Category: English

My mother, Gabriela Hayes, was infamous throughout our town. She had been married 18 times, and each husband had met his demise. The fortune teller claimed she was cursed with bad luck in marriage—that any man who wed her was doomed to die. When she fell gravely ill, she had a double coffin constructed before her death. At her funeral, every man in the village competed for the empty space beside her, each desperate to be buried alongside my mother. ***** Funeral music echoed through the mourning hall when someone broke the silence. “Gabriela prepared a double coffin before she died. She must have feared being alone and wanted a companion in death.” I had been grieving in a daze, but these words snapped me to attention. Looking up in disbelief, I saw the massive ebony coffin where my mother lay, with half the space conspicuously empty. When my mother had commissioned this coffin, I hadn’t thought much of it—I’d assumed she was longing for one of her former husbands. But now someone was suggesting she wanted a living sacrifice to accompany her. I shuddered and was about to protest when another voice called out, “Poor Gabriela died so tragically. How could I bear to let her rest alone? Let me be buried with her!” I recognized the speaker as Ryan Murray from our village. He was 35, two years younger than my mother, and they had barely interacted during her life. Why on earth will he volunteer for burial with Mom? His declaration was like striking a match in a room full of gunpowder. Arguments erupted instantly. “If anyone deserves to be buried with her, it’s me! You’re far too old—do you honestly think Gabriela would want you?” “You all losers! I’m the only one qualified to accompany Gabriela!” “Nonsense! Gabriela always favored handsome men—my son is clearly the best choice!” I watched this unfold with mounting horror, my jaw hanging open. My mother, Gabriela, had earned her reputation as the town widow. She had married 18 times, and each husband had perished. I was her daughter from her first marriage. For as long as I could remember, I had cycled through calling different men “Dad.” Yet over 18 years, each of my 17 stepfathers had died unexpectedly within six months of the wedding. Healthy men succumbed to sudden illness. A woodcutter slipped from a cliff while working. A lifelong snake handler died from a venomous bite. One even inexplicably jumped into a well in the middle of the night—a well that remained sealed to this day. They died one after another. When I was 15, a traveling fortune teller passed through our village and declared that Gabriela was born under a curse—that any man who married her was destined to die. The villagers beat him mercilessly, calling him a fraud. Yet after that, no one dared ask for Gabriela’s hand. Now at her funeral, these same villagers arrived in apparent grief. They had eagerly helped me prepare her body and arrange the memorial. Then, to my shock, they began fighting over who would be buried alive beside her. The quarrel intensified, voices rising until punches began to fly. The verbal dispute transformed into an all-out brawl—men punching faces and kicking groins in their desperation. I backed away, terrified of being caught in the violence. Yet oddly, despite their ferocity, no one fought near the coffin. They seemed to share an unspoken agreement to avoid disturbing Gabriela’s remains. I stood beside her coffin, gazing at her pallid face, speechless. Gabriela had never been particularly beautiful, nor was she a good wife. I had learned to cook by the age of five, fearing we might otherwise starve to death. Moreover, her reputation as a harbinger of death had only grown stronger with each husband’s demise. Eighteen men had died because of her. What madness has seized these men, making them so eager to join her in burial?

The brawl in the mourning hall was short-lived. Mason Boyd, the village head and funeral officiant, quickly intervened. He had been the first to arrive at our home after Gabriela’s death. “Enough!” Mason commanded. “There is only one space beside Gabriela. Whoever earns the privilege of joining her must be decided carefully.” I kept my head down and remained silent, my thoughts in disarray. Even Mason wasn’t opposing the idea of filling the coffin with the living. Why? I spent the entire day in a daze, and finally, the mourners gradually dispersed. I thought I might finally find some peace, but late that night, a shadowy figure slipped into the mourning hall. Startled, I nearly screamed before recognizing Ryan’s face in the dim light. He thrust a bundle into my arms, then rubbed his hands together nervously, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling desire. “Esme,” he said, “your mother died too young and spent her final days alone. It breaks my heart.” He leaned closer. “To be honest, I’ve admired your mother for years. My only wish now is to be buried alongside her.” He clasped my hands. “You’re her daughter—surely you’ll help fulfill my request? Don’t you want her to have a companion on her journey to the afterlife?” Goosebumps spread across my skin, and I couldn’t bring myself to agree. “Mr. Murray, you’re still young. Why sacrifice yourself for my mother?” His expression darkened. “How could you say such a thing? Being buried with your mother would be my greatest honor—a blessing beyond anything I could hope for.” I was speechless. If he hadn’t been speaking so lucidly, I would have suspected he’d been brainwashed. After nearly an hour of his persistent pleading, I gave a vague, noncommittal response just to end the conversation. Little did I know, Ryan wasn’t the only one with this macabre intention. Throughout the night, my house became almost as busy as it had been during the day. Nearly every man in the village returned secretly, each begging me to support their bid to occupy the empty half of Gabriela’s coffin. One woman even brought her sixteen-year-old son. “Esme,” she insisted, “though my boy is young, he fell in love with your mother at first sight. He was too shy to express his feelings because of his age, but he’s the perfect candidate to join her in death!” I was terrified. After sending them away, I locked the gate and hid in the backyard. The following day, while sorting through Gabriela’s belongings, I discovered her suicide note tucked away in a drawer. Gabriela had said little before passing, and I’d assumed she died without concerns. Yet here was evidence she’d left me one final message. The last two sentences of her note would ignite chaos throughout our village. [Esme, if anyone wishes to be buried with me, show them this note. Let them spend the night in my cemetery—whoever survives until dawn may join me in burial.] Mason read the note silently before passing it to the other mourners. The village cemetery lay in the wilderness, untended and crawling with venomous insects, snakes, and ants. At night, even predatory beasts roamed there. I couldn’t fathom Gabriela’s intentions, but her instructions provided a solution to the burial dispute. The mourners exchanged glances, their expressions varied, but no one objected. “Simple enough,” someone remarked. “But what happens if more than one person survives?” Another man sneered, “Go or don’t go—I’ll be the only survivor anyway.” As I observed their confidence, my heart raced with growing dread. Nevertheless, the selection proceeded. As sunset approached, nearly 20 men gathered at Gabriela’s chosen cemetery. The grave had already been dug, awaiting tomorrow’s burial. Sleep eluded me that night. I lay awake until dawn, thinking of those men risking death in the cemetery. The villagers shared my concern. Before daybreak, a crowd gathered at the village entrance, and together we journeyed to the cemetery. The metallic scent of blood reached us before we even approached the cemetery grounds. Upon arrival, we discovered bodies strewn everywhere. Some victims bore wolf bites, clearly attacked by predators from the mountain. Some showed no visible wounds but had purple faces and blackened fingernails—telltale signs of poisoning. Several displayed distinct marks on their necks. Most, however, had been killed by their fellow contenders. Bright crimson soaked into the soil, staining the entire cemetery red. Suddenly, a figure emerged from among the corpses. It was Austin Murray, Ryan’s son. Blood-drenched and grinning, he announced, “Dawn has broken. I’ve earned the right to be buried with Gabriela.” I shifted my gaze and spotted Ryan’s body on the ground, his son’s dagger protruding from his heart.

I finally understood Gabriela’s intentions. It wasn’t a mere coincidence that only one person would survive a night in the cemetery. To be the sole survivor, they had willingly slaughtered one another, ensuring only one remained. The villagers ignored the corpses and rushed forward to congratulate Austin. “Young and full of potential. Good to see strength prevail!” “How fortunate you are to be buried alongside Gabriela.” They all wore smiles, some tinged with envy, but not one showed fear or disgust at the carnage. I watched this spectacle until I could bear it no longer and erupted in hysterical screams. “Enough! They had killed each other for a place in a coffin! So many people died, and now you want to sacrifice one more?” My voice cracked with desperation. “You’re all insane—burying people alive!” The entire cemetery fell silent as everyone turned to me with disapproving expressions. “Esme, you’re too young to understand what an honor it is to be buried with Gabriela.” “It’s their blessing to die for her. If they couldn’t secure a position, it’s only because they were useless.” I couldn’t comprehend their madness. To me, the corpses scattered across the ground formed one massive grave. I stumbled back home, the iron scent of blood still filling my nostrils. I sat before Gabriela’s coffin, my head throbbing with pain. By midday, still determined to stop Austin, I went to his house. When I entered, I found him admiring himself in a mirror, already dressed in a burial shroud. His face brightened when he saw me. “Esme, perfect timing! Tell me—does this shroud complement your mother’s? I spent hours selecting it. We’ll have matching burial clothes.” Matching burial clothes? I tried to smile but couldn’t manage it. “Austin, must you really be buried with my mother?” Austin and I were both 18 and had played together since childhood. I couldn’t understand why he suddenly yearned for a living burial—enough to murder his own father. Austin’s eyes gleamed with determination, and his face flushed with eagerness. “Esme, this is my life’s wish. Do you know how long I’ve awaited this day?” He leaned closer. “I’d do anything to be buried alongside Gabriela!” “Then wait decades until your natural death,” I pleaded. “Why must you be buried alive?” “Decades?” he scoffed. “That’s an eternity. I want to join her now,” he stated with frightening conviction. I gazed at him deeply, recognizing the futility of persuasion, then turned and left. Three days later, Gabriela was laid to rest at dusk. Austin reclined in the coffin with a serene smile, clasping Gabriela’s cold hand in his. He glanced at me reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Esme. Your mother won’t be alone. I’ll remain with her forever.” The mourners sealed the coffin lid, driving nails into it one by one. A procession stretched from my house to the cemetery, yet no sound emerged from within the coffin. I wondered if Austin had died the moment they sealed him inside. The corpses from the cemetery had long been cleared away, leaving only rust-colored soil. Several men stepped forward from the crowd, lowered the coffin into the pit, and covered it shovelful by shovelful. When they finished, everyone laughed as though relieved of a tremendous burden. “Austin is truly blessed to be buried with Gabriela.” I remained silent, but as midnight approached, my anxiety intensified. At the stroke of 12, I ventured out with a shovel and headed directly to the cemetery. I couldn’t allow Austin to die this way. I bowed respectfully before Gabriela’s grave and then began frantically digging away the freshly packed soil covering the coffin. It took every ounce of my strength to pry out the nails. However, when I carefully lifted the coffin lid, I saw a scene of unspeakable horror.

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A fire broke out in the neighborhood. My father, Riley Hawkins, a firefighter, rushed in and gave the last available breathing mask to my younger brother, Asher Hawkins. Meanwhile, my mother, Elara Hawkins, a doctor, was frantically trying to help, her face streaked with tears. But she didn’t even glance at me, already faint from inhaling smoke, while she was checking on Asher, who seemed perfectly fine. One of the onlookers couldn’t hold back. “How can you be so unfair?” What they didn’t know was that in my past life, when Elara chose to save me first, she didn’t comfort Asher. He held a grudge and claimed that was the reason he fell into depression. He even deliberately skipped his SATs to get back at me. Elara and Riley blamed me for ruining his future. They forced me to pay for it. They lied, claiming I had an affair with a counselor, and pressured me to drop out of college. To pay for Asher’s medical bills, they sold me off to an old man in the countryside to have his child. The abuse was unbearable, and I eventually died in despair. But this time, I didn’t scream or argue. I quietly agreed to every unreasonable demand they made. Then, they came, crying and begging me to come back home, promising they would never favor Asher again. But this time, I didn’t want their love anymore. ***** The fire was raging, and the sound of crying children and elderly people filled the air. It had been two hours since the fire started, and the flames were about to break through the final barriers. Asher was shaking with fear, his eyes wide with terror. I, on the other hand, remained calm. Following the instructions, we gathered in the temporarily safe area, waiting for the firefighters to arrive. A firefighter looked troubled. “Captain, we’re one breathing mask short…” At that moment, only Asher and I still didn’t have a mask. The firefighter glanced at me, then at Asher. “Captain, give the mask to her. She’s covered in soot and might not make it out.” Asher, hearing this, burst into a tantrum. “Why her? It’s her fault the fire started!” When I heard that, I almost laughed. It was he who carelessly tossed a cigarette butt that set the curtains on fire, but now he was trying to pin the blame on me. But I didn’t say a word. I knew from my past life that explanations wouldn’t help. The firefighter captain was my father, Riley. Without saying anything, he grabbed the mask from the firefighter and placed it on Asher’s face. “Don’t be scared. It’s okay,” he said gently. Then he turned to me, his voice dripping with disdain. “You still think you deserve the mask? If you hadn’t thrown your brother’s cigarette butt on the curtains, none of this would’ve happened. Now you’ve put everyone in this building in danger. Are you happy now?” The blame landed squarely on my shoulders. Since even the fire captain had said it, everyone was quick to believe it. Those who had once stood up for me, upset with Riley’s decision to give the mask to Asher, now turned on me. Their expressions shifted in an instant. An elderly woman slapped me across the face. “If anything happens to my grandson, you’ll pay for this!” A middle-aged man in a suit waved his fist at me, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He was held back by other firefighters, but he yelled, “It’s your fault my house is burning down! Do you know how much this is costing me? This is my daughter’s life savings!” Everyone in the area suddenly blamed me for the fire and all its consequences. Asher, hiding behind Riley, snickered at me, an expression of smugness on his face. But then, he quickly changed to a pitiful look and cried, “Dad, Maeve is glaring at me.” Riley’s anger flared up instantly. He kicked me away with force, sending me stumbling. “How dare you! How could I have a daughter like you? I always knew you were jealous of him. And now that we’re sending him abroad, you’re holding a grudge…” In Riley’s eyes, I was a wicked, heartless person. But in reality, I hadn’t said a word. One hand pressed to my face, the other clutching my aching stomach, I felt dizzy and weak. Just a little longer, and it would all be over. Since they didn’t love me, I was ready to return my life to them. The firefighter who had wanted to give me the mask earlier came over and helped me to my feet, his eyes filled with apology. I simply shook my head. “Let my brother have the mask. It’s only right for me to let him.” I knew Riley never loved me. I couldn’t win against that. So, I stopped fighting.

On the way out, the fire wasn’t raging, but the smoke was thick and choking. I was struggling to breathe, my throat itching and a harsh cough escaping from me. The firefighter beside me, who had been shielding me the whole time, couldn’t stand it anymore. He tried to remove his own mask and give it to me. But Riley, who had been focused on the rescue, spun around immediately. He snapped, “You still have a mission to complete. If you put your mask on her now and delay everything else, can you really take responsibility for that?” I wanted to scream at him. Dad, you care more about the mission than my life? My head felt heavy, as if it might explode. The pain was unbearable. The firefighter’s voice cracked as he tried to calm me down, “Sweetheart, hang in there. Your mom’s waiting for you outside.” My mom, Elara, was downstairs, ready to treat us. But I just shook my head. That wasn’t my mom waiting for me. It was Asher’s. Finally, when we were out, the kind-hearted firefighter rushed to pick me up, his face pale with concern. He wanted to get me to Elara first, to treat me. But Riley just frowned. “Check Asher first! He’s younger. If there are any lasting effects, it’ll be worse! He’s about to go abroad!” Elara’s tears fell as she examined Asher again and again, holding his face, kissing him, as if he was something precious she almost lost. But there was nothing wrong with him. He was laughing at my singed eyelashes, my burnt hair, my face covered in soot. Meanwhile, my condition was worsening fast. I was on the verge of blacking out. Every breath felt like a sharp pain slicing through my chest. The firefighter was pacing in a panic, shouting, “Elara, check her first! She’s not going to make it!” But Elara just smiled, a strange look in her eyes. “You little trickster, we’re both women. Stop trying to play these games. You’re just jealous that Asher’s going abroad, trying to ruin him!” The firefighter, his voice cracking, protested, “How can you be this biased?” With the last bit of strength I had, I managed to give him a weak smile. “It’s my fault. Let my mom take care of Asher first.” In my past life, it was because of his insistence that Elara chose to treat me first. That decision led to both of us carrying the blame for ruining Asher’s future, and Riley often made things difficult for him at work. But this time, I would protect him. After that, everything went dark, and I lost consciousness.

Before Asher came into the picture, my parents loved me with all their hearts. Elara would always pick me up from school, and she’d spoil me with beautiful Barbie dolls. Riley, no matter how busy he was, would always find time to make little toys for me, and he never missed a parent-teacher meeting. But then everything changed. When I was six, that summer, Riley’s parents threatened to take their own lives if my parents didn’t give them a son to carry on the family name. Riley was caught in a corner and had to agree. Elara promised me, through her tears, “Sweetie, after your brother is born, nothing will change. We’ll still be the same.” But things did change. To take care of Asher, Elara, who used to be so protective and couldn’t even leave me for half a day, sent me to live with my grandmother, who never really liked me. My grandma, Ava Hawkins, wasn’t kind. She thought I was useless. On freezing cold mornings, she’d make me wash the whole family’s laundry. After that, I’d have to rush back to make breakfast and then hang up the clothes to dry. By the time I finished, there was no food left. My grandparents went off to work, leaving me with nothing for lunch. I’d sit, freezing, in the pigsty, holding my numb hands and thinking about Elara, my face streaked with tears. When hunger became unbearable, I’d sneak a little pig food. Meanwhile, Asher lived with Elara and Riley, spoiled and pampered. During holidays, my parents would bring my round, chubby brother to visit, and I’d feel this intense urge to hold him. Elara would roll her eyes and say, “You’d think you were born in the pigsty too!” That comment hit me like a punch in the gut. Mom, you used to call me your most precious treasure. I clung to Riley’s legs, begging him to take me home. But he just coldly replied, “You need to listen to your grandparents.” I couldn’t understand why, after I had done exactly what they asked, they still treated me so poorly. From that moment, I stopped hoping my parents would take me away. One day, Elara’s parents, Luna and Leo Smith, came to check on me. They found me feverish and delirious, mumbling, “Mom, Dad, I was wrong. Please take me home…” The doctor said if they’d been even a little later, I could’ve been brain-damaged. I had long been malnourished and was suffering from severe stomach issues. Luna and Leo’s hearts broke. After a big argument with Ava, they decided to take me in. Luna was a college professor, and Leo ran his own business. They were well-off. I thought I had finally escaped my misery and was about to start fresh. But Elara wasn’t pleased. She said, “How could you let my parents raise her? “It’s so unfair to Asher! How can she have what he doesn’t?” So, I was brought back. On the way home, I was so excited, thinking my parents had finally come back to me. But everything was different. The house was big, but there was no room for me, only a toy room and a study for Asher. I ended up sleeping in the bathroom. Asher, who didn’t do well in school, could still go abroad, while I was stuck at a university that gave me free tuition and dorm. Luna and Leo, seeing how unfair everything was, decided to send me abroad for graduate school. But Asher didn’t like that. He wanted to show me I wasn’t worthy. So, he set my bed on fire. The flames quickly spread, and it turned into a disaster. He called my parents, blaming me, saying I was jealous of his chance to study abroad and had tried to kill him on purpose. In my past life, I had to use Luna and Leo’s inheritance to force Elara to save me. But in the end, it still ended in tragedy. This time, if I survive, all I want is to erase all the painful memories tied to them.   I jolted awake, disoriented, with nothing but a blank space in my mind. Reaching up to touch my head, I had this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something important. Pain shot through my body, each breath feeling like it was pierced by a thousand needles. The nurse rushed over, her face full of concern. “Don’t move! You’ve got second-degree burns on your legs. Since you were admitted, you’ve had countless infections. And your lungs, they’re badly damaged from all the smoke you inhaled. You’re going to need a lot of care.” After checking my injuries and confirming there were no serious complications, the nurse muttered, almost to herself, “I’ve never seen parents like this. Their daughter’s in critical condition, and they don’t care at all. But when a guy twice her size has a scratch, he causes a scene.” For the time being, it was Leo and Luna who had been taking care of me. When Luna heard the nurse’s words, her eyes filled with tears. “Maeve, it’s my fault… I should’ve raised her better.” Leo clenched his fists, his face turning a dark shade of red with rage. “Those two… don’t ever come asking me for a penny again!” In my past life, when Leo and Luna found out I was sold off to that old man, they rushed to save me. But in their desperation, they got into a terrible car accident on the way. I managed a weak smile. “Don’t worry, Grandma. At least I’m still alive.” I had been through worse, countless times before. “Maeve, so the act’s over now?” Suddenly, Riley’s voice thundered as he stormed into the room, followed by a group of angry neighbors and a few reporters, cameras flashing like they were ready to turn my suffering into a public spectacle. It was like they wouldn’t rest until I was dragged through the mud. Leo immediately stepped in front of him, his face pale with fury. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Maeve’s just starting to recover!” Elara sneered, throwing a pile of hospital reports onto my bed. “Really, Dad? Are you still going to protect this arsonist? I’m a doctor. I know when someone’s sick. These reports? They’re legitimate. I pulled them straight from the hospital!” Elara’s voice oozed with disdain as she went on, “You two, educated, decent people, yet look at the mess your precious granddaughter has caused. Families are being torn apart because of her. Are you still going to cover for her?” Riley joined in, pointing at me like I was the villain. “Come on. You can’t be taking sides! This ungrateful brat was jealous that we were sending her brother abroad, so she tried to kill him and take his place. Even his eyelashes got burned!” I glanced at the reports, and while they seemed fine at first glance, I quickly realized they were doctored. My injuries, my lungs and legs, had nothing to do with the organs listed in these tests. They were trying to frame me, desperate to humiliate me, no matter what. Leo was holding his chest, looking like he was about to collapse, and Luna was frantically shoving pills into his mouth. Elara, however, stood there, smiling like she had everything under control, almost enjoying the spectacle, as if she couldn’t wait to tear off my mask and expose me to the world. I could only stare, confused, and blinked. “Who are you? “I’m sorry, but… my grandparents are the only family I have left. “My parents had been gone for a long time.”

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I signed up for a membership at a nail salon during the holiday season. Little did I expect that the manicurist would develop feelings for my boyfriend. Not only did she spread malicious rumors about me, but she also deliberately cut my fingers while removing my nail polish, intending to infect me with HIV. In my previous life, the nail salon in my neighborhood had a year-end promotion. For every 500-dollar recharge, customers would receive an additional 1,000-dollar worth of credit. When I went for a manicure, the manicurist couldn’t take her eyes off my boyfriend. “Ms. Lewis, why is there such a stark contrast between the color of your face and your hands? Did you apply too much foundation? “You’re squandering your boyfriend’s money. You should be more frugal.” After saying that, she reached out and rubbed my face. I forcefully pushed her hand away and, with a cold expression, demanded a refund of the balance on my membership card. My fiancé, who accompanied me for the manicure, frowned and chastised me, ordering me to apologize. “She’s right. The cosmetics you bought were expensive. Why are you insisting on a refund now? You’re just being petty.” Grimacing with frustration, I gritted my teeth and compromised. However, the manicurist deliberately cut my fingers while removing the nail polish, which ultimately resulted in my being infected. I took the hospital’s examination report to seek an explanation from her. She made a video and spread the false claim that I had contracted that dreadful disease due to my dissolute private life. In the end, overwhelmed by cyberbullying, I committed suicide out of sheer hatred and despair. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the very day I went to the nail salon to apply for the membership card. “Ms. Lewis. You’ve got such a generous and considerate boyfriend. “He not only paid for your membership card but also accompanied you here for the manicure. I wish my boyfriend could be like that.” The manicurist, Rachel Wilmer, said these words while pinching my fingers jealously. Suddenly, the sharp pain jolted me awake, and I realized that I had been reborn. I was reborn back to the day when I first went to the nail salon to apply for that fateful membership card. In my previous life, taking advantage of the holiday, I visited the nail salon in my neighborhood. As soon as I sat down, Rachel kept chatting with me, and she brought up my boyfriend, Harry Zander, almost in every other sentence. She stared at my face and said, “Ms. Lewis, why is there such a stark contrast between the color of your face and your hands? Did you apply too much foundation? “Your skin is rather rough. You must wear makeup too frequently. I think you should be like me and go for a natural look without makeup. “Not only would it save your boyfriend money on buying you cosmetics, but it would also make you look clean and decent, just like a girl from a well-bred family.” Before I could react, she suddenly reached out and started rubbing the makeup off my face. My face hurt from the rough rubbing. I slapped her hand away and frowned. “What’s your problem? What business is it of yours whether I wear makeup or not? And who said my cosmetics were bought by my boyfriend?” Because of her actions, my impression of this nail salon plummeted to rock bottom. I no longer even wanted to have my nails done and coldly asked her to return the balance on my membership card. Unexpectedly, Rachel’s eyes welled up with tears, and she kept apologizing to me with a tear-stained face. She even knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, saying that she was just an employee and pleading with me not to hold it against her. The other customers and staff in the salon accused me of making a mountain out of a molehill. “It was just a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?” Even Harry shoved me away roughly. Then, he gently helped Rachel up and blamed me with a disgruntled look. “She’s right. The cosmetics you bought were expensive. Why are you insisting on a refund now? You’re just being petty.” For a moment, I became the villainous woman who was exploiting the situation to bully others, and I was severely rebuked by Harry. Thinking that it was better to avoid trouble, I swallowed my anger, bowed my head in submission, and apologized to Rachel. Rachel smiled and said it was okay, but she deliberately cut my fingers while doing my manicure. At that time, I thought she was just being careless. However, a few days later, adverse reactions appeared at the wound site. I rushed to the hospital for a check-up and was horrified to discover that I had been infected with AIDS. I took the examination report to the nail salon and demanded an explanation from Rachel. She just rolled her eyes and pointed the camera at me. “It’s obvious that you contracted this loathsome disease because of your promiscuous private life, and you still have the nerve to shift the blame onto me? “If I were you, I would have found a place to commit suicide a long time ago. It’s so disgusting!”

The video taken by Rachel quickly went viral on the internet. Countless people flooded the comment section with harsh words, scolding me for lacking self-respect. My personal information and address were also exposed. As a result, all my relatives and friends learned about my illness and began to look at me with strange and judgmental eyes. Even my parents were criticized and slandered behind their backs. Eventually, they suffered a heart attack and passed away. Unable to endure the brutal cyber violence any longer, I finally made the tragic decision to end my life by jumping off a building. And Harry, who didn’t waste any time breaking up with me, frowned and showed his disgust, thinking I was too “dirty.” However, shortly after my death, he got together with Rachel. They callously trampled over the “corpses” of my entire family and joyfully walked into the marriage hall. Just the thought of all this made me clench my hands tightly, my nails digging into my palms. Just like in my previous life, as soon as Rachel opened her mouth, she started commenting on my cosmetics and then tried to touch my face. Without hesitation, I slapped her hand in mid-air away forcefully, coldly observing as the back of her hand quickly turned red. The sharp sound of the slap immediately caught the attention of everyone else in the salon. Even Harry, who had been engrossed in his phone, walked over with a frown. Seeing Rachel’s red hand and her aggrieved expression, he didn’t even bother to ask what had happened before he started blaming me. “Jenna Lewis, why are you throwing another tantrum? And hitting someone? Apologize right now!” Looking at the man who was so fervently protecting Rachel, I couldn’t help but let out a scornful laugh. “Apologize? For what exactly?” “Because you hit someone first, and that’s clearly wrong!” Hearing his irritated and self-righteous tone only made me laugh even more. What was even more infuriating to me was that as he was scolding me loudly, he turned his head to gently comfort Rachel. “Don’t be scared. I won’t let anyone bully you. She must admit her mistake and apologize to you today.” Rachel looked even more pitiful, but the way she looked at Harry revealed a blatant sense of dependence. I was almost amused by the overly affectionate look they exchanged. “I bullied her? How dare you say that? Are you out of your mind?” Before Harry could open his mouth to retort, I took out my cellphone. Ever since I confirmed that I had been reborn, I immediately activated the recording software. After a moment of commotion in the nail salon, Rachel’s sarcastic words, recorded by my cellphone, reached everyone’s ears. Her expression changed instantly, and she looked rather embarrassed. “It was just a joke. I thought you wouldn’t mind a bit of joking, Ms. Lewis.” I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes in disdain. “Are we friends? Why are you making jokes at my expense? Or do you think that verbal abuse doesn’t count as bullying?” As more and more people gathered around, even the other manicurists who had been busy with their work couldn’t resist looking over. Rachel bit her lips, and her eyes welled up with tears. To my surprise, she actually bent her knees and was about to kneel. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Lewis. Please don’t hold it against me. “I’m just an employee. If you’re unhappy about something, feel free to take it out on me. Just don’t call our boss. I’ll even kneel for you, okay?”

However, her attempt to kneel was halted by Harry. He fixed me with a menacing glare. “What Rachel said isn’t wrong. Your cosmetics are expensive, costing over a thousand dollars each. “Even for a simple manicure, you chose to apply for a membership card worth thousands of dollars. Isn’t that just a waste of money?” His indignant demeanor might make anyone who didn’t know the truth think that all the money I spent was his. But in reality, those were my own hard-earned wages! The people gathered around to watch the commotion were misled by his words. They began to murmur among themselves in hushed tones. “How shameless of her to spend a man’s money so brazenly.” “I wonder how her parents raised her. Not only does she waste her boyfriend’s money, but she also forces others to kneel and apologize. If I were her parents, I would have slapped her long ago.” Their words kept coming, portraying Rachel as the real victim in their eyes. A palpable sense of pride and mockery appeared in Rachel’s eyes. She even pretended to mediate while still throwing veiled accusations. “Ms. Lewis surely didn’t mean it. She just took it the wrong way. Please don’t be too hard on her.” Hearing Rachel’s arrogant tone, I felt my forehead twitching with anger. Unable to hold back any longer, I raised my hand and delivered a stinging slap across her face. But in an instant, amidst Rachel’s shrill scream, I was violently pushed to the ground. My shoulder crashed onto the floor, scraping against the floor, and my wrist was soon smeared with blood. Grimacing in pain, I raised my head and was shocked to find that the person standing before me was none other than Harry. “Why can’t you just talk things over? How can you bully the employees like this?” With his face flushed with anger, he quickly turned around to examine the red and swollen slap mark on Rachel’s face. The gossiping onlookers, who were only there to stir up trouble, immediately joined in to blame me. “Everyone saw it. You were the one who started the fight.” “Luckily, this man is reasonable. Otherwise, the manicurist would have been seriously bullied.” They had all heard the recording of Rachel provoking me, yet they chose to act as if they were deaf, laying all the blame squarely on my shoulders. Rachel could no longer maintain her pretense of being a pitiful, innocent victim. Her eyes blazed with fury as she picked up the coat and bag that I had taken off when I entered the store and hurled them at me. “People who bully our employees are not welcome here. We don’t want your business!” My chest heaved with rage as I struggled for breath. With great difficulty, I managed to get up and pick up my belongings from the floor. “Fine by me. I didn’t want to spend any more money in this salon anyway. “I still have a significant amount of money left on the membership card I bought before. Give me a refund now!” This nail salon was located in my neighborhood and offered attractive discounts when it first opened. At that time, thinking it was convenient since it was close to my home, I recharged a few thousand dollars on the card. I had visited the salon several times since then, and even though the nail designs I chose were quite elaborate, there should still be some balance left on the card. A look of disdain crossed Rachel’s face. “How absurd. How can you be so unreasonable when you’re spending a man’s money?” She mumbled under her breath, then turned on the computer, and pressed a few keys. I waited hopefully for her to process the refund. Unexpectedly, Rachel glanced at me, and her eyes were immediately filled with disdain. “After I’ve checked, there’s no money left on the card. I can’t give you a refund.” I was stunned, and instinctively, I retorted, “That’s impossible!”   “I’ve only been to your salon two or three times. There were several thousand dollars on this card. How could it possibly be all spent?” I took a few quick steps forward. Just as I was about to peer at the computer screen, Rachel shoved me away with great force. “Our computer contains all commercial secrets. What are you looking at?” I was bewildered. I couldn’t fathom what kind of top-secret commercial information a small nail salon like this could possibly possess. But I was too fed up to engage in a prolonged argument with Rachel. “Fine, I won’t look. Print out the bill and let me see where all my money has gone.” Rachel feigned innocence and flatly refused. “Well, our store’s system crashed before, and all the bills were lost. “But I have an excellent memory. I clearly remember that there is no money left on your card.” As she spoke, Rachel’s eyes landed on my left hand. Before our argument broke out, I had been sitting, getting my nail polish removed. After the quarrel, only the nails on my left hand had been attended to, while those on my right hand remained untouched. Rachel sneered and said to me, “Not only do you have no money left, but you also have to pay extra for the nail polish removal today. “Considering the price hikes during the holiday season, along with rent, utilities, and labor costs, you need to pay me 500 dollars.” I had never encountered such a brazen store and such shameless people before. I was so infuriated that I almost laughed out of sheer disbelief. “You have no right to unilaterally decide the fees. Just wait for the Commerce Department to come knocking at your door!” I quickly put on my coat and turned to leave. However, someone blocked the door, barring my way. “You can’t leave!” Harry furrowed his brows tightly and scolded me in a condescending, almost paternal tone. “It’s only right to pay for what you owe. You can’t just walk away without paying, can you?” He was tall and burly, effectively blocking every possible exit. Rachel, standing beside him, also let out a sarcastic chuckle. She deliberately flaunted the red marks on the back of her hand and her cheek. “You also hit me, so you have to cover my medical expenses. Five thousand dollars, not a penny more, not a penny less.” I frowned and looked at Harry coldly. Although I had long known that he was not a decent person, his actions still made me feel a wave of nausea. Many of the shop assistants and customers who were watching the spectacle held up their cell phones, aiming the cameras straight at me. “She’s not going to flee without paying, is she? That’s just shameless of her.” “Why would they risk ruining their reputation and lie about something like that?” I remained unmoved, my expression icy cold. I certainly had no intention of taking out my phone to pay. Harry, with an impatient look on his face, snatched the phone from my bag. “Fine, if you’re not going to pay, I’ll do it for you.” Ignoring my attempts to stop him and my struggles, he forcefully held my phone’s camera in front of my face, trying to use facial recognition to unlock it. I made a series of bizarre and contorted expressions to foil his attempt. I watched as the warning popped up several times, indicating that the unlocking had failed, and it even prompted that we would have to wait five minutes before attempting facial recognition again. Harry finally lost his patience and wore a disgusted expression. Like a deranged, overly aggressive man, he smashed my phone against the ground, shattering it into pieces. “Jenna, just stop this nonsense and pay the bill! You’re embarrassing me here!” Rachel also took out her cell phone and made a show of threatening me. “If you refuse to pay, Ms. Lewis, then I have no choice but to call the police and let them handle it.” To everyone’s surprise, as soon as her voice trailed off, a sharp police siren sounded from downstairs. Rachel was stunned. “Why are the police here? I haven’t even called them yet.” I raised my head and gave her a mocking, disdainful sneer. “Of course, you didn’t call the police, because I’m the one who did!”

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At the year-end review, Andrew Bennett’s childhood sweetheart, Kate Ross, requested to take over as the project leader, hoping it would help her secure a promotion to vice president. I had to put the company’s interests first and turned her down. In a fit of anger, she quit and went home to get married. Under my leadership, the project generated billions of dollars, and the company went public. Later, I married Andrew, but during our honeymoon, I was kidnapped and taken to an underground facility in Brackenfield. Just as I was about to call for help, I heard Andrew coldly say, “Do whatever you want with this heartless woman.” I couldn’t understand. “Why?” I cried out. Without answering, Andrew kicked me in the stomach. “If you hadn’t taken the project leader position for yourself, Kate wouldn’t have been forced into an abusive marriage and died. This is all on you.” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day Kate had asked to be the project leader. ***** Kate said, “Olivia, is it possible for me to lead the project with the Knight Group? I just need this achievement to get promoted to vice president.” I froze. Hearing those words again, I looked at the clock on the wall and realized—I had been given a second chance. Andrew, standing nearby, tugged at my sleeve. “Did you hear what Kate said? Let her have the project leader position. She needs this more than you do.” In my previous life, when I heard Kate and Andrew’s request, I immediately refused. This project was huge—worth billions of dollars in investment—and securing it would likely lead to the company’s IPO. Kate wasn’t qualified, and to be safe, I didn’t want her in charge. I told her that once the project was completed, everyone would get a chance at promotion and bonuses. Kate, however, felt insulted, quit, and married without any further contact. The project was completed successfully, the company went public, and I married Andrew. But during our honeymoon, I was kidnapped. When I woke up, Andrew was standing next to my kidnappers, saying coldly, “Do whatever you want with this heartless woman.” Amid all the humiliation, I couldn’t understand why Andrew was treating me this way. He kicked me in the stomach again. “If you hadn’t taken the project leader position for yourself, Kate wouldn’t have been forced into an abusive marriage and died. This is all on you.” The memory of that suffering made me seethe with anger, my fingers trembling as I clenched my fists. Andrew yanked me roughly. “Are you even listening? Give Kate the project leader role.” I looked at his annoyed face and sneered, “I worked day and night on this project and lost my hair from stress. When I asked Kate to help, you both said I should do more because I was the leader. I drank so much to keep the partners happy that I nearly bled internally. And now you say it’s my responsibility?” I turned to Kate, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why didn’t you step up to lead back then? Now that the proposal’s finished, the deal’s locked in, and all that’s left is to sign the contract, you show up asking to take the lead? How can you even ask?” Kate’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s just that my family is struggling. I wanted the promotion to help them. My mom said if I couldn’t make enough money, she’d sell me to an old man in the mountains as a bride for my brother’s wedding gifts.” With that, she dropped to her knees and bowed her head.

Kate said, “Olivia, please. I don’t want to go home and marry that man. He’s killed two wives already, and if I marry him, it’s a death sentence. Please, don’t make me go back.” Andrew shoved me roughly, his eyes filled with anger. “Olivia, how cruel can you be? Is it not enough for you to destroy Kate? Do you want to push her to death?” The people in the office looked on, gossiping. “Olivia, what are you doing? You’ve pushed her to the point of kneeling.” “Olivia, even if your family is wealthier than ours, that doesn’t give you the right to make Kate kneel to you. It’s too heartless.” As Andrew pushed me, I hit the corner of the desk. The pain made me gasp, but I kept my composure, rubbing my sore back. I walked up to Andrew and slapped him across the face. “Andrew, what gives you the right to lay a hand on me?” Without hesitation, I kicked Kate to the ground. “If you want to kneel, go to your mother’s grave. Don’t kneel in front of me. I don’t need that bad luck.” The crowd was stunned by my actions and became even more vocal in their criticism. “Olivia, you’re actually hitting people. This is too much!” I gave a cold laugh. “Too much? How about all those sleepless nights I spent working for the company, running around for contracts, and ending up in the hospital after drinking so much just to please the partners? How about that? “When you’re all cashing in the bonuses from the projects I sealed, why didn’t you call that too much? You’re no better than the ones who turn on people once they’ve gotten what they wanted.” Seeing the silence from the crowd, I scoffed, my words sharp, “If anyone here is really pitiful, it’s me. If you think I should just give away what I’ve earned, then why not donate your corneas to someone in need? After all, what’s the point of keeping them if you’re blind to right and wrong?” The crowd began to realize their mistake and started apologizing. Then, they turned their attention to Kate. “Kate, do you know how much effort Olivia has put into this project? She’s a qualified project leader.” “Yeah, Kate, even if you’re in a tough spot, that doesn’t give you the right to morally blackmail Olivia. She doesn’t owe you anything.” Seeing that the crowd was no longer on her side, Kate panicked and cried even harder, “Olivia, I didn’t mean it like that. If you’re going to force me to die, then fine, I’ll just end it all.” My heart ached with frustration. I was simply stating the facts, but now I was somehow the one responsible for driving her to death. I was at a loss. Anyone with eyes could see what was going on. But of course, Andrew couldn’t see it. He pulled Kate into his arms, full of pity, and then turned to me with an order. “Olivia, from now on, Kate is the project leader. You’ll be a team member. Just do your job.” I gritted my teeth in fury. “Why should I let her take the lead? I worked hard for this project. I won’t allow it.” Andrew shot back coldly, “What do you mean ‘you worked on it’? The Knight Group is working with us because our company has the strength, not because of you. Don’t take all the credit for yourself. Even without you, Kate could have closed the deal, and probably better than you.” Kate eagerly chimed in, agreeing with him, “The Knight Group trusts our company because of Andrew’s reputation, not just because of this little project.” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. I looked at Andrew’s smug expression and spoke, “Fine. If you think Kate can do it, then I’ll step down.” Andrew, thinking I was backing down, smiled in satisfaction, “Olivia, you still have plenty of opportunities ahead. There’s no need to fight Kate for this one.” Kate walked up with a smug expression, clearly baiting me. “Olivia, you can keep handling the parts of the project you’re responsible for. Once the final plan is in place, I’ll go sign the contract with the Knight Group.” I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. I was the project leader before, so I had four times the work to handle. Now they expected me to do all the grunt work? I sneered, “Sorry, but I’m not doing it.” Kate furrowed her brows in frustration. “Olivia, this project is crucial to the company. Stop being difficult.” Andrew, thinking I was just throwing a tantrum, added, “Olivia, if you keep acting out, I’ll have no choice but to ask you to leave the company.”

I grabbed my bag and stood up after hearing that. “Alright, I’m leaving now. By the way, since you’re the one who fired me, don’t forget to send my compensation to my account.” With that, I walked out of the office without looking back. Once outside, I called my brother, Martin Knight, “The deal’s off. Andrew fired me.” Martin sounded shocked. “Andrew? Your boyfriend? You’ve been with him since college, and now he’s firing you?” I told him everything that had happened, and Martin slammed his hand on the table in frustration. “End things with him now. That guy’s a jerk. I’ll find you a new guy—tall, built, loyal, and perfect for you. “I’ll cancel the deal, too. Without you, his company wouldn’t even be in the running for this.” That night, I got home feeling a bit bitter. All the effort I put in, and it ended like this. Martin noticed my mood and immediately understood. “Olivia, come work with us. You know the company, you have shares in it. You can choose anyone you want to collaborate with.” I thought it over for a moment and immediately agreed. ***** The day of the Knight Group collaboration bidding came quickly. As soon as I walked in, I saw Andrew with his arm around Kate’s waist. When he saw me, he looked visibly annoyed. “Olivia, you’re not the project lead anymore. What are you doing here?” Kate mocked me further, “Olivia, didn’t you say you were leaving the company? What are you still doing here?” I gave them a cold stare. “This isn’t your company. Why shouldn’t I be here?” Andrew sneered, “Olivia, if it weren’t for our company’s name, you wouldn’t even have made it into the Knight Group’s door. You’d better leave now, or I’ll have the security throw you out.” I rolled my eyes and started to walk away, but Andrew grabbed me and threw me to the ground. “Where’s the security? How can anyone just walk in like this?” He called for security, “This woman is pretending to be part of our company and causing trouble. Throw her out.” I quickly explained, “You’re mistaken. I’m in charge of the Knight Group collaboration.” Andrew laughed, “Are you still lying? You just left our company, and now you’re claiming to be in charge of the Knight Group project? Do you really think they’d work with you?” I was surrounded by people, their whispers and stares following me as I was pushed out of the building. With a smirk, I sat down outside, right by the entrance. I wasn’t going anywhere—I was curious to see how this meeting would play out. Inside the Knight Group’s meeting room, ten minutes passed. Andrew was growing impatient, asking the senior executive, Freddy Mills, when the meeting would begin. Freddy exchanged looks with others, clearly confused. “Our project leader still hasn’t arrived.” Another half hour went by, and Freddy finally spoke up. “Didn’t Ms. Russell say she was already here? Why hasn’t she come in?” Someone suggested calling to check. I picked up my phone, taking a sip of my coffee at the café downstairs. When I heard Freddy’s question, I answered with a calm voice, “Oh, I was kicked out. I’m at the café downstairs.” Just a few minutes later, Andrew and others rushed over, drenched in sweat.

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I was reborn on the day Landon Pierce was drugged. But this time, instead of being his antidote, I dialed the number of the woman he loved, Lydia Rowan. In my previous life, I had fallen for Landon, the man who raised me. When I found out he’d been drugged, I ignored his desperate plea to call his lover and ended up sleeping with him, becoming his antidote. A month later, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. Landon was forced to marry me, but on the day of our wedding, his beloved woman was killed by kidnappers while abroad. Before her death, she tried to call him 199 times, begging for help. But Landon, preoccupied with the wedding, never answered a single call. Afterward, he stared at those 199 missed calls in silence, never speaking a word. Then, when I went into labor, he locked me in the basement. I begged him to take me to the hospital, but he just smiled cruelly, watching as I suffocated, unable to give birth. Just before I died, I heard him say, “If you hadn’t gotten pregnant, I wouldn’t have been forced to marry you. If you hadn’t taken her place, I would’ve answered Lydia’s calls. You deserve to die…” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Landon had been drugged. “Mira, hurry up and call Lydia!” Hearing those familiar words again, I suddenly realized I had been reborn. Without a second thought, I grabbed my phone and dialed Lydia’s number. Landon’s face flushed red, his gaze burning as he looked at me. In my past life, I had made the mistake of giving in to that look, which led to my tragic end. This time, I turned away from his gaze and quickly left his room. “Landon, just hold on. Lydia will be here in ten minutes!” As I shut the door behind me, I heard him mutter my name through gritted teeth. But I pretended not to hear, firmly closing the door and standing guard outside. Ten minutes later, Lydia rushed in. She gave me a complicated glance, visibly relieved when she saw that I was dressed and untouched. Before stepping inside, she shot me a glance. “You can leave now. We don’t need you here.” I turned and headed upstairs, back to my room. It wasn’t until the middle of the night that the downstairs room finally fell quiet. I exhaled deeply. In my previous life, my love for Landon had led me to become his antidote, and I had ended up pregnant with his child. He married me out of obligation, but on our wedding day, Lydia died unexpectedly, and he lost the love of his life. Then, he endured in silence until my due date, locking me in the basement. I begged him, willing to sacrifice my life for the child. That child was his, too, but he ignored my pleas, watching us both die horribly, all for the sake of avenging his beloved. This time, I had brought Lydia to be his antidote, and soon, I would leave, completely cutting ties with him. The next morning, Lydia appeared at the family’s breakfast table. Landon took a bite of his sandwich, then casually announced, “From now on, Lydia is my girlfriend. I’ll marry her, so be nice to her.” He glanced at me, then pointed his fork at me. “Especially you. Be nice to my girlfriend and don’t cause me trouble.” I nodded indifferently while Lydia smiled smugly at me. I pretended not to notice and stood up, ready to leave before finishing my breakfast. But just as I got to my feet, I heard Lydia’s soft, dramatic sobs. “Landon, does Mira not want me in the family? I know how important she is to you. If she doesn’t like me, maybe I should leave…” She let a few tears fall, looking as if she’d been deeply wronged. Landon frowned, clearly irritated, and called out to me. “Mira, sit down and finish your breakfast.” I didn’t respond, coolly saying, “I’m done.” Landon’s irritation deepened. “Sit down! Don’t you understand what I’m saying? “Is this how I raised you? With no manners?” This time, I had no intention of getting involved, but they wouldn’t leave me alone. I turned back, offering a polite smile. “I’ve really finished. You two enjoy your meal. I’ll take my leave.” Half an hour later, my door was knocked on. When I opened it, I was met with Landon’s deep, brooding eyes.

I instinctively reached for the door, wanting to shut him out and avoid any confrontation with him. But Landon was quicker, blocking my way with ease. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp as he studied me. “Avoiding me? Why?” He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he examined me. “Are you upset? Is it because of Lydia?” I shook my head quickly, trying to keep my tone even. “No, I’m not upset. I’m happy for you. You’ve found someone you truly love.” His expression shifted, unreadable, as though he didn’t quite buy my words. “Is that really how you feel? Are you sure you’re not just saying that?” He scoffed, letting out a small laugh that lacked any warmth. “Mira, don’t tell me you still have feelings for me. You think I don’t know about the kiss you stole from me on your eighteenth birthday? You were drunk, but I noticed. “And all those love letters you wrote me over the years? Yeah, I read every single one. You thought you were being sneaky, but the way you looked at me… your eyes practically screamed it. You think no one noticed? Everyone could tell. “You not confessing to me? Best decision you ever made, because if you had, I would’ve laughed in your face.” He chuckled, the sound sharp and cruel, before walking over to the desk and pulling open the bottom drawer. He grabbed a thick stack of letters and tossed them onto the floor, stepping on them carelessly. “Mira, I’ve been taking care of you since you were seven years old, raising you all these years, and now you’ve got these feelings for me? Do you even know how messed up that is? “You knew I only had eyes for Lydia, yet you still wrote me love letters behind my back. Honestly, it’s disgusting.” Then, he leaned in close, his voice low and almost mocking. “I came here to tell you something. Yesterday, I was drugged. You were looking at me like you wanted to jump me. I know you thought you could be the antidote. But luckily, you didn’t go through with it. If you had, I would’ve been disgusted for the rest of my life. You’re just not worth it.” A sharp pain twisted in my chest. Even though I’d stopped loving him in this life, hearing those words still hurt. After saying that, Landon warned me to stay away from him so Lydia wouldn’t misunderstand, then slammed the door on his way out. I didn’t want to be a nuisance, so I decided to head out to take care of some overseas paperwork. I packed my things and left. That night, I purposely waited until almost ten o’clock to come back. As soon as I walked into my room, I knew something was off. My bed had been moved. Then I saw Lydia had posted an update on social media, a selfie of her lying on the bed, smiling. [A million-dollar mattress really is the best. I just mentioned I wasn’t sleeping well, and he immediately replaced my mattress. That’s why it’s so important to find a man who loves you!] She’d taken the mattress Landon bought for me, the one he had custom-made when my back injury flared up earlier this year. It cost over a million dollars. He used to be so kind to me. He knew exactly what it meant to take care of a girl, especially since he had raised me from such a young age. But he let me fall for him. And now, he stood on some moral high ground, acting like I shouldn’t have fallen for him in the first place. And here was Lydia, casually mentioning her bad sleep, and without even telling me, Landon had the mattress replaced. When Landon heard me return, he stood in the doorway, speaking in his usual detached way. “Lydia has light sleep, so I gave her your mattress. Anyway, your back’s fine now. Doesn’t matter which mattress you sleep on.” I didn’t even look up, just nodded as if I couldn’t care less. Landon frowned, watching me closely. “Mira, you’ve suddenly become so… reasonable. I’m not sure how to handle this. What’s going on with you lately? You used to hate it when I was nice to other people. Why aren’t you throwing a tantrum now? Are you planning something? “I swear, if you mess with Lydia, I won’t let you off easy.” I finally looked up at him, my voice calm. “I’m not trying to mess with anyone. Honestly, I’d rather no one mess with me. “And didn’t you always want me to be more sensible? Well, look at me now. You should be happy about it, right?” Landon’s face tightened, and he muttered, almost through gritted teeth, “Fine. Mira, you really know how to be a pain.” With that, he slammed the door and stormed downstairs. Every time he said that, I knew he was angry. But I didn’t care anymore. Whether he was angry or not didn’t matter. Soon, I’d be gone.

The days that followed were simple, almost predictable. Lydia made sure to flaunt her relationship with Landon, and he was still sulking at me. This time, I wasn’t going to play the role of the peacemaker. A month later, Lydia made her announcement. She was pregnant. Landon couldn’t contain his excitement. He was practically bursting with joy, ready to tell the world. Wedding plans with Lydia went into full swing, and the entire Pierce family was swept up in the preparations. The tables had turned, and this time, it was his beloved who was carrying his child. I had already made up my mind to let them have their happiness. After finishing my paperwork for leaving the country, I immediately booked a flight to Kanvas, on the exact same day as their wedding. It didn’t take long for Landon to come to me. Taking advantage of the fact that Lydia wasn’t home, he slipped into my room and threw open the door. He pulled out his phone, opened an email, and shoved it in front of me. “So, you’ve used your parents’ money, huh? I had my lawyer check, and it’s being used as a deposit for your trip abroad. “What’s going on? My wedding has you so upset that you’re planning to run off and hide?” The knot in my stomach tightened, but his mocking tone made the tension dissipate a little. When I stayed silent, his voice grew colder. “Mira, how much longer are you going to drag this out? You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder for a month now. Were you planning to just ignore me forever if I didn’t come here? “Ever since Lydia moved in, you’ve barely spoken to me. But she’s the woman I love, and if you really cared about me, you’d understand that. You can’t keep running away from both of us. “You can hide from us for a while, but not forever. Do you really think you’ll keep avoiding us once Lydia and I are married?” I shook my head quickly. “Landon, you’re mistaken. I’ve always seen you as a guardian, someone who raised me. I’m grateful to you, but that’s all there is.” He let out a laugh, like I’d just told him the funniest joke. “Grateful? Mira, the whole world knows you’ve been in love with me for years. Who are you trying to fool? Do you honestly believe you don’t love me?” He glanced at the desk, his smile growing wider. “Look at all these gifts I’ve given you. You’ve kept every single one of them. And you’re still going to tell me you don’t love me?” He walked over and began picking up the gifts one by one, carefully examining them before looking back at me, his tone suddenly serious. “Put all this away. I’m marrying Lydia now, and you need to stop clinging to these fantasies. We might not be related by blood, but I’ll never fall for you. “And now that Lydia’s pregnant, I don’t want her seeing this stuff. I can’t let her feel uncomfortable. I have to think about my wife and child.” I nodded, casually tossing the gifts into a box. I’d been planning to throw them away before I left anyway, so it worked out that I could take care of it now. Landon frowned, clearly frustrated with my lack of reaction. He stepped in front of me, stopping my hand before I could finish packing. “Mira, can’t you be a little more careful? You’ve even knocked the bunny off this hairpin!” I glanced at the hairpin in his hand. It was the first gift he’d ever given me, after my parents died and he took me in. He’d been their best friend, and this was his first present to me. I’d cherished it for years, never letting anyone touch it. But now, I was casually tossing it aside. Landon clearly couldn’t handle it. “Mira, what’s with the act? You’re obviously still in love with me. Don’t even try to pretend you’re okay with me marrying someone else. You can’t stand it, can you? But here you are, acting like you couldn’t care less. Who are you fooling? “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on. You’re so upset about Lydia and me getting married, you’re about to run off to some other country just to get away, right? But now you’re pretending like you’re over it. Yeah, I’m sure you are. “But fine, go ahead. Take your little trip. Lydia’s pregnant and we don’t want you hanging around, getting in her way. So, go. It’s better for everyone.” Then, without another word, he grabbed his phone and transferred 100 thousand dollars to my account. “Take the money. Go travel. See the world. When you get back, Lydia’s pregnancy should be more stable.” His eyes held a strange, almost mocking look as he added, “Take your time. Don’t think about me too much. You’ll have to get used to the fact that I’m getting married. It’ll be weird if we keep bumping into each other after that.” He threw a few more tips my way about my trip, but I wasn’t really listening. He didn’t know I was reborn, and this time, I was really leaving. On the day of his wedding, everyone at the Pierce Villa was up early, running around preparing for the big day. I waited until everything was in full swing, then quietly grabbed my suitcase, slipped out the back door, and took a cab straight to the airport.

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When Rachel Parker, my boyfriend Aaron Murphy’s childhood sweetheart, suffered hair loss as a result of cancer chemotherapy, he bluntly commanded me to snip off my own hair and craft a wig for her. “Rachel is allergic to wigs on the market. You’ve been growing your hair for a decade, and it’s just perfect.” I flatly refused, but Aaron’s friends restrained me, binding my hands and feet. They then took a hair clipper and shaved my hair right down to the roots. In an instant, my head, once adorned with beautiful, long, shiny hair, was left looking like it had alopecia areata. Sitting in the wheelchair, Rachel laughed at me. Aaron nodded and chuckled, “We just took your hair away, and it’s no big deal.” However, once upon a time, due to my unevenly cut short hair, I had been bullied for six years. It was Aaron who had once opened his arms and shielded me, yet now he harmed me cruelly. One after another, his friends chimed in, urging me to show tolerance towards the patient. Aaron spun around and impatiently growled, “Do not persuade her. Tell her to get lost. We just took her hair, and it will grow back one day.” So I turned away without hesitation. Later, I heard that Aaron tried every trick in the book to get me back together with him. After my hair was shaved, I was finally released. “Aaron, look, she is as ridiculous as a toad.” Sitting in the wheelchair, Rachel pointed at my bald head and laughed. Aaron’s friends playfully chimed in. Aaron glanced at me and said indifferently, “Rachel is allergic to wigs on the market. Your long hair is just right for a wig.” I paid no heed to their jeers, instead clutching the few remaining tufts of hair, my heart aching with profound sorrow. Two hours ago, Aaron invited me to Rachel’s birthday party. I wasn’t on good terms with her. However, since Aaron had made the request and Rachel was battling cancer, I showed up to the party with a gift anyway. Unexpectedly, at the so-called birthday party, they tied me up and shaved my hair. Staring at Aaron’s indifferent expression, I remembered the rare kindness he had shown two days ago. He gave me an expensive bottle of shampoo. “It has been dry recently. Take care of your hair.” Confused but flattered, I took the shampoo and washed my hair that night. Only now did I realize that Aaron told me to take care of my hair so that Rachel could have a more comfortable wig to wear! He suddenly walked towards me. I had thought that he felt guilty and wanted to apologize. To my disappointment, with a look of disgust, he pinched the last strand of hair on my shoulder and cut it off without mercy. He glanced back at his friend and scolded, “You’re so careless. How could you leave this tiny bit of hair? I even invited you to dinner, but you can’t even manage this simple task perfectly.” They immediately giggled and jeered. “Well, it’s our fault. Hey, is Evelyn going to burst into tears?” “Rachel is severely sick. She takes so many pills every day, yet she doesn’t even cry once.” Mean mockery rang out one after another, and Aaron remained unfazed. His friends disliked me due to the vast disparity between my social standing and theirs. I never made an appearance at their get-togethers since I hadn’t received an invitation. I once asked Aaron if he could bring me along. He impatiently stated that our social circles were different and that it was unnecessary for me to try to be part of their circle. Noticing my lack of response, Aaron finally turned his attention to me. He raised his eyebrows and chuckled, “Evelyn, you’re not angry, are you? “Cheer up and consider it a good deed.” Sadness overwhelmed me. “Tell me, was it your idea to have my hair made into a wig, or was it Rachel’s?” Rachel positioned herself between Aaron and me, tears streaming down her face. “It was my idea. Ask me if you want to know anything. Don’t make things difficult for Aaron.” Aaron instantly glared at me with dissatisfaction. “Rachel is a patient. Can you not upset her?” “She is my friend. We grew up together. What’s the big deal with you, my future wife, donating a wig to her?” When I spotted Aaron’s unconcerned expression, tears welled up in my eyes. Why could a man change in such a short time? Back then, my parents compelled me to cut my hair so that they could sell it for money and buy toys for my brother. When I was bullied due to my short, uneven hair, Aaron stepped in front of me with a wide grin. “From now on, I’ll protect your hair!” I instantly felt drained of my energy and slowly said, “Aaron, from today onwards, we are completely through. “Transfer the money for my hair to me later. I’m under no obligation to donate my hair to her.”

Aaron came to an abrupt halt and extended his hand to place it on my forehead, a scornful smile spreading across his face. “Evelyn, do you want to break up with me? “You aren’t running a fever, but why are you talking nonsense? “You’ve been with me for eight years. Do you think you can still find another man to marry after our breakup? “Evelyn, no man will want you. Can you stop making a fuss?” The tears I had managed to hold back were on the verge of spilling out once more when I heard these words. He was still aware that we had been together for eight years. My friends told me that in a long-term relationship, romantic love would be replaced by family bonds. But without becoming part of my family, Aaron grew more and more dissimilar to what a boyfriend ought to be. I bit my lip tightly and looked straight up at him. “There are so many men in the world. You are not my only choice.” Aaron’s face darkened. He cast an icy glance at me, and his friends tried to persuade me. “That’s enough. Aaron gave in. Evelyn, don’t go too far.” “It’s just a wig. Have Aaron get seven wigs for you. Then you can wear a different one every day of the week.” Once Aaron’s friends ceased their mockery, Rachel chimed in aggrievedly, “This is all my fault. Evelyn, I will pay for your wig. Please don’t be angry with Aaron.” At the same time, her eyes filled with tears. Her pitiful appearance caused Aaron great distress. Instantly, he glared at me as if I were an enemy with whom he had a long-standing and bitter feud. “Evelyn, come at me if you are displeased! “Rachel’s seriously sick. Why do you have to pick on a sick person? You’ve changed a lot. You weren’t like this before!” I opened my mouth to speak, yet before any words could escape, Rachel clutched her stomach and let out a cry of pain. “Aaron, it hurts a lot. Help me…” Aaron pushed me away. Caught off guard, I stumbled and tripped over a chair. “Ouch!” Aaron didn’t show any concern and roared at me, “Get the hell out of the way! We just cut your hair. Why are you making a scene? You knew that Rachel was sick, but you still goaded her. If anything happens to her, I will not let you off!” With that, Aaron left with Rachel in his arms, followed by his friends. The man who had been holding my hair lagged behind and nonchalantly tossed a bunch of my long, lustrous hair into the trash can. I was dumbfounded for a moment and hurriedly crawled over to collect it, bit by bit. Tears streamed down nonstop. At that moment, I made up my mind to leave Aaron. ***** I went to the barbershop to have my hair cut once more. Meanwhile, I snapped up a hotel’s discount package. When I went back to pack my belongings, Aaron entered, looking thoroughly exhausted. At the sight of my suitcase, he instantly lost his temper. He strode forward and kicked my suitcase away. “When will you stop making a scene? “The doctor said Rachel’s condition has deteriorated. It’s all because you upset her. I haven’t even made you pay for it, and now you’re trying to run away!” I laughed in anger. “Did Rachel develop cancer because I upset her? “Aaron, reflect on what ridiculous things you are talking about.” Perhaps because Aaron had never heard me speak in such a tone previously, he was stunned for a brief moment. I ignored him, retrieved the suitcase that had been knocked aside, and then resumed packing my clothes. I didn’t possess a great deal of belongings. Although I had lived there for eight years, two 26-inch suitcases sufficed to hold everything I owned. Staring at Aaron, who remained silent, I casually said, “Once you transfer the money for my hair, I’ll pay the rent.”

“I don’t need your money.” Aaron tugged at my hand hard with a dark face. “Evelyn, have you made enough of a scene? Can you support yourself alone? “Sometimes, I don’t understand you! “I purchased skin care products and jewelry for you, yet you never made use of them. I urged you to dress up, but you came up with endless excuses to decline!” Whenever I got into an argument with Aaron, he invariably had a penchant for bringing up our past disputes. He always criticized me for not using the skin care products he had bought. However, those products made me allergic. He always blamed me for not wearing jewelry, yet when I did wear a piece, people would jeer at me, claiming it was a fake. He always faulted me for my unfashionable clothes, but as a government employee, I couldn’t wear fancy garments. Noticing that I remained silent, Aaron became more aggressive. “Why don’t you say anything? Do you plan to go back to your hometown to marry someone?!” Upon hearing these words, I looked at him with wide-eyed disbelief. After the SAT, my family held me captive and compelled me to get married. It was Aaron who came to my rescue. He made a promise to protect me from danger forever. But it appeared to have slipped his mind. He had become no different from those hateful guys back then. I hailed from a troubled family. I was thrifty by nature. But what is wrong with me? Tears welled up in my eyes, and my heart ached as if it had been crushed. I made no reply. I completely realized that Aaron would always be the same. He would never feel that he was at fault in any situation. I took the suitcases and insisted on leaving. Aaron flew into a rage and hurled my suitcases to the floor. Instantly, the two suitcases broke in half, and the things that had only recently been packed came spilling out. “Aaron, we have broken up. You have no right to touch my belongings!” Aaron seized my hands and yanked me back. His strength was so great that my head collided with the corner of the table, and blood instantly flowed into my eyes. Despite blinking desperately, I couldn’t see anything. In a panic, Aaron rushed over. “Evelyn, don’t be afraid. I’m sending you to the hospital right now.” As soon as Aaron finished speaking, his cell phone rang. Rachel’s weak voice came through his cell phone’s stereo. “Aaron, I’m at the entrance of your residence. I’m vomiting blood. What should I do? I’m in pain.” Aaron instantly grew anxious and released me. “Evelyn, wait for me. Rachel’s cancer has flared up. I’m going to take her to the hospital right away!” Blood blurred my vision, and all I could make out was a hazy figure ahead. I clung to Aaron’s leg to prevent him from leaving. “Aaron, I can’t see. Help me call…” He kicked me away without hesitation. “I fucking told you to wait. Can’t you understand? “Can’t you even wait for a while? Are you rushing to your death?” I couldn’t manage to get to my feet. Yet, Aaron had disappeared long ago. The door slammed shut!   Fortunately, I had set the emergency number as my emergency contact. By the time the ambulance arrived, I was already unconscious. The doctor declared that I had a concussion. During my two-day hospitalization, Aaron neither called nor messaged me. No update notice popped up on my phone screen. When I was discharged from the hospital, Sarah Murphy, Aaron’s mother, called and invited me to the Murphy Villa for a meal. I intended to decline, but as the words were about to escape my lips, I held myself back. Sarah was different from Aaron. She was quite nice to me. When I was abused by my family in high school, she ran around and solved the matter for me. Only then was I able to break free from my hellish family. Subsequently, Aaron and I had been in a relationship for eight years, but he didn’t even propose to me. Instead, he grew increasingly close to Rachel. Sarah was so furious that she introduced a lot of excellent men to me. “Evelyn, you’re a wonderful girl. I won’t allow Aaron to mess up your life. Tell me if you want to leave him. I’d love to be your godmother.” Upon my arrival at the Murphy Villa, I noticed that Sarah had a dark face. I entered the villa, only to find that Rachel and Aaron’s friends were also there. As soon as they saw me, their expressions immediately turned odd. “Why is your injury so serious?” Aaron approached me and attempted to touch the corner of my bandaged forehead. I took a step back and gazed at him indifferently. “You should be well aware whether it’s serious or not. After all, it was you who pushed me.” Aaron frowned. “Do you have to be so sarcastic?” Ignoring him, I went upstairs to find Sarah and told her about our breakup. She instantly burst into tears. “Aaron is a fool. Rachel, who was brought up by the Parker family, is extremely crafty. They only spent three years together during their childhood, yet she insists she’s his childhood sweetheart. But when the Murphy family faced difficulties back then, the Parker family cut off their connection with us more quickly than anyone else! “Even though you broke up, I am still your godmother. We have ten years of friendship, and you can’t distance yourself from me.” During the meal, Sarah served me food several times. Rachel held the plate and complained, “Sarah, you only care about Evelyn. Why don’t you dish food for me?” Sarah looked indifferent. “Evelyn is like my own daughter. What’s wrong with me offering her food multiple times?” Rachel couldn’t help but shed tears. In an instant, the atmosphere became embarrassing. Aaron immediately served Rachel some food. She took a bite. However, all of a sudden, she covered her neck and coughed nonstop, and her face flushed red, as if she was on the brink of choking. “There are shrimps…” “Oh no! Rachel, you are allergic to shrimp!” Aaron immediately rose to his feet and yelled at the maids, “Didn’t I warn you not to prepare shrimp dishes? Why did you still make this mistake?” A young maid trembled and finally glanced up at me. “We didn’t prepare any shrimp dishes. However, just now, I seemed to have caught sight of Ms. Taylor entering the kitchen with a jar of something. I-I saw her hide it in her bag.” I was puzzled. “What does this have to do with me?” Aaron bought the maid’s story. He glared at me with a straight face and turned around to search through my bag. “Aaron, what are you doing? You have no right to rummage through my bag!” “Evelyn, are you feeling afraid?” I reached out to stop Aaron, but he shoved me away. The next moment, my bag was ripped open. With a clatter, the glass jar fell to the floor. At once, the air reeked of a sharp shrimp stench. Aaron glared at me, as if he had caught the conclusive evidence. “Evelyn, admit it. Here is the evidence!” I froze for a moment, instantly realizing that this was a plot against me. I soon calmed down. “It’s not mine.” As soon as the words escaped my mouth, Rachel weakly explained, pretending to defend me, “Aaron, don’t blame Evelyn. Perhaps she didn’t do it on purpose.” Aaron, in a state of fury, grabbed hold of my neck and thrust me in front of her. “I have no idea whether she did it on purpose or not, but I am sure that she tried to kill you! “Evelyn, you’re so vicious. We were the ones who cut your hair. Since you are quite bold, come at me! “Why did you harm a patient? Apologize to Rachel, or I will kill you!” Aaron exerted his maximum strength, and I couldn’t break free at all. It was only with Sarah’s help that he finally released me. I coughed desperately, as if I had just been on the edge of death! I never anticipated that Aaron would jump to the conclusion that I was the culprit without a moment’s hesitation! My calm demeanor crumbled, replaced by heartbreak. I raised my hand and slapped Aaron so hard that my palm turned numb. “A fingerprint analysis on this jar of shrimp paste will show who had their hands on it! “That’s not an excuse for you to attack me again! “Aaron, I won’t put up with your actions anymore. I’m calling the police!”

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The day I went to the hospital to collect the test results and settle the bill, I discovered that the 300 thousand dollars in my credit card account was gone. It was money that my husband Nolan Cole and I had spent three years saving for a house. Panic-stricken, I immediately called Nolan. “Did you use the money in our account?” After a long hesitation, he finally admitted the truth under my persistent questioning. “Andrea divorced with nothing. She’s struggling to raise her child alone. I just lent her the money for emergencies.” Andrea Powell was Nolan’s first love, the same woman who had abandoned him at his lowest point to marry a wealthy businessman. Whenever Nolan had mentioned her before, his voice had been filled with anger and bitterness about her betrayal. But now that she was divorced, his attitude had completely changed. I looked down at the test results in my hand and sighed, “Get the money back. We’ll discuss this in detail when I get home tonight.” It was dark by the time I arrived home. I found Nolan sitting on the couch smoking, a fresh bruise at the corner of his mouth. The room reeked of cigarettes. “What happened to your face?” I asked, frowning. He touched his bruised lip, avoiding my eyes. “I fell.” I accepted his explanation without pressing further. Watching him light another cigarette, I said gently, “Why are you smoking again? It’s bad for your health. By the way, did you get the money back?” “Every time I light up, you act like I’m killing you.” Nolan rolled his eyes and sprawled across the couch. “I’m not getting the money back. It’s just 300 thousand dollars. Consider it a good deed.” “What?” I threw my bag onto a chair, trembling with anger. “Nolan, get that money back now! We saved it together—half of it is mine. You had no right to give it to her.” I took a breath, trying to stay calm. “I know what you’re thinking. Do you really believe giving her money will make her want you back?” I tried to soften my approach. “I’m only thinking of what’s best for you. The money is for—” Before I could finish, Nolan leaped up from the couch, jabbing his finger in my face. His outburst seemed fueled by guilty defensiveness. “You used to be so gentle and understanding. When did you become this selfish and petty? Getting worked up over a mere 300 thousand dollars? Andrea has nothing after her divorce and a child to raise. Don’t you have any compassion?” “Selfish and petty?” I laughed bitterly. Nolan and I had met through a blind date. Back then, he had nothing—no job, no house, no car—and Andrea had just left him. I found he was honest and hard-working. With his parents deceased, there would be no complications between his mother and me. Plus, under pressure from my family to marry, I had agreed to marry him. When Nolan was starting his business, I had supported us on my modest salary. Now he dared call me selfish and petty? Realizing he’d gone too far, he fell silent, slumping back onto the couch with a cold expression. It was his typical response to arguments—no communication, no acknowledgment of his mistakes. I’d had enough of his passive attitude. “Listen carefully, Nolan,” I said with a sneer. “If you don’t get that money back within three days, I’ll leave you.”

I moved out and spent the next few days staying with my friend Kaia. On the third day, Nolan called with an arrogant tone. “I gave the money to Andrea. If you want a divorce, fine by me!” “We’re married,” I replied calmly. “Half of that 300 thousand dollars you gave her is mine. Even if we divorce, she needs to return my 150 thousand dollars.” “You want the money back? Impossible!” he roared. “I gave it to Andrea. Don’t even think about getting it back!” I hung up. With only a junior high school degree, it wasn’t surprising he didn’t understand the law. Kaia had been listening, and after thinking for a while, her expression changed. “Selena, doesn’t something seem off about Nolan?” She leaned forward. “No matter how generous he is, would he really give 300 thousand dollars to his first love to help raise someone else’s child? Nolan’s always been so stingy—it just doesn’t add up.” Kaia knew Nolan’s penny-pinching ways all too well. At our wedding, local tradition called for giving nice gifts to the bridesmaids, but Nolan had chosen cheap candleholders instead. The wedding banquet had been all vegetarian dishes—no meat in sight. He’d even transported the guests in a borrowed bus from his rural hometown. The memory of that wedding was still fresh for Kaia and me. Kaia had a point. Nolan was incredibly conceited. Even if he could forgive Andrea’s betrayal and reconcile with her, would he really accept raising another man’s child? Kaia and I locked eyes, mutual surprise dawning as we reached the same conclusion—the child might be Nolan’s. Since our marriage, he’d constantly pressured me to have a baby. I’d refused, focused on my rising career and concerned about my health. He’d berate me every few days about “ending his family line”—until suddenly, the next year, he stopped mentioning it entirely. I’d thought he’d finally accepted my decision and felt relieved. But what if he’d had a son elsewhere? Andrea’s child was two years old now. The timing fit perfectly. “No wonder he was so generous with his first love,” Kaia sneered. “He must have been having an affair with her all along!” Her eyes suddenly brightened. “Selena, if you can prove he cheated, you can divorce him without giving up any property.” I nodded, thinking it through carefully. Nolan had said Andrea left her divorce with nothing—perhaps her husband had discovered the affair. It would explain why Andrea, who had been so materialistic and dumped Nolan for money, would walk away without a penny. Nolan’s infidelity seemed certain. Now I just needed proof.

The next day, I returned home. Nolan was out. Opening Instagram, I found his latest update: [I’ve met many people, but in the end, I realized you’re the one I love most.] The post included a photo of a woman in a blue dress. Quite romantic. Without hesitation, I liked the post and commented: [Some dogs eat plenty of meat, but in the end, they still prefer eating garbage.] We shared many mutual friends on Instagram. They initially assumed the woman in the photo was me, commenting things like “Nolan and Selena, so sweet!” When they saw my response, however, they quickly realized their mistake and deleted their comments, leaving mine as the sole, glaring reply. Satisfied, I set down my phone and headed to his study to access his computer. I used to respect his privacy religiously—never entering his study, checking his phone, or using his computer. I’d given him complete trust, only to receive betrayal in return. Laughing bitterly at my own naivety, I tried Andrea’s birthday as his computer password. It worked perfectly. He hadn’t logged out of WhatsApp. Opening it, I found his chat history with Andrea—all voice messages. Rather than listen to each one, I converted them to text. Andrea said: [My husband discovered our affair. He wants to divorce me and leave me with nothing.] Nolan replied: [How could this happen? Don’t worry, honey, I’ll take care of you.] Andrea responded with an aggrieved expression. [Our son and I were thrown out. We have nowhere to go.] [I can handle hardship, but how can our son live like this?] Nolan arrogantly transferred our joint savings—300 thousand dollars—to her, replying grandly: [Honey, go buy a house. Use this as the down payment. Put it in your name, and I’ll handle the monthly payments.] After accepting the transfer, Andrea replied with hypocrisy: [Won’t your wife be angry?] Nolan replied: [She wouldn’t dare. She’s completely submissive.] Andrea replied: [Sweetie, when will you divorce her? We can’t let our son remain illegitimate.] My anger was boiling over as I read their exchange. Now I understood why Nolan had agreed to divorce so readily—he was eager to be with Andrea and their son. Checking his transaction history, I discovered regular transfers to Andrea beyond the 300 thousand dollars. I photographed everything as evidence. To prevent claims of fabrication, I recorded a video that included their voice messages. Satisfied with my collected proof, I left. The moment I got into a taxi, Nolan called. “Have you lost your mind?” he shouted. “Delete that ridiculous comment from my Instagram now!” “Ridiculous?” I laughed. “I just want everyone to know the truth.” I heard a woman’s soft sobbing in the background. Of course—he was yelling at me because Andrea was crying to him. “What truth? You just hate her because I gave Andrea money!” he barked. His words left me speechless. I owned half of that 300 thousand dollars she received. Why shouldn’t I dislike her? What woman would approve of her husband’s mistress? Too tired to argue, I offered one final piece of advice out of basic human decency. “Nolan, you’d better get that money back. Otherwise—” He cut me off impatiently. “I’ve told you Andrea’s struggling to raise a child. Where’s your compassion? “The money’s hers now. If you can’t accept that, divorce me!” He hung up before I could respond. I nearly laughed out loud. Fine, let him be generous and kind. After all, he was the one with lung cancer, not me.

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My husband, Ethan Royce, drove to the village school in a luxury car to pick me up after work. The new female teacher, Vivian Spencer, pouted and asked for a ride. She hopped into the passenger seat, gazing at my husband with admiration. “Ethan, you’re already a school director at such a young age? That’s impressive! With your looks and success, you haven’t abandoned your wife for someone younger. You must be a truly devoted man.” Sitting in the backseat, I raised an eyebrow. Abandon me? If he dares, he can kiss his position goodbye. “Ms. Sutton, your husband is so handsome! And he’s rich, drives such a nice car, and treats you well. I’m jealous,” Vivian teased me. But her gaze was glued to Ethan. I was the principal of a village girls’ school, and Vivian was a newly hired teacher. Since the school was far from our home in the city, Ethan would come to pick me up whenever he had time. Vivian asked, “Ethan, what do you do to make so much money?” Ethan scratched his head and chuckled, “This car is not that good anyway. I’m just a director for a few private schools, that’s all.” I felt a little uncomfortable. This car was my birthday gift to him. I also arranged his position as the school director. But he was my husband, so I let him have his moment. Vivian’s eyes lit up. “Wait… are you with Nova International Academy? That’s the top private school in the province!” Ethan smiled and nodded. Vivian’s eyes flickered before she suddenly switched to a coy tone. “Ethan, my house is so far from school. I’m just a young woman who just graduated. I’m so scared to go home by myself every day! Would it be too much trouble to give me a ride? Please?” Vivian clasped her hands together pleadingly, staring at Ethan with innocent eyes. Ethan was about to agree but suddenly remembered I was sitting right there. His expression stiffened as he glanced at me. Vivian turned to me with a sweet smile. “Ms. Sutton, you care so much about your staff. Surely you wouldn’t say no to such a small favor? Or could it be that you’re jealous over something like this?” I glanced at Vivian and chuckled before agreeing. I was curious to see what tricks she had up her sleeve. The moment we said yes, Vivian dashed to the car, yanked the door open, and plopped herself into the passenger seat. Which meant I had no choice but to sit in the back. For over an hour, Vivian showered my husband with flattery. “Ethan, being a school director in your early thirties? That’s beyond impressive! “I was wondering how Ms. Sutton managed to keep a girls’ school running in the countryside. It only takes in underprivileged students, so there’s no money to be made! Turns out, she’s got a supportive husband funding everything behind the scenes. “What? Ms. Sutton is younger than you? No way. To me, she feels like an elder, but you’re like an older brother.” Vivian turned to glance at me, eyeing my plain outfit with barely concealed disdain before adding, “Ethan, you really should take Ms. Sutton shopping sometimes. If you two went out together, people might mistake her for your mom.” I had spent years working in the village, so my wardrobe was all about practicality. Besides, our students came from struggling families. I didn’t want them to feel self-conscious, so I dressed as simply as possible. I looked at Ethan. He seemed to be basking in the praise, grinning from ear to ear. When we finally got home, Vivian lingered, chatting with Ethan for a few more minutes before reluctantly dragging herself away.

As soon as we got home, our son, Joe, ran up to us excitedly, calling out, “Mom! Dad!” Joe was seven years old and had just started elementary school. To keep things simple, we enrolled him at Nova International Academy. “I’ll go make dinner. You play with Joe for a while.” Ethan put on an apron without being asked. Only then did my frustration ease a little. We had a clear division of labor. I focused on my career while Ethan managed the household and took care of our child. I initially wanted Ethan to be a stay-at-home dad, but after much hesitation, he admitted that unemployment would be too humiliating for a grown man. So, I arranged a few honorary board positions for Ethan at schools under the Sutton Education Group. The title sounded prestigious, but it was just a formality. Ethan only needed to attend an occasional meeting, leaving him plenty of time to look after Joe. As for me, my mind wasn’t really on the company. Ever since I volunteered to teach during my college, I have dreamed of opening a school for underprivileged girls. The moment I inherited the family business, the first thing I did was establish an all-girls school in a neighboring impoverished county. Now, my energy was entirely devoted to changing these girls’ futures. I had no interest in trivial matters like Vivian’s behavior. Still, I was worried that what Vivian did might affect the students. So, I called her into the principal’s office the next day for a talk. Before I could say a word, Vivian slapped a resignation letter onto my desk. “I quit!” I was stunned. “You’ve only been here for a few days. Why are you quitting so soon?” Vivian crossed her arms, looking impatient. “The conditions here are terrible. Who could stand working in a place like this?” I fell silent. The village’s conditions were indeed rough, which was why I had offered high salaries to attract good teachers. I accepted Vivian’s resignation. I needed teachers who were truly passionate about education. Forcing her to stay would only be unfair to the students.

Lately, I had noticed that Joe was becoming distant from me. He used to run into my arms the moment I got home from work. But that evening, he just stood there, frowning like an adult. “So you still remember to come home? Dad works so hard every day, and all you do is enjoy yourself out there.” Hearing those words from a child felt strange. However, I couldn’t help but feel guilty. Maybe I had spent too much time at the girls’ school and neglected Joe without realizing it. “Joe, do you want to go to the amusement park? I’m taking some time off to spend a few days with you, okay?” “I don’t want you to!” Joe shoved me with all his strength. I was shocked. I wasn’t around as much as Ethan, but I had never been anything less than loving toward Joe. I felt a flicker of irritation. “What’s gotten into you today? Joe, pushing people is wrong.” Joe only grew more upset. “I don’t want you! I want Dad!” I swallowed my frustration and reached out to touch his head. “Dad’s still at work. Can’t Mommy keep you company?” Just then, Joe sank his teeth into my hand. The sharp pain made me instinctively pull away, maybe with a little too much force, and Joe landed on the floor with a thud. Joe burst into tears. “You’re not my mom! I want Ms. Spencer to be my mom!” I was stunned. Ms. Spencer? Did he mean Vivian? Just then, Ethan came back. Joe immediately ran to him, clinging to his waist, sobbing as he spoke, “Dad, Mom hit me! We don’t need her anymore, right? Take me to Ms. Spencer. I want her to be my mom!” Ethan’s expression shifted instantly. He shot me a guilty glance before turning to comfort Joe. “Don’t cry, Joe. Mommy didn’t mean to. Can you forgive her?” But Joe wasn’t having it. He sobbed even harder, his little body shaking with every breath. Ethan sighed, “How about this? Let’s hit her back, okay?” He took Joe’s small hands, curled them into fists, and gently tapped my stomach over and over. “Bad Mommy. Daddy and Joe will fight her together.” My face darkened. “So this is what you’ve been teaching him while I’m not around?” Ethan frowned. “He’s just a kid. Why are you taking it so seriously? What kind of mother argues with her own son like this?” Then Ethan scooped Joe into his arms, wiping away his tears. “What do you want for dinner, Joe? Daddy will make it for you, and we won’t let Mommy have any.” Joe finally stopped crying. I spoke abruptly, “Who is Ms. Spencer?” For a split second, Ethan looked flustered, but he quickly regained his composure. “There’s no Ms. Spencer. Probably some character from a cartoon. Kids say all sorts of things.” I didn’t believe Ethan for a second. I silently made up my mind that I would find out where Vivian went after she quit. But before I even had the chance to investigate, she delivered herself right to my door.   That day, something came up, and I had to leave the rural school early to drive home. As I approached the villa, bursts of laughter drifted through the air. “Ms. Spencer, can you be my mom?” Vivian’s tinkling laughter rang out from inside. “Oh? Joe, you like me that much? But you already have a mommy. How can I take her place?” Joe thought for a moment before saying, “Then if Daddy and Mommy get a divorce, can you be my mom?” Vivian laughed so hard she nearly gasped for breath. “Would you really be willing to give up your mommy?” Joe snorted, “I hate that old witch! Ms. Spencer, you are so gentle and pretty. How could she ever compare?” Vivian’s voice carried an unmistakable note of glee. “Well, that depends on whether your dad agrees.” “Dad, didn’t you say she’s just an old nag? Kick her out and let Ms. Spencer move in, okay?” I pushed open the door just in time to see Ethan sitting there, his face flushed, caught between hesitation and temptation. “What a lively family gathering,” I said coldly. Ethan turned to look at me, his face instantly drained of color. He shot to his feet and stammered, “Sabrina, it’s not what you think…” I asked, “Then why don’t you tell me what it is?” Ethan said, “Vivian is Joe’s homeroom teacher. She came over for a home visit today. “She reached out to me after she left the rural school, saying the conditions were too harsh. She’s a fresh graduate and just couldn’t handle it. She begged me for help. “I thought, since she was your friend, I’d do her a favor and get her a teaching position at Nova International Academy. I did it for you…” I sneered, “She is just my subordinate. What kind of friend is that? And she just happened to be Joe’s teacher? Let’s be honest, Ethan, this was never about me. You had your own agenda, didn’t you?” Vivian finally spoke up, “Sabrina, how can you talk to your husband like that? If it weren’t for Ethan, would you even be living such a comfortable life?” I pointed a finger right at her nose. “And who do you think you are? No one asked for your opinion.” Ethan’s face flushed. “Sabrina, do you have no respect for teachers? Vivian is Joe’s teacher and our guest. Apologize to her right now!” Ethan had always been gentle with me. But now, just to defend Vivian, he was suddenly playing the role of the tough, righteous man. Joe ran over, screaming, “Don’t bully Ms. Spencer! Get out of my house!” I was beyond furious. In just a few days, Vivian had poisoned my relationship with my own son. I turned to her, my voice cold. “Ms. Spencer, you are a teacher, and I suggest you act like one. What you’re doing now is completely unethical, and I have every right to request your termination.” Vivian’s eyes flickered before she feigned a pitiful expression. “Joe, how could someone like this be your mother? Poor child…” Vivian turned and hugged Joe dramatically. “I’m sorry, Joe. I can’t see you anymore. If I do, your mom will have me fired.” Joe let out a piercing scream and charged at me, pounding his little fists against me. “I hate you! Why did you have to be my mom?” Then he ran straight out the door, wailing. Ethan rushed after him. Vivian dropped the act, shooting me a smug, condescending glance before following them. My expression darkened. I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Jack, notify Nova International Academy. There will be a board meeting tomorrow.”   The next day, I headed to Nova International Academy for a board meeting. As luck would have it, I ran into Vivian at the entrance. Vivian shot me a sideways glance. “What, really here to make a scene? This is a prestigious school. There’s no room for your nonsense!” Then, raising her voice, Vivian called out, “Security! We have a suspicious person here!” A security guard hurried over, frowning. “Who are you?” Since I rarely showed up at the school, the guard didn’t recognize me despite my status as a shareholder. I had no interest in arguing, so I simply walked over and pressed the elevator button. “I’m a parent. I need to speak with the principal about something important.” Vivian blocked my way, her eyes cold and sharp. “There’s a board meeting today. Did you really think I’d let you do whatever you want at a time like this? I don’t care if you’re here to sabotage my job or ruin Ethan’s reputation in front of the board. You’re not getting what you want!” Then, all of a sudden, Vivian raised her voice, putting on an exaggerated act. “Mrs. Royce, how could you say such things about me?” Before I could respond, Vivian burst into tears. A few teachers passing by stopped and asked what was going on. Between sobs, Vivian whimpered, “Just because I care about her son, Mrs. Royce accused me of having an affair with her husband. She even came to the school to hit me and demanded that I be fired…” One of the teachers frowned. “Ma’am, it’s our duty to look after the students. How could you make such baseless accusations?” A crowd started to gather, whispering among themselves. “Parents these days are so unreasonable. Poor Ms. Spencer!” “Look at her. She is probably a housewife who spends all day obsessing over her husband, thinking every woman is after him!” “People like her shouldn’t even be mothers. What a terrible influence on her child!” I glanced at the time. The meeting had already started. I pulled out my phone and sent a message in the group chat: [Meeting relocated to the first-floor lobby.] Then, I settled onto the sofa and watched Vivian’s little performance. Before long, the principal, Kevin Robson, and other board members arrived. The teachers immediately swarmed around Kevin, eager to report the situation. “Mr. Robson, a parent barged in, causing trouble and slandering a teacher! You have to do something about this!”

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My husband, Evan West, and I were reborn on the eve of our marriage registration. We walked out of the City Hall, and neither brought up marriage again. He went on to start a business with his first love, Evelyn Scott, while I stayed home, sketching designs as always. Six years later, he became the CEO of a public company, happily together with his first love. Meanwhile, I was still at home, sketching away at my design work. When we met again, he had his first love on his arm, looking down at me in my simple outfit with a mocking smirk. He said mockingly, “After all this time, you’re still so… ordinary.” Little did he know that my husband, Sebastian Vaughn, was the wealthiest man in the world. I had flown back from abroad to attend my professor, Caleb Murray’s 70th birthday celebration. As fate would have it, I ran into my ex-husband Evan for the first time in six years since our split. He had indeed made it big as the CEO of a listed company. At first, everyone gathered around Caleb, making small talk. They all put on a show of being eager students. It delighted Caleb, who believed they had changed and grown more mature than before. When Evan walked in with Evelyn on his arm, everyone flocked around him like moths to a flame. They were all desperate to get on his good side. I noticed the hurt in Caleb’s eyes. I gently took his hand and stayed beside him with a reassuring smile. Someone piped up, “Evan, you’ve made it big! Look at you now! A hot-shot CEO!” “Yeah, Mr. West is way out of our league now. We might need to ask for some favors!” “Come on, we’re all old classmates! Mr. West, don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything! We’ve got your back!” Evan just smiled politely and continued walking with Evelyn. The crowd quickly switched their attention, thinking they’d forgotten to compliment Evelyn. “Oh my, excuse my aging eyes! I can’t believe I didn’t notice Evelyn standing right there!” “Evelyn, you haven’t aged a day! You still look like you’re eighteen! You two make such a power couple!” The pair exchanged knowing smiles at the comment. “Oh, stop, you’re making us blush!” Evelyn protested with false modesty, clearly fishing for more compliments. The crowd caught her hint and kept laying on the praise. Everyone had completely forgotten about the real guest of honor. Even when it was time for the banquet to start, they were chattering away noisily. I frowned and walked over to speak up, “It’s already noon, and today is Professor Murray’s birthday celebration. Why are you all making a racket instead of celebrating with Professor Murray?” Evan finally noticed me and furrowed his brows slightly. “What are you doing here?” I found his question ridiculous. Why wouldn’t I be here on Caleb’s birthday? Everyone knew how Evan and I had announced our plans to get married, only to have things end badly in a very public way. People stared at us with evident curiosity, hungry for gossip. “Did you know Professor Murray treats Ava like his own protégé? I wonder where she’s working these days!” “Well, well, look at these old flames meeting again. My, how things have changed,” another person muttered. That was right. I was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans. How could that compare to Evan’s designer suit and Evelyn’s fancy cocktail dress? Little did they know my outfit cost more than their fancy clothes combined. Evan was pleased to hear this. He deliberately tightened his grip on Evelyn’s hand as if preparing to make some big announcement. “Come on, guys, don’t joke around. I’m Eve’s fiancé now. Everyone’s invited to our wedding next May 20th.” The news excited everyone, completely glossing over my awkward history with Evan. They started showering them with congratulations and well wishes for their marriage. Seriously? They were not married yet, and everyone was already celebrating like they were.

Evelyn approached me as I stood there, clearly wanting to show off. She smirked, “Ava, which design company do you work for? I’d love to have you design some wedding dresses for me. “Since you’re Professor Murray’s student, I’m sure you’re talented.” Everyone turned to look at me. I forced a smile and shook my head. “Thanks, but I’m currently working on designs from home. “Your wedding dresses would be too fancy for me to handle. You should find someone more qualified.” Evelyn covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh my goodness, Ava! I’m so sorry! I had no idea you’d been unemployed for six years. “Ava, you’re Evan’s friend. Let us know if you need any help.” I waved off her fake concern and returned to my seat. The others exchanged knowing looks, clearly thinking I was being ungrateful. I helped Caleb stand up and shot them all a cold glare. “If you don’t want to be here, just leave. “Today is about Professor Murray. If you want to suck up to someone, at least pick the right moment.” Their cheerful expressions instantly turned cold as they glared at me resentfully. Evan finally turned to me, his smile never wavering. “Since Ava put it that way, I guess I’m wrong here. “Well! I’ll cover Caleb’s lunch bill, and tonight, I’ll invite everyone to see our new mansion.” The tense atmosphere instantly lifted as everyone got excited about visiting the mansion. Evan stared directly at me with a smug look on his face. “Would our former class monitor approve of this plan?” I nodded, not wanting to waste more words on them. “Then we’ll see you tonight. Don’t stand us up.” Before I could refuse, they walked past me to take their seats. Evan stopped beside me and gave me a few mocking glances. “Ava, still dressing so plainly, I see. “If you had listened to me back then, you wouldn’t be living off your parents and working from home now. “You’re just too stubborn. Look at us now—one soaring high, the other stuck on the ground.”

One was soaring high, and the other was stuck on the ground? That was one way to put it. After all, he could never reach the heights where I stand now. In my past life, Evan and I grew up as childhood sweethearts. Our parents naturally assumed we would end up together. He found his entry-level corporate job boring and unfulfilling. Meanwhile, I spent my days creating designs at home, but no one took my work seriously. Evelyn started a business with someone else. They quickly became the wealthiest couple in the city, living a life of luxury. He grew to hate me then, blaming me for holding him back. He believed he could have had a perfect life with Evelyn. He missed his golden opportunity because of our parents’ expectations and my presence. I still remember how Evan clenched his fists at Evelyn’s wedding, his face showing pure resentment. I thought he was only feeling bitter inside. But then he started staying out all night. Mysterious hickeys began appearing on his neck. Lipstick stains and foundation marks kept showing up in his car. In the end, that was the last straw that broke our relationship. “Ava, what more do you want? You just sit at home all day expecting me to care for you. What gives you the right? “I must have been crazy to choose you. If I had married Eve instead, I’d be the richest man in the city by now!” I watched as his usually gentle face twisted into something ugly. I felt a deep sense of heartbreak and helplessness for the first time. Sure, I spent my days at home. But I was the one paying most of our bills. He was right; my designs weren’t selling well. But my family was comfortably middle-class, and my parents provided the money. How did he support me and call me useless? He was just jealous that others were doing better than him. He blamed me for holding him back from getting rich. How did this become my fault? In the end, I gave in and agreed to divorce. A truck crashed into our car on our way to sign the papers. We plunged straight off the bridge into the river below. When I opened my eyes again, we had both traveled back to the day we sat in the City Hall, about to get married. This time, we walked straight out of the City Hall. Without many words, he called Evelyn. I went back home to continue working on my designs. My second chance at life had already started paying dividends. I had mastered the latest fashion trends and adapted my style accordingly. Now, I was the go-to designer for luxury jewelry brands. I had suddenly become the hottest name in the design world. Most of my earnings went back to the school as donations. I wanted to help more people pursue their dreams in design without financial barriers. They knew nothing about any of this. They still thought I was nobody, just waiting for life to pass. I had only come here to celebrate Caleb’s birthday. We were supposed to thank him for mentoring us, but instead, it turned into the Evan and Evelyn show. I had to stand up for Caleb. They love showing off their wealth, right? Well, let’s see who has the deeper pockets!

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My name is Cynthia Mitchell, and I had a fiancé named Henry Williams. At an investment banquet, Henry’s secretary recklessly poured a glass of red wine over investor Jason Miller and berated him loudly. To seek revenge on Henry, Jason demanded that Henry’s lover, Annie Crawford, spend a night with him, or else he would withdraw his investment. In order to ensure the successful IPO of Williams Group, Henry handed me a glass of drugged wine, intending to sacrifice me. He looked at me, his eyes filled with hesitation. “Annie is different from you. She just graduated—pure and innocent. “Cynthia, don’t struggle. I’ll make it up to you once Williams Group goes public.” ***** When I woke up, I saw the man across from me. My voice was hoarse as I said, “I’ll sign the agreement.” Antonio Steers closed the file in his hand and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. He looked at me with a condescending smile. “Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation, Ms. Mitchell.” As I looked at his refined, pale face, I recalled the scene from last night. When I was being dragged toward a room by that greasy investor, the elevator doors opened. Antonio stood straight inside, like a king. As the elevator doors were about to close, I cried out to him for help. The image of that man being brutally beaten to the ground, covered in blood, was still vivid in my mind. I swallowed hard, unsure if I had made the right choice. Suppressing my unease, I forced myself to say, “Of course, we will.” When I finished packing and left the hotel, I ran into Henry and Annie in the lobby. He was holding Annie affectionately. When he saw me, Henry awkwardly let go of Annie. Annie, however, rushed over to me with feigned concern. She pretended to be grateful, but her eyes were full of provocation. “Cynthia, are you okay? “Did that old man torment you? I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. If only I had endured his harassment, you wouldn’t have had to go through all this.” The crowd around us fell silent for a moment upon hearing this gossip. They all glanced at me discreetly, their gazes filled with both disdain and pity. Henry shot me a look of disgust and pulled Annie back to his side, scolding her, “You’ll never have to endure it. Girls must learn to protect themselves.” Seeing Henry ignore me, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of bitterness. I stepped forward, tears welling up in my eyes, and looked at him. “Henry, nothing happened last night. Do you believe me?” Henry’s expression stiffened for a moment, and his attitude softened slightly. Annie tugged at his sleeve, pouting, and said with feigned concern, “Mr. Miller said he would withdraw his investment if we didn’t meet his demands. But this morning, he called Henry and said the cooperation would continue. “I know every woman would choose to escape reality in such a situation. “I also know, Cynthia, you’re lying to save face. I understand.” I clenched my fists and glared at her. “Shut up.” Last night, when I was dazed and soaked in ice-cold water, Antonio pulled me out of the bathtub, pressed me against the wall, and made me listen. On the other side of the wall, they were opening champagne and celebrating loudly. They were convinced that once this deal was secured, Williams Group would successfully go public. Henry looked at me with displeasure, scolding me for yelling at his little lover. “Why are you being so harsh? Was she wrong?” I stared at Henry in shock, tears slowly filling my eyes. Perhaps my unusual demeanor startled Henry, as he rarely stepped forward to comfort me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and whispered, “Cynthia, you have to believe your sacrifice is worth it. Once Williams Group goes public, I’ll make it up to you.” Seeing that I remained silent, he gradually grew impatient and said in a firm tone, “I know you desperately want to marry me. Once Williams Group goes public, we’ll have the wedding, okay?” Looking at his impatient expression, I laughed at myself bitterly, “Cynthia, this is the man you’ve been chasing after, the man you’ve burned yourself out for, dedicating your youth to.” My desire to spend my life with him had completely vanished by now. I raised my head, holding back my tears, and said to him firmly, “No, I don’t want to marry you anymore.” Annie flashed a sly smile and exclaimed, “That’s great! You don’t deserve Henry anyway.” But Henry’s face suddenly darkened. He stared at me with a heavy gaze, not saying a word, trying to pressure me into submission. In the past, whenever he fell silent like this, I would immediately apologize and try everything to please him. But this time, I didn’t avoid his gaze. I spoke word by word, “Henry, I mean it. I don’t want to marry you anymore. This relationship ends here.” “Cynthia,” he roared at me. I stood my ground, unmoved. After a long stare-down, he sneered, “I’ll wait for the day you regret this.” With that, he left me behind and walked away with Annie.

That evening, as I was packing my belongings in my apartment, a notification sound from a social media platform alerted me to an update from a special follow. I opened it and saw a video of Henry and Annie. They were on a beach, kissing under a grand fireworks display. Watching this scene, memories flooded back like a tidal wave. When Henry loved me the most, he promised to give me the most romantic fireworks show and propose to me under the fireworks. I put away my phone and looked at the pile of packed boxes, feeling empty inside. I used to think Henry and I would be together forever. I had bought so many things to decorate the home of my dreams, but leaving turned out to be easier than I had imagined. After sending off my luggage, I returned to Williams Group. I walked into the office and found my belongings scattered in a corner, and the office had been redecorated in pink. I glanced outside the door, and my colleagues avoided eye contact with me. They pretended to be busy with their work, keeping their heads down and saying nothing, until a commanding voice broke the silence. “Hurry up. Throw out that desk too. It’s hideous. “The taste here is so outdated.” Annie walked in, looking at me smugly. “Sorry, Henry said this office is mine now. “You haven’t been here, so I took the liberty of organizing your things. “You don’t mind, do you, old bitch?” I gave her a faint glance, ignored her, and crouched down to search for a trophy that meant a lot to me. But I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked. I looked up at Annie. “Where did you hide my trophy?” Annie pulled out a cylindrical glass trophy from the desk. “Are you talking about this cheap thing?” I reached out to her. “Give it back to me.” She looked at me, a scornful smile on her face, her eyes filled with malice. I had a bad feeling and tried to grab the trophy. The next moment, the trophy was smashed heavily onto the ground. I froze, staring at the shattered glass on the floor. The anger I had been suppressing finally erupted. I pushed her away. “What the hell gives you the right to break it?” This trophy was the first national innovation award I had won during college, and it was because of this achievement that Henry’s Williams Group had been able to grow. Later, when Williams Group lacked clients, I gave up my beloved research and development to switch to sales. This trophy had always been placed in the most prominent spot, reminding me not to abandon my original passion. I had planned to return to research and development after marrying Henry. I crouched down and picked up the metal base, which bore my name and honor. Even if it was broken, I would collect the fragments. Suddenly, I heard a whimpering cry and Henry’s furious voice behind me. “Cynthia, what did you do?” I turned around, startled. Annie was sobbing in Henry’s arms, a trace of blood on her elbow from the shattered glass. “It hurts so much, Henry…” Henry held her elbow, blowing on it tenderly, then glared at me. “Cynthia, how could you be so vicious? Was your usual nice persona all an act? “It was my decision to let Annie take your position. You didn’t dare confront me, so you bullied a naive girl who just graduated.” I stood up and looked at them. I recalled that I had pushed Annie, but I hadn’t pushed her to the ground. “It wasn’t me.” “Then who was it? Are you saying you didn’t push her? Do you think I’m blind?” Other employees poked their heads out, curious about the commotion. “Aren’t you going to apologize to Annie? “Don’t you have any manners at all? Have all these years in sales been for nothing? “Did you get your orders by playing up to clients?” I tightened my grip on the metal base, feeling deeply humiliated. My resentment spilled out uncontrollably. Since I was leaving anyway, I might as well vent about the injustices I had suffered. With red eyes, I shouted at him, “Henry, how can you insult me like this? Do you have any conscience? “Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for Williams Group over the years? I braved wind and sun to bring in clients for you. I stayed up late revising proposals. You’re right, you are blind. “You’ve not only dismissed all my efforts and achievements, but you’re also slandering me. “Who told you that? Annie? “Do you trust her so much? You’ve only known her for six months.” After I finished speaking, I glared at him. Henry was speechless. He hadn’t expected me, who had always been obedient, to fight back. He felt humiliated in front of his employees, and his expression turned terrifying. I didn’t want to deal with them anymore and was about to leave when Henry suddenly grabbed my arm forcefully. A hard slap landed on my face, and a ringing sound filled my ears. Everyone was stunned. “You hurt Annie and think you can just leave? It’s not that easy. “Annie and I may have only known each other for six months, but she’s purer than you. How could a fresh graduate be as scheming as a woman who’s been dealing with men for years? “I believe she wouldn’t lie to me. “And now she’s hurt, but you’re standing here unharmed.” I covered my face, looking at him in disbelief. Even when we argued in the past, he had never hit me. But for Annie, he had crossed that line. I felt my heart die. All the words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat, and I no longer wanted to argue. “Henry, don’t fight with Cynthia because of me.” Annie, pretending to be fragile in Henry’s arms, let out a sob. “My wrist hurts so much.” Henry anxiously picked her up. Before leaving, he glanced at me and issued a cold command. “I’m transferring you to the Spring County branch. “Come back once you know your mistake. “Pack your things and get out. Now!”

When I checked out of the hotel and was about to leave, Henry’s mother, Megan Williams, contacted me. She was one of the few people here who genuinely cared about me. “Sweetie, did you and Henry have a fight? “Yesterday, I went to Williams Group and didn’t see you. Someone told me you were transferred to Spring County. Tell me if Henry did something wrong, and I’ll make sure he fixes it.” I moved Megan’s hand away from mine and said seriously, “Henry and I have already broken up. “I’m leaving today, and I might not come back.” “Broken up?” Megan sat up straight in shock, looking at me with concern. “Did Henry do something wrong? “Is it because of that new secretary?” My eyes darkened. “I’ve already made things clear with him. Thank you for your kindness before. “I’ve booked a flight for this afternoon, and I’m running out of time. I’m sorry.” I stood up, grabbed my suitcase, and was about to leave, but Megan held onto my luggage tightly. “Sweetie, listen to me. Men are all fickle. He just made a mistake that all men make. “Believe me, marry Henry. With me backing you up, no other woman can shake your position. I only acknowledge you as part of our family.” At that moment, a noise came from the doorway. I turned to look and saw Henry. Megan happily went to greet him. “Sweetie, Henry’s back. He still cares about you. Clear up the misunderstanding. You’ll have a wedding next month.” When Henry heard the word “wedding”, his face darkened, and he stormed toward me. “Cynthia, how dare you come here to bother my mom and make her trick me into coming home. “Just because my mom likes you, you want to use her to pressure me, don’t you? “Didn’t you reject me when I proposed marriage?” He looked at me with a smug expression, his eyebrows raised. “You regret it now, don’t you? “I knew you couldn’t let me go. You don’t want to go to Spring County. “If you beg me and apologize to Annie, I’ll let you stay at headquarters. How about that? “As for the wedding, you missed your chance once. I’ll need to see how you perform.” Megan frowned and slapped Henry’s arm. “What nonsense are you talking about? “She didn’t bother me. I came here for her. “Promise Cynthia that you’ll fire that homewrecker and never contact her again.” Henry snorted coldly. “Cynthia, I really didn’t expect that everyone, regardless of gender or age, falls for your tricks. You even managed to make my mom listen to you like this.” The last bit of goodwill I had for Henry vanished. “If you fire Annie and apologize to me, I’ll marry you right away.” Henry was shocked, and his expression showed that he had expected this. “Dream on.” At that moment, his phone suddenly rang, and the unique ringtone echoed in the room. I remembered how many times this ringtone had gone off, and he would always avoid me from answering the call. “Hello, Annie, what’s wrong?” My already dead heart felt a sharp pang of pain. So, they had already been sneaking around behind my back for a long time. “Okay, wait for me there. I’ll be right over.” Megan grabbed his sleeve. “No. You’re not going anywhere. Apologize to Cynthia! I only like Cynthia. You can’t break up with her.” Henry glared at me impatiently. “Mom, stop causing trouble.” With that, he pushed Megan aside and left without looking back. Megan, holding her injured waist, stared in shock at Henry’s retreating figure. She slapped her thigh and cried, “How did I end up with such a son? He abandoned such an excellent girlfriend and ran into the arms of a bad woman.” Then she looked at me pitifully and said, “Sweetie, take me to the hospital. I’ll make sure Henry comes back to his senses.” I frowned and glanced at my watch. I was running out of time, so I refused, “I’ll call an ambulance for you. Goodbye.” As I left, I heard wailing and crying behind me. By the time I boarded the plane, the news of the engagement between the heir of Steers Group and the heiress of Mitchell Group had already gone viral, accompanied by a side-profile photo of me and Antonio at the banquet. And my contractual fiancé was already waiting for me at the airport.

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