Category: English

My name is Mandy Jones. During the Independence Day holiday, I quit my job and traveled to Germany with my father Fred Jones, my grandmother Jessica Jones, and my 9-year-old brother Jeffery Jones. I covered all the expenses, but Jeffery either hit or scolded me the entire trip. Jeffery screamed, “Get lost, I don’t want you around. You’re a jinx, you’ll ruin everything for me.” Everyone thought Jeffery was just being unreasonable, but not long after, he actually fell into the Main River during the dragon boat race, leading to a lung infection. We immediately canceled the trip and returned home. On the plane, Jeffery was burning with fever, barely conscious, yet still yelled angrily at me. Jeffery cried out, “Help! Mandy wants to kill me. Grandma, save me!” That night, Jeffery mysteriously died in the hospital room. Everyone accused me, saying I was the one who killed Jeffery. Fred broke my leg, and Jessica directly pushed me toward a speeding truck. I was run over and died gruesomely on the street. But I was reborn on the day I took my family on the trip abroad. ***** “I don’t want Mandy. She’s not allowed in my house. She’s just an outsider.” The moment I regained consciousness, Jeffery’s disgusted voice pulled me out of the haze. Fred and Jessica heard this and just thought the child was speaking nonsense, paying no attention. But seeing Jeffery’s look of complete resistance, I felt a chill all over. The excruciating pain of being hit and crushed by a truck in my previous life was still vivid, filling my heart with fear. Jessica looked at Jeffery and said dotingly, “Jeffery is right. Mandy will get married in a few years, and then she’ll belong to someone else’s family.” I stood quietly on the side, not arguing. Jeffery, upon hearing Jessica’s words, immediately threw himself on the ground, rolling around and screaming curses. Jeffery cried and shouted, “I don’t want her, kick her out now, she can’t appear in front of me. She’ll kill me, I’m not lying, Grandma.” He lay on the ground, his face flushed red, his eyes filled with fear and disgust as he looked at me. Fred noticed the astonished gazes around him and felt utterly humiliated, so he sternly scolded, “Get up right now! How can you talk about your sister like that?” Jeffery, noticing Fred’s harsher tone, immediately turned his gaze to Jessica, who adored him. Jeffery said aggrievedly, “I’m really not lying, Mandy is a jinx, she will definitely ruin me.” “She just thinks Grandma only loves me, and she always warns me that everything in the house will be hers in the future.” Jessica immediately looked up and reproached me disapprovingly, “How could you say such things to Jeffery!” Seeing Jessica’s blatant favoritism, I felt that all my sincerity towards them in my previous life had been in vain. In my past life, it was my own grandmother who personally pushed me into the abyss of death. At this moment, Fred frowned and commanded, “Enough, there’s a dragon boat race on the Main River today. Take Jeffery to have a look and work on building some sibling bond.” I sighed obediently and reached out to grab Jeffery, ready to take him over. Just then, Jeffery suddenly slapped my hand away forcefully, his eyes red. Jeffery roared, “Get away! I don’t want you to take me there. You’ll push me into the river and drown me!” Jeffery’s heart-wrenching cries immediately made Jessica nervous. She quickly pulled him into her arms, comforting him while watching me warily. Jessica questioned, “What exactly did you do to Jeffery? Did you secretly hit him?” I stood aside, glancing at the bustling dragon boat race outside the hotel. There were five minutes left until the race started at 12, and ten minutes until Jeffery’s inexplicable fall into the water in his previous life.

In my previous life, I followed Fred’s advice and took Jeffery alone to the Main River to watch the race, trying to bond with him and be a good sister. As a result, Jeffery broke free from my hand and disappeared without a trace. It wasn’t until a commotion arose downstream of the Main River, and someone pulled out a barely conscious boy, that I realized it was Jeffery. Later, due to his severe injuries, the police suspected child abuse and reviewed all nearby surveillance, but found nothing. In just five minutes, Jeffery vanished from my side and ended up barely alive downstream of the Main River. I lowered my head in thought for a moment but still refused Fred’s suggestion. I said to Fred, “Dad, you should take Jeffery instead. I really don’t feel confident about his safety if I take him alone.” Fred glared at me after hearing this and said impatiently, “It’s just taking him to watch a dragon boat race! What’s so hard about that? Do you have a problem with Jeffery or are you unhappy with me?” After saying that, he stormed back to the hotel room without looking back. I turned to look at Jessica. I persuaded, “Grandma, there are too many people today. If a stampede happens, it would be terrible. Let’s not go and head back to the hotel instead.” I added, “After all, Jeffery is the only boy in the family.” Jessica looked down at Jeffery, who clearly wanted to watch the race. She hesitated and said, “It’s just a dragon boat race. We can watch from a distance. It’s such a waste to stay in the hotel after coming all the way to Germany.” I looked at Jeffery, a worried expression on my face. I said, “Better safe than sorry. If something really happens to Jeffery, our family line would end, wouldn’t it?” This sentence hit Jessica’s weak spot. In her eyes, only a grandson could carry on the family lineage. Seeing her waver, I immediately pulled Jessica and Jeffery back to the room. I could clearly feel the small hand in my left palm pinch me hard, his palm covered in cold sweat. I sneered inwardly, thinking, “I’d like to see how he plans to frame me without going to the dragon boat race or the Main River.” After returning to the room, Jeffery, sitting on the sofa, kept staring out the window, restless. Before long, he ran to Jessica, crying and acting spoiled. Jeffery pleaded, “Grandma, I want to watch the dragon boat race. I just have to go.” Seeing him cry, Jessica immediately became anxious. She said, “Well… Mandy, why don’t you take Jeffery to have a look? Just be extra careful.” I stood aside and clearly saw that Jeffery in Jessica’s arms wasn’t crying at all but was glaring at me sideways. I thought disdainfully, “Would I really be outsmarted by a kid?” I turned on the TV and switched to the live broadcast channel of the dragon boat race. I said to Jeffery, “Look, this TV screen is so big, much clearer than watching it live.” Jeffery, seeing this, started throwing a tantrum and shouted, “I don’t want to watch this stupid TV, I want to go there! Or I’ll tell Dad you bullied me.” I snorted lightly and said, “Do as you like, but you’re not stepping out of this room today.” My tough attitude instantly made Jeffery’s face turn red with anger. He screamed hoarsely, “All you do is bully me! I hate you! Get out of my house!” He lay on the ground crying and yelling, and before long, he started coughing violently, gasping for air as if he had respiratory alkalosis. Looking at his noisy behavior, I couldn’t help but frown. I thought, “He used to be so cute and clingy when he was little. How did staying with Grandma in the countryside for a few years turn him into such a brat?” Jessica saw him gasping for air as he cried and quickly picked him up, anxiously saying, “Jeffery, breathe slowly. If anything happens to you, it’ll be the death of me.” Seeing my indifferent attitude, Jeffery lay on the ground and started rolling his eyes, looking like he was about to faint. This completely panicked Jessica. Jessica quickly said, “Alright, alright, I’ll go watch the game with you, and Mandy will come too.” Saying that, she went to the bedroom to grab her bag. I took the opportunity to go to the bathroom and locked the hotel room door on my way. But when I came out after washing my hands, the living room was empty. Seeing Jessica come out of the bedroom with a bag on her back and a similarly pale face, my heart sank. I realized Jeffery had gone missing again!

This suite only has a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom, but now, apart from Jessica and me, there’s no sign of Jeffery at all. While I was in the bathroom, I clearly didn’t hear the sound of the door opening! I rushed to the door and found the safety chain still securely latched, instantly shocked. If Jeffery really went out, how could he latch the safety chain from the outside? Jessica and I, both anxious, turned the entire room upside down but couldn’t find any trace of Jeffery. I muttered to myself, “This is absolutely impossible. How on earth did he do it?” Thinking about what happened after Jeffery’s disappearance in my previous life, cold sweat broke out on my forehead, my spine chilled, and I panicked, utterly at a loss. Jessica immediately called the police. I dashed out of the room and ran to the dragon boat race site as fast as I could, frantically searching along the Main River bank, tears streaming down my face. When I returned to the room in a daze, the police had already arrived and were trying to comfort Jessica, who was crying so hard she could barely breathe. But she was too emotional to explain the situation clearly. I explained everything that had just happened to the police in detail. Child disappearance is already a serious case in Germany, let alone we are American tourists. The police immediately sent someone to retrieve the surveillance footage. However, the surveillance footage left me utterly shocked. It showed that ever since Jessica and I brought Jeffery into the room, the door had never been opened again! My mind went blank. Immediately after, the events following Jeffery’s disappearance in my previous life replayed. Half an hour later, the police were notified that a drowned child had been found downstream of the Main River and had been rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. The commotion in the room alerted Fred, who lived next door. He walked over in confusion, and upon learning about his son’s disappearance, he flew into a rage. He kicked me, knocking me to the ground. My head hit the bedpost, and blood started seeping out. Fred yelled angrily, “I told you to take good care of Jeffery! What the hell were you doing? You can’t even watch over a child, you useless piece of crap!” At this moment, Jessica, who was sobbing uncontrollably, suddenly remembered what Jeffery had said a few hours ago and glared at me, questioning angrily. Jessica questioned, “Jeffery said back then that you would get him killed! Was it you?” Fred immediately remembered this as well and nodded firmly at the police. In an instant, I went from being a victim’s family member to a suspect. The police quickly retrieved the hotel lobby’s surveillance footage, which clearly recorded Jeffery saying that I would harm him. I stared in shock at everything happening before me, shaking my head in disbelief. I murmured, “No, it wasn’t me…” Before I could explain, Fred raised his hand and slapped me, angrily yelling, “You wicked woman! How dare you harm your own brother.” I turned my head and fell to the side, ignoring the pain on my face, my mind racing, feeling that something was off. I hurriedly defended myself, “No! It really wasn’t me! The surveillance caught everything—I never left the room, and I was with Grandma the whole time!”

After the SAT scores were announced, I, who ranked second in the school, jumped off a tall building. Just because the night before the exam, my classmate, Ellen Lawrence, told me she could read minds, not only knowing all my answers but also scoring exactly one point higher than me. I didn’t believe her. During the exam, I tried hard to clear my mind. But after the test, when comparing answers with classmates, Ellen repeated my answers word for word. When the SAT scores came out, she beat me by just one point and took the last spot for admission to Harvard University. She patted my pale face and smirked, saying, “Shirley, someone as poor as you wants to change your fate with the SAT? Go die with your short-lived parents!” I couldn’t get into Harvard, so I missed the scholarship the school promised. I could only watch helplessly as my sick parents passed away, and eventually, I ended my own life in despair. Even until my death, I couldn’t figure out how Ellen knew all my answers and managed to score just one point higher than me. I wondered, “Could mind reading really exist in this world?” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day before the SAT exam. This time, I will not lose. “The SAT will begin tomorrow…” Hearing the voice from the TV, I suddenly woke up. I thought, “SAT? Didn’t I already take it? And after that, I lost everything.” After triple-checking, I realized I had been reborn, back to the day before the SAT, before all the nightmares happened. Overwhelmed with joy, I burst into tears, but the next second, my phone vibrated, and the message that once pushed me into the abyss popped up. The sender was my classmate Ellen. Ellen: [Shirley, though you’ve always been the top student in the grade and the only one in school likely to get into Harvard, do you believe it? I can read minds. For this SAT, I not only know all your answers but can precisely control my score to ensure it’s just one point higher than yours.] When I received this message in my previous life, I thought it was just a joke. Ellen, relying on her wealthy family, always loved to bully students like us who came from difficult backgrounds. Because of my good grades, she targeted me even more, always causing trouble for me. At the time, I just thought this message was her trick to mess with my mindset. But to my surprise, after the first day of exams, when checking answers, Ellen actually recited all my choices, even the obscure arguments I used in my essay, with complete accuracy. I was utterly shocked at the time, but she just sneered and said, “I told you I can read minds, why don’t you believe me?” I still refused to believe in mind-reading. During the second day’s exam, I kept my mind blank the entire time and wrote all my problem-solving steps on scratch paper. Yet, when checking answers, Ellen’s responses were still exactly the same as mine. She casually sighed and said, “Shirley, you really struggled with the last math problem. Almost made me run out of time to finish.” At that moment, I completely broke down. But the real despair came after the SAT results were announced. I scored 1500, but Ellen, who always had poor grades, actually scored one point higher than me. That one-point difference cost me the admission letter from Harvard University and the massive scholarship the school had promised. In the hospital, my parents, who were waiting for this life-saving money, eventually passed away in despair. I watched them being wheeled into the morgue, then turned around and saw Ellen’s smug face. She patted my bloodless face and laughed, “Shirley, someone as poor as you wants to change your fate with the SAT? Just go die with your short-lived parents!” “Don’t curse me in your heart. I know all your thoughts crystal clear, including your little secret that no one knows…” Ellen leaned in, whispering my deepest secret word by word into my ear. My mind completely broke down, and in despair, I climbed to the hospital rooftop and jumped off. Thankfully, heaven gave me a second chance. This time, I will uncover the truth behind Ellen’s “mind-reading” and see what she’s really up to!

After receiving Ellen’s threatening text message, I took several deep breaths to calm myself and immediately went online to search for ways to counter the so-called mind-reading. Some say to maintain physical distance. I remembered during exams, we weren’t in the same classroom. Others mentioned that certain personal items might be the medium. I suddenly remembered that Ellen had given small gifts to the whole class before. I also received a teddy bear hair clip and a cheap plastic bracelet. I thought, “These two items are probably problematic.” I grabbed a hammer and smashed the bracelet and hair clip to pieces with all my strength. After that, I thought to myself, “This time, she shouldn’t be able to succeed again.” The next day, I arrived early at the SAT test center, just like in my past life. Ellen saw me and immediately came over with a big smile, pretending to be close as she wrapped her arm around mine. Her tone, however, was chilling like a demon, “Shirley, you got that message yesterday, right?” My heart tightened, and every hair on my body stood on end. She patted my face and said in a fake encouraging tone, “Shirley, you better do well. If you don’t, how am I supposed to get into Harvard?” She walked away laughing, while my nails nearly dug into my palms. 因为已经考过一次，这次SAT我答题异常顺利。 I thought, “The things Ellen gave me were smashed by me. This time, she shouldn’t be able to write the same answers as me, right?” The morning exam ended, and as expected, the classmates gathered to check answers again. Listening to the multiple-choice answers they shared, I kept a calm face but was overjoyed inside because my answers matched the standard ones perfectly! I thought, “This way, I can not only score 1500 but might even get close to a perfect score. Then I can get into Harvard and earn a scholarship to help pay for my parents’ medical treatment.” Just as I was about to leave, Ellen suddenly grabbed my shoulder and said with a smile, “Shirley, you did great this time, got all the multiple-choice questions right. But your essay isn’t good. Who still uses Shakespeare’s quotes as material these days? That’s so outdated.” Hearing this, goosebumps covered my body, and a cold sweat slowly slid down my forehead. I thought, “Why? How does she still know all my answers, even that I used Shakespeare’s quotes in my essay? This time, my essay content was completely different, and the material was entirely new!” I asked with a trembling voice, “How do you know that?” Ellen replied, “I already told you, I can read minds.” She laughed loudly as she left, each laugh feeling like an insult to me.

Sitting in the SAT exam room in the afternoon, I pressed my lips together, looking serious. When the exam bell rang, the other test-takers immediately started answering questions, afraid to waste a second. But I sat upright, completely still. The proctor noticed my unusual behavior and kindly reminded me, “The exam has started, hurry up and begin answering.” I nodded, but the pen in my hand didn’t move at all. I thought, “Since Ellen will know whatever answers I write, I might as well not write anything.” I looked at the sky, the ground, the leaves outside the window, but not at the test paper. I refused to believe she could still know my answers this way. Sure enough, as soon as the exam ended and before I even left the room, Ellen rushed over like crazy. She grabbed my neck and snarled angrily, “Why! Why didn’t you write a single word! Are you crazy!” I turned red as she choked me, but for the first time, I smiled victoriously. “Yes, I’m crazy. This way, you can’t copy my answers anymore!” Our argument drew everyone’s attention in the hallway. The invigilator quickly pulled Ellen away and asked in confusion, “How do you know Shirley handed in a blank paper?” Ellen hesitated, then shoved the invigilator aside and shouted, “It’s none of your business! Get lost!” Before leaving, she pointed at my nose and threatened viciously, “I’m telling you, for the last exam this afternoon, you better take it seriously! Or else you’ll regret it!” The classmates nearby started whispering, clueless about what had happened between us. I straightened my clothes and left the exam room calmly. She told me to do well, but I won’t. So for the second exam in the afternoon, I still handed in a blank paper. Despite the invigilator’s repeated attempts to persuade me, I remained unmoved. After the exam, Ellen indeed appeared at the exam room door again. But this time, a teacher protected me, so she couldn’t get close to harm me. She could only sneer from a distance, “Shirley, playing these little tricks won’t work. Our family has plenty of money. If I don’t do well on the SAT, my parents can just send me to study in the UK. But what about you? If you can’t get into Harvard, your parents can’t afford the medical bills, and your whole family is doomed!” I lowered my head and stayed silent. When visiting my parents in the hospital, my mother Maria May, lying on the hospital bed, tightly grasped my hand and asked, “Shirley, your school teacher just called and said you handed in blank papers for today’s exams. Is that true?” I didn’t dare to look into her eyes and fell silent. My parents are construction workers. Three months ago, there was an explosion at the site, and they were both seriously injured. My father is still in a coma, and although Maria is conscious, she can only lie in bed, unable to move. The site owner ran off with the money, so we have to cover all the medical expenses ourselves. My whole family pinned their hopes on me because the school promised that as long as I got into Harvard University, they would grant a large scholarship. With this money, my parents could have surgery. This SAT is really crucial for our family, and Maria is also very concerned about how I did. Looking at Maria’s anxious, reddened eyes, I honestly nodded and said, “Yes, I handed in blank papers for both exams today. Mom, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to gather your medical expenses on time.” Although Maria was puzzled, she didn’t ask further when she saw how firm I was. Before leaving, she reminded me again, “Shirley, our whole family’s hope rests on you.” I nodded firmly and said, “I know, I won’t let you down.”

The day for SAT results to be announced arrived quickly. The school organized us to check our scores in the computer lab, but I already had a rough idea of my score. I did very well in the morning’s reading and math, scoring close to full marks, but I got zero on both afternoon exams. Out of a total of 1600, I ended up with just 780. This score shocked everyone. In the classroom, the teacher stared at the score on my computer screen, refreshing it over and over, but it always showed 780. The teacher, unable to hide their disappointment, questioned, “Shirley, didn’t you say you did well before? How could you get two zeros? You’re the only student in our school with a chance to get into Harvard, and now you’ve ruined it for yourself!” 就在这时，教室另一端传来Ellen朋友的惊呼。“Ellen，你怎么才考781分啊？你不是说你SAT考试肯定能超常发挥考上哈佛大学的吗？” Hearing that score, my heart sank again. I thought, “Why? Why does Ellen always score one point higher than me?” Before I could figure it out, Ellen had already rushed over from the other end of the classroom. Like a wild beast out of control, she tackled me off my chair, grabbed my neck tightly, and slapped me hard across the face. She shouted, “Shirley, you b****! It’s all because of you! I’m going to kill you!” Ellen’s crazed behavior shocked everyone present. The teacher tried to pull her away, but her strength was astonishing, and no one could restrain her for the moment. Lying on the ground, watching her hysterical appearance, a surge of satisfaction rose in my heart. I thought, “After two lifetimes, I finally beat her once!” Ellen saw me laughing and suddenly started laughing too, “Shirley, do you think handing in a blank paper can change your fate? Fool! Now forget Harvard, you might not even get into a community college! But your two seriously ill parents are still lying in the hospital, waiting for your scholarship to save their lives! I’d like to see how you, without getting into a top school, plan to save them!” At that moment, there was a knock on the classroom door. A staff member from the administrative office peeked in and asked, “Is Shirley May here? A scholarship has arrived at the school, and you need to sign for it.” This sentence left Ellen completely stunned. She shouted in disbelief, “How is that possible? You only scored 780 points, how could you get a scholarship?”

I was painting by the lake with my son when I ran into my parents for the first time in eight years. My son, flying a kite, bumped right into my father. When my father saw Leo’s face, the ceramic piece fell from his hand. “This child…he looks just like Skylar did.” I dropped my brush, stepped between them, and turned to leave. “Skylar Wallace!” My mother was in front of me, blocking the path. ” Eight years without a word.” “Do you know how many cities we’ve searched for you in? Your brother got into a car accident looking for you. He still has a limp!” “Why are you still so selfish and stubborn? You’re nothing like Chloe.” I calmly looked them over. “You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Rain.” The home they spoke of had died in my heart eight years ago. “Skylar! Is that any way to look at your own parents?” Seeing my expressionless face, Father grew even angrier. “We were too soft! Should’ve let you rot in prison!” My five-year-old son thrust himself forward, arms spread. “Don’t you dare yell at my mom! You’re bad!” Father’s face turned purple with rage, his finger practically poking my face. “Is this your son?! No wonder you’re hiding! Who’s the father? Some backwater nobody?” He raised his hand and slapped me hard. Seeing me get hit, Leo cried and rushed forward, his tiny fists pounding against Mr. Wallace’s leg. “Bad man! I’ll tell Daddy to stab you with his carving knife!” Ignoring the stinging pain on my face, I quickly scooped Leo back into my arms. “Leo, let’s go home.” My mother ran up, grabbing my sleeve. “Skylar, stop this nonsense! Your dad is just upset! He was diagnosed with liver cancer last year; the doctors say three years at most… Can’t you show him some understanding? Please, come home with us!” I shook off her hand, my voice as cold as ice. “I told you, my name is Rain. If you harass me again, I’m calling the cops.” With that, I carried Leo and walked towards my husband’s studio. Back in the studio, I collapsed onto the sofa, trembling all over. Leo, still sobbing, pulled my husband, Alex, out. “Daddy! He hit Mommy! Look!” Alex, still holding a sculpting tool covered in clay, rushed to me in a few strides. He cupped my face, his fingertips gently tracing the red, swollen area. “Who did this? Tell me.” I gripped his wrist, shaking my head. “I ran into two people I wish I hadn’t.” Alex didn’t press further, just pulled me into his embrace, stroking my back gently. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. No one will hurt you again.” Leo stood on his tiptoes, his little hands stained with paint touching my cheek, mimicking how I’d comfort him. “Mommy, no boo-boos. I will kiss it better.” Alex also lowered his head, his forehead resting against mine. “Rain, honey, I’m here.” My vision suddenly blurred. A long time ago, I was cherished like this too. I was afraid of thunderstorms, so Mom and Dad covered my room ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars. Dad said each star was an eye watching over me. I was afraid to sleep alone, so they set up a small cot by my bed and took turns sleeping next to me. “Skylar, honey, Mommy and Daddy will always be with you.” All of that crumbled when I was six, after my father brought home the orphaned daughter of his army buddy.

“Skylar, this is Chloe. From now on, she’s your sister.” I was so happy. I brought out all my most treasured picture books for her, and gave her the limited-edition music box Mom had brought back from Paris. Finally, I carefully took out the ceramic vase from the display cabinet. “Chloe, look, this is the first piece Mom and I ever made together. It’s one of a kind!” Chloe took the vase, stared at it for three seconds, then suddenly let go… The porcelain vase crashed to the floor, shards flying everywhere. “What are you doing?!” I shrieked, pushing her away. Chloe fell back among the shards, her palm pressing onto a piece, and blood instantly welled up. Her cries drew my parents. Father rushed in and scooped her up, while Mother hurried to find the first-aid kit. “Skylar pushed me… She said a stray like me doesn’t deserve to touch her things…” Chloe sobbed, gasping for breath. My father’s eyes were bloodshot. He held her tight. “Chloe, don’t cry. From now on, I’m your dad.” He turned and roared at me, “Skylar! Apologize to Chloe right now!” I pointed at the scattered shards, tears streaming down my face. “She broke my vase first!” “Is a stupid vase more important than your sister’s hand? How could you be so cruel?!” my father roared. “Mom and I worked on that for three whole days…’” I choked, unable to finish. “Skylar, we’ve spoiled you too much!” Mother sighed, shaking her head. “No dinner for you tonight. Go to your room and think about what you’ve done.” That night, they took Chloe to the restaurant I’d always wanted to go to. When they returned, they brought me a slice of Black Forest cake. Mother said Chloe had lost her parents, so I needed to be understanding and let her have her way more often. I ate the cake, nodding in naive agreement. But that ‘giving in’ ended up costing me my entire life. Whenever Chloe wanted something, Mother would say, “Skylar, let Chloe have it.” My art supplies, my study room, even my dreams. When I was twelve, Chloe stole my pottery piece, the one I’d worked on for a year. She submitted it to the National Youth Art Competition. She took home the Grand Prize. I stopped Mother in the hallway. “Why?” “Haven’t you won enough awards? Just let Chloe have this one.” “That was a year’s worth of work for me!” I nearly screamed. “Enough!” Father emerged from his study, his face dark. “It’s just one pottery piece! If it took you a year, it means you have no talent. Don’t touch clay again!” That night, I had an acute gastritis attack, curled up on the floor in pain. They were out with Chloe, attending the awards gala, being interviewed by the media. The next day, Grandma Rose, who had rushed from a neighboring town, found me and took me to the hospital. The doctor said that if we’d been half an hour later, a stomach perforation would have been serious. Grandma Rose flew into a rage on the spot. Ignoring my parents’ objections, she insisted on taking me away. They tried to pick me up later, but every time they were about to leave, Chloe would either have an asthma attack or threaten to hurt herself. Gradually, they stopped coming to see me, and I stopped asking. My time with Grandma Rose was the most peaceful period of my life. She didn’t call me Skylar; she called me Rain. She said I was her proudest grandchild, the smartest kid in the world. But Grandma Rose was getting old, and I had to return to that house my sophomore year of high school.

Before my senior year started, Grandma Rose’s heart condition flared up. She insisted my parents take me home, saying she couldn’t let my studies be interrupted. I held a bottle of Grandma Rose’s homemade wine, pushing open the door with anticipation. Grandma Rose had once said that my father loved her homemade wine most when he was young. But when I got home, the nanny told me my parents had taken Chloe to Switzerland for skiing. A week later, they finally returned. “Skylar, I missed you so much!” Mother hugged me. Father also patted my shoulder. “Kiddo, you’ve grown taller.” I was about to turn and get the wine when Chloe suddenly shrieked and tumbled down the stairs. They immediately released me and rushed over. “I wanted to help Skylar with her luggage… I slipped…” Chloe’s face was as white as a sheet, clutching her ankle. “I’m so useless…” Mother examined her foot. “Silly girl, your ballet recital is next week. What if you’ve injured your foot?” “Let’s go get X-rays at the hospital right now.” Father already had the car keys. Before leaving, Mother glanced at the wine bottle in my hand. “Stay away from that stuff. You’re a senior, you need to focus on your studies.” I sat on the stairs, uncorked the bottle, and drank it all, sip by sip. That night, I suggested moving out, into the school dorms. My parents initially disagreed, but eventually nodded after Chloe’s persuasive argument that “Skylar needs a quiet environment to study for her exams.” The day I received my acceptance letter to the Art Academy, I rushed home to pack. Grandma Rose had always said her favorite was Italian Renaissance painting. So I applied to a university in Italy; I wanted to take Grandma Rose with me. Just as I was dragging my suitcase out, my phone rang. It was the nursing home calling. “Is this Skylar? Your Grandma Rose… had a sudden heart attack. She’s being resuscitated. Please come quickly…” The phone slipped from my grasp. Trembling, I opened the door. My parents stood outside, their faces grim. “Mom… Grandma Rose, she…” I gripped Mother’s arm, my voice shaking. “Take me to the nursing home… I need to see Grandma Rose… please…” “Skylar, Grandma Rose will be fine,” Mother said, hugging me and patting my back gently. “But before you go, can you do us a favor?” “What favor?” I asked, looking up through tears. “Save Chloe.” Mother looked past me. Chloe emerged from behind Father, covered in blood, trembling all over.

My mind went numb, and a chill spread through me. “What happened to her?” “Chloe… she got into a fight with someone in the art studio tonight. She accidentally… pushed someone down the stairs.” Mother’s voice trembled. “That person is still in critical condition, and Chloe was scared, so she ran back here.” I understood instantly, but still asked, “How do you want me to help?” Father gripped my shoulders. “Skylar, you need to take the fall. Chloe is only seventeen; her life can’t be ruined like this! She’s already an orphan; she can’t go to prison too!” I shoved him away, screaming with all my might, “What about me?! My life can just be ruined?! I’m only eighteen!” “How could you be so selfish?” Mother looked at me, incredulous. “You’re our daughter! Even if you go to prison, we can support you for the rest of your life! But what about Chloe? She has nothing!” I looked at her and suddenly laughed, tears streaming down my face. “I can’t help you with this. If you won’t take me to Grandma Rose, I’ll go myself!” I dragged my suitcase and rushed for the door. “Stop!” Father’s sharp command. Two bodyguards emerged from the shadows and pinned me down. “If you don’t agree today, you’re not walking out this door!” I looked at them, then at Mother. “Mom, Grandma Rose is being resuscitated, and you don’t care?” “Skylar, your Grandma Rose has doctors treating her, but if you don’t help Chloe now, her life will be over!” Mother cried. “Chloe said if she goes to jail, she’ll kill herself! Skylar, please, just take pity on us, save her life!” As she spoke, she pulled my ID card from my pocket, handed it to the lawyer standing nearby, and then dialed 911 right in front of me. “Hello, I’d like to report a crime. This afternoon’s fall from the Art Academy building? My daughter, Skylar, did it.” The call ended. I looked at them, my tears all dried up. “Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, you truly are saints.” I said calmly. “Fine, I’ll confess. But you must take me to the nursing home now. I need to see Grandma Rose one last time.” When I arrived at the nursing home, the lights in the emergency room were already off. Grandma Rose had stopped breathing an hour earlier. I knelt by her bed, placing my Art Academy acceptance letter next to her cold hand. “Grandma Rose, look, I got into the Art Academy. I can take you to Italy now…” Later, the police took me away from the nursing home. At the police station, I tried to recant my confession. But my parents and their lawyer fabricated everything. They planted my clothing fibers at the scene. The surveillance cameras captured a figure resembling me from behind. They even had a text message, supposedly from me to Chloe, admitting it all. On the day of the trial, my parents sat in the front row of the courtroom. Chloe wept delicately against my mother’s shoulder. My mother gently patted her back. Father murmured comforts to her. I kept my eyes forward and never looked back. In the end, I was convicted of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury and sentenced to five years. “Mommy, your hands are so cold.” Leo’s voice pulled me from the dark well of memory. I pulled him close, my lips pressed to his hair. “I’m okay. I have you and Alex. I’m not afraid.” Then Alex was there, his arms encircling us both, his kiss a soft promise against my temple. “It’s all over now. I’m here.” Suddenly, the wooden door of the studio was kicked open. My parents stormed in, faces contorted with rage.

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The eighth year since I was diagnosed with autism, Mom was packed into a red suitcase. She didn’t come out for a long, long time. I didn’t cry or make a fuss, because Mom had given me a mission. She’d carved words onto my back, telling me to find an old man named Mr. Harrison, saying he was my maternal grandpa. I asked blankly: “What if I can’t find him?” At just that one sentence, Mom’s eyes reddened. She fell silent for a moment, mumbling unconsciously. “You’re right, what if I can’t find him…?” After she spoke, even her shoulders began to tremble. Doctor Auntie said that Mom was sad, so I hugged her tightly. It worked. The next second, she smiled through her tears, cupping my face with both hands and saying: “If you can’t find Grandpa Harrison, then find Brandon. They’re both good people and they’ll like you.” But later, when I found them both, I realized Mom hadn’t just lied to them, she’d lied to me too. Two hours after Mom left, I finally went outside. Mom had specifically told me to wait. But I didn’t listen to her and go straight to the police station. Instead, I went to the nearby dumpster. Several times, I’d seen bad people drag her there. My footsteps were very light. But no one was at the dumpster, only a pungent smell, and a single, bright red suitcase. I circled the suitcase a few times. Mom said not to touch unfamiliar things casually. I started to leave, but stopped when I lifted my foot. An hour later, I stood at the police station entrance, dragging the suitcase. The bright red color on me was too dazzling. The police officer stroked my head. “Little one, where are your parents? Your mom and dad?” My face was devoid of expression. My blood-stained finger pointed at the suitcase, my voice stiff. “Mom’s in there!” At a glance, the officer scoffed. He ruffled my hair, a disapproving look on his face. “Kids shouldn’t lie. This suitcase is barely 20 inches. How could a person fit in it?” I didn’t argue. I went along with what he said. “Sir, my dad’s name is Brandon.” To complete Mom’s mission, a small lie was fine. The officer’s eyes changed when he looked at me. He immediately turned and made a phone call. A moment later, I saw Brandon, the man Mom had mentioned. Tall, thin, and imposing. And somehow vaguely familiar. Because on countless nights, Mom would hold his photo and secretly cry. And I pretended not to see. When he saw me, his eyes flickered, then instantly filled with a hint of disgust, much like the expressions of the neighbors who called me crazy. “Mr. Peterson, he says he’s Clara Harrison’s son. Apparently, he’s not quite right in the head…” The man pointed to his own head and shook it. Brandon frowned, stepped back a few paces, and then squatted down to my eye level. “Where’s your mom?” I pointed to the suitcase. “She’s in there!” His already indifferent face instantly darkened, his brows furrowing even deeper. “Your mom is a thief who stole and sold artifacts. You’re truly her son, also full of lies!” I gripped my fingers, wanting desperately to argue with him. But Mom’s mission wasn’t finished yet. I had to endure. I lowered my head and apologized softly, mimicking how children in TV shows act when they’ve done something wrong. “Sorry, sir. But Mom has something to give you.” Seeing me apologize, his stern face softened slightly. “What?” I glanced at the people around us and shook my head. “Mom said only you can see it!” Hearing this, someone scoffed mockingly: “Mr. Peterson, don’t listen to him! His mother not only ran away from your wedding but also stole a batch of your family’s ancient artifacts. What kind of decent offspring could such a bitch produce!” “A so-called artifact restorer, always tinkering in the black market, associating with those illicit dealers. She’s rotten to the core!” “She’s too ashamed to face you herself, so she sends her son to harass you! Truly a slutty, trashy schemer!” Their spit splattered all over my head and face. I stared at the ground, almost digging my fingernails into my palms until they bled. Thinking of Mom, no matter how awful it felt, I had to endure. Brandon didn’t join in the insults. After a moment of thought, he pointed towards the door. “I can take you, but not that suitcase.” I looked up abruptly. “Staring at me won’t help. Your mom is rotten and worthless, and her things are the same! I find them disgusting!” Brandon’s face was devoid of expression. I wanted to say. Mom isn’t dirty. She’s right there in that suitcase, but none of them believed me. I didn’t hesitate. I knelt down abruptly, bowing my head to him. *Thump-thump*, the sounds echoed like thunder in the police station lobby. Brandon froze for a second, then his expression turned utterly mortified. He pointed at me, squeezing a few words through gritted teeth. “So young, and already resorting to blackmail?”

I stayed silent, just repeatedly hitting my head against the floor. Blood flowed down my forehead and into my eyes, blurring Brandon’s face. But I would never leave Mom behind. People pointed fingers at us, about to crowd closer. “Enough!” “You can take him, but no one will help you!” Brandon gave me a deep look, then strode towards the door. I scrambled up, not bothering to wipe the blood from my forehead, and stumbled after him, dragging the suitcase. Seeing Brandon get into the car, I couldn’t help but speed up. *Bang!* My foot caught, and I, along with the suitcase, tumbled down the steps. For a long while, I lay on the ground, unable to get up. But seeing the suitcase rolled far away, I bit my tongue, and slowly crawled towards it. My knees scraped against the pebbles, making a sharp, grating sound. Blood dripped all the way. But I didn’t feel any pain. I just clutched the suitcase tightly, softly murmuring: “Don’t cry, Mom. Baby doesn’t hurt…” In a daze, Brandon’s impatient voice suddenly boomed above my head. “Are you coming or not?” I wiped my eyes, my throat tight, and replied, “Coming!” Brandon stared at my face for a few seconds, hesitating, then finally picked up the suitcase. Looking at his tall back, I felt a tiny bit happy. I jogged after him, mumbling, “Easy, sir, Mom will hurt…” Brandon ignored me. He just forcefully flung open the trunk, tossed the suitcase inside, and said stiffly: “Since you care so much about the suitcase, you can sit back here and keep it company.” With that, he loosened his tie and got into the car. The car door slammed shut with a *clang*. That little bit of happiness. It quietly slipped away again. I pressed my lips together, laboriously climbing into the trunk. As soon as I sat down, I hissed aloud. The heat was almost scalding my skin. “Now what?” The car window rolled down, revealing Brandon’s irritated face. I quickly shook my head. Curling up, I pulled the trunk door shut, letting the suitcase lean against me. I’m a tough boy. Not afraid of heat, not afraid of pain. I need to protect Mom. The car moved in stops and starts. The temperature in the trunk rose again with the engine. When the heat became unbearable, I would pinch my palms hard. Then I’d press my face against the suitcase and whisper, “Mom, just a little longer. It’ll be over soon.” I don’t know how long passed. Brandon took me out of the car and into a house. A strange woman came out. She pointed at me, her tone overly warm. “So this is Clara Harrison’s… son?” Although she hid it well, The disgust in her eyes was still caught by me. The doctor said that people like me with Asperger’s, though lacking emotions, can always accurately see through others’ masks. “Say Auntie!” “She’s your mom’s best friend, Stella.” Brandon didn’t respond, he just looked at me and spoke. But Mom never mentioned having a best friend. And she didn’t seem like a good person. I wanted to change the subject, so I looked up. “Sir, I have something for you, but only you can see it.” Brandon didn’t move. Stella seized the opportunity to speak. “Brandon, this child is just like his mother, so secretive… always treating others like thieves when she herself was one!” I don’t know what Brandon thought of, but his face instantly turned cold as ice. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled a single sentence. “I’m not interested in anything belonging to your mom. Take it or leave it!” Before I could react, he went straight to the study. Only Stella and I were left in the living room. Now, she didn’t bother pretending. She folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe, a cold sneer escaping her nose. “I heard you’re very smart, but your mind isn’t quite right. Who do you think Brandon will believe, me, his wife, or you?” With that, she grabbed a red wine bottle from the shelf, smashed it with a *bang*, and lunged at me with the jagged pieces. *Thud!* Hot blood gushed out, but it wasn’t mine.

When Brandon rushed in, He saw Stella with glass shards embedded in her chest, bleeding profusely. She had collapsed to the ground. At that moment, I understood her intention. The next second, a slap, carried by the wind, landed on my face. Along with it, Brandon’s furious scolding. “The police were right, you really are sick! Attacking someone the moment you walk in!” Even then, Stella didn’t forget to act. She clutched his sleeve, falsely pleading. “Don’t blame him, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have offered to bathe him…” Hearing that, Brandon’s eyes blazed with fury. While bandaging her, he pointed to the door. “Get out! You lunatic deserve to rot to death with your mother!” I clenched my fists, looking up to meet his gaze. “Sir, why don’t you ask how she really got hurt?” He looked as if he’d heard something hilarious, twisting his head sharply. “Do you really think she’d stab herself just to frame you?” I stared at Stella’s gradually paling face. I completely understood. This Brandon was like all the others; he didn’t believe me. Then, I’d just have to find my grandpa. Mom was right. Most people in this world, no matter the truth, only believe what they see with their own eyes. That’s why they called Mom a thief, a liar, even cursed her as a slut. But Mom wasn’t. Yet I lowered my eyes again, conceding and apologizing one more time. “I’m sorry, sir. Please hit me again if you want, just don’t be angry with me.” I offered my bruised, blood-stained face to him. He froze for a moment, then shoved me hard, turning his head away. But his voice softened slightly. “You really are your mother’s son, you’ve completely learned her trick of sticking a knife in someone’s back then offering a sweet treat…” I didn’t understand what he meant. I just knew that showing weakness appropriately could achieve my goals faster. Ignoring the pain throughout my body, I struggled to get up, tugged at his sleeve, and asked very carefully: “Does my Grandpa Harrison live here?” Almost simultaneously, the door opened. A white-haired old man stood at the entrance, his features somewhat resembling Mom’s. A surge of joy welled up in my heart. I couldn’t help but step forward, but then I heard him speak coldly. “I am not your grandpa! Don’t try to claim kinship!” “Did that bitch die, and she sent you back to deliver the news?” Doctor Auntie told me. The hardest bond to sever in this world is the blood tie between parents and children. It was true for Mom and me, and for Mom and Grandpa too. But Grandpa didn’t want to acknowledge me. Suddenly, I felt a little wronged. Not for myself, but for Mom. Remembering Mom’s instructions, I straightened my back and called out again. “Grandpa, my name is Leo…” “Shut up!” Along with the words, his cane came crashing down. *Thump!* It felt like my forehead had been split open. I finally couldn’t bear it, and knelt down in pain. Brandon reached out his hand, but quickly pulled it back. Stella huddled in his arms, struggling to suppress a laugh. “Where did this bastard come from, how dare he call me grandpa! Tell Clara Harrison, I cut off all ties with her! We are no longer father and daughter!” “Don’t let any random stray come and defile my Harrison family!” Grandpa clenched his fist and coughed violently a few times. After coughing, he didn’t forget to spit at me. I stared blankly at his face, filled with hatred, then at Brandon, who had been watching coldly. It was a sudden realization. Mom had lied to me. Neither Brandon nor Grandpa Harrison liked me. I lowered my head, digging my fingernails into my already raw palms. The blood from my forehead, mixed with tears, dripped one by one onto my lap. Seeing me cry, Grandpa grew even angrier.

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It was the fifth year since my own brother sent me to kidnappers, and I finally escaped, barely clinging to life. Dizzy with hunger, I spotted a discarded cake on the roadside and crammed it into my mouth. My mouth was still full when a heavy kick sent me sprawling to the ground. “Stella! Are you deliberately showing up on Isabella’s birthday to provoke her again?” My eyes met his, and I realized it was Albert, the billionaire brother who had just thrown a multi-million dollar birthday bash for the girl everyone thought was his real sister. He sneered, his gaze cutting through my miserable face. “Now you know how hard life outside is, huh? You totally deserve this!” “You still have one more month left of your five-year term. Then I’ll bring you home and give you the best life.” “But only if you promise not to hurt Isabella ever again!” I rubbed my eyes hard, but no matter what, I couldn’t make out Albert’s face. Suddenly, I chuckled. Maybe he was always just a blur in my mind, except for the pain he inflicted. “No… never again,” I whispered. He wouldn’t have to worry about his beloved sister being bullied anymore. And I wouldn’t be coming home with him. After all, with late-stage brain cancer, even one more month of life felt like a luxury.

I choked down the stale cake, the bitterness matching my own. I knew he didn’t want to see me, so I wisely pushed myself up, my leg throbbing, desperate to get out of his sight. But the cancer in my brain had spread to my eyes, and I could barely see the path ahead. I hunched over, my hands reaching out, fumbling my way forward, slowly. Then I heard it—a few harsh laughs. It was Albert’s friends. “Oh, look at her, playing the crippled beggar card to make Albert pity her and take her home early.” “She’s really going all out, isn’t she? No shame, especially in public like this!” “Seriously, Albert’s a billionaire. She’s totally embarrassing him.” Albert’s face went dark with anger, his pride clearly wounded. He growled, barely suppressing his fury. “Stella, when I say one month, I mean one month. Not a day sooner will I take you back.” “Besides, I specifically told them to be decent to you. You were only supposed to face some hardships, not end up like *this*! This act is sickening.” I froze. *Be decent to me?* Past pains flooded my mind, a tide of memories. In the end, I just shook my head with a faint smile and kept moving. But before I’d walked two steps, someone stopped me. “Stella, wait!” That familiar voice. Even without seeing her face, I knew it was Isabella. She pressed a perfectly intact slice of cake into my hand. As her hands clasped mine, her nails dug in, sharp and malicious, almost breaking the skin. “It’s my birthday today, so I’m not mad about the past, okay? I just hope we can get along when you come home.” The sweeter her smile, the deeper her nails dug in. Until blood welled up. But even with the searing pain, I didn’t cry out. Because no one would care, and no one would ever believe me. I took the cake, my only wish to escape them quickly. Maybe then I could live a little longer. Back in my makeshift bed under the bridge, I frantically rummaged for expired painkillers. I swallowed handfuls, just barely easing the pounding in my head. The cold wind howled through the bridge tunnel, and I pulled my thin clothes tighter. A moment later, a charity outreach van pulled up to the bridge entrance, a loudspeaker blaring. “Temperatures are plummeting! Mr. Albert is here with warm clothes and blankets! Come and get them!” The eyes of dozens of beggars under the bridge lit up, and they scrambled to form a line. I struggled with my throbbing head, joining the very end of the queue. When it was finally my turn, the volunteer looked at me, then at a photo on his phone. He waved me away. “Go back. Mr. Albert personally said not to give you anything.” He sneered, a look of contempt on his face. “Mr. Albert is a renowned philanthropist, known for helping any beggar he can. Honestly, what kind of person do you have to be for Mr. Albert to personally tell us to cut you off?” I pressed my lips together. It was expected, yet still absurd. Albert, the celebrated global philanthropist. The man who, out of the goodness of his heart, decided to keep Isabella even after discovering she wasn’t his blood sister, continuing to give her a life of luxury. The man who donated globally, praised by everyone for his good deeds. Yet, he wouldn’t even spare his own flesh and blood sister a warm coat to survive the night.

Too cold to sleep, I decided to move around a bit to warm up. But as soon as I stood, I saw a little beggar girl being dragged away by a man, his hand clamped over her mouth. That familiar feeling—there was no mistake. The man was a kidnapper! Without thinking, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head, I lunged forward, biting down on the man’s wrist with all my might. I punched and kicked, but my strength was no match for his. In the end, I managed to save the girl, but not before he broke one of my ribs. Yet, I felt no pain. Seeing the girl unharmed, I burst into laughter. But as I laughed, tears streamed down my face, unstoppable. No one, no one knew better than me which was more agonizing: being kidnapped or being a beggar. Five years ago, on Isabella’s birthday. Just because of her tearful, false accusation: “Albert! Stella called me a fake, said I stole her life, and that she was going to sell me to kidnappers!” Coincidentally, a security guard caught a shifty man in the backyard. He swore up and down that I had paid him to abduct Isabella. No matter how I explained, Albert refused to believe me. His eyes blazing, he slapped me hard across the face, then immediately handed me over to the kidnappers. “I thought if I spoiled you enough, I could change the bad habits you picked up all those years. But I only made you more spoiled, more vicious!” “Before Mom and Dad died, I promised them I’d help you become a better person. If gentle methods don’t work, then you’ll just have to learn the hard way!” The first day I was sent away, my leg was broken, and I was sold into forced labor on the black market. Often, I worked for two days and a night straight, without a single bite of food. I was even locked in a cage, paraded around like an animal, people laughing and poking, living a life worse than any stray. I once secretly called Albert, crying and begging him to bring me home. But his resolve was unyielding. “I promised Isabella you’d suffer for five years. That’s the only way to wear down your spirit until you wouldn’t dare lay a finger on her!” Isabella! Always Isabella! Why was it always because of her? From the first day I was brought home, she twisted everything I did, always finding a way to accuse me. But Albert always took her side, and gradually, I became the villain in his eyes. After hanging up, I broke down and cried hysterically. After that, I never dared to hope for the family affection I’d longed for. I became numb, letting them manipulate me, torment me… Until one night, the lock on my box wasn’t secured, and I tumbled down a hill. Terrified of being recaptured, I avoided finding work that would expose me, surviving by begging. I scrounged for bottles and cans, saved up what little money I could to finally treat my old injuries, only to be hit with a late-stage brain cancer diagnosis. The little girl beside me suddenly reached out and gently stroked my face, wiping away my tears. She draped half of her thin jacket over me, and we huddled together for warmth. Suddenly, a large commercial screen in the distance lit up with a news report. [Mr. Albert Buys His Sister a Lavish Mansion in the Most Exclusive Neighborhood! Valued at Tens of Millions of Dollars! Truly a Global Philanthropist – the Kinder He Is, the More Successful His Business!] The little girl looked at the house on the screen, her eyes wide as she gazed up at me. “Stella, does everyone get to have a home? I hope you and I can have a home someday!” I froze. A home? The orphanage from my childhood was home to all the kids there. After I was found by my blood family, their house became Isabella’s home. Now, with my life ticking down. I suddenly wanted a home that was truly my own, even if it was just a burial plot. So, I started collecting bottles day and night, selling scraps, doing any odd job I could find. I saved just enough for a deposit on a burial plot.

My body deteriorated daily; often, I wasn’t fully conscious for an entire day. I knew I could die at any moment. But I still hadn’t paid the remaining balance for the burial plot. As I fretted, a passerby on the street handed me a flyer. “You might want to check this out. There’s a mystery CEO throwing a yacht party tonight. Shining shoes for the rich is easy money, hundreds of dollars a night.” “And the best part? These rich folks give out generous tips, sometimes a huge amount in one go.” I looked at her extended fingers, then took the flyer. At this point, any work was good work. I wasn’t in a position to be picky. I boarded the bus for workers and arrived at the yacht. From the moment I stepped on board, my knees never left the floor. I knelt by the entrance, shining shoes for every guest who arrived. The passerby hadn’t lied; some wealthy kids casually tossed me tips worth hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. I don’t know how long passed, but suddenly, the crowd erupted in cheers. “Here he comes! Tonight’s guest of honor!” I still didn’t look up. As I prepared to shine the next pair of shoes, my polishing cloth was kicked clean out of my hand. Then, a familiar voice filled my ears. “Stella! What the hell?! You’d stoop to anything to get my attention, wouldn’t you?!” “There are only three days left until you come home! You can’t even wait that long?” I finally looked up, realizing this entire party was something Albert had arranged just to make Isabella happy. He stared at me, red-faced with fury. His fists clenched tighter and tighter, but in the end, he just cursed under his breath and stormed inside the yacht. Listening to the wild party inside, I just counted the cash in my hands, bill by bill. Realizing I had exactly enough to cover the remaining balance, I quickly called the cemetery owner. But as I gave him my details and asked him to register it, he sounded puzzled. “Stella? I can’t find any information for you. You’ve been deregistered; you can’t buy anything.” “How is that possible? Sir, did you make a mistake? Please check again, okay?” Seeing my frantic, incoherent words, the owner kindly made an inquiry for me. Finally, he spoke softly. “The staff at the bureau said it was Mr. Albert, the billionaire CEO, who forced your identity to be revoked…” My phone slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. My eyes burned red, completely shattered. Why? Why can’t I even die in peace? Was he truly going to drive me, his own sister, to rock bottom, all for Isabella? My head buzzed, and I stormed straight into the party. “Albert!” My shout brought the entire room to a sudden, stunned silence. “How dare you revoke my identity?” “Am I not even allowed to exist anymore? To have an identity?” Albert slowly swirled his drink, his gaze on me complex and unreadable. “You’ll stoop to anything to get me to feel sorry for you. Who knows what tricks you’ll pull to mess with Isabella when you come back? If you don’t have an identity, you can’t do anything.” “But don’t worry, I’m your brother. I can give you everything you want and protect you for life.” I suddenly laughed out loud. He’d already tormented me to death; what peace could I possibly want? Isabella, acting all sweet and innocent, patted Albert’s back to soothe him. She glanced at the money in my hand and spoke. “Stella, why do you insist on doing such degrading things?” “Albert will give you anything you want, won’t he? If you hadn’t broken his heart and embarrassed him, he wouldn’t have done this.” As she spoke, she walked over to me, snatched the money from my hand, and flung it into the air.

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I deliberately crashed into the neighbor’s car. Grabbing my half-empty beer, I stormed out, ready to unleash hell. “Are you out of your damn mind? Do you have any idea how expensive my car is? Can you even afford to pay for the damage?” Ms. Henderson, the neighbor, was so furious she reached for her phone to call the police. I sneered, “Go ahead, call them! Who cares? I’ll be right here waiting!” The only reason I was acting like such a complete lunatic was because I had been reborn. In my last life, my fiancé, Blake Anderson, and his sister, Brooke, took my car for a joyride late one night. They hit and killed a cleaner, then framed me for it, making me take the fall. I was sent to prison for ten years. My mother, unable to bear the shock and grief, suffered a brain hemorrhage and passed away. Even after my release, Blake wouldn’t let me go. He used a mountain of debt to drive me to suicide. When I opened my eyes again, I was back—exactly 24 hours before the accident. 1 I stood at the entrance of the parking garage, intentionally parking my car way over the line. “Bang!” Ms. Henderson, the neighbor, backing into her spot, drove straight into my car’s rear bumper. I immediately grabbed my half-drunk beer and swaggered over, cursing under my breath. “Seriously, are you blind? You just totaled my car. Do you even have enough money to cover this?” She caught a whiff of the alcohol on me and immediately blew up. “Are you crazy? Drunk driving and you’re still this arrogant?” I leaned against my car door, taking a slow sip of beer right in front of her. “So go ahead and call the cops, then! Have them arrest me! I’m right here waiting. Do you dare?” She was beyond furious. She immediately pulled out her phone to dial 91

“Hello, 911? There’s a lunatic here, drunk driving. Yes, Maplewood Estates…” After hanging up, she glared at me. “You just wait. You’ll be crying later, I promise.” But I just smiled. This was exactly what I wanted. Soon, two police officers, body cameras rolling, walked towards us. “What’s going on here?” I immediately went to meet them, raising my hands, a barely suppressed grin on my face. “It’s me! I was drunk driving! Arrest me!” My reaction stunned everyone present. Ms. Henderson quickly interjected. “Yes! She was just like this! Completely out of control! People like her need to be severely punished!” Officer Davis, the lead officer, frowned, then pulled out a breathalyzer. “Please blow into this.” I cooperated, taking a big breath and blowing. The device immediately let out a shrill alarm. “Drunk driving,” Officer Davis said, his frown deepening. “You’re currently suspected of reckless driving. Please show me your driver’s license and vehicle registration. You’ll need to come back to the precinct with us for further investigation.” I immediately handed over the documents I’d already prepared, without the slightest hesitation. “Is this girl out of her mind? She looks like she just won the lottery, she’s so happy.” A younger officer mumbled beside him. I was escorted into the patrol car. Through the window, I saw several neighbors in the complex curiously peering out. But I remained perfectly calm. This was exactly what I wanted. The more eyewitnesses, the better. At the interrogation room, my cooperation was surprisingly thorough. “Officer, I drank two beers and a bottle of red wine just now. I definitely qualify for reckless driving.” Officer Garcia, the female officer recording my statement, was completely dumbfounded. She’d never seen a suspect so eager to be detained. “Barbara Saunders, do you know the consequences of drunk driving?” she asked, her expression serious. I nodded. “A thousand-dollar fine, and detention.” 2 Officer Garcia stared, momentarily speechless. “You know that and you still did it?” I managed to squeeze out a few tears at just the right moment. “Yes, I truly know I messed up.” She sighed, then continued to ask for more details. I answered each question, making sure every word was recorded. When the questioning ended, she didn’t leave immediately, instead watching me thoughtfully. “You don’t really seem like the type to drunk drive,” she suddenly said. My heart skipped a beat. I forced myself to stay calm. “People… sometimes make mistakes.” She nodded, seeming about to say something. Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the doorway. “Barbara Saunders!” Mom and my childhood best friend, Noah Miller, burst through the doors, their faces etched with worry. “How did you guys know?” My words had barely left my lips when Mom rushed over and hugged me tightly. “Barbara, are you okay?” Feeling the real warmth of her embrace, my eyes welled up. It was so good. In this life, Mom was still alive. “Barbara, tell me the truth. How could you make such a mistake?” Noah frowned, looking at me. He couldn’t fathom how someone as cautious and law-abiding as me could commit reckless driving. Officer Garcia frowned, adding, “The breathalyzer results clearly show Ms. Saunders was indeed driving under the influence.” Noah looked at her. “Hello, I’m her lawyer…” But before he could finish, I cut him off coldly. “No. I don’t need a lawyer.” Mom’s eyes immediately reddened. She grabbed my hand, her voice thick with tears. “Barbara, what are you saying? Noah’s here to help you. Let’s just get you bailed out first, we can talk about the rest later.” Looking at them, I fought hard against the urge to tell them everything. In my last life, I was framed by my fiancé’s family, leaving me no way to defend myself. Mom ran around, begging for help for me, eventually falling ill from the stress and grief. Noah, in his desperation to find evidence for me, used extreme measures, ultimately losing his law license. This time, I wouldn’t let Mom die from a brain hemorrhage because of me. And I wouldn’t let Noah sacrifice his incredibly promising career for me. So, I had to stay here. Only by doing this could I protect everyone. “Mom, Noah, don’t interfere this time. Let me handle it myself. This is how I can truly grow up.” Then I told the police, “I plead guilty. Please detain me.” I also refused any further visits. At 10 PM, the blood test results came back. Conclusive evidence of drunk driving. “According to the law, we will be taking criminal detention measures against you.” I nodded. “Yes, I accept the penalty.” Signing, fingerprinting, photos – once the whole process was done, I was led to the holding cell. The moment the iron door clanged shut behind me, I let out a long, shaky breath. Phase one of the plan: complete. I was the only one in the holding cell. I curled up in a corner, beginning to think about my next step. Under the law, drunk driving detention is a maximum of 24 hours, after which bail can be requested. I looked up at the clock on the wall. 7:45 PM. In my last life, just an hour from now, my fiancé’s sister had secretly taken my car, sped recklessly, and hit and killed a cleaner. After the incident, my fiancé had Brooke change into my clothes, and since the car was mine, he bribed the only other cleaner on site. They both swore I was the one driving. I was helpless to defend myself and was unjustly imprisoned for ten years. But now, at the exact time of the accident, I was safely locked up in a police holding cell. 2 The memory of Blake, his fingers digging into my chin in my previous life, sneering, “No alibi means you’re dead in the water,” made me want to laugh right now. Now, with the police report, the interrogation room surveillance, and the blood test results, the entire justice system would be my alibi. Who could possibly question it? Time ticked by, second by second. I would doze off, then stare at the clock on the wall. 8:43 AM. My heart pounded. The time had come! Suddenly, I heard a commotion outside, followed by hurried footsteps. Had the accident happened? Had they found my car? Sure enough, at 6 AM, Officer Davis appeared at the holding cell, his expression grave. “Barbara Saunders,” he said, his tone unusually serious, “Last night, there was a hit-and-run on Riverfront Road. A cleaner was killed on impact. The vehicle involved was your white BMW 520, license plate number 520 XYZ.” I widened my eyes, feigning shock and confusion. “What? No way! My car has been parked in the complex garage the whole time!” Mom, who had been anxiously waiting outside the door, rushed in when she heard this. “Barbara! What’s going on? Is this why you wouldn’t let me see you? Because you hit and killed someone?” I frowned, about to explain. Just then, the door pushed open. My fiancé, Blake Anderson, appeared with his sister, Brooke, and a thin, dark-skinned old man. “Barbara Saunders! You hit someone last night, did you know that? You fled the scene! Do you have any conscience?!” My eyes widened in surprise, and even Officer Davis beside me looked stunned. I had been at the police station since yesterday afternoon. How could they still try to pin this on me? I spoke coldly. “I was here yesterday because of drunk driving, so…” Brooke shrieked when she heard this. “Aha! So you *were* drunk driving! No wonder you ran away after hitting someone and killing them!” Mom panicked. “Don’t talk nonsense! My daughter would never do such a thing!” “Why not? We have a witness right here! Are you still going to defend her? No wonder you raised her to be so lawless!” My face turned ashen with rage. “Brooke, you can talk about me, but how dare you talk about my mom? And where is this ‘witness’ of yours?” Brooke scoffed dismissively. “Looks like you won’t admit your crime until the very last moment.” No sooner had she spoken than the thin, dark-skinned old man beside her suddenly lunged at me. “Aha! You killed my wife, and you’re still so arrogant! Are cleaners’ lives not lives too?” More and more onlookers gathered, whipped into a frenzy by Brooke and the old man’s words. “I can’t believe such a young woman could be so vicious!” “Exactly! And she even dares to lie to the police!” “They should lock her up and execute her directly!” Hearing this, Mom’s body swayed. She collapsed to the ground. She cried, explaining to everyone, “My daughter wouldn’t do something like this! Don’t spread rumors!” My heart ached. I wanted to rush forward but was blocked by a group of people behind me. Many took advantage of the chaos, hitting and cursing me. I took several punches, my arms bruised and purple. “Barbara! Barbara!” Mom ran to save me, taking several blows to her back as well. Seeing the situation quickly deteriorating, Officer Davis quickly stepped forward to help, pulling us behind him. “I drove home yesterday at 6:30 PM and haven’t moved my car since!” I shouted frantically. “There’s surveillance footage in the garage that can prove it!” Blake’s face immediately changed, but he quickly put on a devastated, heartbroken act. 3 “Barbara, don’t try to deny it. If you made a mistake, you need to own up to it. Don’t worry, I’ll hire the best lawyer for you.” Before I could speak, he turned to Officer Davis. “Officer, rest assured, as her family, we’re deeply saddened, but we absolutely will not cover for her!” At that, I scoffed, a cold smile playing on my lips. “Deeply saddened.” “Absolutely will not cover for her.” What a joke. In my last life, to celebrate his sister getting her driver’s license, Blake secretly took my brand-new car, which I’d owned for less than two weeks. Later, Brooke, due to reckless driving, hit a cleaner on the road, killing them instantly. To escape responsibility, Blake immediately told her to get out of the car, then found my forgotten jacket in the back seat and threw it onto the driver’s seat. He also bribed the only eyewitness at the scene, another cleaner, paying him a large sum of money to keep quiet. In court, I was cornered by their so-called evidence, unable to defend myself, no matter how much I explained, no one believed me. I was unjustly imprisoned for ten years. Mom sold our family property and ran around, begging for help to save me. But in the end, unable to find assistance, she fell ill from stress and grief and soon died suddenly from a brain hemorrhage. My childhood friend, Noah, trying to find evidence for me, even resorted to “threatening” and “pressuring” that old cleaner. But ultimately, he was accused of “coercing” a witness, had his license revoked, and was banned from practicing law for life. After my release from prison, I mysteriously found myself buried under hundreds of millions in debt, eventually unable to bear the burden, and I jumped to my death. Thinking of all this, I wished I could just kill them right then and there! This time, I wouldn’t let them frame me so easily! Officer Davis frowned, looking at Blake, and said coldly, “Ms. Saunders has been under investigation at our precinct since last night. You claim she hit someone with her car. Do you have any evidence?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Blake immediately pulled out the “evidence” he had prepared beforehand from his bag. “Officer, we found my fiancée’s driver’s license at the scene of the accident.” He was completely immersed in the excitement of his own cleverness, not noticing Officer Davis’s expression change slightly. “You’re saying she drove and killed someone last night, and then left her driver’s license at the scene?” Though Blake was puzzled why he kept confirming, he still nodded. “Yes, this driver’s license is hers. If you don’t believe me, check again.” Hearing this, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I burst out laughing. “Blake Anderson, Blake Anderson, have you ever heard the saying, ‘He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself’?” He looked up at me, anger flaring in his eyes, but he dared not show too much in front of the police. “Barbara, I know you’re scared right now, but don’t talk nonsense. Just be honest with the police and try to get a lenient sentence.” “Exactly, Barbara! You already admitted to drunk driving, which means you drank too much then and don’t even remember the crime you committed.” I raised an eyebrow, finding it amusing how eagerly they were trying to pin the crime on me. After witnessing the entire farce, Officer Davis could no longer hold back. “Yesterday afternoon, when we responded to the call, we confiscated Ms. Saunders’ driver’s license and vehicle registration.” “Furthermore, after her statement was taken last night, Ms. Saunders’ mother and her lawyer friend also came, but they didn’t take her out either.” “Which means she has been under my direct observation from yesterday afternoon until now. How could she possibly commit a hit-and-run?” At his words, the entire room fell silent. Blake never imagined things would turn out this way. He stared at me in disbelief. “How… how could this be?” I looked up, watching him calmly, and then suddenly smiled.

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Drunk at a company dinner, I accidentally called my boss ‘hubby’. My colleagues chuckled: “Looks like she’s absolutely desperate to land the boss.” Adolph Scott, my boss, glared at me, his face cold. “Can’t even control your mouth, why are you drinking?” A brief, stunned silence hung in the air. Then, Archer Kingston, the notoriously hard-to-deal-with Project CEO, let out a cold laugh from across the table. “She was calling *me*. What are you getting so worked up about?” I’d chased Adolph Scott from our college days straight into his company, taking on an assistant role just to be near him. Everyone knew I was head-over-heels for him. One day, as I went to deliver some documents, I overheard voices from inside his office, teasing him. “Aurora Jenkins, a girl from *her* family, reducing herself to being your assistant? You actually let her?” Adolph scoffed. “She insisted on coming. What could I do?” The others laughed. “True. She’s always been stuck to you.” “Hasn’t changed in years.” “But Adolph, are you really not going to get serious with Rory?” “She literally dreams of being with you.” “Last time her family set her up on a blind date, you called us out for drinks late at night. I actually thought you cared about her then.” The words had barely left his lips. Adolph suddenly got angry, his voice dropping, icy cold. “She’s just a nuisance. Why would I care?” Outside the door, my hand, poised to knock, slowly dropped. I simply gripped the doorknob and pushed the door open. The people inside froze at my unexpected entrance. But only for a second. Soon, they were all smiling again, acting like nothing happened. “Rory, here to bring Adolph breakfast again?” It was my daily breakfast delivery, without fail. Adolph didn’t even lift his head, as if he’d anticipated my every move. He merely tilted his chin vaguely in my direction. “Just put it on the table.” But I shook my head. I placed the documents and my resignation letter on his desk. “Not breakfast.” “My resignation. For your review, Mr. Scott.” Everyone stared, stunned. They practically swarmed the desk, craning their necks to read the words on the letter, then asked in disbelief: “No way, Rory, are you serious?” Adolph finally frowned and looked up. He stared at me. “What’s this all about?” I pushed the resignation letter closer to him. “I’m quitting.” “I also sent an electronic copy to your email. Don’t forget to check it.” Adolph glanced at the letter on the table, asking impatiently, “Is this because I made you work late yesterday?” I shook my head. “No.” “I just don’t want to do this anymore.” Adolph’s face finally hardened, little by little. As I turned to leave, he called out to me. “Rory.” “If you leave now, there’ll be no coming back to me.” It sounded like a threat, yet also a warning. I didn’t look back. “Couldn’t be happier.” The atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to freezing point. As I pushed the door open and left, I heard cautious, probing voices behind me. “Adolph, she’s just having a diva moment, don’t take it to heart…” “Yeah, you know how much she likes you, right?” “She’ll probably regret it by this afternoon, and come begging to return…” Adolph stared fixedly at the closed door, letting out a cold scoff. “Like I care.”

I threw away all the useless things from my office. In the end, I found I had nothing left to take. Looking at the empty cubicle, I almost wanted to laugh. My mind drifted back to the anonymous video I’d received last night while working late at the office. In a private room, Adolph had his arm around a stunning beauty, listening indifferently to the chatter around him. “Rory is still dutifully doing grunt work at Adolph’s company, huh?” “You’ve got to admit, Adolph’s got skills. That heiress hasn’t shown up to any of our parties in ages.” It was true. Chasing Adolph for years, a privileged heiress like me, I’d practically become his indentured servant. All he had to do was ask, and I’d willingly work late, attend his business dinners, until I was exhausted and sick. In the end, all I got was a jest from his friends. “Looking at it this way, Rory really is like Adolph’s most obedient dog.” He stood by, swirling his drink, not denying it. He even scoffed. “What are you talking about? She’s just *a* dog by my side, not ‘the most’ obedient one!” The room erupted in laughter. In that moment, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. So cold. But it was also like I’d instantly woken up. After a moment’s thought, I quietly pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts to find the new guy my family had set me up with recently. I’d heard he was a genuinely wonderful person. But before, my mind was entirely consumed by Adolph, so I kept postponing the meeting and even thought about sabotaging it. Now… It seemed a little unethical, perhaps. But as everyone knows, the best way to get over an ex is to start something new. I tapped the screen. **[Want to meet tomorrow?]** To my surprise, he replied almost instantly. **[Sure.]** He was very gentlemanly. He offered to let me choose the time and he’d arrange the location. But when my parents had mentioned the meeting before, I hadn’t listened to a single word. So now, I knew absolutely nothing about this man. Arriving early at our meeting spot, I hesitated outside the door. What if I didn’t recognize him later? That would be so awkward. As I paced back and forth, I accidentally bumped into someone. I looked up. My gaze met a perfectly tailored, sharp suit. Above that, a face with astonishingly refined features. And the owner of that face was looking at me with a gentle expression. “Why aren’t you going in?” His seemingly perfectly kissable thin lips moved as he spoke… I subconsciously swallowed. Then quickly realized my lapse in composure. Because I knew this man. Archer Kingston. A well-known powerhouse in the industry. I’d seen his name countless times on Adolph’s company’s target partner list. But rumor had it he was ruthless, cold-hearted, and incredibly difficult to approach. Collaborations with him had never succeeded. I quickly stepped back, making way for him. “Oh, sorry, so sorry. I’m waiting for someone, I was a bit distracted, my apologies, please go ahead—” But the man in front of me let out a soft laugh. “Ms. Jenkins.” I looked up, surprised. How did he know my last name? His eyes held a hint of a smile. “Is there a chance the person you’re waiting for… is me?”

I was stunned. My family had only said they were setting me up with a truly great guy. But I never would have imagined it would be someone of Archer Kingston’s caliber. It wasn’t until I was sitting face-to-face with Archer in the private dining room he’d arranged that I kept my composure, smiling politely. Under the table, I was frantically texting my mom. **[You set me up with Archer Kingston?!]** **[Is our family wealthy enough to marry into his now?!]** **[Did you guys get rich behind my back?!]** My mom instantly replied with question marks. **[???]** **[What are you talking about, honey? Daydreaming already?]** **[We set you up with one of Archer Kingston’s distant nephews.]** **[Your aunt probably didn’t explain it clearly, did she?]** I glanced at the man across from me, who was smiling as he watched me. Surely there can’t be two faces this handsome? As our eyes met, I couldn’t pretend to be busy anymore. I stammered, “Um…” “Are you… Mr. Archer Kingston, right?” He nodded, then offered an apologetic smile. “Yes.” “My fault, I haven’t introduced myself yet.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Jenkins. I’m Archer Kingston, and I’m your date for today.” A concise introduction. But it was completely different from the information my mom had given me. My mind was reeling. “But, my blind date… wasn’t supposed to be…” Archer raised an eyebrow. He picked up the teacup on the table and took a light sip. “That kid isn’t good enough for you.” “So I came instead.” He looked up at me. “Is something wrong?” “Does Ms. Jenkins prefer him?” I froze. The way he said that… it was like we were old friends. My heart began to pound. Archer, however, remained completely composed, his calm, deep eyes fixed on me, clearly expecting an answer. I forced myself to speak. “Of course not… I don’t even know him.” He chuckled softly. “Then it’s okay for me to stand in for him, right?” I swallowed. “No… it’s fine.”

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I crossed blizzards to reach Antarctica for the ninety-ninth time, begging my husband to come home. He refused—again. His first love was there, and that was enough for him to stay. So I finally stopped trying. Five years later, during my birthday dinner, he pushed open the door as if summoned by fate. His gaze dropped to the slight curve of my belly. Rage. Shock. Something feral. His voice cut through the room: “Whose child is that?” I smiled, calm and untouchable. “It’s not yours. That’s all you need to know.” At a birthday party, amidst laughter and conversation, Derek suddenly appeared. Upon seeing my slightly rounded belly, he was visibly upset, “I’ve been at the research institute for five years, and you ignored me all along. Whose child is in your belly?” I replied calmly, “It’s none of your business. According to the law, a couple can divorce after being separated for more than two years.” Upon hearing this, Derek kicked over the birthday cake in anger, “Amelia, I’ve only been away for five years, and you’ve already gotten yourself pregnant.” “Who does the child belong to?” “I’m going to make sure he can’t survive in New York City.” Watching Derek ruin the carefully prepared birthday party, I got angry too, “Derek, this isn’t the place for you to act out.” “If you’re not well, go to the hospital.” The mention of “hospital” made Derek’s emotions flare up. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me outside, “We’re going to the hospital right now.” Derek was so strong, I couldn’t even struggle. At that moment, Grandma Nora heard the commotion and hurried over with her cane. Seeing Derek’s rough actions, she was instantly alarmed. “Derek, let go of Amelia!” “Amelia is pregnant with…” Derek’s mood softened a bit when he saw Grandma, but his anger surged again at her words. He interrupted Grandma Nora, “Amelia, you’re quite clever, even fooling Grandma.” Then he raised his hand and slapped me hard. Blood trickled from my mouth as my cheek swelled. Grandma Nora was shocked by the scene. She tried to rescue me from Derek’s grip. But the bodyguard by Derek’s side kept her away. Derek instructed the bodyguard to call the private hospital for a procedure. As he arranged things, he dragged me into the car. Grandma Nora reluctantly got into another car with the bodyguard. None of the surrounding friends offered help. Instead, they watched the scene unfold. Derek’s family was wealthy and influential. They didn’t want to offend him and were happy to give him respect. The car quickly reached the private hospital. The director personally came out to greet Derek. Ignoring the director’s flattery, Derek dragged me to the OB-GYN department. “Derek, let go of me. The child in my belly is…” Before I could finish, we ran into Tessa, who had just come out of the doctor’s office. She was Derek’s former sister-in-law and his long-cherished first love. Seeing Derek, she happily ran over and hugged him. “Derek, I’m finally pregnant,” she said, looking at Derek with deep affection. Derek let go of my hand and carefully hugged Tessa. “Tessa, you’re pregnant now. Be careful.” Tessa playfully smiled and, noticing me, exclaimed in surprise, “Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant too?” Seeing their intimate actions, I instantly understood. Why Derek left for five years and why Tessa disappeared too. They had been together all along. Ignoring Tessa’s provocative gaze, I simply replied, “Derek, we’re no longer married, and you’re with Tessa now.” “Let me go immediately, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences.” Grandma Nora was shocked to see Derek and Tessa together. But it was more important to stop Derek from doing something rash. “Derek, let Amelia go home and rest.” Hearing this, Derek immediately released Tessa and sternly questioned, “Grandma, Amelia cheated on me and is pregnant with someone else’s child. Do you want me to turn a blind eye?” Grandma Nora realized Derek wasn’t going to let it go easily. She hurriedly said, “Derek, the child in Amelia’s belly isn’t someone else’s. It’s…”

Before Grandma Nora could finish, Tessa interrupted, “Derek, Grandma doesn’t look well. Is Amelia not taking good care of her?” “Or is Grandma being threatened by Amelia?” Hearing this, I found it laughable, “Derek, you were raised by Grandma, and you disappeared for five years.” “You know better than anyone why Grandma’s not well.” Tessa smirked and approached me, “You intruded on the relationship between Derek and me. Don’t you know why Derek left?” As she spoke, Tessa pushed me hard. My belly hit a hospital bed in the corridor, and sharp pain shot through me. A warm sensation flowed down my thigh. Grandma Nora looked on in panic, “Doctor, come quickly. Amelia’s child can’t be harmed.” The doctor and nurses were about to check when Derek shouted, “No one is allowed to check. Today, I’m making sure she doesn’t keep the child.” At the director’s signal, the doctor and nurses didn’t dare move. Tessa mocked, “Sister-in-law, carrying someone else’s child, betraying Derek.” “How do you have the nerve to seek help from the family hospital’s doctors?” Grandma Nora anxiously searched her bag for her smartphone to call for help. Derek ordered the bodyguard to take Grandma’s phone away. “Grandma, what kind of manipulation did Amelia use on you?” “You’re still trying to help her.” “Grandma, I’m telling you, this child must not remain.” Grandma Nora was shocked, “Derek, I’m your grandmother. Won’t you even listen to me?” Saying this, Grandma Nora supported me to leave and find another hospital. But the bodyguard restrained her. “Derek, stop this madness.” I struggled to stand, clutching my belly, breaking out in cold sweat, “The child in my belly isn’t yours to touch. Let me go now, or you can’t handle the consequences.” Derek stared at me, silent for a moment. Then Tessa started live streaming with her smartphone. She whispered something in Derek’s ear. Derek took the smartphone from Tessa and aimed it at me, “Amelia, if you don’t want a dignified procedure in the hospital, I’ll do it another way.” “Remember the consequences of betraying me.” Derek ordered the bodyguard to tie me to the hospital bed. I stared in horror at the bodyguard holding a stick. I struggled desperately, trying to break free. I was ready to reveal the true identity of the child’s father. “Derek, you’re insane. The child I’m carrying is…” Before I could finish, the bodyguard, at Derek’s signal, struck my belly with a stick. The intense pain turned my words into cries of agony. Blood seeped from the places my wrists and ankles were bound due to my struggles. “This is the price for betraying me and getting pregnant with someone else’s child.” The live stream audience, after hearing the story, joined in. “This woman is obviously trouble.” “Cheaters deserve to die. Don’t let her off easily.” “Teach her a lesson. Let all women see the consequences of infidelity.” Derek showed me the live stream comments. “Amelia, you not only betrayed me, but you also manipulated Grandma into deceiving me.” “Today, I’m going to make sure the child in your belly is dealt with.” Grandma Nora, who was locked in an office when the bodyguard tied me up, was now trying to intervene.

As the second blow was about to land, someone suddenly burst in. He stopped the bodyguard. “Young Master Derek, Miss Amelia isn’t someone you can touch now.” “Stop and apologize to Miss Amelia. It might make your life easier later.” Tessa looked uneasy at the sight of the bodyguard, but she said nothing. Derek, however, stared at the intruder for a long time before speaking, “I see you’re familiar. You’re my brother’s bodyguard.” With that, Derek suddenly grabbed the stick from the bodyguard and smashed it over his head. “How dare you meddle with my affairs.” Blood gushed from the bodyguard’s head as he collapsed on the ground. Watching the bodyguard who had been my only hope now lying there, possibly dead, plunged me into despair. “Derek, please, I’m sorry. Spare the child in my belly.” I was desperate, crying as I spoke. Derek glanced at the smartphone, then at me, and instructed the bodyguard to release me from the bed. “Now kneel in front of me and tell me what you did wrong.” “If the live stream audience forgives you, then I will too.” Clutching my aching belly, I painfully crawled to Derek and knelt before him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have betrayed you or gotten pregnant. I’m at fault.” “But the child is innocent. Please, spare him.” Derek looked at my pitiful state and said nothing. Instead, he connected with a netizen’s microphone. A furious voice came from the other end of the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished. Show no mercy.” “Are you kneeling here to confess your mistakes?” “If the viewers in the live streaming room forgive you, then so will I.” Clutching my agonizing stomach, I painfully crawled to Derek’s feet and knelt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been unfaithful, and I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I’ve made terrible mistakes.” “But the child is innocent. Please, I’m begging you, spare him.” Derek surveyed my disheveled state in silence. Instead, he randomly connected a viewer’s mic. An outraged voice burst through the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished, you wretched woman. Someone should teach you a lesson.” Tessa approached Derek and spoke with deliberate calm, “Derek, see, your sister-in-law is still unwilling to give up the child and won’t disclose the father’s identity.” “It seems she hasn’t truly realized her mistakes.” Their conversation made my face go pale. But for the sake of my child, I had to fight. I endured the pain and abruptly stood up, racing toward the exit. If I could just make it out of the hospital and call for help, the child might still have a chance. Just as I was about to escape through the hospital doors, Derek grabbed my hair from behind. He yanked me back with such force, I felt my scalp tearing apart. “You’re still thinking of running away, are you?” “Without a lesson, you won’t learn.” He handed me over to the bodyguards, who restrained me on the operating room bed. “Doctor, perform the procedure and remove the child.” The medical team prepared to administer an anesthetic, but Derek stopped them. “She’s disgraced herself, and the child is illegitimate. No need for anesthetic.” Under the harsh lights of the operating room, I whispered weakly, “Derek, you’ll regret this.” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re asking to translate is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text that needs translation? Derek listened indifferently and remarked, “After this, you might even thank me. You know, you’re famous now.” “You’ll be the first person on the internet to stream an abortion live.” I was utterly despondent. I’m sorry, child, your mother doesn’t have the strength to protect you. The nurse’s eyes showed hesitation, but she had to proceed due to the boss’s authority. The sharp pain of the scalpel cutting through my skin made me scream in agony. But Derek impatiently stuffed a cloth into my mouth.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside, and Grayson’s butler rushed in with urgency. Seeing my condition, he quickly ordered the doctor to stop. At this point, I was already losing consciousness, feeling nothing but pain. Derek looked puzzled when he saw the butler. “What are you doing?” The butler, looking anxious, said, “Sir, you can’t do this to Miss Amelia. You two are divorced.” Derek, hearing this, put away his smartphone and gritted his teeth, “I didn’t agree, so it doesn’t count.” “Besides, she cheated on me and got pregnant with someone else’s child. Don’t I have the right to punish her?” The butler had seen the lady boss’s distress on the live stream. After discovering it, he immediately informed the big boss and rushed over. At this moment, Grayson appeared at the door. Derek was somewhat alarmed upon seeing his brother. Tessa also showed a look of delight. Derek quickly spoke, stepping forward to prevent his brother from entering the hospital room, “Brother, there’s no need for you to handle such a trivial matter personally. Leave, the hospital room is full of bad vibes.” Tessa added, “Grayson, even though we’re divorced, I still have to look after this family.” “This woman cheated on your brother and got pregnant with another man’s child.” Grayson’s face turned stern upon hearing this, ignoring them entirely. Instead, he directly pushed them aside and quickly walked to the operating table. Seeing my state, his eyes were filled with pain. “Where’s the director? Get out here.” The director, who had been outside, quickly ran in at Grayson’s call. “Boss, what’s wrong?” Grayson looked at the director with bloodshot eyes and said slowly, “She’s my wife, your lady boss. Now, give her the best care possible.” “If anything happens to her, I’m sure you’ve heard of my methods.” After saying this, Grayson glared harshly at Derek and Tessa. “I don’t have time to deal with you now.” Grayson instructed the bodyguard to take them to the Grayson Family Ancestral Hall and lock them up. The Grayson Family Ancestral Hall was used to discipline family members who made mistakes, a tradition spanning hundreds of years. Derek and Tessa were terrified when they realized the child was Grayson’s. “How is that possible?” “The child is actually Grayson’s!” Tessa’s tone was filled with resentment and regret, “Why didn’t she say earlier that the child was Grayson’s?” “This is practically a death sentence for us!” Tessa’s Family had once helped the Grayson Family, leading to a five-year marriage of convenience between Tessa and Grayson. If Tessa couldn’t make Grayson fall in love with her within five years, they would amicably divorce.

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On our wedding day, my husband abandoned me to accompany another woman. When I questioned him, he accused me of being petty and jealous. I intended to leave before the final humiliation could reach me. But the moment I stepped out of the dressing room, I ran into the one man Aaron never wanted anywhere near me. His gaze swept from my bouquet to my lips, slow enough to feel like a touch. “If you still need a groom,” he murmured, “I can stand where he ran.” I slipped my arm through his without hesitation. And in front of everyone, I sealed the offer with a kiss. One week before our wedding, my fiancé Aaron Lambert told me he had to marry his first love before he could marry me. His first love’s mother had passed away, leaving a dying wish for them to get married. “Lily’s mother always hoped she would marry a good man. I’m just fulfilling the old lady’s last wish. Don’t overthink it,” Aaron said. But our company had already decided to launch the True Love jewelry collection on the day of our grand wedding. He impatiently replied, “It’s just a billion-dollar project. How can that compare to Lily’s filial piety? If you really want to earn that money, go find someone else to marry.” Faced with his cold words, I understood everything. I turned and dialed my family’s number. “Brother, help me find a new marriage partner.” My brother asked in disbelief, “You’re calling off the wedding?” “No, he’s marrying someone else,” I said with a bitter smile. To be with Aaron, I had fought tooth and nail against my family’s objections to finally get my parents’ approval. We even scheduled the True Love jewelry collection launch for our wedding day. But now, everything had fallen apart. My brother was stunned for a long while before saying, “Then Arlo Shaw is our only option. His family has been pressuring him to get married, and he’s been looking for a partner recently.” I frowned. Arlo Shaw was my sworn enemy. On my engagement day, he had even cursed that my marriage would fall apart. I never expected his prophecy to be fulfilled. Time was tight, so I could only say, “Alright, it’ll be him then. Help me ask about his intentions. If he refuses, I’ll think of another way.” My brother replied quickly, “No need to ask. He’ll definitely agree.” “What?” Before I could ask anything more, a group of people surrounded me. “Are you Aaron’s fiancée? You’re so beautiful!” “Are you here to wait for Aaron to get off work? He’ll be down soon. You two are so sweet together.” I gripped the steering wheel, lowering my eyes to hide the self-mockery in them. Aaron had introduced me to his colleagues and friends early on. In everyone’s eyes, we were an enviable model couple. But who could have guessed that he was about to marry someone else? After saying goodbye to everyone, Aaron got into the car and handed me a necklace. “Lily asked me to give this to you. You embarrassed her at the funeral yesterday, so take some time to apologize to her.” This necklace was clearly a free gift that came with a purchase. I had seen it in Aaron’s shopping cart a couple of days ago. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Aaron frowned. “What are you upset about now? You barged into the funeral and said I wasn’t her fiancé, embarrassing her. She didn’t hold it against you and even thought to bring you a gift. How can you be so ungrateful?” The man who once protected me was gone. Now, he cherished someone else. Aaron irritably opened the window to let in some air. After a long while, seeing that I wasn’t going to comfort him, he finally said, “Fine, we’re supposed to go try on wedding dresses today. I won’t argue with you.” This was the first time he had backed down this year. When we arrived at the bridal shop, the sales assistant greeted us: “Mr. Lambert, Miss Quinn, the twenty custom wedding dresses and tuxedos you ordered are ready.” But Aaron’s gaze wasn’t on these clothes. He was looking down at his phone, his expression somewhat urgent. After noticing my gaze, he quickly put away his phone, his face showing a hint of apology: “Genevieve, something came up with Lily. I need to rush over there right away. Try on the wedding dresses yourself, and just pick a tuxedo for me. I trust your taste.” With that, he hurriedly hailed a taxi and left, leaving me alone. The sales assistant quickly approached me and tentatively asked, “Miss Quinn, would you like to personally select the tuxedo?” I looked away and nodded. Of course I would choose a tuxedo. Just not for Aaron. After all, the groom had changed. I drove home, thinking Aaron wouldn’t return all night. But he came back before dinner. He strode over to me, holding a takeout box. “I went all over town to buy this for you. It’s from Harry’s Bakery.” I looked at the box of Swiss rolls. There were three fewer than usual, and one of them had a bite mark, obviously having been eaten. Half an hour ago, I had seen Lily’s Instagram post. The photo was of the Swiss rolls in my hand. “Hubby bought me a midnight snack even though it’s so late. Thanks for working so hard, babe! XOXO!” I put down my chopsticks with a self-mocking smile, instantly losing my appetite. “I don’t want to eat it. Just throw it away.” Aaron immediately looked at me with displeasure but held back from lashing out. He sat down beside me and complained: “You have no idea how pitiful Lily was today. My parents went to her house and scolded her family for being poor, saying they couldn’t even afford decent jewelry. She was so upset she cried.” “Lily just returned to the country and doesn’t have much money. I was thinking of lending her your jewelry.” His tone left no room for argument, making me feel sick. I looked at him sarcastically. “So I have to provide jewelry for your wife?”

In the past, I cared about Aaron so much that I would give him anything he asked for and do anything for him. But now he had personally woken me up. Thinking back, ever since Lily returned to the country, everything he did was for her. He had forgotten that I was supposed to be the one spending the rest of my life with him. My response angered Aaron. “What do you mean by that? You’re not willing? You’d better understand this: Lily is my best friend. You’d better make her happy, or I might not marry you!” With that, he slammed the door and left. Feeling frustrated, I went downstairs to jog in the park. After running one lap, I received a call from Arlo Shaw. Thinking of Arlo’s perpetually stern face, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my ship, you’re my person. If you dare to run, I’ll tie you up and bring you back!” Arlo’s first sentence was a direct hit. I remained silent, and he continued: “Let’s get the marriage certificate.” “I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.” Arlo Shaw, you’re acting strange. I had already imagined tens of thousands of scenarios in my mind where he would use our marriage to torment me. In the end, I could only muster up a sentence: “See you at the wedding, Mr. Shaw.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aaron appeared behind me out of nowhere: “You’re inviting Arlo Shaw to our wedding? I forbid it!” He stared at me as if facing a great enemy: “Genevieve Quinn, didn’t I tell you not to associate with Arlo Shaw? His intentions towards you aren’t pure. If you insist on inviting him to our wedding, don’t blame me for getting upset!” Before I could say a word, he had already laid down his threat. Aaron had always disliked Arlo Shaw and harbored an inexplicable hostility towards him. When we first got together, he even became jealous because Arlo and I often bantered on SnapChat. After that, I gradually cut off contact with Arlo. But he actually said… Arlo Shaw had impure intentions towards me? I was about to ask further when Lily suddenly leaned against Aaron’s neck. “Aaron, you’re hurting me…” Only then did I notice they were holding hands while taking a walk. Aaron coughed awkwardly twice but showed no intention of letting go of her hand. Lily looked at Aaron with deep affection, then turned to me with a pretense of helplessness: “Sister Genevieve, I’m sorry. Aaron and I were just practicing the wedding procedure in advance. Please don’t mind.” “I won’t tell anyone about you hitting me or damaging my mother’s grave. But please don’t hurt Aaron. True love can’t withstand tests.” Not wanting to watch her act, I turned to leave: “Since you’re so looking forward to it, I’ll find someone to beat you up tonight and then dig up your mother’s grave!” Slap! Aaron slapped me hard across the face. “Genevieve Quinn, how can you be so vicious?!” His brows were furrowed, and his chest heaved. I’m vicious? He believed someone else’s manipulative words, but five years of our relationship couldn’t earn me even a bit of his trust. I suddenly felt a surge of anger and wanted to confront Aaron, but Lily stepped in front of him: “Genevieve, please, I’ll return Aaron to you as soon as the wedding is over.” “Please have mercy and don’t hurt the people around me, or Aaron.” As she spoke, she was about to kneel before me. Aaron quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, preventing her from kneeling, while glaring at me angrily. “Genevieve Quinn, stop playing your rich girl bullying games!” “You know I hate that the most. If you still want to marry me, stop making trouble!” With that, he warned me not to appear in front of them during the time before the wedding. Unexpectedly, Aaron contacted me the very next day. He started with a barrage of scolding: “Genevieve Quinn, did you really go and dig up Mrs. Lee’s grave?! I never thought you were this kind of person!” Filled with confusion, I called my assistant to investigate, only to uncover an extremely shocking fact. Lily’s mother… wasn’t dead.

No wonder Lily could be so ruthless as to dig up her own mother’s grave to frame me. It turns out death was all a scam. I sent Aaron a text message: “Lily’s mother isn’t dead. The truth is in the email I sent you.” Whether he looked at it or not was no longer my concern. The flight was booked for three days later, personally arranged by Arlo. When Aaron returned, he saw me packing my things. Half of my clothes were thrown away, with a small portion being shipped to South City. “Why are you starting to pack clothes?” Aaron asked with a dubious expression. I casually replied, “Moving.” He fell silent for a moment, not noticing anything amiss, and continued talking to himself: “The Quinn family company is in South City. We’ll settle there after getting married, so it’s good to start packing early.” After saying this, he fixed me with a stern gaze. “Apologize to Lily’s mother as soon as possible. Don’t make things difficult for me. How about on the wedding day? What do you think?” He tossed his phone aside and went to look for his ID card. Today was the day he and Lily were getting their marriage certificate. He didn’t return until late that night. I opened my phone to find a message from Lily pop up. The picture showed Aaron and her wearing matching outfits, sharing a bed. I closed my eyes, my heart still aching despite my efforts. I suppressed that feeling and turned off my phone. Late at night, the phone by my pillow started vibrating every hour. Each vibration was Lily sending me videos of her and Aaron to taunt me. Until early the next morning, when I received a message from Arlo. “Miss Quinn, the flower has bloomed.” The accompanying image showed a marriage certificate and a pot of vibrant red roses. I was surprised that he had kept the plant I casually gave him years ago. Inexplicably, a strange emotion welled up in my heart. I replied with a single word: “Okay.” I put down my phone and went to pack up my work files on the computer. I didn’t notice when Aaron had returned. He was packing his daily essentials: “I’m moving in with Lily for a few days. She’s too busy preparing for the wedding alone. Remember to show up on time for the wedding the day after tomorrow. Don’t be late.” After saying this, he explained at length that he was just going to help normally and told me not to cause trouble again. “Mm, I won’t go,” I said, lowering my eyes. After last night, my last bit of affection for him had completely dissipated. Aaron looked at my calm demeanor, and a nameless panic swept over him. He suddenly became hesitant. But thinking of Lily’s cloying clinginess, he loosened his grip on his phone. Genevieve loved him so much, what could possibly go wrong? Thinking this, he breathed a sigh of relief and no longer lingered with me, disappearing from my sight. I watched his departing figure and made a phone call. That evening, a helicopter landed in the square. A man approached me: “Miss Quinn, the helicopter you ordered has arrived. It will safely transport you to South City in half an hour.” I nodded, then handed him an envelope. “Deliver this envelope to the wedding venue tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the bride and groom.”

The next day, I sent Aaron a message right on time: “Congratulations on your marriage!” At the wedding venue, Aaron kept looking towards the entrance, asking his secretary: “Why hasn’t Genevieve Quinn arrived yet? We agreed she would apologize to Mrs. Lee in public today.” The secretary scrolled through the news, frowning: “She probably can’t make it. She’s busy with her own wedding right now.” Hearing this, Aaron stood frozen in the center of the banquet hall. The wedding venue was decorated with Lily’s favorite champagne roses, making the entire hall look like a dream. Below the stage, guests were toasting and chatting. Everything seemed perfect. However, Aaron was tightly gripping his phone, staring intently at the news headline: “Quinn Group’s Female CEO Gets Married, True Love Collection Officially Launches”. Cold sweat broke out on his palms as he hurriedly dialed the number he knew by heart, only to find it unanswered. “How can this be happening?” Lily walked straight towards him, grasping his hand. “Aaron, what’s wrong? Your hands are so cold.” Aaron gripped her hand in return: “Genevieve Quinn… she, she married someone else!” Lily took the phone and glanced at it, frowning slightly before smiling: “That’s impossible. Sister Genevieve loves you so much. This must be some kind of business tactic. These businesspeople will do anything for money, even fake marriages.” “Fake marriage?” Aaron’s panicked expression eased slightly. “Come on, Aaron. The wedding is about to start. Let’s go up,” Lily said. The officiant stood on stage to host the wedding. Aaron forced a smile back onto his face and exchanged rings with Lily, kissing each other. Just when everything seemed perfect, the doors of the banquet hall were suddenly flung open with a bang. A group of people walked in orderly. Aaron instinctively thought it was Genevieve coming to make trouble. He had just raised a smile, ready to lash out, when he suddenly froze. It wasn’t Genevieve who had come, but a group of uniformed police officers. He immediately panicked and asked, “Officers, we’re just ordinary citizens. We haven’t done anything wrong, have we?” The lead officer ignored him completely and simply unfolded a document. “Miss Genevieve Quinn has filed charges against Lily Lee for illegal possession of property. The evidence is conclusive. Please come with us.” Aaron was completely flustered. “Officers, what illegal possession? Those were jewels I legally gave to Lily from Genevieve.” The officer frowned: “Your so-called legal channels are not recognized by us, and the plaintiff Miss Genevieve Quinn does not acknowledge this either.” Aaron desperately argued: “This is just Genevieve’s tactic! She’s doing this to ruin my wedding with Lily!” The officer glared at him coldly: “Sir, please don’t obstruct official business. Take her away!” As Lily was taken away, the wedding instantly descended into chaos. The Lee family relatives loudly discussed how Lily’s jewelry turned out to be someone else’s, calling her shameless. Aaron’s parents’ faces turned black as the bottom of a pot, pointing at Aaron’s head and scolding him. “You fool! What have you done!” “You gave up on Genevieve, who was so good, to marry this penniless woman. Now look what’s happened! You’ve lost everything!” Aaron calmed down. “Mom, this is Genevieve’s tactic to force me to comply. I’m going to find Genevieve now to save Lily.” Just as he was about to step forward, a man blocked his path. “Mr. Lambert, this is Miss Quinn’s wedding gift for you.” A phone was connected to the big screen. When the phone was opened, obscene images and words that were unfit for viewing assaulted everyone’s eyes.

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Everyone in the family was waiting for me to frame the real daughter, claiming she stole Grandma’s jade pendant, but I calmly admitted in front of them all that I had slipped it into my own pocket by accident. The room froze. In the original script, I should have cried, yelled, and dragged her down with me. But I’m not the original girl—I transmigrated into her body. From the moment I changed that line, no one in this house could control me again. I was reborn in a novel as Sophia Davis, the adopted daughter of the head of Davis Enterprises. I was kept in the family because I had a rare blood type, which meant I served as a “mobile blood bank” for my brother, James Davis. Not long after, the real daughter, Lily Davis, was found. She was the true protagonist of this world, unlike me, the “villainous” adopted daughter. And she had the special ability that allowed others to hear her thoughts. According to the storyline, I was supposed to constantly frame her in front of my parents, making them believe she was bullying me, and trying to make them dislike her. But with her “God’s perspective” from the storyline, Lily could always predict my actions and words, causing my family to lose trust in me again and again. On the very first day Lily returned, my parents asked me to show her the room upstairs that had been prepared for her. I remembered from the plot that at this point, everyone in the family should have already heard Lily’s thoughts. They were waiting to see if things would unfold the way she said they would. I was about to try to break the plot and do something unexpected, but suddenly, my body slipped, and I found myself tumbling down the stairs uncontrollably. As I rolled down the stairs and hit the floor, I noticed the look in my parents’ and James’ eyes. There was a clear trace of disappointment there. They were all waiting for me to say something, but no one came to help me. I had to slowly stand up on my own. Feeling embarrassed, I weakly apologized, “It’s OK. I didn’t eat enough this morning. Just low blood sugar.” Lily, looking surprised, asked, “You’re trying to say I pushed you, aren’t you? You don’t even know why, and you just want Mom and Dad not to be mad, right?” My parents and James looked at me with suspicion in their eyes, and I just leaned against the wall, weakly retorting, “Did you not hear me or what? It was the low blood sugar.” Then, I looked at James pitifully, “I’ll get better soon. I don’t want to be unable to provide blood when you need it.” James and my parents, hearing this, immediately came over to help me up, their faces filled with concern. Lily had taken my room, but in exchange, my parents gave me a luxurious suite. Eighteen years ago, Lily, their biological daughter, was kidnapped by bad people, and my parents were devastated. To cope with the grief, they adopted me from an orphanage, since I also had a rare blood type. For the past eighteen years, they had treated me like their own daughter, nurturing and pampering me. But their love for me wasn’t without an ulterior motive. First, they wanted me to help run Davis Enterprises, and second, I was meant to be James’ personal blood donor. James loved racing, and as a professional driver, he often got injured during his races. Whenever he needed a blood transfusion, it was always me who provided it. That was why my parents doted on me so much, and why James treated me like his own sister.

Mom gently pulled me aside, “Sophia, your health isn’t great. You can have the suite on the first floor from now on.” In the original plot, when Lily was first brought back, the family hadn’t had time to prepare her room yet. The original Sophia, wanting to show her family how considerate and generous she was, offered her own room to Lily, even though she planned to stay in the storage room to play the martyr and gain their sympathy. But this time, instead of offering my room, Mom gave me the largest room, the suite, on the first floor, the one where they used to read and write. Lily could already feel the drama unfolding in her mind. “She’s definitely going to refuse,” Lily thought. “She’ll insist she’s just an outsider and keep pretending to be the victim, staying in the storage room.” Hearing Lily’s thoughts, my parents and James all looked awkward, waiting for my reaction. I hugged Mom happily, acting like a spoiled child. “Mom, you’re the best! I love you the most! I’ll take the suite downstairs. It’s more convenient, and it’ll be closer to James!” My parents’ and James’ rooms were on the first floor, so now I was moving down too. Lily would be the only one left upstairs. She seemed confused that I hadn’t followed the script. Grabbing my arm, she demanded, “You were supposed to refuse and insist on staying in the storage room. Why the sudden change of heart?” She couldn’t understand why I wasn’t sticking to the expected lines. I had realized something too. When it came to crucial plot points, my actions would be uncontrollable and follow the script, but what I said was entirely under my control. “Stay in the storage room?” I replied, leaning back. “Why would I want to stay there when I have a perfectly good suite?” Everyone looked at Lily with confusion. Unable to handle the pressure, she angrily shoved me. From Lily’s thoughts, I could tell my family was starting to get suspicious of me. “This doesn’t make sense,” she thought. “You’re not even their real child. Why have you lived as me for the past ten years? I come back, and suddenly you get the suite? Are you trying to humiliate me? Why did you even bring me back?” She lashed out at my parents and James, venting all the grievances she’d carried for years. But the fact that she went missing had nothing to do with me. I was just adopted later, after all. James, feeling sorry for me, helped me up from the floor and snapped at Lily, “Don’t take it too far. You can’t just throw tantrums and push people around. Where’s your manners? I bet you did push Sophia just now.” Lily, having grown up in a small town with poor manners, wasn’t about to let James’ words slide. She started cursing him out in response. It was all becoming too much for my parents, especially Dad. “Enough!” he shouted. “The most important thing is that Sophia gets better. She’ll stay on the first floor. The entire second floor is yours, Lily. You can design it however you like. Is that fair now?” James snorted in disbelief, and Mom wiped away her tears. When Lily heard that the entire second floor was hers, the space was several times bigger than my own, she had nothing left to say. The house would soon be undergoing renovations, and my suite would just be rearranged as it was. But Lily’s second floor was going to be a huge project. She insisted on a walk-in closet, a study, and a separate bathroom. The noise from the construction made the entire house uneasy. Aside from a few arguments with James, no one really called her out on it. It took over half a month before the renovations were finally done.

Lily now had her room, but her closet was still empty, so Mom gave her a card with her allowance for the year. “Lily,” she said softly, “I’ve been giving Sophia and James one million a year as pocket money. We’ve missed out on those 18 years with you, so we want to make it right. There is 20 million, and you can spend it however you like.” Lily refused the card, her voice cold. “Lost affection can’t be replaced with money. I don’t want your money.” James, who had been looking at his phone, snorted. “How high and mighty. If she doesn’t want it, just give it to Sophia.” Lily’s thoughts turned bitter. “Give it to her, go ahead, give it all to her. You think Sophia’s some kind of good person? She’s about to sabotage James in his next race. When he’s fighting for his life after a crash, she’ll pull some pity play and donate blood, gaining all your trust. Then, once you’ve given her all of Davis Enterprises’ assets, she’ll ditch you. You’ll be left begging on the streets.” Hearing her thoughts, James hesitated as he handed me the card. Mom and Dad exchanged a wary glance. The story forced me into a situation where I had to steal something and set Lily up, and when I was caught, I could feel the cold sweat running down my back. But I remained calm. I pulled out the card Mom and Dad had previously given me and handed it to Lily. “You said I’ve been living in your place for the past ten years. If you won’t take what they gave you, how about you take this card from me?” Lily shot me a glare and then snatched the card from my hand without hesitation. “It’s mine to begin with. You should’ve given it back.” Mom and Dad’s wariness began to fade. James realized how close he’d come to believing Lily’s words and, feeling guilty, pulled out his own card. “Sophia, don’t let her get to you. If you need money, use my card. We can share.” I smiled and accepted his offer. I couldn’t understand why the original Sophia would go out of her way to hurt this brother who was so partial to her. Why couldn’t she just live a happy, normal life like any ordinary person? Why did she have to stir up trouble?

The next day, Mom took Lily and me to the mall. According to the plot, I would initially eagerly pick out all kinds of expensive clothes and jewelry for Lily. But just as we were leaving the store, I would secretly hide something in Lily’s bag to embarrass her. As the story forced me into a certain action, I found myself unable to control my body as it quietly slipped a beautiful, pricey watch into Lily’s bag. I wanted to head to the counter to pay, but I couldn’t move a muscle. Lily, noticing something was off, started to think to herself, “Sophia just looks down on me for growing up in a small town. She’s trying to plant stolen goods in my bag to make me look bad and accuse me of being unrefined.” Mom saw the strange expression on my face and started to suspect something was wrong. Lily, now aware of the situation, grabbed her bag and said, “Let’s go.” She dragged both me and Mom toward the store’s exit, and sure enough, the alarm went off as we passed through the door. Mom looked at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. The store clerks quickly blocked our way. “Excuse me, but could you please stop and check if there are any unpaid items in your bags?” I could feel the cold sweat on my forehead, my heart pounding in my chest. Lily smirked, looking at me with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “I don’t know. Why don’t we check our bags?” The clerk first searched her bag, and sure enough, found the expensive watch tucked into a hidden compartment, with the price tag still attached. Mom, stunned, pointed at the watch with trembling hands. “This watch isn’t…” Before she could finish, the clerk cut her off. “Oh, this watch doesn’t belong to our store. I’ll put it back. Could you please open your bags so we can inspect them?” The clerk handed Lily her bag back, but Lily stared at the watch in shock. Why would they return it to her if it was stolen? When they searched my bag, however, they found a diamond brooch. It turned out I was the one who had stolen the item. The clerk looked at me in disbelief and said sternly, “Miss, your actions suggest theft. We may need to call the police.” I lowered my head in shame. Mom stepped forward to defend me. “My daughter’s been unwell lately, and she must’ve forgotten to pay. We don’t steal jewelry. We can afford it.” We had often shopped at this store, and the staff knew us well. They couldn’t believe we would be involved in a theft. The clerk, sensing the tension, spoke sympathetically. “Probably just a mistake. Sophia must’ve absentmindedly put it in her bag. I’ll go ahead and print the invoice, please give me just a moment.” Just when I thought the situation was about to resolve, Lily interrupted. She grabbed the clerk’s arm, blocking her from leaving, and pointed at me. “She did steal. She was trying to plant them in my bag to frame me! I don’t know why she hid them in her own bag, though. Don’t be fooled.” The clerk looked at our mom, clearly uncomfortable. Mom, already fed up, snapped, “Enough, Lily.” But Lily refused to stop. She pulled the watch out of her bag, still with the price tag on it. “This is clearly the watch she stole from another store. She tried to plant it in my bag earlier!” As she spoke, the people around us began to look at me with disdain. Lily grabbed my arm. “Are you trying to accuse me now? Are you going to say it’s my fault? Speak up!” I could hear whispers in the crowd. Who would’ve thought two rich girls would steal from a store? Both our reputations were at stake, and Mom finally snapped. “Enough!” I couldn’t hold back any longer and started crying. “I’m sorry, Mom. I took the brooch. I didn’t have the money to buy it. I just wanted to give it to Lily as a gift.” Lily and Mom suddenly remembered that earlier in the morning, I had given Lily my card. Lily scoffed, “Sophia, you’re really something else. You stole the brooch to give it to me as a gift, but what about the watch? Isn’t that your attempt to frame me?” Mom couldn’t take it anymore. She slapped Lily across the face. “Stop it! The watch was a birthday gift from our entire family to Sophia. She never even wore it and still hadn’t removed the tag. She probably meant to give it to you secretly, and you’ve completely misjudged her!” Lily stared at me in disbelief before throwing the watch to the ground and running off in tears. The whole time, I had been wearing the watch when I left the house. But once the plot triggered, I had no control over my actions. Since I was destined to take the fall for the theft, I decided to accept the blame myself. When we got home and explained everything, Mom and Dad, along with James, didn’t hold it against me. They quietly gave me the card Lily had refused earlier. “Sophia, no matter the reason, stealing is not right. It’s bad for your reputation. Do you understand? Since Lily didn’t want it, you can use this card.” I happily accepted the card. There was 20 million in it. I was over the moon!

Lily began to question why things weren’t going according to the original plot. She found me alone and confronted me. “You’re trying to make it look like I pushed you down the stairs, aren’t you? And in the mall, you deliberately stole something to frame me, right? What changed? Why did you suddenly change your mind?” I met her furious gaze and calmly poured myself a cup of coffee. “Let me ask you. Why do you always think I’m the bad guy?” She opened her mouth but couldn’t come up with a response. According to the plot, I was supposed to be the evil adopted one, eventually taking all of the family’s wealth for myself. Meanwhile, Lily, whose thoughts could be heard by everyone and who knew the plot, would be loved by everyone and would stop all of it from happening. “You say you’re not a bad person. Fine. Tomorrow, when I go to school, prove it to me.” After Lily left, I started to feel a headache coming on. I had almost forgotten…that the original Sophia was two-faced. At home, she bullied Lily with fake sympathy, but at school, she openly isolated and ostracized her. What was I supposed to do now? The next day, at school… The teacher introduced Lily to the class as a new transfer student. As soon as she sat down, Lily started mentally complaining.

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