe’s face changed. “Who told you to look like such a seductress? Are you so desperate for men? Huh?” My sister’s beauty was undeniable, everyone could see that. Our family had always put a lot of effort into maintaining our appearance. Because… we have our own methods. Looking at Zoe and Mia in front of me, I laughed so hard I could barely stand up straight. People like them should have an even better effect on our beauty regimen. “What are you laughing at, you b*tch!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294559”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #后宫Harem #玄幻Fantsy #惊悚Thriller