Category: English

My boyfriend took me to the emergency room late at night because of severe stomach pain. But before I could even finish describing my symptoms, The doctor cut me off with a dismissive tone. “I told you last time, you can’t have ten abortions!” “You insisted on doing it because it wasn’t your boyfriend’s baby. Now you come to me, and there’s nothing I can do!” At first, I denied it, then, realizing what she was implying, I angrily demanded to see her supervisor. But Liam held me back, pulling me toward the next examination room. “I believe you’re not that kind of person. The priority is getting you treated. We can complain about her later.” But I never got to complain. That whole clinic visit went viral. My reputation was shredded. Under the weight of public ridicule and mockery, I fell into a deep depression and took my own life. After I died, The doctor apologized to me, tears streaming down her face. “I just saw how much pain she was in and wanted to distract her. Who knew she’d take it so hard?” Liam, meanwhile, was heartbroken. “Maybe she had a guilty conscience. You shouldn’t blame yourself!” I opened my eyes again. I flung Liam’s hand away and dialed 91

“Hello, I believe I’ve had ten abortions without my knowledge. I suspect I’ve been drugged!” 1. “It’s supposed to hurt.” “While abortion procedures are common now, they’re not truly harmless. Right now it’s just stomach pain, but there’s worse waiting for you down the line!” “But maybe you’re not afraid of any of that. After all, you’re a mess from head to toe, except for your hair. You’re probably used to it by now, aren’t you?” Dr. Riley, the on-call doctor, looked at me with utter contempt. But when she looked atHugh her face completely changed, a flirtatious glint in her eyes that was impossible to miss. In that instant, I knew. I had been reborn. It was exactly like this in my past life. I was in excruciating pain from a severe stomach flu, and Dr. Riley just glanced at my medical history before spouting nonsense. It nearly made me furious enough to die on the spot. Because I was desperate for medical attention, I didn’t cause a scene then. But the next day, Dr. Riley posted a blurred video of my visit online. “Doctors nowadays really have it tough. Ten abortions, and she still asks me why her stomach hurts. It’d be weird if it didn’t hurt.” “You weren’t there, you didn’t see her glare. Anyone would think I was a doctor, but honestly, it felt like she thought I was one of those awful men who got her pregnant and then left her to deal with it.” Even though Dr. Riley blurred the video in my past life, some people still “recognized” me. I faced a barrage of hate online. I tried desperately to explain that I had never done any of the things they accused me of. But no one believed me. Everyone said: 【If you didn’t do it, why are you running? You ran away because you knew it was true and couldn’t face it, right?】 【Exactly, a normal person who’s wrongly accused would fight back, scream, and complain.】 【Good thing the doctor released this surveillance footage first, otherwise, she might have turned it around and blamed the doctor!】 I developed depression because of it, and eventually, I just… died in a haze.

Maybe it was the memory of that desperate and painful death, but now the stomach pain felt significantly less severe. I didn’t panic. Instead, I pushed Liam’s hand away and looked calmly at Dr. Riley. “Dr. Riley, isn’t it? Were you joking just now, or were you serious?” Dr. Riley hadn’t expected me to be so composed. She froze for a moment. But she was clearly good at making things up, so her mental fortitude was impressive. She quickly nodded. “Of course, I’m a doctor. How could I make things up?” “I used to be in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I’ve recently moved to the emergency room. You and I are old acquaintances. Pretending not to know me won’t work.” Dr. Riley then suddenly turned to Liam. “Which boyfriend are you of Chloe’s? I haven’t seen you with her before.” “She always comes here with different men.” Liam didn’t answer. He was pinching his thigh hard, struggling to keep from laughing out loud. Last time, when Dr. Riley slandered me, he just pulled me away as if nothing had happened. He said he believed me, and at the time, I was touched. Now, I just found it pathetic. Of course, he believed me; he and Dr. Riley knew better than anyone how innocent I was! My expression remained calm, and my voice didn’t waver. “This is my boyfriend, Liam. I’ve never had an abortion, nor have I ever visited an OB/GYN with other men.” Dr. Riley looked like she suddenly understood. “Oh, I see. Is this your *official* boyfriend?” “No wonder you’re trying to say I was joking. Well… alright, alright, Chloe’s right, I was joking. This isn’t due to an abortion; it’s… it’s stomach flu, or appendicitis. Quickly, I’ll order some tests for you. Let’s get you treated.” Although Dr. Riley sounded like she was clarifying things for me, her sarcastic tone made it obvious to anyone that she had no choice but to back down!

Dr. Riley finished writing the test orders and handed them to me, but I still didn’t move. I stared into her eyes. “Just saying it was a joke isn’t enough. Since you claim I’ve had ten abortions, then show me my medical records.” “If you can’t produce them…” I held up my phone. “Then I won’t let you off the hook.” Dr. Riley’s face darkened even further. She slammed her hand on the desk. “What do you mean? Are you threatening me, saying you’ll complain and report me?” “I admit, I violated protocol by revealing your medical condition directly, but I was just worried about you. Your attitude makes it seem like I’m trying to harm you.” I ignored her, simply continuing to demand to see the records. Seeing Dr. Riley’s scowl, Liam stopped smiling too. “Chloe, don’t make a scene. Someone must look a bit like you, or have a similar name, so the doctor got it wrong.” “I believe you, and I know you. I know you’re not that kind of person. We don’t need to waste time here. Aren’t you in pain? Let’s go see a doctor first.” “We can complain about her later.” Without thinking, I slapped Liam across the face. “Are you even a man? She’s slandering me right to my face, and your solution is to hide?” Liam was stunned by the slap, unable to utter a single word. Dr. Riley was both pained and furious. “You’re the one who did something to betray your boyfriend, how dare you hit someone here?” “I was originally going to spare you some dignity so you could stay with your boyfriend.” “But since you don’t appreciate kindness, then take a look!” Dr. Riley finished speaking and slammed the desk again, roughly spinning her computer screen around. As the screen turned, I was a little stunned. Because on that computer, there really were pages and pages of my medical records. Every single entry was from the OB/GYN department, either for abortions or other treatments. According to this, Dr. Riley wasn’t lying; *I* was.

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My boyfriend took me to the emergency room late at night because of severe stomach pain. But before I could even finish describing my symptoms, The doctor cut me off with a dismissive tone. “I told you last time, you can’t have ten abortions!” “You insisted on doing it because it wasn’t your boyfriend’s baby. Now you come to me, and there’s nothing I can do!” At first, I denied it, then, realizing what she was implying, I angrily demanded to see her supervisor. But Hugh held me back, pulling me toward the next examination room. “I believe you’re not that kind of person. The priority is getting you treated. We can complain about her later.” But I never got to complain. That whole clinic visit went viral. My reputation was shredded. Under the weight of public ridicule and mockery, I fell into a deep depression and took my own life. After I died, The doctor apologized to me, tears streaming down her face. “I just saw how much pain she was in and wanted to distract her. Who knew she’d take it so hard?” Hugh, meanwhile, was heartbroken. “Maybe she had a guilty conscience. You shouldn’t blame yourself!” I opened my eyes again. I flung Hugh’s hand away and dialed 91

“Hello, I believe I’ve had ten abortions without my knowledge. I suspect I’ve been drugged!” 1. “It’s supposed to hurt.” “While abortion procedures are common now, they’re not truly harmless. Right now it’s just stomach pain, but there’s worse waiting for you down the line!” “But maybe you’re not afraid of any of that. After all, you’re a mess from head to toe, except for your hair. You’re probably used to it by now, aren’t you?” Dr. Riley, the on-call doctor, looked at me with utter contempt. But when she looked atHugh her face completely changed, a flirtatious glint in her eyes that was impossible to miss. In that instant, I knew. I had been reborn. It was exactly like this in my past life. I was in excruciating pain from a severe stomach flu, and Dr. Riley just glanced at my medical history before spouting nonsense. It nearly made me furious enough to die on the spot. Because I was desperate for medical attention, I didn’t cause a scene then. But the next day, Dr. Riley posted a blurred video of my visit online. “Doctors nowadays really have it tough. Ten abortions, and she still asks me why her stomach hurts. It’d be weird if it didn’t hurt.” “You weren’t there, you didn’t see her glare. Anyone would think I was a doctor, but honestly, it felt like she thought I was one of those awful men who got her pregnant and then left her to deal with it.” Even though Dr. Riley blurred the video in my past life, some people still “recognized” me. I faced a barrage of hate online. I tried desperately to explain that I had never done any of the things they accused me of. But no one believed me. Everyone said: 【If you didn’t do it, why are you running? You ran away because you knew it was true and couldn’t face it, right?】 【Exactly, a normal person who’s wrongly accused would fight back, scream, and complain.】 【Good thing the doctor released this surveillance footage first, otherwise, she might have turned it around and blamed the doctor!】 I developed depression because of it, and eventually, I just… died in a haze.

Maybe it was the memory of that desperate and painful death, but now the stomach pain felt significantly less severe. I didn’t panic. Instead, I pushed Hugh’s hand away and looked calmly at Dr. Riley. “Dr. Riley, isn’t it? Were you joking just now, or were you serious?” Dr. Riley hadn’t expected me to be so composed. She froze for a moment. But she was clearly good at making things up, so her mental fortitude was impressive. She quickly nodded. “Of course, I’m a doctor. How could I make things up?” “I used to be in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I’ve recently moved to the emergency room. You and I are old acquaintances. Pretending not to know me won’t work.” Dr. Riley then suddenly turned to Hugh. “Which boyfriend are you of Chloe’s? I haven’t seen you with her before.” “She always comes here with different men.” Hugh didn’t answer. He was pinching his thigh hard, struggling to keep from laughing out loud. Last time, when Dr. Riley slandered me, he just pulled me away as if nothing had happened. He said he believed me, and at the time, I was touched. Now, I just found it pathetic. Of course, he believed me; he and Dr. Riley knew better than anyone how innocent I was! My expression remained calm, and my voice didn’t waver. “This is my boyfriend, Hugh. I’ve never had an abortion, nor have I ever visited an OB/GYN with other men.” Dr. Riley looked like she suddenly understood. “Oh, I see. Is this your *official* boyfriend?” “No wonder you’re trying to say I was joking. Well… alright, alright, Chloe’s right, I was joking. This isn’t due to an abortion; it’s… it’s stomach flu, or appendicitis. Quickly, I’ll order some tests for you. Let’s get you treated.” Although Dr. Riley sounded like she was clarifying things for me, her sarcastic tone made it obvious to anyone that she had no choice but to back down!

Dr. Riley finished writing the test orders and handed them to me, but I still didn’t move. I stared into her eyes. “Just saying it was a joke isn’t enough. Since you claim I’ve had ten abortions, then show me my medical records.” “If you can’t produce them…” I held up my phone. “Then I won’t let you off the hook.” Dr. Riley’s face darkened even further. She slammed her hand on the desk. “What do you mean? Are you threatening me, saying you’ll complain and report me?” “I admit, I violated protocol by revealing your medical condition directly, but I was just worried about you. Your attitude makes it seem like I’m trying to harm you.” I ignored her, simply continuing to demand to see the records. Seeing Dr. Riley’s scowl, Hugh stopped smiling too. “Chloe, don’t make a scene. Someone must look a bit like you, or have a similar name, so the doctor got it wrong.” “I believe you, and I know you. I know you’re not that kind of person. We don’t need to waste time here. Aren’t you in pain? Let’s go see a doctor first.” “We can complain about her later.” Without thinking, I slapped Hugh across the face. “Are you even a man? She’s slandering me right to my face, and your solution is to hide?” Hugh was stunned by the slap, unable to utter a single word. Dr. Riley was both pained and furious. “You’re the one who did something to betray your boyfriend, how dare you hit someone here?” “I was originally going to spare you some dignity so you could stay with your boyfriend.” “But since you don’t appreciate kindness, then take a look!” Dr. Riley finished speaking and slammed the desk again, roughly spinning her computer screen around. As the screen turned, I was a little stunned. Because on that computer, there really were pages and pages of my medical records. Every single entry was from the OB/GYN department, either for abortions or other treatments. According to this, Dr. Riley wasn’t lying; *I* was.

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My brother called me to his school, and his serious tone totally freaked me out. I rushed to his teacher’s office, only to find him, his teacher, and the female student I’d unexpectedly helped last semester, all sitting inside. The girl, clutching her slightly bulging belly, dropped to her knees in front of me, right there in front of the teacher. Tears streamed down her face. “Honey, I know this unplanned pregnancy is a lot to handle, but you can’t just abandon me and our baby because of it!” She reached out, trying to grab my shirt, but I sharply stepped back, turning to leave. Her cries behind me were absolutely gut-wrenching: “How can you be so heartless?! If I’d known you’d just use me and then forget about it, I never would’ve gone to that hotel with you!” The teacher shot me a look of pure resentment: “Look, being young is no excuse, young man. A guy needs to step up and take responsibility!” A crowd of onlookers was gathering outside the door, their whispers and disdainful stares practically drowning me. In the middle of all this chaos, my brother, Alex, leaned against the wall and casually chimed in: “Hey, sis, aren’t you going to stick around and see your unborn child?”

At his words, Brittany’s tears fell even harder. “Honey…” She gazed at me mournfully, her voice choked with grievance, “Even your brother admits this baby is yours. Why can’t you just accept it?” Alex, caught off guard, stumbled over his words, quickly interjecting: “Wait! Is there a chance I just called her ‘sis’?” “Alex, do you think I’m deaf?!” Brittany shot up, her fingers trembling as she pointed at me, her voice catching: “Ever since I got pregnant, you’ve been calling him ‘brother’ in front of me!” “You two brothers are ganging up to lie to me. How long do you plan to keep this up?!” I stared, shocked, at Alex, who was in the corner with his hands clasped together, his eyes practically screaming: *Hayden, I was just messing with her to embarrass her! I didn’t mean to screw you over!* “I’m pregnant and unmarried; my reputation is ruined… I just want the baby’s father to take responsibility, is that so wrong?” Brittany gently stroked her belly, looking at me with tear-filled eyes: “Hayden Hayes, my mom always says bald men are the most heartless… I didn’t believe her, but you’ve disappointed me so much!” *What the hell is with ‘bald men’?!* Okay, yeah, I’m 5’11”, and my voice is pretty low. But seriously, come on! If you’re going to scam someone for money, at least make sure you’ve got my gender right! *I’m a woman!* I touched my prickly, recently shaved head, feeling like snowflakes were suddenly drifting outside the summer window. If I’d known this was going to happen today, I never would’ve taken her to the hospital when she passed out from period cramps! “Brittany, you’ve seriously got this wrong. I shaved my head just to keep cool, actually, I’m—” “Enough!” Mr. Thompson sharply cut me off. “I know you’re young and scared of responsibility! But Brittany is a girl; she’s paying a much bigger price! And you just dismiss everything with a ‘misunderstanding’?” He looked at me, still trying to argue, with a disappointed expression: “Look at you. You don’t look like a man at all!” *Exactly!* *Where do I look like a man?!* “Teacher, I’m really a—” “That’s it!” He waved his hand, cutting me off again: “Call your parents, now!” He paused, then continued: “Brittany’s parents are divorced, and her family situation is special. It would be best to have your parents come discuss the baby’s situation first!” As soon as Mr. Thompson finished speaking, Brittany lunged at me: “Honey! I have no one else in this world! If you abandon me and our baby too, I won’t be able to live!” “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” I frantically waved my hands, backing away in a panic: “Don’t call me honey, I…” “I know!” Brittany cut me off, her voice choked: “You’re mad that I didn’t use protection and got pregnant, but I promise, if you just acknowledge me and the baby, I’ll listen to everything you say from now on!” At the same time, the crowd of onlookers outside erupted: “Holy crap! My fists are clenching! What kind of man gets his girlfriend pregnant and then tries to run?!” “Look at his shaved head, you just *know* he’s bad news! Scumbag!” “Record this! Record this! He needs to go viral on campus feeds! Let the whole school judge him!” “You guys, seriously! I caught a live scumbag right outside the teacher’s office! Drop a Super Chat, and I’ll go in and film for everyone!” Phone cameras, like black muzzles, aimed straight at me. Alex clearly hadn’t expected things to escalate this much. He stepped in front of me, his forehead veins throbbing with anger: “What the hell are you filming?! This is my sister—”

But the mockery and slander didn’t stop; they only intensified: “Alright, stop making stuff up! You two brothers are both bad news!” “These days, scumbags have seriously deep schemes. Girls, remember this if you ever scroll past it!” In less than an hour, I, who had done absolutely nothing, became the target of online hate. I stopped Alex from trying to defend me and looked at Brittany, who appeared so fragile and easily victimized. *Okay, so you want to sling mud, huh?* *We’ll see who ends up standing clean in front of everyone!* I looked at Brittany, still sobbing, and curved my lips into a slight smirk: “What evidence do you have to prove that the baby in your belly is mine?” The crowd instantly quieted. Those holding phones to livestream instinctively pointed their cameras at Brittany, awaiting her answer. A flicker of panic crossed Brittany’s face, but it was quickly masked by an even more torrential flow of tears: “Evidence? You’re asking me for evidence? That night at the hotel… you, you mean you’ve forgotten everything?” “Which hotel? Which night?” I asked calmly, as if discussing the weather. “What was the room number? Where’s the booking record? Or…” My gaze swept down to her abdomen: “Can you produce anything that proves I had physical contact with you? Anything that proves I have a biological connection to the child in your belly?” A trace of embarrassment flushed Brittany’s face: “How can you ask me to talk about something like that? Isn’t the baby the best proof?” Mr. Thompson frowned, seeming to think my questions were a bit much. “Hayden, this is getting out of hand! How could Brittany, a girl, produce specific evidence for such intimate matters?” “Can’t produce it?” I raised an eyebrow, my voice suddenly louder, sweeping my gaze over the cameras at the door: “So, you’re saying it’s all based on her word? Whoever she *says* the father is, *is* the father?” “Then today, could I stand here and point to any male student, or even to *you*, and say the baby is yours?” “You’re talking nonsense!” Mr. Thompson was furious. I scoffed, finally letting my anger show: “Teacher! Before you accuse me of being out of line, why don’t you consider this: based solely on her unilateral accusation, with no substantial evidence, you’re forcing me to take responsibility for her. Is that fair to me?” No sooner had I spoken than Brittany’s voice rang out again: “You want evidence? Fine!” She pulled out her phone and displayed several screenshots: “This is the movie ticket you bought for us, this is the receipt from the dinner you treated me to, and this… this is the record from the first time we stayed in a room together…” She paused, lowering her voice, but it was loud enough for everyone present to hear: “The baby in my belly was conceived the third time we stayed in a room. Honey, are you still going to deny it now?” *No wonder she kept asking me out after that first meeting—she’d been planning to frame me all along!* I glanced at those so-called “evidence” pieces, a cold smirk playing on my lips: “A few questionable tickets and receipts, plus a record that could easily be Photoshopped. And you think you can make a fool out of me? Not cool!” “Oh my god! This guy is disgusting! Didn’t he ask for evidence? Now that she has it, he denies it!” “Jerk, he’s clearly just trying to shirk responsibility!” Hearing the public opinion overwhelmingly against me, Brittany’s tears welled up again: “Honey, how can you slander me like this?!” “I know our families are very different, and you think I’m not good enough for you, but the baby is innocent!”

Mr. Thompson, even more disgusted, stepped directly in front of Brittany, his voice filled with disappointment: “Brittany is a young woman; would she really stake her innocence and reputation to falsely accuse you?!” He shook his head sorrowfully, as if looking at a lost cause, a degenerate youth beyond saving: “I initially thought you were just young and afraid of responsibility, but now, it seems you have a serious character issue! You can’t tell right from wrong, you twist facts and deny reality! No school would tolerate a student like you!” He took a deep breath, seemingly making a firm decision: “This matter is severe. It’s no longer just a private emotional dispute, but a serious violation of school rules and regulations that harms the school’s reputation! You must immediately and sincerely apologize to Brittany and fulfill your responsibilities as a man! Otherwise, I will contact your university’s leadership, and you will face serious consequences, up to expulsion!” Behind Mr. Thompson, Brittany flashed a triumphant smirk. She tugged at the teacher’s sleeve, speaking softly: “Mr. Thompson, please don’t! Hayden is just confused right now. I believe he’s not bad at heart… As long as he acknowledges me and the baby, I don’t need his apology!” This display of understanding instantly won over everyone’s sympathy, indirectly nailing me to the wall as a heartless jerk. Online discussions were spiraling out of control. Seeing the worried look in Alex’s eyes, I knew that simply stating I was a woman wouldn’t work anymore. More and more people would jump on the bandwagon, believing it was just an excuse to escape responsibility. If that happened, I wouldn’t just fail to prove my innocence; my gender and orientation might become public gossip. I took a deep breath, deciding to escalate the situation even further. Turning to the nearest camera, I spoke softly: “Fellow students, netizens, what’s happening here is not only unexpected but utterly absurd.” I paused, my gaze sweeping over the varied expressions of the crowd: “But now, I know any feeble defense seems powerless in the face of so-called evidence and a victim. In that case, I am willing to use a more scientific, more direct method to prove my innocence.” I looked at Brittany, my gaze calm but with an undeniable pressure: “Brittany, since neither of us can convince the other, let’s go to the hospital. Now, immediately, in front of everyone, let’s get a prenatal paternity test. Let science tell us whether I am, in fact, the father of the child in your belly.” Brittany’s face instantly went ashen, and she refused almost immediately: “No… no way!” This sudden refusal was too abrupt, instantly drawing everyone’s attention, even Mr. Thompson looked at her, confused. I pressed on: “Why not? Isn’t this the most definitive way to prove who’s lying? Brittany, you’re feeling guilty!” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Brittany’s gaze darted around, and her fingers instinctively twisted the hem of her clothes. Soon, she seemed to make up her mind: “Fine, let’s go! Hayden Hayes, you’re forcing my hand! If… if the test results come back proving the baby is yours, you *must* take full responsibility for me and the child! In front of everyone, admit your wrongdoing!” Her reaction was somewhat unexpected, but that momentary guilt didn’t seem faked. I scoffed internally, readily agreeing. And so, a farce moved from the teacher’s office to the city’s most authoritative testing center. News spread like wildfire, attracting not only students from the school but also several sharp-nosed media outlets and some local big influencers, who packed the hospital corridor. No one wanted to miss the first-hand scoop on this story.

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I was the Sterling family’s true heiress. But when Briar, the girl they raised as their own, and I were kidnapped, and they could only redeem one of us… My parents, who swore they’d never play favorites, didn’t hesitate for a second. They chose Briar. Even Julian, my fiancé, who’d vowed eternal love, made the exact same choice. Five years later, Lysander Thorne, the long-lost heir to a powerful international conglomerate, was photographed at the airport. My slightly weary figure, holding my child, was also captured, making headlines. Someone immediately recognized me as Elara, the true heiress of the Sterling family, who was supposedly murdered by kidnappers five years ago. Before the Thorne family’s evening gala, my parents saw me. The moment we met, my father, Richard, slapped me across the face. “Elara, I can’t believe you’d stoop so low as to get pregnant by a kidnapper just to save your own life. How utterly disgusting.” My mother, Victoria, wiped away tears, accusing me, “You’re a Sterling. Even if you were forced, you shouldn’t have given birth to a bastard child. It’s utterly disgraceful!” Briar, the fake heiress, pretended to intervene, “Richard, Victoria, don’t talk about Elara like that. She was just trying to survive. But Elara, you really shouldn’t have brought that mongrel back.” Julian, my ex-fiancé, sneered, “Good thing I married Briar later. I couldn’t be with a woman like you, utterly devoid of dignity.” But seeing Briar holding a child who looked nothing like Julian, all I felt was bitter irony. When I didn’t respond, my parents finally looked at me with condescending pity. “As long as you get rid of that illegitimate child, we can take you back and you can be a Sterling heiress again.” Later, as my son and I were being tormented, a dark, low voice echoed from behind us. “Who are you calling a bastard child?” They all spun around, and when they saw who it was, their faces drained of all color.

“This is our final concession. We hope you’ll think carefully.” Victoria had just finished speaking when Richard cut her off. “Think carefully about what? Why would you throw away a perfectly good life as a Sterling heiress to work as a servant and raise an illegitimate child? We can’t afford that kind of shame.” “Elara, quit your job right now, come home with us, and cut ties with that bastard. We can’t afford this embarrassment. If people find out the Sterling heiress is working as a servant, where do you think that leaves our reputation?” I smirked inwardly. How did they figure out I was a servant? I glanced down at myself. My clothes were dark gray, the fabric looked plain, and I was holding a platter of sliced fruit. It certainly made it easy for them to misunderstand. But that was only because Leo had been begging for the fresh peaches from the backyard, and I, seeing it was still early for the gala, hadn’t changed into my dress yet. I’d just thrown on some casual clothes to go pick the peaches. Who knew I’d run into them all? Dressed in their exquisite evening wear, they must be here for the gala, which is why they assumed I was a servant. I coldly dodged Richard’s outstretched hand. I looked him straight in the eye, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “The Sterling heiress? If I recall correctly, in front of the kidnappers all those years ago, you explicitly stated that the Sterling family only had one heiress: Briar.” That painful memory instantly flooded back—when the kidnappers ordered them to choose only one of us, they hadn’t hesitated for a second. Victoria had cried to the kidnappers, “Let our Briar go! She’s the Sterling family’s only daughter, our future hope!” Richard’s face flashed with a hint of guilt, as if recalling his words from back then. He was about to speak, but Briar cut him off. Briar looked at me with a pained expression. “Elara, don’t throw a tantrum about what happened back then. We’re here today at the Thorne’s gala for their grandson, hoping to secure an important partnership. If they find out you’re working as a servant in their home, what will they think of Richard and Victoria?” “You should quit quickly, before they find out. Otherwise, if you prevent our cooperation, you’ll ruin the Sterling family.” “And that bastard child of yours, while not many people know, you should send him away immediately. Otherwise, it’s the Sterling family’s reputation that will suffer.” I sneered, looking at her with mockery. “I won’t send my son away. Because he’s not a bastard child.”

Because he was the guest of honor at tonight’s gala: Leo Thorne’s welcome party, the only son of Lysander Thorne, heir to the international conglomerate. Mr Thorne had initially thought his son, Lysander, had died in a shipwreck and had been heartbroken and despondent for a long time. Now, not only had his son returned, but he also had a grandson. He couldn’t be happier. He’d give Leo the moon and the stars. Just one day after his return, Mr Thorne had already transferred fifty percent of his assets to Leo. Now, if he were to find out that someone called his grandson a bastard child, I doubt they’d ever be allowed into the Thorne mansion again, let alone dream of any cooperation. Julian sneered, “A child of yours and those thugs, what else would it be but a bastard?” “Elara, we saw the news reports. That child looks at least four years old. You were kidnapped five years ago. Whose child could it be if not the kidnapper’s?” “Now, come back with us immediately. Stop making a scene. We might still throw you a bone. Otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude.” With that, he roughly grabbed my arm. The platter in my hand clattered to the ground, and the freshly picked peaches were ruined. These were the two freshly ripe peaches from the tree, Leo had been talking about eating them since last night. Enraged, I forcefully pushed Julian away. “Enough! Stop calling him a bastard. My son has a name. He’s called…” Smack! Richard slapped me again. “I knew you were trying to deliberately cause a scene here, didn’t I?” “News of your return is already out. Everyone’s talking about you. The gala hasn’t officially started, not many people have seen you yet. Come home with me right now. Otherwise, once more people arrive, do you want us to become their laughingstock?” I clutched my stinging face, staring at Richard in disbelief. This was the second time he’d slapped me today. He wanted to take me away, not because he cared for me, but because he thought I was an embarrassment. My eyes burning red, I looked at him. “I’m not leaving. And this is the Thorne estate. You can’t take me away.” Seeing my defiance, Richard’s chest heaved with anger. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the gate. “We’ll see about that! I won’t let you stay here and disgrace us, no matter what.” I struggled fiercely. “You have no right to take me! Let go immediately, or I’ll scream for help!” Looking at the empty backyard, I suddenly remembered that my husband and I didn’t like too many staff around, so the servants weren’t present before the banquet. Julian also came over to help Richard drag me. “Enough! Stop struggling, or we won’t be so polite.” Briar, her eyes red, pretended to console me. “I know you resent Richard and Victoria for choosing me, Elara. That’s why you’re being so rebellious and embarrassing them.” “If you just listen to Richard and Victoria this once, don’t work as a servant here, and send that bastard away when you get home, I’ll even leave the Sterling family and let you have Richard and Victoria all to yourself.” Victoria, looking heartbroken, pulled Briar into a hug. “Briar, what are you saying? Richard and I have raised you for so many years. You are our most beloved child. No one can make you leave us.” Briar shot me a triumphant smirk. I was already being dragged out of the mansion, about to be forcefully shoved into a car. Just then, an angry shout came from behind. “What are you doing? Let go of my mom!”

It was Leo. He must have come looking for me since I’d been gone so long. He rushed over, pushing fiercely against Julian. “Let go of my mom! If my dad finds out, he’ll never forgive you!” Julian’s eyes flashed with disdain. He lifted his foot and shoved Leo hard, sending him sprawling to the ground. Leo’s elbow scraped against the concrete, immediately leaving two red marks. My heart ached as I tried to run to him. “Leo!” “Mommy, my arm hurts so bad!” Leo sat on the ground, his eyes red, looking at me. But my arms were restrained by Richard and Julian. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t break free. Tears streamed down my face as I watched Leo. “Do you know who Leo’s dad is…” “Shut up!” Victoria glared at me fiercely. “Still shouting? Afraid people won’t know he’s a bastard? “His father is an animal! Why are you still yelling? What, can he come help you? “If he dares to show up, I’ll make sure he never leaves!” Just as I was about to be shoved back into the car, Leo, crying, started punching Richard. “Let go of Mommy! Don’t take Mommy away! Or I’ll tell Grandpa!” Richard’s eyes turned cold. I screamed at Leo, “Leo, watch out!” But it was too late. Richard kicked Leo, sending him flying to the ground. “No!” Leo’s forehead hit the hard concrete path, and blood immediately started to flow. Richard scoffed, spitting on the ground. “What a piece of trash, daring to touch me!” “First ‘Daddy,’ now ‘Grandpa’? What, are your whole family a bunch of kidnappers and thugs? Do you think I’m scared of them? Let them come, I’ll kill them all!” Leo sobbed indignantly, yelling, “My Grandpa isn’t a kidnapper or a thug! You’re trying to steal Mommy, you’re the bad guys!” “I’ll tell Grandpa to have them all locked up!” “How dare you curse my grandfather, you little mongrel! I’ll beat you to death!” Briar’s son, Cody, rushed out, straddled Leo, and started punching and kicking him. “No!” I screamed, then used all my strength to break free and lunged towards Leo. Cody was pushed away and fell to the ground, instantly crying loudly in pain. I hugged Leo tightly. Seeing his tender, pale face bruised and swollen, my heart shattered. “I’m so sorry, Leo. Mommy didn’t protect you well.” “Mommy will take you home to Daddy, okay?” “Mm-hmm.” Leo nodded tearfully. “Let’s tell Daddy, and he’ll deal with these bad guys.” I picked up Leo and started to leave, but they blocked me. Briar, eyes red, looked hurt. “Elara, how could you hit Cody? Look, his hand is all red from falling.” I looked at the small red mark and couldn’t help but sneer. “Did you not see him hitting Leo just now? All the bruises on Leo’s face are from him!” Victoria pointed at me, yelling, “How can you compare your bastard to Cody? Cody is our precious darling! Yours is just an illegitimate child!” Julian spoke up, “Exactly! You laid hands on my son, you’ll have to pay the price!” I held my son, looking at him. “And how do you intend to make me pay?” “Kneel down and apologize to my son right now, or don’t blame us for being impolite!” Cody’s eyes gleamed with malicious joy. “Yeah! And I want that bastard to kneel and kowtow to me, and let me ride him like a horse!”

“What?!” I looked at them in disbelief. “You want me to kneel and apologize to him, and make my son let him ride him like a horse? You people wouldn’t live long enough for that.” Briar put on a weak, fainting act. “Elara, I only asked for an apology, but you’re cursing my son and Julian’s. That’s too much!” I looked at her with a half-smile. “Briar, he might be your son, but is he really Julian’s?” A flicker of guilt crossed Briar’s eyes, then she slapped me across the face. “Elara, you’re going too far! I know you resent me for replacing you and marrying Julian, but we didn’t know you’d ever return back then. You can’t just make up lies because of that!” “Julian, you have to believe me! Cody is our son!” Julian put his arm around her, looking heartbroken. “Of course I believe you. Don’t worry, I’ll make her apologize to our son right now.” Then Julian walked towards me coldly. “Are you going to kneel down yourself, or should I help you?” I tried to run, but he grabbed me. He tried to snatch Leo from my arms, but I held on tight. But Richard and Victoria joined in. Richard kicked the back of my knee, and I stumbled, almost falling. Leo was then easily snatched away by Julian. He squeezed Leo’s neck. “Are you going to kneel or not?” Leo’s small face turned deathly pale, but he still shook his head at me. “Mommy, don’t kneel! Leo isn’t scared!” Terrified, I collapsed to my knees with a thud, begging them. “Please, let go of Leo! He’s not a kidnapper’s child, he’s…” Smack! Briar reached out and slapped me. “Elara, I didn’t want to hit you, but you’re slandering my name. I have to teach you a lesson!” She slapped me a dozen times before stopping. My cheeks burned with agonizing pain. I looked at her coldly. “You’ll regret this. My husband is…” Before I could finish, Richard grabbed my hair, forcing my head down to hit the ground. “Still daring to use your low-life husband to threaten us? You’re going to bow to Cody now until he’s satisfied!” I resisted stubbornly, refusing to bow, so he threatened me, “If you don’t bow, don’t blame me for being rough with that illegitimate child of yours!” Leo’s cries continued. I instantly lost all strength to resist, and Richard forced my head down, making me hit the ground repeatedly. I don’t know how many times. He only stopped when the ground was stained red with my blood, and blood flowed continuously from my forehead. “I told you not to spout nonsense. This is your lesson!” I felt the world spinning, and Richard flung me aside like a piece of rotten meat, sending me sprawling to the ground. “Mommy!” Cody cried, trying to help me, but Julian held him down firmly. “You little bastard, you haven’t given my son a ride yet!” Leo, eyes red, screamed, “I won’t! You’re not allowed to do this to me! I’ll tell Grandpa to come save me!” “No! Let Leo go!” I weakly crawled on the ground. Briar stepped on my hand, grinding her heel into it. “You little mongrel, if you don’t let my son ride you like a horse, I’ll teach your mom a lesson!” “I will!” Leo immediately knelt on the ground. “I will! Please, let my mom go!” “Haha, I didn’t realize you two had such a touching mother-son bond!” Leo knelt on the ground, carrying Cody, crawling around in circles. Cody punched him on the head, but Leo didn’t dare to resist. My heart was breaking. “When you see his father, you’ll regret this!” “Hmph, just a bastard. Why would I be scared of a bastard’s dad?” Just then, a dark, low voice echoed from behind us. “Who are you calling a bastard child?” They all spun around, and when they saw who it was, their faces drained of all color.

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The night before my wedding, I was scrolling through TikTok when a video popped up. The location? My fiancée’s apartment complex. “One last night as lovers, then we’ll be the closest strangers.” I opened the caption, and my entire world imploded. “At 18, sponsored by my adoptive parents, I became her nominal brother.” “At 23, we burned with passion, and she cried out, lost in pleasure beneath me, so beautiful as she begged for more.” “At 24, she bore me a son. I thought we’d have a happy family.” “But fate, with a cruel twist of its pen, dictates she’s marrying someone else tomorrow.” “My love, the mother of my child, I wish you a happy wedding.” In the video, the blurry child’s hand wore a distinctive thick gold chain. It was the high-end custom bracelet, engraved with his initials, that I had personally given to my fiancée’s nephew, Leo. “Dude, how could you post something so messed up? You put this out there on purpose, hoping the groom would see it, right?” “OMG, my eyes are burning! Is this something a normal person would say?” “Bump this! Get the groom to see it, he needs to run! If he marries into this family, he’ll be dealing with baby mama drama and a secret family for life.” Staring at the familiar gold chain, the familiar address, even the familiar shape of the child. I swallowed the shock churning in my gut. I just couldn’t believe something like this was Chloe Miller, my girlfriend of five years. I screenshotted the video and immediately dropped it into our family WhatsApp group. “Was the gold chain I gave Leo stolen?” Less than a minute later, the video’s privacy settings changed; it was no longer viewable. Chloe quickly responded. “No way! He loves it, never takes it off.” “What video? Why are you still up so late? We have the wedding tomorrow, stop scrolling and get some rest.” A chill crept through me. I didn’t reply. That disgusting phrase, “one last night as lovers,” echoed in my head. Right then, I initiated a group FaceTime call. “Chloe, Liam, pick up the phone. I need to talk to you.” The next second, Mrs. Miller, who always played dumb and stayed hidden in group chats, sent a message. “What’s going on? Calling so late? Can’t it wait till tomorrow? Liam’s exhausted from groomsman duties, he’s already asleep.” Chloe quickly followed. “Yeah, tomorrow we’ll be legally married. Why call when we can see each other every day after that?” “Plus, you know we have this tradition, a superstition that the bride and groom shouldn’t see each other the night before the wedding, it brings bad luck.” Mr. and Mrs. Miller chimed in, echoing her words. I frowned, my voice unwavering. “If you don’t pick up in one minute, the wedding is off.” The group chat instantly fell silent. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, rushed into my room. “Ryan, you’re not joking, are you? What on earth is going on?” I recounted the entire video content. My parents’ expressions instantly turned grim. “No way, really? Could it be a coincidence?” I looked at them, my resolve firm. “I don’t believe in coincidences like this. If this isn’t cleared up, I’m not marrying her!” Soon, the group chat exploded. “What does this mean? He’s canceling the wedding over some random video?” “Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, you be the judge! Does the world revolve around him? He’s canceling the wedding over a minor disagreement? Is that reasonable?” My dad glanced at me. “Traditions don’t matter as much as whether someone is trustworthy! If they’re truly committed! My son has his reasons, and we support him.” At his words, the group chat seemed to go quiet, as if suddenly guilty. A minute later, the FaceTime call connected. Chloe and Liam were in their separate bedrooms, in their own beds. “Ryan, I was going to take Leo home, but Mrs. Miller said it was too late, so I just stayed here. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Her words made it sound like I was being unreasonable. I didn’t say anything, just noticed that Leo, who usually never left his dad’s side, was sleeping next to Chloe. I couldn’t ignore any suspicious detail. “Why isn’t Leo sleeping with Liam?” Chloe’s eyes, still red-rimmed, paused. “He probably just misses me.” Just then, Leo seemed to stir, startled by my voice, and rolled into Chloe’s embrace. As he shifted, a sheer pair of boxer briefs, half-hidden beneath him, became visible.

My heart plummeted. I’d seen Liam wearing an identical pair when he tried on his groomsman’s suit last time. “Wait, Ryan, don’t misunderstand…” As she stammered, I quickly took a screenshot and sent it to the group chat. “There’s a clear distinction between genders. Aren’t you worried about misunderstandings if you’re so careless?” Soon, Liam’s voice, hoarse and low, cut in. “I’m so sorry, Ryan… The main bathroom pipe broke, so I just used Chloe’s bathroom to shower. I might have forgotten to pick them up.” “Don’t get the wrong idea, it was just this once. It won’t happen again.” “I forgot, I actually washed it with their clothes this afternoon. It was probably an oversight when I was putting things away.” “It might have even hung on Leo’s clothes hook and accidentally got carried over. It’s nothing serious, really!” Three different explanations for one item. The more they explained, the guiltier they sounded. I couldn’t help but remember that Chloe had undergone a vaginal rejuvenation surgery. My fists clenched. “Alright. Then I want to see a DNA paternity test for Chloe and Leo. We’ll get married when the results are in.” Silence again filled the group chat. But almost immediately, Mrs. Miller’s message popped up. “Hey, what exactly do you mean by this? First the gold chain, then a video late at night, and now you want a DNA test? Are we even getting married tomorrow? You’re pushing it too far, acting like our feelings don’t matter!” Through the audio message, I could faintly hear suppressed sobs. Chloe disconnected the FaceTime and called me directly. “What do you want? We’re getting married tomorrow, why are you acting crazy? They already explained it, it was an accident with the laundry! Is it really that big of a deal?” I took a deep breath, steadying my voice. “We’ve moved past that. I’m talking about the paternity test now. Chloe, if you have nothing to hide, take Leo for the test. Otherwise, this wedding is off tomorrow.” A few seconds of silence on the other end. Her voice was helpless. “I have nothing to hide, but Leo just fell asleep. And it’s so late, where can we even go for a test? What if he throws a tantrum? Please, just listen. We’ll get married tomorrow, and I’ll take him for the test right after, okay?” She was trying to appease me, just like she always did. But a cold dread spread through me. “Do you know that when you’re guilty, you’ll accept anything, no matter how outrageous?” “You haven’t once asked why I’m asking you for a DNA test with a child who’s supposedly your adoptive brother’s. A normal person would find such a request absurd. Only you find it normal. What does that tell you?” She was silent for a while. The next instant, Leo started crying. Mrs. Miller’s angry voice came through the phone. “This is a disaster! This son-in-law hasn’t even entered the family and he’s already tearing our home apart! Liam may be a sponsored child, but I’ve raised him as my own!” “Chloe! Is this the good son-in-law you found me?! Insulting family like this, are you trying to kill us with anger?!” Chloe sighed. “Ryan, you can mess with me all you want, but please don’t mess with my parents. They have to get up early tomorrow.” “And I told you, Liam was tricked into raising a child that wasn’t his when he was younger.” “Stop fighting, go get some rest.” She hung up. I pulled on my clothes and headed straight for the Miller house. I wouldn’t find peace until this was cleared up. My mom looked at me hesitantly. “Ryan, are you really sure? The video’s gone, what if they manipulate us? Her mom is already difficult, and now…” I shook my head. “I trust my gut.” When the three of us arrived at the Miller house, it was in chaos. Liam was wailing hysterically. “I should just die! Why did I ever come back? Why was I soft-hearted enough to take in this child and be misunderstood like this?!” Mrs. Miller glared at me, annoyed. “Are you determined to cause trouble? You’ve come to our house now. Do you just want to see us fall apart?”

I looked at them calmly. “I’m not causing trouble. My demands are simple: First, I want to see Liam’s phone gallery and any hidden videos on his social media. Second, I want Chloe and Leo to get a DNA test right now. If these two things aren’t resolved, I will not get married.” They stared at me in shock. Chloe frowned. “It’s one thing to fight on the phone, but to come to my house and cause a scene? Do you think it’s appropriate to keep my family up all night with your drama?” Before I could speak, Liam knelt on the floor and handed me his phone. “Ryan, you can look all you want. I really don’t know what you’re talking about with that video! Are you misunderstanding something?” “I don’t know why you’d misunderstand me, or Leo, but he’s truly just a child I was tricked into taking in. Do I really have to rip open old wounds for you to believe me?” I ignored him, opening his phone. His social media profile showed no activity and no hidden drafts. A flicker of doubt rose within me. But when I clicked on his photo gallery and saw it was completely empty, even the recently deleted folder, I knew he’d tampered with it. Meeting his feigned innocent eyes, I let out a light laugh and tossed the phone onto the floor. “What does this prove? Phones can be faked, who knows if you deleted everything beforehand. I only believe what I see with my own eyes and my first instinct!” His face was pale, his eyes downcast. “I’m sorry, Ryan. I shouldn’t have mixed my clothes with theirs. I shouldn’t have forgotten my place as an outsider.” “But there’s nothing going on between us! If you think it’s inappropriate for me to have a child and be here, if you don’t want to see me, I can leave. I promise after tomorrow, I’ll never bother you again!” “Please, don’t insult me like this. I’m begging you!” Mrs. Miller immediately sat on the floor, hugging Liam and Leo, and burst into tears. “This is a tragedy, a tragedy! If you leave, I’ll leave too!” “He’s so arrogant now, who knows what life will be like after they’re married! I might as well just leave too, so I won’t be despised!” Mr. Miller’s face was ashen, clutching his chest, gasping for air. “This is the kind of person you picked, Chloe! Our whole family is in a mess! Causing such a scene the day before the wedding, where do we put our faces? He looked at the phone, what more does he want?!” Chloe looked exhausted. “Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, he’s being childish and making a fuss, but why are you two going along with it?” My dad’s expression was serious. “Whether it’s a fuss or not, you just do what my son says. If he truly is making a fuss, I’ll discipline him and give you a satisfactory explanation.” “But my son is always sensible and reasonable. He wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t serious. Besides, that video had your family’s location.” “The bracelet on the child’s hand was a gift my son custom-made for Leo for the engagement. He’s three years old this year. Liam is twenty-seven, and he’s your sponsored child. If you’re innocent and have nothing to hide, then openly go get that test done!” At his words, the entire family’s faces darkened. Liam’s eyes welled up with tears. He hugged the child tightly and abruptly rushed to the balcony, his voice trembling with despair: “Fine! Since you see us as a stain on this family, since you can’t tolerate us… then I’ll take Leo and go! We’ll disappear completely, just as you wish!” Chloe’s face instantly went ashen, her voice shaking: “Liam! Calm down! Bring Leo back, it’s too dangerous up there!” “We’d rather die to prove our innocence than let our presence jeopardize your marriage with Chloe!” Leo cried hysterically. “Grandma, Grandpa, I’m scared!” Chloe’s eyes immediately turned red, her body trembling. “No, no! Liam, don’t be crazy. Bring Leo down quickly, it’s too cold up there, don’t scare Leo. Can you let me handle this?” Liam gritted his teeth and pushed open the balcony safety screen. “Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller , I’m so sorry. It’s my fault for being so foolish and soft-hearted, becoming a stain in Ryan’s mind. I’m willing to die to ensure their marriage is happy.” “I’m just sorry I can’t repay your kindness in this life. I’ll repay you well in the next!”

With that, he extended one foot outside the window. The biting cold wind made the child cry ceaselessly. Mrs. Miller rushed forward, grabbing his leg. Mr. Miller seized the opportunity to pull the child back inside. “No! No one can kick you out of this house! You didn’t do anything wrong, why should you sacrifice yourself? We don’t need a son-in-law who’s so aggressive anyway!” “Liam, your adoptive mom can’t live without you, can’t live without Leo. Don’t be impulsive, I’ll stand up for you. Come down now, don’t let Leo catch a cold!” The group clung to each other, unwilling to let go. Liam looked at me sheepishly. “But if Ryan doesn’t want me, then I still don’t want to live!” Before he could finish, a resounding slap landed on my face. After a moment of dizziness, I saw Chloe’s furious, bloodshot eyes. “Ryan! When did you become so unreasonable? These are two human lives, are you really going to make them pay with their lives for your baseless suspicions?!” In our five years of dating, this was the first time she had ever laid a hand on me. My dad, furious, moved to strike back, but I held him off. I gritted my teeth, looking at her coldly. “Chloe, remember that slap. You’re going to regret it.” After a moment of surprise, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, and she reached for my hand. “Ryan, I…” I dodged her grasp and strode towards Leo. In his frightened gaze, I carefully removed the gold chain. “Since you’re being so evasive, the wedding is canceled. I’ll return the dowry in full. You can inform your own relatives.” With that, we turned and left. My dad shot her a scathing look. Downstairs, my mom looked conflicted. “Ryan, are you really canceling the wedding?” I looked at the bracelet in my hand, its design almost perfectly matching the video screenshot, and nodded. “Mom, I can’t accept someone who’s constantly lying.” I had asked Chloe for a strand of Leo’s hair to be woven into the chain when it was custom-made. That strand of hair was still inside the bracelet. Getting a DNA test from it would confirm everything. Back home, I dug out the “lovers’ knot” bracelet Chloe had given me years ago, woven with her own hair. Back then, she’d said she’d shield me from harm and weather any storm. I swallowed the bitterness, taking both strands of hair to the hospital that very night, arranging for an expedited DNA paternity test. An hour later, staring at the result showing 99% certainty, I felt as if I’d plunged into an ice-cold abyss. My parents were equally disbelieving. “That damn Chloe, she actually… she actually had another man’s child!” “This is a disaster! Why did this have to happen to us?!” Seeing my parents’ grief, I suppressed the ache in my chest. Cutting my losses now was what mattered most. I posted on Ins about our “relationship issues” and the “wedding cancellation.” As expected, my phone was bombarded with inquiries. Then my phone rang. It was Ashley Smith, my childhood friend. “The invitations are out, the venue’s booked. And you’re just canceling it like that?” “You can be reckless, you can do what you want, but what about Mr. and Mrs. Hayes? They’re old enough, do they have to clean up your mess? What will all those relatives think of them?” I choked back a sob. “What do you mean? Are you kicking me while I’m down too?” She had never approved of Chloe, always feeling that Liam had ulterior motives and that their dynamic was strange. I’d thought she was being a little harsh and hadn’t paid much attention. It turned out she was right. She sighed. “No, what I mean is, don’t cancel the wedding. And don’t let your parents become a laughingstock.” “We’ll switch brides. I’ll stand by you and put on a respectable show.”

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My best friend, Chloe, wanted to set me up with her good friend, Dean. I flat-out refused. But when I finally met him, I fell for him instantly. Soon after, we got married. Yet, when I was six months pregnant, Chloe suddenly dropped a bombshell: “I’ve loaned him to you for all these years. Isn’t it time you gave him back?” I was absolutely stunned. My mind just froze. Today was my OB-GYN appointment, and I was already six months along. Chloe had traveled all the way from out of state to be with me. I was even planning to ask her to be my baby’s godmother. Then she sat down and just threw that sentence at me. Every memory, every past scene, flickered before my eyes, mocking me. The truth was, the signs had always been there. I just chose to ignore them. Whenever we went out, Dean always paid extra attention to Chloe. He knew what she liked, what she hated, and he even knew her menstrual cycle details. “How do you know *everything* about her?” I’d joked. Chloe had chimed in, “We’ve known each other for ages. I’ve dated so many guys, but none of them were as thoughtful as Dean.” “The last time he took me to this awful cake place, I completely lost it right then and there. He had to treat me to dinner for a whole week before I even considered forgiving him.” “And another time, we went hiking, and he twisted his ankle. I had to practically carry him down the mountain.” Back then, I actually thought it was normal. They grew up together, so it made sense they had stories I didn’t know, and being close was fine. Turns out, it wasn’t like that at all. Chloe just dropped that line and walked out. I desperately dialed Dean’s number, hitting redial seven, eight times. He didn’t pick up. It reminded me of another time, when Chloe and I were having dinner at my place. Maybe the meat wasn’t cooked through, because we both got awful food poisoning, throwing up non-stop. I called Dean several times, but he never answered. Chloe eventually got annoyed and said, “Let *me* try!” Her call connected on the very first ring. “What’s up, Chloe? Everything okay?” Chloe complained, “Elara and I have food poisoning! Come pick us up! I called you so many times, and you didn’t answer a single one!” Dean replied so casually, “Didn’t I pick up your very first call?” At the time, I thought he just happened to see her call. It turns out, he just never missed *her* calls. I’m not one to give up easily. On my tenth attempt, Dean finally picked up. His surroundings sounded noisy, and his voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible hint of impatience. Was this how he always sounded when he answered *my* calls? “Why weren’t you picking up?” I asked. “In a meeting. Didn’t I just SnapChat you?” I deliberately said, “Chloe came to my prenatal appointment with me.” He sounded completely unaware of anything, replying naturally, “Hmm, make sure you get everything checked out. Isn’t she complaining about stomach pain lately? Can you book her an endoscopy? She’s such a wreck, completely neglecting herself.” “She didn’t tell me about any stomach pain.” “And you call yourselves best friends? You don’t care about her at all. These past few times we’ve eaten out, she’s said she can’t eat spicy food. It must be her stomach acting up again.” Oh, you truly know her so well. But do you know that *I* don’t eat spicy food either? Chloe can’t live without spice, but I can’t stand a single drop of it. Coincidentally, Dean also loves spicy food. So, I just went along with it, the minority yielding to the majority, and ate spicy meals with them. Seeing how happy they were eating, I guess I didn’t really care about how my own food tasted.

Dean came to pick me up from the hospital. I handed him my check-up report. He didn’t reach for it, just glanced at it casually, then gestured for me to hold it up. “Where’s Chloe? Wasn’t she with you?” “Oh, she said she wasn’t feeling well and went home.” Dean’s hand on the steering wheel paused, then he immediately turned the car around. “Let’s go check on her. I booked a healthy food place; I was just about to take you two. I told Chloe already, it was just a routine check-up, she didn’t need to go through all that trouble.” I stared at his profile. The concern on his face was utterly genuine. It was like he was a completely different person from just moments ago, when he’d coldly swept his gaze over my prenatal report. Things, once they start to show cracks, tend to fall apart completely. Like now. I saw everything through a different lens. I refused to believe he felt nothing for me, and I couldn’t accept even a shred of deceit from him. “Why the sudden healthy food place? I thought you hated bland food.” Dean’s face clouded with annoyance. “You really don’t care about Chloe at all, do you? She’s not feeling well, how can she eat spicy food?” “Oh, my mistake. I thought it was because *I* liked it.” Dean froze for a second, then quickly tried to recover. “Well, of course, it’s because you like it too!” Chloe, of course, didn’t come to the healthy food place. She didn’t even answer her phone. Dean drove me to her house, knocking on her door for half an hour, but no one answered. I stood in the parking lot, watching him call Chloe, then Mr. Peterson, then Mrs. Peterson. Eventually, he confirmed she was just unwell and sleeping at home. Dean finally breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to me. “That scared me to death. I thought something had happened to her.” There was a time I didn’t answer his calls either. It was our first anniversary. He had completely forgotten about it because he was in his hometown, waiting for Chloe to go back to college with him. By the time he remembered, it was the next day. He called me twice, but I didn’t pick up. Chloe, however, kept calling me. When I finally answered, I even heard Dean in the background impatiently asking her, “What could possibly be wrong with her? She’s probably just sleeping in her dorm.” Thinking about it now, it was obvious then who he loved and who he didn’t. I had just been blinded by their shared history, their “childhood friends” narrative. It was my fault for silently allowing a relationship to exist that overshadowed ours. All my fault. I’m an adult. I have to take responsibility for my choices. Elara Harrison, I had made my bet, and I would pay the price. There was one thing I still couldn’t figure out. If they liked each other so much, why didn’t they just get together? Why drag an irrelevant person like me into it? What did I ever do wrong? Looking back on these past few years, the biggest mistake I made was probably letting my delight show on my face the first time Dean appeared. After that, Dean pursued me effortlessly. Yes, he was calm and confident, because he knew he would win me over. My affection for him was obvious, and Chloe was helping us. To pursue me, he traveled over a thousand miles, two or three times a month. I always thought that was love. About six months later, I accepted his pursuit. Now, looking back, there was love, but I just don’t know who it was for. Most of our dates, it wasn’t just us two. It was *three*.

Later, giving up promotions that required travel, getting pregnant and having a baby at the peak of my career – I never thought anything of it. Because I was striding towards what I believed was a happy life. Now, I’ve decided to get a divorce. It’s nothing. What I could embrace, I could also release. My only hesitation was about the baby. My financial capacity was certainly enough to raise a child. But, did I want it to be born without a father? I hadn’t even found my own place in this web of lies; did I want my child to bear the weight of this unknown future? Only by ending this pregnancy could I truly break free from Dean, and from this sickening situation. So, was that why Chloe told me now? She didn’t want me to have this baby, did she? She thought that once I had this child, Dean and I would have an unbreakable bond. And then she and Dean could never truly be together, without lingering resentment. So, in her eyes, I was an insignificant presence in their relationship. This tiny, unborn baby was her true enemy. How laughable and absurd. Maybe my emotions had been too unstable lately. One day, while I was doing an experiment, my stomach seized with a searing pain, and cold sweat slicked my skin. My colleague freaked out and rushed me outside for some fresh air. He reminded me, “I called Dean to pick you up. You should go to the hospital. You’re almost in your third trimester, you can’t be careless.” Dean was usually very meticulous. When I brought him to company gatherings, he’d add everyone’s contact info, saying it was so he could reach me if I was in the lab. By the time Dean arrived at my company, I had already been checked out of the hospital and was walking out. “Come downstairs, Elara, I’ll take you to the hospital.” Before I could say anything, I heard my colleague’s voice on the phone. “Dean, what took you so long? I called you like two hours ago! Elara already took leave and went home.” “I was busy just now. Thanks, Mark, for looking after her. I’m heading back now.” They chatted for a few more moments, then Dean asked me, “Are you home?” “What were you busy with?” He seemed surprised by my question. He paused, then replied, “I was with Chloe.” “What’s wrong with her?” I rarely pressed him on these things, so Dean hadn’t even prepared a flimsy excuse. He countered, “Have you and Chloe been fighting lately?” That question seemed to open an emotional floodgate for him. “I knew you two have been acting weird. You’re usually so close, why haven’t you even mentioned each other?” “Did you do something to upset Chloe?” “She just has a childish temper, you just need to coax her a bit.” “Or I could buy a small gift for you to give her, as an apology, to give her an easy way out.” I thought I couldn’t get any angrier at these two, after all, I’d convinced myself they weren’t worth it. But the thought of them treating me like an idiot and fooling me for so many years made the humiliation and indignation inside me feel like a shaken soda can, ready to explode. “How about I give *you* to her?” I said that and hung up. I regretted it. I had planned to leave. But running away isn’t my style. Fighting back is. I couldn’t give them all the dignity and leave myself with all the pain.

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Before the wedding, I came across my boyfriend Liam’s engagement video with his secretary Chloe online. Furious, I went to find him and overheard his conversation with a friend. “If I don’t marry Chloe, her family will force her to marry some old, ugly man!” “What about your girlfriend Mia?” his friend asked. “She’s been with me for seven years. She can’t live without me.” I sneered and walked away. Later, Liam and I got married on the very same day — but he wasn’t my groom. Our wedding cars passed each other. When he saw me — he completely lost it! “Mom, I’ve agreed to the arranged marriage.” My mom was surprised when she heard I’d agreed. “Didn’t you say you weren’t willing before? Why the sudden change of heart, Summer? Marriage isn’t a game. Whether it’s arranged or not, what matters is your happiness. You need to think carefully, don’t be impulsive.” Hearing my mom’s words, my eyes welled up. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start preparing for the wedding.” Mom knew I was hurting. She paused for a moment, then quickly tried to comfort me. “You and Leo have been together for so long, and he never wanted to make things public, always delaying meeting your dad and me. Your father and I knew you two wouldn’t last.” Mom’s words felt like a thorn piercing my heart. It turns out everyone else saw it clearly; I was the only one blind. “This is the match your father and I picked for you a long time ago. Your parents would never pick anything less than the best. His character and family background are absolutely top-tier. My Summer deserves nothing but the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thank you, Mom. I trust your judgment, and Dad’s.” My mom continued, “So, should we arrange for you two to meet in the next couple of days?” “No need. Just go straight to preparing the wedding.” After I hung up, Leo appeared behind me, I don’t know when. He looked confused, asking, “What wedding? Who’s getting married?” *I am getting married.* I answered him silently in my heart, but the words never made it past my lips. I calmly shook my head. “Nothing, just a friend.” As soon as I spoke, I noticed his expression visibly relax. A bitter pang shot through my heart again. Was he that tense because he thought I was pressuring him into marriage? Or did he think I’d found out about him and Serena getting married? “I brought you your favorite cake from that bakery. Want some now?” In the past, Leo would always bring me something tasty after work. Even if many things weren’t to my taste, I still felt like I was drowning in sweetness. Because I felt the attention of being cherished and fed by the one I loved was far more important than the food itself. But now, looking at that box of cake, I felt nothing but utter mockery. Just moments ago, I’d seen Serena switch her previously private posts to public. After only a few scrolls, I couldn’t bear to look anymore. Only now did I realize how utterly ridiculous I was. That cake, it turns out, was Serena’s favorite. Not just this cake, but all the other nuts and snacks were also Serena’s favorites. Even more tragically, I discovered that Leo’s habit of bringing me food after work only started *after* Serena joined the company. So, Leo, who exactly did you take me for? Was it Summer, or Serena? I swallowed the bitterness and spoke flatly, “I don’t like sweets. They’re too rich. Don’t buy them anymore.” Leo didn’t expect such a reaction. His eyes showed a hint of surprise. “What? You always ate them before.” After all these years together, if he truly cared about me, how could he not have noticed my food preferences? Some words, repeated too many times, lose their meaning and eventually become simple compromise. I didn’t argue further, just casually shrugged. “My tastes have changed recently.”

For several days, Leo seemed incredibly busy—so busy he even forgot my birthday. But I no longer cared. By the time he remembered, my birthday would have long passed. To make it up to me, he bought tickets to my favorite musical. But on the day of the show, he didn’t show up. Instead, I saw Serena flaunting the tickets on her social media. “Just chilling at a concert, it’s so nice to have someone who’s always there to go crazy with you.” Though her face wasn’t visible, I instantly recognized Leo’s hand with the distinctive scar in the photo. He got that scar years ago, saving me. Suddenly, I felt like a clown. I was standing outside in the pouring rain, worrying if something had happened to him, while he and his secretary were in the VIP seats watching the concert. The cold raindrops hit my face, and my heart and body grew colder by the second. Just then, Mom texted me, saying the wedding was set for two weeks later, but if I felt it was too rushed, we could postpone it. I shook my head. “No, this is fine.” The downpour had paralyzed city traffic. I waited a long time but couldn’t get a cab. Leo’s call came much later. “Why aren’t you home?” My voice was calm, devoid of any emotion. “I’m at the theater.” He seemed to remember something suddenly and fell silent for a moment. “I’m sorry, I got held up with something this afternoon. Wait there, I’ll pick you up.” I didn’t refuse, but I also knew he wouldn’t come. Sure enough, the next second, Serena updated her feed again: “Afraid I’d catch a cold from the rain, my CEO husband personally made ginger tea. A man who cooks is the sexiest! I want to marry him!” The photo showed Leo’s back in the kitchen. I took one look and calmly closed the page. The heavy rain still left me with a fever. Using the excuse that I didn’t want to infect Leo, I moved into the guest room. Leo, uncharacteristically, put down his work and stayed home specifically to take care of me. But I felt uncomfortable. “It’s just a small cold. I’m an adult, I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.” He stared at me strangely for a long while. “Didn’t you used to wish I’d be by your side when you were sick? Why are you acting so unusual today?” I lowered my head, forcing a smile. “I was immature then. I’m not anymore.” Leo looked at me with concern. “Summer, are you okay?” “I’m fine. You should go.” He still felt like something was off with me but couldn’t quite pinpoint it. Finally, he just stared at me deeply, sighed, and said, “Okay, get some rest. Call me if you need anything.” After he left, I let out a long breath, lay down, and slept again. When I woke up, I saw Mom had sent me the detailed wedding plan. She also sent me over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to choose. I casually scrolled through them, clicking on large images to examine them, so absorbed that I didn’t even notice Leo suddenly appearing. He snatched my phone, throwing it aside, his brows furrowed in displeasure. “Why are you looking at wedding dresses?” I thought he’d discovered my impending marriage and was about to explain everything. But his next words made me realize how ridiculous my assumption was. “Summer, are you trying to pressure me into marriage? I told you I’d marry you. You don’t need to play these games to hint at it. It’s disgusting.”

“You misunderstood, I’m not…” But he waved his hand, refusing to listen to my explanation. “I have to go. I advise you to stop pulling these stunts and wearing down my feelings for you.” The door slammed shut with a bang, and the entire room fell into a deathly silence. I stood there for a long time, scoffing at myself. Leo, how much feeling do you even have left for me? What’ is there to wear down? Before exiting SnapChat, I casually clicked on the red notification dot. I saw Leo, who never posted on social media, had updated his status. “You’re so wonderful, of course I’ll marry you and keep you by my side. Only then can I truly rest easy.” The post included a solo photo of Serena and their wedding invitation. In less than a minute, a mutual friend commented: “Dude, the bride just smoothly switched like that?” Immediately, Leo’s new post disappeared, but it quickly reappeared on Serena’s social media. Then Leo’s call came in. In the past, I would have already screenshotted it and called him to confront him. But this time, I let the phone ring until it stopped without answering. Perhaps I was just numb. By the time Leo got home, I was already fast asleep. He gently opened the door and walked to my bedside. “Summer, are you asleep? Why didn’t you answer my calls?” I had my back to him and vaguely replied, “I fell asleep accidentally. Didn’t hear it.” Leo breathed a sigh of relief, leaned in close, and reached out to check my forehead temperature. “Still have a fever?” As he got closer, the sickeningly sweet scent of women’s perfume on him made me feel a wave of nausea. I nearly gagged. I instinctively shifted sideways, dodging his touch. His hand froze in mid-air, full of surprise. He tentatively asked, “Summer, did you see something?” I buried myself entirely under the covers, my voice muffled. “No, I just feel awful with this cold. I want to sleep.” After sleeping through to the next day, I finally felt a bit lighter. I started packing my things, gradually erasing my presence in this house. Only then did I realize that, at first, Leo and I had shared our couple’s items. But at some point, he had thrown them all into a corner, collecting dust. There was also an album filled with photos from my travels with Leo, postcards we’d collected together, old train tickets from when we were long-distance, and letters he’d written to me. This album was full of all our memories from these past years. When Leo returned, I was throwing this album into a fire. He rushed over like a madman, snatching the burned album from the flames. Ignoring the pain of his scalded hands, he angrily demanded, “Are you crazy?! Don’t you know how important this album is to us? Why would you burn it?!” Leo rarely got angry with me; this was the first time he’d ever spoken to me so loudly. The concern in his eyes didn’t seem fake, but it was also true that he was secretly marrying someone else. Not wanting to argue with him, I casually said, “The album got moldy and buggy. I’ve backed up everything inside. I’ll just make a new one later.” Hearing that, his anger subsided. As I applied burn cream to his hand, Leo stared at me and suddenly spoke. “Summer, you seem a bit down lately. Is work stress getting to you? I booked a customized trip for you. Go out, relax, clear your head.”

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The night before our wedding, I left my fiancée, Chloe. Her mom needed a huge amount for surgery, so I took on a secret mission to earn the money. I fought to survive under constant gunfire every day. Three years later, after finishing the mission, I planned to come home and marry Chloe. But I found Chloe and my best friend, Dustin，rushed to the ER—their hips pressed tightly together. The next day, scandalous photos of them went viral on Instagram. Right after surgery, Chloe called me in a panic: “Baby, I don’t know who I pissed off! Someone Photoshopped explicit photos of Dustin and me and posted them online! Send me $200,000, and I’ll find the culprit.” I told her, “No need. I already know who leaked the photos.” “What? Baby, you’re back?” “Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up!” “The hospital.” Chloe on the other end suddenly went silent. After a long pause, she asked: “The hospital? Which hospital?” When I told her the hospital’s name, she didn’t know what to say next: “Baby, you didn’t actually believe what people are saying online, did you?” “You entrusted Dustin to look after me. How could he and I do anything to betray you?” “I booked you a hotel, just spend tonight there. I’m still out of town on a business trip, I’ll come back as soon as I finish up and be with you!” Before she even hung up, she’d already sent me the room number for a star-rated hotel. Then she asked me to reimburse her ten thousand dollars. Her usually sweet, innocent voice, which I used to adore, now made my stomach churn. In the past, whenever she sweet-talked me like that, I would have given her anything. But now, the cramping pain in my abdomen and gut surged to my heart, leaving me unable to tell which hurt more! I glanced down at the bandage, already stained with blood, and took a deep breath. My voice was flat: “Just kidding, I won’t be back that quickly.” Chloe, who had sounded worried moments ago, instantly raised her voice: “Leo! Are you crazy? Is that something to joke about? Do you know how much I miss you…” I took a step, wanting to storm to her hospital room door and confront her. How much could she really miss me if she was sleeping with my best friend? But in the end, I didn’t ask anything. I just hung up. She wouldn’t let me come home, and even booked me a hotel. That could only mean there was something at home she didn’t want me to see. But I’m stubborn. Even after being betrayed, I wanted to see the extent of Chloe’s deceit. I hailed a cab and quickly returned to the house. Inside, I heard a child crying. My blood instantly ran cold. Had they even had a child behind my back? Then what was the point of me risking my life for three years to earn money for her mom’s surgery? Just then, I heard Mrs. Davis’s voice, soothing the child: “Shh, Noah, don’t cry. Mommy went to the hospital to help you have a baby sister. If you still want a sister, you have to be good, okay?” “When your daddy comes back, we’ll give him a big surprise!” “Then when will Daddy come home to play with me? Mommy never plays with me, she just wants to have a sister.” A thunderclap exploded in my mind. So, she had a child, made me raise him for three years, and was now planning to have a second one, expecting me to be a complete fool? After all, Chloe wasn’t pregnant when I left. If she had been, she would have used the child to demand money from me endlessly! Rage consumed me. I instinctively entered the door code. The alarm blared, indicating an incorrect password. I froze, my fingertips chilling. When we set the password, Chloe had hooked her arms around my neck, sweet-talking me: “Baby, let’s use the day we met, okay? That way, every time I open the door, it’ll be like meeting you again.” Now, that same door shut me out. Footsteps approached from inside, followed by the sound of the lock turning. The door opened. A little boy, about three years old, looked up at me, his big eyes full of curiosity. “Who are you?” Even with my mental preparation, when I saw the boy’s face, strikingly similar to Dustin’s, a sharp pain pierced my heart. The wound in my abdomen throbbed with my emotional turmoil, and the seeping blood stained my shirt. “Noah, who is it?” Mrs. Davis’s voice grew closer. When she saw me at the door, the smile on her face froze instantly, all color draining away, as if she’d seen a ghost. “You… you’re back?”

Mrs. Davis frantically tried to close the door, but I held it firmly open with my hand. “Mom, I’m home. Aren’t you going to welcome me?” Mrs. Davis knew she couldn’t hide it any longer. She tried to block my view with her body while fumbling for her phone, her hands trembling. “Chloe! Get back here, he’s returned!” She shrieked into the phone. I pushed the door open forcefully and walked in. I scanned the apartment, the one I had poured all my savings into, the one I had decorated with so much hope as our marital home. Aside from the dusty wedding photo on the bedside table, there wasn’t a single trace of me left. Dustin’s suit, ties, and razor were scattered everywhere. Children’s toys lay strewn across the floor. The air was thick with an unfamiliar scent, the smell of another man. My home had long become someone else’s. Memories flooded back. Three years ago, at the airport. Chloe was crying, her face streaked with tears: “Baby, you must come back safe. I’ll wait for you.” “I will, don’t worry. Your mom’s surgery costs… I’ll find a way to get the money as fast as I can.” She nestled into my arms, her voice choked with emotion: “But that mission is too dangerous. Maybe you shouldn’t go? I don’t want you to risk your life for my mom. If something happens to you, how could I live?” At that time, I had nothing. Even if I sold my apartment, I couldn’t raise enough for Mrs. Davis’s surgery. There was no other way but to find a quick way to earn money. Mrs. Davis had shown me great kindness. If not for her giving me a home and sponsoring my college education after my parents died, I might have starved to death on the day I fought wild dogs for scraps. The Davis family wasn’t wealthy. Mrs. Davis raising Chloe and me alone had been incredibly tough. So, when she fell critically ill and needed urgent surgery, I accepted my boss’s overseas assignment. Every day, I walked through hell. Bullets whizzed past my ears, and artillery exploded beside me. Countless times, as I brushed with death, I clutched a photo of Chloe in my pocket. I was incredibly frugal, sending every penny I earned by risking my life back to her. Every time she received money, she would be exceptionally touched: “Baby, thank goodness for you! When you come back, we’ll get married! I miss you so much every night I can’t sleep…” Chloe returned quickly, still in her hospital gown. She rushed through the door, her face a mix of panic and guilt. “Baby! Let me explain!” Chloe stepped forward, reaching for my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her touch. She spoke rapidly: “Noah’s mom passed away during childbirth. Dustin was struggling to raise him alone. While you were gone these three years, he took such good care of my mom and me…” As she spoke, her eyes welled up. “We felt sorry for the child, so we helped look after him, gave him a home. If you were here, you’d do the same, right?” Just then, Noah, clutching a toy car, walked up to me and looked up with his small face: “Daddy, will you play with my car with me?” That single word, “Daddy,” struck me like lightning, making my eardrums hum. For the past three years, neither Chloe nor Dustin had ever mentioned this child to me. That made it hard for me to believe that Noah had nothing to do with Chloe. Meeting my suspicious gaze, Chloe’s face flashed with anger, then she patted Noah. “Noah, be good. Daddy just got home, let him rest for a bit, okay?” She said, then familiarized herself by pinching the soft flesh around my waist: “Baby, look how much Noah likes you. Hurry up and say something!” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh: “I’m not interested in being a dad.” “Where’s Dustin? Weren’t you two at the hospital together?” Chloe’s eyes darted nervously. She quickly denied: “Baby, are you listening to the rumors online? Dustin and I truly have nothing going on…” She didn’t know I was right there when she and Dustin were being loaded into the ambulance, intertwined. It seemed she was afraid Dustin would show up and get beaten by me, so she told him to hide. But I had no interest in raising someone else’s wife and child. I called Dustin directly: “Come get your wife and kid. As for her mom, she’s free to stay or go.” If Mrs. Davis wanted me to support her, out of gratitude, I wouldn’t default on my debt. But I wouldn’t support Chloe and her child anymore. Chloe smashed my phone, instantly jumping up in protest: “Baby, what do you mean? I’m your fiancée, and you’re kicking me out the moment you get home?” “Chloe, if you don’t leave, do you plan to freeload in my house and let me keep being a complete fool supporting the three of you?” My eyes were cold as knives, sweeping over her pale face. My words sent a shiver down her spine. “Baby, it’s not what you think! Dustin and I really didn’t have anything… he was helping me…” “Get out.” I cut her off sharply, pointing to the door. Chloe froze, looking at me as if she were seeing me for the first time. “Leo… you’re telling me to get out?” Her eyes instantly reddened, filled with unbelievable hurt: “We’ve been apart for three years. I thought about you every day, and after finally waiting for you to come back, this is how you treat me?” “You thought about me?” I advanced on her, step by step. The pain in my abdomen brought beads of cold sweat to my forehead, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my heart.

“So much that you slept with Dustin? So much that you had a child with him? So much that you used my money to raise your kid?” “No! Noah, he…” “Shut up!” I pointed to the door, using my last ounce of strength: “Take your things and get out of my house! Now! Immediately!” Chloe looked at my determined expression, the color slowly draining from her face. She bit her lip hard, tears rolling down her cheeks. After a long moment, she snatched her bag from the couch and glared at me fiercely. “Leo! I never thought you’d be such a petty, heartless person!” “I’m leaving! See if you don’t regret this!” She grabbed Noah and Mrs. Davis, stumbling out the door. A loud slam echoed, leaving me in the dead silence of the room. I couldn’t stand, swaying a step, and leaned against the wall. The bloodstain on my abdominal bandage had spread significantly. Excruciating pain tore at my nerves. But it was nothing compared to the utter annihilation of my heart and the anguish of three years wasted. Ten minutes later, I heard a commotion outside, followed by knocking. “Hey, Unit 302, do you have any conscience? How could you kick your wife out? She’s outside with her mom and child, threatening to jump! Aren’t you going to talk her down?” I opened the door. The unfamiliar neighbor saw it was me, and her expression froze. She quickly checked the door number, then shouted into my apartment: “Is her husband home?” It turned out that for the three years I was gone, Chloe and Dustin had presented themselves as a married couple to the neighbors. No wonder the neighbor didn’t recognize me. I hadn’t spent a single day in this apartment after it was renovated, leaving it for that scumbag, Dustin. A life was at stake, and I didn’t have the energy to explain the complicated situation to the neighbor. I quickly took the elevator to the top floor. When Chloe saw me, she started crying even louder. “Baby, why won’t you believe me? You’re kicking me out, aren’t you just trying to force me to die?” “Dustin looked after my mom and me for you, and we helped him with Noah. It was just a mutual help situation, but in your eyes, it’s wrong?” “You don’t like me helping him raise his child? I’ve already sent Noah away, isn’t that enough?” She hung her head, tears falling. That image of her, so humble and downtrodden, was completely different from the spoiled girl I remembered. I stayed silent, yet to speak, when Mrs. Davis suddenly climbed onto the edge of the rooftop. “Baby, Chloe and Dustin are truly innocent. Will I have to prove their innocence with my life, then?” With that, she made to jump. I didn’t want a death on my conscience, so I quickly shouted: “Alright, I believe you.” At my affirmation, Chloe and Mrs. Davis exchanged a quick glance. I couldn’t stomach watching their drama and turned to go home. Late that night, my bedroom door creaked open. Chloe, wearing a nearly transparent black lace nightgown and reeking of perfume, slipped in. “Baby…” Her voice was syrupy sweet, and her hand explored my body. I grabbed her wrist violently, making her cry out in pain. “My wound hasn’t healed. I’m not in the mood.” I stared at her, my eyes devoid of any desire. “Get out.” Her face paled. She was about to say something else when her phone suddenly rang in her bag, cutting her off. She looked as if she’d been burned, rushing back to the guest room to grab her phone, then disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of running water masked her voice. I walked to the bathroom door and, through the crack, heard her broken whispers: “I’ll figure out the money… just wait a little longer…” Just then, my phone screen lit up. A message: bank transfer of 500,000 failed. Chloe was still trying to get money from me for Dustin! It seemed she wouldn’t stop until she’d completely drained me dry! The next morning, several of Chloe’s friends arrived, claiming they wanted to catch up after so long. But their words were all probing: “Leo, you must have made a fortune in the war zone, right? I heard the profits there are huge!” “Chloe will finally have a good life now, you should get a big villa, shouldn’t you?” I gave them vague answers, sending them away disappointed. After they left, I watched Chloe, who was pretending to be busy in the kitchen, and walked over to her. “That 500,000 last night, was that for Dustin?”

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The year I turned eighteen, I fell hopelessly in love with my adoptive brother. To force me to move on, he paraded a new girlfriend before me every month. He even offered me a hundred million dollars to let him go. But I swore back, “I’ll only give up when I die.” Then he brought her home, a girl with my face. After that, the other women vanished. My feelings became irrelevant. On their hundred-day anniversary,she whispered that she wanted privacy. His order to me was simple. “Get out of the car.” I died on the side of the road that same day, struck by a car. Then, I was granted a seven-day return pass to the living world. “Caleb, I’m dead.” The moment I was thrown through the air, my last thought was to him. I called him ninety-nine times. He never answered. he list of missed calls was a monument to my foolishness, a perfect summary of every year I’d wasted chasing him. When Caleb finally rushed home with Lydia, he circled my body, his face bleaching of all color. “How could you say that? You can’t just say you’re dead?” Of course, I knew. When I was a little girl, I begged to go to the amusement park. My parents, who could never deny me, had taken time off work to take me. But On the way, a truck swerved out of control. They shielded me with their own bodies and died instantly. I was the one rushed into the ICU, clinging to life. Caleb, who never believed in anything, prayed for the first time. He begged for my life. I survived, but a part of my spirit withered that day. My parents died because of me. I felt like a murderer. I stopped eating, wanting to follow them. But Caleb was stubborn. “It was an accident,” he insisted. “You die, I die.” It was a vow. When I refused food, he refused it. When I slashed my wrist, he didn’t hesitate to cut two deeper gashes into his own. “If you’re gone,” he asked me, his eyes raw, “what is left here for me?” From that day on, I never dared to speak the word “die” again. But now, I was truly dead. In this moment, a strange, quiet gratitude washed over me. At least someone would be there for Caleb, even if she was just a stand-in.. I stayed quiet. I didn’t scream or fight. Caleb could only stare, his eyes wide with pure disbelief. In my past life, every time Caleb brought a woman home, I’d throw a massive tantrum. I’d smash vases, break plates, destroy anything I could get my hands on. After the storm, I would drag my suitcase out the door. And every single time, Caleb would get in his car and track me down himself. This time, I didn’t even look at them. I turned and went back to my room. Just before I fell asleep, the door opened. Lydia walked in, wearing Caleb’s shirt, a glass of milk in her hand. She offered it to me. “So, are we trying a new strategy today? Playing hard to get?” “Stop making a scene from now on. Caleb and I are getting married.” I kept my eyes on her, but remained silent. Lydia, seeing my indifference, gently ruffled my hair. “He loves you, but he has to marry me. We’re not enemies, Chloe.” I gave a bitter laugh. “I knew that the moment I first saw you.” I turned my head, looking at our reflections in the window. We looked incredibly similar. The room remained silent. Downstairs, Caleb rushed into the house, then burst into the room. After confirming I was okay, he finally noticed Lydia, and his brows furrowed. As if afraid I might have overheard something. Caleb’s eyes held a strange, complicated emotion. “I’ve decided to marry Lydia. Nothing’s going to change that.”

“Get rid of those foolish thoughts of yours. Go to Mom and Dad’s study and reflect.” “When you understand, then you can come out.” This was Caleb’s usual tactic, his way of trying to make me see the reality of our relationship. But he probably forgot that we weren’t related by blood. I was just an orphaned girl adopted by his parents, nothing more. Just because I called him brother, did my love for him become a sin? “I won’t.” Caleb’s face instantly darkened, his eyes chillingly cold. He didn’t say a word. He just grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it made my hand ache. He dragged me towards the room, forcing me to stumble along with him. “Since you don’t want to reflect, then you can stay in here alone.” “If you can’t figure it out, then you won’t eat.” Bang! The door slammed shut in front of me. I slumped against the door, listening to his footsteps recede, growing fainter until they vanished at the end of the hallway. For the next three days, Caleb came back every few hours. He wouldn’t come in. He’d just stand outside the door for a moment, then leave. Lydia would occasionally drop by too, saying through the door, “What’s the point of fighting with him? You’re always the one who gives in first.” She was right. Caleb would always soften. He was afraid I’d be too stubborn to back down, afraid I’d starve myself, afraid something would happen to me. On the evening of the third day, I heard the lock turn. Caleb stood at the doorway, backlit, so I couldn’t make out his expression. I could only see his tall silhouette. “Come out.” His voice was softer than before, like he’d conceded. I pushed myself up against the door, my legs wobbly, my body swaying forward. Caleb instinctively reached out to steady me. The moment his fingers touched my arm, his entire body stiffened. “You…” He stared at my arm, his Adam’s apple bobbing, words catching in his throat. Finally, he pulled his hand back. “Go take a shower, then come down for dinner.” After my shower, I went downstairs. The dining table was already laden with food. In the center, a plate of blueberry muffins glowed invitingly under the light. They were my favorite treat. My parents used to love making them for me. After they left, whenever I missed them, Caleb would bake them himself. “Have you learned your lesson?” Caleb sat opposite me, taking a sip of his tea, his voice betraying no emotion. I didn’t answer. I sat down and picked up a blueberry muffin, putting it into my mouth. The soft, sweet taste melted on my tongue, spreading warmth through me. Then my stomach churned violently. Caleb put down his teacup and reached out, as if to pat my back. I clapped a hand over my mouth and rushed to the bathroom, throwing up uncontrollably into the toilet. The blueberry muffin I’d just eaten, along with the little water left in my stomach, all came out. Turns out, the dead can’t eat the food of the living. I leaned against the wall, catching my breath for a moment. When I looked up, Lydia was standing in the doorway. She walked in and knelt in front of me, a flicker of concern in her eyes. “I didn’t want to say anything…” “But Chloe, you look like… you might be pregnant.” “You can’t face this alone. Tell us, and Caleb and I can help you.” Footsteps sounded outside the door. Caleb stood at the bathroom entrance, his fingers clenching, veins popping. “You’re pregnant?” Pregnant? How could I, a dead person, be pregnant? I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but swallowed the words back. It didn’t matter. I was going to die anyway. I wasn’t going to be with him, so let him misunderstand.

Caleb stared at me, silent for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke. “We’re going to the hospital.” My fingers curled up, my fingertips as cold as if they’d been submerged in ice water. What could a hospital possibly find? That my body temperature was zero, that my heart had long stopped beating? That I was dead? “I’m not going.” “You have to.” His voice was hard, brooking no refusal. “I said, I’m not going.” I looked up at him. He was looking back at me, his brows tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Suspicion, disappointment, and something else I couldn’t quite decipher. Lydia sighed beside him. “Caleb, you need to respect Chloe’s feelings on this.” She paused, her tone softening. “She’s an adult now. Haven’t you always wanted her to move on from you?” “Now that she has her own life, you should be happy.” Caleb remained silent. The living room was terrifyingly quiet, every breath clearly audible. After a long time, he finally spoke, his voice low. “If you’re really pregnant, bring the child’s father here. Let me meet him.” I froze. He actually believed it. Believed I would sleep with another man, believed I would carry another man’s child. A dull ache suddenly swelled in my chest, as if something was tearing inside me. I knew it was fake, that a dead person couldn’t feel pain, but the sensation was so real, so real I almost clutched my chest. “I refuse.” “Chloe!” Caleb shot up, “Do you even see me as family, Chloe?” Family. There it was again, that cursed word. I looked up at him, tears welling uncontrollably, but I still smiled. I smiled, and the tears spun in my eyes. “I never wanted you to be my brother.” He opened his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbed a few times, but in the end, nothing came out. He turned, footsteps sounding, growing more distant. The door slammed shut. For the next few days, Caleb never returned. I stayed alone in the empty house, starting to pack my things. Clothes in the closet, folded one by one, placed into bags. Photos on the desk, torn one by one. Only one photo remained. It was a picture of Caleb and me, taken when I was ten. He was so young in the photo, his eyes crinkling into a smile. I pressed the photo to my chest, imagining it would be buried with me. After packing, I pre-scheduled a text message to the funeral home. Telling them to come for my body in three days. That would be Caleb’s wedding day. I pressed send. The phone screen lit up, displaying “Scheduled message set.” This was good. The day I truly left, I wouldn’t have to attend his wedding. Wouldn’t have to watch him and Lydia exchange rings, wouldn’t have to hear him say “I do,” wouldn’t have to see them kiss in front of everyone. At least fate, in its cruel way, granted me this small, pathetic mercy.

On the wedding day, I woke up early. Six o’clock, before the sky was fully light, I got up and got ready. I put on light makeup in the mirror and changed into that cream-colored dress. I wore it when I confessed my feelings to Caleb when I was eighteen. Now, I would wear it again, sitting quietly on the sofa, waiting for death. At the wedding venue, guests gradually arrived. Caleb stood at the reception, his gaze occasionally sweeping towards the entrance. Lydia held his arm, wearing a pure white wedding dress. She followed his gaze. “Are you waiting for Chloe?” Caleb’s body stiffened slightly. “She won’t come.” “With her personality, how could she stand by and watch you marry me?” “Don’t worry, after the wedding, I’ll go with you to find her.” “Hmm,” Caleb hummed, his voice a little dry. At 9:55 AM, the wedding was about to begin. The officiant was making final preparations on stage, guests were seated, and the ceremony awaited the couple’s entrance. “Caleb, it’s time to go in,” Lydia urged. Just then, Caleb’s phone vibrated. He instinctively pulled it out and saw the caller ID- “Funeral Home.” He froze. Why would the funeral home be calling him now? “Hello?” He answered the phone. “Is this Mr. Caleb?” The voice on the other end was very formal. “I’m a staff member from City Funeral Home.” “According to our records, you are Ms. Chloe’s guardian. We are required to inform you as per protocol.” “What does that mean?” Caleb interrupted, his voice hurried. “Ms. Chloe has passed away, and her remains are currently undergoing cremation. We require your signature for confirmation.” The voice on the phone was calm, as if stating the most ordinary fact. My soul, having just floated free from my body, jolted violently. I’d actually forgotten about this. How I wished you wouldn’t know of my death. But you know, after all. You’ll probably be sad, won’t you? I’m sorry, Caleb. But this time, I’m leaving for good. Those words hit Caleb like a heavy hammer to the heart. The color instantly drained from his face, and he froze on the spot. “What did you say?” His voice trembled. “Say it again.” “Ms. Chloe has passed away. The cremation process is currently underway-” Clatter. His phone slipped from his hand, falling to the floor. Everyone around was startled by the sudden change. “Caleb, what’s wrong?” Lydia grabbed his hand, only to find it terrifyingly cold. “She’s dead.” Caleb murmured, his eyes unfocused. “She’s dead…” “What? Who’s dead?” “Chloe.”

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On our anniversary, my husband, Colonel Elias Vance, lied to me—“urgent mission,” he said. I tracked his car. It wasn’t heading to base, but to the city’s top OB-GYN clinic. I hacked the clinic’s cameras. There he was, holding a pregnant woman, eyes full of tenderness he never gave me. “Elias, have you picked a name for the baby?” she whispered, hand on her belly. “Hope. For our love,” he said. A cold dread hit me. Then I called Military CommandI put the call on speaker and said, “Colonel Elias Vance has deserted. I suspect he’s leaking classified info.” One sentence. It froze General Thompson on the phone and Elias on the screen. On my phone, General Thompson’s voice turned to ice. “Cassandra, Say again?” On the monitor, Elias’s phone rang too. His face twisted at the caller ID. He hung up frantically and immediately tried calling me. I didn’t answer. Instead, I spoke into my phone, each word measured and clear. “Reporting, General Thompson, Elias Vance left home today claiming an urgent mission, but he’s at the city’s OB-GYN clinic. His movements are suspicious, and he’s refusing to answer secure military calls. I suspect him of desertion.” My voice was low, yet it hit like a bombshell. Five seconds of dead air followed. “Cassandra Vance,” General Thompson finally said, his tone sharp and decisive. “Hold your position, secure the area, and stay safe. We are en route.” I hung up and silently watched the monitor. On screen, Elias was in a full-blown panic. He abandoned the woman, Willow Jenkins, frantically dialing my number as he rushed towards the clinic’s entrance. Willow cried out pitifully behind him, “Elias, where are you going? Our baby…” He didn’t even glance back. The tenderness and patience in his eyes had vanished, replaced by sheer terror and volatile rage. But it was too late. Less than ten minutes later, several dark green military SUVs roared to a halt, completely blocking all exits of the clinic. Heavily armed soldiers leaped from the vehicles, their movements swift and their presence intimidating. They stormed into the lobby, pinpointing their target. “Colonel Elias Vance, you’re coming with us!” The black muzzles didn’t waver. Elias raised his hands, his face turning to ash. Two soldiers forced his arms behind his back, clamped on the cuffs, and marched him out. As he passed through the main entrance, he saw me. I stood just outside the glass doors, watching him with cold indifference. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, as if seeing a ghost. “Cassandra!” The roar was pure, twisted fury. “You’re insane! What have you done?! This is a setup!” I answered with a cold sneer. Yes, I know it’s a setup. You didn’t desert. You were just with your mistress, naming your bastard child, while I planned our anniversary. You were just betraying me while I was pregnant. But why should I ever explain for you? When you lied to me and disgraced that uniform, why didn’t you see this coming? The soldiers didn’t give him a chance to protest further. They roughly shoved him into a vehicle. The woman, Willow Jenkins, was also taken away under “protective custody.” She was trembling uncontrollably. As she passed me, she suddenly lunged like a madwoman. “It’s you! You ruined Elias! You bitch!” Two female soldiers quickly intercepted her. I looked at her tear-streaked face and her slightly swollen belly. “Hope,” I whispered, just two words. Willow’s face instantly went white. “Commemorating your love, right?” I smiled, a smile that brought tears to my eyes. “What a beautiful name!” The surrounding commotion faded into irrelevance. The world before me turned to grayscale. Elias Vance, the game has begun. You destroyed my love; I will destroy everything you hold dear.

I was taken back to the military base, not as a spouse, but as a “key informant.” The one who debriefed me was General Thompson, a man nearing fifty with a naturally authoritative presence. “Mrs. Vance, relax. Walk me through everything you observed today.” I held the mug, my hands steady. “Today was my and Elias’s third wedding anniversary. This morning, he said his unit had an urgent mission and rushed out. I immediately felt something was off.” “What felt off?” General Thompson pressed. “He wasn’t in uniform, and he was driving his private car. Also, as he left, I saw a crumpled piece of paper fall from his pocket. It was an appointment slip from the local OB-GYN clinic.” I pulled a crumpled slip of paper from my pocket. Of course, this slip wasn’t his. I’d found it in the trash can in his study. He thought he’d disposed of it cleanly. But he didn’t know that from the day my sense of smell became unusually acute after I got pregnant, I’d noticed a perfume scent on him that wasn’t mine. From that day on, I ceased to be myself and became a hunter. General Thompson took the slip, his expression growing grimmer. “Why did you suspect him of desertion?” This was the core of it all. I let my gaze drop, injecting a carefully measured tremor into my voice. “His behavior has been erratic. Taking encrypted calls late at night, using a separate laptop in his study. When I asked, he said it was for classified intelligence.” “I know the rules. I shouldn’t ask what I’m not supposed to. But today… he lied about a mission to take another woman to her OB-GYN appointment.” “General, if he would lie to the service, what wouldn’t he do?” It was a masterful blend of truth and lies. He did have another laptop, but he used it to play games with his mistress. He did take calls in the middle of the night, but those were his mistress calling to complain about pregnancy sickness. I’d seen all of this clearly through the surveillance cameras at home. But I couldn’t say that. General Thompson’s brows furrowed. “Do you know that woman?” “No,” I shook my head. “But I accessed the clinic’s system. Her name is Willow Jenkins.” “You hacked their system?” General Thompson seemed surprised. “Cybersecurity was my major.” I replied, my tone even. This was my ace in the hole. Not only could I hack into the clinic’s system, but I could also recover all deleted files and chat logs from his “gaming laptop.” General Thompson fell silent. A Special Forces Major, acting clandestinely, deceiving the service, and having a close relationship with an unknown woman. And his wife, a cybersecurity expert, reported him herself. Every element was startling. “Mrs. Vance, the information you’ve provided is highly critical. We will launch an immediate investigation. In the meantime, for your safety, you’ll need to stay at the military guest house.” “I understand. I have only one request.” “I want a divorce.” My tone held no hesitation. “Regardless of the investigation’s outcome, this marriage is over.” General Thompson looked at me, his eyes complex. “Alright, the service will support your reasonable request.” Stepping out of the office, the sun was shining brightly. But I only felt cold. My phone vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number. “Cassandra, you bitch! If you dare to ruin Elias, my mom won’t let you get away with it!” It was Elias’s sister, Sierra Vance. I deleted the text with a blank expression and blocked the number. This was only the beginning. Immediately after, a call came in. It was my mother-in-law. As soon as I answered, a barrage of curses erupted. “Cassandra! What’s wrong with you?! What has Elias ever done to you to deserve this?! You jinx, I should never have agreed to your marriage!” I listened quietly. When she finally ran out of breath, I spoke calmly. “Mom, don’t rush to curse me. You should be more concerned about your unborn grandchild.” The other end of the line went completely silent. “You… what do you mean?” “Colonel Vance was at the clinic with his mistress for her prenatal checkup. The baby’s already three months along. Oh, and they’ve even picked out a name: Hope.” “To commemorate their love.” With every word, I could imagine the blood draining from my proud mother-in-law’s face on the other end of the phone. “You’re lying! Impossible! My son isn’t that kind of man!” she shrieked. “You’ll find out soon enough.” I hung up, letting out a long sigh. The knot of resentment in my chest seemed to loosen a little. Elias, you thought your family was your backing? Soon, they’ll become yet another straw to break your back. 3. I settled into the military guest house. Though called a guest house, its security level was high, with sentries guarding the entrance twenty-four hours a day. I understood. This was both protection and surveillance. Until Elias Vance’s suspicions were cleared, I, as the “primary informant,” couldn’t move freely either. This suited me perfectly. I needed an absolutely safe and quiet environment to prepare my next move. The investigation team came to see me the next day. This time, in addition to General Thompson, there were two sharp-looking middle-aged men I didn’t recognize, dressed in plain clothes. They were from internal security, specifically responsible for internal reviews. “Mrs. Vance, we’ve reviewed the clinic surveillance and conducted preliminary interrogations of Colonel Vance and Willow Jenkins. Colonel Vance insists it was merely a personal conduct issue, and he felt guilty, which is why he panicked.” One of the men spoke, his tone even, but his eyes, like a hawk’s, bore into me. “Willow Jenkins also claims she and Colonel Vance had merely a simple romantic relationship and that she knew nothing about his work.” “Really?” I raised an eyebrow slightly. “A ‘simple romantic relationship’?” I took a USB drive from my bag and placed it on the table. “This contains all the data I recovered from Colonel Vance’s ‘gaming laptop’.” “Including his chat logs with Willow from when they first met until now, every payment he made to her, and even… records of his irregular actions, like using his position to apply for ‘temporary military dependent housing’ for her.” The faces of the three men at the table instantly changed. General Thompson’s expression was one of shock and anger. The two men from internal security showed unconcealed gravity. A personal conduct issue was entirely different from using one’s authority to gain undue benefits for a lover. The former was personal moral decay; the latter was a severe disciplinary violation, a stain on the uniform! “In the chat logs, Willow repeatedly complained to Elias that she didn’t feel safe living alone, and she envied me living on the military base.” I stated calmly, as if narrating someone else’s story. “To placate her, Elias promised her a ‘special talent dependent’ housing slot, claiming she could soon move into a community near the base.” My eyes locked on the General. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but that community is exclusively for families of personnel with exceptional service records?” General Thompson’s lips were tightly pursed, and he remained silent, but a vein pulsed visibly on his forehead. The internal security officers immediately collected the drive. “We will verify this immediately.” After they left, only General Thompson and I remained in the office. “Mrs. Vance…” he sighed, his voice full of weariness. “You… you’ve been through a lot.” I shook my head. “Compared to what I’ve endured, I’m more concerned about the honor of the uniform he wore.” I spoke these words with genuine sincerity. I married Elias not only because I loved him, but also because I admired him. I admired him as a steadfast soldier, a hero defending our nation. But now, he had personally shattered all my reverence. “The service will not tolerate any misconduct and will never wrong a good person,” General Thompson assured me. I nodded and rose to leave. Just as I reached the door, I paused, as if something had suddenly occurred to me, and turned back. My face held a hint of hesitation and uncertainty. “General, there’s something… I’m not sure if I should say it.” “Speak your mind.” “That woman, Willow Jenkins. When I checked her information, I found she has a brother named Brandon Jenkins.” “This Brandon… he appears to have an overseas background. He’s not a local. And the chat logs show Willow telling Elias that her brother was persistently curious about his job. He wasn’t just asking; he was probing for operational details such as training methods, equipment specs.” I chose my words carefully, making myself appear like an ordinary person who had inadvertently stumbled upon a clue but was afraid of saying the wrong thing. “At the time, I thought it might just be family curiosity, and I didn’t pay much attention. But thinking about it now, it feels a bit off.” “I’m afraid… I’m afraid Elias might have been exploited by this woman…” My voice grew softer and softer, finally trailing off with a hint of a sob. This sob was half feigned, half genuine. For my dead love, and for my husband, whom I was about to personally push into the abyss. General Thompson shot up from his chair. The last trace of warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by an unprecedented vigilance and sharpness. “Name and nationality of the brother. Now!” The shift in the room was instantaneous and absolute. This was no longer about misconduct. It wasn’t even about gross abuse of authority. This was now a potential national security breach. A grim smile touched my lips. Checkmate, Elias.

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