Category: English

Mom always told me the outside world was fake and dirty, so she did everything to protect me. She never allowed me to have any private space, do what I wanted, or even meet new people. When I was ten, I secretly went to my desk mate’s birthday party. My mom showed up at the party with a knife and dragged me away. When I was fourteen, I borrowed two pens from a classmate and put them in my backpack. When I got home, I was beaten black and blue. When I was sixteen, a boy from the next class wrote me a love letter. My mom slapped me in front of the entire school. My life consisted of nothing but studying. So I never had a single friend. Until I turned seventeen, when I found a little yellow chick downstairs. For the first time, I gathered the courage to secretly keep this small creature. On my eighteenth birthday, Mom mysteriously told me she had a surprise for me. That evening at the dinner table, I saw a pot of stewed chicken, cooked until the meat fell off the bones. “This is the chicken I found in your room and stewed.” She even excitedly posted it on Ins with the caption: “Discovered the chick my daughter’s been secretly raising for a year, so I stewed it and made her eat it herself.” I kept my head down and said nothing. But Mom, that wasn’t just any ordinary chick. That was my only friend. Now that the chick is dead, I can’t go on living either.

“Actually, I knew you were raising a chicken all along. I just wanted to wait until you fattened it up a bit before killing it.” Mom’s eyes crinkled with satisfaction, her face full of pride. “Don’t think I don’t know everything. I have complete control over every aspect of your life.” I stared hard at the chicken in the pot. I couldn’t count how many days and nights it had kept me company. I found it right after Mom had thrown me out of the house for having a marker in my bag that didn’t belong to me. It sat alone in the grass with one lame leg. I quietly brought it home, nursed it carefully, then secretly hid it away. It seemed almost spiritual—it never made a sound, staying obediently in the little box under my bed, neither crying nor fussing. I’d long since come to think of it as my friend, the first and only friend I’d ever had in my life. But Mom stewed it on my eighteenth birthday. Mom picked up a piece of chicken meat with her fork and brought it to my face. “Eat it. Chicken is so nutritious. I stewed it for two hours.” “You raised it yourself, so it must taste especially good.” A violent wave of nausea churned in my stomach. I rushed to the toilet and knelt there, retching violently. I threw up until only bile came out. Just as I was about to stand up, something heavy crashed down on me. A solid wood stool landed squarely on my leg. “Joy, you dare give me attitude? I haven’t even settled the score with you for secretly keeping that beast!” “Mom…” I spoke through the pain, “It’s not a beast, it’s my friend…” “Friend?!” Mom shot to her feet as if I’d shocked her, grabbing the ruler she always kept on the couch. “You have me as your mother—isn’t that enough? What do you need a friend for?” “You want to run off with your friends like your father did and abandon your mother, don’t you? Now you’re hiding things from me. What’s next? Are you going to start hiding people?” I trembled and backed away, raising my hands to shield myself while shaking my head. “Mom, today is my eighteenth birthday…” “So you’re an adult now? You can do whatever you want? You don’t have to listen to me anymore?” “I’m going to teach you a lesson today!” The ruler rose high and fell hard. I covered my head, not daring to cry or scream. This was a rule Mom had established when I was young: for every tear that fell, she’d add ten more strikes. So I bit my lip hard and didn’t shed a single tear. But I hurt so much. The dining table blurred before my eyes, and the living room lights grew dimmer and dimmer. As Mom kept hitting me, she started crying first. “I risked my life in ten months of pregnancy to give birth to you, and this is how you repay me now that you’re eighteen?” She cried with snot and tears running down her face. I stood up to comfort her, but she shoved me away. “Since you’ve grown wings and want to fly away, get out!” The next second, I was pushed stumbling out the front door. It was a bitter December winter, and I wore only a thin shirt. I shivered with cold, huddling in the stairwell. At least they hadn’t confiscated my phone. I picked it up and dialed the number I knew by heart. The call was answered just before it would have disconnected. “Hello… Dad…” “Joy, I’m very busy right now. Whatever it is, we’ll talk later.” Beep beep beep… The call was cut off cleanly. “Dad, today is my birthday. I miss you.” I murmured to myself. Only the howling wind answered me. My heart sank bit by bit. Until this day, my eighteenth birthday. I was finally forced to admit a painful and desperate truth. My father and mother. Neither of them loved me.

Mom didn’t come to find me. I knew this was another punishment. It wasn’t until midnight that the property management lady found me frozen unconscious on the floor and carried me to her duty room. I’d just taken a sip of hot water when the door was pounded loud enough to shake the building. “Joy, you’ve really got guts now! Running away from home!” Mom burst through the door cursing at me. “You ungrateful brat! I worked so hard to make you soup and I did it wrong?” The property manager quickly tried to stop Mom. “The child was frozen unconscious outside. I brought her here on my own initiative. It’s not the child’s fault.” “You don’t need to speak for her. I know exactly what kind of daughter I have.” “She’s so manipulative, pretending to faint to get your attention. Her tricks are pathetically obvious!” I felt ashamed and humiliated, trying to explain. “Mom, I really did faint.” The next second, a slap came whistling down and crashed into my face. My ears rang. “You dare talk back! You didn’t faint earlier, you didn’t faint later, but the moment someone could see you, you fainted?” The property manager looked flustered and tried to intervene, but Mom ruthlessly pushed her aside. Mom’s endless nagging mixed with the ringing in my ears, piercing sharply into my eardrums. “She’s been bad since she was little. When she was young, she’d run away from home and team up with her desk mate’s family to deceive me.” “In middle school she’d steal things—a pen here, an eraser there. When I caught her, she’d refuse to admit it and claim she’d borrowed them.” “At such a young age, she was already flirting with boys, throwing herself at men everywhere. She had no self-respect from the start.” … That’s not true. Mom, I’m not like that. I never did those things. That’s not what really happened. Ever since Dad and Mom got divorced, I’d been careful every day, always obedient to Mom. But why, no matter what I did. Mom always thought I was a thoroughly bad child. In the end, Mom forcibly dragged me out of the duty room. The property manager looked at me with pity in her eyes. That look ruthlessly shattered my self-respect. When we got home, Mom pointed darkly at the floor. Like I had countless times before, I mechanically knelt down. Mom looked at me with disgust. “You like pretending to faint? Then kneel there today until you really do faint.” “Joy, don’t think that just because you’re an adult I can’t control you anymore.” What hurt more than kneeling on the floor was the cold, disgusted tone in Mom’s voice when she said my name. It seemed like ever since Dad had his affair and they divorced, Mom had changed. I raised my head, my eyes brimming with tears. “Mom, don’t you love me?” “Love?” She acted like she’d heard the biggest joke in the world. “Love is the most fake, most disgusting thing in the world.” “You have half your father’s face. Looking at you makes me sick.” “If you weren’t my biological daughter.” “I’d rather you were dead.”

I knelt on the floor for three days and three nights. When I fainted, I immediately forced myself back up. I knelt until my whole body wouldn’t stop shaking, until my knees were covered in red, green, and purple bruises. Mom allowed me to get up because my teacher was coming for a home visit. This was the most important year of my life. The SAT was coming up. Mom took off her designer clothes and put on old ones from years ago. “Ms. Harper, I’ve raised Joy all by myself through blood, sweat, and tears. I’ve given this child all my money and energy.” “But the child doesn’t know gratitude. A few days ago, after I said a few words to her, she threatened to run away from home. I practically got on my knees begging before she’d come back.” I lay on my bedroom bed. I wanted to get up, but the severe pain in my knees forced me to lie back down. I heard the teacher ask about my whereabouts. “This child has everything done for her at home—never lifts a finger. Every day she goes out to mess around with delinquents from society, lazy and never comes home…” I heard the teacher sigh heavily. Because of Mom, I’d long had a terrible reputation at school. Everyone avoided me like the plague, desperate to keep their distance. Only Ms. Harper was willing to accept me, treat me normally, not exclude me. When I was feeling low, she’d patiently comfort me and tell me I was a good kid. Wave after wave of shame and frustration surged up from the bottom of my heart. The teacher didn’t ask about me again and quietly left. I heard the sound of my heart breaking—quietly yet violently. The last person in the world who liked me didn’t like me anymore. “Go wash the dishes.” Mom pushed open the door and gave me a cold command. I endured the severe pain, practically leaning against the wall with half my body just to make it to the kitchen. In the dead of winter, the hot water pipe had long been frozen. Ice-cold water flowed from the tap. A broken shard on the edge of a bowl accidentally cut my hand. Blood flowed everywhere. I planned to find a bandage after finishing the dishes. But when I turned around, I smelled thick smoke. Thinking there was a fire, I ignored the pain, dropped the bowl, and ran to the living room shouting. “Mom! Mo—” The second half of the sentence stuck hard in my throat when I saw the pile of ashes in front of Mom. My diary, my drawings, and my memories with the chick were all in Mom’s hands, gradually burning to ash. “Those are mine!” For the first time, I lost control and shouted at her. I rushed forward trying to put out the flames, trying to snatch back everything that was mine. But it was too late. Burned clean away. “Ms. Harper said your grades have been slipping lately.” “I only came in second place once…” “Isn’t that because your mind isn’t where it should be? Look at what you’ve been writing and drawing. If you hadn’t been secretly keeping that beast and making your room a mess, would you have only placed second!” “It has nothing to do with the chick!” I trembled, tears streaming down my face in strings. I clutched the remnants of the notebook in my hands, which wouldn’t stop shaking. I didn’t understand why Mom had to be so ruthless. I just wanted a friend, someone who could keep me company. Even if it wasn’t human. The chick couldn’t speak, but it had listened to so much of my pain. I told it about when I was little and Mom and Dad were fighting over their divorce, how Dad found a gentle, caring new girlfriend and turned around and abandoned me. I told it how every day at school people whispered behind my back, how everyone knew my shameful stories and thought I was a weirdo who didn’t fit in. I told it about Mom’s extreme, numbing control over me and her endless beatings. No one was willing to listen to these things. Only that fluffy little head would blink its eyes and look at me obediently. I drew many pictures and wrote many diary entries. These were my spiritual pillars for so long. But now, Mom had destroyed everything. She destroyed me too.

“You don’t need to go to school anymore. Since your mind isn’t where it should be, there’s no point wasting money.” “Starting today, you’ll study at home. I’ll personally watch over you.” Mom stood up, looking down at me from above. I didn’t argue back because I knew it was useless. When I was little, Mom wouldn’t let me go to school, but I’d sneak there anyway. When I got home, I was stripped naked and made to kneel in the bathroom while being beaten until I was covered in purple marks. I nodded somewhat numbly and stood up. From then on, I became more obedient and quieter. I never mentioned the chick again, and neither did Mom. But she controlled and managed me even more than before. She called the school and strongly demanded that I return home to study on my own. She said I was mentally unstable and not suitable to study with everyone else. She started monitoring me twenty-four hours a day. “If you can’t get first place, even living is a waste.” “I’m doing this all for your own good. You’re not taking the college entrance exam for me.” So I studied desperately, wanting to get into a good college far, far away. I started having hope again. In the last month before the SAT, I received an early acceptance letter from New York University. I gripped the thin letter tightly, but the next second Mom snatched it away. She tore it to shreds right in front of me. “You want to go to NYU! You want to run far away and escape my grasp! Joy, you’re dreaming!” I watched the pieces of the acceptance letter fall from the air. I silently picked up the scraps of paper, ignoring the woman’s hysteria behind me. One piece, two pieces, three pieces. So it’s true that when pain reaches its extreme, it becomes silent. This time, I couldn’t cry anymore. My heart was completely empty. I turned and went back to my room, opening a practice test. Like I was completing one final task. Take the SAT. Take it one last time. The last time. That’s what I told myself. On SAT day, I set my own alarm, made my own breakfast, and took a taxi to the test center by myself. Just like all those times I’d gone to class alone before. Completely ordinary. When the SAT results came out, I’d scored first place in the entire city. I stood on the rooftop, scrolling through Dad’s social media. Dad’s new daughter had been born. I smiled a little, liked the post, and commented “Congratulations.” Dad’s number appeared on my phone. This was the first call Dad had initiated since the divorce. I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to answer anymore. I’d already blocked Mom’s number. Her messages came flooding in. I threw my phone ten meters away. Inside was my suicide note. “Mom and Dad, I got first place. Will you like me, even just a little bit?” “But even though I got first place, I still have no friends, no home, no self.” “I don’t want to live anymore.” Turns out dying is easier than living. I just had to fall gently downward. And the world went quiet.

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On our wedding day, my fiancé Alexander ran off to attend my adopted sister Rosalind’s graduation ceremony. Then he took Rosalind on a trip around the world. What I didn’t expect was that three months later, he sent someone back with a baby, and commanded me over the phone: “The kid is getting in the way of my trip with Rosalind. You’re not doing anything at home anyway, so take good care of him for us. When I get back to Frostmoon Pack, I’ll marry you.” I stared silently at the baby that had already died, and before I could say anything, he hung up. Three years later, his world tour with Rosalind finally ended. Skinny and tanned, Alexander stood at my parents’ doorstep wearing sunglasses, dragging a pile of luggage. He looked haggard, nothing like the handsome man he used to be. He walked up to me and said arrogantly: “Don’t worry, you’re still my mate. Rosalind is generous—she’s willing to be the mistress. But she gave birth to my child, so I have to give her a wedding. I can’t let her suffer anymore. After I hold the ceremony with her, I’ll mark you.” When he tried to hug me, I quickly dodged. What he didn’t know was that three years ago, I had already married his uncle, Alpha Noah.

Alexander froze for a moment, then seemed to figure something out. “I know. You’ve been waiting for me this long—it’s only natural you’d be upset.” I finally steadied myself and looked at him coldly. “Alexander, we broke up a long time ago. What makes you think I’d let you mark me?” He paused, then laughed helplessly. “Come on, Aurora. I know you’re resentful. But the whole Pack knows you’re my fated mate. Who else would want you?” Looking at the certainty in his eyes, I felt it was absurd. On my eighteenth birthday, I discovered that Alexander was my mate. Alexander was the Beta of our pack. His golden hair gleaming on the football field and his athletic build made him the prince charming of many girls’ dreams. I had been infatuated with him too. Our relationship went smoothly, but the day before our wedding, he suddenly disappeared, leaving me only a note. “Rosalind has never traveled anywhere. Now that she’s graduated, I’m taking her on a graduation trip.” I just never expected his trip would last three years. And a year later, he even sent back his child with Rosalind. That’s when I found out he had been cheating with Rosalind all along—she was already pregnant before my wedding. Thinking of this, my anger burned even fiercer. Just as I was about to punch him in his hypocritical face, my son Ryan’s cries came from the distance. “Mommy! Mommy, save me!” Rosalind was twisting Ryan’s ear, lifting his entire body off the ground. The little boy’s face was flushed red from the blood rushing to it. Seeing this, my mind exploded. “Stop it! Rosalind! What the fuck are you doing?!” I rushed over and slapped Rosalind to the ground, then pulled Ryan into my arms. Rosalind threw herself into Alexander’s arms as he hurried over, covering her face and sobbing. “Alexander, I just wanted to see the child, but he doesn’t recognize me as his mom at all. He was punching and kicking me.” “I was just disciplining my own child, but Aurora hit me?” I looked at the obvious bruises on Ryan’s body and angrily cut Rosalind off. “Shut up! Ryan is MY child. He has nothing to do with you, you fucking bitch!” “Enough!” Alexander stared at me in shock. “Aurora, when did you become so vicious? Don’t forget—Rosalind is the child’s biological mother! You only raised him for three years, and now you want to claim him as your own?” I laughed in disbelief and emphasized again. “Ryan has nothing to do with this woman.” Rosalind used to be just an ordinary omega in the pack. When her parents died, they left behind a huge debt. The creditors were going to sell her to a brothel to become a pack whore. But I pitied her, so I had my father adopt her. Not only did we pay off her debts, but we also gave her the best education. I never expected she would seduce my mate behind my back. At that moment, Rosalind dropped to her knees. “It’s all my fault. I deserve to die. But the child is innocent. Aurora, please give the child back to me?” As she spoke, she began slapping herself across the face. I watched her coldly. “If you want to act crazy, get out. Don’t dirty my place.” Alexander glared at me furiously, kicked me hard in the knee, and snatched Ryan from my arms. Rosalind immediately clutched the child tightly. “Baby, it’s all my fault. I haven’t been by your side all these years, that’s why you’re so distant with me. Now I’m back. I’ll never leave you again.” She wailed hysterically. And Ryan—the pup who, just like his father, hated strong perfume—instantly cried even harder. “Let me go, you bad woman! I want Mommy!”

Hearing my child’s hoarse cries, my heart felt like it was being cut by knives. Just as I was about to grab him back, Rosalind suddenly broke down crying: “Aurora, I know you hate me, but the child is innocent. How could you abuse him?” Rosalind pushed up Ryan’s sleeve to reveal his arm. “His arm is so thin. Obviously you haven’t been feeding him properly.” Hearing this, Alexander quickly looked over. When he saw how thin and small the child was, rage instantly ignited in his eyes. “Aurora! Is this how you’ve been raising the child all these years?” “Your family is so wealthy, yet you raised a three-year-old to look like this! That weak little cry—how could he possibly be Alexander’s son!” Alexander was physically imposing, the strongest warrior in the pack. He couldn’t believe his three-year-old son was as weak and thin as a kitten. The veins on my forehead throbbed. I was so furious I was about to explode. This idiot! Back then, when rogues attacked the pack, I went into premature labor from the shock. Ryan was small when he was born. And my son was only TWO years old, not three like he thought! Ryan’s current height and weight were completely normal and healthy. Back then, just because those rogues frightened me, Alexander’s uncle—Alpha Noah—ripped out all their hearts to vent his rage. If Noah found out his son had been treated like this, I couldn’t even imagine what would happen to Alexander. I couldn’t take it anymore and ordered the bodyguards Noah had assigned to me: “Why haven’t you thrown them out yet!” Alexander’s eyes widened in disbelief. He kicked away the approaching bodyguard. “Aurora, have you lost your mind? I’m your mate!” I stared at him coldly. I had only brought three bodyguards, but they trained with Noah every day. In an instant, they were grappling with Alexander. Rosalind held the child tightly, hearing him call for me, calling “Mommy” nonstop. A flash of jealousy crossed her eyes. She suddenly clamped her hand over Ryan’s nose and mouth: “Shut up! I’m your mother!” As she pressed harder, Ryan’s cries went from loud to broken whimpers. My heart clenched. While the bodyguards restrained Rosalind, I kicked her hard to the ground. “What did you do to Ryan?!” Seeing my child’s face turning deep red, I wanted to kill Rosalind. Ryan’s suffocation symptoms were getting worse. Frantic, I remembered the Heimlich maneuver I’d seen online. I quickly turned the child upside down and patted his back with both hands. But this action made Rosalind completely lose it. She screamed, her eyes nearly bursting from their sockets: “Stop! You crazy woman, are you trying to kill the child?!” Alexander was also shocked when he heard this. Just then, the object lodged in Ryan’s throat was finally expelled. A piece of candy the size of a rock rolled onto the ground. Seeing this, guilt flashed through Rosalind’s eyes. Even though Ryan had spit out the object, his lips were still purple. The suffocation had triggered his heart condition. I couldn’t be bothered with them. I immediately ordered the bodyguards to throw both of them out. Alexander scolded: “Aurora, what the hell is wrong with you! With this unreasonable attitude, how can you ever be a proper wife to me?” I walked away with Ryan in my arms without looking back. “No one wants to marry you!” Alexander scoffed, as if he’d heard the most ridiculous joke. “Not marry me? The whole pack knows you’re my fated mate. Besides me, what other man would want you?” I had no mood to deal with him. I told the bodyguards to drive. “Drive fast. Home!”

On the way home, I held Ryan, who was unconscious, and my heart was filled with guilt. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. If I had known I would run into this kind of trouble today, I never would have left the Alpha’s estate. “Mrs. Aurora!” As soon as we reached the front door, Noah’s personal assistant rushed out to greet me. When he saw Ryan unconscious in my arms, his face turned pale instantly. “Alpha Noah is still in a meeting. I’ll notify him immediately!” I ordered someone to fetch the pack’s doctor right away. However, before I could get back to my room, I encountered two familiar figures. Alexander had brought Rosalind into the house. I didn’t want to deal with them, but Alexander grabbed my arm hard. His face was full of smugness: “You said you didn’t want to marry me, but the moment you heard I was coming to see my uncle, you followed right over, didn’t you?” Hearing this, Rosalind’s expression darkened: “Aurora, you took my child—fine. But now you’re bringing the child here to cause trouble. Are you trying to go complain to Alpha Noah?” Alexander’s face fell, and his grip tightened until it felt like he would crush my bones. “So that’s what you’re planning! If you keep making a scene, I’ll mark Rosalind instead of you!” At that moment, Ryan let out two dry coughs. My heart lurched. My eyes red with panic, I shook off his hand violently: “Get away from me! Ryan is Alpha Noah’s child. If anything happens to him, Alpha Noah won’t let you off!” “Shut up!” Alexander covered my mouth in terror. “Are you insane?! Every werewolf knows the only person my uncle loves is his mate, the Luna of Frostmoon Pack. You dare say such things here—do you have a death wish?! If this continues, not only will you die, but you’ll drag us down with you!” Being smothered, I bit down hard on Alexander’s hand. He cried out in pain and let go, but then roughly snatched Ryan away. “Aurora, I thought you were smart and sensible, which is why I entrusted the child to you. I never imagined you’d become this deranged! From now on, the child can’t stay with you. Rosalind must raise him herself. Since you can’t take care of him, his biological mother should!” Rosalind awkwardly took the child into her arms. But the next moment, she let out a painful scream. Even though Ryan was half-conscious, he knew clearly this wasn’t his real mother. He opened his mouth and bit down hard on Rosalind’s neck: “Bad woman! Don’t hurt my mommy!” Back then, I nearly died during childbirth and almost never got to see Ryan. From that moment on, Noah always told Ryan: “No matter what, you must love your mommy! When you grow up, you must protect her!” Watching little Ryan protect me like this, my tears burst forth. But before I could grab him back, searing pain shot through my face. Unable to hold back any longer, Alexander slapped me hard across the face. “Aurora! What have you turned my son into?!”

He flew into a rage and yanked Ryan away. Face full of anger, he grabbed Ryan’s thin little wrist: “Idiot! Rosalind is your biological mother! Call her Mom right now!” Ryan cried out in pain and struggled desperately to break free: “No! She’s not my mommy!” “Mommy, save me!” Alexander couldn’t take it anymore. He kicked Ryan hard in the knee and forced him down in front of Rosalind. “I should have kept you with me all along. Aurora raised you to be completely ill-mannered!” “If you don’t apologize to your mother today, I won’t acknowledge you as my son anymore!” Ryan’s knees slammed hard against the floor, and all the fight drained out of him. His face grew even paler, his lips purple. I screamed frantically: “Alexander! Can’t you see the child is sick?!” But Alexander only glanced over carelessly. Seeing the teeth marks and blood on Rosalind’s neck, the coldness in his eyes deepened: “This child has been spoiled rotten by you. He does something wrong and then pretends to be sick to get sympathy. Being this weak and useless—how is he fit to be my son!” As he spoke, he pressed his hand on Ryan’s head and made him kowtow several times in front of Rosalind. “Got to teach them while they’re young. If I don’t discipline you harshly today, you’ll cause even bigger problems later!” The sound of his head hitting the floor and Ryan’s pained cries stabbed into my heart like knives. Seeing Ryan barely breathing now. Agonizing pain tore through my chest. I was on the verge of breaking down. Just then, the maid who had gone to fetch the doctor returned. I immediately told them to save Ryan. “Hurry, someone grab these two!” They rushed forward, but Alexander snorted coldly and knocked them down with just a few moves. “Open your damn eyes and see clearly—I’m Alexander! My uncle is the Alpha of this pack! Who does Aurora think she is that you’d help her!” “Today I’ll teach you all a lesson about who you should be listening to in this pack!” Alexander struck viciously. Before long, the maids were screaming in agony. My eyes were bloodshot. I was so angry I was about to lose my mind: “Noah won’t let you get away with this! You hurt his son like this—he will make you pay!” “Aurora!” Alexander roared. He reached up and grabbed my jaw hard, then with one sharp twist, dislocated it. “You still dare to run your mouth. You haven’t learned your lesson at all!” “The child turning out like this is entirely your fault—your parenting is the problem!” “I came to find my uncle to ask him to officiate our wedding, but you’ve gone so crazy you’re no longer fit to be my wife. I think you can only be a mistress now. You need to learn some proper manners first!” The sharp pain spread from my jaw throughout my entire body. My vision blurred. Tears poured down uncontrollably. Looking at Ryan’s swollen forehead, his eyes closed, I was on the verge of collapse. Just as I was about to fight Alexander to the death, scattered footsteps suddenly came from the distance. Someone shouted: “Alpha Noah is coming!”

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After getting laid off, I returned home to my hometown in defeat. Suddenly, I heard a strange voice in my mind. “Poor human. He was the first to rush into the fire and saved so many people, but he died the most horrible death. It’s been seven years now, and his body is still buried under this pile of rubble.” I looked up in shock to see an old crow perched on the ruins next to a building, shaking its little head back and forth. “That’s right, that’s right!” A calico cat was pawing through the rubble looking for mice. “Because they never found his body, people thought he got scared and ran away from the fire. They’ve been cursing him as a coward, even throwing feces at his family’s house. Good people really don’t get good endings.” My whole body froze. I quickly dialed 91″Hello, police? I need to bring a hero home!” 1. The officer responded quickly: “Are you reporting a missing elderly person?” “No, not a missing person—a firefighting hero!” I said urgently. “Seven years ago, during the South District explosion and fire, a firefighter died while rescuing people, but his remains are still buried under the rubble right now.” The officer’s tone became serious: “You discovered his remains?” “No, but I have eyewitnesses. The crow and the cat are animals that frequent the ruins, and they say the hero is still trapped underneath.” After a moment of silence, I could almost imagine his expression. “Ma’am, how long has it been since you were released from the psychiatric hospital?” “You have to believe me, I’m not sick!” I frantically explained with both hands and feet. “I’m a survivor of the South District fire. After surviving, I gained the ability to understand what animals are thinking. It’s just that my house burned down and I’ve been away at school all these years. I only came home today.” “The crow and the cat told me that the hero who died has been cursed all along, and people even threw feces at his family’s house. I strongly suspect he might be Captain Lee, the ‘deserter’ who shocked the whole nation back then.” “It’s highly possible that he didn’t flee in cowardice but actually died on the front lines, which is why he was misunderstood. Please send someone to investigate, clear the hero’s name, and bring him home.” The officer probably thought I was mentally unstable and hung up directly. I didn’t know if he would take me seriously. The fire that year was very serious, with 231 casualties, including 36 firefighters. Most of the deaths were supposedly caused by Captain Lee fleeing in cowardice. The whole country knew that Captain Lee was the only firefighter who became a deserter. Everyone despised and hated him, considering him a disgrace! I used to think the same way. After all, the bodies of all the firefighters who died were found—only his body was never recovered. He must have run away. But now, I clenched my fists, grabbed my grandfather’s hoe, and returned to the ruins. In the moonlight, the old crow watched me: “Is this human going to dig through the ruins? What does she want to do?” “I want to bring the hero home,” I raised the hoe and began digging. “Help me!” Surprisingly, it actually understood my intention. It called its friends, and soon a group of small animals gathered. The calico cat used its paws to move broken bricks aside. “The human wants to help the poor human go home! Everyone come help!” A stray dog dug with its front legs: “Woof woof! For the hero! Dig dig dig!” Several sparrows carried away small stones: “Be gentle! Don’t wake the hero from his sleep~” Even the usually aloof crow joined in, using its beak to peck at loose rubble. At three in the morning, the shovel clanged against something hard. I knelt down, shining my flashlight into the shallow pit—inside was a charred leg bone. “We found it!” The crow flapped its wings. “It’s the hero’s bones!” I immediately called the police again. Soon, the ruins were completely sealed off with police tape. When the complete charred skeleton was carefully extracted, everyone was shocked— The adult skeleton was curled up, and tightly protected in its embrace was the skeleton of an infant. “An adult male, and the little girl in his arms—both died of asphyxiation.” A cold female voice suddenly spoke, filled with regret and admiration. “The deceased must have tried to use his own body to protect the child, hoping to give her a chance to survive. He just didn’t expect… the child might have died even before him.” A female forensic examiner in a white coat was crouching by the pit taking notes, her eyes frighteningly calm. Just then, I heard the voice of the calico cat at my feet. “Oh, how pitiful. Her own husband is right in front of her, but this human can’t even recognize him.” My heart skipped a beat, and I blurted out. “This adult man is your husband!”

Dr. Hannah Sullivan, the forensic examiner, jerked her head up, her gaze cutting through me like a knife: “What did you say?” “These remains belong to Captain Lee,” I repeated with difficulty. “You and Captain Lee are married, right?” Hannah pulled down her mask, revealing a pale face, her lips twisting into a sarcastic arc. “Are you mocking me? The whole city knows my ex-husband was Liam Reed, but he was a deserter.” “Ma’am, he wasn’t a deserter—he was a hero!” I urgently pointed at the animals around us. “They all saw it. If you just compare Captain Lee’s DNA, you’ll definitely be able to—” Before I could finish, Hannah cut me off sharply. “Enough! Liam left his post without authorization before the second explosion, causing the water pressure to fail and triggering a bigger fire that killed 36 firefighters!” “That’s 36 lives, 36 broken families. He was too cowardly to take responsibility and fled abroad. How could such a coward possibly save people!” Her eyes were full of disappointment and sarcasm. “Most importantly, there was an eyewitness to the fire who saw him run away with their own eyes.” “If Liam dares to show his face, he won’t die by my hand, but someone will definitely tear him apart!” Hearing this, I stood frozen in place like I’d been struck by lightning. There was actually an eyewitness to the fire who saw Captain Lee flee. Could the information the animals conveyed have been wrong? The body was taken back to the police station, and I had no authority to inquire further. But I was worried that the deceased really was Captain Lee. For several days, I visited old residents near the ruins and animal witnesses. The old residents hated Captain Lee to the bone, so I didn’t dare to push them. But from the animal witnesses, I pieced together a rough version of the truth. This made me even more sad and distressed. That afternoon, I found the hero’s daughter, Lily Reed, at the gate of East Elementary School. I wanted to bring the child to do a DNA match with the deceased. Lily was holding hands with a man wearing glasses, smiling sweetly. The guard dog at the school gate complained in a low voice. “Glasses Man is the worst! Last time I was sleeping and he kicked me hard! All our friends around here have been bullied by him!” “Liam was so good. He’d pat our heads and give us food and water. We all liked him. Too bad we’ll never see him again.” I frowned and walked forward, looking at the young girl. “You’re Lily, right? I’m your father’s friend.” The girl looked at me timidly, and Kevin Harrison immediately pulled her protectively behind him. “I know all of Liam’s friends. Who are you?” I stared into his eyes. “Someone I met on the day of the fire seven years ago. A few days ago, we dug up unidentified remains from under the fire ruins. Do you know about this?” “He’s a deserter, so you must be the same kind of trash if you met him that day! Get away from us!” Kevin’s face suddenly darkened, and he pulled Lily away quickly. I didn’t chase them. Instead, the next day, with the help of the guard dog, I snuck into the school. By the playground, Lily sat alone on a swing. She hung her head. “My dad is a deserter. That’s what all my classmates say. They all hate me and won’t play with me.” I crouched down, looking directly into her eyes. “Lily, do you believe I can understand what small animals say?” “The swallows under the eaves remember that your dad left water for them on the windowsill every spring. The stray cats on the street corner remember that he always kept cat food in his pockets. Even the guard dog next to the fire station says Captain Lee was the bravest person it ever met.” The little girl’s eyes slowly brightened. “All the animals say your dad wasn’t a deserter, but a real hero. To rescue the children in the nursery, he rushed into the terrible fire without hesitation. It’s just that… he didn’t make it out in the end.” “I knew Daddy wasn’t bad!” The little girl looked up with teary eyes and grabbed my sleeve. “When Daddy came home before, he’d always pat my head and say, ‘Don’t worry, Daddy’s a fire captain. The fire will go around me.’” “He saved so many, so many people. He never ran away. He couldn’t be a deserter. But nobody believes me…”

Those words were like a key, suddenly unlocking my sealed memories. Seven years ago, I was trapped at home. The fire was too fierce to escape. When I thought I was going to die, an orange figure broke through the wall of flames, and powerful arms lifted me up. “Don’t be scared, little girl!” A steady voice came from behind the face mask. When he handed my dying body to the team members waiting outside, I desperately clutched his sleeve, which was blistered from the fire. “Sir, it’s too dangerous inside. Please don’t go back in.” He patted my head. “Don’t worry. I’m the fire captain. The fire will go around me.” So the person who saved me was Captain Lee. I crouched down, trembling all over, and hugged this child who had lost her father seven years ago, choking up. “I promise you, I’ll make sure your dad comes home with dignity, and let everyone know—he was a real hero!” Just then, sparrows perched on the swing frame chirped away. “I remember now! Captain Lee was already safe that day, but he rushed back in when he heard crying from the nursery!” The old crow on the wall flapped its wings. “That’s right! Before the second explosion, Captain Lee even pushed Glasses Man out the window!” I jerked my head up: “The man with glasses?” The calico cat emerged from the bushes, gracefully swishing its tail. “That’s the uncle who picked her up from school yesterday. He looked so pathetic then—his pants were torn by an iron hook. The hero even tied his own safety rope to him and rescued him.” In other words, he owed his life to Captain Lee, and clearly knew Captain Lee was still rescuing people before he died, yet he called Captain Lee a deserter. I was so angry my teeth itched. I got a hair sample from the little girl and was about to take it to the hospital myself for DNA comparison when the officer who took my first call found me instead. He hadn’t believed there were remains under the ruins before, but now that they’d been dug up, he looked at me with new respect. “Although the claim about understanding animal voices is too absurd to believe, it’s possible the remains belong to Captain Lee. I’ll apply with the captain in charge of the skeletal case to match the DNA. At the earliest, we should have results tomorrow.” The next day, before the results came in, news arrived that Kevin was proposing to the forensic examiner. Sparrows hopped around on the windowsill. “The hero is so pitiful. He’s been dead for so many years, and no one believed he was good. Now his wife is being deceived by a bad man. She’s getting all dressed up to meet him…” Kevin was proposing to the hero’s wife on the very day of the hero’s death anniversary? How shameless! My expression changed, and I immediately logged into a livestream platform and created a room. After thinking for a moment about the stream title, I solemnly typed: “【Finding the Lost Truth】—The Fire Captain Who Disappeared Seven Years Ago Was Not a Deserter, But a Hero!” I pointed the camera at myself with the familiar ruins in the background. Taking a deep breath, I began my story. “Everyone, friends, seven years ago there was a fire captain named Liam who was labeled a ‘deserter’ who caused many deaths. Everyone wanted him punished.” “But recently, guided by animals, his remains were found in the ruins in a protective posture over a child.” “The facts prove he wasn’t a deserter, but a hero who died seven years ago!” “Today, I’m going to show you the truth that’s been buried for seven years!” The stream had just started with few viewers, and occasional mocking comments floated by: “Nice script, streamer,” “Guided by animals? Escaped from a mental hospital?” I ignored them and said to the camera: “Now, my guide is here.”

As soon as I spoke, the old crow landed precisely in frame and flew off in a certain direction. “Humans, look over here! Follow me, I’ll take you to expose the villain’s true face!” 【Wow! This crow is possessed?】 【It’s staged, right?】 【But it really seems to be leading the way!】 People in the stream began discussing. I followed the crow to the hotel where he was proposing. Along the way, I kept relaying the “testimony” I heard from various animals in the livestream. The swallows under the eaves chirped away. “The smoke was so thick that day! The hero pushed Glasses Man out the window, but he couldn’t get out himself!” A stray dog barked to add: “After the hero left, the bad Glasses Man wasn’t grateful. He kept saying the hero ran away. He’s so bad, we should punish him~” Through my narration, the livestream quickly gained popularity, and comments began discussing details from seven years ago. Some began to doubt, others expressed shock. Just then, my phone suddenly rang. I answered, and a male voice threatened in a low tone. “Shut down the livestream immediately and stop your foolish behavior! Otherwise, watch out for you and your family!” I put it on speakerphone directly, exposing his voice, and responded calmly. “I’m just an unemployed person trying to bring a hero home. You’re threatening me—are you going to take away my unemployment benefits or smash my used smartphone?” “A real hero has been buried in ruins for seven years, bearing false accusations. If I’m afraid of your threats, how can I face Captain Lee who rescued me?” 【The streamer’s got guts!】 【I feel like the streamer is telling the truth! Support the streamer investigating to the end!】 This defiant attitude actually won more support. However, within a few minutes, my livestream signal began fluctuating violently, the screen froze, and then went completely black—the signal was forcibly cut. My account was even banned. “The bad guy is doing bad things!” the crow called out anxiously. My heart sank. “Human, take this!” Suddenly a little mouse dropped something and pushed it with its tiny paws. “We found this in the little hole at the very bottom of the ruins. It’s hard and not tasty, but it has the tall human’s scent!” It was a burned, warped wallet fragment with curled edges, almost carbonized. I carefully opened it. Inside the plastic layers stuck together was a severely damaged ID card with blurred text! Although the photo and most of the information were burned, Liam’s name and the faintly visible ID number at the end were like a spark in the darkness, instantly igniting my hope! “It’s the hero’s identification!” My voice trembled with excitement as I carefully stored this crucial evidence. “Let’s go to the venue!” At the banquet hall entrance, security tried to stop me. The crow suddenly let out a loud call, and several stray dogs cooperatively barked “woof woof.” A group of animals cleared the way for me. While the security was shocked, I pushed open the ajar door and burst in. At that moment, Kevin was holding a diamond ring, kneeling on one knee before Hannah Sullivan, looking deeply affectionate. “Hannah, let me take care of you and Lily…” “Dr. Sullivan! You can’t accept him!” I held up the damaged wallet, interrupting his proposal. “This was found by mice in the deepest part of the ruins, near Captain Lee’s remains! It’s a fragment of his ID!” “Your husband was never a deserter! He was a hero! Kevin, who said he was a deserter, has been lying all along!” As my words fell, the whole venue was shocked, everyone looking at me in disbelief. Hannah looked at what I was holding, her face turning deathly pale. “What?” Kevin stood up abruptly, forcing himself to stay calm. “Nonsense! You dare slander me with some trash you found somewhere. Liam was a deserter—that’s established fact!” I stared directly at him. “Captain Lee’s remains have been found in the ruins, and animals saw him rescue you and give you his safety rope!” “Animal testimony? Are you insane?” Kevin was beside himself with anger. “That skeleton is just an unidentified body right now. Why should we believe it’s Liam just because you say so? Besides, I saw him run away with my own eyes. He’s a deserter!” As the scene became extremely chaotic, several uniformed police officers strode in. Leading them was the captain in charge of the skeletal case. He looked serious, holding a document, and walked straight to Hannah Sullivan. “Dr. Sullivan, we just received the latest identification report. We did a paternity test using your daughter’s hair and the deceased from the ruins.” He announced clearly, word by word: “The comparison results show a parent-child relationship. The skeleton in the ruins is Captain Liam himself!”

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After cleaning my mother-in-law Ruth’s body, I scrolled across a post titled “What’s the Ultimate Way to Spoil Your Wife?” “Of course it’s finding an old woman to keep at home to serve your parents~ My husband does exactly that. He married that woman, and now she has to stay home wiping my mother-in-law’s ass and piss, serving his half-paralyzed father-in-law, and he doesn’t even have to pay her. He gives me $50,000 a month, and all I need to do is stay beautiful~” Many people questioned whether she was just a kept mistress. But the blogger posted a wedding photo: “That woman is the mistress! I’m the legal wife!” Looking at that photo, my heart clenched violently. Wasn’t that my husband Ferdinand? The blogger continued showing off: “My husband threw that woman a fake wedding that only cost six thousand dollars—the same price as our dog. What a bargain!” My hands trembling, I called my brother, whom I hadn’t contacted in ages: “I regret it.” “What are you dawdling for! Hurry up and make dinner!” Ruth sipped her tea while impatiently giving orders. But this time, I didn’t submit meekly. Instead, I turned and went back to my room. Ruth froze for a few seconds, then cursed furiously, spittle nearly hitting my face. “Doria, are you deaf! Didn’t you hear me!” “Your father-in-law ate too much and shit the bed again. Get over there and change his clothes! What are you doing messing around in here!” She kicked over my suitcase. I didn’t even look up. “It’s New Year’s. I’m going to bring Ferdinand some things and surprise him.” Panic flashed through Ruth’s eyes as she stuttered a rebuttal. “Wh… what surprise! You just stay home obediently and take good care of us for Ferdinand’s sake. That’s more important than anything!” A voice came from the next room—my father-in-law. “Exactly! At New Year’s, Ferdinand’s company must be swamped. Why are you causing trouble for no reason?” My hands paused. I raised my head and met Ruth’s panicked gaze. So they all knew. They knew Ferdinand had another wife he treasured outside. The whole family had conspired together, letting those two live freely outside while using moral obligation to bind me, making me waste my entire life at home, day after day cooking, washing clothes, and dealing with their shit and piss. I clenched my fists and said nothing, then headed to City Hall. The clerk took the marriage certificate and frowned slightly. “This certificate is fake. The system also shows you as unmarried.” My mind exploded with a buzzing sound, leaving only a sharp ringing in my ears. Ten years ago, Ferdinand and I were tied for first place in our university’s finance program. During college, we won countless awards and secured investment from top financial firms. After graduation, when his parents had back-to-back accidents, I willingly stepped back to support him, letting him pursue his entrepreneurial dreams without worry. The day he proposed, he cried like a child, his voice trembling. “Doria, I will make you the happiest person in the world.” I believed him. But where did it all go wrong? I stumbled out of City Hall, whispers following behind me. “Young women these days are so gullible, getting used for nothing.” “Maybe she’s the mistress on the side!” I couldn’t wait any longer. The next morning, at the crack of dawn, I left without telling Ferdinand’s parents. No matter what, I needed an explanation from Ferdinand. But as soon as I arrived at the company, security stopped me. “Who are you? Do you have ID?” I said expressionlessly, “I’m Ferdinand’s wife.” The moment the words left my mouth, harsh laughter erupted around me. “You? Ferdinand’s wife? Why don’t you piss and look at yourself in the reflection!” “Everyone in Las Vegas knows Ferdinand’s wife is our company’s director. The two of them are lovey-dovey all day long, even planning for a third kid!” The guard held a cigarette in one hand while pointing inside with the other. “See that? That’s the real Mrs. Ferdinand, head to toe in designer brands! One necklace alone is worth $200,000!” “Looking like a beggar and trying to scam us? Get lost!” I said nothing, just stared at the woman’s back. The moment she turned around, my heart was viciously wrenched. It was her. Christiana.

Six years ago, she broke her right leg. Ferdinand told me she was a distant cousin and asked me to take good care of her. During those days, loving him meant loving those around him. I willingly washed her underwear, made nutritious meals with variety every day, and served her for over half a month. Before she left, worried that a young woman alone might not be safe, I even gave her five thousand dollars. Five years ago when Christiana had a baby, three years ago when her child got sick—Ferdinand sent them both to me to take care of. His reason? Her husband was gone, and single mothers have it hard. So the child was his. It was all an excuse. They’d been involved all along. Then what was I? A caregiver or a nanny? I clenched my fists, my nails digging painfully into my palms. Ferdinand, what right do you have to treat me this way? Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I rushed forward regardless. “Everyone move aside. I need to see Ferdinand.” The guard laughed mockingly. “Are you crazy! Are mistresses this brazen now?” “Someone get her out of here! Don’t disturb Ferdinand and Christiana’s good mood!” With that, he was about to forcibly throw me out. “What’s going on?” A sickeningly sweet voice came from inside. Christiana wore an expensive gown, her figure graceful. Seeing her, the guard immediately bowed and scraped. “Director, why did we disturb you? This crazy woman says she’s Ferdinand’s wife. I was just about to throw her out!” Christiana smiled brightly, waving her hand magnanimously. “Oh, it’s Doria. I know you’ve liked Ferdinand for a long time, but… but after all, today is the company’s New Year party. It’s not very appropriate for you to come cause trouble, is it?” The guard frowned. “Director, you know this person?” Christiana spoke gently and generously. “She’s an acquaintance. The housekeeper from our hometown, specifically hired to take care of Ferdinand’s parents.” Hearing this, everyone began talking, looking at me with contempt. “So the housekeeper wants to climb the ladder! The real wife is standing right here! How shameless!” “Girls these days don’t study hard, just want shortcuts!” My heart felt like it was being stabbed by millions of needles. I wanted to refute, but when even the marriage certificate was fake, what could I say? Bitterness spread through my heart, but I had no words. Christiana continued graciously. “Everyone don’t worry. I trust Ferdinand. He won’t do anything to betray me.” With one casual sentence, she nailed me to the pillar of shame as the mistress. Everyone fawned and flattered. “Exactly! Ferdinand treasures you like a precious jewel! Not just anyone can insert themselves!” “She doesn’t weigh her own worth, thinking she can climb high branches. Pure delusion!” Facing everyone’s mockery, I held back the tears threatening to spill and asked calmly. “Christiana, where’s the money?” “What?” “I mean, the salary.” I raised my head, meeting her smug gaze, my tone calm. “Since you say I’m the housekeeper, where’s the salary? Seven years taking care of two elderly people—surely Ferdinand isn’t too poor to pay?” Hearing this, Christiana’s face turned from green to white. The next second, she suddenly smiled and came forward, grasping my hand, whispering. “Doria, I advise you not to cause trouble.” “Otherwise, it’ll only make Ferdinand hate you more.” Christiana completely revealed her true nature, her eyes full of undisguised provocation and smugness. “He’s the one who wronged me!” I pushed her away without hesitation. But before I even touched a hair on her head, Christiana screamed and stepped back, finally stumbling into Ferdinand’s arms. “Who dares touch my wife?” The man was full of anger, about to settle accounts with me the next second. The moment he saw my face, Ferdinand visibly panicked. “Doria? How did you get here?” I stubbornly raised my head, staring into his eyes and demanding. “Ferdinand, you tell me, what am I? A housekeeper or a caregiver?” “And what is Christiana to you? Your wife?”

A flash of guilt passed through Ferdinand’s eyes, but he said nothing. His silence was like a bucket of cold water, chilling me from head to toe. Christiana quickly emerged from his embrace to smooth things over. “Alright Ferdinand, I’m fine, aren’t I?” “Doria is just too lonely, that’s why she came looking for us.” “How about this, Doria—John from the security team lost his wife two years ago. Why don’t I introduce you two?” “John is divorced, but he’s the security captain. He makes good money!” Hearing this, everyone covered their mouths and snickered. “A housekeeper matched with a security guard—perfect match!” “The director is doing you such a favor, and you’re not grateful!” The mocking laughter drilled into my ears. I bit my teeth and roared. “Using a security guard to humiliate me—Christiana, is this what you call class!” Seeing my barely contained tears, Ferdinand’s expression wavered for a moment, then he gripped my wrist and threatened in a low voice. “Enough, Doria. I’ll talk to you about this when we get home.” “Go back first. Mom just had surgery two days ago, and Dad’s still half-paralyzed. You’re leaving them unattended—are you even a qualified daughter-in-law!” He looked at me coldly, his words piercing like ten thousand arrows. To this day, he felt no guilt for what he’d done, still using that same rhetoric about being a dutiful daughter-in-law to control me. At this moment, Ferdinand still pretended to be the perfect husband. When we first married, I mentioned trying for a baby, but he said: “Doria, the company is just starting. I want to give you and our child a stable life. Can we wait a few more years?” I waited seven years, while he had three children with another woman outside. Tears blurred my vision. I was wrong. I should never have broken with my entire family for this kind of person. I mentally slapped myself hard twice for my poor judgment. I wiped my tears and stubbornly raised my head. “Misunderstanding, Ferdinand. I’m not here looking for a man. I’m here for my salary.” “Taking care of two elderly people, $10,000 a month isn’t unreasonable, right?” “Twelve months a year, seven years—that’s $840,000 total. Cash or transfer?” At these words, the entire hall fell silent. Ferdinand’s face turned black as the bottom of a pot. “Doria, must you humiliate yourself here!” Me, humiliate myself? Should I just be kept in the dark my whole life, being their family’s unpaid labor! Just then, Christiana stepped forward again, biting her lip and righteously accusing me. “Doria, how can you extort us? Moreover, you stole their family heirloom last time, and I didn’t even report it to the police!” At her words, the scene exploded again, countless insults flying at me. “So she’s a thief too. How could you keep someone like that in your home?” “Director, you should send her to jail!” Christiana nestled in Ferdinand’s arms, tears in her eyes. “I took pity on her poverty and couldn’t bear to fire her…” Hearing this, everyone gave her thumbs up, praising her kind heart. Christiana smiled while accepting everyone’s flattery. I couldn’t take it anymore and raised my hand, slapping her hard across the face. “Ahhh—” Her cheek instantly swelled red, tears falling in large drops. Two children rushed over, desperately beating my shins. “Bad woman!” “Daddy! Kill this bad woman!” Everyone pointed at me, their eyes full of disgust. “Ferdinand is such a good person. How did he end up with this housekeeper?” “Good people really get no reward!” Ferdinand turned to look at me with a vicious expression. “Doria, apologize to Christiana.”

I gritted my teeth stubbornly. “Want me to apologize? Give up that dream!” Smack! He slapped my face, making me stumble backward. “Someone make her kneel and apologize!” A guard kicked the back of my knee. With intense pain, I was forced to kneel on the ground. Christiana’s son raised his wine glass and smashed it hard against me. “Bad woman! I’ll kill you!” Blood flowed from my forehead down my cheek, but I felt no pain. Glass shards pierced my body, staining the floor crimson. Ferdinand frowned and ordered sternly. “Enough. Take her away so she stops embarrassing herself here.” But the next second, with one look from Christiana, those guards rushed over, looking at me with lewd, greasy eyes. “Not bad looking. Feeling lonely? We’ll keep you company!” I used all my strength to raise my head and spat at the man. “Get lost!” The lead guard became furious and slapped my face. “Well, quite the temper!” Then they covered my mouth tightly, leaning close to my ear and threatening in low voices. “Bitch! Already been played by everyone, still pretending to be virtuous!” “Today we’ll show you what we’re made of!” Ferdinand frowned slightly. “Just teach her a lesson.” The guard bent over, squeezing out a fawning smile at him. “Don’t worry, the guys know what to do.” But the next second, they showed disgusting expressions, their rough hands roaming over my body. Before leaving, Christiana looked down at me condescendingly, her eyes full of smugness. “Doria, everyone has their fate. You should just go back and obediently serve Mom and Dad. Stop hanging around in front of us—it’s an eyesore.” She turned and picked up the two-year-old child, her face full of triumph. “Son, let’s go! Daddy and Mommy prepared presents for you!” My vision kept going black. I was about to pass out. Just as I was being dragged away, more than a dozen Maybachs suddenly raced over, stopping steadily at the entrance to the hall. The next second, a bullet pierced through the lewd man’s palm. Blood splattered, and heart-wrenching screams echoed throughout the entire hall. My brother rushed to me, held me, and asked with heartbreak: “Doria, who did this?”

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My husband is the city’s ace crisis negotiator, having rescued countless hostages from criminals. But when our daughter was kidnapped, his negotiation failed and the kidnappers killed her. I collapsed on the floor clutching my daughter’s blood-stained toy, while he calmly organized his negotiation materials, preparing to leave. “Rachel, the kidnappers weren’t following any logical pattern. Their demands kept changing. Anyone would have struggled with this negotiation. I really did my best.” But late that night, his assistant Bailey posted on Snapchat. [First time assisting with a negotiation and I said the wrong thing, making the kidnapper angry. Almost got the hostage hurt. So scared. Thank goodness my mentor helped me and told me not to worry~] [He said he’ll teach me all his techniques from now on. Is this a special privilege just for me? Getting kind of excited about it~] The bracelet on his wrist was identical to the birthday gift our daughter had woven for him with her own hands. With trembling fingers, I commented: [No need to guess. I’ll answer for him as his wife—yes, it’s your special privilege.] The next second, my phone rang. Adrian’s usually calm voice was laced with fury. “It was just a joke from my assistant. Do you have to blow it out of proportion? This will ruin her career!” “You’re emotionally unstable right now. Don’t say things you’ll regret. Delete that comment immediately, or we’re…” I hung up immediately. Why should the person who killed my daughter get to enjoy life with a smile? …

An hour later, I had over twenty missed calls from Adrian. I didn’t answer a single one. A text came through: “Since you insist on blaming her, then there’s no point continuing this marriage. I’ll have the divorce papers sent to the house. Just sign them.” I stared at the screen for a moment, then replied: “Fine.” No response from him after that. No follow-up questions, no additional words. I packaged up screenshots from Bailey’s Snapchat—group dinner photos and audio clips of her saying the wrong things that provoked the kidnapper during the negotiation—and sent them to him. “Adrian, our daughter is dead. Does she really bear no responsibility at all?” The message failed to send. He’d blocked me on Snapchat. When I refreshed my feed, Bailey’s post had changed. The previous content was deleted, replaced with a new one: “Too nervous on today’s mission with Captain Hayes. Said the wrong thing and almost messed things up. Fortunately Captain Hayes reacted quickly and covered for me. The team dinner afterward was because Captain Hayes was worried I’d develop PTSD, so he spent the whole time counseling me. Sorry for any misunderstandings everyone.” The photo attached showed her with head bowed, hands forming a prayer gesture, looking utterly innocent. Adrian commented below: “Don’t be afraid. Learn from your mistakes. I’ve got your back.” A flood of comforting replies appeared beneath: “New people make mistakes all the time. Captain Hayes is so protective of his subordinates.” “Isn’t someone being too sensitive? The child’s death is unfortunate, but you can’t take it out on others.” “Bailey is so lucky to have such a great mentor.” I pulled at the corner of my mouth, mentally noting each of these names. I’d pulled every string I could to get him into the elite negotiation unit, wanting him to achieve his potential. I’d used all my resources to help him build his case portfolio and establish his reputation. Now he was an industry legend, and naturally those around him basked in his glory. Even this rookie assistant dared to step all over me. They probably thought that without him, I’d be nothing—that I’d just have to swallow my grievances. Bailey replied to every comment with a shy emoji, and to Adrian with an animated starry-eyed face. When someone knocked on my door, I was organizing my daughter’s old photos and toys. Outside was one of Adrian’s colleagues, holding a document envelope and a small box. “Captain Hayes asked me to deliver these,” he said awkwardly. “This is the divorce agreement, and… Bailey said you might be emotionally distressed lately, so she sent this to help calm your nerves.” “The box says it’s some kind of brain supplement for stress.” “Though honestly, ma’am, you seem pretty calm to me.” I shoved the box back into his hands. “Tell her I’m perfectly calm.” I closed the door and opened the envelope, writing my name on the signature line of the divorce agreement.

My phone buzzed with a message from the negotiation unit’s director. “Rachel, reconsider this. The others are one thing, but how can you transfer Adrian and Bailey to a conflict zone?” “I understand you’re in pain over your daughter and upset with Adrian. But don’t let emotions affect work decisions. This isn’t a small matter. You’re not just ruining two top negotiators—think of all the hostages waiting for negotiation to save them.” I replied calmly: “You’re right. I almost forgot about you. You’ve been suspended. Upper management will send someone to take over your duties.” Then I called the oversight department directly and had them take full control of the negotiation unit’s personnel assignments. “Anyone who pleads on behalf of Adrian or Bailey gets transferred to conflict zone rotation. Those who refuse pay the team training compensation as per contract.” I stroked my daughter’s favorite stuffed rabbit, enunciating each word clearly. Those team members defending Bailey in the comments—I’d pulled strings to recruit every one of them. I’d trained them in mock negotiations, analyzed cases with them, taught them everything they knew. Now they only knew how to circle around Adrian, forgetting who gave them their opportunity. Birds of a feather, all with the same sycophantic faces. People with corrupt hearts can’t be crisis negotiators. They needed to go to the most dangerous places to practice courage and learn what responsibility and principles truly mean. After hanging up, I noticed Adrian had called me over twenty times. Finally, desperate, he sent a friend request with the verification message: Answer the phone immediately! I was still looking at it when a new call came through. The moment I answered, his roar crashed down on me: “Have you lost your mind?! I’m about to be certified as an international negotiation expert, Bailey’s about to join the core team, and you’re transferring us to a conflict zone!” “Rachel, what happened to our daughter was an accident! I’m suffering more than you!” “Those kidnappers were psychotic from the start. No negotiator could have succeeded. It’s not mine or Bailey’s fault!” “I’ve explained this to you countless times, but you won’t let it go. I didn’t let you access the recordings because I was afraid you’d break down even more! But you went ahead and spread rumors anyway, and now you’re abusing your authority to transfer her out!” His usually calm voice now trembled with rage. I asked quietly: “When you left in such a hurry that day, was there really an emergency negotiation? Bailey said you were just providing her psychological counseling, that it was an innocent mistake. Is that true?” “Or did you two plan it all along—using work as an excuse to go on a date?” His breathing on the other end suddenly stopped. After two seconds of silence, he forced himself to sound composed: “What are you talking about… This is completely unreasonable…” Then came Bailey’s soft, delicate voice: “Captain Hayes, don’t argue with your wife. We rarely get time to relax, don’t let this ruin it. When we get back, I’ll apologize to her in person. I’ll accept whatever punishment.” The call was immediately disconnected. Presumably, he didn’t want such trivial matters spoiling his mood. I held my daughter’s stuffed rabbit as tears poured from my eyes. “I’ll get justice for you.” I don’t remember when I cried myself to sleep, only that when I woke, my head was pounding. The next day, I came downstairs rubbing my temples, wanting some iced coffee to clear my head. Adrian walked into the living room carrying a storage box. When he saw me, he paused, his expression deliberately gentle: “You’re up? I organized Emma’s drawings. Take a look and see if this works.” “I know these matter to you, so I didn’t let anyone else touch them. Came back overnight to do it myself.” I was about to say I’d do it myself when I saw a figure wearing my loungewear emerge from the guest room. It was the matching couple’s set Adrian had specially bought—we only wore it at home. She held a cleaning cloth and quickly approached Adrian: “Captain Hayes, let me take over. I’ll wipe the table. If you don’t mind, ma’am, I can help organize things too?” Adrian stepped aside to avoid her hand, his tone somewhat unnatural: “No need. Her mother will handle it herself.” He turned to explain to me: “It was raining when we got back. Bailey’s clothes got splashed, so I told her to go back to the dorm and change, but she insisted on helping to make amends. That’s why I found some of your clothes for her to wear temporarily.” Bailey twisted the cloth in her hands, saying softly: “Ma’am, I’m so sorry about yesterday. I didn’t dare touch Emma’s things. Just wanted to help dust a bit. Please don’t take it to heart.” “Enough, don’t bring up the past.” Adrian cut her off, his tone softening as he looked at me. “Rachel, she means well. Don’t overthink it.” He paused, then added: “I cleared next week’s assignments. I’ll stay home with you for a few days. After Emma’s funeral, we can talk about work.” I didn’t respond, my gaze falling on a corner of paper visible in the storage box—Emma’s drawing of our family portrait, where she’d deliberately drawn all three of us holding hands tightly together. As Bailey wiped the table, her elbow accidentally bumped the storage box. Several drawings fell out. She hurried to pick them up but lost her footing and stepped on the family portrait, her heel leaving a clear mark on the paper. “Oh!” She cried out, her face instantly pale. “I’m so sorry, ma’am! I really didn’t mean to!” Adrian’s brow furrowed sharply, but not at Bailey—he turned to me: “Look at you, why didn’t you put the box somewhere safe?” He bent down to retrieve the drawing, rubbing at the mark with his finger, his tone impatient: “Forget it. I’ll find a frame for it later. Once it’s matted, you won’t see it.” I watched him dismiss it so casually, my whole body trembling. “That was her last drawing.” My voice shook. “You told her not to touch anything. Didn’t she understand?” Bailey was still frantically wiping at the paper, tears falling and creating small water stains on the drawing: “I really didn’t mean to… Captain Hayes, I…” “Enough!” I watched the drawing blur more and more, then shoved her away. “Who gave you permission to touch my daughter’s things!” Bailey stumbled and fell to the floor with a thud, tears instantly streaming down. “Ma’am… I…” “Rachel! Have you lost your mind?” Adrian shouted, rushing over to help Bailey up. “She just got a drawing dirty, and you’re physically pushing people?” His eyes held poison as he looked at me: “Emma’s gone, and I’m suffering just as much as you, but you can’t treat everyone like they’re your enemy!” He pulled Bailey toward the door, throwing back one last line: “Remove mine and Bailey’s names from the transfer list, or I’m divorcing you immediately!” I stared at the soiled drawing, my nails digging deep into my palms. From the day my daughter died, I stopped wanting him.

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My brother Kael is the Alpha of Blackthorn Pack. He treats me like a precious treasure, and specifically asked his best friend, Cain, the Alpha of Hale Pack, to look after me. On the night of my 18th birthday, when I first completed my wolf transformation and lost control, Cain and I had a passionate one-night stand, and from then on, I became his secret lover. For an entire year, I stayed by his side through every vulnerable period, gave up a top European medical program for him. I always thought he loved me. Until I went to the tennis court to get my brother’s racket, and caught him and his fated mate Lila having sex in the locker room. “Zara is just a tool for releasing desire. Now that you’re back, she’s useless.” Through the crack in the door, his casual words to comfort Lila were like a poisoned silver blade, stabbing deep into my heart. At the welcome party the next day, he publicly humiliated me for his true love. I smiled, deleted all his contact information, then called my brother and finalized my trip to Europe. Since you don’t love me, I’ll set you free.

The door to the women’s locker room at the tennis court was slightly ajar, suppressed gasps escaping through the crack. “Cain, not here, someone might come…” “Shh,” the man’s voice was low and amused, his fingertips caressing the back of the woman’s neck, “let me hold you properly.” My feet felt nailed to the cold tile floor. That was Cain’s voice—the man I’d been in a relationship with for an entire year. Half an hour ago, my brother Kael had called, asking me to grab his custom racket that he’d left in the locker room. I never expected to walk in on something like this. Through the crack in the door, Lila was pressed against the lockers, her blouse unbuttoned, Cain standing in front of her, one hand gripping the back of her neck, the other buried between her legs. He bent down to kiss her neck, leaving wet marks on her collarbone. Those eyes that were always cold and distant with me were now curved with a smile, so tender they could melt. “I haven’t seen you in a year. I’ve thought about you every single moment.” Those words were like a poisoned dagger, stabbing straight into my heart. I’d been with Cain for a year. Every night when he lost control during his vulnerable periods, I was by his side. But he only ever gave me a slight nod and a cool “thanks.” Even in bed, he always kept me at arm’s length. Never once had he shown me this kind of unguarded tenderness. “What about that little follower of yours? The Blackthorn girl from the medical school?” Lila’s voice came in broken fragments, mixed with suppressed moans. “I heard after I left, she’s been clinging to you, getting really close?” Cain’s movements paused, his tone instantly becoming indifferent. “Zara? She’s just Kael’s little sister.” “I heard she’s been following you around for quite a while?” Lila laughed softly, her voice dripping with smugness. “So, you don’t feel anything different for her at all?” “She’s just a naive little girl,” his voice carried undisguised contempt. “She thinks sleeping together a few times means we’re dating. She’s just a tool for releasing desire. Now that you’re back, she’s useless.” A woman’s coquettish laughter echoed from the locker room. My ears were ringing. The keys slipped from my hand, clattering loudly against the tile floor. The locker room door was yanked open. Cain stood in the doorway, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, still carrying the lingering scent of arousal. When he saw it was me, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before returning to his usual coldness. “What are you doing here this late?” I bent down to pick up the keys, my fingertips white from gripping them so hard, but my voice was surprisingly steady: “Getting my brother’s racket. Didn’t mean to interrupt your fun.” I walked past him, straight to the locker at the far end, grabbed Kael’s racket, and didn’t look at him once. As I passed by him, he reached out and grabbed my arm. “Come to my cabin in the woods this weekend. Clear out your things,” he said flatly. “Lila’s moving in. You can stay in the empty apartment on the west side. I promised Kael I’d look after you.” I looked at the hand gripping my arm and suddenly laughed. When I was eighteen, I completed my first shift. During my out-of-control heat, we had intense, passionate sex. For the year that followed, I let him mold me in bed into exactly what he wanted, all to make him happy. I always believed that if I was obedient enough, even if we weren’t fated mates, I could eventually warm his cold heart and make him see the love in my eyes. Turns out, from the very beginning, it was all just charity—given out of respect for my brother.

“No need, Cain.” I pulled my arm free. “I’m an adult now. I can take care of myself.” I turned and walked out of the locker room. The late autumn wind hit my face with a bitter chill. The composure I’d been forcing shattered completely the moment I stepped out of the tennis building. My chest ached with a suffocating pain. I walked to a bar near campus, planning to drink myself numb. I downed one glass of hard liquor after another. The burning liquid scorched my throat, and tears streamed down uncontrollably. Before long, I heard familiar male voices from the booth next door. I turned to look—it was a few of Cain’s close friends. I was about to go say hi, but just as I started to stand, I heard their conversation. “Tomorrow’s welcome party at the club is insane. Cain really went all out for Lila.” “She’s his fated mate, of course he cares. As for Zara—she’s completely useless now.” Another one snickered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Remember when Cain bet us he could get Zara within two months?” My hand froze around the glass. “Man, I almost forgot—that guy won a car off me!” “I gotta say though, I didn’t expect Cain to close the deal in just over a month.” The laughter grew louder. “Zara’s pathetically naive. She actually thought Cain was into her, followed him around like a puppy for a whole year—no title, no status, didn’t even dare to be seen with him in public.” “Exactly,” another voice chimed in, even more cutting. “He only kept her around as a time-killer, out of respect for Kael. And I heard she turned down the cardiac surgery program in Europe for him. Hopelessly stupid.” “She probably still thinks Cain actually cares about her!” The mocking laughter was deafening, each word hammering into my heart, crueler than anything Cain had said in that locker room. The feelings I’d treasured—turns out they were nothing but a carefully designed bet from the start. All my sacrifices, all my compromises—in their eyes, just stupidity. I gripped my phone, walked to a quiet corner outside, and dialed Kael’s number with trembling hands. He picked up after two rings, his cheerful voice coming through: “Got the racket? Thanks, sis. I’ll bring you your favorite strawberry milkshake later.” “Kael,” I sniffled, forcing down the lump in my throat. “That cardiac surgery program in Europe you applied for me six months ago—is it too late to sign up?” Silence on the other end for two seconds, then an explosion of excitement: “You changed your mind?! Weren’t you dead set against going before? Said you couldn’t leave your mysterious boyfriend?” “I’m over him now.” “Really? That’s amazing! Listen, the program director is Nikolai Voss—the youngest cardiac surgery authority in the werewolf world. He’s had his eye on your talent for a while! I’ve been holding your spot. You can leave anytime!” I listened to my brother ramble on with instructions, my eyes slowly welling up. For Cain, I’d given up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in werewolf medicine. Given up my dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon. All just to see him one more time each day. But my love, in his heart, was nothing more than a bed warmer who threw herself at him.

The next day’s welcome party was extravagant—Cain had spared no expense. To celebrate Lila’s return, the entire club had been renovated. Warm golden string lights wrapped around every pillar. White roses—Lila’s favorite—filled the entrance. Even the club’s signature black and gray leather sofas had been replaced with the cream-colored fabric ones she preferred. I stood in the crowd, my fingertips white from clenching. I remembered how I’d begged Cain for three whole months to hang one of my oil paintings on the empty wall of the club. He’d refused, saying it was too much trouble. But for Lila, who’d just returned, he’d practically rebuilt the entire place. The deafening music suddenly stopped. Cain walked onto the stage with his arm around Lila’s waist. As the most prestigious Alpha in the entire academy, the moment he stepped up, the room fell silent. All eyes were on them. “I only have one thing to say tonight.” Cain looked down at Lila beside him, his eyes overflowing with tenderness. “My fated mate, Lila, is back. She is the only love of my life. All the foolish mistakes of the past end here. From now on, she will be the future Lady of Hale Pack.” Cheers and whistles erupted from the crowd. I watched them on stage and felt like a complete joke. “Foolish mistakes? He’s talking about Kael’s sister, right?” “She followed Cain around for almost a year, turns out she was just a plaything?” “Well, she’s not his fated mate. No matter how much she debased herself, she was never getting into Hale Pack.” My blood ran cold. Just then, Lila walked over holding two glasses of champagne. She looked me up and down, a smug smile playing on her lips. “So you’re Kael’s sister?” She paused deliberately. “The bed warmer who’s been clinging to Cain, hoping to climb the ladder?” I ignored her and turned to leave. She suddenly let out a sharp scream, her body falling backward. The champagne glasses crashed to the floor, shattered glass scattering everywhere. “Ah!” She clutched her twisted ankle, tears instantly streaming down her face. She cried out to Cain as he rushed over: “Cain, she pushed me! She’s jealous of me!” Cain’s eyes instantly turned red. The crushing pressure of a top-tier Alpha slammed down on me. He stared at me with a low growl: “Zara! Get the hell out! She’s my only mate—how dare you touch her!” He bent down, scooped Lila into his arms, shielded her head protectively, and strode out of the club without looking back at me once. Every eye in the room was pinned on me like nails—some pitying, some mocking. I straightened my back and slowly walked out of the club. Back in my dorm, I dug out everything connected to Cain. One by one, I threw them into the fireplace. The orange flames licked at the paper, burning all that desperate, humble love into ash. Just like my feelings for Cain—once burned out, nothing remained. I opened my laptop and sent a confirmation email to the European medical program. Kael had already handled all the paperwork. Tomorrow morning’s private jet would take me straight to Europe. I packed my bags—just a few everyday clothes and my textbooks. Everything related to Cain, I left behind. My phone suddenly buzzed. Cain’s name popped up on the screen, message after message: 【What you did at the party was way out of line.】 【Come to the club tomorrow morning. Apologize to Lila in person.】 【I’ve been taking care of you for Kael’s sake. Don’t throw a tantrum with me.】 I looked at these messages and could only laugh. Even now, he still thought I was that girl who would chase after him no matter how cold he was, always smiling and coming back for more. With one tap, I blocked and deleted his number, his social media, every single way to contact him. At dawn, I dragged my suitcase out of the dorm and got into the car heading to the airport. As the car pulled away from campus, I didn’t look back once. Goodbye, my foolish and pathetic year. Goodbye, Cain. Just as I was saying goodbye to my brother, he said something mysterious: “My dear little sister, I’ve prepared a surprise for you in Europe.”

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Half a month before my wedding to Ethan Quinn, he invited his friends over to our house. During the meal, Ethan kept touching my thigh under the table. I thought he was deliberately flirting with me, which made me feel both shy and excited. After dinner, I went to make tea for them. When I returned with the teacups, I overheard Ethan’s private conversation with his friends. “Ethan, Lyra is so hot. I touched her just now, and damn, her body is so soft it nearly drove me crazy. If you don’t mind, after she’s done paying off your debt, how about letting us have some fun with her?” one of his friends said lecherously. Ethan chuckled softly and said nonchalantly, “Sure, I don’t mind. I’ve been sleeping with her for so long, I’m already bored. Just be careful not to let her find out. Actually, forget it—she’s blind anyway. She won’t notice.” I stood silently at the door, my heart completely calm. After two years of dating, I had taken care of Ethan meticulously, yet he sent me to other men’s beds, using my body to pay his debts. Of course I knew that for the past year, the man who had been intimate with me every night wasn’t him. And the child in my belly wasn’t his either.

I had just stepped out of the shower when a burning hot male body embraced me from behind. He kissed me from my ear all the way down to my neck, leaving dense kiss marks. But it seemed like that wasn’t enough for him. He turned me around, wrapped one arm around my waist, pressed the other hand against the back of my head, and kissed me deeply. His kissing technique was still so skilled. After a year of nightly intimacy, he knew all my sensitive spots like the back of his hand. I gradually went limp in his arms. When I noticed his hand sliding down inappropriately, about to lift my skirt, I immediately started struggling. The man’s movements stopped. He bit my lip lightly, his tone somewhat reluctant. “What’s wrong? Don’t want to tonight?” I knew he was confused—after all, I had never refused him when it came to physical intimacy. “The doctor said no intercourse during the first three months of pregnancy.” The man’s breathing hitched, and the arm holding me trembled slightly. “Aren’t you happy to hear you’re going to be a father?” “No, I’m very happy. So happy. I never thought I could…” He was incredibly excited, carefully carrying me back to bed and lying on his side to protect my belly. Seeing my exhausted expression, the man turned off the light and stayed quiet. I smiled slightly. I had always been highly fertile. If anything, I was surprised it took this long to get pregnant. As for Ethan, he always used protection when we had sex. Even if he accidentally forgot, he would make sure I took the morning-after pill afterward. The next morning, the man beside me had disappeared. I went downstairs and ran into Ethan. His breathing was heavy. I could feel his gaze fixed intently on me. “The marks on your neck…” Was he jealous? I smiled. “It’s all because you were too rough last night, Ethan. My legs still hurt. You must have left those marks then. Why do you seem so confused?” “…I’m just worried it might look bad if you go out like this. Remember to cover them up.” I answered noncommittally, not bothering to point out that as a blind person, how exactly was I supposed to cover them myself? Ethan hastily ate a couple bites of breakfast, then left, claiming he had something to do. I felt my way upstairs and turned on the listening device connected to his phone. Ironically, this was something Ethan’s grandfather had installed when I first arrived, hoping it would help us communicate and develop feelings for each other. Who knew it would now serve as evidence of his betrayal?

He quickly arrived at a noisy place—it sounded like a bar. Through the earpiece came a woman’s sweet, cloying voice. I recognized it—Miranda Lin, Ethan’s first love. “Ethan, everyone’s been waiting for you forever. What took you so long?” The sound of clothes rustling—he must have hugged Miranda. “Probably got held up by that seductress at home. Ethan, you better make it up to Miranda.” “That’s understandable though. With Lyra’s face and that body, damn. When will Ethan let us have a taste?” A chorus of grating laughter erupted. Ethan spoke casually. “Sure, after Lyra finishes paying off the debt, you guys can have your turn. I won’t forget about you.” “That’s our Ethan! That audio you sent to the group last time—Lyra’s moans, damn. I couldn’t sleep well for a week.” I listened to them fantasize about me without restraint, until Miranda’s voice rang out. “When are you going to tell her the truth, Ethan? You’re not seriously planning to marry her, are you? She’s been used by so many men.” “How about we play her video at the wedding? Let her become famous. Then we can give her to some thugs to play with. That’d be doing a good deed.” “No!” Ethan’s voice suddenly rose, unhesitatingly rejecting Miranda. The atmosphere on the other end went silent. Seeming to realize his reaction was excessive, Ethan explained. “My grandfather is obsessed with Lyra for some reason. If he finds out about this, he’ll take away my inheritance, and then Miranda, you’ll suffer too. After we’re married, it’ll be much better to trade Lyra for some jewelry for you. The guys are all willing, right?” “Yeah, Miranda, tell us what you want. We’ll calculate how long we need to sleep with Lyra to make it worth it. Last time Ethan bought you that tiara, he traded Lyra for a whole year.” Miranda laughed again, her voice sweet and soft. “Then I’ll have to think carefully. She’s really getting off easy. She’s probably enjoying it anyway.” They erupted in laughter again. I listened to them talk, my mind drifting. I came from a peculiar village where all the women were beautiful and extremely fertile. Ethan’s grandfather somehow discovered our village. He donated a golden statue to our village’s Saint Mother, asking only for the woman with the best constitution to bear a child. And I was the unlucky one chosen. Mr. Quinn wanted Ethan to marry me, solely because Ethan had been diagnosed as infertile. Ethan treated me well at first, taking me out to parties every night. I thought he used protection because he wanted to wait until after marriage to have children. Little did I know I was just a tool for him to vent his desires when Miranda wasn’t around. When Miranda returned, he couldn’t wait to offer me as a gift. My feelings for him became a complete joke. Too annoyed to listen anymore, I turned off the monitoring device. Ethan didn’t come home all night, but that man came in the evening. Even though we couldn’t have sex anymore, he still showed up. This child must be truly important to him. I pretended not to know and drank the soup he made for me. Ethan would never cook. “Ethan, when should we announce this baby?” The man’s breathing grew heavier for a moment. He touched my belly. “Soon. I’ll make sure my child has a legitimate status.” I smiled with satisfaction. From the very first day they switched, I knew Ethan had deceived me. Although I was born blind, years of blindness made my sense of smell and hearing exceptionally sharp. That day when I returned to the room, someone eagerly embraced me. I initially thought it was Ethan, but when I turned around and smelled something different, I knew it was a stranger. I struggled, refusing to let him succeed, and the man truly didn’t touch me again. But the villa had excellent security—how could such a prowler get in? So the next day, I tested Ethan. “Ethan, why were you so impatient yesterday? My period wasn’t even over yet.” Knowing I’d been taken advantage of by a stranger, Ethan should have been furious. But he paused for a moment, then admitted it. “It’s because you’re too tempting, Lyra. I couldn’t control myself…” I understood then. Ethan knew. That man was someone Ethan had let in.

Holding back my tears, I put on a fake smile in front of him. So this was what it felt like to have your sincerity betrayed. Ethan’s grandfather’s deal with the village only lasted until I gave birth. But he never said who the child had to be with. Since Ethan gave me to someone else, I wouldn’t refuse either. So the next evening, when the man appeared again. I no longer reacted strongly. I walked over actively, leaned into his arms, and took off my clothes one by one. “Ethan, we don’t need protection anymore. Let’s have a baby.” Day after day, this deceptive relationship between me and this man continued for a whole year. I pretended not to know he wasn’t Ethan. He pretended to be Ethan. During the day it was Ethan, at night it was this man. They worked together so seamlessly that they never appeared in front of me at the same time. Every time Ethan and I held hands during the day, that night the man would exhaust me even more, making it impossible for me to get out of bed the next day. He forced me to say I loved him over and over in bed, and he would respond each time saying he loved me too. He wouldn’t let me call him “Ethan Quinn.” He only let me call him “honey” at night. I heard his whispered words when he thought I was asleep. “Why marry him? Do you love him that much? You can’t even tell the difference.” Actually, I wanted to ask him the same thing. Why deceive me along with Ethan? I didn’t even know who he was. When I treated him as Ethan, what did he see me as? I was afraid to hear that he also just saw me as a tool. I didn’t dare ask. The next day, Ethan came home early. He said his grandfather’s banquet specifically required my presence. I was dressed up like a doll, and finally Ethan helped me into the car. As soon as the door closed, my body stiffened. There was another person’s breathing in the car. The sweet, pungent smell of perfume—it was Miranda, wasn’t it? Was she really this impatient? Halfway through the drive, sticky kissing sounds started, followed by Ethan’s muffled groan. The zipper on his clothes was being pulled down. This made it impossible for me to pretend nothing was happening. After all, I was only blind, not deaf. “Ethan, are you not feeling well? I heard you make some sounds.” “No… ah… Lyra, you heard wrong… I… mm… might have a slight cold.” I knew Miranda wanted to provoke me, but I really didn’t want to listen to a live sex show. “Did you catch a chill last night? I told you not to do it with me by the window…” I pretended to be shy. Ethan’s side went quiet. He pushed Miranda away. Well, no one would feel good hearing they’d been cuckolded. We soon arrived at the banquet. Mr. Quinn pulled me around introducing me. Most people were just polite before leaving. I knew they looked down on me—I came from nothing and was blind on top of that. “Mr. Quinn, you have excellent taste. This young lady is very beautiful.” A male voice spoke. My pupils trembled. It was that man. “Mr. Quinn, who is this?” I pretended to ask curiously. Mr. Quinn laughed heartily. “This is the head of the Foster family, Frederick Foster. Lyra, let me tell you, Frederick is extremely capable. At the same age as Ethan, he’s already taken the Foster family to new heights. If Ethan could learn from him, I’d have peace of mind.” Frederick seemed to just be saying hello. After some pleasantries, he left. Midway through the banquet, I followed a server to the restroom. But when I came out, the server was gone. Unfamiliar with the route, I felt my way forward. Just as I reached a corner, someone grabbed my waist. A large hand covered my scream. I smelled his scent—it was Frederick Foster. “Did I scare you? Can’t even recognize your own husband anymore?” He was truly bold, daring to impersonate Ethan at such a crowded event. Seeing I didn’t respond, Frederick simply chuckled and kissed me.

He didn’t release me until I was dazed and disoriented. “I really hope this baby is born soon. He’s kind of getting in the way of our relationship.” I raised my eyebrows slightly. Didn’t he only buy me for a year? What, was he planning to renew? “Take me back downstairs. If I don’t return soon, Mr. Quinn will worry.” Frederick reluctantly hugged me a bit more, then called over a server. “I’ll have him take you back. I have some things to handle, so I need to leave first.” Of course he didn’t dare appear. This debt-repayment game should end. After the child was born and the transaction ended, I would be free. Whether Ethan or Frederick, I didn’t want to be deceived anymore. The server led me from the garden back to the main hall. In the garden, I happened to run into Ethan and his friends. Seeing me, Ethan’s voice changed completely. “What happened to your mouth?” Looks like Frederick smeared my lipstick. He really was terrible. “Didn’t you just kiss me, Ethan? Are you done with your business?” I couldn’t see Ethan’s expression. I only heard his friends’ suggestive laughter. “Alright, stop laughing. Don’t let her notice something’s wrong!” Ethan scolded his friends in a low voice, but he obviously didn’t expect my hearing to be this sharp. “I didn’t expect this side of you, Ethan. But Miss Lyra, you should be careful. Since you can’t see, don’t let others take advantage of you without knowing.” Miranda’s voice rang out softly, full of malice. “That’s none of your concern. Ethan and I are getting married soon. You’re welcome to attend. I wonder when Miss plans to get married—you shouldn’t keep hanging around men for too long. It’s bad for your reputation.” “You!” Miranda became furious, choking back a sob before running away. “Did I say something wrong? I’m so sorry. Ethan, you should go check on her. I hope Miss doesn’t have any problems.” I looked innocent. Ethan ended up chasing after Miranda. Over the next few days, Ethan didn’t come home again. I knew he was busy comforting the angry Miranda. Instead, Frederick came every single day without fail. Even though I ignored him, he didn’t get angry. Now that I was pregnant, I was too lazy to maintain appearances. When Frederick tried to kiss me, I pushed him away. “Are you in a bad mood because of the pregnancy?” He started appearing occasionally during the day too, cooking, giving gifts, trying every method to make me happy. Seeing I remained unmoved, he worried and wanted to take me to the hospital. I was also afraid something might be wrong with the baby, so I obediently let him take me. At the hospital, I was examined from head to toe. The results were normal. I was healthy, and the baby was developing well. But I still didn’t smile. Frederick squatted in front of me and asked. “Why are you unhappy, Lyra?” “Tell me, and I can fix it.” I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say. What should I say? That I knew he wasn’t Ethan? Ask him why he kept deceiving me? Even now, I couldn’t be sure whether he valued me or the child in my belly. I just sat in the hospital garden listening to him criticize himself, but he still didn’t come clean. In the distance, I seemed to hear Miranda and Ethan’s voices too. The footsteps grew closer. Miranda also saw me. “Isn’t this Miss Lyra? What are you doing at the hospital? What’s that in your hand…” Her voice stopped abruptly. The pregnancy test report in my hand was too obvious, and Ethan suddenly shouted. “You’re pregnant? Why would you be pregnant!”

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My girlfriend smashed the engagement ring I gave her, looking at me with utter contempt. “A cheap piece of junk worth a few thousand bucks? You think that’s going to lock me down?” At the same time, Dylan Morrison, a rich trust fund kid, slipped a massive diamond ring onto her finger and mocked me: “There’s no secret to winning over beautiful women. Money is everything.” I grabbed Emma’s arm, trying to stop her. “He doesn’t love you at all. I’m the one who truly cares about you.” Emma shoved me away. “He’ll pay me a hundred thousand just to sleep with me once. How much is your ‘true love’ worth?” Ten years later, Dylan brought Emma to our class reunion to humiliate me again. But they had no idea—I was now part of New York’s elite. Ten years after graduation, I had made it. I was near the top of New York’s rich list. But I kept a low profile and didn’t flaunt my wealth. Very few people knew my true identity. That day, I was at a private club negotiating a deal. I’d just closed a contract worth over a hundred million when my secretary handed me my schedule. “The next person waiting to see you is the heir to the Shaw Group, worth tens of billions. He’s been waiting in Private Room 9 for quite a while.” I nodded. I owed him a favor, so I went downstairs personally to meet him. When I pushed open the door to the private room, I realized I’d walked into the wrong one. Inside weren’t the Shaw Group heir, but a bunch of old classmates. Dylan was surrounded by a group of people. The people around him were the same suck-ups who used to cling to him back in college. When I saw them, I turned to leave. But Dylan called out to me. “Aren’t you Liam Carter? You see old classmates and don’t even say hello?” That condescending attitude of his—exactly like it was ten years ago. Ten years ago, he’d taken a massive diamond ring and stolen my girlfriend Emma. I’d actually forgotten about it, but seeing him now reminded me—it was time to teach him a lesson. I stopped in my tracks and looked them over. “Class reunion? Why didn’t anyone give me a heads-up?” A female classmate nearby laughed. “Liam, don’t blame us for not telling you. We were actually doing you a favor. Your family’s so poor, we were afraid you’d feel out of place at this kind of high-end venue.” I toyed with the car keys in my hand. “You’re overthinking it. I come here all the time.” Everyone froze, looking somewhat incredulous. Dylan sneered. “You work here, right? As a waiter? Or maybe a stripper?” Following his question, the room erupted in laughter. A female classmate said, “Liam, you’re pretty good-looking. What a shame you’re so poor. No wonder Emma dumped you back then. I bet you haven’t even touched a woman in years. I could be your sugar mama—it’s better than being a male escort here.” With that, everyone laughed crudely again. My eyes turned cold as I looked at the woman’s obese figure. “You’re Emma’s best friend, right? What was your name again?” The female classmate introduced herself. “Grace Lin. Remember my name—I might be your biggest client someday!” I picked up a bottle of alcohol and walked over to her. “If I remember correctly, you were the one who talked Emma into breaking up with me, weren’t you?” Grace showed no shame and admitted it openly. “Yeah, that was me. I was the one who put Emma in Dylan’s bed. I was doing her a favor, finding her a sugar daddy. A woman that beautiful—you couldn’t afford her. Forget about her and pour me a drink.” I lowered my eyes submissively and said, “Sure.” Then I raised the bottle and smashed it over her head! The bottle shattered, dark red liquid mixed with blood covering her face. Grace let out a pig-like squeal! She wiped her face with her hand and pointed at me, cursing: “Liam! You’re asking for death! I was being generous letting you serve me, what are you acting all high and mighty for?” I laughed coldly, my eyes full of murderous intent. “You think you’re worthy?” Grace refused to back down, threatening me. “Apologize to me right now, and it’s not too late!” I grabbed a wet wipe and cleaned my hands. “And what if I don’t apologize?” “Then you might not walk out of this room today!” Grace sneered, looking toward Dylan. Dylan understood immediately and snapped his fingers. In an instant, everyone surrounded me.

“What’s this about?” I held a broken bottle neck, looking at them calmly. Dylan stood up, acting like he was passing judgment on me. “Liam, you hurt someone. Shouldn’t you apologize?” The others chimed in: “Liam, you classless poor person, do you even know how to respect women?” “You should kneel and apologize to Grace, lick her shoes clean!” “And pay medical expenses! Otherwise we’re calling the cops!” My face darkened. “Lick her shoes? Pay money?” Grace looked at me smugly and extended her high heel toward me. “Smart move! I know you don’t have money for medical bills. Here’s the deal—you kneel down and lick my high heels clean. Then, spend the night with me. We’ll call it even!” My voice turned icy. “You sure about that?” Grace wiggled her foot, her expression as vulgar as a pig in heat. “Consider yourself lucky, since you’re good-looking!” Without hesitation, I raised the broken bottle and stabbed it into Grace’s foot! The sharp glass pierced through her shoe and into the top of her foot. Blood gushed out. Grace let out a scream! “Liam, you’re refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty! I’m going to kill you!” She grabbed a bowl from the table and hurled it at me. I dodged skillfully. The bowl hit Dylan behind me instead! Instantly, his forehead started bleeding. “Grace, are you blind?” Dylan roared. Grace quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Dylan.” “I was trying to hit Liam, definitely not you.” Dylan yelled, “If you can’t fight, don’t embarrass yourself!” “There are so many men here—is it your turn to make a move?” Grace nodded and bowed. “Yes, yes, you’re right.” Then she looked at me venomously again. “Liam hitting me is like slapping everyone in the face!” “Everyone, get him! Beat this broke loser to death!” Dylan waved his hand at everyone. “Go!” Instantly, all the male classmates at the table grabbed empty bottles and swarmed toward me. I pressed the intercom button on the table and gave an order. “Room 6, we have troublemakers. Send security!” Everyone paused, hesitating as they looked at me. Dylan laughed contemptuously. “We’re VIP guests, very familiar with the club owner!” “Calling security won’t help. The owner will only protect the customers and fire you!” Then he snapped his fingers again, urging everyone on. “What are you afraid of? He’s just a powerless club boy!” “Even if you beat him to death, nobody would care!” With his encouragement, everyone became arrogant again. They approached me with malicious intent. Just then, there was a commotion outside the private room door. I thought it was security arriving, but to my surprise, Emma walked in! She was so beautiful that everyone’s attention focused on her, momentarily forgetting what they were doing. A flash of jealous hatred crossed Grace’s eyes, and she started reminding everyone again. “Get him! Why are you staring at Emma?” “Emma belongs to Dylan alone. Looking at her won’t do you any good!” Dylan’s eyes showed pride as he beckoned to Emma. But Emma ignored him and looked at everyone. “What are you all doing? Fighting? Everyone stop right now!” With that command, everyone hesitated again. A male classmate smiled obsequiously. “Emma, Dylan told us to beat him up. Liam went too far—he hurt Grace twice!” Emma looked at Dylan, clearly displeased. “If you brought me here to watch you fight, I’m taking my son and leaving.”

Only then did everyone notice the little boy hiding behind Emma. The boy was about four or five years old and seemed timid. Dylan called Emma and her son to sit beside him, shooting me a smug glance. Then he said to everyone, “Emma doesn’t like violent scenes.” “For her sake, we’ll settle this score later.” Everyone immediately put down their bottles. “For Emma’s sake, we’ll let Liam off for now!” I laughed sarcastically. So they were married and even had a kid together. Dylan looked at me, his eyes full of contempt. “Liam, remember ten years ago when you proposed with a ring worth a few thousand bucks? Absolutely ridiculous. You thought a few thousand could buy Emma’s heart.” “Do you know how much the diamond ring I gave her cost? A hundred thousand dollars!” Grace chimed in. “If it were me, I’d choose Dylan too.” Dylan glanced at Grace. “You wouldn’t qualify. Too ugly. Hahaha.” “But if I had a momentary lapse in judgment and liked you, I’d still give you a ten-thousand-dollar ring.” “I wouldn’t be like Liam, giving someone a three-thousand-dollar piece of trash.” Grace’s eyes clearly flashed with displeasure and jealousy at those words. But she didn’t show it and continued flattering Dylan as usual. “That’s true. I know my place. I can’t compare to our beautiful Emma.” “She was really sought after! As soon as she started college, several rich old men wanted to be her sugar daddy.” “Wasn’t it my keen eye that got her drunk and sent her to Dylan’s bed?” “Otherwise, her husband now wouldn’t be the young, handsome Dylan.” “As her best friend, I helped her make the right choice.” Hearing this was disturbing. I instinctively looked at Emma. She was grabbing a drink and pouring it down her throat continuously. She seemed unhappy. Grace snatched the glass from her, sounding displeased. “Emma, shouldn’t you be thanking me right now?” “If it weren’t for me, your fate would’ve been getting used by nouveau riche guys hundreds of times.” “Your body would’ve been ruined, then you’d marry some poor sucker like Liam to take over.” Emma clenched her fists, biting her lip until it bled, but still said nothing. But I couldn’t take it anymore. I raised my hand, showing my diamond ring. “You’re all overthinking it! I’m not interested in secondhand women! I wouldn’t even look at debutantes and heiresses. See this ring? I bought it when I got engaged to my fiancée. It matches hers—a pair worth twenty million!” The moment I finished speaking, the room erupted in laughter. They looked at me like I was an idiot. Only Emma’s face went deathly pale, looking deeply hurt. Dylan doubled over laughing. “You? Afford a twenty-million-dollar ring? Liam, ten years later, you’re still this pathetic! Buying cheap knockoffs to fool little girls!” Grace laughed mockingly, leaning in close to look at my hand. Suddenly, her expression changed! “Isn’t this the ‘Stars of Heaven’ that was in the news recently?”

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My best friend died during surgery. I was devastated. Then my husband’s company went under. He filed for divorce and left our son with me. Creditors swarmed us, demanding payment. They even crippled my son. Finally, they dragged us to a villa district. I saw with my own eyes my supposedly dead best friend wrapped in my ex-husband’s arms. Her daughter sweetly called him “Dad.” Then the creditors ended both our lives. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my best friend told me she had cancer. “Chloe, I have cancer. I don’t have much time left.” She hung her head, crying like a delicate flower, beautiful enough to make even another woman’s heart ache. Sure enough, my husband Vincent spoke up, righteous and firm. “Serena, you’re Chloe’s best friend. We won’t abandon you. Don’t worry, we’ll cover all your medical expenses.” Serena looked up, tears glistening. Hope flickered in her eyes as she gazed at us. When I didn’t respond, Vincent pulled me aside and lowered his voice. “Chloe, I know she’s your best friend. It’s fine, we can afford this.” Yes. In my past life, they’d performed this exact scene right in front of me. I believed Serena really needed the money. I was grateful for my husband’s concern, his understanding. But not long after, huge sums started moving from our account to Serena’s. Just as I was about to confront Vincent, I was told Serena’s surgery had been moved up. We rushed to the hospital. Less than an hour later, they told us the surgery had failed. We should see her one last time. Serena grabbed my hand. “Next life, let’s be best friends again. I’m trusting you with my daughter.” I cried until my voice gave out, nearly collapsed, completely missing Serena’s clumsy acting and obvious lies. After the funeral, we brought her daughter home to live with us. Just as life was getting back on track, Vincent’s company went under. He said he didn’t want to drag me down and filed for divorce. Our son would stay with me. He took Serena’s daughter with him. My son and I left the city. Later, the creditors found us. They didn’t ask questions, just started smashing everything in the house. When my son tried to stop them, they broke both his legs. Twisted his hands into something unrecognizable. I begged them through tears to spare us. Promised we would pay back every cent. Finally, they gave us some breathing room. I worked while taking my son to countless doctors, trying to settle the debt. Just when we’d finally paid it all off, the creditors came again. They dragged us to a villa district. My son and I were confused. They forced us to our knees and made us look through the iron gates. There she was. My supposedly dead best friend, smiling sweetly, whispering sweet words to Vincent. Her daughter looked at Vincent affectionately and called him “Daddy.” They saw our wretched state clearly and showed expressions of contempt. Then they waved their hands slightly, and the creditors ended both my life and my son’s. My son and I harbored overwhelming resentment. Perhaps heaven had eyes and gave me a second chance at life. So you like to fake your death? This time, I’ll let you taste what real death is like!

I agreed just like in my past life to give Serena money for treatment, but this time every payment would come directly from my account. They exchanged glances. Their expressions turned stiff, but they still nodded. That evening, we found our son Dylan in low spirits. Tears burst from my eyes. I pulled him into a tight hug. Normally, he’d complain I was being too dramatic. But today, he didn’t. Instead, he hugged me back. Just as tightly. That’s when I knew. My son had been reborn too. Just like me. Vincent sat on the sofa like he owned the place, yelling at Dylan. “I heard that you’re competing with Raven for the Stanford scholarship?” Dylan emerged from my embrace and looked his father in the eye. “This is the result of my hard work. I deserve it!” Vincent slapped our son hard across the face. Blood trickled from the corner of Dylan’s mouth. “You little bastard, don’t you know how to be humble? Her mother is still lying in the hospital! Raven needs this spot more than you do. Listen to me, call your teacher right now and give the spot to Raven. Besides, this was your mother’s idea too, right?” Vincent frantically shot me meaningful looks. To curry favor with Serena, he was truly generous. He was even disregarding Dylan’s future. What kind of father was he? I walked to Dylan’s side, carefully wiping the blood from his face, and gave my husband a clear answer. “We’re not giving it up. Why should we? If she really has what it takes, she doesn’t need us meddling.” I stared directly at Vincent, my eyes showing no weakness. He slapped my hand away and said, “Are you being foolish too? Didn’t you say everything comes after your best friend? Besides, she’s a girl. What’s wrong with Dylan being a gentleman?” I shook my head and pointed to the trophies on the bookshelf. “See those? Dylan earned every one through his own efforts. You don’t know how important this opportunity is to him!” “What you’re doing will break your son’s heart!” Dylan stood by my side, gripping my hand tightly. We stood facing my husband, both thinking the same thing. “This time, no matter what, we won’t let the tragedy of our past life happen again.” Vincent sensed our firm stance and stormed off to his room, cursing.

After Vincent left, Dylan pulled me seriously into his room. He asked me nervously, “Mom, do you know Serena’s illness is fake?” I closed my eyes and nodded heavily. Serena’s illness came suspiciously and she died quickly. Besides my husband, someone else must have helped her. I was lost in thought, completely failing to notice my son’s emotional state. He knelt on the floor, tears in his eyes, making me a promise. “Mom, divorce Dad. As soon as you can. I’ll protect you. I swear.” His eyes were determined. They reminded me of his final moments in my past life. Even with his body broken, my son had used his last bit of strength to shield me. His blood sprayed across my face, my neck. Warm. Everywhere. Until his very last breath, he kept saying, “Mom, if there’s a next life, let me be the one to protect you.” Blood and tears mixed together as he closed his eyes in front of me. My son’s rebirth was completely unexpected. But this time, nothing had happened yet. Less than half a month later, Serena showed up at our door with the weeping Raven. She certainly knew how to pick her moment-my husband Vincent happened to be home too. Serena’s face was pale but not sickly. Even from a distance, you could clearly see the heavy powder on her face. When she saw me, her face was full of grievance mixed with anger. She silently looked around, and after discovering Vincent sitting not far away, she began her performance. “Chloe, my days are numbered. What worries me most is my daughter. Please, as my dying wish, let Dylan give the scholarship to Raven.” As she spoke, she made as if to kneel. Before I could move, Vincent rushed forward to support her. “Don’t kneel at the drop of a hat. We can discuss this. Chloe isn’t that cold-blooded.” Serena nodded and leaned weakly against Vincent. I rolled my eyes and called Dylan out from his room. As soon as Raven saw Dylan, she threw a tantrum. “Why are you taking my spot!” I knew Raven’s grades. They weren’t terrible, but they were only average. With her grades, getting into Stanford was pure fantasy. In the end, she just couldn’t stand seeing Dylan succeed and wanted to interfere.

Dylan said coldly to Raven, “Who says I’m taking your spot? Even without me, you’d never get that scholarship.” Serena clutched her chest and pointed at Dylan. “How can you bully our Raven like this?” “You two grew up together. Can’t you just talk it out?” Vincent chimed in from the side. “Exactly. Dylan, you’re older. Giving it to Raven is no big deal.” The moment he finished, Serena turned her attack on me. “Chloe, I’ve done so much for you. This is my daughter’s future. Can’t you repay me just a little?” I thought to myself, “She climbed into my husband’s bed. Had a child the same age as my son. I haven’t settled that score yet, and she wants me to repay her? Dream on.” Seeing that neither of us would budge, Serena closed her eyes and fainted. I could tell at a glance she was faking. She collapsed into Vincent’s arms, her hands still wandering. Raven immediately shrieked at the sight, “Mom, don’t scare me!” “Chloe, I can give up this scholarship, but you can’t bully my mom!” What a heavy accusation to pin on me. I couldn’t let them have their way. I crouched down and dug my sharp nails into the flesh at Serena’s waist. A few seconds in, she couldn’t take it anymore. Her eyes snapped open. Raven was standing in front of her, so Serena naturally assumed her daughter had done it. “You little bitch, why are you pinching me?” Raven shook her head, confused, and pointed at me. “It’s her, Mom! It had to be Chloe!” I stared straight at her. She faltered. “Guess I don’t have much time left. I keep fainting these days.” Vincent looked at me, then at Serena, stammering. “I’d better take you to the hospital. Your health can’t wait.” Then he turned to me, all righteous. “Chloe, don’t worry. I’ll talk to her. You take care of Dylan. I’ll drive her to the hospital.” The moment the door closed, Raven flashed Dylan a smug smile. I knew it. The real show was about to begin.

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I died on the day Adrian proposed to Melissa. As the lead detective, he stepped over my body at the crime scene, his only concern covering Melissa’s eyes. He whispered, “Don’t look. It’s disgusting.” He said I was disgusting. My heart had been carved out. My blood drained dry. I was nothing but a discarded rag doll. Later, I became a ghost. I watched him burn every trace of me to win Melissa’s favor. Watched him move into the house I bought. Watched him sleep with my killer in that very room. I hated him so much that I wanted to kill him. Until the wedding day. The day he pulled the knife from Melissa’s chest and drove it into his own heart. In a pool of blood, he reached toward an empty corner. Tenderly. “Natalie, am I worthy to see you now?” Natalie’s POV Seven days after my death, Adrian brought a woman home. I floated in midair, looking at my own portrait, then at Adrian’s garish wine-red shirt. Melissa clung to his arm. She was the heir to Lincoln Medical Group, the woman he’d shielded at the crime scene, afraid she’d see something disgusting. I didn’t have much family left. My uncle stood off to the side, his hands trembling with rage. “Adrian, today is Natalie’s funeral. You dress like this and bring a stranger here. Do you want to break her heart?” Adrian laughed. He casually adjusted his cuffs without even glancing at my portrait. “She’s dead. How can she be heartbroken? Superstitious nonsense.” Melissa leaned coquettishly on his shoulder, covering her nose and looking at my casket with disgust. “Adrian, the smell is too strong. It’s making me dizzy.” Adrian immediately wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand caressing places he’d never touched on me. “Then let’s not stay. I didn’t want to come anyway. Just going through the motions.” My uncle grabbed the flowers from the table and hurled them at him. Adrian tilted his head. The flowers smashed against the doorframe, turning into a pile of mush. His eyes instantly went cold. I knew that look well. It was the one he used on criminals, the look that could devour a person. But now he was turning that viciousness on one of the few family I had left. “You son of a bitch. You looking for death?” Adrian lunged forward. My uncle stumbled back, terrified. I desperately wanted to rush down and stop him, reaching out to push against Adrian’s chest, but my hand passed straight through his body. No sensation whatsoever. I’d forgotten. I was already dead. Of course Adrian didn’t hit my uncle. He simply grabbed my black-and-white portrait. “Adrian! What are you doing!” my uncle shouted. “This photo looks unlucky.” Adrian flicked his wrist. Crash! The frame hit the floor, glass shattering everywhere. The photo I’d chosen so carefully, where I smiled my brightest, was torn to shreds by the sharp glass. Melissa clapped and laughed beside him. “Adrian, use this one instead. This one’s prettier.” She pulled out a photo she’d prepared in advance. It was her photo. She wore white lace, smiling radiantly. Adrian took it and casually placed it where my portrait had been. I almost laughed from sheer fury. At my funeral, displaying his mistress’s photo? Adrian, you really are capable of anything. “Done. Spot’s taken.” Adrian dusted off his hands and turned to Melissa with a gentle smile. “Let’s go home. It’s cold in here. Don’t want you getting sick.” My uncle trembled with rage, pointing at Adrian’s retreating back and cursing him as a bastard. Adrian didn’t even pause. I floated behind him, staring hard at his back. Adrian, how can you be so heartless? We were married for three years. You once ran all over the city to buy me a discontinued toy. You once had tears in your eyes just because I cut my finger. You said you’d protect me for a lifetime. Turns out that lifetime was this short. They walked out and got in the car. Melissa sat in the passenger seat, touching up her lipstick in the mirror. “Adrian, you were so fierce back there. You scared me.” Adrian started the engine, steering with one hand, his tone casual. “If I’m not fierce, those poor relatives will think they can extort money from me. Natalie’s dead. All she left behind worth anything is that house. Can’t let them get their hands on it.” “Then just sell the house.” “Sell it? That location’s prime real estate. Keep it for appreciation.” I sat in the back seat, listening to them calculate my inheritance. That house was left to me by my parents, and I’d used my savings from journalism to barely pay off the mortgage. Now it belonged to him and his mistress. Melissa seemed satisfied with this answer and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “You’re so practical. Oh, and that dead woman’s stuff isn’t all cleared out yet, right? I don’t care. It all has to go tonight, or I’m not going in.” “Whatever you want.” Adrian agreed too quickly, without a second’s hesitation. The car drove into the night. Streetlights flickered across his face as they passed. I looked at this profile I’d once loved so deeply and felt only strangeness. When they reached the apartment, Melissa got out first. Adrian was locking the car when his movements slowed. I saw his hand on the car door trembling. He looked down at his right hand. His index and middle fingernails were broken, flesh exposed, blood dripping from his fingertips. I froze. When had that happened? Then I remembered. At the funeral home, when he turned to leave, his fingers had dug into the doorframe. He’d had his back to everyone then. No one saw his expression, no one saw how hard he’d gripped. He stared at the wound for a moment, expressionless, then wiped the blood on his pants, cleaning it off. Then he put on a smile and headed upstairs. “Coming, babe.” He called out in the stairwell. I floated in place, looking at those few drops of blood on the ground. Adrian, are you in pain? Does your fingernail hurt, or is it something else? No. I quickly dismissed that ridiculous thought. A man like him couldn’t have a heart. If he had a heart, he wouldn’t be bringing his mistress home just days after my death.

Natalie’s POV Back at the apartment, Melissa truly began to make good on her promise. Spring cleaning. “What is this? So ugly.” Melissa yanked my trench coat from the closet-the birthday gift Adrian had given me last year. Back then he’d held me and said, “You look most elegant in this.” Now he leaned against the doorframe, cigarette in hand, glancing at the coat. “Throw it out.” “What about this? This bag’s all worn. Aren’t you embarrassed?” That was my interview bag for reporting. I’d used it for four years, carrying it to countless crime scenes. “Throw it out.” “These books are all yellowed, and this pile of notebooks…” Those were my interview notes, containing leads on every case I’d investigated, including the dirt on Lincoln Medical Group that led to my death. I rushed over in a panic. “You can’t throw those away! Adrian! Those are evidence! Evidence I was going to give to the police!” I tried to grab the notebooks. But Melissa’s hand passed right through me as she stuffed all the notebooks into a black trash bag. Adrian walked over and bent down to lift the heavy bag. “Just waste paper taking up space.” He carried my life’s work, my entire life, and turned to leave. “Adrian! Look at them! Just open one and look!” I followed him, screaming. If he’d just open one page, he’d see what I’d found out. He’d know how I died. But he didn’t. He walked to the hallway and dumped the trash bag straight into the garbage bin. He even dusted off his hands as if they were dirty. When he came back, Melissa was shrieking in the bathroom. “Adrian! Look at this!” I floated over. Melissa pointed at a small box on the sink. Inside lay a simple ring. Our wedding ring. When we got married, Adrian had nothing. I used three years of savings to buy those rings. I didn’t care that he was poor. I said we’d build a life together. Back then, he slid that ring onto my finger, crying like a child. He’d said, “Natalie, from now on, everything I have, I’ll give to you.” Now Melissa held it between her fingers, disgusted. “This is your wedding ring? Not even worth much. Why leave it here to bother people?” Adrian leaned in the bathroom doorway, his gaze falling on the ring. Just a moment’s pause. “It is pretty bothersome.” He walked over and took the ring from Melissa’s hand. I thought he’d put it away. Even if just for show. But he didn’t. He walked to the toilet and opened his fingers. “Clink.” The sound of the ring hitting the water was piercingly clear. Then came the sound of the flush being pressed. The rushing water swept the ring away, and with it, my last shred of hope. I stood in the cramped bathroom, watching the whirlpool disappear, watching the calm water surface. My heart felt completely emptied by that flush. “Out with the old, in with the new.” Adrian pulled Melissa close and kissed her cheek. “Tomorrow I’ll take you to pick out a big one. With diamonds.” Melissa smiled happily. “That’s more like it. That cheap ring wasn’t worth anything anyway.” “Yeah, worthless.” Adrian agreed. They walked out of the bathroom laughing, turning off the light. Darkness swallowed me instantly. I crouched by the toilet, staring at that pitch-black drain. Adrian. That was three years of savings. That was money we’d saved eating dry bread in our rental apartment for so long. That was what you knelt down and put on my finger when you proposed. You said it was worthless. Yes. If the person wasn’t worth anything, what was a ring? That night, Adrian slept on the couch. Melissa refused to sleep in the master bedroom because I’d used the mattress. She insisted on replacing it tomorrow before she’d sleep there. Tonight she took the guest room. Adrian didn’t object. Late at night, the house was quiet. I floated in the living room, watching Adrian on the couch. He wasn’t sleeping. He held his phone. The screen lit up his face. He was looking at stocks. Or some other financial news. Definitely not at photos of me. Suddenly, he pressed his phone against his chest and let out a long breath. That sigh was deep and heavy. Like exhaustion suppressed for too long. He sat up and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from under the coffee table. He lit one. The red ember glowed in the darkness. He didn’t smoke it, just held it between his fingers, watching the smoke curl upward. The ash burned down to his hand, but he didn’t move. I watched him. I’d watched him smoke countless times in the middle of the night before. Back then he worried about cases. I’d walk over, take away his cigarette, pour him a warm glass of milk. He’d pull me close by the waist, burying his face in my embrace like a child. Now I couldn’t even touch him. “Natalie.” He suddenly spoke. His voice hoarse, especially clear in the silent night. I jolted. “You stupid woman.” He laughed and stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray. “Won’t give me peace even after death.” For that instant, I thought he regretted it. I thought he was thinking of me. But the next second, he picked up his phone and made a call. “Hello, Mr. Lincoln. She’s asleep…Don’t worry, I cleared out all her stuff. Yeah, I’ll handle the transfer tomorrow. Right, I want the house under Melissa’s name as soon as possible..” I floated in midair, listening to him calmly settle my affairs. So that sigh was him calculating how to please his new masters faster. Stupid woman. Yes, I was really stupid. Dead and still being cursed in his mind. Adrian. If ghosts could really kill people. I’d strangle you right now.

Natalie’s POV Early the next morning, an uninvited guest arrived. Kyle. My brother. After our parents died, Kyle was my only concern. He was in college, normally living on campus. He must have heard about my death and rushed back like crazy. The door was kicked open. Kyle gripped a fruit knife, his eyes bloodshot, like a wounded beast out of control. “Adrian! I’m going to kill you!” He charged into the living room and lunged at Adrian, who was eating breakfast. Melissa shrieked, spilling milk everywhere. Adrian didn’t even change his sitting position. The instant before the blade touched his chest, he shot to his feet and kicked Kyle’s wrist. The fruit knife clattered to the floor. Then with a grappling move, Kyle was slammed onto the coffee table, face pressed against the cold glass, unable to move. “Let go of me! Adrian, you bastard! You killed Natalie! It was you!” Kyle struggled desperately, screaming. I floated beside them, frantic. “Kyle! Run! You can’t beat him!” But he couldn’t hear me. Adrian held Kyle’s neck down with one hand while leisurely pulling out a tissue with the other to wipe the milk that had splashed on his hand. “Natalie died of heart failure. The medical examiner’s report is already out.” “Bullshit! She was perfectly healthy, how could she have heart failure! It was definitely you! You and this bitch killed her!” Kyle spat toward Melissa. Melissa shrieked and dodged, pointing at Kyle and cursing. “Adrian! He tried to murder someone! Call the police! Or… cripple him!” Melissa’s eyes were vicious. The two bodyguards behind her were already reaching for their waists. I knew. Those were guns. The Lincoln family did shady business. Their bodyguards carried guns at all times. If Kyle kept making trouble, he’d really die. “Adrian! Please! Let him go!” I knelt before Adrian, though I knew he couldn’t see me. Adrian’s eyes shifted. He glanced at the two bodyguards, then at Kyle still struggling beneath him. “Cripple him?” Adrian laughed softly and picked up the fruit knife from the floor. He spun it in his hand, the blade flashing cold light. “For something this small, I’ll handle it.” Before the words finished, the knife in his hand plunged down hard. The sound of blade entering flesh. “Ahh-!!!” Kyle’s agonized scream filled the room. That stab went straight through Kyle’s thigh. Blood gushed out instantly, staining the carpet red. I collapsed to the floor, watching my brother’s face contort in pain, watching that blood pour out continuously. “Kyle…” I tried to cover the wound, but my hand passed through the warm liquid. Adrian pulled out the knife, bringing with it a spray of blood drops. He stood up, looking down at Kyle curled in pain. “This stab is to teach you a lesson. Learn to be smarter. Don’t stand up for Natalie again. Her life was short-you want to follow her?” Kyle was drenched in cold sweat from the pain but still stared at Adrian. “Adrian… even as a ghost… I won’t let you go…” “Fine, I’ll wait.” Adrian threw the bloody knife on the table and pulled out a wet wipe to clean his hands. “Call 911. Drag him out.” He told the bodyguards. The bodyguards glanced at Melissa. She seemed pleased by the bloody scene and nodded. Kyle was dragged out like a dead dog. A long trail of blood remained on the floor. I chased after them, following until the ambulance arrived. Watching Kyle being loaded in, the paramedic said no artery was hit, just flesh wounds that would heal in a few months. I slumped by the roadside. No artery hit? Adrian had stabbed so viciously, straight through the thigh, yet just happened to miss the artery? Was it coincidence? I floated back to the apartment. Bodyguards were cleaning the blood from the carpet. Melissa nestled in Adrian’s arms, her finger tracing circles on his chest. “Adrian, you were so handsome just now. That stab was so clean.” Adrian looked down at her, a smile on his lips but no warmth in his eyes. “As long as you’re happy.” Melissa pulled a document from her bag and handed it to him. “This is a gift from my father. He says from now on, the Deputy Director position at Lincoln Group’s Security Department is yours.” Adrian took the document and flipped through it. “Thank Mr. Lincoln for me.” He closed the document, his gaze sweeping over where Kyle had bled. His eyes were as deep as stagnant water. In that moment, I suddenly felt I couldn’t read him. To curry favor with the Lincoln family, to climb the ladder, he could even be ruthless to Kyle. But that stab… why did it specifically avoid vital areas? If it was the old Adrian, that sharpshooter detective captain, he knew human anatomy inside and out. He did it on purpose. Deliberately stabbed where the flesh was thick-looked scary but wouldn’t kill. Why? Was it to avoid suspicion? Or to spare Kyle’s life? Those two bodyguards had their hands on their guns. If Kyle hadn’t gone down, would that bullet have blown his head off? I shook my head. Natalie, have you lost your mind? He stabbed your brother like that, and you’re still making excuses for him? He’s a bastard. A complete and utter scumbag.

Natalie’s POV On the fourth day, Adrian accompanied Melissa for a checkup. The location was a high-end private hospital inside Lincoln Group’s headquarters. I knew this place well. When I was alive, I’d disguised myself and snuck in several times to investigate the Lincoln family’s dirty secrets. Security here was tighter than the police station, with cameras and patrol guards everywhere. Adrian dressed very formally today, following behind Melissa like a dutiful kept man. He bossed around the doctors and nurses. “Be gentle, didn’t you see Miss Lincoln frowning?” “This water’s too cold. Get hot water.” The doctors were submissive, their eyes showing contempt-they probably all knew he was a gold digger who’d sold out his wife to move up. Adrian didn’t care at all. He even seemed to enjoy this borrowed authority. Melissa went in for a “maintenance” treatment. This was a very mysterious procedure, only for VIP clients, conducted in a special ward on the top floor. I floated in after them. The room contained only one bed, surrounded by precision instruments. Melissa lay on the bed. Several doctors in sterile suits wheeled in a small cart. On the cart sat several vials of red liquid. Was that blood? The color was brighter than normal blood, with an eerie, vivid redness. The doctors skillfully injected Melissa. As the liquid entered her veins, Melissa let out a satisfied sigh. The skin on her face seemed to instantly become more radiant, her whole body relaxing. I drifted closer. A strange smell entered my nose. Not the smell of disinfectant. It was a… sweet, cloying smell mixed with a faint metallic scent. This smell was so familiar. I remembered. I’d smelled it at the funeral home. It was that high-grade embalming fluid smell-used for corpse beautification to prevent decay and preserve the appearance of the living. Why would a living person smell like this? And it was coming from that red liquid. I felt a chill run through me. What exactly was this stuff? Just then, Adrian walked in. “Done yet?” he asked. The doctor quickly blocked the empty syringes. “Almost, Mr. Bennett. This is a sterile area, you…” “I’m her fiancé. What can’t I see?” Adrian strode over, casually pulling out a pack of gum from his pocket, tossing two pieces in his mouth. “Melissa, how do you feel?” Melissa opened her eyes, her gaze hazy. “Wonderful. Adrian, this is good stuff. You should get these injections too.” “Sure, as long as it keeps me young, I’ll pay any price.” Adrian smiled, his hand resting on the cabinet by the bed. No one noticed that in the instant he turned, he stuck his chewed gum under a hidden spot beneath the cabinet. Inside that gum was a black chip no bigger than a fingernail. A listening device. My eyes widened. That was the newest micro-surveillance device, rare even in police departments. Adrian… what was he doing? Hadn’t he been suspended? Hadn’t he married into the Lincoln family for money? Why would he plant a bug where Melissa was getting her treatment? When the doctors wheeled the cart out, they nearly bumped the cabinet. “Be careful.” Adrian steadied the cabinet. “Sorry, Mr. Bennett.” The doctor hurried away in panic. Only Adrian and Melissa, who hadn’t yet recovered, remained in the room. Adrian looked at Melissa’s glowing face, and something like disgust seemed to flash in his eyes-almost imperceptible. “Smells nice.” He leaned close to Melissa and sniffed. “Really?” Melissa laughed coquettishly. “That’s the smell of money.” Adrian smiled. “Yeah, smells like… embalming fluid.” He said it very softly. Even I had to strain to hear it. Melissa didn’t catch it. “What did you say?” “I said, it’s an intoxicating smell.” Adrian straightened and walked to the window, hands in his pockets. I floated beside him, looking at his reflection in the glass. His eyes were cold as ice. In that moment, my hatred wavered slightly. What exactly was he trying to do? If he’d really sold himself to the Lincoln family, why plant a listening device? Could it be… No. I couldn’t trust him so easily. Maybe he was just digging up dirt on them to get a bigger cut later. After all, he was greedy now. Lustful. He even stabbed my brother. Who knew what kind of game he was playing.

Natalie’s POV That evening, Melissa brought Adrian to a private dinner party. Everyone present was a “business partner” of the Lincoln family. Partners-really just a pack of wolves in human skin. That smuggler Mr. Wallace, and that underground casino owner Mr. Reed, both had been on wanted lists. Adrian fit right in among them. He lit cigarettes for this one, poured drinks for that one, calling everyone “bro” with such warmth. Who would have thought that half a month ago, he’d been the detective captain who wanted nothing more than to throw all these people in jail. After several rounds of drinks, the conversation turned to women. Melissa was drunk, leaning on Adrian, pointing at his nose and bragging to everyone. “You all said he used to be a hard case, that’s just because no one knew the right approach. Look at him now-doesn’t he obediently play my dog?” Everyone laughed. Mr. Wallace teased, “Adrian, I heard your ex-wife just died a few days ago. You got together with Miss Lincoln this quickly?” Adrian held his wine glass, a standard fake smile on his face. “You’re joking, Mr. Wallace. People climb up, water flows down. Besides, how can a dead woman compare to a living one?” “Well said!” Melissa seemed excited. She sat up straight, looking at Adrian through drunken eyes. “Tell them about the night that bitch died.” I floated in midair, my body going rigid. That night. It was the nightmare I could never forget in this life… no, even as a ghost. “That night…” Adrian swirled his wine glass, his tone as casual as discussing the weather. “That night she had a heart attack, right there in the bedroom. I was in the living room.” “She pounded on the door, begging for help. Even through the door, you could hear it crystal clear.” Melissa laughed viciously. “So why didn’t you go in and save her?” Adrian took a sip of wine. “I was busy picking out a gift for you then. How could I be bothered with her?” Roaring laughter filled the room. “Damn, Adrian! Your wife was dying in there and you were out here picking gifts for Melissa!” Melissa laughed until tears came, slapping Adrian’s face. “Adrian, I love this ruthless streak in you.” I stared hard at Adrian’s face. I wanted to find a trace of guilt on his face, a hint of reluctance. Even a flash of pain would do. But there was nothing. He laughed with those people, laughed until crow’s feet appeared at the corners of his eyes. “Her life, how could it compare to Melissa’s smile?” he said. I felt a chill rise from my feet straight to the top of my head. Even as a ghost, I felt that heart-wrenching pain. That night, I desperately pounded on the door inside, my fingernails breaking. I’d called out, “Adrian, save me… the medicine… the medicine’s outside…” I heard his footsteps outside the door. He stood right there. I could even see his slippers through the crack under the door. I thought he’d rush in. But he didn’t. He just stood there. Stood there for a full ten minutes. Until I had no strength left. Until my heart stopped beating. He stood just one door away, listening to me die bit by bit. So that’s what he was doing then-picking out gifts for Melissa. “Adrian! I’m going to kill you!” I screamed and lunged at him, hands wrapping around his throat. I wanted to strangle this heartless man, this murderer. But my hands passed through his neck. He felt nothing, still laughing, still clinking glasses with the person next to him. Suddenly, Adrian’s expression changed. He set down his glass and covered his mouth. “Sorry, had too much to drink. I need to use the restroom.” He stood up and walked away quickly, his steps somewhat unsteady. I followed. As soon as he entered the bathroom, he rushed into a stall and vomited into the toilet. Vomited violently, almost bringing up bile. He buried his head in the toilet, his body shaking violently. I stood beside him, watching coldly. Serves you right. Getting your karma, aren’t you? After a long time, he finally stopped.He pressed the flush button and slumped to the floor, leaning against the partition and gasping for breath. He closed his eyes. A tear slid down from the corner. I froze. A tear? He was crying? Just then, the scene before my eyes suddenly flickered. Like a memory playback. I saw the night I died again. But this time the perspective wasn’t from inside the bedroom-it was from the living room. I saw Adrian standing at the bedroom door, his hand gripping the doorknob. His whole body was trembling, veins bulging on the back of his hand, almost crushing the doorknob. In his other hand he clutched his phone tightly. The phone screen was lit, showing a call interface. No sound, but I saw a picture message on his phone. It was Kyle. Kyle was tied to a chair, mouth gagged with cloth, a gun pressed to his temple. And from the bedroom came my weak cries for help. Adrian’s face was twisted in agony. He tried to open the door. His hand moved slightly, then something seemed to come through the phone. His whole body went rigid. He stood there in that extreme torment, turning himself into a statue. One second, two seconds… ten minutes. Until there was no more sound from the bedroom. He slowly slid down to sit on the floor, burying his head in his knees, letting out a suppressed whimper. Like a severely wounded beast that didn’t dare cry out. The vision disappeared. I returned to reality. In the bathroom, Adrian wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up, walking to the sink to rinse his mouth. He looked at himself in the mirror, forcing out a smile uglier than crying. “Adrian, you’re doing great.” He said to himself in the mirror. “Just hold on a little longer.” I floated behind him, looking at that pale, bloodless face in the mirror. What I just saw… was it real? Kyle had been kidnapped that night? Kyle’s life traded for mine? If he’d saved me, Kyle would have died? My mind was in chaos. If that was true, then what he’d said at dinner just now… “Her life, how could it compare to your smile?” Was it to make Melissa believe him? Was it for the mission? I wasn’t sure. Maybe I was just making excuses for him. But that tear…it burned hot enough to make my soul tremble.

Natalie’s POV On the sixth day, Adrian ransacked the house. Melissa sat on the couch doing her nails. “Haven’t found it yet? That bitch definitely left insurance. My dad said she dug up a lot of dirt. If it gets out, we’re all finished.” “Still looking.” Adrian was drenched in sweat. Finally, his gaze locked on the safe in the bedroom. That was my private safe, where I usually kept important documents and my journalism earnings bank cards. “Open it.” Melissa ordered. Adrian walked over and entered the password. “Incorrect.” He’d entered our wedding anniversary. I sneered from the side. “Changed it long ago.” Ever since I’d noticed something wrong with him, I’d changed the password. “What? Can’t open it?” Melissa walked over impatiently. “She changed the password.” Adrian frowned. “Try my birthday.” Melissa said casually. I looked at her like she was an idiot. My safe, using her birthday? Dream on. Adrian hesitated, then pressed several numbers on the keypad. Beep. Green light. The door popped open. I was completely stunned. How was that possible? I clearly remembered changing it to… to my parents’ death anniversary! When had it become Melissa’s birthday? Unless… I looked at Adrian. Unless he’d secretly changed it when I wasn’t paying attention. Melissa burst out laughing and threw her arms around Adrian’s neck. “Adrian, you fell for me that early? You even changed her safe password to my birthday?” Adrian laughed dryly. “Wanted to surprise you.” Melissa couldn’t wait to dump everything out of the safe. Several bank cards, property deed, and some jewelry. “That’s it?” Melissa rummaged through them. “Where’s that notebook? Or a USB drive?” “Nothing.” Adrian shrugged. “Impossible! That bitch must have hidden it here!” Melissa turned the safe inside out, even reaching in to feel the interior walls. “There really isn’t anything, Melissa. Maybe she didn’t actually find any solid evidence. We were worrying for nothing.” Adrian tried to persuade her. Melissa reluctantly kicked the safe. “Fine. Since there’s nothing, let’s go. There’s a party tonight.” Melissa turned to change clothes. But Adrian didn’t move. He crouched in front of the safe, his back to the doorway. I saw his hand quickly reach into a tiny crevice deep inside the safe. That was a maintenance access left by the manufacturer. Most people wouldn’t know about it. But he knew. Because he’d gone with me to buy this safe. He’d read me the instruction manual. From that crevice, he extracted a black SD card. Only as big as a fingernail. That was my backup. I knew paper notes weren’t safe, so I’d deliberately stored the core evidence here. He knew after all. He got the SD card but didn’t hide it in his pocket. He was afraid of being searched. The next second, I witnessed something that shook my soul. He put the SD card in his mouth. No water. He just dry-swallowed it. The pain of the hard plastic card scraping down his esophagus made his whole face turn red, veins bulging in his neck. He clutched his throat, dry-heaving twice, then forcibly covered his mouth and swallowed it down. Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes. “Adrian? You done yet?” Melissa called from outside. Adrian took a deep breath, wiped away the tears, and stood up. “Coming.” When he turned around, he’d restored that carefree smile. “See, even the password is your birthday. I fell for you long ago.” He walked out and put his arm around Melissa’s waist. I floated in place, staring at the empty safe. So he’d changed the password. All so he could open the safe right under Melissa’s nose and take the evidence. He’d swallowed it. That was his only way to survive and also his only path to death. If it didn’t pass. If the card got stuck. If it perforated his stomach… Adrian. What exactly are you planning?

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