Category: English

My girlfriend, Katrina Moritz, was in heavy debt after the bankruptcy. To pay back the money, she and I would work part-time after getting off work every day. By chance, I received an order for expedited document delivery. When I arrived at the destination, a man opened the door. He turned around and called out his girlfriend’s name, “Katrina, the file you urgently need has arrived.” I thought it was just a coincidence of sharing the same names. Unexpectedly, my girlfriend’s voice came out. “Okay, ask the runner to buy us a few more boxes of this.” Soon after, an empty box of condoms was thrown at the man’s feet. ****** Katrina went bankrupt. To help her pay off her debts, I cashed in all the brand-name watches that Katrina gave me as well as the expensive cultural relics I bought at the auction. I even spent all my savings that I had saved for many years to help her, But she still owed more than 800,000 dollars. So, after work every day, she and I would do part-time jobs. During the day, I worked as a salesperson in a high-end clothing store, and she distributed flyers on the street. At night, I ran errands, and she worked as a driver. Today, I took an order to go to a company to pick up a document for the boss. As generous as the payer was, he was willing to give me an extra thousand dollars as a tip. The only requirement was that the delivery must be done as fast as it could be. When I received this order, I was waiting on the roadside for the owner of a pancake stall to make me pancakes. I was so hungry today that I ordered a twelve-dollar pancake to treat myself. But when I saw the message from the payer, I immediately rode my electric scooter towards the designated location. While waiting for the secretary to deliver the documents downstairs in the company, I took the time to share the good news with Katrina. I texted, “Katrina, I made more than a thousand today. You said that you wanted to eat ribs. Let’s buy some ribs tomorrow.” After the message was sent, there was no response. But I believed that Katrina must have been receiving guests. To get customers to their destination safely, she seldom replied to my messages. She would only do that when she was free. This seemed to have become a tacit understanding between us. I would send Katrina messages. When she texted back in her free time, she would give me enough emotional support. We had never complained about the unfairness of fate. Even at the lowest point, we just held each other’s hands tightly. When we looked at the slowly rising sunlight outside the window together, we secretly made up our minds to make a lot of money. This time, the destination was a bit far away. But thinking of the thousand-dollar tip, I was glad that I got this order. When I arrived at the villa area, I was stopped by a security guard at the door. He looked at my car and said in a loud voice, “Outside vehicles are not allowed to enter the community.” Seeing the order that was about to expire, I was extremely anxious, but I also understood the security guard’s implicit meaning. I parked the car on the side of the road, held the documents tightly in my hands, and rushed into the community. After jogging to the destination, I saw a man open the door for me. He had a bath towel around his waist. The few wet strands of hair on his temples and the crazy kiss marks on his neck told me everything that had just happened in the villa. He stood on the steps, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest, and he smelled of the pleasant scent of gardenia. As if he was disturbed, he asked impatiently, “What’s the matter?” I handed over the document in my hand. “Hello, your document has been delivered.” He took the document in confusion, but seeing the contents, he instantly understood. He casually flipped through the file bag while saying, “This is my girlfriend’s file.” I took out my phone and opened the order interface. After clicking to complete the order, I was about to turn around and leave, but he shouted his girlfriend’s name into the house. “Katrina, the documents you urgently need have arrived…” The people in the room responded quickly. “Please help me get it in. It’s quite important. I’ll need it for the meeting later. I have to take a shower first.” Upon hearing the sound, I was completely stunned. This voice was so familiar that I could even imagine the look on the speaker’s face. Before I could react, a box was thrown out. Katrina’s voice came from inside the house again. “By the way, ask the errand boy to help us buy a few boxes of this.” The empty box rolled on the ground and finally landed at the man’s feet. He bent down to pick it up and then threw the box back at me. He then said, “Please help us buy a few more boxes. We are in a hurry. By the way, I’m allergic to silicone oil. Remember to buy hyaluronic acid. After you buy it back, I’ll give you another two thousand dollars as a tip.” I lowered my head stiffly and saw the big words printed on the box. I felt my throat tightening as if I were being strangled.

When Katrina returned to our rental house, it was half past two in the morning. I sat on the ground, tending to the wound on my leg. I didn’t even raise my head when I heard the noise coming from the entrance. Katrina didn’t seem to understand why I stayed up so late. She asked, “Haven’t you gone to sleep? You said you wanted to eat shrimp a few days ago, so I bought some.” Katrina walked over and put the shrimp in her hand aside. When she saw the wounds on my knees and arms, she seemed a little flustered. “You are injured. What happened?” My tone was calm. “I accidentally fell while delivering a bill today.” She took out a new cotton swab, sprayed some iodine on it, and then carefully took care of the wound for me. When I got a little closer to Katrina, I could smell the fragrance of her shower gel, which was exactly the same as the smell of the man who opened the door today. Katrina worked part-time and had a busy day, but there wasn’t even a hint of sweat odor on her body. She was so careless even in her disguise. I wondered, “Does she think I’m easy to fool, or does she simply not bother to pretend in front of me?” After I left the villa area, several sports cars that looked very expensive followed me. Those rich girls in the car tried to cut in maliciously several times. They seemed to take this as fun. After I fell to the ground in a panic, they laughed and left. Of course, their conversation came to my ears. “Will Katrina be angry about us?” “You are worrying too much. She won’t be angry with us because of this man.” “Don’t you know Katrina? How could she like him?” “Garnett Patrick has returned. Katrina will cut off contact with that man sooner or later.” Their car was getting farther and farther away, but there seemed to be a loudspeaker beside them, allowing me to hear them very clearly. The stinging pain in my knee brought me back from my thoughts. I looked into Katrina’s eyes, trying to find the guilt in her eyes after deceiving me. Katrina threw the cotton swab into the trash can. It seemed that I said too little tonight. She raised her head in confusion. “What’s wrong with you tonight? Why don’t you say anything?” She came closer to me, and only then did she realize that the corners of my eyes were wet. Her eyes fell directly on my face. She was obviously at a loss and could only stroke my back gently. This was her usual way of comforting me. “Why are you crying? Did the payer of the order give you a hard time? Or is it because I came back home late tonight?” I had just calmed down, but what Katrina asked angered me. She gently wiped my wet eyes. “Neither? Then why?” Katrina couldn’t find out the reason no matter how hard she tried, leaving her anxious. I sniffed and tried to force a smile. “I’m fine. It just hurt when the disinfectant touched the wound.” She wiped my tears and asked with a frown, not believing me completely, “Really?” I nodded. While I was having shrimp with Katrina, I planned to give her a chance to confess. “Katrina, do you have anything to say to me?” I held my breath, expecting to hear something from her. She shook her head. “We are together every day. I have told you everything.” Seeing that she had no intention of confessing the truth, I felt like I was falling into an icy cave. If I failed to grab that order tonight, how long would I be kept in the dark? But in the end, I held back the questions that I had been brewing all night. I didn’t know how to start or how to ask. We had been together for three years, not a short time. When I woke up the next day, Katrina had prepared breakfast. She picked up the keys from the table and gave me a kiss on the cheek as usual. “I’m going to work.” I called out as she was about to leave, “Katrina.” She turned and looked at me. “Are you free tonight? I want to talk to you,” I asked. She hesitated for a moment and finally nodded. As the door closed, the house became quiet again. Quietness was like a silent beast, constantly devouring my love for Katrina. I know she was not free tonight. Last night, when she went into the bathroom to take a shower, I checked her phone. Tonight was her half-yearly gathering with her upper-class circles. The organizer was Garnett, so she would definitely be there.

During the day, I worked as a salesperson in a high-end clothing store, and I would get a ten-point commission on each piece of clothing sold. Today, I went to work as usual but was temporarily transferred to another store by the store manager. Almost as soon as I changed into my work uniform, customers came to the store. “Welcome.” I greeted customers with a smile that I had trained thousands of times, but when I saw the comer, I was on the verge of breakdown. “I customized some clothes and shoes. I came here to pick them up today,” the man said. He walked up to me in a dark brown haute couture suit. He slowly took off his sunglasses, revealing his charming eyes, with an attitude of arrogance and impatience. “By the way, I’m Garnett Patrick.” He was the man who opened the door for me yesterday when I delivered documents. He should also be the man who was mentioned by those wealthy ladies last night. The clerk on the side pushed me away and showed a flattering smile. “Mr. Patrick, please come this way.” Garnett gave me a glance with an inexplicable look on his face that I couldn’t understand. He pointed at me. “I only want him to serve me, and others can go to the front hall to receive new guests.” After Garnett entered the VIP reception area, I was stopped by the store manager. He looked a little nervous. “You can’t mess with the guy inside. Just do what he says. Do you understand?” “The Patrick family are our distinguished guests, not to mention that Mr. Patrick is Ms. Moritz’s fiancé. If you have more patience in everything and make him happy, you won’t have to worry about your performance this month.” I thought, “Ms. Moritz? Is it Katrina?” It was really hard for her to act affectionate for three years. I was afraid that in the end, even Katrina herself would be moved by the small favor she gave. I took a deep breath. “Manager, I don’t want to.” When the store manager heard my refusal, he interrupted me in panic, “Why don’t you want to? Mr. Patrick appointed you to serve him. This is your blessing. See? Bob wants to go but he can’t.” He pointed to the clerk standing in the front hall. Some people were willing to be submissive and agreed to disregard their dignity. But I didn’t want to. The moment I learned that Katrina was not bankrupt, I was subjected to a big blow. Those oaths of being together forever dampened all my motivation. Garnett impatiently urged me inside, which instantly scared the store manager. He lowered his voice. “Is there too much pressure from work? Well, as long as you serve Mr. Patrick well, I will apply to the superiors to give you a week’s vacation to relax.” Yes, I did need to take time to deal with some annoying things. When I opened the door and walked in, Garnett was sitting on the sofa and looking at the magazines on the bookshelf. On the coffee table next to it were the exquisite pastries just brought by the store manager and a cup of coffee with perfect latte art. Before leaving, the store manager winked at me vigorously, for fear that I would offend Garnett. Garnett took a sip of coffee and then looked up at me. He chuckled lightly and pointed to the pair of custom-made leather boots placed in front of him. “Help me put on the shoes.” I squatted down obediently and carefully arranged the details of the shoes. But the next second, I heard Garnett’s voice again. “You need to kneel. Didn’t your manager tell you?” I looked up and saw Garnett’s eyes filled with contempt and a malicious smile on his face. Thinking of the store manager’s request, I suppressed the overwhelming emotions. “Sorry, I forgot.” The shoes were very heavy and complicated, and Garnett was always making things difficult, leaving me on the verge of collapse. Even though I was tormented by Garnett, the smile on my face never disappeared. The moment I was done, Garnett’s voice suddenly became stern. “You hurt me.” Before I could react, Garnett kicked me on the shoulder. Due to his heavy kick, I fell backward uncontrollably, and the back of my head hit the sharp corner of the coffee table. The intense dizziness and pain in my head made me unable to stand upright. Seeing my painful look, Garnett seemed very satisfied. He maintained his arrogant demeanor, sitting on the sofa with his arms folded proudly. “Do you know why I called you over? Do you know why Katrina is with you? This is just a bet between her and her friends. They are betting on whether you will be stupid enough to spend your hard-earned money to help her. Did Katrina tell you that she was bankrupt?” I didn’t answer him. Garnett paused, as if he thought of something, and then burst into laughter. “By the way, do you know that all the money you worked so hard to save was transferred to me soon after Katrina got it? How pitiful! It was only more than 400,000 dollars, which was not enough for me to buy a watch and a tie. Bankruptcy was just a reason she came up with to dump you. But I didn’t expect you to stalk her and say you would help her repay these debts together. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous?” Garnett’s voice no longer had the arrogance it had before, replaced by his sneer and anger. He picked up the cup of scalding coffee, ready to throw it at me. The door of the VIP reception area was suddenly opened from the outside. Although Garnett stopped in time, some of the coffee in the cup spilled. “What do you think? Do you like customized clothes and shoes?” Katrina’s voice was somewhat endearing, but when she saw me, her voice stopped abruptly. I never thought that I would talk about these things with Katrina on such an unseemly occasion.

The store manager followed Katrina closely. When he saw the anger that had not dissipated on Garnett’s face, he couldn’t help but roar at me. “Aaron Zumthor, what’s wrong with you? What did I tell you? Get up quickly.” Only then did I realize how embarrassed I looked. I held on to the coffee table and barely stood up, but it agitated the wound from last night’s fall, and I clenched my fists in pain. Katrina walked towards me quickly. She stretched out her hand to help me, but I dodged sideways. I said in disgust, “Don’t touch me.” Katrina’s expression froze for a few seconds, and then the color on her face completely faded. With a sullen face, she turned to the store manager who was watching aside and said, “Go out first.” When the door closed, I slowly looked up and saw what she was wearing today. Having worked in this field for many years, I could tell at a glance that the fabric and bead inlay craftsmanship of the skirt she was wearing were very expensive. Even the sparkling diamonds of the small brooch on her chest were exquisite. I looked at Katrina, and my eyes felt sore and painful. “Is it fun to play tricks on me? Your lavish gambling has an innocent man involved. It is as if I just fell from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley. I even took out the money I had saved for many years without reservation to pay off your so-called debt.” Katrina stretched out her hands in panic as if she wanted to put me in her arms like last night. “No, that’s not the case.” At a loss, she didn’t know how to refute. She knew that what I said was true. I took a few steps back to avoid her. “Katrina, do you know who sent you the documents last night? It was me, the idiot who was teased by you. Before sending the documents, I even proudly told you that we could have ribs today.” At that point, I looked up at the exquisite and small brooch she pinned on her chest. I found it ironic. “The tip of one thousand dollars is not enough to buy a diamond on your brooch, right?” I tried to calm my breathing and not look so embarrassed. But I knew it was useless. Garnett clicked his tongue impatiently. “You said so much for money, right? After all, orphans like you can only work hard at the bottom.” When he said this, his disgusted eyes fell on me. After looking up and down, he continued to mock me. “You finally climbed up the ladder, but your dream of being a rich person is shattered. Naturally, you will ask for a lot of money. By the way, you were abandoned after being adopted. I heard that it was because you stole money.” “Shut up” Before Garnett finished speaking, I punched him in the face hard. One’s close spouse was the one who knew his weakness and how to hurt him best. I only told Katrina about the things Garnett said. She knew better than anyone that this was hurtful, but she chose to tell the twisted story to others. I was so angry that my fingertips were trembling, and the hand that hit Garnett was numb and painful. Katrina was stunned by the sudden punch. After she came to her senses, she quickly protected Garnett behind her. She yelled at me, “Do you know what you are doing?” Furious, Garnett picked up everything he could get on the coffee table and threw it at me. “You dare to hit me? My parents never slapped me in the face.” Before Garnett could make his next move, the door to the VIP room was opened again. The comer applauded casually, her tone full of amusement. “It’s really wonderful. I didn’t expect such a big show to happen.”

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Mom took me and my sister, Nora Lewis, to buy some Lucky Pets. I fell in love with a white snake at first sight. Nora thought snakes were scary and hard to keep, so she picked a loach, the easiest to care for. We heard loaches take a year to bond with their owners, so Nora pampered hers. But her loach died within six months. Meanwhile, after getting my white snake, I landed a job at a company and won millions in the lottery. Nora was consumed by jealousy, ranting about snakes eating loaches, accusing me of letting the snake devour the loach’s luck. When I let my guard down, Nora shoved me into the river. We both got a second chance at life, but Nora beat me to choosing the white snake. She didn’t know that… Snakes were creatures of dark energy; they chose their masters, not the other way around. Forcing a snake to submit only leads to getting bitten. ***** “Mom, I want this white snake!” The icy grip of the river water had just faded when I opened my eyes to see Nora grabbing the white snake’s cage. She hugged it tight as if afraid I’d snatch it away. Mom frowned. “Nora, weren’t you terrified of snakes? They’re dangerous and can bite. Pick something safer, honey.” Even the seller chimed in. “Young lady, you’ve got no connection with this snake. Why not go for the loach? It’s a fallen dragon. Once it bonds with you, it’ll transfer its unused luck your way.” Nora’s face darkened. “You swindler, think I’m clueless? Loaches just have dragon luck, they’re not real dragons. Snakes are true reincarnated dragons. I’m picking the snake.” His well-meant advice earned him an undeserved scolding. The seller’s face fell, and he didn’t say another word after that. Mom always favored Nora. Seeing her pick the snake, she said nothing, just nudged me to hurry up and choose so we could go home. As I stood there, eyeing the array of lucky pets, still unsure what to pick, Nora shoved the box with the loach into my hands. “Claire, take the loach. It’s no dragon, but it suits you just fine.” I knew then she’d been reborn, too. Nora and I are twins. At 24, we were both struggling to find jobs. Mom heard raising lucky pets could change our luck, so she brought us here to choose. In our past life, Nora followed the master’s advice and picked the loach. Determined to change her fate, she’d recite the bible daily and feed it the most expensive foods. But within six months, her loach died. Less than a month later, Nora got in a car crash, was scammed out of money, and was nearly assaulted by a homeless man. Meanwhile, I’d only raised a little white snake for half a year, but my luck soared. I won big on scratch cards, landed my dream job, and everything fell into place. Nora grew jealous. She invited me to the river and, when I wasn’t looking, pushed me in. And I drowned. I was about to say something, but Mom had already paid and was ushering us out the door. In the car, Nora kept grinning, clutching the small white snake. Suddenly, she turned to me with a smug look. “Claire, I heard these eels are something special. I’m letting you have it, so when you hit the big time, don’t forget who hooked you up.” If I hadn’t lived this life before, I might’ve bought Nora’s act hook, line, and sinker. But I knew the ugly truth lurking behind that fake smile of hers. The moment I’d climb the ladder, she’d be the first in line to stab me in the back. My eyes fell on the drowsy white snake in her arms, and I couldn’t help but smirk. Nora had no clue. Snakes were way trickier to raise than eels. They were full of negative energy and killer instincts. More importantly, mystical snakes chose their masters. They came to you, not the other way around. Just buying one and expecting to be its master was asking for trouble. And what Nora had wasn’t even a regular snake. It was a python. The kind that keeps on growing.

We’d barely stepped through the door when Nora whisked her snake off to her room. Some folks from the neighborhood watch dropped by to warn Mom about a string of break-ins nearby. “Keep an eye on your valuables,” they said. I dug up an old fish tank and tossed the loach in. To be honest, I’m not big on the whole “lucky pet” superstition. But in my past life, my luck really did change after I got the white snack. I called it Whitey. I followed the seller’s advice and started raising a loach. I named it Muddy and fed it daily, even reading a Bible verse every night. I found an old eggshell and put it in its tank. Muddy seemed to love it. It looked like it was using that shell as a little hideout. Still, the little guy always kept its distance from me. After a week of feeding, I called out to it, and surprisingly, it responded. Meanwhile, I kept up my daily outings. I told the folks I was job hunting, but really, I was hitting the books at the library. In my past life, it took me six months to land a gig with a big-name company. That company was a big deal in our town. Getting in was like hitting the jackpot. But after I started, I realized the boss didn’t care about my skills. He was after my zodiac. He wanted me there as his good luck charm. So now, I was thinking of trying for a government job. After all, who wants to be someone else’s human shield? Nora still refused to leave the house, fixated on the idea that raising Lucky Pets would magically turn her life around. Mom asked me to talk some sense into Nora. In my previous life, I had listened to Mom’s advice. I told Nora that lucky pets were just luck boosters and that finding a job still required personal effort. At the very least, she should go out and drop off some resumes. Nora took my advice back then. On her first day of job hunting, her pet loach died. From that day on, Nora blamed my Whitey for killing her loach, saying I was trying to steal her good fortune. Then, I accidentally won the lottery and landed a job at a foreign company. Nora’s jealousy went through the roof, and she ended up killing me. After Nora shoved me into the river, I saw Mom arrive at the scene. Seeing me clinging to life, Mom didn’t call for help. Instead, she rushed Nora home. When they fished out my body, Mom had me cremated right away. She told everyone it was an accidental drowning. My blood ran cold at the memory. I said to Mom, “Raising a lucky pet requires true devotion. Nora’s actions are justified.” I kept quiet, and Mom was too scared to say anything about Nora. We had no choice but to let Nora worship that snake like a god. She built a fancy cage, cleaned it daily, read the Bible three times a day, and even sent Mom to catch newborn wild mice in the countryside. Whitey was picky, too. It turned its nose up at farm-raised mice, demanding only wild ones. And they had to be tender ones, just sprouting their first bit of fur. Once, while Mom was cleaning Whitey’s cage in Nora’s room, it nearly bit her. Nora didn’t blame Whitey. Instead, she scolded Mom for disturbing its meditation. After that, no one dared go near the thing. That night, Nora came to my room to borrow my hairdryer. She walked in just as I was reading the Bible to Muddy. She snorted, “Claire, you’re really taking this little mudfish seriously, huh? People online say those who believe these fish can bond with humans are as gullible as old folks buying into health scams. You might as well feed that thing to my snake.” As she said this, Muddy seemed to sulk in his tank. It swam back and forth in the tank, looking like it wanted to jump out. I called out softly, “Muddy, calm down.” Hearing my voice, Muddy actually stopped, ignoring Nora and curling up in its favorite eggshell instead. I chuckled, “Seems pretty smart to me.” Nora’s eyes widened. The loach she had in her past life never listened to her like this. Nora’s face darkened, and she scoffed, “So what if it listens? A snake can still steal a loach’s luck.” I laughed. “We’re just keeping it for fun. Don’t tell me you actually believe in that superstition.” I laughed, and Nora joined in. But her laughter was unsettling, with a smile on her face but ice in her eyes. As she left, Nora muttered under her breath. “It doesn’t matter if the mudfish obeys you. With my baby snake around, it won’t bring you any luck at all.” Ironically, the very next day after Nora said that, I hit the jackpot.

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Five years after my death, my strong attachment to the living world kept me from moving on, so I stayed in this world, wandering around as a ghost. I stayed by my grandma, Patricia’s side every day. I watched Patricia slowly lose her sanity, unable to accept my death. Eventually, Patricia’s mind became confused and her memory jumbled. Patricia often forgot that I had died. It was heartbreaking to see her make my favorite baked ribs, only to realize she was waiting for someone who’d never come home again. She’d go looking for me at Ian’s place, but luckily, Ian had moved abroad after we split up five years back. So when Patricia knocked, no one was ever there. Lately, Patricia’s been getting worse. One day, she rushed out like usual. I followed her through the shopping street, across the intersection, and into an apartment building. She took the elevator up and knocked on Ian’s old door. That place had been empty for years. I sighed to myself as she knocked again, thinking, “No one’s gonna answer.” But then, out of nowhere, the door opened. Patricia called out the name I’d been dreading to hear, even as a ghost: “Ian! Have you seen Audrey?”

I hadn’t seen Ian in over five years, and he was still as handsome as ever. With time, he looked even more mature and composed. When Ian saw it was Patricia, he became even angrier. He took a step back and sneered, “Audrey? The woman who looked down on me? We broke up ages ago.” Hearing this, Patricia immediately defended me. “No, Audrey broke up with you because…” Worried Patricia might reveal the real reason for our breakup, I tried to stop her. The next second, Patricia rubbed her forehead. Her memory was jumbled, and she kept mumbling, “What? Because of what?” I knew Patricia was having one of her episodes again. Ian looked at Patricia coldly. “Enough with the act. Get lost!” With that, he slammed the door shut. I hurriedly floated over to help Patricia, but I was just a ghost. I could only watch helplessly as Patricia fell to the ground in pain. I stood there, powerless. No matter how much I shouted, no one could hear me. Looking at the closed door, I lowered my head in sorrow. I didn’t blame Ian. After all, I was the one who hurt him first.

Ian has always hated me. He thinks I look down on him and that I heartlessly dumped him, so of course, he wouldn’t meet Patricia. After Patricia was driven away by him, I followed her back to our empty home. From the moment I glimpsed Ian that fateful day, my heart has been irresistibly drawn to him. I found myself retracing our steps to our old university, where I watched him address the students as an accomplished business leader. There he stood on stage, exuding confidence and charisma. His poise and expressions were so refined and captivating that I couldn’t tear my eyes away. As I gazed at Ian, lost in reverie, his towering figure seemed to merge with the memory of the boy he once was. A wave of emotion washed over me, bringing tears to my eyes. I knew our paths could never truly cross again, for Ian’s future was now entwined with another’s… After Ian’s speech, a female student approached him with a book for an autograph. I instantly felt very nervous because Ian absolutely couldn’t see that girl. I instinctively floated over. “Ian, this is my favorite web novel. I heard the author was your classmate. Could you get her autograph for me?” Through the gaps in the crowd, I saw the familiar cover of the book in her hand, and a chill ran down my spine. “Don’t let him see it!” I rushed over to stop the girl, but I was too late. Ian had already taken the book and calmly flipped through a couple of pages. I desperately tried to cover the pages. I didn’t want Ian to read this book. But now, I’m just a ghost. My hand passed through the pages, but the words were clearly visible to Ian. “No, please…” I floated in mid-air, heartbroken. It was true; I had written this book based on Ian and me, but I died before I could finish it. I died before I could finish it. I’ve written our love story deeply in this book. All our beautiful memories from knowing each other to falling in love are tagged with pink happiness. Every word expresses my sincere love for Ian, touching many hearts. I feel heartbroken. To Ian, it must be the opposite, right? Ian probably thinks I’m sugarcoating lies and that my feelings for him aren’t like what’s written. I ruthlessly abandoned Ian, and my love for him isn’t even a fraction of what’s in the book… I didn’t dare look at Ian’s face, but I could hear him flipping through the pages quickly. His pace got faster, sounding extremely impatient. The tension and suffocation made it hard to breathe. I cautiously looked up. Sure enough, Ian was frowning deeply, his face dark. Suddenly, Ian looked up and met my gaze in the air. Ian’s hateful stare scared me, making my limbs weak, and I stiffly floated back. Ian gripped the book tightly, gritting his teeth, and said, “Damn it.” Then he turned and left the venue, telling his secretary, “Contact the author and get the rights to this book. Now! Immediately!”

I went home listlessly, my mind filled with Ian’s furious expression. He must really hate me. So, he wants to find the author and publicly humiliate me, right? “Unfortunately, he’ll never find me.” I laughed bitterly, wiping away my tears forcefully. Muttering to myself, I entered the house, but Patricia wasn’t home. I searched around the neighborhood but couldn’t find her. I even checked the supermarket and market she frequents, but no luck. Panic set in. Where could Patricia have gone? Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I hurried to Ian’s house. Sure enough, Patricia was having another episode. She was at Ian’s door again. She kept knocking and calling my name non-stop. I felt both touched and sad. Despite my attempts to stop her, it was useless. Finally, the door opened. It wasn’t Ian who came out, but a beautiful woman. Seeing her made me feel incredibly down. It was her. It was Julie Anderson. Why was she at Ian’s place? Why was Ian with this woman? Julie was our high school classmate. She had once pursued Ian relentlessly. But Ian said he liked me, so he politely turned her down. Although Julie didn’t bother Ian after that, I never expected to see her at his house years later. I recalled the malicious and triumphant look Julie gave me before she died. I felt incredibly sad, like my heart was being squeezed. It was strange because I was just a spirit. Why was I heartbroken and struggling to breathe? Patricia froze when she saw Julie. Then she frowned, “Who are you? Why are you at Ian’s house? Where’s my Audrey?” Julie raised an eyebrow and looked Patricia up and down, a hint of disdain in her eyes. “Ma’am, there’s no one here you’re looking for. Get lost!” Patricia immediately looked furious. She walked over, grabbed Julie’s sleeve, and tried to pull her out. “You’re a rude girl! Are you trying to seduce Ian? You should leave.” Julie stumbled as Patricia yanked her, her gaze turning fierce. She forcefully shoved Patricia to the ground. “You old hag! How dare you show up here?” “Patricia!” I rushed forward to help Patricia, but my hand went right through her body. Frustrated, I clenched my fists, glaring at Julie, wanting to punch her. Just then, a familiar male voice echoed in the room. “What’s going on?” Julie’s fierce demeanor vanished. She clung to Ian’s arm, crying, “Ian, this madam hit me!” I stared at Julie in disbelief. When my eyes met Ian’s, I felt a deep sadness.

Ian wore ash-gray pajamas, the collar slightly open, revealing noticeable kiss marks on his neck. I stared blankly at Ian’s neck, feeling a wave of disappointment. Are they dating? Ian’s face darkened when he saw Patricia. “What are you doing here again?” “I’m looking for Audrey. My Audrey is missing…” Patricia said anxiously. Suddenly remembering something, she angrily pointed at Julie. “Who is she? Why is she in your house? You betrayed Audrey, didn’t you?” “I didn’t!” Ian suddenly shouted, looking furious. “Audrey’s the one who betrayed me!” Patricia turned pale with fear, waving her hands and explaining, “That’s not true. No. “Audrey didn’t betray you, she didn’t…She just… she…” Patricia clutched her head in pain, unable to remember what happened next. Ian stared coldly at Patricia having an episode, his eyes full of disgust. “Stop pretending! Tell Audrey to stop using you to gain my sympathy! It only makes me sick!” Ian slammed the door shut. The moment Ian closed the door, Julie looked smug, as if she had already won. I clenched my fists in anger, but there was nothing I could do. “Audrey, Audrey…” Patricia’s sobs brought me back to reality. I felt a deep sadness and floated behind Patricia. I weakly wrapped my arms around her shoulders. As if doing so could comfort her. “Grandma, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault…”

After leaving Ian’s house, Patricia got lost again. I followed her anxiously, worried she might encounter danger. Luckily, this time Patricia went straight to the police station. When the police asked Patricia about her family, she thought for a moment. She happened to see Ian’s news on the screen, so she excitedly pointed and said, “I remember him. He’s my granddaughter’s boyfriend.” The police exchanged glances, thinking Patricia was just rambling. However, the officer patiently continued, “Do you remember your granddaughter’s boyfriend’s phone number?” Patricia thought for a bit and then recited Ian’s number. “Alright, I’ll call him now!” Ian arrived at the police station quickly. When Ian saw Patricia, his expression instantly turned cold. “Madam Cooper! Will you ever stop?” he yelled at Patricia as soon as he walked in. The officer frowned, reminding Ian to watch his tone. Ian felt frustrated, but his attitude didn’t change. He continued to accuse Patricia, “You caused trouble at my house earlier, and now you’re here at the station! What exactly do you want?” Patricia sat there, looking aggrieved and shaking her head. “I didn’t cause any trouble. I just wanted to find Audrey…” The officer seemed to notice something off about Patricia, so he pulled Ian aside. “Sir, this elderly lady seems confused. If you know her, please contact her family.” Ian seemed to realize something from the officer’s words. He glanced at Patricia with a complicated expression. After a moment, he scoffed, “I think she’s faking it! She’s a con artist, just like her granddaughter!” I had been sitting next to Patricia the whole time. I overheard Ian’s words. I lowered my head and smiled bitterly. Patricia is such a kind person, yet she’s misunderstood and insulted because of me. Despite Ian’s harsh words, he immediately took out his phone and dialed my number. The phone rang continuously, but no one answered. As the call went to voicemail, Ian grew even angrier. “She doesn’t even care about her grandmother. What a heartless person!” He gritted his teeth, clearly hating me even more. “I broke up with her granddaughter years ago. Don’t come to me with this anymore.” Ian didn’t want to stay a minute longer, so he turned and left. The officer had no choice but to approach Patricia and patiently ask, “Patricia, your granddaughter isn’t answering. Is there anyone else at home?” Hearing this, Patricia seemed to suddenly become lucid. She instantly looked sorrowful. She nodded and cried, “That’s right. My granddaughter won’t answer my calls anymore…She’s already dead…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397364”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #LoveAfterLoss #Memoryloss

Evie Finally, I made it. After four years of being the perfect student, I finally made it across that stage. The graduation party rages all around me. People are dancing, and singing, and cheering as they all let loose. Not that any of them took notice of me. I tend to stay out of the spotlight. I had been so excited to receive this invitation. Timothy Hayes himself had personally invited me to this party. It’s my first house party ever. And word had it that Timothy’s house parties were notorious for being crazy and fun. Everyone at school was fighting over getting an invitation. The boys flipped coins. Girls sharpened their manicured nails, getting ready to claw their way to Timothy’s side. It made sense. He was the hottest guy in school. “Hey, Evie, I just need one last signature for my yearbook,” I slowly lift my chin to meet the hazel eyes of the only boy I would have risked it all for. Timothy Hayes. “You’re my final signature.” “I don’t have a pen on me,” I say awkwardly. He shrugs. “I have one in my room. Come on,” he urges, taking my hand and pulling me up the stairs to his room. Now, everything has changed. There, laying beside me, was Timothy. My immediate instinct was to scream. But I bite my tongue and cover my face in the pillows. When I finally gathered my control, I sit up looking around the room. My clothes had been scattered wildly across the floor. I look down at myself. I had slept in his jersey. The number 9 was boldly printed on the front with a picture of our school mascot, the bulldog. But the night was over and I had to go home. Slipping out of the room, with my clothes in hand, I make a break for the front door and back to my house. ** A few days passed and that night was all I had been thinking about. Timothy had chosen me. It felt so good to be seen by him. My eyes haven’t left that jersey. I should give that back. It probably means a lot to him. So I headed downstairs and started my short walk around the neighborhood. I wondered how he would react to me showing up at his door. I hoped he would be happy to see me, considering how he came to me. As I approached his house, I noticed a few cars parked in his driveway. Those cars belonged to his friends. Loud laughter came from the back of the house. I couldn’t help but want to listen in to their conversation. It was too tempting. Tip-toeing around the side, I got close to the white-painted gate. “I can’t believe you did that,” one says laughing. “You have guts, my man.” “Nah,” Timothy sighed heavily. “She definitely had some potential.” “Still, Evie Sinclair? Isn’t she like a shut-in? Everyone knew that she didn’t care about any boys, except for the damn books.” “Shut up,” Timothy laughed. “It wasn’t that bad.” One of them blew a raspberry. “Whatever you say. You followed through on the deal, so I’ll let you take the bike.” There was a deal. My chest suddenly felt constricted. “Here’s to getting all the girls ‘signatures’,” one of his friends laughs. “Hey,” Timothy argues. “It worked didn’t it. I slept with her.” Oh, god. I felt sick. I stumble back to the front yard, tears blurring every inch of my vision. I couldn’t be seen here. I have to leave before I humiliate myself any further. I throw his jersey on the front steps of his porch and make an attempt to run, but my legs were barely working. It feels like my body had been stripped of any structure it had. I was nothing but a puddle on the ground waiting for the next person to step on me. “Evie?” I stop dead in my tracks, gathering every bit of strength I had left. “What is it?” “I didn’t think you’d drop by–” “I was just returning your jersey,” I say calmly, turning around to face him finally. “You’re welcome to borrow it any time,” he smirks playfully. I had to force myself to look away. I hated him. He had used me. “What happened the other night can’t happen again,” I say firmly. “I had fun, but–” “But?” His question hung in the air between us. “But I have to focus on my goals,” I spoke quietly. “And you have your professional career to think about. I think it’s best that we leave it as a one time thing. We both got what we wanted from each other. Right?” He frowns at her. “What do you mean?” My jaw tightens, teeth grinding against each other. “Bye, Timothy,” I whisper shakily, and I walked away. Every step was torture. Every breath was shallow and fast. I wish the ground would just swallow me whole right about now. The way home felt like it took years. It made it worse that I saw my stepbrother’s car sitting in the driveway. I swallow hard and head inside. “You look terrible,” he snorts, immediately as I enter the living room. “Your boyfriend dumped you right?” I shook my head. “He wasn’t my boyfriend,” I whisper. Bruce chokes on his laughter. “You’re telling me that you slept with some random and took his jersey?” “Leave it, Bruce,” I snap angrily, bitter tears starting to fill my eyes. “Aw,” he pouts. “He broke your heart. You gave it up didn’t you.” “Bruce,” I beg. “Stop–” “God, you’re so stupid,” he laughs. “All these academic awards and you’re still too dumb to recognize when a dude is using you.” I didn’t want to hear him demean me further. I sprint up the stairs as fast as I could, practically tripping on the way up. But he just keeps flinging insults at me. He was right. It was stupid of me to believe a word that boy had said. He was notorious for his acquisitions. His friends were too. And I had just gotten so caught up in the fantasy that someone would actually like me, that I refused to see the signs. Locking the door, I finally allow myself to break. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling down my face as the heartbreak really sets itself in. Six Years Later Work was busy again. It was a Wednesday night at the hottest restaurant in the city. Waiters and waitresses whizzed around the tables with their trays of drinks and food. I was exhausted after a long day of trying to get clients for my internship, but I had to pick this shift up to get the last of my month’s rent. Behind the long elegant bar, a couple tvs were tuned into some sports events. I didn’t pay any attention to who was playing or what sport it was, until a man asked for the channel to be changed. “Put on the Thunderbolt game. I hear we have a chance at the Stanley cup,”he says proudly. Out of sheer curiosity, I looked up at the screen as it changed. Right then, the camera changed and a face I swore I’d never lay eyes upon again popped on the screen. Of course, it was the infamous Timothy Hayes. The hot rising star that everyone is watching right now. Except me. Anger burned through me again. I still hated myself for being so naive about him. Get a grip, Evie. I had bigger things to worry about. Like saving my money and surviving this job and my internship at the law firm. Not Him.

Evie The night went on and I continued setting tables for a private event set for this evening. It was a nice little break from the constant stream of guests that would come through. It was hard to tune out the highlight reels of the Thunderbolts Captain being the leading scorer in the league and becoming the rookie of the year. How some people manage to become that successful amazes me. He must be the city’s favorite little hockey star. I hummed quietly to myself as I moved around the dining room. “Waitress,” a woman’s shrill voice squawked. “Waitress!” My head snaps up at the signal. “I’m so sorry, mam,” I apologize carefully. “What can I do for you?” “Well, for starters, why don’t you actually serve me,” she scolds. “I have been sitting here for ten minutes trying to get your attention!” I looked around. My eyes were starting to turn towards where I stood. “Absolutely, mam,” I stammer. “What can I get you?” “I need a drink, but everyone in here seems to be too distracted by the craziness outside,” she says with a huff. I looked down at her glass. “What kind of wine would you like?” “Your most expensive bottle. Make it snappy,” she orders sharply. “Anything else?” “I have a super important guest coming. Bring two glasses,” she muttered. I flashed a smile. “I’ll be right back with your drinks,” I say with forced cheerfulness. God, people like this make me furious. I grab the bottle of wine and bring two glasses back out to the table. The woman watched me with cold eyes as I popped open the bottle and poured her a glass. “Anything—“ The sudden splash of fragrant red wine over my face shut me up quick. The entire restaurant went silent. “Did that finally get your attention,” she laughed smugly. “That’s for being incompetent and ruining our night.” “Stella, that’s enough,” a male voice said angrily, coming beside me. “Are you not embarrassed by treating another human being like this?” “Ugh, but baby, it’s our night. I bought out the restaurant just for celebrating your win,” Stella pouted innocently. “We can do what we want. Isn’t that right,” she looked at my name badge, “Evie?” The man froze – He is Timothy !! I once again lost any and all ability to speak. “I— uh—“ “See? She’s fine,” Stella smirked. “I’d go get yourself cleaned, sweetie, before that stains.” I quickly nodded, running off to the bathroom and locking myself in a stall. Forcing myself to take deep breaths, it brought me back to the torment of high school. It was brutal how some kids were just able to rip into their peers’ self esteem like it was nothing. A few minutes later, I finally managed to calm myself down and I stepped back onto the floor. My manager switched me sections after learning about my run in, and the rest of my shift went fairly smoothly. At least I made good tips tonight. Maybe it was the pity of the entire restaurant that filled my pockets. They all felt bad for the girl who got wine thrown in her face. I throw my apron into the dirty bin and grab my bag, throwing it tiredly over my shoulder. Without a single word, I head out the back of the restaurant and onto the street. Some jerkoff was zooming down the street in some crazy expensive sports car. “Wait!” I spun around. There behind the wheel of that crazy sports car, sat the one and only Timothy Hayes. He was as attractive as ever with those hazel eyes of his and his chestnut hair. His face, though still youthful, had matured in all the best ways. His cheeks were toned and his jaw sharp and peppered with stubble. Could this night get any worse? “You’re not Evie Sinclair, are you?” I picked up the pace. “Just hold on a minute,” he shouts quickly. “I know you. I swear I’ve seen you before.” I ignored him again. “Can I at least give you a ride,” he offered hopefully. Just then, the heel of my shoe slips right between the grate on the sidewalk, snapping it from beneath me. Stumbling forward, I hear a car door open quickly and hurried footsteps approaching. Nevermind. This night could get so much worse. “Here,” he says, stabilizing me gently. “I got you.” It’s been six years, and I still had never forgotten the feel of his hands on my body. Heat burned throughout every single inch of me. Some was rage. But the rest? That was the left over desire to have him. I still was unable to get rid of that. As much as I tried to forget about that night and the devastation it brought me, I couldn’t lie to myself and say that I hated it. He was too good to be that delusional about it. But I wouldn’t let him get me this time. He would not use me like that again. I quickly push him off me. “I’m fine,” I snap. “Get off me.” It was too much to bear the way he looked at me just then, like he didn’t understand the reason for my cold reaction towards him. My chest became tight again. “Good luck on your next game,” I whisper hoarsely, kicking off my shoes and sprinting to catch the arriving bus just at the corner. I make one last glance over my shoulder. He was just standing there. Even from this distance I could see the hurt in his eyes. But he had hurt me first. I tried not to feel bad. He didn’t deserve my kindness or my forgiveness. This was only a sliver of what I wanted him to feel. And if I ever run into him again, I hope I’m much more prepared to dig that knife in deeper. How was I this unlucky to have run into him on such a bad day? I was not prepared to say my piece. There were so many things to say that I had no strength to even begin tonight. I am still not ready to open that can of worms. I still have to face my own issues and earn my internship status. I still have to become the top tier lawyer I have always dreamed about. I have too much to deal with to worry about Timothy Hayes now. So I went home, heated up a cup of ramen, popped open a bottle of wine, and tried to forget about him. It didn’t really work, but at least I tried. That was all that mattered. Right? In the morning, I’d have to keep my head focused on my goals. I’d have no room to still be worried about the boy who broke my heart.

Evie The boss had called me into his office this morning. Dread settled in my stomach as I stepped inside and Jasper was standing there too. “Miss Sinclair,” he says simply. “Mister Morgan. I called you both in here to discuss a rather important matter. I can’t have two interns. One of you will be let go.” I bristle at his statement. “The one I keep here has to demonstrate a knowledge of client acquisition that exceeds our expectations for interns. Whoever brings me the next big client will receive the role here in this office. The other will have to go.” Jasper chuckles smugly beside me. “Certainly, sir,” he says. “Excellence in everything, isn’t that right, Evie?” My nails bit into my palms as anger started boiling over. “Absolutely,” I say, feigning sweetness. “I expect to see your client portfolios in three days,” our boss said. “I look forward to seeing what you guys bring to the table.” As soon as we step outside his office, Jasper began his trash talk again. “Prepare to lose, Evie,” he says with a smirk. “I won’t lose,” I say proudly. “Don’t lie to yourself,” he snorts. “I know you have zero prospects. It must be hard being you.” “Oh yea? What do you have that I don’t,” I ask, folding my arms. “My family owns the largest shipping company in the world,” he says plainly, picking at his nails. “That’s a cowards way out,” I snort. “It doesn’t matter,” he said quickly, a grin plastered on his face. “A client is a client. It’s not about what you know, but about who you know. It won’t matter how smart you are when you show up with nothing. I hold it all in the palm of my hand.” I felt my stomach drop. I hated when he was right. Jasper was second on my list of most hated people I knew. Which means he was first place loser. How fitting. “It might be better for you to just give up,” he says, lowering his tone. “It’s obvious you don’t belong here. You’d never understand how to deal with the one percent. I mean, look at you. You taped your heels.” My jaw tightens. “Your attempts at scaring me are childish at best. I’d suggest you focus on your clients.” I strode back to my cubicle, aware of how my heel wobbled beneath me. I cursed, feeling embarrassed creep onto my face. God, I was so out of my league. It felt like I dropped right into the deep end without my floaties. I didn’t let his words deter me. I kept reaching out and searching for the client of my boss’s dreams. I just had to keep looking. As the day came to a close, I felt my first wave of defeat. Not a single bite. It was like no one would come near me with a ten foot pole. I would suspect sabotage from my colleague, but something told me Jasper was much too confident in his abilities to want to put in the extra effort. So I packed up for the night. My phone started buzzing. I pulled it from my purse and looked down at the screen. Aria. I picked up her call, pressing the phone to my ear. “Hey.” For a second, all I could hear was soft sniffles coming from the other end of the phone. “Hey,” Aria repeated. Her voice was wobbly and quiet. I frowned. “What is it,” I ask worriedly. “Aria, what’s wrong?” “He dumped me,” she wailed. “Ryan, dumped me!” I inhaled deeply. “Aria, I’m so sorry,” I say apologetically. “What can I do?” Her sniffles grew louder. “I don’t want to be alone,” she whimpers. I nod quickly. “No, absolutely. Come over,” I urge. “We can order takeout and open a bottle of wine. Maybe watch a movie?” Aria laughed sadly. “You’re too good for this world, Evie,” she says tiredly. “Are you finally off work?” “Yea,” I answer. “I’m just heading onto the elevator.” “Okay,” she sniffled again. “I’ll see you soon,” I promise gently. “Okay. Bye.” She hangs up, and I move double time to get home. I’ve gotten much better at hailing a cab. I used to be much less assertive than I am now. Once inside the cab, I place an order at our favorite Italian restaurant. I got us the whole thing– pizza, pasta, salad, you name it. All of it was set to arrive about the time I was. When I stepped into my shabby little apartment, I kicked off my heels and shrugged off my blazer, throwing it on the couch. My doorbell rang just then and I run to grab it. A tearful Aria stands at my door, still wiping her cheeks of their dampness. “Come in,” I say quickly, ushering her inside with a gentle hand. “What happened?” “He broke it off because he was ‘working’ on himself,” she says with air quotations. “But we all know what that means.” I felt bad that I didn’t know what that meant. “What does that mean?” Aria breaks down again, sobbing uncontrollably. “I’m going to die alone!” “Oh, no, babe,” I say, laughing quietly as I drew her in for a hug. “You’re not going to die alone. You’ll always have me.” Honestly, if anyone was going to die alone, it was probably me. “I hate men,” she whines in frustration. “Me too,” I admit softly. “Jasper was a real a-hole today. There’s a reason he’s number two on my hit list.” “You never told me who’s number one on that list,” Aria says, with almost pleading eyes. “It doesn’t matter,” I sigh tiredly. “Men suck in general.” Aria groaned. “I mean, why can’t they all just be like Timothy Hayes,” she whined. “He’s so hot. Ugh.” The name is my number one. “Yea,” I croaked. “That would be… interesting.” I sit her down on the couch, tossing a fuzzy blanket to her. “Thanks,” she says gratefully. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.” I laugh softly. “I think I needed this too,” I admit. “Things have been tough lately.” “What’s up,” she asks. “It’s nothing, just work,” I answer, keeping it vague. She didn’t need to pile my problems on top of hers. “Evie, you know you can talk to me too,” she says pleadingly. “I can’t be the only one word vomiting tonight.” “It’s not that big of a deal,” I say dismissively. “I’m just tired.” “Evie–” “I just don’t need you to get involved,” I say sharply. I regretted my tone the moment the words had left my lips. “Ari, I didn’t mean–” She remained quiet for a moment, hurt filling her eyes. “It’s fine,” she finally says. “But I just wanted you to know that you don’t have to solve everything by yourself. I’m your best friend, I just want to help you too. You work so hard. You’re literally falling apart at the seams and I just have to sit by and watch you rip yourself to shreds.” I inhaled quietly at her words. Aria was the one person who truly had a heart of gold. She could be a little messy sometimes and chaotic, but she truly meant well. And she at least deserved an explanation as to why I was the way I was. “I know you’re worried about me, Ari,” I began, swallowing quietly. “But this is something that I need to do on my own.” Aria nods quietly. “You need to learn how to relax. Come with me to a Thunderbolts game,” she pleaded innocently. “It’s a birthday present to myself. I’m hoping for glass seats. That way, I can see Hayes up close and personal.” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Let me check my calendar,” I concede. She continues giving me her puppy dog eyes. “Please?” I look through quickly, not seeing any conflicts on the day of Aria’s birthday. “Ugh, fine. You win. I’ll go,” I laugh. She claps her hands together. “You know I love you,” Aria grins. As much as I loved making Aria happy, anxiety rippled through me. I would be willingly putting myself within close proximity with my mortal enemy. God help me now.

Evie Jasper is being Jasper again. He’s going around the office swearing up and down how he bagged the biggest client for the firm. The worst part is how people are eating up his antics. I, for one, am not finding his little parade cute. He finally made his rounds, stopping at my desk. He leans against it casually. Victory is plastered on his face. He sighs lazily. “How does it feel to be two days away from losing your job, Evie?” “Bite me,” I mutter, typing away at my computer. “Oh, come on,” he whines teasingly. “Don’t be like that. It’s a dog eat dog world here. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” “Oh, I don’t hate you Jasper,” I say sweetly, turning in my chair to smile. “I just think that nepotism is cheating. I mean come on. Really? Who is it this time? Daddy? Or was it your Uncle.” Jasper looks over at my computer screen, sucking in a sharp breath. “Your email looks dryer than the Sahara. You better get on that, Eve.” He pushes off my cubicle, swaggering down the row to his own office space. With his back turned to me, I gather the courage to flip him the bird beneath anyone’s line of sight. A cough came from behind me. I froze. “Evie,” the gruff voice of my boss spoke grimly. “Mr. Erickson,” I squeaked. “I’m so sorry—“ “A word in my office please,” he said, striding off into that large perfect corner office. I quickly stand up and scurry behind him. Just as I pass Jasper’s office, he gave an amused smirk and waved. Waved. The bastard waved! My finger nails bite into my palms as I find my place before his desk. “Shut the door,” he says grimly. I quickly do as he asked. I turn back to him. His demeanor changed. He looked at me almost with pity. “I know I need to find a client,” I began. “I’ve been working so hard—“ “I know,” he sighed. “It’s not easy starting from zero. And I know making those connections are hard. But I can’t keep making excuses for you, Evie.” I nodded, my chest tightening. “Trust me. I know.” “You have to bring me a client,” he says. “Otherwise I’ll have to let you go.” “I’ll get you that client,” I promise. “And it’s going to be huge.” He chuckled. “I can’t wait.” Hours passed. Still no leads. I groaned, dropping my head to the desk tiredly. I felt the vibration of my phone against the surface. I threw my hand over, sliding my phone aggressively across the desk. Lifting my head again, I looked at the notification. From Aria. We’re still on for tonight, right? I shot straight up. Shoot. I completely forgot about tonight! I check the time. I didn’t even have time to change. The game starts at seven and I’m too far out from the arena to add another stop. Yup! Totally. I’ll just meet you there. The text bubbles appear. You forgot, didn’t you… My fingers fly over the keyboard in an attempt to defend my honor. No! I’m on my way. I throw my stuff into my purse and scramble to the elevator. Only, the doors were already shutting. And Jasper was the only one inside. “Hold—“ “See ya, Evie,” he calls. And the doors shut. I curse every violent curse I could think of in my head, before darting down the emergency staircase. The backs of my heels were stinging with every step. I finally reach the bottom and run out onto the bustling sidewalk. Hailing a cab, I jump in and buckle my seat belt. “Clayton Center,” I huff. “Step on it.” The cab driver acknowledges my request and hit the gas. It took about thirty minutes to pull up at the entrance. I hand over the fare and ran towards the entrance. I knew Aria would wait for me near the planters before the security checkpoint. Without fail, there she was. An amused look was spread across her face, and her arms folded casually. “Didn’t forget, did we?” I was practically wheezing. “I had a lot going on at work,” I explain tiredly. “Ugh, work. I don’t want to hear another word about work,” she groans. “I want to whisk my problems away by watching hot men beat each other up.” I couldn’t help it. The laughter just starts bubbling out of me. “Well, don’t let me stop you, Ari,” I say. We go in together. I stuck out like a sore thumb in her charcoal gray pencil skirt and cream colored blouse. Everyone wore their Thunderbolt jerseys. Some had painted faces. Ari had gotten glass seats. I mean we were practically on the ice at that point. “How much were these tickets, Ari?” She looked over with a deadpan look. “You don’t wanna know.” I snorted. “Fine. Don’t tell me.” Several things occurred before the start of the game. The national anthem was played. The opposing teams starting lineup was announced. Then the lights go out. Loud pounding music began to play and the announcer called everyone to attention. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he says. “Here are your Thunderbolts!” The arena erupted into roars of support as names were called. I tuned out most of it. I was never much into sports, but I was here because my friend had asked me. But there was one name that pierced the quiet of my mind. “And your team captain— Timothy Hayes!” I didn’t think this place could get any louder than it already was. They were all chanting his name. Every single person was losing their minds. I looked over at Aria again. She was screaming and pounding on the glass like a maniac as he appeared on the ice. His proud smile was prominent on his face as he glided around the rink, lifting his stick in the air. Oh, no. He had grown even hotter since the last time I had seen him. I wasn’t sure if it was the hint of stubble or the look of him in his uniform, but it shook me to my core. “You good,” Aria asked, nudging me. I jumped. “Yes. I’m fine,” I laughed awkwardly. She didn’t look convinced. But the game went on and Aria looked like she was having the time of her life. I, on the other hand, felt completely exposed. I was so in my head about him being on that ice, that I completely missed the incoming swarm of bodies approaching the glass. The moment there was impact, I screamed, throwing my arms over my face. “Get him, Hayes! Fight him!” I dropped my arms, watching the brawl that broke out right in front of me. Twelve fully grown men were pressed against the glass. No no no… he was right there! I held my breath hoping he wouldn’t recognize me. Whistles were blown and refs intervened, ripping the players from each other. He was laughing, shoving the player one last time before slowly backing away. He was about to turn around, but he did a double take. His eyes set on mine. I quickly avert my gaze. It was going to be fine. Just because he saw me doesn’t mean he’ll recognize me or even see me after this. It will all be ok. So the game continued on. It seemed like he picked up his game after that fight. He ended up scoring three goals for the Thunderbolts, ending the game with a score of three to one. “What a game,” Aria squealed. “I mean, there’s nothing more dramatic than a bench-clearing brawl!” I nod. “Yea,” I swallowed. “Hey, I have to go to the bathroom really quick. I’ll meet you at the planters.” “Sure thing,” she grinned. “Go, Bolts!” “Go, Bolts,” I laughed awkwardly. I turned around with a sigh. Now to navigate this maze of an arena. The signage was so confusing. I ended up just turning wherever it felt right. I thought I had found it, when a firm hand grips my wrist. I spin around, ready to slap the audacity out of this person. Only I was met with my worst nightmare. “Evie?” I froze, stumbling over what to say. What was there even to say? “I—“ “Look at you,” he says in awe. “You look great.” “Yea,” I swallowed. “Thanks. You look— great too.” He laughed, running a hand through his sweaty hair. “Don’t lie,” he joked. “I’m a mess.” “You played… well,” I said awkwardly. “They don’t pay me the kind of salary they do to be mid-tier,” he chuckled. “How have you been? Damn, it’s been— how long?” “Six years,” I answer. Damn it. I answered that too quickly. Now he probably thinks I’ve been obsessing over him. He tilted his head, looking at me fully. “Yea. Six years,” he repeats softly. I looked around. My stomach was twisting from anxiety. “I was just looking for the bathroom, I have to go—“ “Just hear me out,” he begs. “I really have a bad stomach ache,” I whined. “Can you just show me where it is?” “Just one question and I promise to show you where it is,” he says firmly. I fold my arms. “Fine. What?” “Why’d you leave that night?” I inhaled deeply. “Something came up.” “You ghosted me,” he swallowed. “You left me and didn’t even tell me why.” “Is this the bathroom,” I ask quickly. “Evie, stop dodging the question. Why did you leave me?” “Why do you care,” I mutter. “You don’t need to have me when you have all your adoring fans anyways.” “That’s not why you left,” he says plainly. “It really was just a misunderstanding,” I groaned. “It’s probably not a good idea that I stay around any longer, just in case there’s paparazzi nearby. You don’t want me ruining your reputation.” “At least, let me get your number or something,” he urges quickly. “I have so much I want to say that you never gave me the chance to tell you.” “Take me to the bathroom and I’ll think about it,” I say, lifting my chin. Tim nods, placing his hands tiredly on his hips. “Alright. Fine,” he agrees. The moment he brought me to the bathroom, I quickly rushed inside. I wasted no time stepping onto the metal toilet paper box and hoisting myself up through the cracked window. Goodbye, Timothy Hayes. Good riddance. And with that, I prayed the size of this city would put some distance between us.

Evie The last day. I felt the entirety of my life resting upon this pivotal moment. It was do or die. And it felt like I was dying. I had given my entire soul to finding a worthy client. And no one followed through. I watched the clock wind down. Ten minutes. I had ten minutes to pull off a miracle. But obviously, I had no such luck. I didn’t have Jasper’s resources and money. All I had was a Jellar report card and a piece of paper that said I could attempt being a lawyer. “Well, well,” Jasper sighs, popping his head over the cubicle wall. “It’s too bad about the internship, Evie. I almost thought you had it.” “Shut up,” I growl. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Evie,” he says, poking out his bottom lip. “I tried to spare your feelings–” “I can’t wait for someone to burst your little bubble,” I snap angrily. “Look at you with daddy’s money and daddy’s contacts. You didn’t prove anything to anyone here. I put in the hard work and I put in the time–” His face darkened. “And look where that got you,” he says grimly. “Nothing but a participation trophy and a pink slip. You’re not anything special because you worked harder. Honestly, Evie. You’re the most naive girl I have ever met.” I did all I could to stop the hurt from making its way to my eyes. But I could feel it tightening my throat. I stand up quietly, gathering my things. I was just so tired of everything. I had plans. I was on track to be an amazing attorney. I studied my life away for this, only to be held back by my own lack of personability. It was all meaningless. It felt like ever since that night, my life has been spinning out of control and I don’t know how to stop it. This was exactly what I was afraid of. All that hard work was wasted. Maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. Nothing ever came easy for me. Coming out of high school as valedictorian gave me a false sense of confidence. Everyone had told me I was spectacular as a student. But being a great student didn’t guarantee I’d be a great attorney. I don’t remember how I got home, only that when I did, Aria was at my door. She leaned casually against the wall, arms folded. “Hey, stranger,” she says mischeviously. I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to flip out and lose control of my anger. “Hey, Aria,” I say, forcing a smile to my face. “What’s up?” “You owe me for ditching me last night,” she grins. “There’s a press conference about to start on ESPN soon. I thought you could make it up to me.” She holds out a plastic bag for me. “It’s from the burger joint down the block,” she offers. I couldn’t say no to a bit of comfort food right about now. “French fries?” She nods. “Extra ranch.” I moaned. “Fine,” I say, unlocking my door. “You’re a mad woman.” “Oh, you know you love me,” she snorts. “Ugh. You know I do,” I whine. “I want that damn burger.” Aria nudges my shoulder. “Open the door and you’ll get your precious burger.” I throw open the door and quickly plop down on the couch. I reach for the remote and turn on the tv, searching for the channel. I find it smack dab in the middle of a commercial break. “Burger,” I order simply. “Coming right up,” she answers, handing me the paper wrapped deliciousness. Ripping open the wrapper, I take a bite, moaning at the comfort of the food. “So,” she says, swallowing her own bite. “How was work?” I glared over at her. Work was no longer my issue. It was over and I would have to move on. “Pass,” I groan, taking another bite. She let out a heavy sigh. “That bad, huh?” “I’m just… over it,” I grumble. “I’m tired of worrying about it now.” “Oh, thank god,” she says gratefully. The commercials end and the commentators come back on screen. “Welcome back, boy do we have a great show ahead for our viewers,” one says excitedly. “We have our reporters down at Clayton Center tonight, looking to get some insight into the Thunderbolt’s very own captain of the year, Timothy Hayes!” “That’s right, John,” the other commentator nods. “From the moment that kid stepped onto NHL ice, he has been a powerhouse. I mean, right out the gate, he comes in with fantastic speed and accuracy. It’s no wonder he’s been leading this Thunderbolt team to so many victories.” “Absolutely,” he agrees. “We’re heading in live to the press room to hear what Mister Hayes has to say about the season.” The camera jumps over to a room with a long table. At its center sat my number one pick for who I’d like to see get slammed into a wall at the next match. “Mister Hayes,” a reporter shouts. “Over here!” Timothy smiles, nodding in the reporter’s direction. “How are you, Jake?” Jake laughs. “Doing good. I’m here with the Independent and I was curious on how you feel your chances are at winning the Stanley this year,” he asks. Timothy chuckles. “You already know what I think,” he began. “It’s anybody’s to win at this point. It’s early in the season, we still have a lot of games to play.” “We already know what your publicist wants you to think,” the reporter added. “Tell us what you really think.” Timothy leans forward in his chair, bringing himself closer to the mic. “The cup is coming home.” Immediately, more hands fly up. Aria is squealing in giddy. “He’s just so hot,” she screams. I had to fight to keep my burger down. “Yea,” I grumble. “So hot.” More questions were asked. Every answer he gave seemed like the perfect answer to give. From a public relations standpoint. It was hard to not think about how perfect he seemed to be at everything. It was annoying. It wasn’t until a question perked my ears. “Mister Hayes,” a woman says. “We all know you’re a big hit with the female fans. But do you have anyone special back home?” For the first time this entire interview, he looked like a deer in the headlights. “I–,” he swallowed. “I did have someone. Once.” “Can you tell us a little bit about her?” He dropped his head. “Her name was Evie,” he finally answered. “She was special because out of everyone I knew, she didn’t care how many goals I got or how many state championships I won. That was never what defined my worth to her.” “Evie,” Aria says slowly. “What is happening?” Truthfully, I didn’t know. I had no idea what this jerk was trying to pull right now. I just blinked at the screen. “Do you have anything you’d like to say to her,” the reporter asked again. Timothy nods, finally looking back up to the camera. “If you’re watching this, Evie, you have no idea how sorry I am for who I was. You didn’t deserve to be put through all of that. I was an ass. I think about the day you returned my senior jersey all the time. I should have fought for you.” The breath was knocked from my lungs. Countless people across the country watched the scene on TV. “Evie,” Aria repeats, her voice quiet. “Did Timothy Hayes just say your…”

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After my boyfriend lost his memory, he insisted that I was his aunt. His rich uncle paid me $5 million to pretend to be his wife. But then I realised it was me who had lost my memory.

On our first wedding anniversary, my husband said he bought me my favorite flowers. I took the flowers and thanked the delivery guy with a smile. But I never liked the white roses. These were my sister Brenda’s favorite, not mine.

On the eve of the National Day holiday, I unexpectedly received a message from my long-quiet high school class group. [Carlee, aren’t you going to say anything about Violette’s wedding? Are you pretending not to see?] Seeing the flood of messages, I realized that Violette Barton, the beauty queen of our high school, was getting married on the National Day holiday and had invited all of our classmates to the wedding. I replied: [I’m currently abroad, so I won’t be able to attend.] No sooner had I sent the message than her loyal defenders in the group started attacking me. [Carlee, are you too scared to show up?] [Back then, you stole 5,000 dollars in tutoring fees from Violette, and she didn’t even hold it against you. Now, you won’t even send a congratulations, pretending you’re overseas. Shameless!] Violette tried to defuse the tension, messaging: [Oh, that’s all in the past. I’ve long forgotten about it. Carlee, don’t take it to heart. You absolutely must come to my wedding.] As soon as she said that, everyone in the group started praising her for being so beautiful and kind, admiring her for not holding a grudge against a so-called “thief” like me. I thought to myself, “What a joke. She falsely accused me of stealing back then, and I haven’t even settled the score. Now she’s playing innocent in the group.” Scrolling to the top of the chat, I stared at the groom’s name. The more I looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. Then it hit me. “Isn’t this Anthony Patel? I’m his father’s cousin. He should be calling me ‘aunt’!” I chuckled coldly and replied: [Fine, I’ll definitely come to your wedding!] After sending that message, I immediately packed my bags and booked a flight back to the country. When my mom heard I was attending Anthony’s wedding, she urged me to be polite and buy some gifts to represent our family. After all, Anthony worked under my mother, and over the years, he had made quite a bit of money for our company. I thought to myself, “Anthony’s certainly capable, but his taste in women is terrible. How could he choose Violette?” Though that was what I thought, I still had the butler prepare some expensive gifts to load into the car. After landing, I had the driver take me straight to the wedding venue. Upon arrival, I immediately spotted Violette basking in the admiration of those around her. “Violette, you truly deserve to be our class beauty. All these years and you’re still so gorgeous, and you married such an accomplished man. He’s already a vice president at Sunray Group at such a young age!” “Exactly! If it weren’t for Violette, we wouldn’t even have the chance to attend a wedding at such a high-class hotel!” “Right! My husband works at Sunray Group too. I heard Violette’s husband will be promoted to president next month. Congratulations! You’ll soon be the president’s wife!” Everyone started praising her, and Violette couldn’t hide her delight. When they noticed I had arrived, the same people who had been flattering her instantly changed their expressions, their faces now filled with disdain. “Carlee, you actually had the nerve to show up?” “Yeah, since when do thieves have such thick skin? You dare show up at the wedding of your victim?” “Showing up is one thing, but don’t you know it’s customary to bring a gift to a wedding?” “Ugh, she’s a habitual thief. How could she have money for a gift? Look at her, wearing all that fake designer stuff. Bet she stole it, too.” They all considered me a “thief”, treating me like I was worthless. I laughed inwardly. That 5,000 dollars they accused me of stealing was actually the money my mother had given me for attending a concert. I hadn’t even had the chance to spend it before Violette accused me of theft. Later, our homeroom teacher got to the bottom of it and asked me not to make a fuss. She said Violette’s family was struggling, and 5,000 dollars meant a lot to them. Out of respect for our teacher, I let it go and gave Violette the money. But instead of being grateful, she had never revealed the truth all these years. I didn’t want to argue with them. I was just waiting for the server to bring up the gifts I had prepared so I could leave right after handing them over. After waiting for what felt like forever, no one had brought the gifts, so I decided to head downstairs to check. Suddenly, Violette rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “Carlee, you still haven’t kicked your habit of stealing, have you? Did you really think you could steal my ring and just run?”

The slap left me reeling, and the smudge of lipstick dragged a long streak across my cheek. “What gives you the right to accuse me of stealing?” I demanded. “When we went to the back for photos, you were the only one who stayed in the front hall. Who else could it be?” Violette accused, shaking her purse, which had been left in the hall and was now empty. “I can’t believe it. After all these years, you haven’t changed one bit!” she continued her tirade. “That ring was a ten-carat diamond Anthony specially bought for me overseas, worth millions of dollars!” As soon as she said that, everyone’s eyes turned toward me. “You shameless woman! Violette was just pleading on your behalf, telling us not to blame you, and what do you do? You stole her wedding ring!” someone angrily shouted. “A thief is always a thief. Some things never change. Let’s teach her a lesson! We have to stand up for Violette!” With that rallying cry, Violette’s supporters rushed toward me, each delivering a slap to my face. My hair fell loose in an instant, and I felt two of my teeth get knocked out. But that wasn’t enough. They violently ripped off my expensive gemstone earrings and necklace, as well as my designer watch. Blood immediately trickled from my ears, and my neck bore deep scratches from their claws. “Don’t hold back! If this bitch doesn’t return Violette’s ring, we won’t stop!” someone shouted. “I didn’t steal…” I tried to explain, but they were like wild animals, too frenzied to hear me out. They didn’t just slap me; they kicked me to the ground. My dress was torn to shreds. I had never been humiliated like this in my life. I struggled to cover myself, desperate to preserve some dignity. But they didn’t even allow me that. One after another, they poured bottles of ice-cold wine and champagne, fresh from the cellar, over my body and face. The chill made me start to shiver. I tried to hug myself for warmth, but my arms wouldn’t respond. “Carlee, you better admit that you took the ring. Since we’re old classmates, I might be willing to let this slide,” Violette said coldly, her eyes devoid of any warmth. Just as I was about to speak, someone suddenly shouted, “Mr. Greville is here!” Wendell Greville had been our homeroom teacher in high school. As soon as he walked in, he greeted Violette with overflowing enthusiasm. “Violette, you haven’t changed a bit after all these years, still as beautiful as ever,” Wendell praised. Violette offered a fake smile in return, then roughly grabbed my hair, forcing my bruised face toward Wendell. “Mr. Greville, you arrived just in time. You can settle this for everyone. Back then, wasn’t it Carlee who stole my 5,000 dollars?” she asked sharply. Wendell, clearly startled by the sight of my battered face, averted his eyes. I had hoped he would finally tell the truth, but to my shock, he said, “Oh, wasn’t that matter settled long ago? “I kept quiet at the time to protect Carlee’s dignity, but yes, she did take Violette’s 5,000 dollars.” After hearing his words, everyone sneered at me, spitting in my face.

“Since Mr. Greville has said so, stop pretending to be naive, Carlee. Consider the 5,000 dollars a gift. Now hand over my ring!” Violette’s voice was sharp with command. I sneered inwardly, realizing that Wendell had also been bought by Violette. Before coming to the wedding, I had already asked my butler to investigate the supporters in our class group who rallied behind Violette. They were only doing it because she had married Anthony and became the vice president’s wife of Sunray Group, thinking that aligning with her would benefit them. They were eager to help her exact revenge on me. Even Wendell wasn’t exempt. He sided with Violette purely because he wanted Sunray Group to invest in building a new facility for his school. What they didn’t know was that they were backing the wrong person, and they had offended someone they should never have crossed! “You know very well whether I took the ring or not. As for that 5,000 dollars, it was you who…” I began to expose the truth. Before I could finish, Violette rushed over and slapped me twice, then signaled to her supporters. In no time, the group dragged me out of the hotel lobby and into the street. At that moment, a hotel staff member who had been retrieving gifts from my car saw the scene unfold, his jaw dropping in shock. “Ms. Patel, what happened to you?” he asked with concern. I was bruised all over, blood pooling in my mouth, making it impossible to respond. Violette and her followers noticed the staff talking to me, and when they saw the gifts he was holding, they quickly guessed that the nearby Mercedes was mine. “This tramp drives such a fancy car? She must become someone’s mistress. I bet some old man gave it to her,” someone jeered. “My ring is worth millions. This car is nothing compared to it. Smash it! It’s not even worth a fraction of my ring!” Violette ordered. Without hesitation, they grabbed bricks from the ground and began smashing the car. The windows, engine, and headlights were shattered in an instant. But they weren’t done. They tore open the gift boxes from the trunk. Soon, bottles of luxury perfume and a ruby necklace were tossed out. “What kind of cheap garbage are these? You really dare bring this as a gift?” they cursed as they destroyed everything. Next, they forced the car doors open, slashing the seats and tearing apart the upholstery. Finally, they found a photo frame hidden deep inside the trunk. My heart sank. It was the only photograph of me and my late father, with a handwritten message on the back. There wasn’t another copy in the world! “I knew it! This slut is just some old man’s mistress. This photo proves it!” someone yelled. “Look! There’s even a note from the old man… ‘To my dearest Carlee, wishing you everlasting happiness.’ Ugh, how disgusting!” another mocked. With a loud crack, the frame was smashed to pieces. I struggled to get up, wanting to stop them, but it was too late. Shards of glass scattered all over me. The photo was torn into pieces, the fragments raining down on my head.

With tear-filled eyes, I tried desperately to gather the broken pieces of the photo. Violette, however, planted her stiletto heel squarely on my hand. “Carlee, even now you refuse to admit you stole my ring? And here you are, still trying to piece together that ridiculous photo of you and that old man. How pathetic!” she taunted. Fury surged through me, and I spat through clenched teeth, “Violette, just wait! I won’t let this go!” After hearing my words, the crowd around us erupted in laughter. “Oh, did I hear that right? A mistress, being kept by some old man, actually threatening the future wife of a company president? You’re beyond ridiculous!” someone sneered. “Exactly! Who do you think you are? One word from Violette, and you’ll be run out of Shangaria! And you still have the nerve to threaten us?” another voice chimed in. “This little tramp hasn’t learned her lesson. Let’s keep going!” Violette commanded. At her signal, Violette and her followers brought out a large bucket of red paint from the hotel, clearly intending to pour it all over me. Just at that moment, a luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up slowly to the hotel entrance. Stepping out of the car was none other than the groom of the day, Anthony. “Mr. Patel really lives up to his title as Sunray Group’s vice president. This is what a real luxury car looks like. Carlee, that mistress, can only drive a low-end Mercedes by pleasing old men!” someone flattered. “Violette, you’re one lucky woman. Once you become the president’s wife, don’t forget the help we gave you today!” another person added, eager to win favor. Violette beamed with satisfaction. “Don’t worry, I remember everyone who’s helped me today. Once Anthony becomes president, you’ll all be rewarded.” Upon hearing this, her supporters quickly showered her with gratitude, each one desperate not to miss out on the benefits. Violette basked in the praise, clearly enjoying every moment. She ran into Anthony’s arms, pretending to cry as she complained. “Honey, you’re finally here. Our wedding ring was stolen!” Anthony’s face darkened with a frown. “Who dares to steal our wedding ring? They must have a death wish! “Don’t cry, baby. I’ll make sure justice is served for you.” “It’s okay, honey. I’ve already given the thief a good lesson. She’s so stubborn. No matter how much I tortured her, she wouldn’t admit it. “And if she doesn’t hand over the ring, what’s going to happen to our wedding?” Anthony’s expression turned to pure rage at her words, ready to take matters into his own hands. He marched toward me with purpose, his voice booming. “Is this the tramp who stole the ring?” Everyone nodded eagerly, phones at the ready to record the moment, excited to see how Anthony would punish me. By now, my hair was a tangled mess, and my face had been beaten nearly beyond recognition. Anthony grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head up. But when he finally saw my face, he recoiled in shock, stumbling back onto the ground. “Aunt Carlee? How… how could it be you?”

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My parents gave me two hundred thousand dollars for my graduation trip. My boyfriend, Rylan Blake, wanted to come along, so I agreed. On the day we boarded, he showed up empty-handed with his parents and brother. His parents didn’t chip in a dime. They were not even for her underwear; that was on my tab, too. His brother, Alvin Blake, threw a fit at the amusement park, making us miss our train to the next stop. I lost my cool and snapped at the little brat. His parents immediately hardened, and she started scolding me with her hands on her hips. “How dare you yell at Alvin? He’s your future husband’s brother. Whatever he wants, you better provide!” My boyfriend held me back as I was about to retort, saying that his parents had worked hard their entire lives and this was their rare chance to travel, so it shouldn’t be difficult. Fine, fine, if that were the case, I would indulge them. That evening, I booked two presidential suites for them at a five-star hotel and took them out for a luxurious dinner. While they were busy taking photos, I made a smooth exit. At the airport, I was reviewing my travel itinerary while waiting for my boyfriend, Rylan Blake. Suddenly, an unruly child burst onto the scene, jumping and bouncing around. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “Airplane! We’re going on a big airplane!” People he bumped into or stepped on glared at him with annoyance, but he only became more energized. Just then, Rylan appeared in the distance, waving at me. I smiled and waved back. I had been planning this graduation trip for ages, and my parents generously gave me two hundred thousand to have a blast. My boyfriend Rylan, who I’ve been dating for two years, mentioned that he’s never even left the province and wanted to see the world with me. So I agreed to bring him along. Halfway through the trip, I noticed a man and a woman trailing behind Rylan. They gave a thumbs-up to the same kid who had caused trouble earlier. “Olivia, these are my parents, and that’s my younger brother Alvin Blake.” “The three of them didn’t buy plane tickets. Is it too late to buy them now?” Rylan pointed at the three of them, who hadn’t brought any luggage, and looked at me expectantly. His father, Oscar Blake, clasped his hands behind his back and glanced at me expressionlessly. His mother, Wendy Blake, on the other hand, unabashedly sized me up from head to toe. I felt a bit offended. However, Rylan mentioned that his parents had spent their whole life in the countryside. Perhaps their customs were different, and I could understand. The original plan for a romantic getaway for two turned into a trip with my boyfriend’s entire family, and my excitement instantly plummeted. Rylan seemed to sense my displeasure and pulled me aside. “Olivia, my parents worked hard to put me through college, and I want to take them on a trip. “They wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Alvin home alone. “When I start working and earning money, I’ll take your parents on a trip too.” He spoke sincerely. Although my parents didn’t need him to spend money on them, his intentions were good. It was about understanding and compromising with each other. I nodded in agreement. Knowing Rylan’s financial situation, I took the initiative to buy their plane tickets. After boarding the plane, Alvin was so excited that he was jumping up and down and making strange noises. The other passengers were very annoyed and complained. The flight attendants tried to calm him down several times, but it didn’t work, and Wendy even accused them of meddling. I had to ask Rylan to intervene. When Alvin heard that he might be kicked off the plane, he finally quieted down. However, his parents looked at me with great displeasure. Two hours later, the plane finally landed in Kingstown. The sun was relentless, and the heat was stifling, making us all eager to get to the hotel and rest. As per the original plan, I had only booked two rooms. Now, with the hotel fully booked, we couldn’t get an extra room for Rylan’s family. “How are two rooms not enough? Rylan and Olivia can share one, and the three of us can take the other,” Oscar declared as if it were the most obvious solution. I quickly objected, “Mr. Blake, Rylan and I aren’t married. We can’t share a room.” My parents had raised me to value self-respect and to be cautious about intimacy before marriage. Wendy scoffed, her eyes lingering on my bare legs exposed by my shorts. “You’re with our Rylan now. This is bound to happen sooner or later. Don’t be so prudish.” Her words made me extremely uncomfortable. The others were also giving us strange looks. My already poor impression of them worsened, and my patience finally snapped.

To avoid delaying other guests’ check-in, I pulled them aside. “Mrs. Blake. Rylan and I aren’t married yet. You’re overstepping with such personal matters.” My sharp retort didn’t sit well with Wendy. Just as she was about to blow up, Rylan arrived with water, offering a glass to each of us. When he reached Wendy, she didn’t take the water, only wiping her tears with her sleeve. “Rylan, you’re so successful now, mom’s words don’t matter anymore.” Oscar also had a dark expression, refusing to drink the water. It was as if I had caused them immense grievance while Rylan was away. How could they still be playing these manipulative games at their age? I looked Rylan in the eyes and demanded sharply, “Your mom said in public that I should share a room with you and sleep with you. “Ask any woman here how they’d feel about that.” Rylan didn’t expect me to get so angry and kept apologizing profusely. “My mom is just like that. She has a sharp tongue but a good heart. “She thought having us share a room would save you money.” At least they knew they were spending my money. He whispered something to Wendy, and though she looked reluctant, she came over to apologize for what had happened. Rylan winked at me and put his hands together in a pleading gesture. I didn’t want to stay angry and ruin the trip, so I softened my expression and offered to find them another hotel. Alvin was enjoying the air conditioning in the hotel lobby and refused to leave. So Rylan asked his parents to stay there with Alvin while he went to find another hotel. I was tired and didn’t have the energy to deal with their issues. I took my key card and went to my room to rest. I had booked two connecting rooms, and his parents loud voice could still be heard through the wall. They seemed to be saying they were hungry and wanted to eat and that it was time to take a shower and change clothes. The sound was intermittent, and it was making it hard for me to sleep. Just then, my mom called to ask how my trip was going. I vented all my frustrations from the day, not caring if the people next door could hear me. “Rylan’s mom actually said that to you in the lobby?” My mom’s voice was shocked and displeased. She was a university professor, and she usually interacted with students and intellectuals. She had never heard such rude and disrespectful language. “Olivia, Rylan is a good kid. How can his parents be like this?” I was silent because I didn’t know the answer either. From meeting in a club activity to me accepting his advances, Rylan had always given me the impression of being gentle, courteous, and responsible. He always indulged my little whims and fancies. Besides, he excelled in his studies and was ambitious. My parents met him once at school and were very impressed. They didn’t care about Rylan’s family background; as long as he was honest, dependable, and would love and cherish me, it was enough for them. If nothing unexpected happened, we were going to get married. However, after interacting with his family today, I felt it was better to put the marriage talk on hold for now. After a while, my mom spoke again. “Olivia, if you want a long-term relationship with Rylan, you have to consider his parents and family. “He can pretend in front of you, but what is he like in front of his parents when he doesn’t need to pretend? “You need to see his true character clearly. In any case, Mom will always support your decision.” My nose tingled; it felt so good to be loved by my mom. “Oh, and your dad is busy with the branch office in Kingstown these days. If you have any trouble, just contact him directly.” Just as I hung up the phone, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Rylan, sweating profusely, holding a bag of oranges out to me.

After taking a plane or train, I tend to feel nauseous and want to vomit. Eating oranges always helped. He had always been mindful of this little quirk of mine. “Aren’t you going to invite me in to cool off?” Rylan offered the oranges again. I didn’t take the oranges, but I opened the door to let him in. He went on about finding a cheap hotel nearby and asked if I was still planning to visit Kingstown’s famous night market tonight. The thought of the bustling market and its diverse array of goods lifted my spirits. I took the peeled oranges from him, and we shared them. As night fell, the weather cooled down considerably. The night market was a seemingly endless street filled with clothes, shoes, trinkets, and specialties from all over the country. I was having a great time browsing when a vendor grabbed my arm. “Miss, you haven’t paid yet!” He ran a clothing stall, but I didn’t buy anything from him. The owner pointed at Rylan’s parents’ backs. “They said you’d pay.” They were carrying a bag of clothes, and Alvin had a handful of grilled sausages. Seeing my hesitation, the owner grew impatient. “You’re not trying to skip out on the bill, are you?” Rylan stepped forward to explain and urged me to pay quickly. The long bill included underwear, socks, and other items. The total came to 1562 dollars. Then there was the grilled food, which cost 86 dollars. As we continued walking, several other vendors asked me to settle their bills. Rylan, beside me, was excitedly looking around, completely oblivious to the situation. I stopped and said sternly, “Rylan, your parents came to Kingstown without bringing anything. “They’re treating me like an ATM, aren’t they?” Rylan held a pair of shoes Oscar had worn, examining them as he spoke. “Olivia, why are you making such a fuss over this little bit of money? “Your mom gave you two hundred thousand dollars, so what’s the big deal if my parents buy some clothes and shoes?” His tone implied that it was my duty to foot the bill for them. “That two hundred thousand dollars is my money, and how I spend it is my decision. “Who says just because I have money, I have to buy clothes for your parents and snacks for your brother?” Rylan froze, then looked at me with a wounded expression. “Olivia, we’re going to be family soon. It hurts when you talk like that. “Shouldn’t family members support each other? What’s wrong with spending a little money now to make the elders happy? “When I have money in the future, I’ll also take care of your parents.” It finally dawned on me. Rylan was painting a rosy picture for me, like a boss promising future rewards to his employees. He was saying that when he makes it big someday, he would take my parents on trips and shower them with gifts. He was so sure of his bright future that he saw my current contributions as an early investment, something he deserved to receive without any guilt. So, I saw my current contributions as an early investment in him, something he deserved. Yet, he still hadn’t found a job. While everyone else was busy sending out resumes during spring and fall recruiting seasons, he was out wining and dining people, all on my dime. He called it “looking for entrepreneurial partners”. He looked down on ordinary jobs, only dreaming of getting rich quickly and soaring to the top. In a positive light, it was ambition. In a negative light, it was impatience. They said travel was the ultimate test of a relationship. Less than a day in, and he was already showing his true colors. I calm down, deciding to test the sincerity of his words. “Rylan, you’re right, family should support each other. “I have a bit of a headache now, and I’d like some mint lemonade.” With that, I hold my head and squat down. Rylan’s parents kept piling on purchases. Seeing that I hadn’t followed to pay, they turned around and angrily demanded to know what I was doing.

Rylan accused me of making a fuss over nothing. “It is Kingstown, not Butterwort. Where do you think you’ll find mint lemonade here? “Are you trying to ruin the mood for my parents?” Kingstown had mint lemonade; he just couldn’t be bothered to look for it. It was what he meant by supporting each other. It essentially meant I could support his family, but his family couldn’t return the favor. I went along with Rylan’s words. “Fine, I won’t ruin the fun. I’m heading back to the hotel.” I stood up, shouldered my bag, and returned to the hotel alone. The front desk handed me a long bill. It turned out Rylan’s parents had ordered room service. They’d ordered every overpriced dish on the menu. I put away the bills, returned to my room, locked the door, and prepared to take a bath. Between the flights, hotel, and various other expenses, the Blake family had already cost me over twenty-six thousand dollars. My planned trip still had fourteen days left. If things continued like this, I wouldn’t even be able to afford a return ticket. I’d deal with the breakup later. Since I was already here, I was determined to complete my planned itinerary. I hung up on Rylan’s call and went to bed early, deciding to go to the amusement park alone the next day. When I finished my makeup and set off with my selfie stick, Rylan’s parents’ room was still quiet. Finally, I could enjoy myself alone. It was cloudy today, but it was more relaxed than yesterday. In a great mood, I lined up outside the park to get my ticket checked. To my surprise, Rylan showed up with his entire family. Alvin, who had always been rude to me, rushed over as soon as he saw me, begging to ride the coin-operated kiddie ride. “Olivia, please, just let me play for a little while,” he pleaded, lying on the ground and refusing to get up, drawing the attention of both visitors and staff. Rylan knew I hated making a scene in public, which was why he had the owner make me pay the bill last night. He was trying the same trick today, but it wasn’t going to work. I didn’t even glance at him, continuing to wait in line for the ticket check. Because his tantrum was disrupting the order of the amusement park, security had to step in and remove Alvin. It triggered Wendy. She immediately went up and shoved the security guard, who accidentally bumped into her during the struggle. She instantly collapsed to the ground. The park management had no choice but to call the police. Rylan pointed me out as a related witness, so I ended up going to the police station, too. Because of the complicated situation between Rylan, Wendy, and the security guard, the mediation dragged on for two hours without any resolution. Alvin, under someone’s influence, cried incessantly, claiming the security guard had broken his arm. So, we went back to the hospital for another X-ray. The amusement park plan was ruined. We also missed the 3 pm train, and tomorrow’s trip to Oceana was off the table. The ridiculous part was that Wendy actually had the nerve to demand that I pay the hospital bill. “If it weren’t for you, Alvin wouldn’t have been hurt.” I looked at the perfectly fine Alvin and the now useless Disney tickets, my anger boiling over. “Is he hurt? Where is he hurt?” Furious, I grabbed his arm and shook it back and forth. “If he hadn’t been rolling around on the ground at the entrance, I’d be taking pictures and watching shows at Disney right now. “Every time he walked with me, I wanted to find a hole to crawl into, do you understand?” From the airport onwards, Alvin’s bratty behavior annoyed countless people. Only Wendy still thought her child’s wildness and boldness were admirable. Rylan and Wendy swatted my hand away and shielded their younger son. Oscar glared at me fiercely and said, “Alvin is your husband’s brother. You have to give him whatever he wants, or you can forget about joining the Blake family.” They thought the Blake family was some prestigious clan everyone was dying to join. I pulled out a mirror from my bag and held it up to them. “Take a good look. You guys think you’re something special, huh? Chasing after things way out of your league and still not satisfied. “And now you want your whole family to get a piece of that swan. “Well, let me tell you, swans aren’t so easy to fool. Be careful, or one of them might just peck you back to reality.” Rylan came rushing over with the inspection report in hand. He snatched the mirror out of mine, frustrated. “How can you speak to my family like that?”

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My brother brought his girlfriend home to meet our parents. However, I discovered that she underwent an abortion procedure at our hospital just last week. And my brother had been abroad for six months of study, only returning yesterday.

My father, Dylan Moore, was a mess at my graduation party, drunk out of his mind and threatening to burn my acceptance letter. “Any school that isn’t one of the top-tier in the country is trash! Victoria doesn’t have to go!” Dylan shouted, his words slurred and wild. Panic surged through me as I rushed to intervene. But my mother, Belinda Moore, held me back, her voice a mix of frustration and resignation. “You need to give him some respect at the table. Just retake the exam next year; it’s not the end of the world.” Three years of hard work, dedication, and sleepless nights were all about to go up in flames. After that night, I repeated my senior year, only to find Dylan drowning his sorrows in alcohol every evening. I barely muttered a complaint one night, and it was enough to send him into a drunken rage. I ended up on the receiving end of one of his wild punches, and just like that, everything went dark. I was dead. When I opened my eyes again, it was the day of my graduation party once more. This time, I had a plan. I swapped my acceptance letter with a promissory note that his boss had entrusted him to keep safe. I thought with a smirk, “Go ahead, burn it. Let’s see how you handle the fallout when those debts go up in flames.” ***** When Dylan got drunk, he couldn’t hold his tongue. Some things he’d never say sober came spilling out with the alcohol. At my graduation party, my uncle Logan Moore praised my hard work and dedication, saying I’d surely have a bright future ahead. But Dylan slammed his hand on the table, cutting him off. “What the hell are you talking about, Logan? Victoria is just a girl! That school she got into? It’s a joke! If it’s not one of the top two schools in the country, it’s worthless! “Honestly, I’d rather she drop out of high school and sell herself than waste money sending her to that pathetic excuse for a university! It’s just a money pit, and it’s gonna cost me how much?” I opened my eyes to see Dylan’s red face, his fists pounding the table. I realized I had been given a second chance. Only he could say something as twisted as wanting his own daughter to sell herself. Logan noticed my pale face and elbowed Dylan. “Dylan, you’ve had too much to drink. Maybe ease up a bit?” Dylan retorted, “Who’s had too much? “You’re the one who’s three sheets to the wind! I’m as clear-headed as they come! Want me to count it out for you?” In his mind, one could say he was drunk, but never that he had too much. Thank goodness Logan was the one saying it. I’d tried the same approach in my past life. Dylan’d gotten so furious that he slapped me across the face and dumped a whole platter of food on my lap. “Adults are talking here! What do you know, kid?” The scalding hot soup left me with second-degree burns on one side of my body, and I spent the entire summer nursing ugly scars. Afterward, all he said was. “You can’t blame me! You knew I was drunk and still pushed my buttons. You had it coming!” This time, I learned my lesson. I sat quietly to the side, keeping my mouth shut. Let him drink himself into a stupor; it was his life to ruin. But even that didn’t save me from the chaos. The more Dylan drank, the more he rambled. “Honestly, I know exactly what Victoria’s worth. She’s just a bookworm. Going to college? That’s gonna set me back five thousand a year, four years… that’s what, a fortune? “How many bottles of booze do I have to skip to pay for that?” He slammed his hand on the table, raising his glass as if to douse me with it. Luckily, Logan caught his arm just in time. Meanwhile, my drama-loving aunt Fiona Moore chimed in, “Oh come on, Dylan, aren’t you just trying to play the victim here?” Her teasing expression hit a nerve with Dylan. “What do you mean? You think I’m joking around?” Fiona waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not saying that. But come on, you’re making college sound worthless. When school starts, Victoria’s still going, right? “My son hasn’t even gotten in yet!” Her words pushed Dylan over the edge. “Are you looking down on me? I said she’s not going to college, then I’ll make sure she never sets foot in one!” Fiona recoiled in surprise but quickly retorted, “Oh please! Anyone can say that! If you really mean it, why don’t you just burn her acceptance letter?” Dylan downed another drink, brimming with bravado. “Burn it? Sure!” Logan looked terrified, the alcohol draining from his face as he hurried to calm Dylan down. “Alright, alright, this isn’t something to joke about, Dylan. Don’t go losing it!” Most of the relatives at the table brushed it off as drunken ramblings, thinking it was just the booze talking. But I knew better. The scene felt all too familiar. I quietly slipped away from my seat, carefully stowing my acceptance letter under my bed. Meanwhile, Logan had been making pleasantries for a while, but Dylan, egged on by his drunken spirits, was relentless. “What’s wrong with burning her acceptance letter? I’m her dad! I can burn whatever I want. Not burning her is already considerate of me!” Looking at the empty envelope, I hatched a plan. I placed the IOU from his loan shark boss, whom he had agreed to safeguard earlier, inside. The total was over 1.7 million dollars. If this were to be burned, Dylan would probably get the worst treatment from his ruthless boss, Abbott Cross, too. Perfect. When I returned to the table, Dylan was flushed with anger, pointing at me and cursing, “That worthless daughter of mine. Why waste my money on her education? Don’t stop me; I’m burning those letters today!” There was nothing Logan could do but have Belinda try to calm him down. But Belinda shrugged. “So what if he burns it? It’s just a small issue. Victoria can just retake the exam next year. “It’s rare for the family to gather like this. Dylan’s had a good time today. What’s wrong with a little excitement from burning a letter?”

Logan was utterly baffled. “Belinda, what are you talking about? That’s your own daughter! She’s worked her tail off for three years just to get to this point!” His forehead was bulging with veins. Clearly, Logan was furious. But Belinda remained unfazed. “I’m just a woman; what’s my opinion worth? “Burning it is better. That way, I can use the money to buy Dylan more booze, right?” As she spoke, she handed Dylan a lighter and turned to grab the envelope that held my acceptance letter. This was Belinda’s usual tactic—letting things spiral out of control, just to watch Dylan regret it later when he sobered up. Before, Dylan had spiraled into alcoholism, and Belinda did nothing to stop him or leave. He drank, so she bought the booze, leaving us with nothing, even for groceries. She didn’t care about Dylan’s fate or mine, for that matter. My monthly allowance was measly, leaving me so hungry I could’ve chewed on grass. It was Logan who secretly helped me out every month, keeping me afloat through high school. Seeing Belinda act even more recklessly than Dylan sent Logan into a rage. “Belinda, what the hell? Victoria is just one step away from college, and you want to throw a tantrum now? “Dylan, you too! Just drink your damn booze. Anyone who brings up burning that acceptance letter is asking for trouble!” Dylan’s expression soured, but he only dared to sulk with his drink, while Fiona stopped fanning the flames. Logan’s massive hands slapped the table until it turned red. I felt a lump in my throat, more convinced than ever that Logan was my saving grace. For a moment, everything seemed calm. But then Belinda had to throw another bombshell. “Oh, why are you shouting? Look at you, making Dylan feel embarrassed; he can’t even enjoy his drink now. “A real man keeps his word! My Dylan isn’t spouting drunken nonsense; if he says to burn it, then burn it! “Victoria, I taught you to give men their due respect at the table. Go get that acceptance letter!” She glared at me, her voice devoid of any warmth. This time, I didn’t cry or argue. I simply trembled and said, “Mom, I’m your daughter…” Without hesitation, she stormed into the room, returning with the envelope. Seizing the moment while everyone was distracted, she grabbed a bottle of liquor from the table and drenched the letter before handing it to Dylan. “Here, Dylan. This is your ticket to tens of thousands of dollars worth of booze. Don’t let me down!” I stood frozen, staring at Belinda’s resolute face, which screamed that she cared for neither Dylan nor me. “Stop this nonsense! Belinda, put the letter down!” Logan shouted, kicking over a chair as he lunged to grab it from her. I wanted to intervene, but he was too quick, and soon they were locked in a struggle. “Dylan, what’s the matter? You scared to burn it because your brother is getting involved?” Belinda taunted, her voice sharp. Dylan, already seething, was further provoked by her words. With a loud crash, he snatched a bottle from the table and smashed it over Logan’s head. “Logan! This is my family business; it’s none of your damn concern!” Glass shattered everywhere, and Logan clutched his head, moaning as blood pooled around him. Everyone rushed to check on Logan, but Dylan quietly picked up the lighter and set the envelope ablaze. The flames roared to life, fueled by the alcohol, turning the white paper to ash in an instant. Logan grimaced in pain. “No! Don’t!” Under the flickering light, Dylan’s face was flushed with triumph as he laughed. “See that? I’m the head of this household! That worthless university? I said Victoria isn’t going, and she won’t ever set foot in it!” With that, he threw his head back and passed out. Logan clutched his head and let out a frustrated roar, charging toward the fireball, desperate to extinguish it with his bare hands. I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back. “Uncle Logan, just let it go!” His eyes were bloodshot. “Let it go? How can I let this go? How many years of high school do you have to throw it all away like this!” The flames flickered beneath his hands, but they refused to die down. “Damn it!” Logan cried out in despair before collapsing, unconscious. I called an ambulance, ready to get him to the hospital, but Belinda blocked my way. “Logan’s fine; it’s just a scratch! Your dad’s drunk. Why don’t you stay and help me take care of him?” With a steely expression, I pushed past her. She yelled after me, “You little ingrate! You’re my daughter! If you walk out that door today, don’t even think about coming back!” I retorted coldly, “Oh, so you remember I’m your daughter now?” Just then, the drunken Dylan on the floor slurred, “Good! Get out of here! I don’t want you around anyway!” Belinda pointed at the charred remains of my acceptance letter, her face twisted with rage. “Victoria, this isn’t my fault! You’re the unlucky one for having a dad like this; I’m even worse off!” I didn’t bother to engage with her. Turning my back, I discreetly pocketed my acceptance letter and boarded the ambulance. Before leaving, I glanced back at the ashes being scattered by the wind and scoffed. “This time, it’s not just us who are unlucky!” Despite her constant complaints about Dylan, Belinda was now bent over, cleaning up his vomit, completely oblivious to my words. I couldn’t help but smirk to myself, thinking, “Ridiculous. She complains about him, but isn’t she still taking care of him here? From now on, I’m done dealing with their drama.”

In the hospital, Logan was in rough shape. That liquor bottle Dylan smashed over his head had left him with a mild concussion and several stitches in the back. I sat by his bedside all night, keeping vigil until he finally woke up the next morning. The night had been a blur of stitches and IV drips, but Logan, ever the stoic, kept quiet, not wanting me to worry. I hadn’t closed my eyes at all, while the real culprit, Dylan, was at home sleeping like a baby. It wasn’t until Logan stirred that Dylan finally called. “Hey, man, sorry about last night! I was totally out of it. My bad, my bad! I’ll bring over a couple of bottles next time to make it up to you!” Dylan said, brushing it off as if it were nothing. Logan grunted, barely suppressing his anger. “What’s that supposed to mean? You know I was drunk, and you’re still gonna hold it against me? You’re being way too sensitive!” Dylan shot back, as if it was all just a joke. That was Dylan. Whenever he got plastered, he’d blame it all on the booze. Even in his past, when he drunkenly beat me to death, he told the cops, “I was wasted! She just had to provoke me. How could that be my fault?” And now Logan was just injured, not dead. “Logan, let’s get real here. You messed up last night, too. I was in a bad place, so why did you have to stick your nose in my family’s business? “Alright, how about this? We’ll split the cost of that good wine, and once you’re out of here, we’ll celebrate,” Dylan said, completely missing the point. Logan couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic laugh. He thought, “So you’re saying I’m the one who should take responsibility for the seventeen stitches in my head?” “Do you even remember what you did last night?” Logan pressed. “Me? I just heard Belinda say I accidentally hit you…” Dylan trailed off, clearly still hazy from the booze. Logan’s voice turned sharp. “You idiot! It’s not just about me getting hit! You burned your own daughter’s acceptance letter! You’ve ruined her future! What kind of father does that? “I told you drinking messes things up! Why can’t you just listen for once?” His outburst startled the nurse changing his bandages. But on the other end of the line, Dylan just sighed, “Come on, man, you really think I was that drunk last night? “Honestly, I wanted to burn that acceptance letter ages ago. “What’s a girl like her even doing going to college? Better to just get rid of it, right?” He chuckled, as if it were all a big joke. Dylan continued, “So, what do you think? Did I act the part well? Saved myself a ton on booze, and even managed to fool Belinda…” It turned out he wasn’t drunk at all. He was just using the pretense of a drunken rant to sabotage my college dreams personally. “Seriously? You think this is funny?” Logan shouted, nearly throwing his phone against the wall. My eyes, heavy from sleeplessness, began to sting with tears. But Dylan, still smug, said, “Why are you so worked up? Sure, I was out of line, but it’s not my fault you insisted on defending Victoria. “That girl’s got no value; you’re the only one who treats her like a treasure. How dumb can you be? “If I hadn’t been drunk back then, and if Belinda hadn’t thrown a fit about not getting an abortion, I wouldn’t have ended up with a kid like her! “By the way, where’s that little brat now…” Before he could finish, Logan caught sight of my red-rimmed eyes and abruptly hung up. The busy signal echoed in the hospital room. Logan said, his fist slamming down on the hospital bed, “Victoria, thanks for staying with me all night. That really means a lot… “I’m sorry. I couldn’t save your acceptance letter, and I couldn’t fix your dad… I truly am sorry!” The tough guy, who had been silent all night, suddenly choked up. I patted his shoulder gently. “Uncle Logan, this isn’t on you. My parents have been like this forever; I’ve gotten used to it. “And don’t thank me. You’ve always been there for me; it’s just what I should do.” Logan had served eight years in the military before returning home to start his own business, and now he was all alone. Among all our relatives, he had always treated me the best. If it hadn’t been for him being out of town in my past life, I wouldn’t have died at Dylan’s hands. I thought to myself that I owed him more than I could ever repay. Logan pondered for a moment before asking, “So, what’s your plan now?” “Of course, I’m going back to college,” I replied. “Great! I got your back. I’ll help you get into the best school, as far away from that drunken dad of yours as possible!” A flicker of hope ignited in his eyes. I waved my hand dismissively. “Uncle Logan, I’m not going to repeat a year.” His face fell. “Not repeat? How can that be? Victoria, don’t lose hope! I believe in you…” Seeing my smile, he panicked. “Victoria, are you out of your mind?” Then, in the midst of his shock, I pulled out my acceptance letter, which was perfectly intact. “I got into my dream school. There’s no need to repeat.” He froze, taken aback. But before he could even let out a laugh, Dylan’s call came through again. This time, he sounded frantic. “Logan, where’s that little brat? Is she with you? Get her on the phone! Damn it, does she want me dead or what?”

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