Category: English

I contacted the man I’d avoided for a decade, my hand resting on my now flat stomach, a cold smile on my lips. It began at a welcome home party my husband threw for his childhood sweetheart, Valerie. During a drinking game, she lost and asked me to take her punishment, claiming it was her time of the month. I refused, explaining I was pregnant. Valerie just scoffed, saying I should admit I didn’t want to help instead of suddenly “getting pregnant” as an excuse. The room burst into laughter, and my husband’s face darkened. The next second, someone kicked me into the deep end of the pool. A man bet my husband on how long I could hold my breath. My husband laughed, wagering his Aston Martin keys that I could last five minutes. Others threw cash into the bet. A heavy hand held me under. A sharp cramp tore through me, and I felt a warm flow into the water. On the deck, they kept counting. Valerie lost the bet. To cheer her up, my husband downed three glasses of wine. As I sank, my vision fading, I heard him clearly: “Stop faking it. Keep going.” When I woke in a hospital bed, my husband stood over me, frowning. His first words were: “Were you really pregnant? Why didn’t you say something sooner?” 1 “I did tell you, Ross. I told you I was pregnant.” Ross let out a cold, dismissive laugh. “In that kind of setting? How was anyone supposed to know you weren’t just making it up to get out of a drink? If you have been pregnant all this time, why did you hide it from me?” Because he did not know, he felt completely justified in watching his friends kick me into a pool. He felt justified in laughing and betting his sports car on my life. He felt justified in guzzling wine to cheer up Valerie while I was drowning. I closed my eyes, my fingers curling into tight fists around the hospital bedsheets. He dropped onto the sofa furthest from my bed, speaking in a slow, casual drawl. “Honestly, you do not even need to say it. I know exactly what you were doing, Nora. You were waiting to go straight to my grandfather to claim your little reward, weren’t you?” Looking at his face, I saw that familiar, absolute certainty. That arrogant, condescending look that told me he thought he had me completely figured out. I had seen that exact look countless times over our three years of marriage. No matter how hard I tried to be the perfect wife, he always looked down on me from his pedestal. I genuinely believed that marrying him meant I finally had a family of my own. Nobody knew how ecstatic I was when I saw those two pink lines. I had been so incredibly excited to welcome this tiny life, a little soul that shared my blood. I had carefully tried to guess his reaction, wondering if the father of my child would feel the exact same overwhelming joy that I did. Just last night, when Ross called to invite me to that party, a secret thrill had bloomed in my chest. I foolishly thought I had finally broken through the walls around his heart. I thought I could finally share my wonderful news with him in front of everyone. The sudden click of the door handle shattered the heavy silence in the room. Valerie strutted in on her designer stilettos, holding a massive bouquet of exotic lilies. I instantly furrowed my brows. “Get out.” She let out a dramatic huff. “Do you really think playing the victim makes you the queen of the Sinclair family? You cannot pin last night on me. You knew you were pregnant, yet you still came out to party with us. You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You just wanted to put on a pathetic show to make Ross feel guilty.” She crossed her arms, looking down her nose at me with pure disdain. “Do not forget, you were the one who forced your way into this marriage. If it were not for you, Ross would have ended up with his first love ages ago. You ruined his life, and you still have the nerve to act high and mighty?” “My marriage is between me and Ross. Outsiders do not get a vote.” My voice was incredibly soft, but I made sure every single syllable was crystal clear. At the mention of his first love, a flash of hostility crossed Ross’s eyes. “She is not an outsider.” I fell silent for a few long seconds before I finally spoke. “Ross, if it were not for her last night, our baby would still be alive. How exactly do you expect me to treat her?” Ross turned his face away, his voice dropping to absolute zero. “It is your own fault for not protecting yourself. You have no right to blame anyone else.” My breath caught in my throat. My mind went completely blank for a split second. I knew exactly what he was doing. He said it on purpose. Because just like Valerie said, he hated me. I slowly exhaled a shaky breath. “Ross, let’s get a divorce.” He let out a mocking sneer. “You know damn well my grandfather will never allow us to divorce. Do you honestly not feel ridiculous trying to use that empty threat on me, Nora?” He leaned forward. The lingering scent of expensive alcohol from last night mixed with an overwhelming, suffocating pressure. “If we divorce, where exactly are you going to go? Your parents died ten years ago. Besides me, who else are you going to cling to as a parasite? Or…” He paused deliberately, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. “Are you planning to run to your… stepbrother?” He spat the last word out like it was poison, his eyes locking onto mine like a predator. A sudden chill shot straight up my spine. But then, my tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed. There was absolutely nothing left to care about. A soft, broken laugh escaped my lips. “For three years, I sat in that massive, freezing house, waiting for you to just look at me. I was stupid enough to believe that if I held a stone against my chest long enough, it would eventually warm up.” “But now I know the truth, Ross. Your heart is harder than stone.” I was smiling, but the tears were spilling down my cheeks faster than I could stop them. “The baby is gone, Ross.” I forced the words out using every last ounce of strength I had left in my body. “And I am completely done waiting like an idiot for you to love me.” “I will go talk to your grandfather myself. He will agree to it.” The moment the words left my mouth, I clearly saw his pupils violently contract. That smug, untouchable mask he had worn since walking into the room finally cracked. He instinctively took a half step backward. After a brief moment of stunned silence, his jaw clenched tight, his voice dangerously low. “Nora, without the Sinclair family backing you, you are absolutely nothing. Are you really sure you want to do this?” “I am sure. Don’t worry, you are about to get your freedom back.” 2 The next morning, Elder Sinclair arrived at the hospital leaning heavily on his silver handled cane. He took one long look at me, let out a heavy sigh, and lowered himself into the chair beside my bed. “I have already contacted the Vanderbilt family. I told them to keep their daughter, Valerie, on a very short leash. You will not have to see her face ever again.” “And I have thoroughly disciplined that reckless grandson of mine. He truly does care for you, Nora. Just give him some time.” I opened my mouth, fully intending to tell him that his grandson’s heart belonged to someone else entirely. But the old man did not give me the chance to speak. “You have suffered a terrible injustice with the child.” His tone softened, yet it carried an undeniable, commanding edge. “But life has to keep moving forward, Nora. You are still young. Once your body heals, you will have other children.” I took a deep, steadying breath. “Arthur, I want a divorce.” The hospital room went dead silent. Elder Sinclair did not explode in anger. He just looked at me, his eyes clouded with a deep disappointment. And that kind of quiet disappointment was infinitely harder to swallow than screaming rage. “Nora, do you have any idea what you are actually asking for?” He phrased it as a question, but he clearly had no intention of waiting for my answer. “Divorce is an easy word to throw around. But what happens after the papers are signed? How do you plan to survive out there on your own?” His tone was heavy and earnest, sounding exactly like a patriarch looking out for my best interests. “Let me ask you a few simple questions, my dear.” “How old are you?” “Have you ever worked a corporate job in your life?” “Have you ever earned a single dollar with your own two hands?” I sat there in total silence. “No. You haven’t.” His voice was terrifyingly calm. “I am not saying you are incapable, Nora. But before you turned eighteen, you relied entirely on your stepbrother. When your parents passed, they left you a massive inheritance. And by twenty five, you were married to Ross. You have absolutely no concept of what it means to grind, to struggle, to earn a living in the real world.” “Maybe in the past, you could have fallen back on Gideon. But from what my investigators tell me, the two of you had a total falling out. He left the country ten years ago and has not been back since.” “So tell me. If you divorce Ross today, exactly what are you going to live on?” “This VIP hospital suite costs five thousand dollars a night. You need premium postnatal care after a miscarriage. The Sinclair family can provide you with the absolute best medical team in the state to ensure a perfect recovery. Do not gamble with your health, Nora.” I clutched the edge of the blanket, refusing to speak. Seeing that I was not backing down, Elder Sinclair did not lose his temper. Instead, he smoothly changed his tactics. “How about this. Focus on your recovery first. When you are discharged, you come back to the Sinclair estate. I will force Ross to move out into one of his penthouses for a few months. The two of you need some physical distance to cool off.” “Once you are fully recovered, I will personally arrange a position for you in one of our corporate offices. Whatever career you want to pursue, I will fund it.” “Learn how to be an independent woman first. Then, we can revisit this divorce talk.” “If you still want to leave him after you have tasted the real world, I promise I will not stand in your way.” He gestured for his head butler to bring Ross into the room. Ross stood in the doorway, his face still etched with deep annoyance. “Grandfather.” “Get over here and apologize to your wife.” Ross shot me a sideways glance. “Sorry.” The old man frowned deeply. “Did you forget how to speak? Louder.” Ross took a deep breath and raised his voice a fraction. “I am sorry, Nora.” His volume went up, but the half hearted, dismissive attitude remained exactly the same. Elder Sinclair did not care. Forcing Ross to apologize was just part of his grand performance. It was exactly like his manipulative speech about letting me gain independence. “Arthur, I do not need his apology.” The old man turned his sharp gaze back to me. “My answer has not changed. I want a divorce. It is not because I am throwing a tantrum, and it is not because I am trying to prove a point. It is because this marriage has been entirely meaningless from the very first day.” “It took me three brutal years to finally admit that out loud.” My voice was trembling, but I forced every single word out with absolute clarity. “You told me I have no work experience, that I cannot feed myself. Fine. I will learn.” “I am only twenty eight. It is not too late to start over.” Elder Sinclair sat in total silence for a very long time. Finally, he stood up. As he leaned his weight onto his silver cane, his body swayed slightly. His butler instantly rushed forward to steady him. He looked down at me, the rims of his eyes turning a faint shade of red. “I have always looked at you as my own flesh and blood, Nora.” “If your mind is truly made up, I will not force you to stay.” “But mark my words. The doors to the Sinclair estate will always remain open to you. Whenever you decide you want to come home, your place will be waiting.” He turned and walked toward the door. Right at the threshold, he stopped without looking back. “Ross. Come with me.” Ross followed him out into the hallway. The hospital room fell dead silent once again. I stared blankly up at the white ceiling, fresh tears slipping from the corners of my eyes. He claimed he treated me like his own flesh and blood. But you do not treat your own blood like a business transaction. You do not sit by your granddaughter’s bed the day after she loses her baby and casually tell her she is young enough to just make another one. I knew he was just putting on a masterful act. But his calculating performance made one thing abundantly clear. Getting this divorce was going to be a brutal war. 3 The door swung open again. Ross walked back in, looking thoroughly exhausted and irritated. “Grandfather ordered me to stay here and watch over you.” I stared right through him, my face expressionless. “Ross, your grandfather officially agreed to the divorce.” He froze, a sudden flash of genuine panic breaking through his arrogant facade. “I am walking away with nothing from the Sinclair estate. I only want the inheritance my parents left me. The eight million dollar trust fund. When we got married, I handed it over as my dowry. Later, you told me you converted those funds into Sinclair Corporation shares.” My voice was terrifyingly calm. “Right now, I just want my eight million dollars back in cash.” Ross quickly looked away, dodging my eyes. “Focus on getting better. We can deal with the financial details later.” He turned on his heel, ready to bolt. “Ross.” He stopped dead in his tracks but refused to turn around. “Did you already drain my trust fund?” The muscles across his broad shoulders instantly locked up. “Valerie’s family business ran into massive financial trouble last year. She came begging you for help. Did you use my parents’ money to bail out her family?” Ross whipped around, his face turning an ugly shade of ash. “What the hell are you talking about?” He closed the distance between us, looming over my bed with a dark, threatening glare. “My business with Valerie has absolutely nothing to do with—” I let out a sharp laugh. “Ross, if you dared to give my dead parents’ money to Valerie, I swear to God I will—” The door suddenly clicked open, and Valerie strolled right in. “You will do what, exactly?” She looked at Ross, then shifted her mocking gaze to me, letting out a sharp, condescending giggle. “Ross, why are you even wasting your breath on her? So what if her dead parents’ money was used to save my family? Does she have a single shred of proof?” She crossed her arms, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Nora, I suggest you get a grip on reality. The moment you married into this family, your money became Sinclair money. Or did you think all those designer clothes and luxury cars you have been using for the past three years magically fell from the sky? Did you think the Sinclairs were running a charity?” “Even if Ross was generous enough to write you a check right now, what difference would it make? You do not even know how to write a basic resume. How long do you think eight million dollars will last a spoiled housewife?” She laughed out loud, her voice dripping with pure, unfiltered malice. “What are you going to do when the money runs out? Sit on a street corner with a cardboard sign?” I gripped the bedsheets so hard my knuckles turned white, but I kept my mouth shut. Valerie took a slow step closer, her tone venomous. “Actually, it is going to be incredibly entertaining to watch. An orphan who just got dumped by the great Ross Sinclair. Can you imagine what high society is going to whisper about you behind your back?” She leaned in close, dropping her voice like she was sharing a juicy secret. “Congratulations, Nora. You are about to become completely worthless.” I raised my trembling hand, fully intending to slap the smug look right off her face, but Ross caught my wrist in a vice grip. Right as we were locked in a tense standoff, a deep, resonant male voice echoed from the doorway. “She still has me.” Valerie straightened up instantly, whipping her head toward the door. Ross followed her gaze. A tall man stepped into the room. With a fluid, calculated motion, he effortlessly broke Ross’s grip on my wrist and smoothly stepped between us, acting as an impenetrable shield. “Who the hell are you?” Ross massaged his aching wrist, his face twisting into a scowl. “Gideon.” “So you are that pathetic little…” Gideon shot her a single, freezing look, and she instantly snapped her mouth shut. Completely ignoring the two of them, Gideon pulled up a chair and sat down beside my bed. “The chicken soup is still hot. I got it from that old diner you loved when we were kids. Eat it before it gets cold.” Looking at his familiar face, the tears I had been fighting back broke free, streaming down my face. Ross stood a few feet away, his expression darkening into pure rage. “Did you call him back to the city, Nora?” I did not even bother looking at him. “Get out, Ross. My legal team will be in touch regarding my inheritance.” Valerie let out a nasty sneer. “A legal team? You honestly think you can afford a decent lawyer?” Gideon slowly turned his head to look directly at Valerie. The smug smile froze on her face. She instinctively took a terrified half step backward. Ross quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her safely behind his back. He glared at Gideon, then shifted his dark, calculating eyes to me. “People always used to whisper that you two had a dirty little secret going on behind closed doors. I never bought into the rumors, but seeing you two now, I guess they were right all along.” “You really played the long game, didn’t you, Nora?” Gideon calmly scooped a spoonful of hot soup, blew on it gently, and brought it to my lips. “You play a pretty good game yourself, Ross. Raiding your wife’s dowry to bail out your little side piece’s bankrupt family. I wonder if the elder Mr. Sinclair knows about this? Do you think he would break your legs himself?” Ross glared daggers at Gideon. “Valerie is absolutely right. The second she signed that marriage certificate, she and her bank accounts became Sinclair property. Who the hell do you think you are to question me?” Gideon’s hand paused in mid air. He lowered his gaze thoughtfully. I opened my mouth, ready to defend him, but his smooth, unwavering voice beat me to it. “It does not matter who I am. But since Nora is divorcing you today, I have more than enough ways to make you choke on every single dime you stole from her.” 4 Ross let out a harsh, barking laugh. “Now it all makes perfect sense. You do not speak to her for a decade, and the exact second she mentions divorce, you magically appear to play the white knight? Were you just waiting in the wings to take my sloppy seconds?” Valerie immediately jumped on the opportunity to pour gasoline on the fire. “Can’t you see what is happening, Ross? Her loving wife act was totally fake. She has probably been sleeping with her precious stepbrother this whole time! She used you as a shield to secure her status as Mrs. Sinclair, while she was messing around with another man behind your back.” “And now that she lost the baby, she is playing the ultimate victim. She wants to throw all the dirt on you so she can walk away clean and run off into the sunset with her golden boy!” “Shut your mouth!” I was shaking violently, pure adrenaline and fury surging through my veins. “Was she wrong?” Ross’s voice dropped to a terrifying, deadly pitch. The fact that he was actually standing there, playing the role of the betrayed husband trying to catch a cheating wife, was the most sickeningly hilarious thing I had ever witnessed. “Ross, wasn’t it you who stood there and watched them kick me into the deep end of the pool?” My voice was barely more than a whisper, but Ross’s breathing hitched instantly. “When I told you I was pregnant, wasn’t it you who stared at me with a dead look in your eyes and called me a liar?” “Wasn’t it you who laughed and bet your car keys on how long I could hold my breath?” “When Valerie lost the bet, and you drank three glasses of wine to cheer her up, did you hear the sound of me fighting for my life in the water?” “Ross.” My tears slipped down my cheeks without any warning. “The person who murdered your child… was you.”

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1 My son, Fred, was with me at the hospital, getting an IV drip, when a little girl nearby started wailing, absolutely refusing to get her shot. I was watching, a frown creasing my brow, when suddenly a male nurse grabbed Fred and pulled him away. “Be a good boy, sweetie, I’ll give him the shot first. He can show you how it’s done, okay?” I immediately protested. Not for any other reason than Fred was severely allergic to many medications. A random injection could be disastrous. But before I could even finish my sentence, a stinging slap landed across my face. “My daughter is a princess of the McKay family! Letting your little brat take a shot with her is an honor! Don’t be so ungrateful!” I had no idea Aurora McKay had a daughter… … “I’m not doing it! No!” In the infusion room, the screams and cries of a child were incessant. Occasionally, tweezers, alcohol swabs, or needles would fly through the air, threatening to hit someone. Several patients, unable to bear it, had already dragged their ailing bodies out of the room. Fred clung to me, his face pale. He’d been frail since birth; my wife, Aurora McKay, and I had coddled him for years to help him function like any other child. Seeing him like this, my heart ached. I regretted giving in to his pleas to accompany me for my IV. This was a McKay-owned hospital; I could easily voice my concerns to the chief of staff. But it was a holiday weekend, and the patient flow was immense; I didn’t want to waste medical resources over a trivial matter. It was strange, though. Despite the crowded infusion room, and those who had fled, not a single person dared to speak up. They just endured it, some silently adjusting their IV drip rates, desperate to finish and leave. Frowning, I raised my voice. “Excuse me, this is a public space, and everyone here is a patient who needs rest. Could you please ask your child to quiet down?” I added, “My child isn’t feeling well, and loud noises upset his heart. Please try to be considerate. Thank you.” The male nurse, who had been trying to pacify the little girl, stopped and turned to look at me. He scowled, his tone self-righteous. “No one else here has a problem, only you. Don’t you know what ‘minority abides by the majority’ means?” He then scanned the room. Wherever his gaze fell, people quickly lowered their heads. Satisfied, he nodded. Then, as if bestowing a favor, he addressed me. “Guess it’s my bad luck today, running into two worthless commoners, big and small, who think everyone should cater to them in a public place. Whatever, I need to take care of my daughter, too lazy to bother with you.” Before turning away, he glanced dismissively at Fred, his eyes practically dripping with scorn. “Knows he’s a sickly kid and still runs around all the time. At such a young age, trying to flirt with rich ladies, like some kind of frail little gold digger?” He paused. “Doesn’t look like it’s working, though. So many people here, and no one’s standing up for you.” He leaned in, his voice dropping slightly. “Know why?” He chuckled darkly. “Let me give you a piece of advice: Do you even know who I am…?” The nurse’s taunts had begun to fuel my anger, but I didn’t want to scare Fred, so I forced myself to be patient and reasonable. “I don’t care who you are. This is a public place!” I insisted. “People should have some common decency!” The nurse stared at me for a long moment, as if he’d discovered something new, then suddenly let out a laugh. He leaned down and whispered something to his daughter, pointing at Fred as he spoke. Although I disliked his finger-pointing, at least his persuasion seemed to quiet the girl down. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I noticed Fred struggling to breathe, his heart clearly in distress. Frantically patting my pockets, I realized I hadn’t brought his medicine. Panicked, I asked a kind-looking gentleman nearby to keep an eye on Fred, then grabbed my IV bag and rushed out. My phone vibrated; a quick glance showed a message from Aurora. “Sweetheart, when will you be done? I’ll come pick you both up. I already sent Liam over with the herbal soup I personally prepared for you. Waaah, honey, why won’t you let me skip work to be with you?” My mind was a mess; I had no time to reply. Thankfully, I always kept emergency medicine in the car, so I wouldn’t be completely helpless. I sped up, finally feeling a wave of relief once I had the medicine in hand. Still a ways from the infusion room, I saw a shadowy figure lurking behind Fred. A smirk of revenge twisted on his face. By the time I realized what he intended to do, it was too late. 2 “Boo!” The man suddenly jumped out from behind Fred. Several people nearby were startled, ready to curse, but swallowed their words the moment they recognized him. Fred let out a small gasp, convulsing as he clutched his chest and collapsed to the floor. “The little brat’s quite the actor, isn’t he?” I immediately ran over. “What are you doing?!” At the same time, the little girl in the opposite seat suddenly shrieked and, mimicking Fred, slumped in her chair. The man ignored me, rushing towards the girl. “Pearl! My sweet girl! What’s wrong with you?!” He cried. “Pearl! Wake up—” He dabbed at a few nonexistent tears, then wailed dramatically in the infusion room for a few moments before the girl slowly came to. She huddled in the man’s arms, clutching her chest, looking utterly miserable. “Oh, Daddy, I’m scared, my heart hurts so much.” The man’s expression hardened. “Pearl, tell Daddy, who scared you?” The girl pointed a finger at Fred. “It was him—” I found it utterly ridiculous. My heart pounded furiously with anger. I held Fred close, comforting him, ignoring the dislodged IV needle, and sharply reprimanded the man. “That’s absurd!” I snapped. “Fred barely made a sound when he was scared, quieter even than your outburst or the startled gasps of those other gentlemen. Unless you were listening carefully, you wouldn’t have heard it. How could he possibly have scared her?!” But the man ignored me, rushing over and brutally yanking Fred from my arms. I was already weak from my illness and completely unable to resist him. The man grabbed Fred by the hair, holding him up as he addressed the other patients. “Folks, I trust your eyes are sharp. Tell me, whose voice truly scared my daughter?” I looked hopefully at the older gentlemen and ladies. How could any clear-sighted person not see whose fault it truly was? But they avoided my gaze. “I, I saw it clearly. Miss McKay was scared only after that little boy made a sound…” “I saw it too! It was that little boy who scared Miss McKay!” “Poor Miss McKay, she’s ill and still being blamed and picked on everywhere. Mr. Florrick, you’re a generous man to let it go, but these two actually tried to scare Miss McKay! How can there be such a black-hearted father and son in this world!” “Disgusting!” I stared in disbelief at the crowd, who were now vehemently condemning Fred and me. They were indignant, as if Fred and I were truly the most heinous criminals. My vision blurred. After being shoved down by the man, I had remained on the floor, too weak to get up. There were many people around. No one dared to help me up. Most of them were echoing the man, vilifying Fred and me. But Fred was still in his hands. I could only grit my teeth, struggling to get back on my feet. A passing nurse, unable to bear it any longer, bit her lip and helped me up. She quickly whispered in my ear, “I advise you to play along with him, don’t confront him anymore. Just let him vent, and it’ll pass.” She continued, “He’s basically just loafing around the hospital, always throwing his weight around, never doing any actual work, and nobody dares to do anything about him.” I clenched my jaw, asking, “Why is someone like that allowed to stay in this hospital, wasting such good resources?!” The nurse gave me an odd look. “You really don’t know who he is? He’s Florrick Adrian, the husband of Aurora McKay, the head of the McKay family, the wealthiest in the city. His son is truly a McKay princess; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say his family has a throne to inherit.” She leaned in again. “Do you think these people haven’t tried to stop him before? They’ve all been taught a lesson already. Trust me, he won’t go as far as causing a fatality. Just bear with it; it’ll be over soon.” The nurse’s words left me stunned. If I hadn’t misheard, the wealthiest family in the city, the head of the McKay family, was my wife, Aurora McKay. But when did Aurora McKay get such a grown-up daughter? And how did her husband become Florrick Adrian? My mind flashed back to the sweet message she’d just sent. Before I could ponder it further, Florrick Adrian sighed dramatically. “I really didn’t want to make a big deal out of this,” he declared. “But this lady and her son keep harassing my son and me, again and again.” He continued, “My wife loves me to death. I can’t imagine what the consequences would be if she found out.” He paused for effect. “My wife isn’t like me; she’s not one to be reasoned with. If she found out, I’m afraid everyone here would be in trouble.” He added, “After all, it’s because of your negligence that my son and I have been harmed.” He then pulled out his phone, a sinister smile on his face. “What to do? She just sent me a message saying she’s coming to see me and our son right away.” He concluded, “That’s how much she loves us. During work hours, she heard our son was unwell and is rushing right over.” 3 Such unreasonable remarks, yet everyone’s resentment could only be swallowed. Their primary fear now was the unknown retaliation from the rumored head of the McKay family. These were ordinary people, keenly aware that a single finger from someone with that background could crush them. They dared not blame the irrational Florrick Adrian. Thus, all their anger was redirected towards Fred and me. Between the McKay family and seemingly unremarkable Fred and me, anyone could grasp who held more weight. Someone, anxious to appease, immediately proposed, “Mr. Florrick, please don’t be upset. We’ll all bear witness here. Let’s teach this reckless father and son a lesson, and you can calm down, okay?” Just then, Florrick Adrian, seemingly tired, casually tossed Fred onto the floor. I tried to rush forward, but suddenly several large men from behind me pinned me to the ground. Someone slapped me, the blow making my entire head ring. “Stay put!” “You shameless brat, it’s all your fault for angering Mr. Florrick! Do you want to drag us down with you now?!” Some of the accompanying family members also immediately got up, ready to act. One of them rummaged through a trash can and pulled out a discarded needle. Gritting his teeth, he straddled Fred. “It’s your rotten mouth! Why did you have to speak up and scare Miss Pearl?!” He snarled, “I’ll sew it shut right now! Let’s see if you can still speak up and harm people after this!” Several others, quick to anticipate, immediately rushed over and held down Fred’s limbs, preventing him from struggling. The moment the needle pierced Fred’s lower lip, I erupted with astonishing strength, roaring as I broke free from the men’s grasp and lunged towards Fred. “Get off him! Get away!” I trembled, holding Fred close. The needle was already through his lower lip; I didn’t dare move, unsure what to do. I knelt, crying, begging the nurses nearby for help. “Please, I’m begging you, I’m kowtowing to you. Save my son, he’s really not well…” But no one responded. They watched with cold eyes, no one daring to get involved. Florrick Adrian suddenly began to cry as well. “Is not being well an excuse to harm people?!” He wailed, “Did I say anything when my daughter was scared like that? Why is it now making it look like we’re bullying you?” He added, “If only my wife were here…” Florrick Adrian’s sorrowful cries terrified the crowd even more. Now that he was only crying and not speaking, the others, at a loss, could only bow and scrape before his daughter. Pearl stretched, then announced loudly, “Giving shots is so much fun, Daddy, teach me! I want to give this little brat a shot too—” Someone quick-witted immediately seized the opportunity to flatter Pearl. “Miss Pearl is so kind and generous! She knows he’s unwell and still wants to learn how to give him shots to cure him—” Another chimed in, “You two little wretches should be kneeling and bowing to Miss Pearl and Mr. Florrick!” Florrick Adrian was quite pleased with this suggestion. “Good girl, Pearl! How about Daddy gives him a shot first, shows you how it’s done, and then you can give him one, okay?” My only thought was that I absolutely couldn’t let them take Fred from my arms again. Fred was allergic to many medications; any random drug injected into his body without medical supervision could be fatal. I wanted to escape this place. But the doorway was blocked by several burly men. “You wretch, we gave you a chance to atone, and you refuse! Do you want to drag us all to hell with you?!” Someone tried to snatch the nearly unconscious Fred from my arms. The force was so great I feared Fred’s arm might be torn off. In that brief moment of loosening my grip, Fred was immediately pulled away. Over there, many needles and vials of liquid were already prepared. No. Absolutely not! I could only grit my teeth and lunge at Pearl. In a move no one expected, I snatched a needle and held it to her neck. Extreme rage made my whole body tremble. “Let go of my son.” I warned, my voice tight. “I am Aurora McKay’s husband. If you touch my son again, I swear I won’t let any of you get away with it!” Florrick Adrian shrieked, tears instantly flooding his eyes. “Wife!” Just as he screamed, I suddenly felt a heavy blow to the back of my head with a wooden stick. “How dare you touch my daughter? Do you have a death wish?” Florrick Adrian was overjoyed. “Wife!” The searing pain at the back of my head almost made me collapse. Hearing him say “wife,” I froze. Had Aurora McKay arrived?

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He was famous for his strict adherence to propriety, taking the initiative to marry me and take responsibility after our wild night. But he didn’t love me. After we got married, no matter how hard I tried, he kept me at arm’s length. He was as cold and detached as a monk. Until a woman appeared who perfectly matched his criteria for a partner. He lost his mind over her, unable to sleep at night. So, it wasn’t that he didn’t have desires and emotions. He just didn’t have them for me. 01 At 1:00 AM, Carter finally came home. He seemed surprised that I wasn’t asleep yet. “I told you, you don’t have to wait up for me.” “But I want to wait,” I said, smiling and leaning against him. “It’s only natural for a wife to wait for her husband to come home.” He paused in taking off his watch: “Suit yourself.” Only a small lamp was on in the living room. In the dim light, the man’s features were so perfect he didn’t seem human. Every time I looked closely at him, I felt a deep sense of awe. “I missed you so much today—” My words were cut off. Carter frowned at me: “What are you wearing?” I said: “New lingerie, do you like it?” “Don’t do this kind of thing again.” He turned and walked towards the guest bedroom. “Carter,” I stopped him. “Today is my birthday, can’t you just spend some time with me?” He stopped in his tracks: “Happy birthday. I’m pretty tired today, we’ll talk about it later.” He went into the room and locked the door behind him. Leaving me alone in the living room, wearing semi-transparent lingerie, feeling like an absolute fool. We’ve been married for half a year, and Carter has always kept me at a distance. No matter how much I flirted with him, he remained unmoved. Like a monk devoid of human desires. The media always said Carter was different from those playboy trust-fund kids. The Vance family had strict rules, raising him to be the most proper gentleman in Manhattan’s elite circle. But I had seen his other side. His wild, unhinged side. Seeing it once made me crave it again. However, Carter’s actions told me that night was just an accident. My phone vibrated. My best friend, Lily, sent a message: “Have you seen the trending topics… if you haven’t, promise me you won’t get mad.” What happened? I opened Twitter, and a glaring headline caught my eye. #CarterVanceLateNightRendezvousWithBeauty# Oh, I knew this beauty. Carter’s new secretary. 02 The comment section was full of people watching the drama unfold. [Congrats to CEO Vance for finding true love!] [Bring the marriage registry here! Hurry up and divorce that manipulative Audrey Miller!!] [Audrey Miller even posted a PDA tweet today. Talk about a slap in the face.] [Is there anyone who doesn’t know Audrey Miller orchestrated a one-night stand to force him into marriage…] So, Carter was with his new secretary tonight. I had seen that girl before. Twenty-two years old, just graduated from college. Very young, very pretty, and full of energy. Most importantly, she perfectly matched Carter’s criteria for a partner. They met at a campus recruitment event. Carter went to give a speech personally, and the girl was bold enough to be the first to raise her hand to ask a question. After the meeting, Carter specifically pulled out her resume and studied it for a long time. Unexpectedly, this girl was appointed directly as his executive secretary. You have to understand, Carter’s secretarial team wielded immense power. The company’s HR department had no say; only he could personally appoint them. Following the information provided by netizens, I found the girl’s account. An hour ago, she posted a tweet. [Can’t handle my liquor. Thanks to my kind boss for driving me home, hehe.] In the photo, she was sitting in the passenger seat, showing Carter’s hands gripping the steering wheel. 03 Early the next morning. Carter walked out of his room and saw me. “You have a shoot today?” “No.” “Then why are you up so early?” “What were you doing last night?” “Team building with the executive office.” “Was it a team building for a group, or a team building for two?” “What do you mean?” I pulled up the trending topic. Carter glanced at it, downplaying it: “The media is taking things out of context. There were six people at dinner yesterday.” “Is that so? Should I believe you?” “Audrey, stop being unreasonable. You know better than anyone what the media is like.” He wasn’t wrong. After all, in the current entertainment industry, no female star gets hated on more than me. The media deserves a lot of the credit for that. But these are two different things. I cut straight to the chase: “Do you like her? That secretary fresh out of college.” “I don’t.” Faced with my blunt question, Carter remained calm and heavy. “And I don’t appreciate your wild guesses. If you have too much free time, I’ll have the management department schedule more shoots for you.” He spoke as if addressing a subordinate. Not his wife. I said: “I remember your criteria for a partner. Under 5’7″, long straight dark hair, a clean aura, energetic and smiley. She fits them all.” And I didn’t fit a single one. I was known for being cold and glamorous. Carter was getting annoyed: “Are you done? If you’re done, I’m going to the office.” “Fine, go. Today I will tell the media that Chloe is a homewrecker interfering in someone else’s marriage—” Carter stopped abruptly. When he looked back at me, there was actual anger in his eyes. “Chloe is only twenty-two. She’s just a kid. Do you want to destroy her life with rumors?” God knows how long it had been since I saw Carter angry. Raging for a beauty, only that beauty wasn’t me. I said: “Carter, do you remember how old I am?” “Yesterday, I just turned twenty-five.” “I’m only three years older than her.” “When I was getting torn apart by the public, did you ever feel sorry for me?” 04 My feelings for Carter began when I was eighteen. I grew up in a single-parent household. During my senior year of high school, my mom got seriously ill. I didn’t go to college. After graduation, I worked at a bar to scrape together money for her treatment. I worked a legitimate job, not selling anything inappropriate. But because of my standout looks, I occasionally faced verbal harassment from male customers. The manager said the customer is always right, and if I didn’t want to get fired, I just had to endure it. One day, I encountered a particularly difficult customer. “How old are you, little girl? Oh, eighteen. So young. Are you a waitress here? Do you offer any other services besides serving drinks?” A group of men started laughing sleazily. “You don’t? Stop pretending. Your uncle here isn’t just rich, he’s also very capable. Come with me tonight, and I promise you’ll experience pure bliss.” It was disgusting. He was about to continue harassing me when suddenly, a glass of liquor fell from the sky, soaking him from head to toe. “Who the f—” Seeing who it was, the male customer froze. “Mr., Mr. Vance, what is the meaning of this?” “Apologize to her.” 05 That was the first time I heard Carter’s voice. It was clear and cool, like pearls breaking off a string and clinking onto a porcelain plate. He was there to discuss a business deal. I figured if it weren’t for work, he wouldn’t have set foot in this place. Because he completely didn’t fit in here. Carter didn’t have the slightest smell of smoke or alcohol on him. He was as aloof as a god. After the man slinked away, Carter said to me: “People like that aren’t fit to do business with me.” “Thank you, sir.” “You don’t need to endure it. Next time, remember to fight back and protect yourself.” “I’ll lose my job.” He looked down at me: “Are you very short on money?” “Yeah, my mom is sick and needs medical bills paid.” “What about school?” I shook my head: “I don’t have the money for tuition.” “I understand.” Surprisingly, Carter didn’t show any pity. That was good. I didn’t like people pitying me. He left me a phone number. “This is my subordinate’s contact information. You can reach out to him. Our company has a charity project helping impoverished students. As long as your situation is verified, you can apply for a grant.” He paused, then said one last thing. “If you have the opportunity, you must study.” Later, I really did get the grant. After paying for my mom’s treatment, there was still some left over. I took a gap year, studied hard, and successfully got into college. It was only then that I learned he was the famous Carter Vance. The Vance family was a titan in the entertainment industry, terrifyingly wealthy. And Carter was the sole heir. In my sophomore year, I met him for the second time. I gathered my courage and walked up to Carter: “Mr. Vance, thank you.” He was confused: “You are?” He didn’t remember. The lighting was dim that night, and he barely looked at me. Helping me was just a casual gesture for him. But that was okay. I would work hard, and sooner or later, I would stand beside him. A year later, I became a signed artist at Carter’s company. I was finally able to confidently extend my hand to him: “Hello, Mr. Vance.” He would never know how many years I worked hard for this day. I didn’t dare to hope for the future; I was already content. But half a year ago, an accident completely changed our relationship. —Carter and I had a wild one-night stand. 06 I only remember the gist of what happened that night. The company hosted a gala, and many VIPs attended. I drank too much, and so did Carter. My guest room was 606. I was sure the room I entered was 606. But Carter was lying inside. I don’t even remember how we started kissing. I was intoxicated, and so was he. There were many rumors about Carter in the outside world. He kept his distance from women and strictly adhered to propriety. Some said his sexual orientation was a mystery. Others said he had a hidden illness. But that night, I experienced firsthand that it was all fake! When Carter lost control, it was fatal. … Early the next morning, someone rang the doorbell. My legs were weak as I went to open it. Because of the hangover, my mind was still foggy, and I thought it was housekeeping. In reality, it was full of reporters. Countless camera lenses were aimed at me. While I was standing there in shock, Carter also walked over. “Who is it?” He didn’t even have time to put on his shirt properly before he was caught on camera. 07 The scandal between Carter and me caused an uproar. The Vance family was strict and wouldn’t allow such an absurd thing to happen. Carter found me and proposed marriage. Of course, I agreed without hesitation. Happiness came too suddenly, going straight to my head. It caused me to ignore the scrutiny and coldness in his eyes at that moment. He asked me: “Wasn’t the room number 909?” I said: “No, it was 606. You read it wrong.” He was silent for a moment, then spat out four words: “As you wish.” It wasn’t until after we got married that I understood the deep meaning of those four words. It turned out that after that night, Carter went to the hospital for a check-up. They found traces of drugs in his system. The kind of illicit drug that makes you lose your reason and be controlled by lust. Though illegal, this drug wasn’t uncommon. Who drugged him? At the same time, that morning, I opened the door for the reporters. Who called the reporters? How did they conveniently gather right outside this room? Everything seemed planned. I was the prime suspect. Carter hadn’t originally intended to resolve this with marriage. But ruining the family’s reputation caused their stock to plummet, and the family elders were furious. He had no choice but to take responsibility. I had defended myself. “It wasn’t me”—I said those words countless times. But everything was just too coincidental. Carter said it was hard for him to believe me. During these six months of marriage, we slept in separate rooms. Even if he accidentally touched my hand, he would pull away as if he’d been electrocuted. I didn’t give up. I believed that one day, he would discard the misunderstandings and barriers. But it seemed I wouldn’t live to see that day. Because of Chloe’s appearance. 08 I had seen Carter reading her resume word by word. As if trying to study her past between the lines. He was so gentle, but not towards me. After fighting with Carter, I packed my things and left the house. We gave each other the silent treatment for days, and he never reached out. A week later, I went to record a talk show. Carter came too, bringing his new secretary. Having not seen him for days, when he saw me, he just gave a distant nod from afar. No intimacy whatsoever. Chloe followed beside him, curious about everything, constantly asking him questions. I remembered that Carter hated stupid people at work. But right now, facing Chloe, he was very patient, answering every single question. After a while, he came over to me. “Audrey,” he said. “I gave you the status you wanted. Don’t drag innocent people into this.” “We haven’t seen each other for a week, and this is what you want to say?” “Just a reminder.” I laughed: “Mr. Vance, do you still think I drugged you and called the reporters?” “What else?” I didn’t say anything more. There was no need. Disappointment flooded my heart and brain, sobering me up. Carter was truly good to his little secretary. Her probation period wasn’t even over, yet he let her appear on the show in his place. She was talkative and full of energy. Until the host asked about me. “Chloe, you just joined the company recently and you’re already on a show with the boss’s wife. Are you nervous?” Chloe glanced at me and said: “What’s there to be afraid of? I know there are some bad rumors out there, saying Audrey used to be a bar girl, and that she’s very manipulative and stuff. But I want to say, Audrey is a very good person. You shouldn’t be prejudiced against her!” The whole studio was dumbfounded. She just publicly listed all my scandals! Even the host, who had seen all sorts of situations, was stunned into silence. The host had to change the subject. “Ahem, next, let’s ask Audrey. Do you have any important plans coming up? Give the fans watching a little hint.” “I actually do.” I smiled calmly— “I’m, get-ting, a, di-vorce.” Every word was clear and resounding. Carter, who was off-stage, snapped his head up. His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. 09 The studio was quieter than it had ever been. The host looked like she wanted to die. Probably in her entire career, she had never felt this awkward. “Why, why, why did you make this decision…” “You should ask Miss Chloe.” I tossed the ball to Chloe. The little girl was caught completely off guard. Did she think she was the only one who could play passive-aggressive? Sorry, I prefer the direct approach. “You’ve all seen the news lately, right? My husband has been acting ambiguously with his subordinate. If I don’t divorce a husband like that, am I supposed to keep him around for the holidays?” Facing the camera, I smiled. “I don’t like fighting with other people over a man. I have a lot of things to do. I have to shoot movies and record shows. Without love, I can still live a wonderful life.” “As for men, if they don’t behave, just get a new one.” As soon as I finished speaking, Carter seemed to finally snap out of it and forcefully interrupted the show. He pulled me backstage. “Audrey, what nonsense are you spouting?” “I’m not spouting nonsense.” I peeled his fingers off me one by one. It was so laughable. The man who usually dodged my touch was now refusing to let go. “Carter, listen closely.” “Starting today, I, Audrey Miller, am officially asking you for a divorce.” It was as if all the blood had been drained from Carter’s body, his face turning pale. “You’re fighting with me, right? You think if you bring up divorce, I’ll coax you.” He nodded to himself: “Okay, I’ll coax you. Giving you the cold shoulder these past few days was my fault. I apologize. I’ll have PR handle everything that just happened on the show. The company executives won’t say a word of blame. If you don’t like Chloe, I’ll transfer her out of the executive office—” “Not necessary.” I interrupted. “Wake up. I’m not throwing a tantrum.” I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket. It was a prepared divorce agreement. “Take a look. If you don’t have any objections, sign it now.” 10 The show was live. Even though it was halted midway, the things I said were broadcasted accurately. I instantly went viral on Twitter. The comment section was surprisingly supportive. [I’m siding with Audrey on this one. That Chloe girl was talking way too passive-aggressively, it was disgusting.] [I wanted to say this a few days ago: regardless of how Audrey got her position, she is the legitimate wife now, bound by law. A bunch of people praising the mistress as ‘true love’—what kind of messed-up morals is that?] [Support wifey getting a divorce. If you don’t leave, I’ll fight you.] [Off-topic, but Audrey’s face is truly stunning. I was mesmerized by her beauty watching the live stream today… is Carter blind?] People were also discussing what kind of person Chloe really was. Because the day after the scandal broke, Carter, while fighting with me, swiftly issued a clarification statement. The executives who attended the dinner that night also posted photos. The scandal collapsed on its own. But my interview seemed to confirm their ambiguity again. Could a man as proper and rigid as Carter really cheat? Suspicions were running high. Soon, the company’s disciplinary actions were announced. Because of her inappropriate language, Chloe received a severe warning and was transferred. Everyone said this was Carter trying to win me back. But was it really? I knew Carter’s temper too well. If any other employee had made such a mistake, it wouldn’t just be a transfer; they would usually be fired directly. Chloe merely being “transferred” meant he was still protecting her. 11 Looking back at the day of the recording, I brought out the divorce agreement. But Carter refused to sign. I couldn’t guess what he was thinking either. I decided to send a text to rush him. “Mr. Vance, after you fill out the divorce agreement, please send it to me so we can pick a day to get the divorce certificate.” Carter called me directly. “Rey-Rey, haven’t you caused enough of a scene?” Rey-Rey is my nickname. When I was little and couldn’t articulate well, I always mispronounced my name “Audrey” as “Rey-Rey,” so my mom gave me this nickname. Carter had always known this name. But this was the first time he called me that. “I am very firm on the divorce. Please hurry up, Mr. Vance, don’t delay me from finding my next partner.” “Next partner?” Carter practically laughed out of anger. “I’ve given you the status and resources you dreamed of. Who else do you want to find? Rey-Rey, you are my first, and you will be my last. I’ve never coaxed a girl before, but I can promise you, as long as you want it, the position of Mrs. Vance is always yours. No one can take it away!” I said: “But what I dreamed of was never those things.” Carter seemed stunned. “You still don’t know what it is I truly wanted… but it doesn’t matter, I don’t want it anymore.” With that, I hung up. My best friend, Lily, was also an employee at the company. She told me that Carter had been in a very dark mood these past few days and kept zoning out during meetings. Lily said: “Everyone is saying privately that you can’t bear to leave Mr. Vance and that you’ll be back sooner or later. It seems… Mr. Vance believes it too.” No wonder. Ever since I mentioned divorce, Carter had been initiating contact with me every day. But for the past three days, he had reverted to his cold and aloof self. So he was waiting for me to bow my head. Then I’ll give him what he wants. On Friday, I took the initiative to go to the company. When Carter saw me, his eyes lit up: “Rey-Rey, have you thought it through?” “I have.” I slapped a stack of documents on his desk. “Not only do I want a divorce, but I also want to terminate my contract.” 12 I signed a five-year contract with the company. This year was exactly the fifth year. I chose not to renew. Carter was in disbelief. He asked through gritted teeth: “Are you sure about this?” “Yes.” “Found a new agency?” I didn’t know which agency he was talking about. But I still said “Yes.” My attitude infuriated him. He hesitated no longer, took a pen, and signed both contracts. However, he pressed so hard he almost tore through the paper. With the signed divorce agreement, the rest of the process was very simple. The day I got the divorce certificate, I felt incredibly light. This one-sided crush that had lasted for seven years was finally over. As I was admiring the certificate, I heard Carter say: “Remember, today is the day you gave up everything from the Vance family.” “Oh, don’t worry, I won’t regret it.” “I hope so.” His tone was extremely cold, but when he looked up, I noticed. His eyes were red. 13 Whether his eyes were red or not, what did it matter to me? I threw myself into my new life without stopping. Of course, to say I wasn’t sad at all would be a lie. After all, I had loved him so much and tried so hard to get close to him. But clarity only takes an instant. My sadness was only for feeling that my efforts were not worth it. The Vance family had funded my education, and I figured working for them all these years was enough to repay them. A few days later, Lily told me she had also resigned. “Rey-Rey, if you go, I go. Men are unreliable, your sister will stay with you!” I was so moved I almost cried. Lily had been working behind the scenes for years and was very capable. We planned to start our own personal studio. Preparing the studio would take some time. Before that, I was going to record a reality show first. It was a heartwarming variety show. The guests had to bring a few old items and reminisce about the past. After much deliberation, I decided to bring my old backpack. It was the backpack I used during my gap year studying for the college entrance exams. It held a lot of memories. On the day of filming, Carter showed up. It wasn’t that surprising. I had accepted this gig while I was still with my previous company, and besides me, newcomers trained by the company were also on the show. Carter had a habit of being hands-on and came to check in with the production team. He stood behind the camera crew, his eyes fixed on me. I just pretended I didn’t see him. Halfway through the shoot, it was my turn to present. I opened my backpack and took out the items one by one. “This is a gel pen. During my gap year, I did so many practice tests I had to change pens every two or three days. “Oh, and this. The SAT prep book. Everyone’s done this, right? I call it a nightmare. “This is a notebook for mistakes. I have so many more like this. “And this—” I suddenly stopped. The last item was a yellowed diary. It used to be my most loyal listener. During the hardest and most exhausting times of studying, writing in my diary was my only way to relieve stress. My prolonged silence piqued the curiosity of the guest next to me. “Is there a secret in this notebook? You have to follow the rules of the game, no hiding.” She took my notebook and flipped it open. [September 2016. The teacher said the intensity of the gap year classes is very high, and many students can’t handle it. But I must persevere, because I have to go see Carter Vance.] She froze too. The whole studio went quiet.

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Kelly did not even let me explain. She told me Zane had nearly drowned jumping into a freezing river for her, a reckless devotion she would not trade for a billion dollars. I gave a bitter smile and asked if betraying me meant nothing. She lowered her head, muttered a quick apology, and left without a trace of hesitation. Watching her walk away, I sighed quietly. She had no idea she was giving up far more than me and our shared future. She was abandoning her place as the matriarch of a multi billion dollar empire. We were once the couple everyone on campus envied. I led the dean’s list and treated her like royalty. Everyone believed we would marry. Yet she left anyway, with no fights or warning. On a perfectly ordinary afternoon, she walked straight into the arms of the campus delinquent who had pursued her for three years. She claimed my love was too safe. She wanted a romance that was explosive, chaotic, and reckless. From that day, she skipped classes to go clubbing and rode on motorcycles with local street thugs. Her parents, desperate, called me in tears, pleading for help. My heart softened. I took the fully funded study abroad documents I had prepared for her and tracked her down. She only sneered, saying the department had no exchange quota and accusing me of forging papers to trick her into leaving Zane. 1 I had my butler, Silas, accompany me to the administration building to process my paperwork. Wanting to avoid any unnecessary drama about my identity, I specifically instructed the university to simply announce my withdrawal. They were not to mention a single word about my transfer to an elite Ivy League institution overseas. The paperwork was finalized. Walking out of the grand double doors, the midday sun beat down mercilessly, the harsh glare making my eyes sting. Silas lowered his voice. “Are you holding up alright, young master?” I glanced up at him. “Do I look like the kind of man who would fall apart over a woman?” Silas shook his head. A self-deprecating chuckle escaped my lips. “The eighteen year old me would have. But at twenty one, I finally understand what my father meant.” “He always said love was the most useless commodity in high society. It only turns you into a walking punchline.” I am the sole heir to the Kingsley family empire. Since childhood, every single person who approached me did so with dollar signs in their eyes. After surviving enough betrayals, I gradually locked myself away in my own isolated world. But a part of me still craved a normal youth. I wanted genuine friends and a warm, uncomplicated romance. So, at eighteen, I put on a pair of thick, black framed glasses, bought the cheapest clothes I could find, and enrolled at this university. However, the aura of detachment I had built up over a lifetime was too strong. An entire month went by without a single person daring to speak to me. I tried joining clubs, only to be rejected one after another. Eventually, I found myself sitting by the campus lake, utterly defeated and ready to throw in the towel. Then Kelly appeared. She crashed into my deadened heart like a blinding ray of light. When she smiled and handed me a cold soda, my fingers literally trembled as I took it. In eighteen years of life, it was the very first time someone had given me something out of pure, uncalculated kindness, even if it was just a cheap drink. She comforted me with a soft voice and excitedly dragged me into the sketching club, swearing she did not care about my supposedly poor background. In that exact moment, I decided to give her my entire heart. And I really did do crazy things for her. Once, I heard a false rumor that she had a boyfriend. I spent the entire night drinking rotgut whiskey in a dive bar until I threw up blood. But the next day, when she cleared up the misunderstanding and hugged me, confessing she liked me too, I cried like an absolute fool. Looking back on it now, maybe that is what youth really is. It always comes with a heavy dose of pain. I was just about to leave the administration courtyard. Unexpectedly, Kelly and Zane blocked my path. Kelly’s eyes were visibly red. She marched right up and grabbed my wrist. “Alan, I know you are heartbroken, but you cannot ruin your life by dropping out! I will feel too guilty if you throw your future away like this!” I yanked my hand back, my tone dropping to freezing temperatures. “My withdrawal has nothing to do with you. We have no relationship whatsoever. Keep your hands to yourself.” Without another word, I turned to walk away. Zane immediately stepped in front of me, wearing an absurdly self righteous expression. “Kelly gave you three of her best years. That is more than enough! You dropping out right now is just a manipulative stunt to make her feel bad and force her to come crawling back! If you really loved her, you would wish us the best!” Right at that moment, my three dorm mates happened to be walking by. Derek, our dorm leader, shoved Zane hard in the chest. “Have you got no shame? You steal the guy’s girl, and now you are playing the victim?” “The whole school knows how well Alan treated her. She tossed him like garbage, and now she wants to play the innocent angel?” “Any girl who chooses a piece of trash like you is no prize herself!” Zane exploded. “You can trash talk me all you want, but keep Kelly’s name out of your mouth!” A split second later, he threw a wild punch. The four boys instantly tangled together in a vicious brawl. Students swarmed the area, forming a massive circle, holding up their phones to record every second. 2 It did not take long for my three friends to pin Zane to the concrete. Kelly threw herself onto the ground, wrapping her arms around him and screaming at me hysterically. “Alan! You are pure evil! You chose to drop out, nobody forced you! I came over out of the goodness of my heart to check on you, and you order your friends to jump him!” “I regret every single second of the three years I spent with you! You are a sick, possessive freak! You treated me like your personal property, forbidding any guy from getting near me. It was like living in a cage!” “You are a total monster!” Zane lay on the pavement, groaning out a weak, dramatic line. “Kelly, do not blame him. It is my fault for chasing true love. But even if it kills me, I will save you from a guy like him…” Kelly glared at me with bloodshot eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs. “What will it take for you to let him go? Is it my body you want? Fine! You can have me! Just promise you will never hurt him again!” With a violent tug, she ripped the collar of her own blouse, exposing her bare shoulder. The surrounding crowd went into an absolute uproar. “Holy crap, Alan looks like a nice guy, but he is actually a creep!” “That is so gross. I would have dumped him ages ago if I were her!” Curses, accusations, and the aggressive clicking of camera shutters instantly drowned me out. I stood tall, looking down at them from my vantage point, a cold smirk playing on my lips. “Kelly, your acting is way over the top.” She froze, her hand still clutching her torn shirt, her face a mask of shock. “What did you just say?” I slipped my hands into my pockets, my voice entirely unbothered. “I have been standing right here the entire time. I haven’t said a word, and I haven’t moved a muscle. You, on the other hand, accused me of ordering a hit, slandered me by saying I imprisoned you, and topped it off by claiming I want your body.” “It is a real tragedy you are not in Hollywood. You would sweep the Oscars.” Someone in the crowd immediately spoke up. “I was watching the whole time. It really went down exactly the way Alan said.” The public opinion flipped in an instant. Kelly’s face drained of color. She waved her hands frantically. “No! That is not what happened!” I cut her off with a voice like ice. “No? Zane is the biggest thug on campus. He gets into street fights every other day. My roommates are regular honor roll students. You really think they could drop a seasoned brawler in two seconds flat? Do you think everyone here is stupid?” “You don’t want the reputation of a cheater, so you are pinning all the blame on me.” “But you seem to have forgotten something. When I loved you, I was willing to play the fool. But now that I don’t give a damn about you, why would I ever tolerate your nonsense?” “And as for your body, cover it up. It makes my stomach turn, and I don’t want to pollute my eyes.” With that, I called for Silas and walked away without looking back. The next evening, Derek called to invite me out for a farewell dinner. They originally planned to hit a cheap food truck near the campus gates. For three years, these guys had no idea about my real background, yet they treated me like a true brother. I refused to let them eat street food on my last night. I had Silas book the most exclusive private dining room at a three star Michelin restaurant downtown. Sitting around the table, there was no awkward politeness. Just raw, honest talk between friends. We drank, clinked glasses, and reminisced about the last three years. Nobody asked how much the plates of wagyu and truffles cost. Nobody cared about the invisible wealth radiating from me. It was close to midnight when we finally stumbled out of the private room, our arms draped over each other’s shoulders. 3 The moment I looked up, I saw those two again. Zane had a cigarette dangling from his lips, looking every bit the street rat, shouting at the front desk manager. “You think I can’t afford to treat my girl to a decent meal? My wallet got stolen, and my phone just broke! I will bring you the cash in a couple of days!” The manager maintained a blank, professional stare. “Sir, your bill comes out to over five thousand dollars. If you cannot settle the check right now, I will be forced to call the police.” Kelly looked up and locked eyes with me. She shrieked instantly. “Alan! You stole his wallet on purpose! You just wanted to humiliate him in front of all these people! You are so twisted!” I furrowed my brows in sheer disbelief. “Are you mentally ill? Me, steal from him?” Zane immediately dropped his tough guy act, switching to a pathetic, wounded puppy look. “I know you still love Kelly, and you hate me for taking her away. If you wanted to eat at a high end place like this, I could have paid for you. There was no need to resort to petty crime.” My three roommates stepped in front of me like a human shield. “Bullshit! Alan would never steal a dime!” Kelly looked at me with tear filled eyes, her tone dripping with patronizing pity. “Just admit it, Alan. If you didn’t take his money, how could you possibly afford to eat here? Just hand over the wallet. I will make sure Zane doesn’t press charges. Don’t ruin your entire life over a moment of jealousy.” I completely ignored her, simply casting a brief glance at the manager. The manager caught my drift immediately. Less than a minute later, the high definition security footage was playing on the lobby screens. On the massive display, Zane was seen excusing himself to the restroom, pulling an empty wallet from his pocket, and tossing it directly into a trash can. Then, he took his own phone and violently smashed it against the tile floor, shattering the screen. Returning to his table, he patted down his pockets, shouted that he had been robbed, and pulled out his broken phone, faking a complete meltdown. Kelly’s face flushed a deep, humiliating red. She tucked her chin so far down it practically touched her chest, completely speechless. Zane panicked. “I… I swear I will bring the money tomorrow! Please don’t call the cops!” I looked down, discreetly tapping a quick message on my phone. A second later, the manager’s phone buzzed. A perfectly rehearsed smile spread across his face. “Our owner has a soft spot for romance. He says that if this gentleman can prove he truly loves the lady beside him, the house will cover the bill.” The manager walked over to the bar, picked up a thick, solid glass liquor bottle, and handed it directly to Zane. Zane gripped the neck of the bottle, his hands shaking violently, entirely paralyzed by fear. Kelly nervously checked the judgmental stares of the wealthy patrons around them. She urged him in a hushed whisper, “Zane, I know it will hurt, but I don’t want to go to jail, and I can’t get expelled. Didn’t you say you loved me? Just one hit. You are used to getting into fights anyway…” Finally, Zane squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth, and smashed the heavy bottle against his own skull. Crimson blood instantly poured down his forehead, dyeing half of his face red. Kelly practically tackled him in a hug. “Zane! You are amazing! Thank you for bleeding for me! I am so moved, I swear I will never leave your side!” I stood exactly where I was, my face twisted in utter disgust. Disgust for her, but mostly disgust for myself. This was the kind of cheap, trashy melodrama you read in trashy romance novels, the kind where you wonder how the female lead could be so brain dead. I could not believe I actually loved someone this brain dead for three years. What a joke. Too tired to waste another breath, I grabbed Derek’s shoulder and headed for the door. Passing by them, I couldn’t resist dropping one final piece of advice. “Next time you want to flex, make sure you check the menu prices before you walk through the door.” 4 Before I could take another step, Kelly clamped her hand around my wrist. “You have to apologize to Zane! This is all your fault!” A laugh bubbled up from my throat, dark and dry. “Me? Apologize?” Kelly puffed out her chest, completely shameless. “You obviously had enough money to book a VIP room here. Why couldn’t you just cover our tab while you were at it? You are just cheap! All those times you said you loved me over the past three years, it was all fake! If you don’t apologize right now, I am going to make your life a living hell!” Zane pressed a hand to his bleeding head, glaring at me like a cornered rat. “Don’t get cocky! My boss answers directly to Mr. Silas! The underground runs this city! I promise you, I will make you pay for this tenfold!” I let out a cold snort. “Alright. I will be waiting.” With a forceful yank, I ripped my arm from her grip and strode out into the night. Early the next morning. Derek called me in a complete panic. “Alan, it is bad! The campus forum is going nuclear! You need to see this right now!” I pulled up the university network. The top trending post had a glaring, sensational headline: [SHOCKING! Top Student Alan Kingsley Commits Theft & Violence in Jealous Rage!] Beneath it was a heavily edited video clip. The first half featured Zane playing the bloody victim while Kelly cried into the camera. The second half was a deepfake. It showed a highly realistic AI generated version of me looking down at the ground, admitting I stole the wallet, and then raising a glass bottle to attack Zane. The comment section was an absolute warzone. Rumors, insults, and death threats swept through the entire student body like a wildfire. Shortly after, the Dean of Students called me personally. He sounded heavily conflicted. “Alan, this situation with Zane has escalated beyond our control. The student body is out for blood. Could you possibly come down to the campus and clear the air in person?” “Alright.” After hanging up, I called for my butler. “Silas. I am done keeping a low profile today.” Silas bowed deeply. “Understood, young master.” One hour later. An extended, pitch black Rolls Royce Phantom glided through the streets, coming to a smooth halt right in front of the main administration building under the watchful eyes of the entire university. A massive crowd had already gathered on the steps. Zane had brought a gang of street thugs, blending them in with the furious college students. They waved picket signs demanding justice and screamed for my expulsion. Kelly stood at the very front of the mob, looking like a tragic, wronged heroine. Silas stepped out first. He bowed respectfully and personally opened the rear door for me. Today, there were no thick framed glasses hiding my eyes. No shaggy hair covering my forehead. My hair was styled flawlessly, revealing sharp, aristocratic features that could easily rival any A list Hollywood actor. I wore a custom tailored bespoke suit, a limited edition luxury watch gleaming on my wrist. The cold, untouchable aura of pure old money radiating from me made people physically step back. The moment my leather shoes touched the pavement, the entire plaza went dead silent. Everyone froze like statues. I took slow, measured steps until I stood right in front of Kelly and Zane, whose faces had completely lost their color. A chilling, hollow smile touched my lips. “So, you wanted an explanation?” Zane was the first to snap out of the trance. He clenched his fists and roared, “You think renting a designer suit and hiring a fake luxury car is going to scare me? Let me tell you, it won’t work! My boss is on his way right now, and you are going to pay in blood!” The moment the words left his mouth. A black utility van slammed on its brakes right behind my Rolls Royce. The sliding door flew open. A massive, bald bruiser wearing a thick gold chain vaulted out of the vehicle. Rocco, flanked by a dozen heavily tattooed enforcers, stormed forward with terrifying aggression. “Who the hell is messing with my boy? You got a death wish?” Rocco marched straight toward me, raising a massive, calloused hand, fully intending to slap me across the face. But in the next fraction of a second, his hand froze rigidly in mid air. His pupils dilated in sheer, unadulterated terror. “M… Mr. Silas?”

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The instant my husband left for his business trip, water began to seep from the bathroom ceiling again. A familiar dread, mixed with a growing suspicion, twisted in my gut. It had been this way since we moved into this new complex: every time he was away, the upstairs neighbors’ pipes would start acting up. The first few times, he’d flat-out refused to let me go up and confront them, claiming they were unreasonable and he didn’t want me getting upset. After he’d “talked to them,” the leak would indeed stop for a few days. But the moment he was gone again, the dripping would resume. This time, I still called him first. “Babe, the bathroom’s leaking again.” Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I thought I heard the distinct sound of running water on his end before his voice came through. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, his tone dismissive. “I’ll deal with it when I get back. Those upstairs folks are a handful; definitely don’t go up there yourself.” Like always, I mumbled an agreement, but my feet were already carrying me out the front door. I was determined to see just how “difficult” these neighbors really were. 1 Pressing the button for the floor above, a mix of nerves and curiosity churned within me. My husband, Robert, always claimed the upstairs residents were ill-tempered, yet every time he spoke to them, the issue would “magically resolve” for a few days. It was just too strange. The elevator doors opened, and I took a deep breath, heading towards their apartment. As I approached, I could faintly hear the sound of water, accompanied by a woman’s light laughter. I raised my hand and knocked. The sounds abruptly ceased. I waited for what felt like an eternity, but no one answered. I knocked again, harder this time, raising my voice. “Hello, I’m your downstairs neighbor. My bathroom ceiling is leaking again, and I’d like to discuss it.” Still no response. The water sounds remained silent. A faint, sweet scent wafted from beneath the door – a fragrance I’d never bought myself, yet it struck me as oddly familiar. My mind a jumble of unease, I waited patiently for several more minutes. When no one appeared, I finally gave up and headed back downstairs. Back in my apartment, I opened the building’s resident chat, hoping to find contact information for the upstairs unit, but after scrolling for ages, I found nothing. The growing sense that something was off prompted me to call building management, but even they knew little about that particular apartment. I walked out onto my balcony, thinking I might try to call out to them. The moment I peered over, I saw a familiar flash of gray. Wasn’t that Robert’s favorite gray jacket? I strained to see more clearly, but after squatting there for half an hour, no one else appeared on the balcony. Had I just imagined it? I shook my head, convincing myself I was simply overthinking things, conjuring illusions out of stress. Just then, my front door lock clicked. I jumped. Robert was away; who else had a key to my place? Could the upstairs neighbor have been provoked and now decided to retaliate? I grabbed the broom leaning nearby, hid behind the door, and waited, heart pounding, for the door to open. It slowly swung inward. A figure stepped inside, a bouquet of roses in hand. I froze, the broom clattering to the floor. “Robert? You’re supposed to be on a business trip! What are you doing back?” He looked equally startled to see me, then smiled and walked over. “The company had a last-minute change of plans for the project. And when you told me about the leak, I just couldn’t rest easy. Thought I’d come home to check on you and surprise you.” He reached out to hug me, but I instinctively stepped back. “I just went up to talk to them. Someone was definitely inside, but they wouldn’t open the door.” Robert’s eyes flickered, and he quickly changed the subject. “I told you they were difficult. I’ll go talk to them tomorrow; you just stay out of it.” He offered me the roses, then leaned in to kiss me. In that instant, I caught the same familiar scent I’d noticed upstairs, and my stomach tightened. The strong fragrance of the roses had initially masked it. But as he drew closer, I also noticed the hair at the back of his neck was damp. I reached out and touched it. “Why is your hair wet?” His body stiffened for a fraction of a second, then he chuckled. “Didn’t you notice it’s raining outside? Got caught in a downpour when I stopped to buy you flowers.” I pulled back the curtains. Indeed, a light rain had started at some point. Robert’s explanation sounded perfectly plausible, but my suspicions didn’t diminish in the slightest. I kept my poker face, though, taking the flowers with a happy smile. “Thanks, babe. You should go take a hot shower; you don’t want to catch a cold.” He seemed to let out a sigh of relief, heading straight for the bathroom without another word. Lying in bed that night, my mind replayed the day’s events: the persistent leak when Robert was away, the suspicious running water, the scent, the fleeting glimpse of a familiar jacket, and his sudden, convenient return. All these details didn’t quite add up. Tomorrow, I vowed, I would accompany Robert to meet that neighbor. 2 The next morning, as I placed breakfast on the table, Robert came over, pecked me on the cheek, and said casually, “Hey, babe, I tried contacting the upstairs residents. They said they’d have someone come fix it again today.” My hand, holding the milk carton, paused. I looked up at him. “You have their contact info? Can you give it to me? That way, if you’re ever away and there’s a problem, I can just deal with it myself.” But Robert shook his head, a playful glint in his eye. “The upstairs tenant is a guy, and he looked kinda creepy. My wife’s too pretty; I don’t want him bothering you. Besides, once this leak is fixed, we won’t have any reason to interact with him again.” I didn’t reply, just stirred my oatmeal, a fresh wave of doubt washing over me. Yesterday, I distinctly heard a woman’s voice. Why was Robert telling me it was a man? Were they a couple living up there? The next two days, I had to go out of town for work. But I was distracted, my mind consumed by the lingering questions. Finally, with my work done, I decided to head home early. I put my key in the lock, but for some reason, the door was double-locked from the inside. About two minutes later, Robert finally opened it. “Babe, what are you doing back? Aren’t you supposed to be home tomorrow?” I saw the panic in his eyes, but forced a smile. “Missed you, so I came back early. What were you doing? Why was the door double-locked?” Robert gestured to the apron he was wearing. “I was just cooking. Probably just locked it out of habit when I came in. Perfect timing, actually; go wash up and we can eat.” He then turned back to the kitchen, bustling about. Since marrying him, I’d barely set foot in the kitchen whenever he was home. Everyone said I’d snagged a good one. He was also big on holidays, always showering me with gifts, big and small. Watching his busy figure, a sudden wave of guilt washed over me. Maybe I was just being overly sensitive. It was probably just a coincidence. How could I even suspect him of cheating? I nodded cheerfully and walked over to look at the dishes, but then I spotted something that shouldn’t have been on the table. My heart sank. “Why did you make braised prawns? We’re both allergic to shellfish, remember?” The storm clouds of suspicion, which I’d momentarily suppressed, now rolled back in with full force. Robert seemed to suddenly remember, hastily dumping the prawns into the trash. “Oh, right! My subordinate said these were home-grown, so I just took them. Good thing you’re home, babe, otherwise I’d be suffering.” He then put an arm around me, coaxing. “Forget it, let’s go out for a nice dinner tonight; we won’t eat at home.” He hugged me sweetly, then humbly massaged my back and shoulders. Once we arrived at the restaurant, he handed me his phone. “Order whatever you want, don’t try to save money for me, okay? All my earnings are for my precious wife.” As I took the phone to order, my finger accidentally brushed the search icon. The next second, a pink 26-key keyboard popped up. My heart plummeted. I stared blankly at the glaring keyboard. I’d been with Robert for three years, married for two; I knew his typing habits better than anyone. We both preferred the 9-key layout, finding the 26-key too cumbersome. Even if it was an accidental tap, what about the pink cat-themed keyboard skin? Robert always used his phone’s default keyboard. This had to be something someone had deliberately set up. At that moment, I knew for sure: Robert was cheating. That woman loved rose-scented shower gel, enjoyed braised prawns, and used a 26-key keyboard. But I wouldn’t confront him directly. I would catch them myself. 3 In the days that followed, to make Robert lower his guard, I never brought up the upstairs apartment again. And indeed, after he said the upstairs residents had called someone to fix it, there hadn’t been any more leaks. Less than a week later, whether his mistress couldn’t wait or Robert was just eager, he went on another “business trip.” This time, half a day after he left, there were no leaks from upstairs. Had it actually been fixed? Just then, a knock echoed at the door, followed by the delivery driver’s voice. I paused, confused. I hadn’t ordered anything; why was there a delivery? I opened the door and took the package. The moment I saw what was inside, my heart started pounding frantically. The recipient was Robert, the address was our apartment number, and the phone number was my secondary line. But inside the bag were a bottle of shower gel, a box of condoms, and a bottle of lubricant. My heart constricted, the items in my hand suddenly weighing a ton. Just as I suspected, twisting open the shower gel released that familiar scent, instantly assaulting my senses. And I was allergic to lubricant; in all our time together, we had never used such a thing. The truth was now glaringly obvious: Robert was with that woman right now. He had ordered these items but hadn’t paid attention to the delivery address, so they ended up here. The delivery app not automatically switching addresses also suggested his second home was likely somewhere nearby in the complex. If I wasn’t mistaken, the upstairs apartment had to be his little bird’s hideout! That day when I came back early from my business trip, he was cooking for her! But whether she hadn’t arrived yet, or had left early because she knew I was coming back, I still couldn’t figure out. I was so angry I could barely breathe, tears welling up in my eyes. But quickly, I wiped them away and carried the items out the door. Upstairs, I knocked hard. In less than ten minutes, the door opened. “What the hell do you want, banging on my door in the middle of the night?!” Staring at the hulking man in front of me, I was utterly unprepared and froze. What was going on? Had I been imagining things all along?! Before I could react, the man roughly yanked my hair, sending me crashing against the door frame. “I’ve had enough of you! Your man keeps bothering me, and now I’ve fixed the leak, and you’re still causing trouble? I’m going to beat you senseless!” His fist, like a brick, slammed into my body. I cried out in pain, begging him to stop. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t hit me!” Just as I was about to pass out, the man finally stopped. “I’m warning you, if you ever come up here to bother me again, I will kill you!” I lay curled on the floor, too sore to speak. The man slammed the door shut. After about ten agonizing minutes, I slowly managed to get up and stagger back to my apartment. Near collapse, I video-called Robert. When he saw my face, he immediately looked frantic. “Babe, what happened to your face?! Who hurt you?” Ignoring his question, I held up the bag of items. “Robert, how do you explain these?” He looked genuinely surprised, then angry. “This has to be that upstairs tenant’s doing! That day I went up to get him to fix the leak, he got really annoyed and demanded I pay for the repairs. When I refused, he tried to hit me. I told him I’d call the cops before he finally let me go. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you. This is definitely his revenge. I’m coming back right now!” The throbbing pain in my body made it impossible to discern the truth from his words. About three hours later, Robert returned, looking disheveled and wind-blown. 4 The moment Robert stepped through the door, his eyes reddened at the sight of the bruises on my face. He rushed over, gently stroking my injuries, his voice a mix of urgency and tenderness. “I’m going up there right now to settle this with him! He’s going to pay!” Robert immediately grabbed my arm and dragged me upstairs, pounding on the neighbor’s door with such force my heart nearly leaped from my chest. “Open up! Get out here!” There was no sound from inside, so he hammered on the door several more times. Finally, the door opened. It was the same man, looking thoroughly annoyed. “What do you two want now? Looking for another beating, are we?!” Robert instantly pulled me behind him, pointing a finger at the man’s nose. “How dare you say that? You bought all that garbage for my wife and laid hands on her! Today, it’s either you or me!” The man scoffed, completely unfazed. “So what if I bought them? If you won’t give me peace, I won’t give you peace!” Both Robert and I were stunned, completely unprepared for such a blunt admission. I felt a pang of guilt for having doubted Robert and couldn’t help but ask, “Why would you do this? Just because we asked you to fix the leak?” The man leaned against the doorframe, his eyes full of malice. “Yeah, I was sick and tired of you two bugging me! I was annoyed!” He pointed a finger at us. “I’m warning you, if you ever dare to knock on this door again, I will seriously kill someone!” Robert was fuming, about to charge forward, but I held him back. “Forget it. There’s no point talking to this kind of person. Let’s call the police!” But at the mention of the police, the two men exchanged a quick glance, a hint of panic in their eyes. Robert’s anger suddenly deflated. He pulled me close, trying to dissuade me. “Babe, we just moved here. If we make too big a fuss, the neighbors will start talking.” Then the man’s demeanor abruptly changed too. He said in a deep voice, “Hitting you was wrong, but you guys pushed me too far! Your husband came up here how many times? Anyone would get annoyed!” He paused. “Look, how much money do you want? I’ll compensate you and apologize. Just drop it.” Considering how much we’d invested in this apartment, and wanting to avoid further trouble, I decided to let it go. Life returned to normal, and my suspicions evaporated. Until, that is, I was rummaging through a drawer for a bank card and stumbled upon a few old property fee statements. I looked closely at them. The address was the upstairs apartment’s! My hand, holding the papers, trembled uncontrollably. My heart sank completely. Not only that, but I also discovered a new key on Robert’s keyring. I secretly took it off and had an identical copy made. The next time he went on a “business trip,” I opened the tracking app I’d secretly installed on his phone. Sure enough, he was still in the complex. Holding the copied key, I took a deep breath and walked upstairs. My hand trembled as I stood before the door, but I inserted the key, turned it, and the door opened. The next second, a woman’s scream pierced the air: “Who are you?! Why are you in my apartment?!” Ignoring her, I frantically searched the apartment, almost insane with desperation, but there was no sign of Robert. Why? Why? I scanned everything, on the verge of collapse. On the sofa lay a gray jacket that I recognized instantly. On the bedside table was a razor, his preferred brand. Everything screamed one truth: Robert was cheating! But I still couldn’t prove it! Amidst the woman’s furious shouts, I returned home. Pushing open my own door, I froze. Robert was standing there, holding his phone, looking at me with a puzzled expression. “Babe, where did you go just now? I left and then remembered I’d forgotten my phone, so I came back to get it.” I stood in the doorway, staring at him, utterly speechless. My mind, however, was screaming: What in the world is going on?!

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Seven years into our relationship, Ethan Reed turned our wedding into a divorce ceremony for the third time, making a complete fool of me. This time, I didn’t yell or make a scene. My heart had simply died. Around me, his friends roared with laughter while I stood frozen in the center, my face expressionless. “Haley, why aren’t you laughing? Don’t tell me you’re actually mad?” I said nothing. Gradually, their laughter faded as they exchanged awkward glances. The silence became eerily oppressive. Only then did Ethan press his lips together and step forward to ruffle my hair. “What’s wrong? Haley, are you really angry?” I looked at him, suddenly remembering the conversation I’d overheard last night between him and his friends. “Ethan, aren’t you worried that pulling this stunt will make the Rose of the South actually leave you?” Ethan had answered dismissively, “I promised Vivian I’d mess with Haley three times. After this one’s over, I’ll give Haley a real wedding to make up for it. She’s been with me all these years, after all.” Now, I stared at him quietly and forced my lips into a smile. “A divorce ceremony, right? Let’s continue then.”

“Continue?” Ethan’s casual expression froze, his smile flattening. “Haley Grant, are you serious?” My gaze moved past him to land on the large banner that read “Let’s Get Divorced.” Seven years. Countless moments I’d spent yearning for us to get married, to spend our lives together. But in the end, what I’d been waiting for wasn’t “Let’s get married,” but this absurd prank. The first time I learned Ethan might propose to me, joy and excitement kept me awake all night. When I arrived at the venue in my carefully prepared dress and the curtain was pulled back, my heart shattered along with my hopes. That was the first time I’d ever lost my temper with Ethan like that. He spent a long time trying to calm me down. He promised he’d never pull that kind of joke again. But only three months later, the same thing happened again. That was the second time. The third time is now. My chest felt tight and suffocating. The whole thing seemed pointless. I answered him. “Yes, I’m serious. Let’s finish the ceremony as you wished.” Ethan’s expression darkened completely. He stared at me without speaking. Three seconds later, he suddenly smiled, though his eyes were empty, yet somehow filled with inexplicable anger. “Fine. Then let’s continue.” The crowd that had been mocking me and enjoying the spectacle fell completely silent, standing awkwardly in place. “Did he really screw this up? That shouldn’t happen. Nothing went wrong the first two times, right?” Another girl sneered. “How’s that possible? Everyone knows Haley Grant worships the ground Ethan walks on.” “She was all over him when her family still had money. Now that they’ve fallen, there’s no way she’ll let go.” I looked up at her sharply, my gaze piercing. She immediately fell silent, closing her mouth awkwardly. At that moment, a woman in a red dress stepped forward. “Haley, don’t be angry. I apologize, I…” “What are you apologizing for!” Ethan’s angry voice cut her off as he moved to shield her behind him. I turned to look. It was Vivian Song. Ethan stood between her and me, his voice low and confrontational. “What are you standing around for? Let’s go through with the ceremony.” The guy in charge came up on stage with his script, so embarrassed his scalp was tingling. “Miss Grant, do you willingly separate from Mr. Reed, whether he is rich or poor, with no regrets?” An absurd location, absurd words. And absurd vows that made my chest ache uncontrollably. Ethan stared at me quietly, his thin lips pressed tight, his whole body radiating irritation. “I do,” I said. The moment the words left my mouth, there was a loud bang. Ethan hurled the microphone to the ground, his face dark as he glared at me. “Haley Grant, you’ve gone too far.” I felt drained. An overwhelming bitterness washed over me. “What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you all arranged? How am I going too far by just going along with it?” He was momentarily speechless. He took several deep breaths, then kicked over a flower arrangement at his feet. He stormed off, pulling Vivian Song along with him. The venue fell deathly silent. The background music happened to switch to: “Happy Breakup, I wish you happiness, you’ll find someone better.” Ethan’s friend quickly turned it off, coughing awkwardly. “Um… Haley, this is our fault. Don’t be angry. Ethan didn’t know about this either.” I ignored him. Whether he knew or not didn’t matter to me anymore. I mumbled an acknowledgment and walked down the red carpet off the stage. When I walked out of the hotel, the sky was gray and overcast, rain pouring down. A black Maybach pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down to reveal Vivian Song’s apologetic face. “Haley, get in. We’ll give you a ride.” My gaze moved past her to the man beside her who hadn’t even looked up. I replied flatly. “No need.” I heard the man snort coldly and give a curt order. “Let’s go.” The water splashed up by the car instantly soaked the hem of my dress. I laughed bitterly and pulled out my phone to make a call. “Attorney Chen, the trust fund my father left—the condition for me to inherit it is to go to America to find Grandfather and never return, correct?” “Yes, Miss Grant. Once you land in America, you can apply for the inheritance.” Watching the taillights fade into the distance, I murmured. “Alright. I accept.”

I returned home soaking wet to find the lights blazing inside. Ethan and Vivian Song were just standing there, looking at me. As if I were the one who didn’t belong. “It’s too late. Vivian’s staying at our place tonight. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” He studied me carefully, his body in a defensive posture. After all, the old Haley Grant, the Rose of the South, would have definitely rushed over and slapped her. But now… I only paused for a second before agreeing casually, “Fine. She can stay as long as she wants.” Before Ethan could furrow his brow, I changed my shoes on my own and headed to the master bathroom to shower. My stomach ached with a dull, sinking pain. When the hot water cascaded down, it was warm, gradually washing away the coldness in my chest. This kind of thing had happened before. The day Vivian Song returned to the country, Ethan had already brought her home. I stood in the living room, staring at the man at the door holding a drunk woman, my mind going blank. “You brought another woman home?” I laughed in disbelief. “Don’t you think you should avoid this kind of thing?” He didn’t even pause. He carried her to the master bedroom and laid her on the bed. My pupils trembled. He turned around on his own and went to the bathroom to wet a hot towel, gently wiping her face. While doing all this, he warned me. “Watch your words.” “Vivian is my childhood friend. She’s going through family troubles right now and feeling down. Stop giving her dirty looks.” I stood in the doorway watching him bustle around, unable to describe what I was feeling. Ethan had severe OCD. He absolutely wouldn’t allow me to come home drunk, reeking of alcohol. Once when I lost control, he had the driver take me to a hotel to book a room. The point was, I wasn’t allowed home. But Vivian Song could break all his rules. My thoughts snapped back as someone knocked on the bathroom door. “Haley, let’s talk after you shower.” The man’s magnetic voice sounded by my ear. I knew this was already him lowering his pride. Still, I didn’t answer. When I came out after showering, he was waiting by the door with a hairdryer in hand. “Sit down. I’ll dry it for you.” I happened to be tired. Why refuse when someone was offering to help? “Let’s just move past what happened today,” his slender fingers threaded through my hair, but they felt cold, icy, “and we’ll make things work.” “Mm, make things work.” Make my own life work. Hearing that, he breathed a sigh of relief, his tense expression gradually relaxing. “Good girl.” In the mirror, I observed those downcast eyes. Ethan had beautiful eyes. When he wasn’t smiling, they were sharp; when he smiled, they curved into crescents. When we first met, I ran into some local thugs at a bar who insisted I go into a private room with them. Back then, before my family’s downfall, I lived like no one in the South dared to cross me, so I hadn’t brought bodyguards. That middle-aged man, emboldened by alcohol, grabbed me by the hair and slapped me hard. “I’m doing you a favor by sleeping with you!” Just as the door was about to close, Ethan appeared. He kicked the man away, then looked down at me with mockery. “You’re usually so arrogant. How are you so pathetic now?” But I wasn’t angry at all. Instead, I fell for him right then. I chased after him for years. The hairdryer stopped, pulling me from my memories. Looking at him again, I realized with surprise that those eyes no longer stirred anything in my heart. “What’s wrong?” Ethan frowned and inexplicably looked away, a heavy feeling settling in his chest. “Nothing.” He was about to say something when the door was pushed open. Vivian Song walked in as naturally as if she belonged there, tugging at the man’s sleeve. “Ethan, can you stay with me?” “You know now that I’m back in England, you’re all I have. I’m a little scared.” Ethan glanced at me, hesitating. “Maybe I shouldn’t. I…” “Go ahead.” He looked at me sharply. Time seemed to freeze for an instant. Then he took a deep breath, as if deliberately trying to upset me. “Fine, then I’ll go stay with her!” I turned around calmly and got into bed on my own. That night, Ethan didn’t come home. And I passed out in my sleep, blood pooling beneath me.

When I woke up again, everything was blindingly white. Ethan sat beside me, hands pressed against his forehead, lost in thought. “What happened to me?” His whole body shuddered. He looked up, his eyes tinged with red. “The baby’s gone. Haley Grant, you were pregnant. Didn’t you know?” My expression froze. I could also hear the accusation in his tone. Just then, the doctor pushed the door open. I asked him, “Why did I miscarry?” He glanced at the medical report. “Habitual miscarriage. Your uterine wall is already very thin, and combined with getting caught in the rain, catching a cold, and developing a fever, miscarriage was inevitable.” Ethan shot to his feet, his eyes trembling. “Habitual miscarriage?” His eyes, filled with a gathering storm, fixed on me. “Haley Grant! Don’t you need to explain this to me?!” The doctor, sensing trouble, quickly distanced himself from the brewing conflict. I looked down, my fingers brushing over my stomach. My chest felt like it was being sliced with a small knife, sharp and painful. When I looked up, my gaze held a trace of hatred. “Explain what? The first baby—you personally had it aborted. The second one was drugged away by your mother.” “Did you think you hid it so well?” “Now, what right do you have to demand an explanation from me?!” His hands clenched into fists. The hospital room fell deathly silent, filled only with the man’s ragged breathing. “You… when did you find out?” “I knew from the very beginning.” When I miscarried the first time, we’d just gotten together. That day, I drank a glass of milk and felt dizzy and faint. Perhaps the dosage wasn’t enough, because my consciousness didn’t fade immediately. I heard the conversation between him and his mother. “Ethan, we can’t keep this baby. We need to devour the remaining shares of the Grant family. We can’t have this kind of complication now.” The man was silent for two seconds, his voice hoarse. “Alright, I understand.” He asked, “Will this abortion pill affect her body badly?” “Not much,” his mother said suspiciously. “Ethan, Vivian’s coming back soon. What are you planning to do? Mom knows you can’t let her go.” For a long time, he didn’t answer. He didn’t deny it either. I kept my eyes tightly shut. I wanted to cry, to confront him, but I couldn’t do either. When I woke up, perhaps out of guilt, Ethan stayed by my side constantly. “We’ll have more children in the future,” he promised. But I kept losing one child after another. My thoughts returned to the present. After I finished speaking, Ethan suddenly looked lost. “Haley, I…” His explanation was interrupted by someone pushing the door open. “Haley, I heard you had a miscarriage. I came to see you.” I collected my emotions and looked up. “Get out.” Vivian Song’s expression stiffened. She hadn’t expected me to be so blunt, leaving her unable to save face. She hesitated in the doorway, neither entering nor leaving. “Haley.” The man’s displeased voice carried a warning, as if his earlier guilt had been just an illusion. I suddenly felt powerless, my spine sagging. “I need to rest. Please leave.” I looked at the man with his brows knitted tight. “Is this attitude satisfactory?” Ethan opened his mouth, wanting to say something but unable to get the words out. Finally, he could only forcefully ignore the unease in his heart. He stepped forward and hugged me. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. Haley, when you’re discharged, I’ll officially hold a real wedding for you, okay?” “I’ll make up for everything I owe you.” “Three days from now, okay? I’ll prepare everything. I’ll compensate you properly.” My heart felt nothing. He didn’t wait for me to nod in agreement either. As if afraid of hearing me mock him, he pulled Vivian Song along and left. My phone chimed. It was a text from Attorney Chen. “Miss Grant, due to the typhoon, the earliest flight is at noon three days from now.” “I’ve already booked your ticket. Someone will pick you up in America.” My fingers landed on the screen, typing as if I’d been set free. “Alright. I’ll be there on time.”

That evening, Ethan brought me home. “Drink some hot water.” He sat down beside me, concern seemingly overflowing from his eyes. If only Vivian Song weren’t there. I found it absurd. He went to the balcony to take a call. I don’t know what the person on the other end said, but he glanced at me. That’s when Vivian Song spoke up. “Still not leaving him?” I looked up at her. Her eyes were mocking. “Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone debase themselves more than you.” “You should know he’s loved me from the very beginning. Even those three times he humiliated you were just because I asked him to.” Hearing that, I found it laughable. “And what about you? No matter who Ethan loves, at least he and I have a marriage certificate.” “What gives you the right to lord it over me?” Vivian Song raised an eyebrow and suddenly laughed out loud. I was confused. But I had an ominous feeling. She glanced at the man on the balcony with his back to us, then suddenly leaned close to my ear. “So you still don’t know.” My lips flattened. My fingers unconsciously tightened on my sleeve. “Know what?” She said softly, yet her words landed like a crushing blow. “Your marriage certificate is fake. It was just something Ethan used to placate you.” “What did you say?” My voice was hoarse. Vivian Song pulled out her phone, opened the marriage registry system, and checked her marital status. Then she held it in front of my face with cold mockery. “Open your eyes wide and look.” My stiff gaze turned toward it. In the spouse column, it clearly showed: Ethan Reed! My mind went blank. Everything was so absurd I couldn’t accept it. My eyes glazed over. I turned around and looked at the man on the balcony, suddenly laughing bitterly. “So it was all fake.” Soon after, he hung up and came back inside. Seeing my expression, he frowned and reached up to touch my forehead. “What’s wrong? Still not feeling well? Why is your face so pale?” I instinctively stepped back. His hand hung in the air. Ethan’s fingers froze. “Rest well. The wedding is in three days.” Three days later, early in the morning, Ethan wheeled a wedding dress into the master bedroom, gently ruffling my hair. “Take a look at the dress first. It’s too heavy, so you’ll put it on at the banquet hall. We’ll go together.” I turned my face away, avoiding his touch. “I’m not feeling well. You go ahead.” He hesitated for a moment but nodded. “Alright. The ceremony officially starts at noon.” Watching his retreating figure, my eyes were full of mockery. I tore up all the photos of us in the house, scattering them everywhere. Thinking of the gift I’d prepared for him at the wedding venue, I laughed coldly. After venting, I removed my SIM card and left without looking back. At the same time, at the wedding venue, Ethan’s mother looked extremely displeased. “Son, what were you thinking? Are you really holding a wedding with her and spending your life together?” “What about Vivian?” Ethan’s heart felt inexplicably heavy, as if something was suspended high above, unable to settle. “Yeah, it’s decided. I’ll make things work with Haley. As for the marriage certificate issue, I’ll handle it without her knowing.” He glanced at the time and asked his assistant. “Go check if Mrs. Reed has arrived yet.” The assistant was about to turn around when the hotel manager burst in, face pale and gasping for breath. “Mr. Reed, something’s happened…” Ethan’s heart sank, his expression instantly darkening like storm clouds. “Speak clearly!” The manager’s voice trembled with fear. “The bridal dressing room… You’d better go see for yourself…” Ethan’s eyes shook. His usually composed face now looked like a storm was approaching. He rushed out and pushed the door open with trembling hands. When he saw what was before him, his breathing stopped.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “393705”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

After three years together, Xander set a rule: we couldn’t hold hands for more than three minutes a day. He said we had to meet at the summit—that we absolutely couldn’t let ourselves get distracted before the SAT exams. I believed him. I suppressed my desires and stayed up late studying with him. The night the scores came out, there was a class party. I went to find him with my results—scores high enough to get into the same university as him. But at the bar, I caught him pinning Summer, the worst student in our class, against the wall, kissing her with wild, unrestrained passion. Summer gasped and pushed him away: “Xander, your girlfriend will be angry if she finds out…” Xander laughed carelessly: “She’s obedient as a dog. I just need to buy her a gift and say a few sweet words, and she’ll be fine. She can’t leave me.” Outside the door, my hands and feet went ice cold. My heart hurt so much I couldn’t breathe. I thought he had a low sex drive. Turns out he just wasn’t interested in me. I forced back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes and tore up that application form where I’d filled in the same choices as him, piece by piece.

I wiped away my tears, tossed the scraps into the trash, and walked back to our private room without looking back. Five minutes later, Xander and Summer pushed through the door one after the other. Xander’s expression was normal as he walked straight over to sit beside me, handing me a glass of water. “Have some water. Your voice sounded a bit hoarse from singing earlier.” I didn’t take it. My eyes were fixed on the faint red mark at the corner of his mouth. He noticed my gaze and casually wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of indulgent helplessness. I felt nauseous. Before I could speak, a delicate cry suddenly came from the other end of the room. “Oh no!” Summer had fallen onto the sofa by the karaoke machine, her eyes rimmed with red. “I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts so much…” She clutched her ankle, but her gaze traveled over the crowd to land on Xander. Several guys immediately rushed over with concern. But Summer bit her lower lip and shook her head pitifully: “You don’t need to trouble yourselves. I’ll… I’ll just take a cab home.” Xander set down the water glass, his brow furrowing slightly. He stood up and turned to look at me. “Mia, it’s not safe for Summer to take a cab alone. Let me take her home.” I looked up at this face I’d loved for three years. “She just twisted her ankle, not broken her leg. Can’t the classmate take her?” A flash of impatience crossed his eyes, quickly suppressed. He reached out to ruffle my hair. “Come on, we’re all classmates. It’s just helping each other out.” “Don’t be so sensitive. Tomorrow I’ll go with you to submit your applications, and I’ll grab that Black Forest cake you love from my house, okay?” I turned my head away, avoiding his hand. This was the first time in three years I’d refused his touch. Xander’s hand froze in mid-air. “Xander, if Mia isn’t happy about it, forget it. I can manage on my own…” Summer grabbed the hem of his shirt, her voice choked with tears. Xander’s expression darkened. Without looking at me again, he gripped Summer’s arm and helped her up. “Let’s go. I’ll take you.” He didn’t give me a single extra word of explanation before walking out of the room supporting Summer. The moment the door closed, I heard classmates whispering: “Xander is way too good to Summer. I’m surprised Mia isn’t even mad?” When the party ended, it was already ten at night. I walked the streets alone. Passing by the corner convenience store that Xander and I used to frequent, my feet seemed nailed to the ground. Through the glass, I saw a young couple in school uniforms huddled together working on homework. The boy draped his jacket over the girl’s shoulders, saying something in a low voice. I stood in the wind, my nails digging deep into the soft flesh of my palms. The sharp pain came, and my eyes instantly rimmed red. But I bit my lip hard, refusing to let the tears fall. Back home, I turned on my computer by the light of the streetlamp streaming through the window. The screen lit up. In the center of the desktop was a folder named “MIT Sprint.” It contained scanned copies of every handwritten note Xander had made for me over these three years. My hand gripped the mouse, the cursor hovering over that folder for a full thirty seconds. Then I permanently deleted it. Just then, my phone on the desk suddenly lit up. It was a shopping link from Xander—a white floral dress. Immediately, a second message popped up. “Wear this dress tomorrow when we submit applications. I just bought it, it’ll look really good on you.” I stared at the product photo. This dress looked way too familiar. Last week, Summer had posted on Ins about receiving an early birthday gift—the exact same style. I pulled at the corner of my mouth in an extremely short, cold laugh. “I don’t want this so-called meeting at the summit anymore.”

“Mia, over here!” The next morning, outside the school hallway. Xander waved at me, holding a small cake box. A little flag was stuck in the box with the words: “See you at MIT.” I walked up to him, glanced at the cake, but didn’t take it. “What time did you get home last night after taking Summer back?” I looked into his eyes, my tone calm. Xander’s gaze flickered for a moment, the smile at the corner of his mouth slightly fading. “Around nine. Why?” I pulled out my phone, brought up a screenshot, and held it in front of him. “Then the message you sent her at 11:47 saying ‘home safe, remember to use the body wash I gave you’—were you sleepwalking when you sent that?” Last night after clearing the folder, I casually checked my social media feed. Summer had posted at 23:50 saying “Thanks Xander for taking me home, got the body wash.” Though she deleted it two minutes later, I’d already taken a screenshot. Xander panicked instantly, his fingers tightening on the edge of the cake box, but he quickly recovered. “Stop making everything into a big deal. We were stressed for three years in senior year—can’t I relax a bit?” “Or are you trying to control who I’m friends with too? Mia, when did you become so unreasonable?” Hearing these words, my mind flashed to the week before finals in second semester of junior year. Another guy in class had asked me to study together at the library on the weekend. When Xander found out, he gave me the cold shoulder for two whole days. In the end, I apologized first and deleted that guy’s contact, and only then did he return to normal. He had always held double standards. I’d just been too in love with him before, choosing selective blindness. “Say whatever you want.” I put away my phone and walked past him. He called after me: “Cool off for a bit. Fill in MIT computer science major for your application like we agreed. Don’t gamble with your future out of spite.” I stopped, looking back through the hallway’s glass window. Right in front of me, he answered a phone call. The name flashing on the screen was Summer. When he answered, the corners of his mouth turned up, his voice softened, his steps became light. Exactly like when he used to chase after me. I withdrew my gaze and walked alone into the classroom, sitting down at the computer. I logged into the application system. On the screen, the first choice field blinked with an empty cursor. I remembered when we first got together in freshman year, when Xander leaned on his desk and drew me a future plan. Freshman year, take photos together at the MIT entrance. Junior year, intern together. Senior year, he’d propose. I’d kept that draft paper tucked in my diary for three whole years. The mouse clicked. First choice: MIT Computer Science and Technology. I hit the backspace key. Cleared it and typed again. First choice: Harvard University, Law. The South. Two thousand miles away. This was my original dream when I started high school—the dream I’d personally abandoned to attend the same school as Xander. My finger hovered above the submit button. My hand was shaking. Not because I was hesitating, but because I suddenly realized that from this moment on, the boy who used to lean on his desk and draw me our future—he was truly dead. I clicked submit. Then I pulled out my backpack and extracted that future plan I’d saved for three years. I folded it once, then again. Then stuffed it into the paper bin in the corner of the classroom. As I left the classroom, Summer’s voice came from the end of the hallway. Around a corner, her voice floated over clearly. “Xander, I sneaked a bite of the cake you just bought for Mia… She won’t be mad, will she?” Then came Xander’s suppressed laughter: “You need to eat less sugar or your teeth will hurt again.” I carried my bag and left through the hallway’s other exit.

“Mia, why have you been ignoring Xander these past few days?” The first week after submitting applications, a classmate messaged me. I didn’t reply, just silenced my phone and tossed it on the bed. In the past, whenever we fought, as long as he gave me the cold treatment for three days, I’d be the first to back down. This time, Xander was clearly waiting again. I found an empty shoebox and packed all the things he’d given me into it. Handwritten problem sets, a cheap silver bracelet, sticky notes covered with physics formulas. When I got to the workbook from second semester of junior year, I opened the cover page. “Mia, I’ve organized the thought process for every wrong answer in this book. If you master them all, MIT is guaranteed. —Your Xander.” I ran my fingertip over the words “Your Xander.” Then I closed the book and put it in the shoebox. I picked up the packing tape, preparing to seal it. I didn’t cry, but when sealing the tape, I had to tear it three times before it broke. Because my fingers had completely lost their strength. On the third day, Xander finally sent me a message: “Been at my grandma’s in my hometown these past few days. Bad phone signal. Stop being mad and reply.” Below was a photo from his hometown. I still didn’t reply. That afternoon, I went to a bookstore downtown, planning to buy some travel guides for the South. While picking books on the second floor, my peripheral vision caught the first-floor café area. Xander, who said he was in his hometown, was sitting by the window helping Summer organize travel plans. On the table sat two milk teas, with two straws in Summer’s cup. I stood behind the bookshelf, my fingers crushing the corner of the book in my hand. Summer’s voice floated up clearly. “Xander, will Mia be upset that you came out with me?” “Is she still mad at you? Actually… my scores aren’t high enough for MIT either. You don’t need to worry about me.” Xander laughed lightly: “She’s so stubborn—where else would she go besides to me?” “She definitely filled in MIT. Don’t worry about it. After school starts in September, once she’s on my turf, I can just sweet-talk her a bit and it’ll be fine.” He paused, then added another line. “You’re different. I’m worried about you going to that community college alone. After I get settled, I’ll fly over to see you on weekends.” Summer giggled and tapped his hand. “But what about Mia?” “Her? She’s very sensible. Just buy her some flowers and she’ll be fine. Don’t worry!” I slowly released the crumpled book pages. I remembered the New Year’s Eve party in sophomore year, on the way home when Xander walked me back. I’d asked him: “If we ever fight, will you go comfort other girls?” Seventeen-year-old Xander had stopped and turned to look at me. Seriously and clumsily, he’d said: “Mia, I’ve given you all the patience I have in this lifetime. How could I have any left to give to someone else?” That was the best sweet talk I’d ever heard. Looking back now, it was just empty promises casually made by a teenage boy. I finally stopped feeling the pain. Because the boy who said those words and the person downstairs who said “just sweet-talk her a bit” weren’t the same person at all. I put the book back on the shelf, turned around, and went downstairs. I went home, grabbed that sealed shoebox, and stuffed it into the roadside clothing donation bin. Then I pulled out my phone and blocked his contact one by one. At the same moment, on the bookstore’s first floor. Xander’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it—not a message from Mia. He paid it no mind and continued helping Summer check travel routes. “I’ll give her the cold shoulder for two more days. When the acceptance letters come, I’ll take mine to her apartment building. I guarantee she’ll be moved to tears.” What he didn’t know was that below the group message he’d scrolled past, there was another one. The advisor had sent an @everyone notice in the grade group chat. “Please verify your application information, everyone. The system has been locked and cannot be changed.”

Mid-August, the acceptance letters finally arrived. Xander looked at the MIT acceptance letter in his hand, unable to suppress the smile spreading across his face. He pulled out his phone, took a close-up shot of the acceptance letter, and prepared to send it to Mia. He clicked send. A red exclamation mark popped up on the screen. Below it, a line of small text: “The other party has enabled friend verification. You are not yet their friend.” Xander froze for two seconds, then let out a scoffing laugh. He opened Ins. The message wouldn’t send. He called. It went straight to voicemail. But he didn’t panic. He even found it a bit amusing. This was the first time Mia had escalated the cold war to blocking him across all platforms. She must be really angry this time. But it didn’t matter. No matter how much of a fuss she made, wouldn’t she come back in the end? Xander switched back to the group chat and typed: “Mia blocked me, hahaha, she’s really going all out this time.” The group chat instantly exploded. “Xander, you’re so bold. You ignored her for a whole month and you’re not even worried?” “Mia’s such a good girl. If you just stand at her door with that MIT acceptance letter, won’t she just cry and throw herself into your arms?” He looked at these messages, in high spirits. He admitted that these past few months he’d gotten too close to Summer, and he felt a bit guilty. But that was different. Summer was just novelty. Mia was the one who truly understood him, who’d endured three years with him. He thought to himself that once school started, he’d definitely make it up to her properly. Xander rode his bike to the mall and walked into a flower shop. “Give me a bouquet of your most expensive red roses.” He tapped the counter. Payment: $399, more than double the $188 bouquet he’d bought for Summer. Next, he went to the jewelry counter and picked out a silver necklace with small diamonds. When he was paying, the clerk smiled and asked: “Sir, this necklace comes with free engraving. Would you like anything engraved?” Xander thought for a moment, his mind flashing to the words he’d written on the corner of their desk freshman year. “Engrave ‘Meet at the Summit.’” He thought this arrangement was absolutely perfect. He went home and changed into a dress shirt, checked his hair in the mirror, then pulled out his phone. He sent Summer a message: “Got something to do today. I’ll contact you tonight.” Summer instantly replied with a cute emoji. “Okay. Contact me when you’re done, Xander!” Xander smiled slightly and casually cleared his entire chat history with Summer. Just in case Mia wanted to check his phone when they met later. He rode his bicycle, holding that bouquet of gorgeous red roses with one hand. In the rear storage basket sat the cake box and the necklace box. He rode across the entire city toward Mia’s house. In his mind, he was already imagining Mia’s expression when she opened the door and saw all this. She’d probably keep a stern face at first, pretending to be unhappy. Then when she saw “Meet at the Summit” engraved on the necklace, her eyes would slowly redden. Finally, she’d reach out to take the flowers and quietly complain, “It’s good you know you were wrong.” She was always like this. For three years, he’d understood her too well. She couldn’t escape from the palm of his hand. Two blocks from Mia’s house, his phone started vibrating violently in his pocket. He stopped his bicycle, pulled out his phone and saw it was his high school teacher Mr. Johnson calling. Xander answered the phone, his tone relaxed and cheerful: “Mr. Johnson, I received the acceptance letter. MIT Computer Science. Thank you for three years of guidance…” Mr. Johnson cut him off directly. “Xander, I’m not calling about you. I’m asking you—what’s going on with Mia?” He frowned. “Mia? She should have received her MIT acceptance letter too, right?” A heavy sigh came from the other end of the phone: “With her scores, getting into MIT would have been more than enough. I even told other teachers you two would definitely go together.” “But when I got the final admissions list today…” Mr. Johnson’s voice suddenly rose. “Her application—she ended up choosing Harvard University Law School. That’s over two thousand miles from you.”

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On my way home, I picked up my last rideshare order. A man with a six-year-old child was on the phone with his wife. “Honey, I’m in the car now. I’ll drop off our son and come right back to spend our anniversary with you.” His wife’s voice came through. “Don’t we have a car at home? Stop taking rideshares. Those cars are filthy.” My grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened. Not because of the insult in her words, but because the woman’s voice sounded exactly like my wife, Serena Moore. After the man hung up, he said apologetically, “Sorry about that. My wife is a bit of a germaphobe.” I nodded and probed cautiously, “What does your wife do for work?” The child answered proudly, “My mom’s a professor at Harvard! Her name is Serena Moore! She’s amazing!” The man stroked the boy’s hair affectionately. “My family would only let me marry a professor. She used to be a designer, but she became a professor for me.” It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. My whole body went cold. It really was her! Seven years of marriage, and her illegitimate child from her affair was already six years old! I suppressed my heartache and went home, only to overhear Serena on the phone. “Mom, find a way to make Holden have a car accident. Once he loses his memory, I’ll bring Preston and the kid home.” “I’ll arrange the best medical care for him, but he’s occupied Preston’s place for so long. It’s time he gave it back.” I stood frozen in place, my heart finally turning cold. Then I pressed send. [Dad, I agree to the arranged marriage, but the company has to go to me too.]

After finishing her shower, Serena placed a bowl of broth on the table. “You’re home so late today. Were you busy?” She was still playing the role of devoted wife, as if she wasn’t the one who had been cheating for six years. Serena rarely had time to cook. Usually it was me rushing home to make dinner for her. The old me would have been moved to tears by this bowl of soup. But I didn’t touch it. I just sat down and looked at her quietly. She sensed something was off, but still asked patiently, “What’s wrong? Bad day? Didn’t get any orders?” “You don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself. The kid thing—we don’t need to rush it.” I smiled bitterly to myself. Yeah, your kid is already that old. What’s the rush? Throughout our marriage, Serena had used her career advancement as an excuse to avoid having children. I thought she felt our life wasn’t stable enough, and I felt bad about how hard she worked as a professor, so I desperately took on orders to earn money, driving from 4 AM until midnight. Now it was clear. She just didn’t want to have children with me. Thinking of our seven years together, I held onto one last shred of hope. “Serena, is there anything you’re hiding from me?” “If you tell me now, I can pretend nothing happened.” Serena’s body stiffened. Clearly I’d struck a nerve. “What do you mean?” I didn’t bother explaining further. “I mean, who are you cheating on me with?” Suddenly, a slap landed hard across my face. Serena flew into a rage and knocked the broth to the floor. “Holden Hayes, you sit around doing nothing all day and come up with this nonsense?” “Imagining your own wife sleeping around—how disgusting are you?” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. The last trace of affection disappeared. “I’m disgusting?” “When you told your mom to hurt your own husband, didn’t you think you were disgusting?” Serena froze for a moment, then frowned in disgust. “You eavesdropped on my phone call?” After a few seconds, she calmed herself and looked at me coldly. “Since you heard it, I’ll just say it straight.” “Preston and I have been together for many years. If he hadn’t gone abroad that year, and if you hadn’t saved me—” “How could I possibly have married someone as useless as you?” Her phone screen lit up. Serena glanced at something and her face filled with happiness. I laughed bitterly inside. So that man was still her true love. A belated pain started in my chest, followed by a dull ache from my ribs. That was a lingering injury from when I’d saved her. My breathing grew labored. “Serena, help me get my medicine… My rib injury is flaring up…” But Serena didn’t even glance at me. She grabbed her keys and walked out the door. “Holden, holding a favor over someone’s head works once. It won’t work a second time.” “You owe Preston so much. Apologize to him properly, and we can go back to how things were.” “I’m going to spend our anniversary with Preston. Think it over, then come find me.” My heart went completely numb. In her eyes, everything I’d done for her was just me holding a favor over her head. The pain in my ribs intensified. I struggled to move and find my medicine. Just as I took it, Lynn, my butler, called me. “Mr. Hayes, the arranged marriage with Miss Jones is set for three days from now. Please prepare yourself.”

I packed my things to go home. A colleague sent me a text message. “Holden, why is the platform full of bad reviews about you?” “The company fired you and locked your car access.” I felt no emotion. I knew without asking this was Serena’s doing. She wanted to use this method to force me to apologize, to force me to endure. But that was fine. I was going to resign anyway. This saved me the trouble. But the next sentence truly stopped me in my tracks. “Oh right, Miss Moore is actually the daughter of Mr. Moore, our chairman!” Serena was the daughter of Steven Moore, the owner of the rideshare company? My heart sank to rock bottom. No wonder management always gave me trouble and assigned me barely any orders. No wonder she could get her mother to sabotage me. But from our marriage until now, she’d lied to me, saying her parents were farmers in the countryside who couldn’t conveniently come to the city. I’d never met her parents. They hadn’t even attended our wedding. I didn’t care about her background, but I couldn’t accept that she’d deceived me for five years. From the very beginning, she never planned to accept me, and after all these years, she still hadn’t. I was about to block Serena’s contact information when an unknown number called. “Is this Holden Hayes? I’m Serena’s mother. Do you have time to come over for dinner?” I thought about it and agreed. Our seven years together deserved some kind of closure. I arrived at the Moore family mansion. Inside was lavishly decorated, filled with their relatives. After dinner, out of respect, I volunteered to wash dishes and clean up. That’s when I heard people around me gossiping. “So this is the man Serena never brought home? He’s quite handsome, but he looks so shabby.” “Oh honey, he’s just a rideshare driver who saved her once. How can he compare to Preston?” “Exactly. Preston may not have a job, but his family background is so much better.” I kept my expression unchanged, but my heart ached again. Back then, for Serena’s sake, I’d refused the family’s arranged marriage. I’d fought bitterly with my father and been kicked out of the house. I’d worked hard to give Serena the best life possible. She complained I was useless, yet the man she was devoted to was a freeloader who did nothing. The difference between love and lack of love was indeed obvious. Mrs. Moore sneered. “What husband? The marriage certificate is fake.” “My daughter said he’s just a male housekeeper Serena hired.” All the blood in my body seemed to freeze. I stood there rigid. The marriage certificate was fake? I thought of yesterday, when I’d taken out the marriage certificate to file for divorce, never imagining it was a fake document. The year we got married, Serena and I walked out of the courthouse together. She held that red booklet and smiled at me for the first time. “Holden, I’ll treat you well.” I’d been so excited I couldn’t sleep all night. How moved I’d been then was how ironic it felt now. Mrs. Moore even pulled out photos of their family of three and introduced them to everyone. “This is my real son-in-law. The child looks so much like his father, doesn’t he?” Just then, a news segment played on the TV. “The Moore family heiress has publicly revealed her longtime partner, Mr. Preston.” “According to the couple, they will hold a wedding of the century at the end of this month.” Looking at the TV screen showing the two of them smiling and snuggling sweetly together, I finally understood Mrs. Moore’s intentions. She’d called me here just to make me leave on my own, to establish in front of everyone that I was the homewrecker destroying their family. After gathering my things, I pushed open the door to leave, only to run straight into Serena, who’d just returned. Behind her stood the child and Preston. When she saw me, she slapped me without a word. “Holden Hayes, how dare you make a scene at my house?” “In front of all these people—what exactly are you trying to do?” After all these years, she still jumped to conclusions without asking, never caring about my feelings. My face stung painfully. I pulled at the corner of my mouth. Might as well make everything clear in front of everyone. “Serena Moore, I came to tell you that not everyone is like your freeloader mistress.” “I, Holden Hayes, never used a cent of your money or asked you for a single favor.” “From now on, you and I have nothing to do with each other. Understand?”

Serena’s usually proud face showed a trace of disbelief and panic. “What do you mean? You want a divorce?” I laughed coldly. “Divorce? The marriage certificate is fake. There’s no divorce to speak of, is there?” “All these years with you, wasn’t I just a free housekeeper?” The Moore family relatives started chiming in. “Serena, this man just claimed to be your husband. What’s your relationship with him?” Serena’s earlier panic vanished in a flash. She gripped Preston’s hand tightly behind her. “How is that possible? Preston has always been my husband.” “Would I, Serena Moore, ever like a rideshare driver?” Then Preston smiled and put his arm around her shoulder, sizing me up. “Oh, it’s you. That driver from the other day. I guess it’s true—dirty car, dirty person.” I clenched my fists, holding back again and again. Forget it. Arguing with these people was a waste of life. But just as I passed by him, Preston lowered his voice and leaned close to my ear. “She hasn’t let you touch her in a long time, right? Want to know why?” “Because her body is covered with my marks. And you—you’re dirty and weak, can’t even hold onto your own woman.” Hearing that, my anger finally exploded. Though I no longer cared about Serena’s affair, I couldn’t stand the mistress’s constant provocations. But before I could move, Preston suddenly let go and fell backward down the steps. He slammed hard onto the ground in front of the mansion entrance, blood seeping from the back of his head. The Moore family members screamed. Serena shoved me aside hard and ran down to hold Preston. “Preston, Preston, are you okay… Does it hurt…” Seeing her face full of concern, I found it laughable. Years ago, when I’d saved her, I’d broken two ribs and used my body to pry open the crushed car door. I’d been in so much pain that tears streamed involuntarily down my face, yet she’d said coldly, “You’re a grown man. Can’t handle a little pain? Do you need to cry about it?” Serena turned her head and shouted at me with red eyes. “Holden Hayes, have you lost your mind? To get me, you want to kill Preston?” This was the first time I’d seen her this angry. I said coldly, “He fell on his own. Are you blind?” Before I finished speaking, a sharp pain shot through my hand. It was Serena’s illegitimate son. He was hitting my arm with a scalding kettle of hot water. “Bad man! Don’t bully my daddy!” I frowned and pushed the child away. But Serena suddenly rushed over and slapped me several times. She held the child tightly behind her. “You bastard, you even want to hurt my son?” “Holden Hayes, do you really enjoy using these dirty tactics?” Mrs. Moore pulled out her phone and pointed it at me. She was livestreaming. “Everyone come see! The homewrecker is making trouble at the real wife’s house, trying to kill her husband and harm the child!” I looked at this absurd scene and suddenly felt exhausted. No matter how I explained, no one would believe me. They didn’t care about the truth. They wanted to ruin my reputation. Serena kept pounding on me, her eyes full of hatred. “Holden Hayes, I must have been blind to show you any mercy!” “You’ve occupied Preston’s place for so many years—how dare you lay a hand on him!” “Get on your knees and apologize to him right now!” I almost laughed in anger. “Why should I apologize for something I didn’t do?” “You chose to marry me. You chose to cheat. What do I owe Preston?” I looked at them one last time, coldly. “Serena Moore, you’ve lied to me for seven years. You’re the one who owes me.” “I hope you never regret this for the rest of your life.” With that, I ignored everyone’s curses and walked straight out. After instructing Lynn to pick me up, I stood by the road waiting for the car. But the next second, a black car suddenly came barreling toward me. I couldn’t dodge in time and slammed directly into the hood.

When I woke again, I was lying in the Hayes family’s private hospital. My head was dizzy, and my right leg hurt terribly. But compared to when I’d saved Serena, this injury was nothing. My father’s hoarse voice sounded. “You’re awake?” I turned my head to see him sitting by the bed, his eyes red. “Dad.” Seven years. I’d finally seen my father again. He touched my head, as if only then daring to confirm I was really awake. “How long was I out?” “Five days.” Five days. That’s when I learned that to get revenge on me, Serena had deliberately called a car to run me over. Fortunately, Lynn had arrived in time and rushed me to the best hospital for emergency treatment, which was why I’d woken up. Luckily there was no major injury—just a mild concussion and external wounds. I tried to sit up, propping myself on my arms. A dull pain shot through my ribs. Dad said he’d already sent people to deal with the hit-and-run driver, but as for those two people, he’d leave them to me. I nodded without asking more. Of course I wouldn’t let them off easily, but not now. Then I remembered something else. “What about the arranged marriage with the Jones family?” Lynn hesitated. “Miss Moore said we could wait a bit longer.” I frowned and immediately threw off the covers to get out of bed. “No waiting. Today.” “Making a young lady wait so long—what kind of behavior is that?” Dad came over and patted my shoulder gently, saying nothing. Finally, I changed into a suit and got in the car heading to the Jones residence. On the way, I opened my phone. There was a message Serena had just sent. I didn’t open it. I just deleted it. When I arrived at the Jones residence, Amelia Jones was already waiting for me. She wore a white dress. Seeing me get out of the car, she paused slightly. I walked over and extended my hand. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Jones.” She smiled and placed her hand in my palm. “Just call me Amelia.” At the Moore mansion, Serena adjusted Preston’s collar. “Preston, the Jones family’s young lady is getting married today. I’m going over to discuss a project.” “Many elites will be there. It’s a perfect chance to introduce you around.” She took Preston’s arm and got in the car heading to the Jones residence. She opened her chat with Holden Hayes, still feeling uneasy. “Have you finished throwing your tantrum? When you’ve thought it through, come apologize to Preston.” “As long as you sincerely apologize, I can let it go. We can go back to how things were.” But he hadn’t replied to a single message these past few days. After thinking, she sent another one. “I was wrong about the marriage certificate. Whatever compensation you want, I’ll give it to you.” After sending it, she took Preston’s arm and entered the Jones family reception hall. Inside, business elites packed the space. Once everyone had arrived, the Jones family announced they would present the newlyweds. Preston said enviously, “I heard the man marrying Miss Jones has an even better background. I wonder which Mr. Hayes it is.” As soon as he finished speaking, I walked into the hall with a smile, holding Amelia Jones’s hand. The guests below applauded to congratulate us. After Serena saw my face clearly, she froze in place. Her purse dropped to the floor with a thud.

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Once again, Ethan Pierce pinned me down and took what he wanted. When it was over, he stared at my face and whispered another woman’s name. “Yolanda, I love you.” Yolanda Reed was the woman he truly loved. And I had been his secret lover for eight years. I thought eight years by his side would finally make him love me. But the moment Yolanda came back, he got down on one knee and proposed on live television. Ethan even made me, his assistant, present the engagement ring. When I walked onstage holding the box, Yolanda leaned close to my ear and whispered with a soft laugh. “Thanks for warming his bed for eight years. Now it’s time to give him back to his rightful owner.” The crowd erupted in applause. The lights were blinding. And that man who had me pinned beneath him just last night didn’t spare me a single glance as he kissed Yolanda passionately. My heart turned to ash. It was finally time to leave. Sienna POV Ethan Pierce’s control over my body was as absolute as ever. In the dark, castle-like master bedroom, he’d just finished another empty, emotionless round. I barely had time to take the pill from the nightstand before exhaustion shut my eyes. When I woke again, it was already the next morning. A sharp ringtone jolted me awake. I pulled on a robe and walked to the living room, only to find Ethan’s special assistant standing there with a freshly printed legal contract in hand. “Miss Sienna Hayes, Mr. Pierce has instructed you to sign this copyright transfer agreement.” The assistant’s voice was all business, devoid of any warmth. I was a children’s book author. During these eight years by Ethan’s side, I had written countless warm and healing fairy tales under the pen name Starlight. The worlds I created were filled with light, miracles, and unwavering love. But in reality, I was just Ethan’s secret lover who could never see the light of day. I lowered my gaze to the contract. “The Deer Above the Clouds.” This was my latest full-length fairy tale, three years in the making, my heart and soul poured into every word. And in the transferee column, two words were printed clearly. Yolanda Reed. “What is this supposed to mean?” My fingertips went ice-cold instantly. My voice trembled uncontrollably. Ethan emerged from his study wearing an impeccably tailored dark suit, his features cold and sharp, radiating aristocratic hauteur. “Exactly what it says.” He spoke casually, his tone matter-of-fact. “Yolanda’s depression has gotten worse recently. She needs an opportunity to return to the public eye. This fairy tale has a very healing tone. Publishing it under her name will be good for both her condition and her image.” My brain exploded with a roar. I stared in disbelief at this man I had loved for eight years. “Ethan, that’s my life’s work! Every single word, every single story. I stayed up countless nights writing it. Yolanda hasn’t even read it. What gives you the right to hand it over to her?” Yolanda Reed, Ethan’s first love, the woman he cherished most. A year ago, Yolanda’s career abroad hit rock bottom, and she came back carrying the label of “depression.” From that day on, my life became absolute hell. Whenever Yolanda was the slightest bit unhappy, Ethan would trample me underfoot without hesitation. Ethan frowned slightly, as if displeased by my resistance. “Sienna, don’t be unreasonable. You write fairy tales to make money, don’t you? I’ll compensate you ten times the royalties for this book. Yolanda is mentally fragile right now. She needs applause and flowers to rebuild her confidence. You’re just a ghostwriter. What use do you have for fame?” I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted blood. Ten times compensation? To me, fairy tales were my only refuge in this broken life. They were my soul. They were the light that kept me alive. But Ethan was about to rip out my soul with casual ease and stitch it onto Yolanda’s false shell. “I don’t want the money.” I looked at him. “I wrote this fairy tale for Oliver. I will never give it to anyone, especially not Yolanda!” Oliver, Oliver Hayes, my younger brother who had autism. Hearing my refusal, Ethan’s gaze turned ice-cold in an instant. He stepped forward, his long fingers gripping my chin with force enough to crush bone. “What makes you think you have the right to negotiate with me?” Ethan looked down at me from above, his voice laced with frost. “Everything you and your brother have had these past years. Who do you think paid for it? Now Yolanda needs it. So you’ll give it to her.” My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. I couldn’t breathe from the pain. Eight years. When I was eighteen, my parents died, leaving me alone with my autistic brother with nowhere to turn. Ethan descended like an angel and gave me a home. I thought it was salvation, so I gave him my entire heart, my entire life. I was the quiet, obedient woman by day and the bedmate he could take at will by night. I thought if I was good enough, if I loved him enough, someday I could melt this iceberg. Even in bed, in his most passionate moments, he had kissed my forehead and called my name. Turned out it was all just a dream. A tear fell from my eye onto the back of Ethan’s hand, scalding him into a brief pause. But he quickly released me in disgust. “Sign it.” Ethan took the fountain pen his assistant handed him and threw it on the coffee table. “Don’t make me use other methods. You know Oliver is still at the care facility.” My whole body trembled. He was threatening me with my brother. I closed my eyes as tears slid down my cheeks. Eight years of devotion, and in the end, all I got was a calculated robbery with a price tag. My hand shook as I picked up the pen and signed my name on the agreement. Every stroke felt like carving flesh from my own body.

Sienna POV Three days after signing the agreement, Yolanda made her high-profile comeback with “The Deer Above the Clouds.” News articles flooded every outlet praising Yolanda as a “talented beauty author,” saying she used fairy tales to heal herself and the world. I sat in my dim room, watching Yolanda’s radiant smile on the screen, my heart bleeding with every beat. But I didn’t even have time to grieve. The care facility called. Something had happened to Oliver. I stumbled to the facility in a panic. When I arrived, Oliver was curled in the corner of the art room, trembling violently, clutching broken paintbrush shards in his hands. Torn papers littered the floor. “Oliver!” I rushed over and wrapped my brother tightly in my arms. Oliver was an autistic savant. He couldn’t speak, so all his emotions came through in his art. Every illustration in “The Deer Above the Clouds” had been drawn by Oliver, stroke by painstaking stroke. “The deer… it’s gone…” Oliver forced out a few words, his eyes filled with terror and despair. My heart felt like it was tearing apart. I turned around to see Yolanda standing at the art room door, with Ethan beside her. Yolanda wore a pristine white dress, looking like an innocent angel. She hid behind Ethan, her eyes rimmed with red. “Ethan, I just wanted to visit Oliver and let him know his paintings would be published under my name from now on, so he wouldn’t worry. Who knew he’d suddenly go crazy and almost hurt me…” My brain exploded with rage. It wasn’t just the words. They were stealing Oliver’s artwork too! “Yolanda Reed, do you have no conscience?!” I stood up. “Stealing my book wasn’t enough? You had to come provoke Oliver too? Those paintings are his life!” I lunged forward to push Yolanda away, but Ethan grabbed my wrist and flung me aside violently. I lost my balance and crashed hard onto the floor covered with torn paper. A broken paintbrush sliced open my palm, leaving a long gash that bled profusely. Ethan looked down at me from above, his eyes full of warning. “Sienna, have you lost your mind? Yolanda came here out of kindness to visit him, and your brother not only showed no gratitude but almost injured her hand. She’s a violinist. Don’t you know how important her hands are?” I lay on the floor, staring at my bleeding palm, and laughed. Yolanda’s hands mattered, but my brother’s life didn’t? “Ethan, are you blind?” I pointed at Oliver cowering and trembling in the corner. “She came here to steal Oliver’s paintings! She’s the one who pushed him to this!” “Enough!” Ethan cut me off coldly. “It seems this facility is no longer suitable for Oliver. I’ll arrange to send him to a closed psychiatric rehabilitation center abroad. There, he can receive proper discipline.” I felt like I’d been plunged into ice water. A closed rehabilitation center abroad. In other words, a psychiatric institution. For someone like Oliver, going there was a death sentence. “No! You can’t take Oliver away!” Ignoring my injured hand, I crawled over and clutched Ethan’s legs desperately. “Mr. Pierce, I’m begging you. I gave you the book, I gave you the paintings, let Yolanda take everything, all of it! Just please don’t send Oliver away. He’ll die without me!” I abandoned every shred of dignity, humbling myself to dust. Ethan looked down at me clinging to his legs, his brow furrowing slightly. But then Yolanda gently tugged at his sleeve. “Ethan, I’m so scared. Oliver looked terrifying just now…” Yolanda leaned weakly against his shoulder. Ethan’s gaze hardened once more. He pried my fingers off one by one, his voice utterly flat. “This isn’t up for discussion. Keeping him here will only make him a threat to Yolanda. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have someone pick him up.” With that, he put his arm around Yolanda and left the art room without looking back. I collapsed on the floor, watching their retreating figures, tears streaming down uncontrollably. I had always thought that even though Ethan was cold, he at least had some compassion for me. Now I understood. In Yolanda’s presence, my brother and I didn’t even qualify as human beings. We were just stepping stones on Yolanda’s path to success, ready to be crushed at any moment. I turned and held Oliver, burying my face in my brother’s thin shoulder, crying silently. I had to find a way to save my brother. Even if it cost me my life, I couldn’t let Ethan take Oliver away.

Sienna POV To stop Oliver from being sent abroad, I stood outside Ethan’s villa all night. The autumn night rain cut through me with bone-chilling cold. I was soaked to the skin, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t until the next morning that Ethan’s black sedan finally pulled through the gate. The car window rolled down. Ethan saw me standing in the rain, his brow furrowed deeply. “Get inside.” He threw out those cold words. I followed him into the living room. Rainwater dripped from my hair onto the expensive carpet. Ethan removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie, his sharp gaze fixed on me. “Playing the victim? Sienna, when did you learn these underhanded tactics?” I stood there numbly, my voice so hoarse I could barely speak. “As long as you don’t send Oliver away, I’ll do anything.” Ethan let out a cold laugh and walked up to me, his long fingers hooking open my soaked collar. “Anything?” His tone was mocking. “Besides this body of yours, what else could possibly interest me?” I closed my eyes and didn’t resist as he scooped me up and threw me onto the bedroom’s large bed. What followed was a conquest without foreplay, only punishment. Ethan seemed to be venting some unknown fury, his movements rough and brutal. I gritted my teeth and didn’t cry out once in pain. Only silent tears slid from the corners of my eyes, soaking the pillow. I let him tear into me. When it was over, Ethan looked at me, his brow furrowing slightly. “Oliver can stay for now.” Ethan lit a cigarette, dispensing his mercy in the coldest tone possible. “But you have to move out of your current apartment and live in my villa in the western suburbs. You’re not allowed to leave without my permission.” The western suburb villa was where Ethan kept his “pets” in a gilded cage. “Okay.” I agreed without a moment’s hesitation. As long as I could protect my brother, I would give up even my life, let alone my freedom. For the next two weeks, I was completely confined. Ethan came almost every night. He adorned me with the most expensive jewelry and possessed me with the most extreme control. He was trying to prove that I still belonged completely to him. But during the day, I was forced to do the most humiliating work. Ghostwriting for Yolanda. “The Deer Above the Clouds” was a huge success, and the publisher demanded Yolanda produce a sequel as soon as possible. Yolanda couldn’t write a single word herself, so Ethan forced the task onto me. “Ten thousand words per day. If you don’t finish, Oliver’s medical expenses stop.” Those were Ethan’s exact words. I sat at the computer, staring at the screen filled with fairy tale elements that should have been mine, now bearing someone else’s name. Every keystroke felt like a knife cutting into my heart. I wrote faster and faster, but the stories grew sadder and sadder. The princesses in my stories no longer had knights to protect them. They could only bleed alone in dark forests. One afternoon, the villa door opened. It wasn’t Ethan who entered, but Yolanda. Yolanda looked at me, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. “Sienna, do you think Ethan comes to see you every night because he loves you?” Yolanda walked to the desk and casually flipped through my discarded drafts, her tone contemptuous. “He just doesn’t want to hurt me. My wrist was injured, my body is delicate. He can’t bear to touch me. So he uses you as a tool to vent his frustrations instead.” My fingers froze on the keyboard. “Do you know Ethan bought me a wedding dress yesterday?” Yolanda leaned closer, lowering her voice. “At next month’s book launch, he’s going to propose to me. And you? You’ll always be nothing but a dirty woman who can’t see daylight, who doesn’t even deserve to have her name on her own work.” I stared at the screen, my nails digging deep into my palms. I said nothing. I thought my heart had already died, but hearing the word “propose” still made it convulse with pain. Seeing that I wouldn’t fight back, Yolanda seemed to lose interest. She scoffed and left. The room fell silent again. I looked at the sentence on my screen. “The deer finally died on a night without stars.” I covered my face and let out a desperate, muffled cry.

Sienna POV The launch event was dazzling, packed with media and celebrities. I was supposed to be confined to the western suburb villa, but out of the blue, Ethan had someone deliver a haute couture gown and ordered me to attend. “Yolanda’s signing session needs an assistant to hand her pens and organize manuscripts. You’re most familiar with this material. You’ll go.” Ethan’s reasoning sounded official, but every word cut like a blade. I wore an ill-fitting gray business suit and stood in the shadows where the spotlights couldn’t reach. I watched the center of the stage. Yolanda wore a white haute couture gown, looking every bit the fairy tale princess. She held the trophy that should have been mine, smiling gracefully and beautifully. “This work wouldn’t exist without the most important person in my life.” Yolanda spoke into the microphone, gazing affectionately at Ethan in the front row. “He gave me inspiration, and he pulled me out of the abyss of depression.” Thunderous applause erupted. Ethan walked onstage and took the microphone from the host. His usually stern face now wore an unusually gentle smile. “Yolanda is a genius. She deserves the best of everything this world has to offer.” Ethan looked at Yolanda, his voice deep and pleasant. Then, before countless flashing cameras, he dropped to one knee and produced a dazzling diamond ring. “Yolanda, marry me.” The crowd went wild. Romantic confetti rained down from above. I stood in the corner, coldly watching this scene unfold. My heart had gone numb from pain. Even breathing tasted like blood. Eight years. I had accompanied him through his family’s most difficult power struggles, shielded him from harm in the business world, and even nursed him meticulously for a month when he had a bleeding ulcer. I had naively thought that if I just kept waiting, someday he would turn around and truly see me. But now, he was giving all his glory, favor, and promises to another woman. And I had been personally pushed into the mud by his hands, forced to witness their happiness. “Could the assistant please bring up the books for signing?” The host’s voice suddenly rang out. A spotlight hit me. Every eye in the venue focused on me. I froze in place. Yolanda smiled and beckoned. “Come on over, everyone’s waiting.” Ethan also turned his head, his gaze locking coldly onto me with unquestionable authority. I took a deep breath, picked up the thick stack of new books, and walked toward the stage step by step. The book’s cover bore Yolanda’s name. The illustrations were Oliver’s. The words were mine. This was my brother’s and my flesh and blood, now reduced to props for someone else’s romance. When I reached Yolanda’s side, she suddenly lowered her voice to a volume only we could hear. “Sienna, see? Your life’s work, your man. They’re all mine now. You’re nothing but a complete failure.” My hands trembled violently. The books tumbled from my arms and scattered across the floor with a loud crash. Gasps rippled through the audience. “What kind of work is this? You can’t even do such a simple task!” Ethan shouted harshly. “Hurry up and pick them up! Apologize to Yolanda!” I looked at the books scattered on the floor, at Ethan’s heartless face, and suddenly found it all absurd. I didn’t bend down to pick up the books. Instead, I stood straight and looked directly at Ethan. “Ethan, do you really love her?” My voice wasn’t loud, but in the quiet venue, it rang out clearly. Ethan’s brow furrowed tightly. “What nonsense are you spouting? Security, get her out of here!” “If you don’t love her, why did you steal my life to give to her?” I smiled, the last light in my heart extinguishing completely. “If you do love her, then why do you pin me down every night and call out her name?” The moment those words left my mouth, the entire venue fell deathly silent. Yolanda’s face went deathly pale. Ethan’s eyes churned with a terrifying storm. “Shut her up and drag her out!” Ethan exploded with rage. Several security guards rushed forward, roughly twisting my arms behind my back and dragging me away. I didn’t struggle. I just turned back and looked deeply at Ethan one last time. In my heart, there was no more love, no more hate. Only the dead ashes of what once was. Ethan, I don’t owe you anything anymore.

Sienna POV After the launch event scandal, Ethan’s revenge became absolutely insane. I was completely cut off from the outside world, locked in the western suburb villa like a real prisoner. Every day, aside from being forced to write, I endured Ethan’s furious punishment at night. Ethan used his actions to show me exactly what happened when I defied him. But I didn’t care about any of it anymore. The only thing I still worried about was Oliver. However, the thing I feared most still happened. Late one night, the villa’s landline suddenly rang. The servant watching over me wasn’t there, so I picked up the phone. “Is this the family member of Oliver Hayes? This is the care facility. The patient’s condition is critical. Please come immediately!” The doctor’s voice was extremely urgent. My mind went completely blank. I bolted out of the villa without thinking. Rain poured down. I had no umbrella, no money, didn’t even have my shoes on properly. I ran barefoot through the storm for what felt like forever before finally flagging down a taxi. When I reached the facility, Oliver had already been rushed into the emergency room. “What happened? What’s wrong with Oliver?” I grabbed the nurse’s hand, trembling uncontrollably. The nurse sighed. “This afternoon, a Miss Reed came to visit him. We don’t know what she showed him, but the patient suddenly lost complete emotional control, triggered severe stress-induced heart failure, and… and mutilated both his hands.” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. Yolanda! It was Yolanda again! I rushed into the hospital room and saw the floor covered with twisted, bloody drawings Oliver had made. Every single one screamed silently. I collapsed in the pool of blood, my heart so broken I couldn’t even cry. I pulled out my phone with shaking hands and dialed Ethan’s number. Once, twice, three times… no answer. Oliver needed to be transferred. He needed the top specialists for consultation. All of this required Ethan’s approval, required the Pierce family’s resources. I had one last option. I called Ethan’s special assistant. “Miss Hayes, Mr. Pierce is currently on a yacht celebrating Miss Reed’s birthday. He’s given strict orders not to be disturbed by anyone.” The assistant’s voice was ice-cold. “Please, just let me speak to him for one second! Oliver is dying. He needs to be transferred to another hospital. Please!” I stood outside the emergency room, desperately pleading into the phone. After a moment of silence, Ethan’s impatient voice finally came through. “Sienna, what game are you playing now?” Hearing his voice, I grasped at that sliver of light. “Ethan, Oliver is dying! Yolanda went to provoke him. He went into heart failure and destroyed his hands! Please help me. Send a helicopter to get him to the best hospital. I’m begging you!” I could hear Yolanda’s sweet laughter in the background, probably cutting cake. Ethan’s voice instantly turned arctic. “Sienna, there’s a limit to how much you can lie. Yolanda has been with me all day. How could she possibly have gone to the facility? Are you so desperate to ruin her birthday that you’d even curse your own brother’s life?” “I’m not lying! Check the surveillance footage! Ethan, this is a human life!” I screamed hoarsely, my throat filled with the taste of blood. “Enough!” Ethan cut me off brutally. “Oliver going crazy is his own problem. Since he destroyed his own hands, he’s just a useless wreck now anyway. I don’t have time to deal with your mess.” The call ended mercilessly. I stared blankly as my phone screen went dark. Useless wreck. My brother was a genius who had been driven to this, step by step, by them! Just then, the emergency room light went out. The doctor emerged, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Miss Hayes. We did everything we could. The patient… didn’t make it.” I didn’t cry. I slowly stood up and watched as they wheeled out Oliver’s body, covered with a white sheet. I pulled back the sheet and looked at his pale face and his hands, which he had bitten until they were mangled beyond recognition. “Oliver, don’t be afraid. I’m taking you home.” I gently stroked his ice-cold cheek. My heart, in that moment, died completely. Not even ashes remained.

Sienna POV On the luxury yacht Ethan had chartered for Yolanda, lights blazed and elegantly dressed guests mingled. Yolanda wore that starry gown, nestled against Ethan’s side, accepting everyone’s blessings and envious gazes. I shoved the banquet hall doors open with force. The cheerful music cut off abruptly. Every eye turned to me. I wore a thin windbreaker soaked through with rain and mud, barefoot, the soles of my feet covered in bloody cuts. The moment Ethan saw me, his expression darkened sharply. “What are you doing here?” Ethan strode over, trying to block everyone’s view, and hissed quietly in fury. “Didn’t you embarrass yourself enough last time? Get out of here!” I ignored him. I stared hard at Yolanda hiding behind him. “Yolanda Reed, what did you show Oliver this afternoon?” My voice was eerily calm. Yolanda flinched and clutched Ethan’s sleeve tighter. “Ethan, I’m scared… She looks like a lunatic…” “Sienna! I told you, Yolanda was with me all day!” Ethan grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard enough to shatter bone. “Where’s security? Drag her out!” I laughed. I wrenched my hand free from Ethan’s grip and pulled a blood-stained phone from my pocket. It was Oliver’s phone. Inside was a video Yolanda had sent him. In the video, Yolanda threw Oliver’s original artwork into a fire pit one by one, burning them while telling him in the most vicious language: “Your sister has been used up by Ethan. She’ll be thrown out of the Pierce family soon. You idiot, you do nothing but drag her down. These garbage drawings of yours are only good enough to be my stepping stones.” I held the phone screen up to Ethan’s face. “Ethan, look closely. This is the kind, fragile woman you’ve been protecting with your life!” Ethan’s gaze fell on the screen. His face instantly darkened. He turned to look at Yolanda. Yolanda panicked. Tears immediately started falling. “Ethan, it’s not like that! That autistic boy went crazy first and tried to hit me. I just got upset and scared him a little… I really didn’t…” “Scared him?” I advanced step by step. “Do you know that because you ‘scared’ him, he went into heart failure? He’s dead! Yolanda Reed, you killed my brother!” The entire room gasped. Ethan’s body went rigid. He looked at me in disbelief. I pulled a sharp knife from my sleeve and lunged straight at Yolanda. “You’re going to pay for his life!” Yolanda screamed and dodged. In that critical moment, Ethan instinctively stepped in front of Yolanda. With a sickening sound, the blade slashed Ethan’s arm. Blood immediately gushed out. I froze. I stared at the blood on the knife’s edge, then at how Ethan had protected Yolanda without hesitation. Suddenly, it all seemed laughably absurd. “Have you lost your mind?!” Ethan snatched the knife from my hand and shoved me violently to the ground. I crashed hard onto the cold marble floor. My bones made a dull thud. “Oliver is dead because he had bad luck. What does that have to do with Yolanda?” Ethan looked down at me from above, his eyes utterly devoid of warmth. “You actually dared to pull a knife and try to kill someone on my turf because of some autistic kid?” “Bad luck?” I lay on the floor, tilted my head back to look at him, and finally let the tears fall. “Ethan, it wasn’t bad luck. It was meeting you! You enabled Yolanda. You personally cut off his path to survival!” “Send him for cremation. I’ll cover the funeral expenses.” Ethan cut me off impatiently and turned to order the security guards. “Take Sienna back to the western suburb villa. Lock her in the basement. Without my permission, no one is to let her out. When she learns to apologize to Yolanda, then she can eat again!” I didn’t struggle. I let the security guards drag me away. I watched Ethan anxiously check whether Yolanda had been hurt, watched him cradle that murderer in his arms protectively.I closed my eyes and told myself: Ethan, this is the last time I’ll cry for you. From now on, we’ll never see each other again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “393699”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

One month before the wedding, Lucas gave my wedding venue to his first love, Serena. He even said, “Her grandfather is dying. He wants to see her married before he goes. I’ll marry her first.” Serena also sent me a taunting text: “I’ve already worn your wedding dress. Tonight, on your wedding night, I’ll sleep with your man first too.” The attached photo showed her in my custom wedding dress, lying on our marriage bed. Seven years as his fiancée, and I didn’t even have the right to wear my own dress. I had to give it to someone else. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I calmly posted online: “Wedding canceled. Looking for a new groom. Anyone interested?” A call came in immediately. It was my lifelong rival, Theodore Holt. “Elara, marry me.” Elara’s POV The wedding was just a month away. But inside the VIP room of the wedding planning company, Lucas and I sat in deathly silence. It started with a call from Serena. After that, Lucas made an absurd decision. He wanted to give her the island chapel and the wedding date we’d spent a year preparing. “Serena’s grandfather is dying,” Lucas said. “His last wish is to see her get married. She found a fake fiancé just for the ceremony, and she urgently needs a venue and a date. We can have our wedding anytime. But she can’t wait. His voice was cold. Clinical. Like he was talking about rearranging furniture. Looking at this man I’d loved for seven years, I felt chilled to the bone. “That’s our wedding date. That’s the venue I’ve always dreamed of. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous to give it to another woman?” Lucas frowned, a flash of impatience crossing his eyes. “Elara, since when did you become so heartless? It’s a dying man’s last wish. Have you no compassion?” My eyes burned, but I held back my tears. This wasn’t the first time. Ever since Serena came back, Lucas kept pushing his boundaries further. When Serena was afraid of the dark, he left me with a fever in the middle of the night to stay with her. When Serena was upset, he canceled our anniversary to cheer her up. And now, even our wedding had to be given away. Seeing my silence, Lucas directly took the venue transfer agreement from the table and signed his name. “I have things to do. I need to go to the hospital to see her grandfather. You should calm down on your own first.” With that, he turned and left without a second thought. Watching his retreating figure, I suddenly realized that over seven years, I’d always been watching his back. In college, Lucas was the finance department’s golden boy. I gave it everything I had to become his girlfriend. I thought I was special. Then Serena appeared. And I understood that the place beside him was never meant for me. My phone buzzed. A text from Serena. She sent a photo. Lucas sat by a hospital bed, head down, peeling an apple for her. His face held a tenderness I’d never seen. The caption read: “Thanks for lending me Lucas and the wedding venue, Elara. Grandpa is so happy.” I felt like I’d been plunged into ice water. Lending? Since when could you lend out a fiancé? I suddenly felt tired, that bone-deep exhaustion instantly drowning me. For Lucas, I’d sacrificed too much, given up my dignity, and in the end, I was ruthlessly abandoned right before the wedding. Since he didn’t cherish this relationship, I didn’t want it anymore either. I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, photographed the canceled wedding plan on the table, and posted it on Instagram, blocking Lucas. “Wedding canceled. Now I want a new groom. Anyone interested?” After posting on Instagram, likes and comments quickly appeared below, most thinking I was joking. I didn’t reply. Just as I was about to lock my screen and leave, a phone call suddenly came in. A name flashed on the screen: Theodore Holt. I froze. Theodore was my childhood enemy. Our family backgrounds were similar, and we’d fought from kindergarten through high school. Later, to chase Lucas, I resolutely stayed in this unfamiliar city and lost contact with Theodore. Our only recent interaction was when I posted my wedding dress fitting photos on Instagram a while ago, and he left a mocking comment below: “Terrible taste. Can you not marry him?” I was so angry at the time that I ignored him. When I answered the phone, before I could speak, a man’s deep, magnetic voice came through without a trace of jest. “Elara, if you want a new groom, how about me?” The air fell into dead silence. I gripped my phone, my fingertips turning white. “Theodore, don’t joke about this kind of thing.” “I’m not joking.” Theodore’s voice carried unprecedented seriousness. “We’ve known each other for so many years. We’re very familiar with each other. Since you want to change, I’m the best choice.” After a long silence, I spoke hoarsely. “Alright. What are your conditions?” “Only one condition. Change my contact name to ‘Husband.’ And whatever other wives can give their husbands, I want too.” My eyes welled up, tears nearly falling. I thought I’d be mocked, but I never expected that at this moment, the one catching all my embarrassment would be my former enemy. “Okay.” “Give me half a month. I’ll handle things here and then come back to New York to find you.” After hanging up, the first thing I did was change Theodore’s contact name to “Husband.” Looking at the contact name on the screen, a mocking smile curved my lips. Lucas, since you could give away even our wedding for Serena, then I’ll get a new groom.

Elara’s POV Over the next few days, Lucas didn’t come home. I calmly contacted relatives and friends, taking back all the invitations I’d sent. My friends were shocked. “Why the sudden cancellation? Haven’t you two always had a good relationship?” My tone was flat. “I’m getting a new groom.” No one took it seriously, after all, everyone knew how shamelessly I loved Lucas. Three days later, Lucas finally came back. His eyes showed exhaustion, his shirt was wrinkled, and seeing me in the living room, he said casually, “Serena’s grandfather passed away last night. She’s emotionally devastated. I need to stay with her these next few days. As for the wedding, let’s talk about it later.” He thought I would make a scene and had already prepared his excuses. However, I just nodded lightly. “Got it.” Lucas froze slightly but didn’t continue asking. He turned and went into the bathroom. After washing up, he changed into clean clothes and said to me, “Serena is very vulnerable right now. I’ll take you to see her, and you can comfort her.” Looking at Lucas, I found it laughable. But I didn’t refuse. I wanted to see what other disgusting things they could do. When we arrived at the Ashford villa, as soon as we entered, I heard a delicate sob. “Lucas…” Wearing a plain white dress, Serena flew like a bird straight into Lucas’s arms. Lucas immediately reached out to catch her steadily, his movements practiced as if he’d done it many times. He coaxed her softly, his eyes showing gentleness and patience I’d never received. “Don’t cry. I’m here with you.” I stood to the side, watching this tender scene with cold eyes. My heart was surprisingly calm. I guess when a heart is truly dead, even jealousy has nowhere to live. Serena finally seemed to notice me. She pulled away from Lucas’s arms and apologized, her eyes red-rimmed. “I’m sorry, Elara. I was so upset. I couldn’t help it. Please don’t blame Lucas.” “It’s fine.” My tone was completely flat. “You two continue.” Lucas frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with my cold attitude. “Elara, can you show some compassion? Serena just lost a relative.” I couldn’t be bothered to respond and turned to sit on a nearby sofa. For the next two hours, Lucas stayed by Serena’s side. I was like a ghost, quietly watching their performance. It wasn’t until Serena’s emotions stabilized that Lucas walked over to me, his tone carrying an unquestionable command. “Elara, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. Hand over the Starlight project at the company to Serena.” I jerked my head up, my eyes finally showing emotion. The Starlight project was a core project I’d pulled countless all-nighters for and attended countless business dinners to secure. Lucas had promised that once the project landed, I would become the company’s design director. “Why?” I asked coldly. “Serena’s in a terrible state right now. She needs a project with a sense of achievement to distract her and rebuild her confidence. You’re capable and will have more opportunities later, but Serena needs this now.” Lucas spoke naturally. I laughed bitterly. “To rebuild her confidence, you’re going to take away my achievements? Lucas, what do you think the company is? What do you think my hard work is?” “Elara, stop making a scene!” Lucas’s face darkened. “It’s just one project. Do you really need to be so petty about it? I’m the company president. I’ve already decided this.” Looking at his cold face, my heart completely died. “Fine.” I stood up, my gaze as calm as stagnant water. “I’ll give her not just the project, but my job too.” Lucas froze. “What do you mean?” “I resign.” I dropped this sentence and walked out of the Ashford house without looking back. Lucas didn’t chase after me. He probably thought I was just angry. However, he didn’t know that this time, I truly didn’t want him anymore.

Elara’s POV The next day, I showed up at the company on time and slapped my resignation letter on Lucas’s office desk. Lucas didn’t even glance at it. He threw the resignation letter directly into the trash, his tone cold and hard. “Elara, there’s a limit to throwing tantrums. I said giving the project to Serena is temporary. Do you have to cause me trouble at a time like this?” I looked at Lucas, my eyes clear and resolute. “Lucas, I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’ve already sent the handover list to HR. I’m leaving today.” With that, I turned back to my desk to pack my things. My colleagues watched me leave with a cardboard box, all showing shocked expressions. After all, everyone knew I was Mr. Gray’s loyal follower, and for Lucas, I would give up even my life. I didn’t explain. Holding the box, I walked out of the building where I’d worked for five years. The sunlight was blinding, but I felt unprecedentedly relaxed. Over the weekend, my friends organized a party. I didn’t want to go, but thinking I’d soon be leaving the city, I decided to say goodbye. I’d just sat down in the private room when the door opened and Lucas walked in with Serena. Serena wore a haute couture dress with a dazzling pink diamond necklace around her neck. The moment I saw that necklace, the room fell silent, everyone’s eyes turning to me. That necklace was what Lucas had bid for at an auction six months ago. At the time, he’d said in front of everyone that it was a wedding gift prepared for me. But now, the necklace was around Serena’s neck. My friend Sophie was furious. She stood up abruptly and demanded, “Lucas, what’s the meaning of this? Wasn’t that necklace the substitute wedding ring you were giving Elara? Why is it around her neck?” Lucas’s expression didn’t change. He said calmly, “Serena liked it, so I lent it to her for a few days. It’s just a necklace. I’ll buy Elara a better one later.” “Lent?” Sophie sneered. “You can even lend out wedding gifts. Lucas, why don’t you just lend her the groom’s position too!” “Sophie, watch your words!” Lucas’s eyes were cold as he instinctively shielded Serena behind him. Serena immediately teared up, pitifully tugging at Lucas’s sleeve. “Lucas, I’m sorry. I didn’t know this was Elara’s wedding gift. I’ll return it to you…” As she spoke, she pretended to unclasp the necklace. “No need.” Lucas held her hand, his gaze coldly sweeping toward me. “Elara isn’t that petty.” I sat in the corner, watching this farce, feeling only nausea in my stomach. I stood up, picked up the wine glass in front of me, and walked over to them. Lucas thought I was going to get angry, his brows furrowing. “Elara, don’t embarrass yourself here.” I laughed lightly, my wrist turning as I splashed all the red wine from the glass onto Serena’s dress. “Ah!” Serena screamed and hid in Lucas’s arms. “Elara, are you crazy!” Lucas was furious. “It’s just a necklace. If it gets dirty, it gets dirty.” I casually threw the empty wine glass on the table, producing a crisp shattering sound. “Lucas, take your trash and get out of my sight.”

Elara’s POV After splashing the wine, I left the private room without looking back under everyone’s shocked gazes. Just as I walked out of the restaurant, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my abdomen. My face instantly turned pale, cold sweat pouring down. I clutched my stomach, the pain so intense I could barely straighten up. It was acute appendicitis. I’d had irregular meals while working on that project, and the symptoms had been building for a while. I just hadn’t expected it to flare up at this moment. With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and instinctively dialed Lucas’s number. After all, in this city, he was the only one I could rely on. The phone rang for a long time before being answered. An angry voice came through. “Elara, what do you want now? Do you know Serena was so scared by you that she almost had a heart attack!” “Lucas… my stomach hurts so much. Could you… take me to the hospital…” My voice was so weak it was barely audible. The other end fell silent for a moment, then Serena’s weak moan came through. “Lucas, my chest hurts so much…” Lucas’s voice immediately became anxious. “Serena, hang in there. I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” Then he said coldly to me on the phone, “Elara, if you’re going to fake being sick, find a better time. Serena’s in bad shape right now. I don’t have time to play along with your act. Take a cab yourself!” The call was ruthlessly disconnected. I leaned weakly against a lamppost, my phone slipping to the ground. The severe pain made my vision go dark, but what hurt more was that completely dead heart. This was the man I’d loved for seven years. When I was in so much pain I was about to die, he abandoned me for another woman. My vision gradually blurred. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, a black Maybach suddenly stopped in front of me. The car door opened, and a pair of long legs stepped out. “Elara!” A familiar, anxious voice rang in my ears. I forced my eyes open and saw Theodore’s stern face. How could he be here? Before I could figure it out, Theodore had already scooped me up and put me in the car. “To the nearest hospital! Hurry!” Theodore shouted at the driver, then turned to hold me tightly, his voice trembling slightly. “Elara, hang on. I’m taking you to the hospital.” Breathing in the crisp cedar scent on him, my taut nerves finally snapped, and I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I found myself lying in a VIP hospital room. The anesthesia hadn’t completely worn off, and the wound throbbed dully. By the bedside, Theodore was peeling an apple with his head lowered. He wore a well-tailored suit, though his tie was somewhat disheveled, and his eyes showed faint red veins, clearly having gone without sleep all night. Hearing movement, he looked up. Seeing me awake, his cold, hard features instantly softened. “You’re awake? Does it still hurt?” I shook my head, my voice hoarse. “How did you end up here?” “If I hadn’t come, was I supposed to watch you die on the street?” Theodore snorted angrily, cutting the peeled apple into small pieces and bringing them to my mouth. “I wanted to come early and surprise you, but the surprise almost turned into a shock. Elara, your taste is truly terrible. You actually liked that trash for so many years.” I lowered my eyes, not refuting. Yes, he was right. “But it doesn’t matter.” Theodore put down the apple and reached out to gently ruffle my hair, his tone domineering yet gentle. “From now on, your life belongs to me.”

Elara’s POV I stayed in the hospital for three days. Lucas didn’t call even once. Looking at the empty chat interface, my heart remained unmoved. I completed the discharge procedures. Theodore wanted to take me back, but I refused. “Give me one last bit of time. I need to give myself closure.” Theodore looked at me deeply but didn’t force me. “Alright. I’ll wait for you downstairs. When you’re done, I’ll take you home.” I returned alone to the apartment where Lucas and I had lived together for five years. The moment I opened the door, I froze. At the entrance sat a pair of unfamiliar women’s slippers. Several pink coats were thrown on the sofa. The table was covered with various imported snacks and medicine bottles. The air was filled with a sickly sweet perfume scent. Serena’s favorite. The bedroom door opened, and Lucas came out carrying a glass of warm water. Seeing me, he frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Where have you been these past few days? You didn’t even send me a message. Are you still throwing a tantrum?” I didn’t answer. My gaze moved past him to look at the master bedroom. Serena, wearing my pajamas, walked out from the master bedroom. Seeing me, she immediately put on a frightened expression. “Elara, you’re back. I’m sorry. The pipes in my apartment burst, and Lucas was afraid I’d be scared alone, so he let me stay here temporarily.” She paused, then added, “I thought the master bedroom bed was most comfortable, so Lucas gave me the master bedroom. Elara, you don’t mind, do you?” I looked at the new pajamas on Serena that I hadn’t even worn yet, then at Lucas’s matter-of-fact expression, and suddenly felt utterly disgusted. “I don’t mind.” My tone was frighteningly calm. “If you two like it, take it all.” Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. He thought I finally understood him. “I’m glad you understand. Serena’s health isn’t good. Sleep in the guest room these next few days and don’t disturb her.” I ignored him and walked straight into the guest room, pulling out my suitcase. I started packing. Clothes, skincare products, documents… anything that belonged to me, I packed into the suitcase piece by piece. Lucas stood in the doorway, watching my actions. “What are you doing? Packing to go where?” “Moving out.” I didn’t look up. “Elara, haven’t you had enough!” Lucas finally lost his temper, slamming his hand on my suitcase. “Serena’s only staying temporarily for a few days. Do you really need to be so petty about it? You didn’t use to be this small-minded!” I stopped, looked up, and stared at him coldly. “Lucas, do you think that no matter how much you trample on my boundaries, I’ll stay by your side like a dog?” Lucas avoided my gaze. He didn’t dare look directly at me. “I didn’t trample on your boundaries. I’m just helping someone in need!” “Is that so?” I laughed lightly, forcefully pulling back my suitcase. “Then take good care of her. I wish you two the best together forever.” I zipped up the suitcase, took off the diamond ring Lucas had given me when he proposed, and casually tossed it on the table. “Lucas, we’re breaking up.”

Elara’s POV The diamond ring landed on the glass table with a crisp sound. Lucas looked at that solitary ring, his pupils contracting sharply as he reached out to grab my wrist. “Elara, make yourself clear! What do you mean, breaking up? We’re getting married soon!” I dodged his touch, my eyes full of disgust. “Getting married? To whom? To the you who gave away the wedding venue to someone else, or to the you who put the substitute wedding ring around someone else’s neck?” “I told you that was temporary!” Lucas gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. “Why do you have to make a scene at a time like this? Serena has depression. She can’t handle stimulation!” “She can’t handle stress, so I’m the one you humiliate?” My voice was low but firm. “Seven years, Lucas. I cooked for you. I worked for your company. I gave up my own future in New York. I thought I could reach you. But I was wrong. It’s not that you don’t have a heart. You just gave it all to Serena.” “I didn’t!” Lucas refuted in a panic, but his rebuttal seemed so pale and weak. “You know the truth in your heart.” I pulled my suitcase and walked out without any reluctance. Serena stood in the living room. Watching this scene, she cried pitifully. “Elara, don’t go. It’s all my fault. I’ll move out right away…” “Shut up.” I looked at Serena coldly. “Put away that nauseating act. It’s revolting. This house, this man. I find them both dirty. I’m giving them to you.” With that, I pushed open the door and strode out. The door slammed shut with a bang, blocking out Lucas’s stunned face and Serena’s fake crying. Downstairs from the apartment, Theodore leaned against the car door, an unlit cigarette between his fingers. Seeing me come out with my suitcase, he immediately put the cigarette away. He strode forward and naturally took the suitcase from my hand. “All cleaned up?” he asked in a low voice. “Yeah.” I took a deep breath of the outside air, feeling even my breathing become smoother. Theodore looked at my resolute face, a satisfied arc curving his lips. He opened the passenger door and helped me into the seat. “Let’s go, Mrs. Holt. We’re going home.” The car smoothly left that neighborhood, speeding toward the airport. This time, I truly flew out of Lucas’s world and would never look back. Three hours later, the plane landed at New York airport. I pushed my suitcase out of the terminal, looking at this city I’d left seven years ago, my eyes slightly warm. I was finally back, back to the place that truly belonged to me. Theodore walked beside me, his tall, upright figure blocking the surrounding crowd for me. He glanced at me, deep tenderness hidden in his eyes. “Back to your place first, or come with me somewhere?” I paused. “Where?” Theodore didn’t answer. He just smiled mysteriously and pulled me onto the Maybach that had been waiting outside. Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a solemn, dignified building. Theodore was actually taking me to register our marriage! “Really?” I turned to look at Theodore, my voice trembling slightly. Theodore unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned close to me, his warm breath spraying on my ear. “Elara, I never joke. Since I promised to marry you, I don’t want to wait even one more second.” He looked at me steadily, his eyes showing undisguised aggression and determination. “I’ve prepared all the materials. Now, you have one last chance to back out.” I looked at this man before me. He didn’t have Lucas’s coldness and calculating nature, only full sincerity and determination. I took a deep breath, unbuckled my seatbelt, and pushed open the car door. “Back out, and you’re a coward.” Theodore laughed softly, caught up, and took my hand firmly. When we completed the registration, I was still a little dazed. Had I really just married myself off like that? Theodore looked at the marriage certificate. His eyes were practically smiling. The caption was just one simple sentence: “I’ve finally married the one I love.”

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