The moment I asked for a divorce, Brandon Hayes’s mistress slapped me hard across the face.
She sneered:
“Brandon is just too soft-hearted, letting a low-class nightclub dancer like you continue to be his wife.”
Brandon’s sister, Tiffany Hayes, shot me a disdainful glance:
“Maya, do you know how many women want to marry my brother? So what if he keeps a few mistresses on the side? It’s not a big deal, is it?”
Brandon, meanwhile, had his arm wrapped around his mistress, and he addressed me with impatience:
“Everything you have today, I gave you. Without me, you’ll be nothing! I’m giving you one last chance. Are you sure you want to divorce me?”
I nodded decisively, stating:
“Yes, I do!”
After all, my mafia boss father was getting out of prison.
He’d been itching to dump Brandon in the river for the alligators for a long time.
Scarlett Stone was Brandon’s favorite mistress, and her family owned a small fast-food joint.
Brandon’s other mistresses always seemed a little ashamed and timid when they saw me, but Scarlett was an absolute tyrant. Relying on Brandon’s favor, she completely disregarded me.
When she saw my firm resolve to divorce, a flicker of delight crossed Scarlett’s eyes.
She sat in Brandon’s lap, mocking me with disdain:
“Jealous women always meet a tragic end.”
“Brandon is a man of great ambition. Marrying him was the luckiest thing that ever happened to you. Instead of helping him further his career, you’re kicking up a fuss about divorcing him just because he has a few women on the side. Isn’t that just holding Brandon back?”
“You’re just a stupid woman who got lucky, meeting Brandon before he made his fortune. Otherwise, with your lowly status as a nightclub dancer, you wouldn’t even be qualified to speak to him.”
“If I were lucky enough to become Brandon’s wife, I’d manage the household perfectly, treat his other women like family, and make sure Brandon never had a single worry!”
Scarlett’s declaration made it clear she was trying to snatch my spot.
In the past, I might have exploded in anger.
But now, my heart was completely dead to Brandon.
The so-called position of his wife was nothing but a joke to me.
Tiffany held a glass of red wine, sneering contemptuously at me:
“You, a nightclub dancer, aren’t actually trying to blackmail my brother with divorce, hoping he’ll cut ties with his mistresses, are you?”
“Maya, don’t be so naive, seriously!”
“Are you still thinking that after divorcing my brother, you’ll get half his fortune? Like that minor celebrity who married into a wealthy family a while back and ended up a multi-millionaire through divorce?”
“Get that idea out of your head right now. My brother signed a prenup before marrying you, and with me, a top-tier lawyer, on his side, I guarantee you’ll leave with absolutely nothing!”
Tiffany certainly had the confidence to say such things.
She was a Harvard Law School graduate, now working at a large law firm in New York. Although not yet a “gold-medal lawyer,” she had handled numerous divorce cases with a high success rate.
Though I was completely disillusioned with Brandon, Tiffany’s threats still left me feeling angry and heartbroken.
I glared at Tiffany, saying:
“Without this nightclub dancer, neither of you siblings would be where you are today!”
“Back then, you were still in law school, strapped for tuition. If I hadn’t given you the money, you would have been kicked out of the program long ago.”
“During that time, Brandon was seriously ill. I was by his side, nursing him, so you could study without worry.”
“You once promised me that if Brandon ever treated me badly, you’d be the first one to call him out…”
Without my help back then, Tiffany wouldn’t have been able to finish her studies, and Brandon would have starved on the streets.
At that time, the Hayes siblings were so grateful to me, they practically wanted to put me on a pedestal.
And I, like a fool, thought I’d found true love. What was the result?
After Brandon got rich, he stopped coming home.
I often saw him in New York gossip news, frequenting bars and other entertainment venues with his mistresses, living a lavish and carefree life.
Tiffany, ever since she started working at the law firm, has been rubbing shoulders with business elites and socialites, and she’s grown to look down on me more and more.
Now, they fancy themselves as part of the elite, unwilling to mention those poverty-stricken days, which they consider a stain on their lives.
When I said these words, the Hayes siblings’ faces instantly turned ugly.
Before I could finish, Tiffany violently hurled her wine glass at me.
The glass struck my forehead, making me whimper in pain.
Wine trickled down my face, leaving me looking quite disheveled.
Tiffany watched me with a sinister glint in her eyes, cursing:
“You damn wretch, are you going to hold on to those measly favors you did for us siblings forever?”
“The money you spent on us back then? We paid it all back ages ago! You think you can keep cashing in on old debts? Dream on!”
Brandon squinted at me, his face filled with displeasure:
“Maya, my company is about to go public. My sister is also close to getting a promotion at her firm. Do you really have to pick now to cause a scene with a divorce? What’s the point?”
“If word gets out that we’re divorcing, it’ll affect both our reputations!”
“I admit you helped us in the past, but ever since we got married, I’ve spent a lot of money on you. Any old debts are long settled, so stop clinging to the past.”
“If you’re truly set on divorcing me, I won’t treat you unfairly. I won’t make you leave with nothing. After all, you’ve been with me for several years. I’ll give you a million. Be careful with it, and it’ll be enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”
“But you have to agree to one condition!”
Brandon made me sign an agreement.
It stipulated that after the divorce, I was not to mention how I had helped him and his sister back then, nor was I to mention to anyone that Brandon and I had ever been married.
I agreed.
Although Brandon and I had been married for over three years, the outside world didn’t know about it. Everyone still thought Brandon was single!
After all, our wedding was very simple, without many friends or relatives invited. The only witnesses were the old priest from the church and Tiffany.
Moreover, after the marriage, Brandon started fooling around and deliberately cultivated a single persona.
Tiffany also subtly hinted in many social settings that both she and her brother were single. So, for three years, very few people knew I was Brandon’s wife.
After signing the divorce papers and taking the million-dollar check Brandon threw at me, I turned to leave.
Just then, Scarlett laughed mockingly:
“Maya, after divorcing Brandon, you better be careful with that million dollars!”
“I heard Brandon say your crippled, jailed father is getting out of prison soon, isn’t he?”
“What did he go to prison for? Killing someone by accident in a fight? Or defaulting on gambling debts?”
“When he gets out, you should advise your crippled father to stop running those shady businesses, and you shouldn’t go back to being a nightclub dancer. That million should be more than enough for you two to start a small business!”
Her words, seemingly caring, were actually full of sarcasm.
Tiffany also snorted:
“If I had known her crippled father was in prison back then, I would never have let my brother marry her.”
Brandon spoke to me coldly:
“From now on, we have no connection.”
“If I find out you’ve been spreading rumors, I won’t go easy on you.”
“My sister and I are now involved with business elites and important figures. We can’t afford any blemishes on our reputation. Keep your mouth shut, understand?”
I said nothing, suppressing the grief and anger in my heart, and left Brandon’s company without looking back.
Back home, I quickly packed my personal belongings, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.
Who was to blame for reaching this point?
Only myself, for being so blind and soft-hearted to help those ungrateful, two-faced siblings back then!
I dragged my suitcase out of the house, unsure where to go.
Just then, a van suddenly pulled up beside me.
Then, several burly thugs got out of the van.
I recognized them. The leader was Marco, Brandon’s company’s head of security.
Marco and his crew used to be street thugs, but after joining Brandon, they morphed into company bodyguards.
In the past, they were somewhat polite to me.
But now, they roughly dragged me into the van.
I struggled fiercely, trying to scream for help, but Marco covered my mouth.
He grinned menacingly and said to me:
“We’re just following orders, ma’am. If you cooperate, we promise it won’t be too painful.”
“Ms. Tiffany wasn’t too happy about Brandon giving you a million dollars, and we certainly have to listen to her. Since she doesn’t like you, we brothers have no choice but to give you a little taste of pain.”
“And Ms. Scarlett is about to marry Brandon. We can’t mess up the tasks she gives us, either!”
“You’re just unlucky. Don’t blame anyone else!”
With that, Marco and his men, smirking lewdly, started to pull at my clothes.
Suddenly, the van screeched to a halt.
Marco and his crew almost slammed into the windshield. Their faces contorted in anger, ready to yell at the driver, but the next moment, their angry expressions froze. They looked out the window, horrified.
Several vans blocked Marco’s vehicle. A group of muscular young men, armed with guns, approached my van and yanked open the door.
Marco and his men desperately pleaded:
“Gentlemen, have you got the wrong people?”
“We’re from Hayes Financial Services. Our boss is Brandon Hayes!”
“Gentlemen, let’s talk this out…”
The muscular young men ignored Marco and his crew, bowing respectfully to me:
“Miss Maya, Mr. Blackwood wants to see you!”
Half an hour later, I arrived at Rikers Island.
My crippled father, Mr. Silas Blackwood, was serving his sentence there. He was the “Mr. Blackwood” those men were referring to.
After entering the prison, I went directly to the warden’s office.
Warden Evans was sitting, chatting, and drinking tea with an old man leaning on a cane. That white-haired old man was my dad!
Seeing me, Warden Evans smiled and said:
“Maya, it’s been a while since you visited!”
“You two catch up. I’ll leave you to it.”
After Warden Evans left, the office was silent.
After a long moment, Dad spoke softly:
“Divorced Brandon, have you?”
I lowered my head, clenching my fists, and didn’t respond.
Dad let out a cold laugh:
“Unwilling? Feel like he betrayed you?”
“My foolish daughter, I told you before, that man isn’t trustworthy.”
“If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have just put the word out, and those siblings would have been dumped in the river for the alligators long ago!”
I cut him off, my eyes red, but I said nothing.
After Dad went to prison, I didn’t want to take over his illicit businesses, so I chose to open a nightclub.
It was then that I coincidentally saved Brandon and lied to him, claiming I was a dancer at that nightclub.
Later, after Brandon and I got together, I had intended to tell them about my dad.
But what happened?
The siblings weren’t interested. All they knew was that my dad was crippled and locked up.
By then, Brandon and Tiffany’s careers were starting to take off. They resented me because of it. They didn’t even visit Dad once.
Seeing my sorrowful and disheartened expression, Dad sighed, saying:
“Since you’re divorced, don’t dwell on the past.”
“It’s just a man, isn’t it? Your old man will find you someone much better!”
“As for Brandon and Tiffany, they’ll absolutely regret it.”
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My husband was the literary world’s most celebrated genius.
Then one evening, he confessed to me. “Stella, my inspiration has run dry. I found someone online, an ‘inspiration provider.’ Ten thousand a month.”
“But it’s just work. You are the only one I love.”
later, I learned the truth.
He and that provider, the one he had promised never to meet in person, already had a seven-year-old son.
“Chloe, you must hide the child well. Don’t let anyone find out.”
“After the new book launch, I’ll figure out a way to get Stella out of the picture, and give you and the child a proper place.”
“Don’t worry, she’s just a clueless housewife.”
I smirked, silently closing the message-sharing app on my phone.
A way out? I’ll help you find one.
How kind of me.
Suddenly, the lock turned.
Julian strode in as if he owned the place, an adult and a child trailing behind him.
“What is this?”
I sneered.
My own voice sounded eerily calm.
He turned awkwardly, a guilty smile on his lips.
“Stella, you’re home! Perfect, let me introduce you.”
“This is Chloe Hayes, the inspiration provider I mentioned. And this is her son, Leo.”
Leo? How fitting.
“Didn’t you promise you’d never meet in person?”
I cut him off with a cold laugh.
Julian’s expression tightened. He hadn’t expected me to be this direct.
Chloe’s eyes welled up instantly. She stepped forward, a picture of wounded innocence.
“Stella, please don’t blame Julian. This is all my fault. If my presence upsets you, I’ll leave right now.”
She turned as if to go.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Julian quickly moved to block her path.
He turned back to me, his face etched with impatience.
“Enough, Stella, stop making a scene.”
“I had no choice. This is all for my work.”
“Can’t you see it? Chloe’s insights are brilliant. She’s a single mother, raising a child alone. That mix of strength and fragility she carries…it’s exactly what my writing needs. Having her here is purely to facilitate the creative process.”
“A single mom? Sounds like a woman with a story.”
“So?” I met his gaze, a dismissive curl to my lip.
Julian frowned, annoyed.
“For now, Chloe and the boy will stay here. I’ve had the guest room prepared. Everything else can wait until after the new book launches.”
His tone sharpened abruptly.
“And enough with the interrogation. Everything I do is for the work. There’s nothing personal in it.”
I almost laughed.
If I hadn’t been ready, I might have believed every solemn word.
Three months ago, Julian did mention his writer’s block.
He was, after all, the most celebrated literary genius of his time.
Nearly every book he wrote became a sensation.
But that night, he was smoking uncharacteristically.
“Stella, I don’t think I can write anymore.”
“Every word feels like a stone lodged in my mind…impossible to move..”
My heart sank.
At our wedding ten years ago, he had declared to everyone.
“Meeting Stella was the beginning of all my inspiration.”
But now, his eyes were as lost as a child’s.
“Stella, I’m truly desperate. The pressure is crushing. The publisher has called three times. Readers ask about the new book every day on social media. The entire world is waiting.”
“So I hired someone online-ten thousand a month. She shares life details and emotional stories through messages, just to spark something in me.”
He suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
“It’s a fair trade. She needs the money. I need the inspiration.”
My breath hitched.
“You won’t meet her in person?”
“Of course not!”
He grabbed my hands at once, his voice certain.
“It’s strictly professional. Stella, don’t read into this. You’ll always be my wife. The only one I love.”
And yet now, he was secretly planning how to remove me from his life.
I sank slowly back into the couch and turned on the newest film.
Julian, you didn’t really think I was just some useless housewife, did you?
The very next morning, Chloe was already at the dining table, wearing my clothes, her child beside her. She looked like a conqueror holding court.
“Stella, you’re awake? Come, have breakfast..”
“I heard you love soy milk, so I asked the housekeeper to make you a cup. Consider it a welcome gift.”
She smiled, pushing the cup towards me.
“No.”
I had no words to waste on her and turned to leave.
But Chloe suddenly reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Stella, where are you rushing off? You haven’t touched your soy milk. It’s a gesture from my heart.”
“Let go!”
Without a second thought, I jerked my arm free.
Suddenly, Leo’s face flushed, and he started struggling to breathe.
“Mommy, I…can’t breathe…”
“Leo, what’s wrong?”
Chloe’s scream was perfectly timed.
It drew Julian’s attention instantly.
He rushed downstairs without hesitation.
“What happened?”
Chloe spun around, tears already streaming down her face.
With a practiced thud, she dropped to her knees before me.
“Stella, I know you don’t like me, but how could you hurt a child?”
“Whatever you feel toward me, take it out on me. Leo is just a boy. He doesn’t understand any of this.”
Julian’s face instantly changed.
He quickly, tenderly, helped Chloe up.
“Chloe, what are you doing? Don’t worry, with me here, no one will dare to bully you.”
Then, he erupted in anger, pointing his finger at me.
“Stella, what did you do?”
“Why would you hurt a child?!”
I scoffed.
Looking at the man who once swore I was his entire world, I almost laughed out loud.
“Julian, are you blind, or just willfully ignorant? Which part of you saw me lay a finger on anyone?”
“No, no, Julian, Stella didn’t do anything, it’s not her fault.”
Chloe cut in perfectly, tears already tracing down her cheeks, her expression a masterpiece of wounded sorrow.
“I shouldn’t have moved in. I shouldn’t have disturbed Stella’s life.”
“And I definitely shouldn’t have mentioned carelessly that Leo is allergic to soy milk, only to still offer it to him… just to try and please her.”
“Still, regardless of fault-Julian, please, just take Leo to the hospital first.”
“Tsk, what a well-rehearsed script.”
“Ms. Hayes, your performance is wasted here. It’s a shame you never pursued acting.”
I applauded softly, a smile on my lips.
“Stella, that’s enough!”
Julian was livid, his hand rising as if to strike me.
I scoffed and leaned in closer.
“What’s wrong, famous author? Can’t bring yourself to do it?”
“Or are you worried your wife might say something…untimely at your book launch in two days?”
“You!”
Seeing his face freeze, I knew he was afraid.
Because I understood better than anyone how desperately Julian craved success.
I had watched him claw his way up from obscurity, from a writer no one knew into the “genius” everyone praised.
His expression shifted. He released me angrily.
“Stella, you’ve disappointed me.”
He scooped up Leo, shoved past me roughly, and rushed out.
Caught off guard, I crashed into the sharp corner of the table, the impact jolting through my abdomen.
Disappointed?
I laughed, and the tears came instantly.
I had once been pregnant, too.
Seven years ago, during Julian’s most hectic book launch, I had lost the child in an accident.
Back then, he had held my hand, his eyes filled with a sorrow that felt genuine.
“It’s okay, we’re still young.”
“There will be other chances.”
I still remembered the grief in his eyes.
After that, he never mentioned trying for a child again..
But now, I recalled everything I had uncovered last night.
My miscarriage. Chloe’s pregnancy.
The timing aligned with a precision so chilling it froze the blood in my veins.
“Stella, you have the nerve to be sleeping here!”
Julian stormed in.
He grabbed my hair, roughly dragging me downstairs.
A searing pain instantly shot through my scalp.
My vision went black.
“Julian, are you insane?!”
“Insane? Well, you drove me to it, Stella! Do you know, if we had been ten minutes later, Leo might have died!”
“Anaphylactic shock can kill someone! How could you be so vicious?!”
He violently flung me to the floor.
I sneered, lifting my head to glare at him.
“What, Mr. Famous Author, so worried about a child who’s an outsider? Could it be that he’s related to you?”
“Stella, what are you talking about?!”
Julian immediately roared, his face flushed with shame and anger.
“I’m talking nonsense?”
I scoffed.
“To think you’d strike and scream at your own wife over another woman’s child. Anyone who saw it would think he was your secret son.”
Sure enough, his face paled.
I knew him too well. Julian valued his reputation above all else.
Countless envious eyes were watching him, waiting for him to slip.
If a scandal broke now, especially at a critical moment like his new book presale launch, his meticulously built image would be completely shattered.
“Stella, how many times do I have to tell you? They are inspiration partners for my work. I brought them home for my writing. What is wrong with that?”
“It’s you who’s petty and narrow-minded, constantly bullying her and her child.”
“Now the new book’s presales have broken industry records on the very first day. They helped achieve that. How dare you, with such a malicious heart, slander our benefactors?”
Benefactors?
More like a conquest in the bedroom, wouldn’t you say?
But when I turned and saw what Chloe was holding, my blood turned to ice. A scream lodged itself in my throat.
“Julian, what have you done?!”
It was unmistakably my mother’s urn.
Why was it in her hands?
Without Julian’s silent permission, how could she ever have reached it?
Julian’s expression faltered, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.
“Stella, let me explain.”
Chloe suddenly stepped forward, a mask of panic on her face.
“Oh? Was this so important, Stella? Here, I’ll give it back right now!”
Before I could even move, her eyes darted sideways, a vicious smile touching her lips.
In one swift motion, the urn dropped from her hands. It shattered against the floor with a sickening crack.
“Chloe!”
Rage surged through me, hot and blinding. My vision flushed crimson.
I lunged for her, past all reason.
But Julian’s arm shot out, blocking my way.
Chloe immediately cowered behind Julian.
“Stella, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, it was an accident! I didn’t know it meant so much to you. It’s all my fault. My hand just slipped. Please, please forgive me.”
“Chloe didn’t mean it.”
Julian watched me crumble, my voice breaking, and frowned with distaste.
“Stella, get a hold of yourself. It’s only an urn.”
Only an urn?
I laughed, a bitter, furious sound. I bit down hard, forcing the words out slowly.
“Julian. Tell me. Why did you give her my mother’s ashes?”
Julian lowered his gaze.
Chloe smugly peered out from behind him.
“Stella, it’s my fault, all my fault. There’s an old belief where I come from… if a child in the family falls ill from fright, the ashes of an elder can absorb the bad luck. I was just so worried about Leo’s condition.”
“So I begged Julian for help. I’m begging you, please don’t blame Julian, and don’t let this cause any trouble between you two because of me.”
She cried and whimpered, making to kowtow again.
Julian moved without hesitation, stepping wordlessly in front to shield her.
“That’s enough, Stella. What happened to Leo is, in part, tied to you. And your mother is gone. Keeping her ashes is just clinging to the past.”
“Just gather them up. We’ll get a new urn.”
Ward off evil? If the moment weren’t so grave, I might have laughed until I cried.
Julian. You, the celebrated author of our time.
You would actually believe such a pathetic excuse.
“Fine.” The word tore from my throat, bitter with the taste of blood I kept forcing down.
“Perfect.”
I dug my nails into my palms, clinging to the pain to stay calm.
I’m so sorry, Mom. I let them defile you.
Don’t worry. They will pay.
Then I took out my phone and texted Julian’s assistant:
“Change of venue for the launch. Await my instructions.”
When I first met Julian, he was just an obscure writer, not even worthy of the title author.
His writing couldn’t even sell as scrap paper.
But even then, I saw his dedication and hard work.
For him, I hid all my own brilliance.
I retreated behind the scenes, pouring vast resources and connections into his career, handing him opportunities on a silver platter.
I never imagined I was feeding an ungrateful ingrate.
“Stella, I want to talk…”
The next morning, Julian stood outside my door, a look of apology on his face.
“I thought about yesterday all night. I was too impulsive, I didn’t think things through.”
“Didn’t you want to go to a luxury spa retreat? How about this, I’ll make arrangements today, and take you out to relax, just like when we first got married.”
I looked up and saw Chloe standing at the corner, glaring at me with resentment.
I raised an eyebrow. Pretending? Who couldn’t?
I leaned in, feigning deep affection, and whispered in his ear.
“Okay, honey. I was out of line too, ignoring how stressed you’ve been lately.”
“It has been a while since we went out together. Maybe we could even try for a baby while we’re there.”
Sure enough, Chloe went rigid, all color draining from her face.
I smirked.
Hook, line, and sinker..
At 3 PM, Julian’s message arrived right on time..
“Stella, I’m so sorry. The publisher called an emergency meeting. The spa day will have to wait. I promise I’ll make it up to you next time.”
My reply was gracious, sent with a smile.
“No worries, your work comes first. Don’t overwork yourself.”
I even added a hugging emoji.
Then, I opened the GPS tracker on my phone.
I texted Julian’s assistant again.
“Launch the new book. Immediate release. Alert all major media and news outlets. Be ready.”
Next, I scrolled through Chloe’s latest update.
A carousel of photos, each more boastful than the last.
“They say this is the most expensive hot spring bath in the world!”
“With the right person, even the air tastes sweeter.”
“Turns out, the one who isn’t loved will always be the third wheel.”
Location: The Hot Spring Resort.
A cold smile touched my lips.
All they knew was that the place was private and expensive.
They had no idea I had bought it years ago.
Meanwhile, I had already contacted all the major players in the industry and arranged for them to accompany me to the resort.
Our cars had barely reached the foot of the mountain when a swarm of cameras and microphones surged toward mine.
“Why was the launch date moved up so abruptly? Are there additional plans?”
“Is Julian already at the resort? Why was this location chosen for the launch?”
“It’s said this is Julian’s long-awaited masterpiece after two years of reflection. Pre-orders have sold out before the official release. Can you share where his inspiration came from?”
I smiled.
“Thank you all for your attention. There will indeed be a special program today. As for the details…”
I paused, letting my smile deepen.
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”
As I walked, I dialed Julian’s number right in front of the rolling cameras.
His voice came through, raspy and uneven between breaths.
“Honey, I’m…having hot pot with some colleagues.”
“Of course.”
I smiled and ended the call.
What a âbusiness dinner,â Julian. Or should I say, a couple’s retreat?
A sharp-eyed reporter caught the discrepancy. âThis doesn’t look much like a restaurant.â
The guards at the entrance saw us and their expressions shifted instantly. âSorry, itâs a private event. Weâre not admitting any guests!â
I didn’t slow down. âOut of my way.â
Then, I kicked the door open.
The internet broke.
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I Don’t Love You Anymore
I purposefully left the door open, ensuring my husband heard every single sound of me and my lover making love all night.
The next morning, his eyes were bloodshot as he pinned me against the bed, demanding:
âHow many times did he satisfy you last night? Did he make you feel good? Why not me?â
But I just tugged my bathrobe tighter over the angry red marks blossoming all over my body and shot back:
âWeâre just playing by our own rules now. Has your little nurse stopped satisfying you?â
Daniel Blackwoodâs gaze blazed red, but he couldn’t find a single word to refute me.
The moment he caused our daughterâs death, our love story was over.
I drove alone in the biting cold wind to the cemetery on the outskirts, searching for our daughter.
As I passed the old site of the small clinic my dad used to own, tears streamed down my face.
I had once been the youngest associate professor at the medical academy, but Iâd given up the chance to study at a top-tier institution for my husband, Daniel Blackwood.
That year, he was ambushed by a patientâs family after a malpractice suit, almost beaten to death.
It was my dad who bit the bullet, selling the clinic heâd run for thirty years and draining his entire life’s savings just to pull him out of that legal mess.
To help him establish himself in the hospital, my dad handed over his invaluable surgical notes and his entire network of professional contacts.
He even sacrificed himself by self-testing an experimental drug, which caused acute liver failure, and he never recovered.
Thatâs how Daniel Blackwood became the youngest chief surgeon in the city.
I once naively believed that such a profound debt of gratitude would tie him to me for life.
But everything changed the day he brought that nurse, Chloe Sterling, home.
The Daniel Blackwood who once agonized over my slightest frown, tore my heart into a million pieces with his own hands.
Iâll never forget it. My mother was in the late stages of lung cancer and needed a crucial imported targeted medication.
To make Chloe Sterling happy, Daniel gave the drug to her purebred Ragdoll cat, which only had a skin condition.
And Iâll never forget the day our daughter stopped breathing.
Daniel Blackwood was in Chloe Sterlingâs hospital room, intimately entangled with her.
I found my daughterâs small niche in the cheapest public columbarium.
A space no bigger than my palm, not even a photograph was placed there.
Night fell, and I sat on the cold floor tiles.
Just like I used to sing her to sleep, I hummed “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” all night, her favorite song.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by a cacophony of shouting and cursing.
Opening my eyes, I saw a crowd of neighbors from our community surrounding me, all filming with their phones:
âThatâs her! Mr. Blackwoodâs crazy wife!â
âMiss Sterling said she went insane last night and trashed our entire community garden!â
âThose flowers and plants were just planted by the property management, they cost tens of thousands!â
âSuch a venomous woman! No wonder Mr. Blackwood locked her up!â
Daniel Blackwood emerged from the crowd.
His face was filled with a look of deep sorrow:
âNeighbors, I apologize for not handling my family matters better. My wife, due to some misunderstandings, has suffered a mental breakdown, which led her to do this. I will cover all losses, please donât blame her.â
His words instantly cemented my reputation as a âlunatic.â
I stared at the man I had loved with all my heart for so many years, shaking with fury:
âDaniel Blackwood, youâre lying! I never left the cemetery last night!â
âStill trying to deny it!â
A security guard held up his phone.
âThe surveillance camera caught a womanâs back, and she was wearing exactly what you have on!â
âThis crazy woman is bad luck, and her daughterâs grave is bad luck too!â
âThrow out the urn! Donât let it dirty our cemetery!â
I lunged forward to stop them, but several men held me down firmly.
My face pressed against the cold floor tiles, tears mixing with dust, blurring my vision.
All I could manage were guttural screams.
They pried open the small niche and pulled out the black urn.
I struggled desperately, and the urn crashed to the ground with a sickening thud.
The lid flew open, and the grayish-white ashes scattered across the floor.
A gust of wind blew through, stirring up a cloud of dust.
I watched, helpless, as my daughterâs last trace in this world simply vanished.
The crowd dispersed, muttering curses.
Daniel Blackwood slowly walked over.
He looked at me with complex emotions:
âSarah, youâve always been so strong⊠Itâs just a place for ashes. Iâll buy a better burial plot laterâŠâ
âYou know, Chloe Sterling has been pampered since childhood and has never suffered any grievances. What you did yesterday, sprinkling medication ash into her bowl, was truly too much.â
I gritted my teeth, every word tinged with blood:
âMy daughter only had these ashes left in this world.â
âI understand,â he sighed.
âBut if I donât appease Chloe Sterling like this, what if her depression acts up? What if it affects the baby sheâs carrying? Sarah, you should understand my difficulties.â
He paused, his voice softening slightly:
âSarah, you need to be strong.â
Strong?
What a cruel joke!
My dad died of liver failure after participating in clinical trials to help Daniel develop a new drug.
To spare Daniel any guilt, I forced myself to handle my fatherâs funeral arrangements alone, not shedding a single tear.
My mother had late-stage lung cancer, and he gave the only imported life-extending medication to Chloe Sterlingâs cat.
Before my mother passed, she held my hand and said:
âDaniel Blackwood⊠he probably has his difficulties, donât resent himâŠâ
My throat tightened, tears welled in my eyes.
But I forced them back.
Yet all this pain I endured, the grievances I swallowed, the tears I held backâ
In his eyes, they became reasons for me to be âstrongâ?
I laughed, my body shaking:
âDaniel Blackwood, is Chloe Sterlingâs mood more important than my daughterâs ashes?â
âCanât you be so petty? She didnât mean it.â
It was always like this; I was always in the wrong.
It was the same before; I merely pointed out that she was prescribing the wrong medication to a patient.
In her enraged fury, Daniel Blackwood locked me in the basement for a whole year.
âSarah, itâs been a year. Have you thought things through?â
When Daniel Blackwood reopened the basement door, the light streaming in from outside stung my eyes.
Chloe Sterling, visibly pregnant, walked over, feigning concern to help me up:
âBe careful, Sarah. Itâs damp down here, donât fall.â
Fall?
I almost laughed.
A year ago, the day I was locked in, our daughter had just taken her last breath.
I knelt, grabbing Daniel Blackwoodâs pant leg, my forehead bleeding from hitting the floor:
âPlease, save Lily! I swear Iâll never touch Chloe Sterling again!â
He looked down at me, his eyes as cold as a surgical blade:
âSarah, youâre sick. How could Chloe Sterling harm a child? Youâre the one losing your mind.â
He embraced a trembling Chloe Sterling, his voice sickeningly tender:
âDonât be afraid. Iâve locked her up; no one will hurt you again.â
Seeing a tenderness in his eyes I had never experienced, the blood in my veins ran cold.
âDaniel Blackwood! My daughter is dead!â
My reply was the *clunk* of a lock.
To get out sooner and bury my daughter, I remained quiet, no tears, no tantrums.
But by the time my daughterâs body began to decompose in the hospital morgue,
Chloe Sterling, while I was asleep, had someone send the body directly to the crematorium.
I frantically pounded on the door, my throat raw from screaming:
âDaniel Blackwood! Thatâs your daughter! How could you let her die without a proper burial?!â
My palms bled from hitting the door, and in return, rats were thrown in through the vent in the middle of the night.
They bit my feet, gnawed at my fingers.
I huddled in the corner, my wounds festering, my fever raging repeatedly.
âAre you alright?â
Chloe Sterlingâs voice pulled me back to reality.
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, looked up at Daniel Blackwood, my voice hoarse:
âWhere are Lilyâs ashes?â
No one answered.
My heart sank, and I stumbled towards the childrenâs room on the second floor.
I had decorated it myself when I was pregnant.
The closer I got, the more my heart ached.
But the moment I pushed open the door, I froze.
The room was filled with lingerie, whips, and handcuffs.
The walls were covered with nude oil paintings of Chloe Sterling.
My fingers dug into the doorframe, my knuckles white.
Daniel Blackwoodâs footsteps approached from behind, his tone impatient:
âI let you out not for you to cause a scene.â
âThe dead cannot be brought back to life, canât you just move on?â
âNo!â
I spun around and slapped him across the face.
âThis filthy place is your explanation to our daughter?! Daniel Blackwood, do you even deserve to be a father?!â
âIâm only asking you, where are her ashes?â
At the mention of our daughter, his gaze darted away.
âChloe Sterling is pregnant and emotionally unstable; I just painted some pictures to cheer her upâŠâ
âSheâs suffering from prenatal depression, I couldnât help it.â
âCouldnât help it?â
When Chloe Sterling moved into my house, and neighbors pointed fingers at me, he pretended not to seeâhe couldnât help it.
When Chloe Sterling put peanuts, to which Iâm severely allergic, in my soup, and I went into anaphylactic shock, he didnât bat an eyeâhe couldnât help it.
When Chloe Sterling caused our daughterâs death, he protected herâhe couldnât help it.
I laughed, tears streaming down my face:
âAll these âcouldnât help itâ moments have nearly cost me my life.â
I rushed into the room, grabbed a paint can, and hurled it at the paintings.
âSarah Moore, have you gone mad?! What did Chloe Sterling ever do to you?!â
Daniel Blackwood grabbed my wrist but suddenly froze.
Beneath my sleeve, my arms were covered in festering wounds.
âYou⊠How did you get these? I explicitly ordered them to send you food every day, to take good care of youâŠâ
âIâm doing just fine.â
âYou can just kneel here. When youâve reflected enough, then you can come back.â
Daniel Blackwoodâs cold voice brought me back to reality, and I pursed my lips, unable to utter a single word.
I knelt on the ground, my forehead pressed against my daughterâs tiny tombstone, sobbing inconsolably.
âSarah looks so pitiful like this.â
Chloe Sterlingâs voice drifted from behind me. âEven after all this, why wonât she be sensible and just get a divorce and leave?â
She stood before me, her pregnant belly prominent, exuding the air of a victor:
âBut you know, everything youâre experiencing today, I planned it all, step by step.â
She crouched down, leaned close to my ear, her voice laced with a smile:
âI personally dragged your daughter out of the morgue and threw her into that stray dog den on the west side of town.â
âI watched those dogs⊠tear her apart bit by bit, it was truly satisfying.â
She paused, her tone laced with a hint of cruel pride:
âDo you know how Daniel treated me when I came home that night, covered in the smell of blood?â
âHe held me⊠and took me all night.â
âYou bastard! You bitch!â
I shrieked, scrambling to my feet, my hands clamping tightly around her throat.
I was going to kill her! Avenge my daughter!
Chloe Sterlingâs face turned crimson, but she was still laughing:
âServes you right⊠HahahaâŠâ
She found a nearby shovel handle and brought it down hard on my back.
The searing pain made my vision go black.
After more than a year of torment, my body was already broken.
I collapsed to the ground like a rag doll, unable to move.
I donât know how much time passed, but then she crouched down again, dangling something in her hand.
A soft *clinking* sound.
My pupils contracted sharplyâ
It was the string of golden pearls. Three years ago, before Daniel Blackwoodâs heart surgery, I had flown to the Philippines, almost dying in the deep sea to collect them.
Every single pearl was polished by my own hands.
Chloe Sterling laughed mockingly:
âDo you remember these? Actually, I should thank you for these pearls.â
âDaniel loves to play with them in bed⊠one by one, he slowly inserted themâŠâ
âHe said that way, he could feel your intentions.â
The genuine affection Iâd risked my life to acquire now felt like countless poisoned boomerangs piercing my heart.
My chest tightened with a sharp pang, and nausea spread throughout my entire body.
âGet out! Chloe Sterling, get out!â
Her eyes were icy, her words venomous and vicious.
âSarah Moore, you deserve to die!â
My vision swam, and I collapsed.
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The Speech That Stole My Mind
Everyone said Julian Thorne, the genius scion of the Thorne family, was a master manipulator.
Heâd kept Scarlett Hayes, the fearless heiress to a billionaire fortune, by his side for seven years without a title or public recognition.
All she wanted was for Julian to conquer the research on Alzheimer’s disease so he could finally marry her properly.
But even as his company, started from scratch, effortlessly broke into the global top ten, his progress on Alzheimer’s research remained at zero.
I didn’t blame Julian. I just silently straightened his messy tie before he left for the forum.
Julian didn’t know that while the whole world celebrated his career’s success,
I had just received my Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
That wedding, it seemed, Iâd never get.
Soon, I would forget him, and even forget who I am.
1
“She shouldn’t be, she’s only in her twenties. How can she have a disease like Alzheimer’s?”
The doctor’s words echoed in my mind.
Even after I got home, they didn’t stop.
The computer screen beside me flickered off.
Four hours earlier, clinging to a final sliver of hope, I had searched for news of cured Alzheimer’s cases.
But the news laid out the cruelest facts right in front of me.
Losing basic motor functions,
Unprovoked violent outbursts,
Incontinence.
These were all symptoms of late-stage Alzheimer’s. No one was spared.
My chest ached, a dull, heavy pain.
I closed the page, trying to temporarily escape the nightmare, but accidentally clicked on a folder.
His entire family were doctors. Only by solving pressing medical challenges could one inherit the position of family head, marry, and start a family.
As a once-in-a-generation genius,
Julian had voluntarily increased the difficulty, stating he would only marry after his startup finance company achieved success and renown, and he had solved a major medical problem.
With dual Ph.D.s in medicine and finance, he believed only by reaching the pinnacle of both fields could he live up to the family’s investment in his education and upbringing over the years.
Coincidentally, the medical challenge Julian chose was Alzheimer’s disease.
But now, the folder for Alzheimer’s research was an empty shell; not even the first step had been taken.
Beside it, the plans for how his new company would go public and break into world rankings had been executed flawlessly.
I stared blankly at the screen.
Suddenly realizing a devastating truth.
For seven years, Julian Thorne had never intended to marry me.
The moment the screen went dark, the door suddenly opened.
I instinctively swept the scattered medical reports off the table.
Julian, however, frowned slightly at the open laptop.
“Can you please not touch my things when I’m not around?”
Julian closed the laptop, abruptly changing the subject. “Can you help me find my tie?”
“There’s a charity event tonight I need to attend.”
“I need to look formal.”
In the drawer,
His ties were perfectly categorized by color, neatly placed in small boxes.
I found the most suitable one and handed it to Julian.
“We’ve lived here for five years now.”
“You really should start remembering where things are.”
My reminder made a flicker of impatience cross Julian’s features.
“It’s just a small thing, isn’t that what I have you for?”
Julian packed the laptop from the table into his bag.
Watching him skillfully tie his tie, I suddenly felt like I didn’t know him at all.
I met Julian’s gaze in the mirror.
It felt like only today I had caught a glimpse of the real man beneath the surface.
Watching his back as he closed the door, a completely ordinary sight, I couldn’t control my tears, letting them stream down my face.
The doctor said that within a year, my memory would be severely impaired.
Forget remembering where his ties were; I might not even know who I was.
Choking back a sob, I dialed a number.
“Dr. Harrison, it’s me.”
“I’m willing to donate my body, to provide you with a young patient sample for Alzheimer’s research.”
Since Julian never intended to marry me, that wedding I would never get, I didn’t want it anymore.
All night, Julian didn’t come home.
As the CEO of a startup that had broken into the global top ten in just seven years, he was a hot commodity.
Changes to his schedule were common.
The doctor settling back into his chair pulled me back to reality. The latest report lay on the table.
My brain’s deterioration was progressing faster than average.
Perhaps in half a year, I would forget everything.
I quietly absorbed the devastating news.
A familiar voice drew my attention.
On the screen, Julian seemed to be giving an interview.
The host’s laughter was hearty.
“Mr. Thorne, have you ever wanted to thank a particular woman in your entrepreneurial journey?”
Ever since Julian first made a name for himself, reporters had relentlessly dug into his private life.
But not once had they managed to get a single scoop out of him.
During his school days, Julian was a once-in-a-century genius.
He skipped grades in elementary school, fast-tracked through high school, and completed all his university credits in just one year.
He devoted himself entirely to his studies and career, never having any romantic entanglements.
Just as everyone wondered what kind of partner this genius would choose, the news of Julian’s engagement to me broke.
New York’s most notoriously wild and extravagant heiress, paired with a genius who only cared about books and had no sense of romance â somehow, they became a couple.
The more desperately people tried to uncover the inside story, the more Julian refused to reveal anything.
Just when I thought this interview would also end with his usual detached silence,
Julian’s previously serious expression slowly softened, and his voice softened with tenderness.
“Actually, for the company to achieve this ranking so smoothly, there is indeed a lady I need to thank.”
In the hospital room, my heart pounded like a drum.
“The person I want to thank…”
“…is my company’s Chief Technical Officer, and also a junior from my undergraduate yearsâChloe Jenkins.”
The smile froze on my lips.
The doctor’s pitiful gaze fell on me, and a thousand words of comfort compressed into a single sigh.
Five years ago, a company employee called me, their voice urgent.
“Ms. Hayes, can you reach Mr. Thorne? There’s another problem at the lab!”
Opening the study door, I found Julian napping.
Before I could speak, he opened his eyes and spoke first.
“Are they looking for me?”
Seeing me nod, a flicker of annoyance crossed Julian’s previously impassive face.
My heart ached with sympathy and guilt.
He had been working non-stop, pulling weeks of overtime abroad.
I shouldn’t have disturbed him.
As he was leaving, Julian looked down, his face tired.
He said softly,
“I’m really tired.”
“I don’t understand why Mr. Miller and the others absolutely need me there.”
“It seems like such a simple problem to me, but they just can’t figure it out.”
It was the first time Julian had opened up emotionally, and I clumsily tried to comfort him.
“Maybe it’s because you’re a genius.”
He paused.
“Do geniuses really have to bear more than normal people?”
My heart ached for Julian.
I spent an entire afternoon studying the company’s basic operational procedures and financial knowledge.
I wanted to lighten his burden, to buy him some time to breathe in his suffocating schedule.
But when I tried to discuss the company’s future strategies with him,
Julian waved his hand dismissively, his face alight with undisguised delight.
That day was the first time I heard Chloe Jenkins’ name.
He said that Chloe, who had only started that afternoon, had solved all the problems before he even arrived at the office.
He said that while the new girl was pretty, that was her least remarkable trait.
Her charisma, decisiveness, and intelligence surpassed all the other employees in the company.
Watching Julian speak animatedly about Chloe, my initial enthusiasm slowly faded.
I tried to convince myself that I should be happy Julian had found a capable subordinate.
I held my notebook, filled with meticulous notes, wanting to prove that his future wife was just as capable.
“Don’t bother me.”
“The company isn’t your playground. Add another dish my mother likes to the dinner menu tonight.”
Two consecutive rejections made me realize that in his heart, I was never a teammate fighting alongside him.
He was convinced I could only be a demure, virtuous, and ultimately useless rich wife.
But Julian didn’t know that my notes were identical to the company development strategy he later formulated.
The proposal I left on his desk slowly gathered dust, becoming a coaster for his coffee cup.
Chloe Jenkins’ name, however, appeared in our conversations with increasing frequency.
Julian’s daily commute was no longer his usual numb routine; he became anticipatory and appreciative.
I started to feel uneasy.
My old domineering personality resurfaced, and I demanded he take me to the company, to give me a position.
But no matter what I tried, nothing worked.
He just gave me a cold stare.
Telling me to stop making a scene.
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Fresh out of college, I decided to move in with three of my roommates.
The apartment was mine, right in the heart of the city and a short walk from my office-a world away from the dump they’d been sharing out in the suburbs.
For three months, everything was perfect. Harmonious, even.
Then one day, I came home early from work and found them-Madison, Brittany, and Jessica-huddled in the living room, voices low.
“I looked it up,” Madison was saying, her tone hushed but eager. “A place this size in this neighborhood goes for at least ten thousand a month. We’re only paying four, right? What if we sublet the master bedroom? We could pocket an extra four thousand.”
“Let’s do it,” Brittany cut in, her voice sharp. “Why should Chloe get that whole room to herself?”
“I’ve always hated her superior act,” Jessica added with a sneer. “Just thinking about her ending up on the street is already satisfying.”
Listening to their plan, a slow smile touched my lips.
They wanted to see me homeless?
Funny, since I was the landlord.
The voices from inside carried on.
“Anyway, the lease is up in three days. We just won’t renew hers.”
“Serves her right! Who does she think she is, ordering us around like that?”
“And that story about it being her ‘relative’s’ place? That’s why it’s so cheap and we should ‘take good care of it’? Please.”
“I actually reached the real landlord. He agreed to rent to us next quarter-same price.”
Just like that, in a few sentences, they decided my fate.
But they’d forgotten one thing.
After graduation, they couldn’t afford anywhere near work. They were stuck in a cramped apartment way out in the suburbs, waking up at four every morning for a three-hour commute by bus and train.
It was out of pity that I lied. I told them my ârelativeâ owned a place we could get cheap, and invited them to live with me.
This apartment was actually a graduation gift from my parents. It was right next to my office, a five-minute walk away. Prime real estate, four bedrooms, two bathrooms-it was never hard to rent out.
My parents had always taught me to be discreet about money, so I never revealed I was the landlord. I just symbolically collected a thousand dollars in rent from each of them, covering all utilities and maintenance fees myself.
Now, my kindness had been completely twisted.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door.
The laughter inside abruptly ceased, and the air instantly froze.
Madison was the first to react, forcing a smile onto her face.
“Chloe, you’re home early today. Have you eaten? We made noodles, you should have some.”
She pulled me to sit at the dining table. She cleared her throat and began, “Chloe, the landlord called to ask if we’re renewing the lease.”
I kept my head down, eating my noodles, not saying a word.
She secretly watched my expression, then continued, “We’re not planning to renew.”
My hand paused, and I looked up, feigning a bewildered look.
“We found a cheaper place,” she said, her eyes darting nervously. “You asked us to move in with you because the rent for the whole place was too much for you alone, right? Now that we’re not renting, you’ll move out too, won’t you?”
My voice was flat. “No worries. If you guys aren’t renting, I can take the whole place myself. I just finished a big project at work and I’m getting a nice bonus.”
Madison’s face visibly changed. “But it’s such a big place, isn’t it a waste for just one person? Listen to me, you should get a smaller studio. You could save a lot of money.”
If I hadn’t overheard their scheming with my own ears, I might have actually believed she was looking out for me.
“I’m used to living here. Too lazy to move.”
“Chloe!” Brittany, who had been quiet until now, finally snapped. She slammed her fork down on the table. “We wanted to spare you some dignity, but you’re being incredibly dense!”
“Fine, I’ll spell it out for you. We don’t want to live with you anymore. We hope you’ll move out willingly, don’t make us have to get ugly!”
I stared at her coldly.
“I found this place. I signed the contract. Why should I be the one to move out just because you say you’re not renting anymore?”
Jessica, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up. “Chloe, it’s been awkward living with you. If we keep going like this…I don’t think we can even stay friends.”
Jessica was my best friend.
Her family was a mess. Her mother left after she was born. Her dad gambled and drank, and took his anger out on her when he was drunk. She fought her way into college anyway, only for her father to try and sell her off.
One night, I helped her run away. I helped her apply for student loans, and throughout college, I shared every bit of my living expenses with her. We scraped by, and I supported her until she graduated.
After graduation, I couldn’t bear seeing her frail frame squeezed onto buses and subways every day. That’s why I suggested we rent together. And to spare her pride, I even brought the other two in.
Jessica bit her lip, Â looking at me with timid eyes. “You’ve always put me first, Chloe. Please just agree to move out today. We can still be good friends.”
I looked at her blankly, then suddenly laughed.
“Fine, I’ll move.”
Their eyes lit up at my words.
They kept telling me that even if I moved out, we’d still be good friends.
I didn’t want to hear another word from them, so I turned and went back to my room.
Closing the door, I pulled out my phone and called my dad’s contact.
“Raise the rent to twelve thousand.”
It wasn’t long before there was a knock on my door.
I opened it to find the three of them standing outside, glaring furiously at me.
Brittany shoved me hard. “You contacted the landlord to raise the rent, didn’t you?!”
My back hit the corner of a table, making me wince in pain.
Jessica’s eyes were red. “How about this, Chloe? If you talk to your relative and tell him to rent to us for four thousand again, and you move out of the master bedroom, we’re still willing to live with you.”
I crossed my arms, looking at her with cold eyes.
“Where would I sleep?”
“You can just sleep on the couch, can’t you?” Madison replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I’m paying rent, and I have to sleep on the couch?”
“Get real, you’re the one clinging to us, desperate to stay. Letting you sleep on the couch is already pretty generous.”
Jessica took my arm. “We’re good friends, how could I not think of you? I’ve already found you a new place. It’s fully furnished, you can just move right in. Most importantly, it’s only ten feet from your office. Perfect for a workaholic like you.”
“Where is it?”
She covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. “In the security guard’s doghouse, of course!”
“Right outside the company’s security office! How’s that for close? And in winter, the guard dog can even keep you warm for free!”
Brittany chimed in mockingly, “Oh, wow, and you call yourself her best friend, telling her to live in a doghouse? How mean! But…”
Her gaze landed on me, a nasty smirk on her face. “Chloe, remember to pay Jessica a finder’s fee! Fully furnished places like that are hard to come by!”
Jessica waved her hand. “We’re friends, no need for a finder’s fee.”
I watched their performance coldly, not saying a word.
Jessica looked at me, her face serious. “Chloe, living with you has been utterly exhausting, mentally and physically. You’re such a control freak. You wouldn’t let us put anything on the walls, wouldn’t let us decorate our rooms. You even nagged us about a single strand of hair on the floor. We just couldn’t stand it anymore.”
“You’ve driven me to depression. For next quarter’s rent, why don’t you pay for us? Consider it compensation for our emotional distress.”
I almost laughed out loud.
I didn’t let them stick things on the walls because the emulsion paint was custom-mixed. Once damaged, it was almost impossible to restore it perfectly.
I didn’t let them decorate their rooms because they wanted to knock down a load-bearing wall to expand their space.
I nagged them about hair because they never cleaned the drain after washing their hair. It clogged the plumbing, flooded the downstairs neighbor’s apartment, and I had to quietly pay a huge sum to settle it.
In the six months they’d lived here, the money I’d shelled out far exceeded their paltry rent payments.
Now, they wanted me to pay them for emotional damages?
What a joke!
“Either you move out, or I move out, and you pay the twelve thousand rent yourselves.”
With that, I closed the door.
Outside, their furious shouts erupted.
“Chloe, you’re really asking for it, aren’t you?!”
“Don’t you dare push us!”
The next day, I got off work at 11 PM.
When I reached my front door, I froze.
My luggage was piled in the hallway like trash.
I tried the door code several times, but it wouldn’t open. They had clearly changed the password.
A surge of anger shot to my head. I dialed my dad. “Dad, can you send a driver over? I need something delivered…”
Hanging up, I started banging hard on the door.
Bang, bang, bang.
My knocking echoed piercingly in the dead of night.
The noise drew complaints from neighbors, who came out to demand why I was disturbing the peace. Someone even called security.
More and more people gathered. There was movement inside the door.
Click. The door opened.
Brittany, wearing pajamas and a face mask, frowned. “What’s with all the racket in the middle of the night, Chloe? You’re ruining my beauty sleep!”
I forced myself to suppress my rage, pointing at my luggage on the floor. “How dare you throw my things out?”
Hearing the commotion, Jessica walked up, looking at me timidly. “Chloe, we really had no choice. Please, just do us a favor and leave us alone…”
She shot a glance at Madison, who caught it instantly. Madison raised her voice, calling out to the neighbors and the security guard. “Everyone, you be the judge! We’re her roommates, and she brings different men home every night. The noise from her room is so loud we can’t even sleep!”
Then she turned to me, putting on a pleading tone. “We know you have…a special job, and you have to work at night. We don’t judge what you do, but we have to get up for work in the morning! Please, just find another place to live.”
The moment she finished, the neighbors’ eyes shifted toward me-full of disgust, as if I were something filthy.
Jessica offered the crowd an apologetic bow. “I’m so sorry, everyone. Her lease is up, and we’ve made it clear we won’t renew. Even the landlord won’t rent to her anymore. But she just won’t leave, so we had no choice…We’re really sorry for keeping you all up so late.”
The neighbors began to whisper. “She looks so decent. How could she do such dirty work?”
“No wonder she comes home at all hours…”
“Just our luck, living on the same floor as her!”
A middle-aged woman jabbed a finger toward me, furious. “Weren’t you the one blasting music that night? The bass was shaking my ceiling. I didn’t sleep a wink!”
I’d been away on a business trip all last week and only got back yesterday.
Brittany’s face flashed with guilt before she pointed at me. “Yes! It was her!”
Another neighbor stepped forward. “And wasn’t it your hair that clogged the drain and flooded my place last time?”
Jessica, who had the longest hair and never cleaned the drain, paused for a beat before frowning at me. “Chloe, how many times do I have to tell you? Clean your hair out of the drain after you shower. Why do you never listen?”
“And wasn’t she the one who wanted to tear down a wall? She practically put the whole building at risk!”
Madison, who had been the one wanting to knock down a wall to enlarge her room, rubbed her nose. “Yeah, that was her! We tried to stop her, but she wouldn’t back down!”
The neighbors’ anger was fully ignited.
“She’s a menace! Get her out of our building!”
“Security! Kick her out immediately!”
“Call the police, arrest her!”
Seeing the situation, the security guard grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away.
Furious and desperate, I yelled, “I’m the landlord! You can’t just kick me out!”
Brittany scoffed. “If you’re the landlord? I’ll eat dirt!”
Jessica put on a trouble look. “Chloe, I’ve already called the landlord. He’ll be here any minute. If you leave now, at least you’ll save face. It’ll be so much worse if he has to drag you out himself.”
I was trembling with rage.
“Fine! Call the landlord! I’d like to see who dares to throw me out!”
“Who’s looking for me?”
I turned to see a sleazy-looking guy with dyed hair, swaying as he walked over.
“I’m the landlord. You looking for me?”
He squinted, looking me up and down.
“Where’s Mr. Peterson?”
I frowned. My apartment had always been managed by Mr. Peterson, a very responsible property manager.
“You did your homework, huh? You even know my uncle’s last name. Let me tell you, my uncle’s out of town. This place is my responsibility now!”
He pointed at my nose. “I’ve heard all about your little drama from these pretty ladies. I’m not renting my place to someone as morally corrupt as you! Be smart, grab your junk, and get out!”
I looked at him coldly. “Do you even know whose name is on the deed before telling me to leave?”
“It’s my uncle’s place. Of course his name is on it. Not yours, got it?”
The thug, Damon, smirked.
Jessica tried to smooth things over. “Chloe, just stop. The landlord’s here. Accept it.”
Damon ignored me, strutting into the apartment to look around. When he came back out, he snarled, “Hey! Where’s the LEGO set from the TV stand? Did you steal it!”
“That was a limited edition, worth two hundred grand! Hand it over now!”
That LEGO set?
My niece, Lily, loved it last time she visited, so I gave it to her.
“It’s my stuff. Do I need to inform you if I give it away?”
“Your stuff? That’s the landlord’s-my uncle’s-stuff!”
Damon stomped his foot in anger.
Madison immediately jumped in to support him. “We can testify! That LEGO set was here since we moved in. How could it be yours? It clearly belongs to the landlord!”
Jessica frowned. “Chloe, you really should get it back. Stealing is a crime. If the landlord calls the police, you’ll be in big trouble.”
I watched their charade, finding it utterly absurd.
“Then call the police.”
My indifferent attitude completely enraged Damon.
“You bitch! Stealing and acting so arrogant?!”
He slapped me across the face.
Smack! The crisp sound rang out, my ears buzzed, and I tasted blood in my mouth.
Jessica held back Damon, who looked like he was about to hit me again. “Stop, stop. It’s hard to get back something that’s already been given away. Chloe, why don’t you just pay him some money? Since the landlord says it’s worth a hundred grand, just pay him two hundred grand. You… you make good money, it’s just pocket change for you. Pay him quickly, and this whole thing will be over.”
I laughed, a humorless sound.
That LEGO set looked big, but it was actually a model I bought for three thousand dollars.
I finally understood. They had been secretly colluding with Damon, setting a trap to extort money from me.
Seeing I was unmoved, Damon shoved me again. “Damn it, did you hear me?! Pay up! Two hundred grand! Every penny! Otherwise, you won’t be leaving this hallway upright tonight!”
“I told you, that’s my property!”
“Damn it, you’re asking for it!” Damon cursed, raising his hand for another slap.
He hit me, and I stumbled backward, falling to the ground. My vision blurred.
Brittany’s eyes darted around, and she pointed at my luggage, screaming, “She’s a thief! I need to check her luggage carefully, in case she stole any of my stuff too!”
With that, she squatted down and started rummaging through my suitcase.
She pulled out a gold necklace, a flash of envy in her eyes, then turned and shouted, “Oh my god! My gold necklace! It’s been missing for ages, I can’t believe I found it here!”
“Jessica, Madison! Come help me search! She must have stolen a lot of our things!”
Madison’s eyes lit up at the news, and she also started tearing through my luggage.
They were like vultures, pulling out jewelry and brand-name cosmetics from my bags. They claimed everything was theirs, stuffing them into their pockets without a word.
The other neighbors watching also began to stir restlessly.
Jessica smiled sweetly at the crowd. “Everyone, feel free to look around too. See if she stole any of your things.”
As soon as she spoke, the crowd surged forward like a swarm of locusts.
CRASH.
The trophy I won in college was smashed to pieces on the floor.
RIP! The sweater my mom hand-knitted for me was torn to shreds.
My down jacket was ripped open, feathers flying everywhere.
I even saw a creepy middle-aged man pick up my underwear, sniff it deeply, then stuff it into his pocket.
“Stop! All of you, stop!”
I screamed, rushing forward to intervene, only to be roughly shoved back to the ground.
Jessica looked down at me, a sickeningly innocent smile on her face. “Do you think the things she stole might be hidden on her body?”
All eyes snapped to me.
Damon licked his lips. “Strip her. Let’s see what else she’s hiding!”
I yelled, “Touch me once, and I swear none of you will walk away clean!”
“Oh yeah? Show me.”
Damon reached for my collar.
I fought like a wild thing, but Brittany and Madison pinned my arms and legs down.
Jessica pulled out her phone and took a photo of me at my weakest. She mouthed three silent words.
“You deserve it.”
In that moment, I truly regretted ever letting these wolves into my home!
“Excuse me, is Miss Chloe here?”
A driver, sent by my father, stood holding a document envelope. “I have a document for her.”
While everyone was still stunned, I gathered the last of my strength and shoved the people holding me down away.
I ran toward the driver and tore open the envelope.
Inside was the bright red property deed.
I held the document high, my voice sharp and clear. “Look carefully! I am the landlord!”
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My boss went on a business trip for a month, leaving his girlfriend in charge of the company.
She immediately accused me of being late and docked my entire $100,000 commission.
Even my $48 taxi reimbursement request? Rejected!
When I confronted her, she threatened to fire me.
Fine. If that’s how it’s going to be, I decided to take my sales team and jump ship, all of us together.
It was ten in the morning, and I walked into the office right on time.
Iâd been up till midnight talking to a client yesterday, and my head was still pounding.
I was just about to grab a coffee when I checked my phone and saw that my taxi reimbursement request had been rejected.
Forty-eight dollars. That was from last week, when I met Mr. Lee to discuss a new order. We talked so late that I had no choice but to take a taxi home.
The rejection note had Tiffany’s name on it.
Tiffany was Mr. Harrison’s new girlfriend. She was notoriously arrogant and domineering, always snapping at anyone she didn’t like.
But because she had a sweet tongue and knew how to manipulate him, Mr. Harrison usually just let her do whatever she wanted.
He was away on a business trip this month, so heâd put her in temporary charge of the company.
I couldn’t believe she was giving me such a hard time.
I marched straight to Mr. Harrisonâs office.
The door wasn’t quite shut, and Tiffany’s sugary laughter drifted out. I knocked, then pushed it open.
She was sprawled in Mr. Harrisonâs swivel chair, glued to her phone. She looked up, raised an eyebrow.
“Yes?”
I took a deep breath.
“Tiffany, why wasn’t my taxi reimbursement from last week approved?”
She glanced at the screen and scoffed.
“You took the taxi yourself, of course you have to pay for it. Is this company your personal fund? You expect us to pay for your cab rides too?”
“I was talking to Mr. Lee until 10:30 PM that night. The area was pretty isolated, and public transport had stopped hours ago.”
I met her eyes.
“And we were discussing a three-million-dollar order for the second half of the year.”
“So what?”
Tiffany tossed her phone aside, her bright red nails tapping on the desk.
“You need to understand, the company isn’t here just to pay for you! If everyone in sales acted like you, how would we even stay in business?”
“But company policy states…” I took another deep breath.
“If you work past 10 PM, the company reimburses your taxi fare.”
Tiffany leaned back, crossing her arms.
“Policy?”
She rolled her eyes at me.
“What policy? The company gives you a job; you create value for the company. Do you treat this place like your own living room, expecting us to pay for your taxi rides too?”
I looked at her, enunciating each word.
“Company policy is set by Mr. Harrison.”
Tiffany suddenly shot to her feet, her finger practically jabbing at my face.
“Riley! Get this straight! I’m in charge now! If I say no, it’s no! You’re just a salesperson; how dare you challenge me?!”
Her voice was piercingly shrill. The open-plan office outside instantly fell silent.
“What’s wrong with being a salesperson?” I took a step forward.
“Eighty percent of this company’s current revenue comes from the sales department, from the clients I handle. Last year, the company was on the brink of collapse. I was the one who closed a five-million-dollar deal and saved it.”
Back when Mr. Harrison’s company was about to go under, he accidentally hired me.
And in my very first month, I generated five million dollars in sales, putting the company back on its feet.
Since then, Mr. Harrison had always treated me with respect and usually listened to my advice on major decisions.
Tiffany slammed her hand on the desk, her face contorted into an ugly grimace, mouth agape.
“Oh, really? You’re just an employee, do you really think this company belongs to you now?”
“Should I just give you my position too, then?”
“Let me tell you, this company will be just fine without you! Now get out!”
I stared at Tiffany in disbelief.
“You’re firing me? Have you even asked Mr. Harrison?”
I generated 80% of the company’s profits; how dare she fire me?
Tiffany sneered, looking at me with utter contempt.
“You’re just a salesperson! A dirty peddler! What’s wrong with me firing you?”
“This is my boyfriend’s company! I can fire whoever I want!”
“Besides, who knows if you got those sales by sleeping with old men, leveraging your looks!”
She just outright slandered me.
I gritted my teeth, taking a deep breath.
Mr. Harrison had always treated me well, I couldn’t just walk away like this. So I sat down on the sofa.
“You should really ask Mr. Harrison what he thinks first.”
Tiffany rolled her eyes.
“Who do you think you are?”
With that, she dialed Mr. Harrisonâs number directly.
Mr. Harrison’s voice on the other end sounded tired.
“What is it?”
Tiffany, who had just been yelling at me in a shrill voice, immediately softened, speaking sweetly.
“Honey, I miss you.”
Mr. Harrison sighed.
“Just tell me what you want.”
Tiffany shot me a triumphant look.
“There’s a salesperson here who’s breaking company rules! I want to kick him out.”
“Whatever. I need to rest.”
Mr. Harrison casually dismissed her and hung up.
Tiffany then looked at me, utterly smug.
“Hear that? I can fire whoever I want! Now get out!”
I let out a cold laugh, staring at Tiffany.
“Are you sure about that?”
“If Mr. Harrison comes back and finds out you fired me, he might get angry.”
I was trying to be helpful.
Headhunters had been offering me huge sums for ages, but I’d stayed out of loyalty to Mr. Harrison all these years.
My leaving wouldn’t affect me one bit, but Tiffany? That was a different story.
Tiffany glared at me.
“Who do you think you are? Just a salesperson. I’m my boyfriend’s future wife, the lady of this company.”
“Let me tell you, as long as I’m around, you’ll never get to seduce my husband!”
Hearing her say that, I just shook my head.
Well, if that’s how it was going to be, then so be it.
I turned and walked out of the office. My colleagues outside had already heard our argument but didn’t know what had happened, staring at me intently.
“Boss, what’s wrong?” Marcus asked.
I efficiently started packing my things, a slight smile on my face.
“What’s wrong? I got fired, that’s what.”
My colleagues’ eyes widened. They looked at me in disbelief.
“Fired you? Is Tiffany out of her mind? Everyone knows you’re Mr. Harrison’s favorite! Isn’t she afraid he’ll break up with her?”
I shook my head, chuckling softly.
“I can’t worry about that. It’s her decision; she has to live with the consequences.”
“Besides, I’ve been working so many years; I’ve been wanting a good long break.”
I had long saved enough money to be financially independent, but I’d never taken a break or felt comfortable asking for one.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Marcus was fuming.
“No, seriously, why did she fire you? Did you offend her, Boss?”
I frowned, thinking back carefully.
“Maybe it was last time, when Mr. Harrison called me to talk about work, and I didn’t answer her call. She probably thought I was having an affair with him.”
“She’s been looking for excuses to pick fights with me ever since.”
Yesterday, Tiffany had posted a photo of herself and Mr. Harrison in the WhatsApp group. Everyone had replied with ‘perfect match.’
I was the only one who’d seen it but didn’t bother to reply.
That was probably the final straw.
“I should call Mr. Harrison right now. You’re the backbone of this company; you can’t just leave.”
I shook my head, a light laugh escaping me.
“No, it’s fine. Even if I were to come back, it would only be after Tiffany and Mr. Harrison break up. I really can’t stand her behavior. We’ll see about it later.”
I finished packing my things and headed to the finance office to collect this month’s salary.
Although I’d only worked ten days this month, I’d closed a three-million-dollar deal last month.
According to my contract, I was owed a $300,000 commission.
I informed Chloe, the finance girl, that I’d been fired and asked her to transfer my salary to my account.
Just then, Tiffany suddenly appeared at the office doorway, glaring at me.
“Riley, didn’t I tell you to get out? What are you doing here?”
I gave her a bland look. She was gloating, smug and self-satisfied because she’d snagged a rich boyfriend. It was particularly nauseating to watch.
Seeing I didn’t respond, Tiffany immediately got agitated, stepping forward and grabbing my clothes.
“Didn’t you hear me talking to you? What are you doing in the finance office? These are important company documents! Get out now, or I’m calling the police!”
I frowned, forcefully shaking off Tiffany’s hand.
“Let go!”
“I’ve resigned. Is there a problem with me collecting this month’s salary? You should be grateful I’m not asking for compensation.”
Tiffany glared at Chloe.
“How much is her salary?”
Chloe nervously answered.
“Three hundred thousand and five thousand dollars.”
Tiffany’s face immediately soured.
“How much?”
After Chloe repeated the amount, Tiffany pointed at me.
“You violated company policy by being late, so your entire salary for this month is docked.”
I let out a cold laugh.
“Being late once means a $200 deduction. How did you calculate that? Did you even finish elementary school?”
Tiffany, however, looked at me with full confidence.
“I just set a new rule: three lates, and your entire month’s salary is gone. Now get out!”
“What gives you the right to make rules?”
Tiffany crossed her arms, shamelessly.
“I’ll have a share in this company in the future, so what’s wrong with me making rules?”
I couldn’t be bothered arguing with her.
“Then you can expect a lawsuit from me.”
With that, I stormed out.
I grabbed my things and drove home. As soon as I’d put everything away, I saw Tiffany had sent a message in the company WhatsApp group, which I hadn’t left yet.
“From now on, everyone must reply to my messages. Anyone who doesn’t will face the same consequences as the person who was fired today.”
“Also, from now on, the company will not reimburse your taxi fares. Don’t always think of the company as your personal piggy bank!”
It seemed she really did fire me because I hadn’t joined in the praise.
Mr. Harrison was truly unlucky to have found such a girlfriend.
Everyone below immediately replied to her message. I found it annoying, so I just exited all the groups.
My phone instantly became much quieter.
But since Tiffany wouldn’t let me take my last month’s salary, I had to teach her a lesson.
All of the company’s important clients were stored in my personal email. So I sent a group message to all these clients, basically informing them that I had resigned and would no longer be handling business at the company.
Most of these people were clients I had brought in, and they cooperated with the company largely because of me.
If I left, they would most likely follow me.
Sure enough, within two minutes, my former clients started flooding me with messages, asking which company I was moving to and expressing their willingness to transfer their contracts.
I explained the situation to each of them, saying I hadn’t found a new job yet but would contact them immediately once I did.
There were so many clients; I was still replying until it got dark, eventually falling asleep from exhaustion.
When I woke up the next day, Marcus sent me a message.
“Boss, a lot of our partners are saying they want to terminate their agreements and won’t be renewing their contracts. Was that you?”
Looks like my plan was working. I chuckled softly.
“I didn’t do anything; I merely stated the fact that I’ve resigned.”
“You’re amazing. Tiffany came in this morning, heard about it, and blew up at several salespeople, demanding to know why they couldn’t retain clients. Now several salespeople are preparing to resign, saying they won’t put up with her attitude.”
It seemed many people in the company were unhappy with Tiffany. I wondered how she would handle this mess.
Meanwhile, I prepared to contact a lawyer to file a lawsuit and get my salary back.
Even though I didn’t desperately need the money, I couldn’t let her get away with it.
To my surprise, a few days later, Tiffany actually called me.
I was startled, picking up the phone with confusion.
“What is it?”
As soon as I answered, she launched into a furious tirade.
“Riley, are you even human?! Where are all the company’s client contacts? They all say they’re with you! Hand over those phone numbers right now! Those are company property! I’ll sue you, I swear!”
I paused, then realized Tiffany was getting desperate.
“You’re disgusting! Give me those client numbers now! Or I’ll kill you, you hear me?!”
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My Christmas vacation was meticulously planned, but my boyfriend kept complaining about my spending.
To save money, he actually put me up for “auction starting at one dollar” on a travel companion app.
Whoever bid the highest would get my companionship for the next three days.
He even called it “resource sharing.”
Watching the bidding price on the app steadily climb, and seeing my boyfriend’s smug face, I just smiled.
He had no idea that the top bidder on the list was someone I’d called in.
It was Christmas break, and my boyfriend, Brendan, and I were on vacation in Hawaii.
Standing by the ocean, with the gentle breeze blowing, it should have been utterly blissful.
But Brendan, standing right beside me, was lecturing me about money for the third time.
“Aurora, I just don’t get it. This Airbnb is over three hundred dollars a night. What’s the difference between this and one that’s a hundred bucks? Don’t they all have a bed and a bathroom?”
“We’re here for a holiday, not a budget trip.”
I stared at the distant horizon, unwilling to argue with him on our first day.
“So a holiday means wasting money? Look at you, you just *had* to buy that new dress before we left. Five hundred dollars! That’s my whole month’s grocery budget!”
Here he went again.
Brendan’s cheapness was practically coded into his DNA.
When we ate out, he’d always find the cheapest coupon deals or bargain combos.
For movies, he only bought the Tuesday discount tickets.
For my birthday, the gift he gave me was a thermal mug he’d won in a raffle at his company’s annual holiday party.
I always tried to tell myself he was just frugal, that he still cared about me.
But this trip, his stingy nature was amplified in this unfamiliar environment, turning him into a truly selfish and petty jerk.
At lunchtime, I wanted to go to a popular, trendy restaurant I’d found online.
Brendan’s face immediately darkened.
“One hundred forty dollars for a single chicken stir-fry? They might as well just rob us!”
He dragged me through the winding alleys of the old town, finally stopping in front of a grocery store.
“Here, instant noodles, all kinds of flavors. Problem solved.”
I looked at the instant noodles he was offering, my stomach churning.
“Brendan, we’re on vacation.”
“So what if we’re on vacation? Does that mean we don’t have to be responsible with money?”
“Aurora, I’ve noticed you’re spending more and more lately. We’re going to get married and buy a house eventually. You’re putting a lot of pressure on me.”
I yanked my hand away from his and walked straight into the restaurant.
“Eat it or don’t. I’m going.”
I ordered two dishes for myself.
The chicken soup was fresh and delicious, the stir-fried meat sweet and tangy.
Not long after, Brendan showed up anyway.
He didn’t say a word to me. He just sat down and grabbed a fork.
He ate faster than anyone.
When the bill came, he stood to the side, fiddling with his phone, showing no intention of paying.
I paid the bill. Two hundred sixty-eight dollars.
He glanced at the receipt, a sarcastic smirk on his face.
“How lavish, Princess.”
“One meal, and you’ve blown three days of my salary. Impressive.”
I couldn’t be bothered with him. I just walked straight out.
Back at the Airbnb, I was exhausted and just wanted to lie down and rest.
But Brendan was sitting by the window, messing with his phone.
He kept glancing up at me, a strange look on his face.
I couldn’t help but ask, “Brendan, what are you doing now?”
He turned the phone screen towards me, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
“Aurora, I’ve figured out a great way to earn back our travel expenses.”
“Look, this TravelBuds app, it’s really popular.”
I leaned closer to look. The screen showed an interface similar to a dating app.
He pointed to a post and said, “See this? Someone’s looking to split gas money. They could save hundreds of dollars on a trip.”
“What does that have to do with us? We didn’t drive here.”
Brendan’s smile widened.
“We can share other ‘resources’.”
He typed rapidly on the screen, then shoved the phone in my face.
The screen displayed a newly published post:
ăMy girlfriend is too extravagant. This Christmas trip is breaking the bank. Starting bid of one dollar for three days of her companionship. Highest bidder wins. Photos included. Absolutely worth it.ă
Below the post was a candid photo of me by the beach.
In the picture, I was wearing my new dress, smiling brightly.
All the blood rushed to my head, and my face burned.
“Brendan! Are you insane?! Delete that right now!”
What did he think I was? An item to be auctioned?
Brendan, however, casually pulled his phone back, even turning on the speaker, listening with relish to the constant “ding-dong” sounds from the app.
Those were the notification sounds of people placing bids.
“Delete what? It’s fun!”
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs, looking like a mastermind with a brilliant plan.
“It’s performance art, Aurora. You wouldn’t get it.”
“Besides, if someone actually bids high, won’t we make back our travel expenses? We might even turn a profit.”
I literally couldn’t believe my ears. “You’re publicly humiliating me!”
I lunged to snatch his phone, but he easily dodged me.
“Aurora, don’t be so dramatic! It’s just a joke.”
“Anyway, people are bidding. That means you’re popular. You should be flattered.”
I was trembling with rage, but he was admiring his handiwork.
“Oh, someone’s already bid fifty dollars.
“Not bad, not bad. Looks like you’re worth something.”
He even showed me the chat logs of his friends in their group chat, practically worshipping him.
“Dude, you’re a genius! How’d you even think of this?”
“Aurora’s hot enough to fetch thousands, right?”
“When the money rolls in, drinks are on you!”
I stared at those disgusting messages, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
So, in their eyes, I was just a commodity, something to be bought and sold.
“Brendan, I’m telling you one last time: delete it!”
“No.”
He held his phone high above his head, a defiant smirk on his face.
“Unless you promise me that for the next few days, you won’t spend a single extra dollar, and all expenses will be decided by me.”
He thought he had me exactly where he wanted me.
But watching his smug face, the fury in my heart slowly, strangely, cooled.
Getting angry over a scumbag like him wasn’t worth it.
I sat back on the bed, staring at him coldly.
“Fine.”
“I’d like to see how much I’m worth.”
Brendan froze for a second, surprised I’d given in so quickly.
The smirk on his face widened even more.
“That’s more like it, Aurora.”
He walked over, intending to hug me, but I recoiled in disgust.
“Don’t touch me.”
He just shrugged, didn’t push it, and turned his attention back to the auction post.
“Whoa, one hundred! This user ‘SilentBreeze’ is serious!”
“And ‘MountainMist’ isn’t bad either, up to one hundred twenty!”
I pulled out my own phone, opened SnapChat, and found a contact I barely ever spoke to.
It was my boss, Alpha.
I just sent him a message:
“Are you there?”
He replied instantly.
“Yes. Everything alright?”
I took a deep breath, sent him the link to Brendan’s auction post, along with our current location, and started typing.
“Alpha, I know this is incredibly presumptuous. I’m in a bit of a bind right now.”
“My boyfriend, to save money, put me up for auction on this app.”
“I don’t want anything to do with him anymore. Could you do me a favor and turn this farce into a full-blown spectacle?”
After sending the message, I felt a knot of anxiety.
Alpha was the CEO’s son, a classic corporate heir.
At the office, he was always impeccably dressed in a suit, his expression stern, radiating an aura that kept everyone at a distance.
Our only significant interaction was at a company retreat, where I got blackout drunk and threw up on him.
The next day, I went to apologize, terrified I’d be fired.
But he just gave me a blank stare and mumbled, “Maybe don’t drink so much next time.”
After that, he seemed to pay a bit more attention to me, occasionally offering me advice on work matters.
But after Brendan and I got together, we hadn’t been in touch.
I wondered if he’d think I was crazy, or if he’d laugh at me.
My phone vibrated. It was Alpha’s reply.
“Alright. What do you need me to do?”
I glanced at Brendan, still gloating over the bids, and smirked to myself. I replied to Alpha.
“It’s simple.”
“Bid for me at a price he can’t refuse.”
“Then transfer the money to me.”
Alpha was silent for a few seconds.
“Understood.”
“Send me your account details.”
I sent him my PayPal QR code.
After doing all that, I put down my phone, feeling like the pent-up frustration in my heart had finally found an outlet.
Meanwhile, Brendan was still giddy over the small, steadily climbing numbers.
“Two hundred dollars! Aurora, look! It’s already two hundred dollars!”
“Oh my god, we’ve almost made back the cost of our Airbnb for this trip!”
I looked at him coldly.
“Really? Just two hundred dollars, and you’ve sold three days of my freedom. You’re quite the schemer, aren’t you?”
Brendan stiffened, then retorted self-righteously.
“How is this ‘selling’? This is ‘resource exchange’, ‘experiencing life’.”
“Besides, the money isn’t the point. It’s the thrill of the game.”
Just then, his phone’s notification sound suddenly became frantic.
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”
Brendan looked down, his eyes widening instantly.
“Holy crap!”
He cursed, jumping up from his chair in excitement.
“Aurora! Look! Someone just bid! One thousand dollars! Straight to one thousand dollars!”
He shoved the phone in my face. I saw a user with the ID ‘G’ had instantly upped the price from $200 to $1,000.
Brendan’s friend group chat exploded too.
“Dude! A whale!”
“One thousand dollars… who *is* this person?”
User ‘G’ seemed to be in a personal bidding war.
When others added $10, he added $500.
When others added $100, he added $1,000.
The price surged upwards at an insane speed.
$2,000… $5,000… $10,000!
When the price jumped to ten thousand dollars, Brendan was speechless. He stared intensely at the screen.
His friends in the group chat started sucking up to him.
“Brendan! Let me cling to your leg! This isn’t finding a companion, this is finding a millionaire!”
I looked at Brendan’s wide-eyed, like he’d never seen money before, and felt only contempt.
He was losing his mind over a measly ten grand.
I picked up my phone and sent Alpha a message.
“That’s enough. Any higher and it’ll look too fake.”
Alpha replied quickly.
“Not enough.”
“The price for your humiliation can’t be this low.”
Then, I watched as the price leaped from $10,000 to a number that made my heart pound.
$88,888.
Eighty-eight thousand eight hundred eighty-eight dollars.
The moment that number appeared, the entire bidding page went silent.
Those who had been adding tens and hundreds of dollars earlier vanished instantly.
Only that glaring $88,888 remained, high at the top of the list.
Brendan was utterly speechless.
He held his phone, repeatedly checking the number, rubbing his eyes several times, even restarting the app.
“Eight… eighty thousand dollars?”
He mumbled to himself, “I… I’m not dreaming, am I?”
He suddenly looked up, his face filled with wild joy.
“Aurora! We’re rich! We’re rich!”
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On our wedding anniversary, my husband personally sent me into the operating room.
He knew I had already died twice.
He also knew I could come back one more time.
So when his white moonlight needed a heart, he chose me without hesitation.
âShe wonât die,â he told the doctor calmly.
What he didnât know wasâ
This time, it was my last life.
Adrian Quinn carried my lifeless body into the underground room of the Search and Rescue (SAR) Team base. My internal organs had been removed, leaving only an empty shell. My face, however, was rosy, as if I were just sleeping.
He skillfully opened the cryogenic equipment, his movements clean and precise. As he placed me inside, his hands were steady, without even a hint of hesitation.
“Sleep for now,” his voice was terrifyingly calm. “Didn’t you say that dying doesn’t matter?”
Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. I had prepared a table full of delicious food at home and bought his favorite red wine. Seeing him come home on time for once, I was as happy as a fool.
When the phone rang, he had just picked up his wine glass. It was his deputy calling: “Captain, Nora got caught in a landslide while patrolling the mountain area. She’s trapped inside…”
His hand trembled, and the wine glass fell to the floor, dark red liquid splashing onto my new dress.
“How badly is she hurt?” His voice was already hoarse.
“It’s serious, her internal organs…”
He didn’t wait for the other person to finish. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out.
I caught his hand, “I’ll go too. I can help.”
He turned back to look at me, his eyes complex, not with concern, but as if he were calculating something.
At the scene, Nora had already been rescued, but her heart was severely damaged and urgently needed a transplant.
He looked at the unconscious Nora on the stretcher, his fingers trembling. It was a panic I had never seen in him before.
Then he looked at me. His eyes were bloodshot.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Before I could understand what he meant, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck.
As I lost consciousness, I saw him nod to the doctor.
They had prepared for this all along.
Miraculously, as I was pushed into the operating room, it was as if my soul floated out of my body. I felt myself hovering in mid-air, witnessing everything.
I saw him standing right next to the operating table. As the surgeon’s scalpel cut open my body, he watched without expression, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion, as if this body was nothing more than a tool to be disposed of at will.
“Her organs are in good condition, and the match is compatible,” the doctor’s voice seemed to come from far away. “It’s enough to save Nora.”
I watched as my heart was taken out, placed in an ice box, and sent to the adjacent operating room.
He followed the ice box out, not even sparing me a final glance.
After putting me in the cryogenic equipment, he sat nearby dealing with documents, occasionally looking up at me.
I floated in front of him, wanting to see if there was even a hint of guilt in his eyes.
But his gaze passed through my soul and fell on his phone – it was a message from the doctor: The surgery was very successful, she’s recovering well.
He smiled with relief, casually tossed my medical record aside, and left the underground room.
The part of the medical record that was open clearly stated: “Organ donor – voluntary donation.”
He didn’t even bother to make up a lie, thinking I would wake up soon anyway.
But what he didn’t know was that this time, I really wouldn’t wake up again.
Because the chance that allowed me to be reborn had already been used up the last time I saved his teammate.
My ability to be reborn was real.
Three years ago, before I was pulled out as the sole survivor of that plane crash, the system informed me that I had gained three lives.
The first time, I used it on myself, allowing myself to survive that plane crash.
Adrian was the SAR team leader who came to investigate the accident.
He was tall, wearing a dark blue uniform with straight shoulder lines.
Standing in front of the plane wreckage, he was surrounded by an aura of coldness, like a general who had walked out of an old photograph.
I was shivering on the stretcher when he turned his face towards me, his well-defined jawline tense.
When those pitch-black eyes swept over me, it felt like they could see through to my soul.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “You’re safe now.”
His voice was deep and pleasant, like warm water slowly being poured into my heart.
At that moment, I was smitten. The system said that if I maintained a three-year marriage with my destined person, I could stay in this world forever.
Looking at this stern man before me, I decided to take a chance.
This was the first time that 28-year-old Eliza Hart had ever been so determined to want something.
Adrian looked to be in his early thirties, very tall, with a lean and muscular build from years of training.
He walked with a special rhythm, probably due to his military background.
Every time I passed by the SAR team, I could recognize his silhouette at a glance.
I started to approach him as an ordinary person.
I would bring coffee to the SAR team every day and prepare late-night snacks for the team members working overtime.
I knew I was like a desperate groupie, but I didn’t care.
They said Adrian never accepted anything from women, but he took my coffee.
He was always polite and gentle, but he always kept his distance from me. The people in the SAR team felt sorry for me, saying I couldn’t see reality clearly.
“Captain Quinn never gives hope to any woman. Don’t waste your efforts.”
But what I didn’t tell them was that every time I pretended to lose my balance, he would always be the first to steady me.
He would tell me to be careful, but his hand would linger.
Until one day, I heard him on the phone calling a woman “Nora,” his tone affectionate.
It turned out to be his former deputy team leader, Nora White. They were said to be childhood sweethearts.
Nora was very beautiful, and everyone said they were a perfect match.
I should have known better and given up. But at that time, I still had two lives left. Young and reckless, I thought I could always make it through three years.
If I had known earlier that the second life would be used to save his teammate, and the third life would be ended by his own hands, I would have stayed far away from him from the very beginning.
But alas, love is blind when you’re in it.
Nora had been Adrian’s partner since their special forces days.
Everyone in the SAR team knew that they were once the most outstanding sniper and spotter.
On the battlefield, a spotter and a sniper need to be in perfect sync to complete their missions.
So after retiring from the military, Adrian and Nora joined the SAR team together, working in perfect harmony as if they were one person.
I once secretly looked through Adrian’s old photo album.
In the photos, Nora wore a uniform, her eyes bright and spirited, exuding a charm that ordinary people like me could never achieve.
And Adrian stood beside her, looking down at her with such gentle eyes.
Later, people in the team told me that Adrian had pursued Nora for five whole years.
From boot camp to special forces, from training grounds to battlefields, everyone thought they would end up together.
But in the end, Nora still rejected him.
“We’re not suitable for each other. You deserve better,” she said.
She said this just before a mission, and Adrian still loaded her bullets for her.
They remained the best partners, as if nothing had happened.
But in the dead of night, Adrian would practice shooting alone on the training ground until his fingers bled.
Later, Nora voluntarily applied for a transfer to a remote SAR branch.
On the day she left, Adrian stood outside the airport, watching her silhouette disappear into the security check.
His fingers unconsciously fiddled with the ring he had never given her.
The team said that was the most lost and dejected they had ever seen Adrian.
I met Adrian six months after Nora left.
At that time, he was like a dead pond, even his smile was cold.
But I didn’t care. Young and impetuous, I thought time would wash away all the past.
“He’s never had eyes for anyone else. You think he’s being gentle? That’s just his professional habit. Not just you, even those Instagram models who send him flowers, beautiful women, he smiles and accepts them, then throws them away as soon as they leave.”
That’s what an old team member once told me.
They couldn’t stand seeing me running to the SAR team time and time again, kindly warning me not to embarrass myself.
But I didn’t believe them.
I told myself that the past was in the past. Even if I was just continuing someone else’s story, I accepted it.
Even the on-duty nurse at the SAR team couldn’t bear to watch anymore: “Eliza, why don’t you understand? Adrian goes to the border to see Nora every year without fail. They may be separated by mountains and rivers, but their feelings are deeper than every day you spend by his side.”
I really didn’t understand.
I didn’t understand why Adrian would accept my pursuit, why he would marry me.
Thinking back now, perhaps from the day I used my second life to save his teammate, he had already been planning something.
The rescue that changed everything happened in my second year of knowing Adrian.
Heavy rain caused a landslide, burying an entire village.
Adrian led the team at the forefront, with his lifelong friend Leo Sanders covering the rear.
No one noticed the massive boulder teetering overhead.
“Adrian!” Leo’s voice cut through the curtain of rain.
The moment Leo pushed Adrian away, the boulder came crashing down.
“No!”
Adrian rushed towards the rubble like a madman, held back by three team members.
Back at the SAR team compound, he knelt in the rain, his whole body shaking like a wounded animal.
It was the first time I had seen him lose control.
Adrian, who was always calm and composed, could actually be driven to such despair.
Leo was Adrian’s brother in all but blood. They had grown up together, joined the military together, entered the special forces together, and later retired to join the SAR team together. Their relationship was closer than real brothers.
When Leo was rescued, his heart had already stopped beating.
The doctor said that even if they could save him, he would need a heart transplant, and the treatment would cost at least five million dollars.
“Please, you must save him,” Adrian gripped the doctor’s hands, his voice hoarse. “I’ll find a way to pay, no matter how much it costs.”
But he had only recently retired from the military, and his salary was mostly going towards his mortgage.
His teammates pitched in, a thousand here, ten thousand there, but they only managed to gather half a million.
I watched him pacing back and forth in the hospital corridor, his eyes bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept for days.
“It should have been me,” he kept saying. “Why did he save me?”
At that moment, I felt like I was suffocating from heartache.
I couldn’t hold back anymore.
“I can donate my heart,” I pushed open the door and walked in. “My tissue type is a perfect match for Leo.”
Adrian jerked his head up.
“Are you crazy?” His voice was raspy. “You’ll die!”
I smiled at him and whispered in his ear: “Trust me, I have a superpower. I won’t die.”
He still didn’t agree, but I went ahead with the surgery behind his back.
Not only did I donate my heart, but also my liver and kidneys to a rich man’s daughter. The wealthy man transferred five million dollars to Adrian’s account.
Three days later, I woke up.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Adrian keeping vigil by my bedside. He hadn’t slept for three whole days. Dark circles under his eyes, yet he stubbornly refused to leave.
“You’re awake,” his voice was hoarse as he carefully held my hand. “Does it hurt?”
It was the first time I had seen him so gentle.
Leo recovered quickly, and Adrian started visiting me in the hospital frequently.
He would peel apples for me, help me drink water, his gaze so focused it made my heart tremble.
Sometimes when I was asleep, I would feel someone gently kissing my forehead.
He began to tell me his stories, about the fun times training with Leo when they were young, about the rigorous tests in the special forces, and about how much he feared losing important people.
When he said these things, his eyes were gentle, but there was also something in them that I couldn’t quite understand.
Later, he proposed to me.
I nodded, tears streaming down my face. He kissed away the tears on my face and held me tight.
After that, I applied to join the SAR team as a contract nurse, so I could be by his side.
It was at this time that Nora was transferred back to the main team.
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My girlfriend made me hand over everything Iâd accomplished to her first love.
I even gave him the CEO title.
Not because I was foolish,
but because I knew one thing for sureâ
he couldnât handle it.
Without me, they couldnât even get the drones off the ground.
And the royal drone show contract came with a penalty clause she could never pay.
Later, when she got on her knees and begged me to come back,
I only said one thing:
âWeâre already divorced.â
Chapter 1
Chloe Sterling, my wife, stood on stage, holding Ethan Mooreâs hand. âEthan, the Sterling Groupâs success is thanks to you,â she announced.
âThis yearâs entire bonus is yours.â She handed him a five-million-dollar check.
The room erupted in applause. Chloeâs father, Richard Sterling, nodded in approval while our colleagues crowded around, cheering them on.
âWith Mr. Moore leading, our global expansion is guaranteed!â
âMr. Sterling and Chloe have a real eye for talent. And Chloe and Ethan? They work better together than most married couples!â
I stood at the back of the crowd, watching the celebration, my technical proposal crumpled in my fist.
Today was supposed to be the companyâs annual bonus ceremony.
But just as I entered the conference hall, Chloe got a call.
There was a reported malfunction in the drone systemâI was needed at the testing site immediately.
After years together, I trusted her without question.
I didnât even grab lunch before rushing over.
My team and I spent all day troubleshooting under the blazing sun, over 100 degrees.
But seeing Chloe hand the entire bonus to Ethan, an intern whoâd been here less than a month, it all became clear.
The system glitch was just an excuse to get me out of the way.
She was ready to hand my three years of workâmy lifeâs achievementâstraight to her first love.
Ethan pretended to notice me then, feigning surprise. âMr. Carter, you made it! We thought you might not show, so we started without you. Hope you donât mind.â His words were polite, but his eyes held a clear challenge as he waved the check in my direction.
Chloe shot me an impatient look. âLiam, whatâs with the attitude? Did you expect the chairman and everyone to just wait for you? No wonder you drag your feet on every project bid. Youâre deadweight. Since youâre here, hand over the Aldonia project to Ethan now. At least then we wonât have to worry about you messing it up.â
I clenched my fists at her tone, my heart turning cold.
The Aldonia project was a massive deal Iâd spent three years securing. It was my lifeâs work.
The Aldonian Crown Prince had provided a five-million-dollar advance. But to ensure thousands of drones could operate flawlessly in the desert, Iâd pulled endless all-nighters.
The constant travel, the jet lag, the stress-induced health issuesâIâd pushed through it all.
Now, just as the project was nearing completion, Chloe wanted to snatch it away with a few words and hand it to her ex.
I almost laughed at how pathetic my dedication had been.
Ten years ago, the Sterling Group was nearly bankrupt, unable to pay its staff.
Chloe took over, announcing plans to pivot to drone technology.
Without hesitation, I left my well-paying tech job and poured all my savings into building her dream from scratch.
But with a background in fashion, she couldnât even read basic code, let alone handle R&D.
For years, I was the backbone of the companyâs tech.
Every patent bore my name. Every crisis required my attention.
When we were struggling for funding, Richard refused to help, looking down on me.
My parents sold their home and life savings to keep us afloat.
That was what saved the Sterling Group.
Only then did marrying Chloe even become an option.
But I wasnât just a husbandâI was the âmarried-inâ husband, taking her family name.
Richard never missed a chance to mock my humble roots, acting as though the Sterling family was doing me a favor by letting me in.
I didnât care back then, because I was in love with Chloe.
I would have done anything for her.
But I never expected that after a few business trips abroad with EthanâŠ
heâd effortlessly take credit for my work.
Chloe and I had been married for ten years.
Yet somehow, I still ranked below her ex, whoâd treated her poorly.
Today, she finally burned away the last bit of feeling I had left.
After a long silence, I spoke calmly.
âFine. Do what you want.â
Ethan couldnât hide his smug grin, though he played humble.
âMs. Sterling, Iâm just a beginner. How could I take over your billion-dollar international project? I heard youâve struggled with it for three years. I only want to help.â
Chloe placed a hand on his shoulder. âEthan, youâre an Ivy League graduate! If you canât handle this, no one here can.â
Richard added firmly, âExactly. Donât sell yourself short. Youâre better than that loser anyway.â
I almost laughed out loud.
Ethanâs degree was just a piece of paper. During his interview, he couldnât explain basic control theory.
But the Sterlings were determined to back him, paying him a fortune.
After soothing Ethan, Chloe turned to mock me.
âLiam, do you really think youâd be anywhere without me? Youâve had it too easy. Youâve forgotten your place. Making a fuss over handing over one project? If Ethan hadnât put in a good word for you, Dad and I wouldâve kicked you out long ago.â
I laughed inwardly.
Had she already forgotten that without me, the companyâs drones wouldnât even function?
I built the tech team from scratch. Now that the Sterlings were on top, they saw me as a burden.
They kept talking, painting me as the familyâs biggest embarrassment.
Taking a deep breath, I walked up to Ethan under Chloeâs scornful gaze.
Everyone watched, probably thinking this pushover was finally about to snap.
But I just smiled calmly.
I pulled the CEO transfer papers from my bag and dropped them at Ethanâs feet.
âManaging thousands of drones must be exhausting. How about I just make you CEO instead?â
Chapter 2
The room fell silent, everyone staring in disbelief.
The Sterling Group executives whispered, thinking Iâd lost my mind.
After all, everyone knew Iâd worked tirelessly for a decade, asking for nothing in return.
âMr. Carter, youâre the companyâs second-in-command! Itâs just one project. Donât throw away your future over a rash decision!â
Hearing this, Chloe seemed to think I was threatening her. Her face flushed with anger.
âLiam, have you lost it?â she snapped. âHow dare you act up after a little criticism? Let me remind youâyouâre only the CEO on paper. Iâm the one who really runs this group.â
I laughed inside.
She shouldâve been thrilled I was stepping down. Wasnât this her dream? To see her beloved ex take the top spot?
Ethan clutched the transfer document, greed flashing in his eyes.
But he played the humble hero. âMr. Carter, are you offering this in anger? Please donât misunderstand. Chloe was just trying to help me catch up. Itâs for the good of the Sterling Group. Besides, how could I replace you? Youâre a veteran here. The CEO role isnât for someone like me.â
He made a show of handing the document back, but his grip stayed tight, as if afraid Iâd take it.
Seeing his act, I smiled faintly. âWhy would I be angry? Youâre an Ivy League returnee. Iâm thrilled to bring in fresh talent. I have every confidence in you as CEO.â
Chloe gave me a suspicious look, then snorted. âEthan, since heâs offering, just take it. With your skills, youâd have gotten there anyway. Everyone here is a witness.â
The moment she finished, Ethan stopped pretending and hugged the document, his eyes gleaming.
Watching him, I sneered inwardly.
Chloe, busy flirting with Ethan, had no idea how technically demanding the Aldonia project was.
Iâd spent a year perfecting the desert formation algorithm.
But they didnât know the core program was still on my encrypted drive, not yet handed over. Even if they stole it, without my notes, it would take months to crack.
Without me, how could they possibly pull off a show with tens of thousands of drones? What they saw as a goldmine would become a swarm of locusts.
Plus, Ethan probably didnât realize that being CEO meant taking on all the responsibility.
If the Aldonia show failed, theyâd not only owe millions in penaltiesâtheyâd face the royal familyâs wrath.
Not to mention the competitors waiting to pounce.
Since they thought I was useless, I saw no need to warn them. The day the project failed would be the day the Sterlings fell.
Chloe seemed almost embarrassed by my easy surrender.
She cleared her throat haughtily. âAlright, Liam, stop standing there. Youâll need to hand over your work. Weâre celebrating Ethanâs success tonight. Since youâre being reasonable, you can join us.â
Her condescending tone was almost funny. If the Aldonia project succeeded, the bonus would be tens of millions. They cut me out of the profits, and now a dinner was supposed to make it okay?
The thought of eating with a weasel like Ethan made me sick. I was about to decline when he chimed in, fake concern plastered on his face.
âOh dear, Mr. Carter, I booked the private room before you arrived, so I didnât save you a seat. My apologies. I mightâve sprained my ankle today, but I should make it right. Please, have a seat. Iâll fetch a chair and some drinks.â
I knew he was playing the victim to score points.
Sure enough, Chloe fretted over him, guiding him to a chair. âEthan, youâve done more than enough for the company. This huge project rests on you. We canât have you running errands.â
She shot me a disgusted look. âWhat are you waiting for? After all your years here, donât you have any sense? Either go get the drinks, or donât bother coming!â
Her double standards made me scoff. Chloe always took me for granted. Iâd worked day and night but was never included in team dinners. Now they acted like they were doing me a favor.
Ethan, pushing his luck, smirked. âMr. Carter, so sorry to trouble you. Iâll make sure to toast you properly laterâŠâ
Before he could finish, I let out a cold laugh and kicked the leather executive chair out from under him.
Chapter 3
Ethan stumbled back, tripping over a chair.
He crashed headfirst into the million-dollar holographic projector. Glass shattered.
I watched him scramble up, blood trickling down his forehead, and sneered.
âWhat, did the star studentâs ankle heal miraculously? That was some agility. Were you a tap dancer in a past life?â
Chloe froze as if doused in ice water.
Then she rushed to Ethanâs side, whirling on me with a roar. âLiam, have you lost your mind? What if Ethanâs hurt? I get it now! You canât stand seeing him succeed, so youâre sabotaging the project!â
I scoffed. âJealous of an idiot? Please.â
âAnd,â I added, âIâve already resigned. So drop the boss act. Iâm done playing your games.â
Chloe trembled, eyes red, about to retort.
I strode out of the conference room without looking back.
The sounds of chaos and Richardâs shouts faded behind me.
I packed my things from my office, my gaze lingering on the velvet box on my desk.
It was a custom bracelet Iâd ordered from overseas.
An anniversary gift for Chloe.
How ironic now.
Staring at it, I drifted back.
In college, Chloe was my goddess.
I knew I was just an ordinary guy, not worthy of an heiress like her.
So I silently adored herârunning errands, buying lunch, even doing her homework.
And yes, she took me for granted, treating me like a backup.
One day, I found a silver bracelet sheâd lost and tried to return it.
But she threw it into a dirty ditch and told me to âstep upâ and be her boyfriend.
Everyone said she was just lashing out after her first love dumped her, taking revenge on me.
But I refused to believe it. I doubled down, convinced my love would win her over.
Like a loyal puppy, I revolved around her 24/7.
I showered her with gifts, always planning surprises. Even after ten years of marriage, nothing changed.
Our anniversary was always marked in my calendar, though Chloe never remembered.
I knew she was never truly passionate about me, but I believed she loved me in her way.
Maybe that was just how she showed love.
So, I accepted being a powerless CEO and the Sterling familyâs live-in husband.
I thought our life would stay happy.
But I underestimated the pull of her first love.
It wasnât until I saw her with Ethanâthe unconcealed affection in her eyesâthat I realized my ten years of devotion were self-deception.
Maybe Ethan had always had a place in her heart.
And I was just a disposable stand-in.
Just as I was about to toss the gift, I bumped into Chloe and her entourage returning to the office.
âWell, well, Liam, werenât you the tough guy earlier?â she sneered. âCanât you be less petty? Resorting to cheap tricks?â
Chloe stood in the doorway, arm in arm with Ethan, executives trailing behind.
I sneered inwardly. This shameless pair wasnât even hiding it.
Ethan tugged Chloeâs sleeve, feigning concern. âChloe, Mr. Carter must want to apologize. Look at the bracelet in his hand. He probably got it to beg your forgiveness!â
Chloe paused, then scoffed. âHah! Does he think a cheap bracelet will win me over? If Ethan hadnât stopped me, Iâd have called securityâŠâ
She reached for the bracelet.
I frowned and tossed it straight into the trash.
âYouâre sick,â I said. âEven trash looks good to you. Get that delusion checked.â
Chapter 4
Without waiting for her reaction, I grabbed my briefcase and left.
I headed home to pack. It was time to end this charade.
But Iâd barely started when the door slammed open.
Chloe stormed in, fuming. âLiam, have you lost it today? Humiliating me in front of everyone? Have you forgotten youâre just my live-in husband?â
Ethan trailed behind, pretending to be concerned. âMr. Carter, I wanted to speak up for you, but you went too far. Is it because Chloe and I are close that you feel threatened? Weâre just colleagues. If you misunderstand, thereâs nothing I can do. I donât want to be the âother man.â I should leave.â
He made a show of leaving, but his steps were slow.
Chloe grabbed his arm, soothing. âEthan, youâre right. Heâs just a live-in husband. Who is he to tell you to leave?â
She turned to me, teeth gritted. âLiam, youâve disappointed me. Youâve changed. Youâre disgusting! Apologize to Ethan, or Iâll kick you out!â
I clenched my fists. It wasnât the first time sheâd threatened me with divorce. Every time we argued over Ethan, sheâd dangle expulsion over my head.
Back then, like a fool, I gave in, thinking sheâd one day see me as her real husband.
Now, I realized Iâd been blind. I didnât need a woman like this.
Seeing my silence, Chloe assumed Iâd back down. She tossed her hair triumphantly. âActually, I donât have to kick you out. As long as you and EthanâŠâ
I cut her off. âEnough. Iâll leave. Letâs get a divorce.â
Chloe was thunderstruck, mouth agape.
Ethan jumped in. âMr. Carter, even if youâre angry, you canât joke about divorce!â
I pulled the divorce papers from my bag and slapped them on the table.
âIâm not joking. Sign it. Letâs end this.â
Chloe finally realized I was serious. She pointed a trembling finger at me. âFine! Get out! Go ahead and regret it!â
A gleam of triumph flashed in Ethanâs eyes, but he feigned concern. âMr. Carter, think this through. Youâre part of the Sterling family. Once you leave, you lose that status. Without them, what will you have?â
His meaning was clear: I was nothing without the Sterlings.
Chloe, emboldened, added, âExactly! Whoâd want a nobody like you without the chances we gave you? You couldnât handle this project, but Ethan managed it effortlessly. Once Aldoniaâs show is done, our company will soar!â
I scoffed. Soar? They were headed for bankruptcy! Without my core program, Ethanâs amateur skills couldnât synchronize ten drones, let alone ten thousand. The Aldonian royal family wasnât to be trifled with. When the project failed, the company would be ruined.
Just then, Chloeâs phone rang.
She shot me a smug look. âLook, itâs Prince Malikâs secretary. Once this payment comes through, Iâm taking Ethan on vacation! And you? You can cry in your crappy rental!â
She put the phone on speaker, eager to flaunt her triumph.
A second later, a furious roar erupted from the phone.
âYou useless idiots! This is the billion-dollar show you bragged about? It canât even fly in a test run! How dare you scam me! Iâll destroy your company!â
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The day I found out I was pregnant, Julian deliberately drove the car off a cliff.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my college days.
Only then did I understandâ
from beginning to end, the person in his heart had always been his first love, Serena.
I tore the love letter to shreds on the spot and walked away in the opposite direction from him.
Eight years later.
He booked the most expensive bar in the city, preparing a proposal for the âlove of his life.â
When he saw me appear, he looked at me with open mockery and said,
âI know you canât let me go, but you didnât have to chase me all the way here, did you?â
But the moment he saw me holding another manâs hand, he completely lost control.
âClaire,â he demanded, eyes burning red, âdidnât you promise to love only me for the rest of your life?â
I never expected to see Julian again, especially not in a nightclub.
Traffic had delayed me, causing me to miss the class reunion dinner. I drove straight to the club where I had a prior engagement. To my surprise, I stumbled upon my old classmates who had moved on to their second venue of the night.
They were lost in the rhythm on the dance floor. Julian, with his fair skin and tall stature, stood out in the crowd. He held Serena close, his eyes full of adoration.
“Julian is truly a rare genius. At such a young age, he already owns several Formula 1 teams,” someone remarked.
“Indeed. Tonight, he rented out this entire club just for Serena.”
“This must be the most luxurious venue in the city. The rental fee for one night must be at least a million dollars.”
“Well, you can’t put a price on a beautiful woman’s smile.”
As the music stopped, Serena stood there, flushed and slightly out of breath.
Suddenly, the big screen lit up, playing a montage of Julian and Serena’s romantic moments. The crowd started to cheer as Serena was ushered onto the stage. Julian, holding a bouquet of roses, got down on one knee before her.
“Serena, will you marry me?” His voice was as soft as a gentle stream, almost overflowing with emotion.
Someone in the crowd asked, “When did Julian break up with Claire?”
The question, neither too loud nor too soft, reached everyone’s ears.
Hearing my name, Julian’s expression darkened, his smile fading.
Serena’s face froze for a moment before she quickly recovered, accepting the flowers from Julian with a polite smile. “Julian has always been popular with women, but who hasn’t made mistakes when they were young? The important thing is that it all worked out in the end.”
The crowd laughed, continuing to compliment the couple on how well-matched they were.
I stood in the corner, watching their intertwined fingers. Was I the mistake she referred to?
But she didn’t know that in my previous life, it was Julian who had pursued me.
He had fallen for me at first sight, launching an intense pursuit. Who could resist a handsome, tall, intelligent man who loved you to the point of obsession?
So I agreed.
On the day we became official, Julian cupped my face, hesitating to kiss me. “Claire, am I dreaming?” he had said. “If I kiss you, will I wake up?”
I laughed, brushing his beautiful eyes before standing on tiptoe to kiss him.
That night, he promised me, “Claire, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.”
I believed him.
But he lied.
I took a deep breath and headed towards the elevator through the dim light.
A sharp-eyed former classmate spotted me and exclaimed, “Claire, what are you doing here?”
“What happened to you? You look so disheveled.”
“Don’t tell me you’re still unemployed. Since Julian is here, why don’t you ask him to help you find a job that pays at least $5000 a month, for old times’ sake?”
Their mockery was undisguised. I didn’t care, just smiling politely as I poured myself a glass of ice water.
From the moment I entered, Julian’s gaze had been fixed on me, never wavering. Seeing me take a free glass of ice water, he seemed to relax a bit and said casually, “Order whatever you want. I’m covering all the expenses tonight.”
I replied, “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”
My tone was polite but carried an unmistakable distance.
Julian’s attempt to approach me halted. Half his face was hidden in the shadows, making his expression unreadable.
After a long moment, he let out a bitter laugh. “Claire, after all these years, you’re still so prideful.”
Serena’s gaze was filled with wariness. She intertwined her fingers with Julian’s, eyeing me with a look of ownership and contempt. “Claire, I don’t mean to be rude, but as a woman, you should at least make an effort with your appearance when you go out.”
“Look at your mismatched clothes and messy hair. How do you expect any man to want to marry you like this?”
“I have plenty of clothes at home that I don’t wear anymore. If you don’t mind, you can have them. After all, Julian buys me so many that I can’t even fit them all in two walk-in closets.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
I turned to look at my reflection in the glass. After two days of non-stop work on set, I was exhausted and hadn’t bothered with my appearance. Standing next to the impeccably groomed Serena, I did look rather unkempt in comparison.
“No, thank you,” I said, waving her off as I helped myself to some chilled fruit from the bar. I was too hungry to care about my table manners.
Julian suddenly walked towards me and held out his phone. I looked up at him, confused.
“Give me your account number. I’ll transfer you $300,000,” he said.
“Your current situation is ultimately because of me.”
“But we’re in the past now. Don’t be so stubborn.”
“Stop waiting for me and move on with your life.”
Julian’s phone wallpaper was a picture of Serena holding a large bouquet of flowers. Looking at her carefree smile, I felt a bit dazed.
In my previous life, let alone being his wallpaper, there wasn’t a single trace of me on Julian’s phone. He didn’t even save my number because he never needed to contact me. Whether in life or work, I always arranged everything for him in advance.
It turns out that love and indifference are indeed very obvious.
We started dating in college and got married right after graduation.
He dreamed of becoming a race car driver, while I wanted to study film directing.
Two completely different dreams that would never intersect.
Seeing his dejected eyes, I gave in.
I gave up the opportunity to study abroad without hesitation, following him around with heavy toolboxes day after day.
He didn’t have professional equipment, so I would ride my bicycle around the city at night delivering food, saving money to buy him the most expensive and best racing suits.
He didn’t have a maintenance team, so I taught myself car repair techniques, taking on the work of an entire team for him alone.
But he still lost.
His second-hand race car, bought at a low price, could never outrun others’ latest models.
Despite my tireless efforts to comfort him in his depression, he pushed me away harshly, his eyes filled with a disgust I had never seen before:
“I’m sick of this boring life with you.”
“If I had chosen Serena back then, I wouldn’t be living like this now.”
Those words shattered all my hopes for the future.
I didn’t even have time to look back at the road we had traveled before we both died in that cliff accident.
I wanted to beg him to save our child.
But the words were swallowed by the flames before they could leave my mouth.
Since fate had given us a chance to start over, we both chose to pursue the lives we wanted.
There was no need for any further contact between us.
I pushed the phone back to him. “There’s no relationship between us. This isn’t necessary.”
Julian frowned, his voice trembling slightly, though he didn’t seem to notice it himself. “No relationship? What do you mean? Am I just a stranger to you now?”
I looked up, meeting his gaze steadily. “Aren’t we? Our lives have no intersection. Whether I dress well or poorly, whether I live comfortably or not, what does it have to do with you?”
“If you have too much money to spend, you might consider helping those in need.”
Perhaps feeling that I had embarrassed him in front of everyone, Julian’s expression turned impatient. He coldly rebuked me, “Claire, stop pretending. Didn’t you show up here just to get my attention?”
Seeing this, Serena gently comforted him, “Julian, don’t say that about Claire. It’s too harsh.”
Turning to me, the contempt in her eyes was barely concealed, though her tone remained gentle as ever. “Claire, don’t mind Julian. He’s just concerned about an old classmate.”
“How about this? I opened a private clinic on South Street. We need a receptionist there, with a salary of $7000 plus room and board.”
“If you’re interested, you can work there.”
Someone nearby exclaimed, “South Street is prime real estate! To have a clinic there, Serena must really be something.”
“Claire, you’ve struck gold! Quick, thank Serena!”
I rolled my eyes, calmly eating my fruit and refusing their offer once again. “No need. I’m very happy with my current job.”
Seeing that I didn’t appreciate their gesture, those trying to curry favor with Julian immediately stood up to criticize me for being ungrateful.
“Claire, I think poverty has made you crazy. Julian and Serena are trying to help you, and not only are you not grateful, but you’re acting all high and mighty.”
“We’re all old classmates. Everyone knows what you’re worth. Don’t miss this opportunity for the sake of your worthless pride.”
After he finished speaking, Serena pretended to stop him. “Please don’t say that about Claire… Maybe she really likes her current life.”
As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears, as if she had been bullied.
Seeing the tears in Serena’s eyes, Julian pulled her into his arms, comforting her softly. “Serena, you’re just too kind.”
He turned to me and said, “Claire, I didn’t expect you to still be so selfish and hypocritical.”
“You really are beyond help! You only deserve the worst life has to offer.”
I was curious why Julian would say such things about me.
In both my previous life and this one, I had never done anything to hurt him. Why, after all these years, was he still speaking to me so harshly?
I didn’t want to engage with them any further and stood up to go to the private room upstairs. However, a former male classmate blocked my way.
He held a drink and leered at me as he approached.
“Claire, I always hated that high-and-mighty act of yours. Never thought I’d see you like this.”
“How about you drink with me? $500 per glass, what do you say?”
“If you let me hold your hand, I might even pay extra.”
I looked closely and barely recognized him as the guy who had confessed to me at the graduation ceremony.
I think his name was Jack.
At the time, I was focused on securing a spot for further studies abroad, so I had flatly rejected his advances.
I didn’t expect him to hold a grudge for so long.
Everyone was laughing, and no one came to my aid.
I frowned.
It wasn’t my intention to join their gathering. If I hadn’t had a prior appointment, I would have left long ago.
The security guards were nowhere to be seen. As I was about to push him away, Julian, who had been quietly watching everything, suddenly threw his glass violently at Jack.
His tone was ice-cold: “Stay away from her.”
Jack, now drenched in alcohol, was about to lash out but stopped when he realized it was Julian. He could only turn back and glare at me viciously.
The glass shattered on the floor. Serena’s schadenfreude smile instantly vanished as she looked at Julian in disbelief. “Julian, what are you doing?”
Julian didn’t even glance at her, his eyes fixed on me. “This is my event tonight. I don’t want any accidents happening here.”
I took two steps back, wiping the alcohol off my pants. “The security here is really poor.”
Serena looked at me, her eyes almost shooting fire. “You’re complaining now?”
“Do you know where you are? This is the property of Adrian, the movie star. If it weren’t for Julian, someone like you wouldn’t be able to set foot in here in a lifetime.”
At the mention of Adrian, several female classmates suddenly became excited.
“Is that the Adrian who’s won all those awards at such a young age and has been on the city’s richest list for five consecutive years?”
“I heard he already has a child, but his wife has never been seen in public.”
Just then, the main door was suddenly pushed open.
A little girl, surrounded by a group of bodyguards, entered the hall.
The girl looked around curiously. A butler in a suit followed closely behind her, cautiously saying, “Miss, please walk slowly. Be careful not to bump into anything.”
The old classmates became excited instantly.
“Someone who can freely enter a private event and is called ‘Miss’ must be the movie star’s little princess!”
“My goodness, she looks exactly like Adrian!”
I was about to step forward when the man who had been splashed with alcohol by Julian earlier blocked my path again.
He didn’t dare confront Julian, so he took out his frustration on me: “Claire, if it weren’t for Julian, how could someone like you even get to see the movie star’s daughter? I suggest you kneel down and apologize to me right now. If I’m in a good mood, I might even marry you.”
“A good man like me with a stable monthly income of $5000 is hard to come by. I advise you to be sensible!”
I ignored him and watched as the movie star’s daughter was surrounded by people.
They bombarded her with questions, and some had already taken out their phones to take pictures.
Serena’s face no longer showed the arrogance from earlier. Instead, she wore a fawning smile: “Little sister, is your daddy Adrian?”
After getting confirmation from the little girl, Serena’s smile became even more ingratiating: “What are you doing here? Would you like some fruit? Let sister get it for you.”
As she spoke, she reached out to touch the girl’s face.
The little girl pushed Serena’s hand away and walked straight towards me.
Under everyone’s gaze, she threw herself into my arms, sweetly calling out: “Mommy!”
Her bright eyes instantly filled with tears as she looked at me pitifully: “Mommy, Lily missed you so much!”
“Why didn’t you answer Lily’s call yesterday?”
I held her in my arms, comforting her softly: “Mommy was rehearsing with the actors on set yesterday and didn’t check her phone. Mommy won’t do it again. Can Lily forgive mommy?”
Lily smiled brightly at me and planted a kiss on my cheek with a “mwah” sound.
“Lily isn’t mad at mommy. I was just worried about you.”
I poked her cheek: “Mommy’s little Lily is the best.”
The late autumn wind was chilly, and I instinctively hugged my arms.
I signaled Adrian to wait for me in the car. After hesitating for a moment, he draped his coat over my shoulders before getting into the car.
Even when facing Julian, he chose to respect and trust me.
I clutched Adrian’s coat tightly, watching Julian approach with unsteady steps.
His eyes were dark and unreadable.
“Why did you marry Adrian? Is he really better than me?”
I was speechless at his words, but thinking back to everything that happened before I married Adrian, I couldn’t help but smile.
That year, I was still a rookie director barely stepping into the film industry. Even new media short drama producers wouldn’t look at my scripts.
To chase my dream, I had spent almost all my savings.
When I was at my wits’ end, Adrian took on my script.
He didn’t look down on me. Instead, he carefully went over the plot details with me, recommended suitable actors, and helped me win my first director’s award.
On the day I received the award, he confessed his feelings to me.
I won’t deny that I had developed feelings for him during our long association, but because of the shadows from my past life, I forced myself to stay calm.
I asked him:
“If I’m with you, can I still continue my career as a director?”
Adrian was surprised by my question:
“You’re an independent person. You can do anything you want without needing my permission. I love you, so I’ll support you with all my might.”
I took a deep breath and continued:
“I like children.”
Adrian chuckled softly:
“So do I.”
I accepted his pursuit, and from that day on, he became the catalyst for my new beginning.
Later, we got married.
Adrian respected my wishes and held a simple wedding in a church with only close friends and family.
Then, we had Lily.
Seeing my happy expression, Julian felt as if his heart was being pricked by needles.
With reddened eyes, he asked me again:
“That little girl, is she really your child?”
“Yes.”
“You weren’t willing to have a child with me, why could you have one with him!”
Hearing this, I suddenly recalled the ultrasound report I had clutched tightly until my death in my previous life.
That child had already developed a regular heartbeat, but ended up perishing with me in the fire.
My chest hurt so much I could barely breathe, and my vision blurred with tears.
Julian was still accusing me of betraying him. Finally, I couldn’t hold back anymore and slapped him across the face.
Julian held his swollen cheek, looking at me in disbelief.
“We once had a child.”
“On the day you drove us off the cliff, I was going to tell you.”
“I used to feel incredibly guilty about that child, but now I’m just relieved. At least my child didn’t have a father like you.”
Upon hearing this, Julian froze on the spot.
He covered his mouth, as if he had received a massive shock, and asked me with a trembling voice:
“No, didn’t you go to have an abortion that day?”
“Serena told me she saw you enter the abortion clinic with her own eyes!”
“She said you thought I was too poor, so you didn’t want to have my child!”
At that moment, I finally understood why Julian had called me selfish when we met again after all these years.
“If I really looked down on you, why would I have married you without hesitation?”
Julian was completely devastated.
He collapsed on the ground, mumbling:
“I killed my child… I killed them.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at the man before me, feeling nothing but ridicule.
“I walked with you for so long, gave you so much, yet you easily believed someone else’s words.”
I turned to leave, but Julian grabbed my hand:
“Claire, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“Please come back to me. I can’t live without you.”
I shook my head and pulled my hand away:
“Julian, you forgot.”
“‘Let’s never see each other again in this life.’ Those were your words that day.”
I understood that no one could change the past.
Fortunately, I had truly let go.
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