Category: English

The perennial singleton, Serena, was asked on a reality show: “Artists your age are already married with children. Why are you still single?” Serena smiled faintly: “Because the man I love already has a devoted wife.” “Oh my god! Who did he marry?!” Serena glanced at me, also a guest on the show. My social media was instantly flooded: “How does it feel to be a homewrecker?” “Are you happy about ruining someone’s life?” “Are you really not going to let your husband go?” I looked at Liam Miller, the investor sitting in the audience: “Honey, they’re asking if I should let you go.” “Oh my god! Serena, the man you love is… Mr. Miller!” Serena darted a glance at Liam, then quickly lowered her eyes, a hint of reluctance in them. The live comments were going wild: 【OMG, she’s so jealous! My heart aches for her!】 【Jade’s triumphant smirk, flaunting Mr. Miller right in front of Serena – isn’t she just rubbing salt in the wound?】 【Um… but Mr. Miller *is* Jade’s husband, right?】 【The commenter above defending a homewrecker? Must be one herself!】 … I simply glanced at Liam, unfazed. Three years of marriage, and no one had ever questioned our relationship. He insisted on investing in any reality show I joined, just in case I was targeted by the crew. If he couldn’t accompany me, he’d double his investment. But as I really looked at Liam, I found his gaze fixed on Serena. His eyes were complex, holding an emotion I couldn’t decipher. My hand, propped against my chin, subtly dropped away. How could I have forgotten? Serena was the one Liam loved first. Back then, Serena was so fresh and ethereal. At an age when other girls would swoon if Liam merely looked their way, only she would disdainfully toss his gifts in the trash, muttering: “Entitled jerk.” Even when she reluctantly agreed to date him, she broke up with him abruptly on the day of our college entrance exams: “You have a bright future ahead. I won’t be joining you on that path.” Liam completely shut down on the spot. It was me, with a face strikingly similar to Serena’s, who approached him: “If she won’t keep you company, I will. I can play any role you want, just pay me.” I became Serena’s stand-in. I made a killing by the side of the wealthy heir. When the Millers demanded he marry, I packed my bags to leave. But he grabbed my hand. The man who had been withdrawn for years declared firmly: “I want her.” I touched his forehead: “Do you even know who I am?” “Jade.” “Not Serena?” He gritted his teeth: “Jade, it’s always been Jade.” I leaned in closer: “Who is Jade to you?” “My wife.” After helping the scion overcome his withdrawal, the Miller family immediately accepted me as their daughter-in-law. Everyone said I was lucky, that I’d snagged a man even A-list actresses couldn’t win over, and I, an industry nobody, had him wrapped around my finger. But now, looking at Liam’s eyes, I wavered— What if Serena came back? Seeing Serena’s shy expression, a lump formed in my throat. “Do I know this woman?” Liam’s words made Serena’s smile freeze. “What does my marriage have to do with you? Do you think you can slander any woman whose husband you fancy? “No wonder Ms. Serena has been in the industry for years and is still just an influencer, without a single award to her name.” Serena’s smile vanished completely. Liam, however, chuckled: “Sorry, my withdrawal just cleared up recently, so I’m not very good with words. Don’t mind me.” “Uh… of course, haha.” Serena’s laugh was worse than a cry. As soon as the recording ended, I rushed into Liam’s arms. The comments had long since shifted from accusing me of being a homewrecker to “JadeLiam forever!” Serena stood nearby, her gaze meeting Liam’s. Sadness, heartache, spilled over. Liam merely gave her a brief glance, then wrapped an arm around my waist and walked away. Back home, I happily scrolled through comments. Then I saw the top trending topic: 【Serena Invites Mr. Miller to Love Swap – EXPLOSIVE!】 I clicked on it. Serena had retweeted the link to the Love Swap reality show, tagging Liam: 【Coming?】 Liam’s reply was the first comment: 【Yes】

“Honey, since she’s slandering you like this, of course I have to make her give up in person. Only if I participate in the Love Swap show and choose only you as my partner will the whole country know her malicious intentions.” I sipped my yogurt pouch, watching Liam. His attitude was earnest, just as it had always been. “Liam,” I said, biting the corner of the pouch, “if you regret it, we can get a divorce… Mm-!” The yogurt mixed in our mouths. He only let me go after kissing me until I was breathless. “Don’t say things like that again. “Besides, doesn’t your bag design need a promotional opportunity?” “Let’s do it!” I nodded instantly. No reality show was more popular than Love Swap; it was wildly popular, even internationally. After all, a group of married/partnered celebrities swap partners to experience different lives, full of taboo and excitement. Liam could spend a fortune promoting me, but it probably wouldn’t compare to this single appearance. Serena’s social media account exploded, with many fans celebrating the ultimate triumph of first love. But Serena merely smiled shyly at the press conference: “How is this a victory? He’s just doing it to advertise for his wife. “For me, just seeing him from afar would finally bring closure to my youthful regrets.” My best friend, Chloe, was fuming: 【She just found out how hard the entertainment industry is and now she’s regretting it, seeing how Jade has Mr. Miller backing her up!】 【Ugh! That manipulative witch!】 But she was immediately attacked by netizens: 【Get this straight, it’s Jade, the homewrecker, who stole our Serena’s man! You’re defending a homewrecker, probably because you’re used to being one, right?】 【LOL, maybe she’s also got her eye on her best friend’s man. Saying Serena’s a manipulative witch? Maybe she just doesn’t want another competitor!】 I immediately stopped Chloe from arguing, to prevent retaliation. At the same time, I collected the IDs of those making outrageous comments and handed them over to our legal team for defamation. While scrolling through Serena’s response video, I suddenly noticed a pair of hawk-like, sharp eyes behind her. I zoomed in. The cold face of Serena’s fiancé, from her arranged marriage, filled the screen. Serena had indeed been single before. But she recently accepted a commercial marriage arrangement from her family, and then, immediately, she eagerly signed up for Love Swap. I knew this man. The biggest jewelry magnate in Silverwood City, the undisputed heir to that dynasty. Seeing the possessive look in his eyes, I sighed— Serena always had such good luck. In her student days, Liam Miller, the East Coast scion, was crazy about her. Now, after a casual arranged marriage, the Silverwood City heir was utterly obsessed with her. I sipped my yogurt pouch, sighing. Just as I was about to put down my phone, another trending topic exploded: 【Liam Miller: Stop pretending】 I quickly clicked on it. Under Serena’s response video, Liam’s comment had soared to the top: 【Stop pretending】 Serena hastily held a press conference to clarify. I was doubled over with laughter, but then accidentally glimpsed Noah Hayes, the Silverwood City heir, in the corner, staring coldly at the camera. His eyes were filled with fierce protection for his fiancée.

The reality show soon began filming. Before choosing whose partner to team up with, the production team arranged a week-long cohabitation period to help them make their choices later. Liam always stayed by my side. Even during group dinners arranged for all the guests, he maintained a respectful distance from any other female guests sitting next to him. Serena was repeatedly arranged to sit beside Liam, but he would simply get up and leave. The crew tried to persuade him: “This is Love Swap, Mr. Miller, you have to follow the rules.” “I’ll cover any penalties.” Liam dropped those words and walked away. Serena bit her lip, her eyes red-rimmed, watching him walk towards my room. Noah Hayes, standing nearby, cast a glance at his fiancée. His eyes held complex emotions. Serena stopped clinging to Liam. Because after watching a few live broadcasts, public opinion on her took a sharp turn: 【Mr. Miller said no, so why is she still pushing? Is she really like that netizen said, she’s struggled enough in the industry and is now envious of Jade having a powerful husband?】 【LOL, isn’t she already clinging to Noah Hayes?】 【How could Noah, that ice king, compare to the rush of young love that could give her a better marriage?】 As if to reinforce this public sentiment, the production team’s treatment of Serena declined. Her meals were downgraded several times, and her screen time was fleeting. One evening, after dinner, as Liam and I were taking a stroll, she dramatically stumbled out of her room, wrapped in just a thin shirt. She fell right at Liam’s feet. The mid-winter chill had her skin red, her nose red, making the tears in her eyes look genuinely pitiful. “Mr. Miller! Save me! I…” She instinctively grabbed Liam’s hand. Seeing me, her hand stiffened. She quickly let go and stumbled back two steps: “I… I didn’t mean it like that, Ms. Jade, please don’t misunderstand, I won’t dare to again…” She choked up, covered her mouth, and turned to flee. Her bare footprints marked the snow. I was stunned. Her performance was so flawless that by the time I processed it, it looked as if I had ordered someone to bully her. She instinctively sought help from Liam but then saw me, the “culprit”… But, given Noah’s intense gaze for Serena, how could he possibly let her suffer? I smiled, a hint of sarcasm on my lips. I turned to observe Liam’s expression. His face was unreadable. “I heard there’s a public outcry against her online. The production team signed a contract so they can’t kick her out, so they’ve just started collectively ostracizing her.” I looked at Liam. He wrapped an arm around my waist, simply mumbling, “Hmm.” That night, before bed, I deliberately asked him: “Do you believe Serena is being bullied?” He looked out at the snowy night sky, letting me rest my head on his arm. “No.” I smiled. After all, Noah was also an investor in the show. I understood that much, and as a businessman, Liam should understand it even better. The next day, for the partner selection segment, I put on beautiful makeup and appeared hand-in-hand with Liam. Serena’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying for a long time. She had never held hands with Noah on camera. Noah stood behind her, arms crossed, watching. His eyes showed deep displeasure. The director’s camera focused on Liam, and the comments went wild with laughter: 【Is this even a choice? Who doesn’t know Mr. Miller is totally devoted to his wife?】 【To be honest, I didn’t come for Love Swap, I came to watch Mr. Miller and Ms. Jade’s sweet romance.】 “I choose…” Liam’s hand slackened. I instinctively reached to tighten my grip, but he directly pushed my hand away: “Serena.” Serena, her eyes red, suddenly looked up, her face filled with disbelief. The comments were a sea of question marks. I also stared at Liam in shock. But he simply walked to Serena’s side.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299088”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

My father’s illegitimate daughter, Serena, needed a kidney transplant. And out of our entire family, only I was a match for her. Julian Sterling, my fiancé, usually so composed and refined, had a desperate plea etched across his face. “Astrid, the doctors say you’re her only hope. Serena… she’s fading fast. Please, save her. I’m begging you.” I chuckled softly. “Alright, I’m willing to donate a kidney to her. But I have conditions.” “Our engagement is off. You marry her.” A surge of wild ecstasy instantly bloomed across Serena’s pale face. Their eyes locked in a gaze brimming with affection. I watched, cold and detached. Take it. My kidney, my life, take it all. Reborn into this life, I’d like to see if you’ll still thank me for my ‘generosity’ today. … I looked at Julian. A wave of immense relief washed over him. “Astrid, thank you.” My father let out a long breath, walking over to pat my shoulder, his voice filled with feigned comfort. “Astrid, you’re finally understanding things. We are family, after all, and Serena will never forget this. Don’t worry, even if you and Julian break off your engagement, your father won’t treat you poorly.” Family? I scoffed inwardly. Ever since my mother passed away, and he brought that woman and her daughter into our home, I haven’t had a family. From her hospital bed, Serena squeezed out a few timely tears, her voice weak as she spoke. “Sister, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you and Julian never would have…” “Stop!” I raised a hand to cut off her performance. “Since a decision has been made, let’s skip the pointless theatrics. Julian, our engagement was set by our grandfathers. It needs to be formally dissolved with both families’ elders present.” “Get that done before the surgery.” Julian nodded quickly. “Okay, I’ll contact my grandfather right away.” Watching the three of them, so visibly relieved, even beginning to discuss Julian and Serena’s future as if I were invisible, I turned and walked out of the hospital room, a bitter taste in my mouth. In my previous life, I was trapped in the same moral bind. But I refused. I clung desperately to the engagement, clinging to the title of “Miss [family name, removed to avoid Chinese surname implied]’s daughter,” a status that existed in name only. Mom was gone, the family shattered, so I had to hold onto something, right? Even if it was just a faint hope, a title. How ridiculous. I knew perfectly well that in my father’s eyes, I was nothing compared to his precious daughter by his ‘true love.’ Julian’s love was never mine, Serena was his true north, his distant star. But I was stubbornly unwilling to let go… The result? I lost everything. They bribed the doctors, drugged me, stole my kidney, and the incision was crudely stitched. Julian held my hand, hypocritically promising to compensate me for the rest of my life. Later, I married him as I had wished. After the wedding, my body, ravaged by the surgery, grew worse with each passing day. Meanwhile, Serena, radiant and glowing, stood by Julian’s side. They were a picture of perfect harmony, a true power couple. On my deathbed, Serena stood by my bed, smiling. “Sister, just go peacefully. I’ll make sure to put the family’s assets to good use for you!” Until the moment I closed my eyes, all I could think was, *Why?!* Why do good, kind people meet such an end? And why do the wicked, those who cause so much harm, live so comfortably in the sunlight? Perhaps, there is no justice in this world. If so, this time, I’ll forge my own path. Everything Serena so desperately wants? I’ll give it to her. 2 Within three days, the elders of the Sterling and [Father’s family name, removed] families gathered. Mr. Sterling looked at me, his face etched with guilt. “My dear, our Sterling family has wronged you.” I offered a faint smile, placing the exquisite jade pendant—a family heirloom of emperor green jade, given as our engagement token—on the table. “Mr. Sterling, it’s not your fault. A forced union never truly thrives. I wish Julian and Serena a lifetime of happiness.” My father chimed in with a saccharine smile. “Yes, the children’s choice. As elders, we should simply bless them.” He was practically salivating at the thought of Serena marrying into wealth. From then on, his favorite daughter would live a life of comfort and privilege, and he would gain a powerful ally in his business dealings. The engagement was smoothly dissolved. The next day, I was wheeled into the operating room. Just before the anesthesia took full effect, Serena was rolled in beside me. She looked at me, her eyes gleaming with ill-concealed triumph and provocation. Julian stood beyond the sterile glass, his gaze fixed on Serena, filled with tender concern and adoration. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift into the darkness. In the darkness, I saw my mother. She was as gentle as I remembered, swinging me on a swing, laughing. She whispered to me, “My sweet girl, promise me you’ll always be happy.” Mom, I’m sorry. I don’t think… I can do that anymore. When I woke again, the dream shattered. A searing pain from the incision violently yanked me back to reality. A wave of weakness washed over me. From the doorway, I heard my father and Julian talking in hushed tones. “Serena’s surgery was a success, the doctors say she’s recovering well,” Julian’s voice was filled with relief. “That’s wonderful, truly wonderful!” My father entrusted Serena to Julian. “Julian, I’m entrusting Serena to your care from now on!” “Don’t worry, Richard, I will.” Julian’s voice paused, a hint of hesitation. “By the way, Astrid… what about her?” “Her? Just hire a nurse. Here’s my card, take it. The PIN is Serena’s birthday.” “The money in there is my compensation to her.” Footsteps receded, and the hospital room door gently pushed open. It was Julian. He walked to my bedside, silently placing the bank card on my nightstand. I slowly opened my eyes, my blurred vision meeting his complex gaze. “Astrid…” I looked at the card, a weak, broken scoff escaping my lips. “Take it away.” My voice was hoarse. Julian’s brows furrowed. He reached out as if to check my forehead. “Don’t be childish, your health is what matters.” I sharply turned my head, dodging his touch. The movement pulled at my incision, making me gasp in pain, cold sweat instantly beading on my forehead. “Don’t touch me!” I gritted out. “Julian, who is this act for?” He froze, his hand suspended in mid-air. “I’m not…” “What you are, no longer matters.” I closed my eyes, no longer looking at him, and said, exhausted, “Get out.” After a long moment, I heard a faint sigh, then footsteps receding. I picked up my phone and dialed a number I knew by heart. “Uncle Arthur, my surgery is done.” On the other end, a man’s steady, yet furious voice replied, “Send me your address, I’m coming right away. That scumbag, Richard!” My uncle, Arthur, was my mother’s only brother, and one of the most respected and feared legal minds in the entire city. After my mother’s death, he constantly tried to take me in, but I stubbornly stayed with my father’s family, clinging to that ridiculous obsession. In my previous life, I never dared to contact him until I was dying, afraid of being a burden. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. 3 Half an hour later, Uncle Arthur, accompanied by his assistant and two bodyguards, burst into my hospital room. Seeing my pale face, his eyes immediately welled up, and his fists clenched, knuckles cracking. “How dare they! How *dare* they do this to you!” I offered a weak smile. “Uncle Arthur, don’t be angry. I volunteered.” “You…” Uncle Arthur was too furious to speak, finally letting out a long sigh. “You foolish child. Never mind. Come home with your uncle. No one will ever dare to bully you again!” I nodded, handing him the bank card from my nightstand. “Uncle Arthur, can you check how much money is on this card for me? Then help me get discharged. I don’t want to stay here for another minute.” “Absolutely!” My uncle’s efficiency was unmatched. The card held exactly five million. My father probably thought my kidney was worth precisely that much. I had Uncle Arthur transfer all the money out, then anonymously donate it to a children’s education fund in a rural area. Astrid, I don’t want his dirty money! While processing my discharge, we ran into my father and Julian in the hallway, who were on their way to visit Serena. Seeing Uncle Arthur, my father’s face immediately fell. “Arthur? What are you doing here?” My uncle snorted, shielding me behind him. “If I didn’t come, would I just watch you wolves devour my niece alive?!” “Richard, my sister must have been blind to marry you! She shouldn’t have ‘lifted’ you from obscurity; trash belongs in the trash!” Yes, Mom, you shouldn’t have. My mother, once a vibrant socialite from a prominent family, lived a life of glittering indulgence, adored by all. Yet she fell for my father, then a poor young man. She painstakingly helped him rise to his current position, while she herself, through endless toil, ruined her health and lost her vivacity, her spark. Her best years were spent on my father. All she got in return was his betrayal; only then did she realize he had never loved her, only wanted to climb the social ladder using her. My mother’s later years were spent in endless disappointment and illness, her life extinguished, like a flickering candle. “You!” My father, hit where it hurt, trembled with rage. Julian frowned, stepping forward, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Astrid, how can you be so reckless? The doctors said you need rest. How can you leave the hospital?” I looked up at him, my gaze calm. “Mr. Sterling, we have no connection anymore. My affairs are none of your concern. You should spend more time worrying about your fiancée, who is using *my* kidney.” With that, I turned away from him and said to Uncle Arthur, “Uncle, let’s go.” My uncle helped me, and surrounded by bodyguards, we walked out with our heads held high. Leaving my father and Julian, their faces a mix of green and white. It wasn’t until I arrived at the villa Uncle Arthur had prepared for me that I finally truly relaxed. Every plant and tree here was identical to the old estate where my mother had lived. “Astrid, focus on recovering. I’ll handle the company affairs for you,” Uncle Arthur said gravely, tucking me into bed. “Uncle,” I took his hand, “I also need your help collecting some information.” In my previous life, I only learned a crucial secret just before I died. This time, I intended to strike first. 4 Soon, it was time for Serena and Julian’s engagement ceremony. I walked arm-in-arm with Uncle Arthur, making a grand entrance into the banquet hall.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299089”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

On the eve of our new song’s release, I vanished, taking the lyrics with me. Julian called me 999 times. “We said we’d get married after this song dropped. What is this, then?” “Someone saw the lyrics online. Are you trying to dump me?” He didn’t know. I was in prison, accused of accidentally killing a thug while intervening to help someone. Both my ears had been pierced, leaving me deaf. I couldn’t hear a sound. I signed to a guard, pleading for them to send a message on my behalf. 【I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore. I’m going solo.】 When I saw Julian again, he was the owner of a major record label. After the holidays, the sanctuary was bustling with visitors. Important clients were coming to seek blessings for a new venture, so I quickly pulled on my yellow vest to help. I’d only been out of prison for two months. No one would hire an ex-con like me. Luckily, Father Michael took me in as a volunteer, providing food and lodging, plus a modest stipend of a few hundred dollars a month. I was saving diligently, hoping to afford a better cochlear implant. I looked up and saw Julian. He hadn’t changed. He was still the man I deeply loved in my memories, instantly overlapping with the present. “This place is so stuffy, let’s just donate and go!” The girl beside him looked impatient, fanning her hand in front of her nose. “Didn’t you say you wanted the new album to be a smash hit?” Julian playfully tapped her nose. “I told you about the traditions and superstitions of this industry. Don’t blame fate if things go south!” His voice was patient and gentle. His eyes were practically glued to her. “Fine, I’ll just get my blessings and leave.” “You need three incense sticks… I’m talking to you, are you deaf?” It wasn’t until the girl raised her voice that I noticed the anger in her brows. I hurried to take out the incense, lit it, and handed it over. Julian didn’t even glance my way. Was it my current appearance that kept him from recognizing me, or was he simply unwilling to have anything to do with a betrayer like me? “Ah!” A scream shattered the air, and before I could even react, a slap sent me sprawling to the ground. “Are you trying to burn me alive?” The girl clutched her red hand. I fumbled to pick up my old, broken cochlear implant and put it on, bowing repeatedly in apology. “It hurts so much.” The girl leaned into Julian’s embrace. “I have a photoshoot tomorrow for promotions. What if it leaves a scar?” Julian’s eyes were filled with tenderness as he gently blew on her hand. “It’s okay, baby. When we get home, I’ll apply my special scar-fading cream. If it does scar, we’ll just get a tattoo to cover it. I’ll get one with you.” He rolled up his sleeve and patted his arm. The tattoo of my name, “Cassie,” was gone. Once, I’d cut my arm badly on glass, and the doctors warned it might scar. Julian knew how much I loved wearing sleeveless tops, so he researched old remedies and made a special scar cream. Even with nightly applications, a faint scar remained. He, worried I’d be upset, suggested I get his name, “Julian,” tattooed on my arm, and he’d get “Cassie” on his. Now, my last trace had been erased. His exclusive affection, once mine, now belonged to someone else. I tugged at my burned sleeve, desperate to hide my embarrassment. My cochlear implant seemed to be damaged again. I watched their lips move, but I couldn’t quite hear their voices. I just kept tapping it. “I’m talking to you!” The girl shoved me hard. “Is ‘sorry’ all you’ve got? A volunteer, listening to music with headphones on duty?” Julian glanced at me, his expression distant and cold. Father Michael rushed over to intervene, but I stopped him. “I’m sorry.” I bowed deeply again. “If you want to get even, you can burn me back.” I exposed my un-tattooed arm and straightened my back. “Forget it.” Julian wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulder. “No need to waste time on insignificant people. It wouldn’t look good if the media caught us.” He leaned in and whispered something to her, and she immediately blushed, her tears turning into a smile. “Okay, I’ll wait for you in the car.” Even her glare at me softened a little. Julian pulled out a check and waved it. “Father Michael knows, Starlight Records donates the most to this sanctuary every year.” “I hope you’ll be more discerning when hiring volunteers. Don’t let people who slack off and mooch off you work here, understand?” Father Michael looked at me with a pained expression, then nodded. It was then I understood the emotion in Julian’s eyes. It wasn’t love, not even hatred. It was a profound disgust that he could never forgive. He was the kind of gentle person who’d just brush himself off and say he was fine, even if he got knocked over… His hatred for me—wasn’t that exactly what I’d hoped for five years ago when I made my decision? Cassie, you’re just a deaf ex-con. What more are you hoping for?

Father Michael, in his kindness, allowed me to stay in the dorm until the new volunteer started. I began to pack my luggage. Two blocks from the dorm was the dark alley where my fate had been rewritten five years ago. It all started with how Julian and I met. We’d met at a bar, kindred spirits. I carried my guitar, accompanying him as we chased our dreams in New York. He played keyboard and composed, I played guitar and wrote lyrics. After countless rejected resumes and failed songwriting competitions, we spent a year painstakingly perfecting a masterpiece. We showed it to a producer we knew, who said it had a high chance of becoming a massive hit. Julian promised me that no matter the song’s reception, he would marry me as soon as it dropped. That night, I was returning to our studio with the final revised lyrics. Passing through the dark alley, I suddenly heard a faint cry for help. I immediately recognized Chloe’s unique way of expressing herself—Julian’s sister, who had autism. I grabbed an iron rod from the alley entrance and charged in. “Let her go! Or I’ll call the police!” Chloe’s clothes were disheveled, and she looked at me with pleading eyes. “Well, isn’t this convenient? One for each of us.” There were two burly men. Outnumbered and outmatched, I could only shield Chloe behind me. As they grinned menacingly and lunged at me, I frantically swung the weapon in my hand. Suddenly, a scream ripped through the air as one of the men slipped. The iron rod pierced his chest, and blood gushed out. Seeing that someone was killed, the surviving assailant fled the scene. Chloe collapsed from exhaustion. Her mother received an automatic alert message from Chloe’s phone and arrived even before the police. She knelt before me. “Cassie, I know you’re a good girl.” “Chloe has autism. Her life is already difficult enough. If her reputation is stained, her life will be ruined forever.” “I’ll take her away. When the police arrive, please don’t mention her presence.” Julian and Chloe had lost their father at a young age and were raised by their mother. Mrs. Davies was right; Chloe was emotionally unstable due to her autism and unsuitable to testify in court. I didn’t think much of it then, believing I was simply intervening to help, and that the man had just accidentally slipped. But I never imagined that the man I’d accidentally killed was Blake, a notorious playboy from a powerful family in the city. On my very first day in prison, a fellow inmate pierced my eardrums, leaving me deaf. When I woke up in the infirmary, a guard handed me a phone. It showed 326 missed calls from Julian. And a stack of messages. One voice message was from Mrs. Davies. “Cassie, I’m so sorry. I can’t let Chloe testify. That family is too powerful for us to cross. I hope you can forgive me.” “As for Julian, I made up a lie to deceive him.” “If Julian knew the truth, with his temper, he’d blow things out of proportion. I hope you can willingly break up with him.” “If you want compensation, I’ll sell everything we own to give it to you… I just want my two children to live safe and happy lives.” I touched my bandaged ears. The doctor said my hearing was severely damaged, with only 5% left. I would have to live with a cochlear implant for the rest of my life. The beautiful sounds of this world would be forever lost to me. How could I, like this, continue to chase musical dreams with Julian? So, I asked a guard to help me send a message. I used the most decisive method to become a betrayer, to vanish completely from Julian’s life. From then on, I served my sentence peacefully until my release. I heard Julian left New York not long after. He returned five years later. He became the owner of a record label, and I was an ex-con scorned by everyone. I just never expected to see him again at a production company after leaving the sanctuary. I’d finally found a company willing to accept my lyrics, so I went to apply with my resume. I waited in the reception room for a long time when the door suddenly opened. A familiar face—it was Marcus, our old bandmate who’d chased dreams with us in New York. “Well, if it isn’t the infamous plagiarist, Cassie! This lyric sheet of yours—you didn’t scam it from some gullible fool, did you?” “Julian, you’re here. Take a look for me, will you?”

“Marcus, who’s here?” A couple, arm-in-arm, walked out of the recording studio. Julian stiffened when he saw me. “Aren’t you that girl from the sanctuary the other day…?” Stella frowned slightly. Marcus smiled at me. “Let me introduce you. This is Stella, Julian’s heavily promoted new singer and his current girlfriend.” “And as for this one…” He looked at me meaningfully. “Julian’s former bandmate, the notorious plagiarist, Cassie.” The word “plagiarist” hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest. I looked up and saw a twisted amusement playing on Julian’s face. “So, it’s you.” Stella sneered. “Julian’s downfall was all because of you… If I’d known, I would have slapped you twice more at the sanctuary!” “The sanctuary?” “Cassie, have you changed your ways?” Marcus scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’re repenting your sins and thinking of becoming a nun?” “No, I was just volunteering there…” Before I could finish, Stella’s palm connected with my face. Julian grabbed her tightly, a flicker of panic in his eyes. “Don’t hold me back! I want to get revenge for you!” She was furious. As I bent down to pick up my cochlear implant, she stomped down. “Still listening to music? Is it the song you stole?” Stella lifted her foot, cruelly crushing my last shred of dignity. My cochlear implant shattered into pieces under her shoe. Julian watched with a twisted amusement, not saying a word to stop her. But then he suddenly bent down and grasped Stella’s foot. “Does it hurt?” He used his hand to brush away the fragments of my cochlear implant, his expression one of utter disgust. “Why get so angry? It’s not worth it to bother with someone like this.” Someone like this? Yes, I was a plagiarist, an ex-con, and deaf. My cochlear implant was destroyed, but even without ears, I could discern the overflowing tenderness in Julian’s voice. After five years of being deaf, I had long since learned to read lips. “It doesn’t hurt… I just feel bad about these shoes. You had them custom-made for me from abroad…” Stella’s face was filled with regret. “It’s okay, I’ll order you another pair.” Julian casually tossed the broken high heel into the trash. He swept Stella into his arms and carried her away, not even sparing a glance for me. I stared intently at the trash can, wondering how many pairs of cochlear implants that one pair of shoes could buy. Marcus threw the lyric sheet at me. “Our small studio can’t afford to be associated with an acclaimed plagiarist like you… Take your stuff and get out. Don’t you dare linger around Julian again…” I bent down to pick up my shattered dignity scattered on the floor. My cochlear implant was utterly destroyed. No matter how I tried to piece it together, it could never be restored, just like my image in Julian’s heart. He hated me so much. I sighed softly, a bitter smile playing on my lips as I entered the elevator. A hand blocked the elevator door. Julian backed me into a corner, his gaze piercing. “Can’t you take it?” I turned my face away. “Aren’t you supposed to be so resilient?” he scoffed. “Running off with our love song to a sugar daddy… Didn’t your sugar daddy keep you well-hidden? Why are you showing your face here?” “That’s right, he got bored and dumped me.” I lifted my head and smiled. “So I’m really broke now. Is that answer satisfactory, Mr. Davies?” Julian’s lips pressed into a tight line, his gaze deepening. “Why don’t you give me some money? Consider it payment for the three years I spent chasing dreams with you… I can give you anything you want, even my body…” I grabbed Julian’s hand and pressed it to my chest, but he flung my hand off. “Shameless!” His breath hitched, and he turned his face away, trembling. “I wouldn’t touch a body as dirty as yours.” “Tomorrow morning at eight, at The Blue Note. We need a guitarist for the new song release… Fifty thousand for one night. Will you come?” “Yes.” At seven-thirty, I arrived at The Blue Note early. The decor was identical to where Julian and I first met. Only the neon sign outside and the banner above the stage were different.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299090”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

After I was reborn. I clutched my ID and stormed into the bank. I made sure that savings card, the one ending in 666, was canceled, completely and irrevocably. In my past life, Gareth always claimed he was short on cash for his business, constantly borrowing my card to funnel money through. I was so blinded by love back then; I even set the password to his birthday. It wasn’t until the debt collectors kicked down my door that I saw my name listed as the emergency contact on all the loan agreements. Every deposit in my bank statement flowed straight into Gareth’s gaming accounts and luxury boutiques. I took the transfer records to confront him. He was there, arm around his new girlfriend, trying on a Rolex he’d just bought with *my* card. During our argument, he shoved me. The moment my head hit the sharp edge of the counter, I saw a message pop up on his phone: “Mr. Evans, the online loan applied for using Ms. Reed’s information has been approved.” Then, I opened my eyes again. The calendar on my office desk had just flipped to the day Gareth first asked to borrow my card. His SnapChat was still flashing on my phone: “Baby, can I borrow your card for a quick transfer? I’ll pay you back immediately.” Would I be that stupid this time? Gareth Evans, you just wait. You’re about to reap what you sow!

My fingertip hovered over the ATM screen for three seconds. Finally, I pressed confirm. The moment the machine swallowed that savings card, the one ending in 666, I heard my heart pound like it wanted to burst from my throat. My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Gareth. My fingertips tingled when his name flashed on the screen. Scenes from my past life suddenly flooded back. He stood with his new girlfriend in front of a luxury counter, the Rolex on his wrist glinting under the lights. It was bought with my card. I rushed over, tugging at his sleeve. The impatience in his eyes when he turned, it was like shards of ice. “Are you done making a scene?” He pushed me hard. I stumbled backward, my head hitting the sharp edge of the counter. Did it hurt? I don’t think so. My vision just suddenly went black. The last thing I saw was his phone screen glowing. The text message was etched into my mind, as clear as day: “Mr. Evans, the online loan applied for using Susan Reed’s information has been approved.” Susan Reed. That’s my name. My phone was still buzzing. The vibration grew more frantic. I took a deep breath and hit ‘decline’. As I turned to walk out, the glass doors of the bank lobby reflected my face. Pale, with dark circles under my eyes. It was the lingering image of being tormented by nightmares from my past life. But my eyes were bright. Bright, like a look forged in fire. Gareth Evans, this time. Everything you owe me, I’ll make you pay back, little by little, tenfold. Just as I stepped out of the bank, my phone rang again. This time, it was a landline. The caller ID showed it was from the city. I stared at the screen for two seconds. Then, I swiped to answer. “May I speak to Ms. Susan Reed?” A robotic female voice came from the other end. “This is Summit Financial. Mr. Gareth Evans has applied for a loan in your name, and we need your confirmation…” I hung up immediately. And blocked the number. My actions were swift, without a trace of hesitation. It was this exact call in my past life. Back then, I foolishly asked, “What loan? I don’t know anything about it.” The voice replied, “Mr. Evans provided your ID photo and bank card information. If you don’t confirm, it will affect your credit score.” I panicked. I called back, desperate to explain. And from that moment on, I fell into a bottomless pit. My phone went silent. The sunlight felt warm on my skin. I looked up at the sky. It was blindingly blue. Today is Friday. Gareth’s first request to borrow my card is still three hours away. The day he tricks me into signing that “guarantee contract” is seven days away. The day my parents are forced to flee overnight by debt collectors is three months away. Everything is still in time. I clutched the bank card cancellation receipt in my pocket. My knuckles were white. Gareth, the game has begun. This time, I set the rules. Chapter 2 Testing the Waters When I returned to the office, the front desk intern gave me a strange look. “Susan, you look terrible.” I forced a smile and said nothing. In the elevator, I ran into my department manager. He patted my shoulder. “Reed, make sure you stay on top of Gareth’s partnership deal this afternoon.” I nodded. But my fingertips were trembling. It was this very deal in my past life. Gareth said the client required a personal account for the transfer and asked to borrow my bank card for a day. “Just a quick transfer, I’ll return it immediately.” He smiled so gently then, his eyes sparkling like stars. I was tricked by those very stars. Tricked into losing everything. In the office, Gareth was already sitting at the cubicle opposite mine. He wore a white shirt today, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Revealing the watch on his wrist. I bought that. Last year for his birthday, I saved three months’ salary to buy him an Omega. Now, looking at it, I only felt a sharp pang of irony. He looked up, saw me, and smiled. “Susan, you’re here.” His voice was still so pleasant. Like the low notes of a cello. I used to love listening to him talk. Now, it just grated on my ears. “Didn’t sleep well last night?” He raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the dark circles under my eyes. “No,” I replied, pulling out my chair and sitting down. I deliberately slowed my movements as I opened my laptop. I was waiting. Waiting for him to ask for the card. Sure enough, he tapped on my desk. “Oh, by the way, the client’s transfer is coming in this afternoon. Could I use your card for it?” Here it comes. My hand tightened around the mouse. A document popped up on the screen, a marketing plan I hadn’t finished revising last night. I stared at the screen, not looking at him. “My card was eaten by the machine yesterday.” My voice was perfectly calm. Gareth froze for a second. “Eaten?” “Yeah, the ATM glitched.” I turned to him, forcing a smile. “I just went to the bank to cancel it.” The smile on his face stiffened for half a second. Then, it quickly returned to normal. “That’s unlucky.” “Tell me about it,” I lowered my gaze, pretending to flip through files. “You’ll have to use someone else’s.” He didn’t speak. I could feel his gaze on me. Full of scrutiny. As if he was trying to figure out if I was lying. After a moment, he spoke again. “Alright, I’ll ask someone else.” His tone was unreadable. But I knew. He was suspicious. Good. It’s better he knows early that I’m not the same fool I used to be. At three in the afternoon. The client’s payment arrived. Gareth used another girl’s card from the same department. I watched him, phone in hand, smiling so tenderly at her. Exactly the way he used to smile at me. It felt like a needle pricked my heart. Not painful. Just a little numb. Her name was Maya Chen. In my past life, she was also scammed by Gareth. He took fifty thousand dollars from her. Later, she came to me in tears, saying Gareth had disappeared. At that time, I was too deep in my own troubles to help, I could only watch her cry. This life. I wouldn’t let her fall into that same trap. As I was leaving work, Maya called out to me. “Susan, Gareth said he’s taking me out to dinner tonight, to thank me for helping him out this afternoon.” My steps faltered. I turned back to her. The young woman’s eyes sparkled, clearly showing her interest in Gareth. “Why is he taking you to dinner?” I asked. “He said… he thinks I’m a really nice person.” Maya lowered her head, a little shy. I took a deep breath. “Maya,” I looked straight into her eyes, speaking each word slowly and deliberately, “Stay away from Gareth.” She was stunned. “Susan, you…” “Just listen to me,” I cut her off. “Don’t ask why.” With that, I turned and walked away. I didn’t look back. I didn’t know if she would listen. But I had said what I needed to say. Walking out of the office building, my phone rang. It was my mom. “Susan, are you coming home for dinner tonight? Your dad bought ribs.” The moment I heard her voice, my nose stung. Tears almost fell. In my past life, the last time my mom spoke to me was at the entrance of the nursing home. Her eyes red, she cursed me: “How could I have raised such an ungrateful monster?” Later, she fell ill. When I went to the hospital to see her, she kept her eyes closed, not even lifting an eyelid. “Mom,” I clutched my phone, my voice a little hoarse, “Yes, I’ll be home.” “Okay, then I’ll wait for you.” After hanging up, I stood by the roadside, watching the busy traffic. The sunlight stretched my shadow long. It felt so good. They were still here. Still calling me home for dinner. Gareth. See? This is what I’m protecting. If you dare to touch it again. I’ll make sure you regret it in the most painful way imaginable. Chapter 3 The Transfer When I pushed open the door, the aroma of ribs wafted towards me. My dad, wearing an apron, poked his head out of the kitchen. “You’re back?” “Yeah.” I changed my shoes and walked over. The gray hairs at his temples were fewer than I remembered. I felt a pang of relief. In my past life, he’d turned completely white overnight from the stress of debt collection calls. “Dad, let me help you.” “No, no, you just sit and rest.” He gently pushed me away. “Your mom’s in the living room prepping veggies.” My mom was on the couch, string beans in hand. She smiled when she saw me. “Tired? Have some water first.” A glass of cool water sat on the coffee table. I picked it up and took a sip. It was sweet. Just like it tasted when I was a child. During dinner, my dad suddenly brought up Gareth. “That young Gareth, he seems quite taken with you.” My hand, holding my fork, paused. “Dad, how do you know?” “Last time I went to your office building, I saw him bringing you a coffee.” My mom chimed in. “He’s a good-looking young man, and so polite.” My heart tightened. So, it started this early. “Mom, he and I are just colleagues.” “Colleagues?” My dad raised an eyebrow. “The way he looks at you, it’s more than just colleagues.” I put down my fork. “Dad, Mom, I need to tell you something.” They both looked at me. “Gareth, you two need to keep your distance from him in the future.” My mom looked puzzled for a moment. “What’s wrong? Did he offend you?” “No,” I shook my head. “I just don’t think he’s a very good person.” I couldn’t tell them that this man would later make it impossible for them to even live in their own home. “You, child,” my dad frowned, “You can’t just talk bad about people.” “I’m not talking bad,” I looked at them. “Just listen to me. Don’t have any dealings with him, especially when money is involved.” My mom thought for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, Mom will listen to you.” My dad didn’t say anything, but he didn’t object either. I felt a little more at ease. At least, they wouldn’t easily trust Gareth now. After dinner, I helped clear the table. My phone rang in the living room. It was Gareth. My mom answered. “Hello? Oh, you’re looking for Susan? She’s doing the dishes… Okay, I’ll tell her to call you back.” She hung up, then looked at me with a slightly suggestive expression. “Young Gareth is looking for you.” I dried my hands, picked up my phone. I walked out onto the balcony before calling him back. “Hello?” “Susan, you’re home?” Gareth’s voice was laced with a smile. “Yeah.” “Maya just told me you told her to stay away from me?” Of course. Maya had told him. I leaned against the railing, watching the streetlights below. “Yes.” “Why?” His voice deepened slightly. “No reason,” my tone was flat. “I just don’t think you’re good for her.” “Then who am I good for?” he suddenly asked. I paused for a second. Then chuckled. “Definitely not me.” Silence hung on the line for a few seconds. “Susan, you’re acting strange today.” “Am I?” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. “Maybe I’m just tired.” “Tomorrow’s the weekend. Want to catch a movie?” He changed the subject. “No, I have plans tomorrow.” “What plans?” “None of your business.” With that, I hung up directly. And blocked him. The whole sequence of actions was smooth and effortless. In my past life, I was too concerned with his feelings, which made me easy to manipulate. This life, there’s no need for that. Just as I tucked my phone back into my pocket, I received a text message. It was from the bank. Alerting me that my savings card ending in 3791 had a deposit of five thousand dollars. I paused, confused. I’d only opened this card today. No one but the bank knew the number. Who would transfer me money? I tapped to open the transaction details. The sender was an unfamiliar name. But the memo read: “Gareth asked me to transfer this.” My heart lurched. Gareth. What was he up to now? Five thousand dollars. Not too much, not too little. Exactly the amount he first borrowed from me in my past life. Back then, he said his mom was sick and needed money urgently. Without a second thought, I transferred him my freshly paid salary. Only later did I find out he used that money to buy his new girlfriend a bag. I stared at the text message for a long time. My fingertips were icy cold. He was testing me. Testing to see if I was truly guarding myself against him now. If I transferred the money back, he’d know I had indeed changed. If I kept it… He’d think I was still the same fool he could easily control. I took a deep breath. Opened the transfer details. Found the sender’s bank account number. Then, I transferred the five thousand dollars back. The memo had only two words: “No loan.” After doing all that, I set my phone to silent. And returned to the living room. My mom was sitting on the couch, watching TV. She smiled when she saw me. “Who were you talking to for so long?” “Just a colleague.” I walked over and sat beside her. “Mom, how about we go for a picnic next week?” My mom’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that sounds wonderful! Your dad has been wanting to go for ages.” Seeing her smile warmed my heart. Gareth. No matter what tricks you try to pull. I won’t let you ruin my life again. Chapter 4 Evidence I woke up early on Saturday morning. Sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, casting a ribbon of light across the floor. I picked up my phone and opened SnapChat. Gareth’s name was still on my block list. A sense of calm settled over me. I got up, washed, and changed. Before I left, my mom handed me a bag of pastries. “Eat these on the way.” “Thanks.” I was going somewhere today. In my past life, Gareth had a secret hideout. An apartment he rented. He kept a lot of things there. Including the loan agreements he’d taken out using my information, and chat logs with other women. I only discovered the place by accident after he died, when I was clearing out his belongings. I remembered the address clearly, even now. It was in an old, rundown apartment complex on the outskirts of the city. It took forty minutes to get there by cab. An old man sat in the security booth by the complex entrance. He squinted at me and asked, “Who are you looking for?” “Gareth Evans,” I gave his name and the apartment number. The old man eyed me up and down, then waved me in without another question. It seemed Gareth brought different women here often. The old man was used to it. As I stepped into the stairwell, a musty smell wafted over me. Paint was peeling off the walls, and the stair railing was rusty. I gripped the railing and walked up. Third floor. Apartment 302. The door was closed. I stood in front of it and took a deep breath. In my past life, I had to pry the lock open. This time, I came prepared. I took a set of keys from my bag. I had them specially made yesterday. In my past life, I’d found Gareth’s spare key for that apartment hidden in the fire hose box by the door. And sure enough, I found it there again. The key slid into the lock, a gentle turn. *Click.* The door opened. A faint scent of perfume mixed with cigarette smoke hit me. Exactly the same as I remembered. The apartment was small, just a living room and one bedroom. The decor was simple. But everywhere, there were women’s things. Lipsticks, earrings, dresses. Clearly, more than one woman had been here. I walked into the living room, my gaze falling on the coffee table. A laptop sat on it. It was Gareth’s. In my past life, it was on this very laptop that I found all the evidence of his crimes. I walked over and opened the laptop. It required a password. I typed in my birthday. Wrong. Then I tried his birthday. Also wrong. I frowned. In my past life, his computer password was my name spelled out. Had he changed it? A flicker of panic. If I couldn’t open the laptop, I wouldn’t find the evidence. I took a deep breath, trying hard to recall. How did I open it in my past life? I think it was… I tried Maya Chen’s name. The screen lit up. The password was correct. My heart gave a sharp lurch. He actually used Maya’s name as his password. Did that mean he was truly serious about Maya? Or was it just a new novelty for him? No time to think about that. I clicked open a folder. Inside, there were indeed many things. A folder named “Contracts.” I opened it. It was full of scanned loan agreements. The “Borrower” field clearly showed my name. Susan Reed. The emergency contact was my parents’ phone number. The date was one month before I was hounded by debt collectors in my past life. There were many other women’s names too. Maya’s was among them. Loan amounts ranged from five thousand to fifty thousand. My hand was trembling. This evidence was more than enough to ruin him. I took out my phone and started taking pictures. One by one, making sure they were perfectly clear. Then, I backed up these photos to the cloud. And sent them to another one of my email accounts. After doing all that, I opened another folder. Inside were screenshots of chat logs. Gareth’s flirtatious conversations with different women. He said pretty much the same things to every woman. “You’re the only one for me.” “Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll introduce you to my parents.” “Those other women? They’re just casual flings.” My stomach churned as I read them. My past self had truly been blind. To believe such garbage. I kept scrolling down. And found chat logs with an unknown number. The contact was saved as “Mr. King.” “Gareth, that loan for Susan Reed needs to be repaid.” “Mr. King, please give me a few more days, I’ll have the money soon.” “Don’t play games with me. If you don’t pay up, I’ll go to her parents.” “No, no, Mr. King, I’ll definitely pay.” The date was three days before I was first hounded by debt collectors. So, he knew all along that the collectors would come. But he didn’t tell me a single thing. Leaving me completely in the dark. Even watching as I was pushed to the brink by the debt collection company. Tears suddenly fell. Splashing onto the keyboard. Spreading a small wet stain. I quickly wiped my tears away. Can’t cry. This wasn’t the time for tears. I took pictures of these chat logs, too, one by one. My fingertips brushed the keyboard, accidentally knocking a photo frame on the corner of the desk. The glass shattered on the floor. In the photo, Gareth had his arm around a woman, smiling brightly. I knew that woman. She was our company’s director. Lydia Hayes. Thirty-five, divorced, with a lot of connections. In my past life, after I was fired, I found out Gareth had already hooked up with her. Using the money he’d scammed from me. To buy her bags, buy her a car. It was truly ironic. I knelt down, carefully picking up the photo. And slipped it into my bag. This was also evidence. Suddenly, the sound of keys turning came from outside the door. My heart leaped into my throat. Someone was back. Was it Gareth? Or another woman? No time to think. I quickly shut down the laptop, restoring everything to how it was. Then, I hurried into the bedroom. And hid inside the closet. The closet was filled with women’s clothes. The perfume scent was even stronger in here. I covered my mouth and held my breath. The door opened. Footsteps entered the apartment. A man’s voice. He was on the phone. “Got it, Mr. King, I’ll definitely pay that money back next week… Don’t worry, Susan Reed, I’ve got her handled… She’s still head over heels for me…” It was Gareth. My nails dug deeply into my palms. Head over heels? He really had the nerve to say that. “Alright, that’s it for now, someone’s here.” He hung up. Then, a woman’s voice. “Who was that?” It was Lydia. “Nothing, just debt collectors.” Gareth’s voice was impatient. “Debt collectors again?” Lydia’s voice sounded a little worried. “How much do you even owe?” “Not much, I’ll pay it back soon.” Gareth reassured her. “By the way, could you lend me some first?” “Didn’t I just transfer you fifty thousand last time?” “That’s not enough.” “Gareth, what are you doing?” Lydia’s voice rose. “If you keep this up, we’re done.” “No, don’t say that, Lydia.” Gareth’s voice softened. “I’m working on a huge project, you know? Once it’s successful, I’ll pay you back ten times, a hundred times over.” “What project?” “That… I can’t talk about it yet.” “I think you’re just scamming me.” “I’m not…” Next, there was a sound of a struggle. Then, Lydia’s scream. “Let go! Gareth, you’re hurting me!” “Lydia, just help me one more time, just one.” Gareth’s voice was desperate. “I don’t have any more money!” “How can you not have money? Didn’t you just sell your apartment?” “That’s for my son’s tuition!” “Just lend it to me for a bit, I’ll pay you back as soon as I have money.” “You wish!” “Then don’t blame me for being unpleasant.” Gareth’s voice turned harsh. I trembled in the closet. In my past life, how could I have not seen he was this kind of person? Manic, obsessive, ruthless for money. The commotion outside grew louder. The sound of something shattering. And Lydia’s cries. I pulled out my phone, switched it to record. And extended it slightly through the closet gap. Trying to record as clearly as possible. After about ten minutes. The outside grew quiet. Only Lydia’s sobs could be heard. “Gareth, you animal!” “The money, I can give you.” Gareth’s voice was calm. “But you have to do something for me.” “What?” “Help me get Susan Reed transferred to the branch office.” My heart plummeted. He wanted to transfer me? Why? “Why transfer her to the branch office?” Lydia asked, confused. “She’s been a little disobedient lately.” Gareth’s voice grew cold. “Keeping her far from me will make her easier to control.” “What do you want to do to her?” “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.” Gareth cut her off. “Just tell me, will you help me or not?” Lydia was silent for a long time. “Okay, I’ll help you.” “That’s more like it, Lydia.” Gareth’s voice turned gentle again. “Once my plan succeeds, I’ll definitely reward you handsomely.” “No need. I’ll transfer the money to you, and from now on, we’re even.” “Lydia…” “Don’t call me.” Footsteps sounded. Lydia left. The door slammed shut with a heavy bang. Only Gareth was left in the apartment. He seemed to be drinking. The clink of bottles. Then, his soliloquy. “Susan Reed… You think canceling your card made a difference?” “You think telling Maya to stay away from me means I have no options?” “So naive.” “Your ID copy, your bank card information, I have all of it here.” “You want to get rid of me?” “Dream on.” “This life, you’ll still be my obedient ATM.” My heart sank, little by little. So that was it. He had already prepared a backup plan. He still had my information. Did that mean everything I did today was for nothing? No. I can’t give up. I still have the evidence. I recorded his conversation with Lydia. I found his loan contracts. These were all proof of his crimes. Gareth. Just you wait. I won’t let you get away with this. After a while longer. Gareth seemed to have left. The apartment was completely silent. I stayed hidden in the closet for a long time. Only daring to come out when I was sure he was really gone. The apartment was a mess. A vase lay shattered on the floor. The table was overturned. There were also bloodstains on the floor. Was it Lydia’s? A chill ran through me. I walked into the living room, grabbed my bag. And hurried out. The moment I closed the door, I heard my own heart pounding. Like a drum. When I reached downstairs. The sunlight was blinding. But I felt utterly cold. My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a text message. From the company HR. “Susan Reed, the company has decided, after deliberation, to transfer you to the branch office for a new assignment. Please report on Monday.” It came. Gareth’s moves were swift. The branch office was in a neighboring city. Over two hundred miles away. He wanted to move me away from my parents. Then, he could freely use my information to take out loans. Leaving me no one to turn to, nowhere to go. He wished. I looked at the text message. A cold smile played on my lips. Gareth. You want to play games. I’ll play along. Transfer me to the branch office, you say? Fine. I’ll just have to see. What kind of tricks you can pull. Chapter 5 The Transfer Order It was afternoon by the time I got home. My mom saw me and gasped.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299091”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Julian and I had been tearing each other apart for six years, a constant war fought both in the open and in the shadows. His cruelty had driven my mother to fall, leaving her paralyzed. In return, I leaked confidential information that led to his bankruptcy. Everyone expected us to be locked in this cycle of torment forever. When we met again, he had already made a spectacular comeback, effortlessly fielding reporters’ questions. “Back in college, we all joked about finding love at 18, getting married by 25, and having a kid before 28. Julian, how far along are you?” “Almost engaged.” “Wow, you’re definitely ahead of the game!” I twirled the ring on my left hand. Funny, I’d already hit all three milestones myself. The girl who walked in was Julian’s fiancée. She was young, beautiful, and polite. She gave a polite nod to everyone, including me, before settling beside Julian. He didn’t look at her, though. His gaze was fixed solely on me. I could feel the probing glances from everyone around us, sharp and curious. In the past, Julian and I had created enough public drama to make our story a household name. I picked up my bag and started to leave. The two people next to me, however, clearly thought I was about to storm the stage and claw that girl’s face off. They instinctively held me back. I raised an eyebrow at them. “Ah, haha, Ava, where are you going?” “Restroom.” “Oh, haha, alright.” They chuckled nervously, settling back into their seats. Before I left, I overheard their whispered comments. “Two years, and Ava’s definitely reined in her temper.” “Seriously, I almost died of fright. Given her old personality, she’d have been up there clawing Chloe’s face to ribbons, wouldn’t she?” “Still can’t let him go after two years. She sees Chloe and immediately has to escape, can’t stand to be in the same room.” “Since nothing’s happening, tell them to pull back security.” Only when I stepped outside did I see the two rows of bodyguards standing by the door. They looked a little tense when they saw me. The one in charge tapped his earpiece, then motioned his team to stand down. I sat on the outdoor lawn, calling my daughter. She was telling me a new story she’d learned today. Julian’s interview also moved outside. We always found each other in a crowd. “Mr. Julian, regarding your previous bankruptcy, do you have anything to say to the person responsible?” He chuckled softly, looking at the camera. “I saw her today. Her eyes are still as beautiful as ever. If I get the chance, I’ll personally gouge them out and make them into a necklace for my fiancée.” Everyone present was stunned by his words. It was just a cruel threat, nothing out of the ordinary after six years of us hating each other’s guts. “So, did you take any revenge back then?” “Does crippling her mother count?” I casually swirled my drink, watching a children’s story on my phone, gently coaxing my daughter to sleep. My utterly nonchalant attitude clearly infuriated Julian. Or perhaps, between the two of us, no reason was needed to wish for the other’s agonizing demise. Julian sat down beside me, one finger pressing against my phone. He glanced at it, then let out a snicker. “Still pushing that ‘zen’ act, huh? Maybe a mindfulness podcast would be more your speed.” Julian gestured to the person behind him. “Chloe, this is Ava, our former class president from college.” Chloe smiled sweetly, extending her hand towards me. “Ava, it’s so lovely to meet you! I’m Chloe, Julian’s fiancée.” While they were all anticipating me to completely lose my mind, I simply offered a casual, “Hi there.”

Julian narrowed his eyes, as if he wanted to see right through me. Then he scoffed, a sneer twisting his lips, clearly believing I was overdoing the act. While Julian was being interviewed, Chloe pulled my hand. “You’re so gorgeous! I heard Julian’s ex-girlfriend, the one he dated for six years, is also here today. Do you happen to know who that is?” I couldn’t be bothered to decipher the sincerity behind her words. I pulled my hand away, a touch of my usual germaphobia kicking in, and wiped it with a tissue from my bag. Chloe looked down, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Ava, what’s with the act? You’ve been a total mess since college. Two years gone, and you’re still as fake as ever.” Leo slouched opposite me, radiating his usual arrogant idleness. “Leo, don’t say that! Ava isn’t like that.” “Chloe, you’ve only met her once, and she’s already got you fooled. I’ve known her for six years! If it weren’t for her, my brother wouldn’t have gone bankrupt!” “What do you mean?” “Chloe, still clueless? She’s my brother’s trashy ex-girlfriend.” Leo, with a defiant smirk, spat his gum in my direction. I used my bag to block it, then stood up and slammed the bag into Leo’s face. “Ava! What the hell was that?! Do you think I’m some commoner like you? I’m Leo Sullivan, the second son of the Sullivan empire! Who do you think you are, touching me? My brother will have your fingers chopped off, I swear!” “Your Sullivan family means nothing to me. If I could make him go bankrupt once, I can do it again.” This sudden, ugly confrontation completely derailed their interview. Julian rushed back. I looked down at the candy stain on my white bag. I had germaphobia. I held up the bag, looking him dead in the eye. “Ten grand.” “You seriously expect my brother to pay you ten grand for that? You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Looks like you haven’t been doing so hot these past two years, but your talent for seducing men sure has improved.” I raised the bag again, ready to strike, but Julian clamped down on my wrist. “What was the last thing you said?” “Ten grand.” “The one before that.” I thought for a moment. Unsure if that was the line he wanted. But if he wanted to hear it, then he would. “If I could make you go bankrupt once, I can do it again.” Julian smiled. It was the first genuine smile I’d seen on his face all night. “I prefer you when you drop the act. You’re much more… tolerable.” I pulled my hand free, my arm frozen mid-swing. But he actually leaned his face closer. “If that hand lands, I’ll make sure your mother’s upper body joins her lower one in paralysis.” I was so disgusted I didn’t want to touch him, but the moment he finished speaking, my palm connected solidly with his face. Leo rushed forward first. “She actually hit you! Are you insane?!” He grabbed my neck; I yanked his hair. A clear glass stool crashed against Leo’s body, blood streaming down his head. I picked up a shard of glass and slashed Julian’s arm. Julian, with absolute force, shoved me into the pool. We tumbled into the pool, our fight a chaotic, undignified mess. “I heard you’ve been taking care of your mother these past two years. Must be exhausting, right? How about I arrange a little ‘accident’ for her? Then you won’t have to be tired anymore.” “Your eyes are truly beautiful. Gouge them out and propose to Chloe with them; it would be stunning.” I didn’t have as many meaningless words as he did. I stared intensely at his chest and plunged the knife down. I wanted to see him try to act tough and talk big then. And then maybe, just maybe, I’d see him tremble and beg me to make it quick. But the scene I imagined didn’t happen. Chloe shielded him. Blood bloomed on her white dress. “What is wrong with you? Take your rage out on me! Why hurt her?! Don’t you know she has a condition, she can’t stop bleeding?!” I twisted the knife even deeper. “I do now.” “Ava! Don’t you dare involve family!” “Oh, so my mother deserved to be paralyzed then?”

Without a shred of mercy, I shoved Chloe into the pool. Then I wiped the blood from the knife onto Julian’s shirt. No one dared to step forward at the sudden turn of events. Julian called me a psycho, but his eyes… they were clearly alight with a disturbing thrill. “Psycho?” “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” He’d been pushing my buttons from the moment I arrived at this party. Julian and I had fought for so long that I’d even forgotten what it felt like when we were in love. On the day Julian proposed, I sold off his company’s top-secret files. On the day I agreed to marry him, he had someone disconnect my mother’s oxygen tank. That day, after his car accident, when he was being flown abroad for emergency treatment… He was hooked up to countless tubes. When he saw me, he ripped off his oxygen mask and bit savagely at my lips. “Ava, if I die, promise me you’ll marry me in our next life. Let’s not torture each other anymore, okay?” He slowly slumped, gasping for air, as I watched his hopeful eyes and shook my head. “There is no ‘next life’ for us.” At the hospital, Julian rolled up his sleeves. “We’re the same blood type. Take mine. If it’s not enough, drain me dry.” When he stumbled out of the blood donation room, he was swaying on his feet. He pressed on my shoulder, desperately wanting to prove himself. “Ava, do you see? I know how to love now.” “Bro, you’ve given too much blood. You’re not thinking straight. Let me help you.” Julian pushed Leo away. “Get lost!” “I’m not that out of it.” He looked at me again. “Do you see now? I *can* love someone deeply! I can pick anyone, *anyone*, and love them with all my heart! Don’t you get it?!” Red and blue police lights flashed across our faces. I pushed him towards Leo, then, with my usual germaphobia, brushed off the spot where he’d touched me. “The police are here. Time for statements. I’ll cover her medical bills.” “Ava, I’m giving up first. Let’s just let each other go.” I didn’t answer him. I had already let him go two years ago. At the precinct, we were placed in separate interrogation rooms. After giving my statement, I just sat there. The murmurs from the next room grew louder. “Bro, you can fool others, but you can’t fool me. Is this another one of your schemes? You know she won’t marry you, so you’re trying to force her hand, just to spite her.” “What about Chloe then? Oh, right, Chloe’s so obedient, she’d probably even be happy just being your mistress.” “I’m serious. But until she agrees, I won’t break it off with Chloe. She’s young; it would be too much for her if I suddenly did.” “Bro, she won’t hear us, will she?” After a long silence, Julian’s voice finally came through. “If she heard, she’d be in here in a flash, slapping us both without mercy. She’s not here, so she clearly can’t hear.” I found it amusing. I lowered my head and made a call. “Hey, come pick me up.” Less than ten minutes later, a police officer called my name. “Ava, your family is here for you.” “Okay, thank you.” “You can leave after you sign.” I walked out of the room, passing theirs. Leo scoffed. “Family? Doesn’t she only have her paralyzed mother?” “Probably a friend.” Leo suddenly couldn’t resist. He pushed the door open with a grin. “Officer, who came to pick up Ava just now?” “What business is that of yours? Go back inside.” “Officer, don’t be like that~” Leo stood on his tiptoes, peering around the hallway corner.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299092”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

I was born with an uncanny ability to attract wealth. Anyone who marries me is guaranteed a life of endless prosperity and luxury. In my previous life, desperate to marry Brandon Stone, I foolishly told his mother this secret. To save their failing company, she personally drugged Brandon, forcing him to consummate our marriage. That very night, when Tiffany Roberts heard the news, she threw herself from a building and died. Brandon, enraged by the death of his childhood sweetheart, dragged me into his basement and locked me in a dog cage. “This is all your fault, you bitch! Tiffany died because of you. I’ll make you wish you were dead!” Every day, his bodyguards whipped me a hundred times. There wasn’t a single spot of good skin left on my body. Finally, Mrs. Stone arrived. She wrinkled her nose in disgust when she saw me. “Just keep her breathing,” she ordered coldly. “As long as she’s alive, our family’s business will flourish.” With my last breath, I bit my tongue, ending it all. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Mrs. Stone came to formally propose. … She arrived with her bodyguards, carrying a tattered old blanket as an engagement gift. The Stone family, with their vast empire, actually thought a worn-out blanket was enough as a marriage offering. But even then, in my past life, I had happily agreed. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. “This is our offering from the Stone family. Given your family’s situation, I certainly wouldn’t have agreed in the past.” “But seeing your genuine affection for Brandon, I’ll overlook it.” She spoke with disdain, scrutinizing our home. Mom knew how deeply I adored Brandon and turned to ask for my opinion. “I already have someone I like,” I declared, looking Mrs. Stone dead in the eye. “And you clearly look down on me. We won’t stoop to marry into your family.” With that, I pointed to the door, gesturing for them to leave. She was taken aback by my attitude. After all, I had always been so meek and subservient around them before. They had always hated that I was too loud, too boisterous, like some commoner. But now, I didn’t care. I grabbed their pathetic blanket, marched upstairs, and threw it straight out the window. Mrs. Stone stamped her foot, pointing at me, her dignified ‘lady’ facade completely crumbled. “Who do you think you are? If it weren’t for your special ability, why would I ever let you into our family?” “Honestly, this place makes me sick; it reeks of… well, poverty. I can’t stand to be here for another minute!” Hearing that, Mom grabbed her arm and pushed her out of the house. Then, she turned to me, her eyes filled with heartache. “My darling, they’ve been treating you this way all along? Why didn’t you ever say anything?” In my previous life, after I died, the Stone family’s business plummeted. They actually came to demand answers from my parents, eventually driving them to suicide. This time, I would make them pay. On the TV, the news was broadcasting about Stone Corp. and Thorne Enterprises battling for a major contract. Last time, it was my marriage to Brandon that saved Stone Corp. from ruin. And Thorne Enterprises had gone bankrupt, their entire family forced to jump to their deaths because they couldn’t repay their debts. Looking at Julian Thorne’s handsome face on the screen, I decided to change the game. I hailed a cab and went straight to Thorne Enterprises. Coincidentally, I ran into Julian there. “I need to talk to you.” To my surprise, he showed no reaction, no ripple of emotion. He simply led me into his office. “I was born with an ability to attract wealth. Believe it or not, if you marry me, you’re guaranteed to win this bid.” “So, will you partner with me to take down Brandon Stone?” He didn’t hesitate for a second. He just nodded. “Alright. Let’s set the wedding for the day after tomorrow.” I looked up, meeting his gaze. In that moment, I knew. He had been reborn too. Chapter 2 Since he already knew, there was no need for further explanations. The wedding itself wasn’t important to me; a simple ceremony would suffice. My sole purpose was to make the Stone family suffer a fate worse than death. Julian dropped me off at my company, right as Brandon Stone happened to be passing by. Seeing me with his sworn enemy, Brandon immediately pointed a finger at me and started yelling. “Are you that desperate for a man? Just a few days ago, you were madly in love with me, practically obsessed! Now, after just a few days, you’ve found a new lover, huh?” Julian, seeing how aggressively Brandon was acting, immediately stepped in front of me, shielding me. Brandon then adopted a sneering expression. “Wow, you’re really not picky, are you? So desperate you’ll take my sloppy seconds?” Hearing that, I couldn’t take it anymore. I stepped forward and delivered a hard slap across his face. The force of the blow was considerable. Brandon stared at me, his face contorted with rage. Tiffany Roberts, seemingly out of nowhere, rushed over. Seeing the red mark on his face, she started to drip with sarcasm. “Oh, Sister, I know the news of our wedding must have upset you.” “But you shouldn’t hit people! My security guard’s son is only 40 this year; I could introduce him to you, if you’re interested.” I couldn’t stand her sickening act for another second. I snapped my hand back and slapped her too. Tiffany clutched her cheek and buried her face in Brandon’s chest, sobbing theatrically about the pain. “Apologize to Tiffany, right now! Are you deliberately trying to disfigure her so you can take her place at the altar? I’m telling you, it’s never going to happen. I will only marry her!” I rolled my eyes at them. What a pair of twisted psychos. “I’m getting married very soon too. You two just lock yourselves together and spare the rest of the world!” Brandon stared at me in shock as I took Julian’s hand and walked away. That evening, to my surprise, Brandon sent me a barrage of messages. [My wedding with Tiffany is the day after tomorrow. Don’t cause any trouble!] [Were you intentionally trying to make me jealous by going with Julian today? Forget it!] [Don’t bother me anymore…] It felt like our roles had suddenly reversed. Before, I was the one chasing after him, constantly texting and calling him. I never imagined I’d receive a non-stop text bombardment from him one day. It was utterly annoying. I just blocked him. Finally, the world was quiet. As fate would have it, Julian’s and my wedding was scheduled for the same day, at the same hotel, as Brandon’s. His face turned black when he saw me appear in a wedding gown. He pushed me into a corner, screaming hysterically. “I told you, today is my wedding with Tiffany, don’t you dare ruin it! Are you deliberately trying to embarrass my family by wearing that?” With that, he reached out, trying to rip off my wedding dress. I struggled relentlessly, but I was no match for his strength. My wedding dress was torn to shreds. He shoved me into a dark storage room and locked the door. “You can stay in there. No one is interrupting my wedding today!” The darkness in there, the claustrophobia, it brought back vivid memories of the basement I was locked in during my last life. Suddenly, painful memories flooded back, and my head began to throb violently. I hammered on the door, but everyone was at the wedding. No one was coming to save me. My phone had no signal down here. I felt myself fading, unable to hold on much longer. Just then, I heard Julian’s voice from the hallway. A wave of hope washed over me, and with my last ounce of strength, I called his name. The moment the door opened, I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. Chapter 3 When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Julian, seeing that I was awake, asked if I was still uncomfortable. Looking at the tenderness in his eyes, I found myself a little unaccustomed to it. His assistant, Leo, suddenly burst through the door. “Mr. Thorne, we won the bid! We won!” He quickly turned on the TV, and Julian’s eyes were alight with excitement. My phone wouldn’t stop ringing. I picked it up and saw it was Mrs. Stone. “Did you, you witch, reveal our confidential bidding price to the Thorne family? Do you have any idea that if we didn’t win this bid, we’re completely finished?” “Didn’t you say you loved Brandon? I’ll agree to you two being together! Just get that bid back for us, right now!” They truly were mother and son; their greedy faces were identical. Annoyed, I hung up on her. Not long after, Brandon, I don’t know how, found his way to my hospital room. Seeing Julian taking care of me, he charged in, intent on dragging me away. “What exactly did you tell Julian? Did you leak our bid price to them?!” He yanked me straight off the bed. I hit the floor with a thud, wincing in pain. Seeing my pain, Julian helped me up and then turned to his bodyguards, ordering them to remove Brandon. Tiffany, playing her innocent victim routine, stood at the doorway. “Sister, what did you tell Mr. Thorne? Last time, I saw you sneaking around outside Brandon’s study.” Brandon, hearing this, became even more furious. He stood at the hospital room doorway and cursed my entire family tree. He had never allowed me near his study, yet Tiffany was always free to come and go as she pleased. Suddenly, I remembered it had been the same in my previous life. Company documents were leaked. Brandon, believing Tiffany’s words, accused me and forced me to kneel on shards of glass for three days and nights. My knees were a mess, completely ruined. Later, it was found out that Tiffany’s subordinate was the real culprit, but he never apologized, only saying I should “be more careful next time.” I glanced over at Tiffany, who was watching with a smug, entertained look. “Brandon Stone, when have I ever been in your study? Why don’t you check Tiffany’s computer?!” At that, Tiffany’s expression shifted. Brandon immediately told Leo to check her computer. They stormed out of the hospital, still arguing noisily. After three days in the hospital, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Julian said that we would have a proper wedding ceremony once I was better. For now, I went home. Suddenly, there was an urgent knock on the door. I opened it to see Mrs. Stone, accompanied by a scowling Brandon. “Anya, I know you were just jealous, so I’ve specifically brought Brandon here to make amends.” “Brandon and Tiffany only had a wedding ceremony; they haven’t legally married yet. It doesn’t count as being married! As long as you agree to legally marry Brandon, I’ll promise you anything!” Brandon, hearing this, looked utterly annoyed. “Mom, do you really believe she’s some kind of money-magnet? Tiffany has a Master’s in finance! Is there any problem Tiffany can’t solve?!” Mrs. Stone, looking disgusted, told him to shut up and continued to plead with me, trying to appeal to my softer side. “Alright, if you agree to legally marry Brandon, half of Stone Corp.’s shares will be yours.” Brandon kept interjecting, calling her crazy. “Okay,” I said, a sly smile playing on my lips. “But I have one condition.” “Tomorrow is my wedding with Julian. If Brandon can livestream a ‘wedding raid’ in front of the entire city, then I’ll agree to marry him.” “Are you insane?! Mom, she’s only in it for the money! What is our family’s reputation? How can we do a livestream? It’s so embarrassing!” Mrs. Stone shot me a venomous look, then gritted her teeth and agreed. The next day, just as the wedding was about to begin, Brandon finally appeared. His livestream quickly went viral. He stood on the stage, holding a ring, and knelt before me, looking completely forced. “Marry me!” I gave a knowing smirk and pulled Julian closer. “No way, I’m not marrying you. I already have a husband.” Chapter 4 Brandon’s face instantly contorted. He threw the phone he was livestreaming with. “You dared to trick me! You conniving bitch, I’ll kill you!” Julian grabbed him by the collar.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299093”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Chris and I were synced up on this Truth-Teller App. The deal was, if either of us lied, the system would automatically deduct $1314.00 from their linked account and transfer it to the other person. My best friend, Chloe, developed it. She asked me to help her beta test it. During our holiday weekend trip to a popular beach town, something felt off. On the train, Chris went to take a call in the restroom. When he came back, his expression was completely wrong. “Who was that?” I asked. He avoided my gaze. “No one. Just a spam call.” The next second, my phone buzzed with a notification: [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] I stared at the message, speechless. Chris saw me staring at my phone, not saying a word, and leaned closer. “What’s up, Jo? What are you so engrossed in?” I turned the phone screen towards him. A muscle in his jaw jumped. “I thought you… usually kept app notifications off?” I didn’t say anything, just watched him. He snatched my phone, his fingers frantically tapping the screen, as if trying to delete the notification. “These apps are getting out of hand now. I’ll help you uninstall it later.” He shoved the phone back into my hand as he spoke. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in my chest. “So, that call just now? It wasn’t a spam call?” Chris’s eyes darted away again. He insisted stubbornly, “It was a spam call!” The words had barely left his mouth. “Ding-dong.” My phone chimed again, a new notification popping up. [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] The air went completely silent. “Joanna!” He practically spat my name through clenched teeth. “Are you using this thing to spy on me?” He accused me outright. I scoffed. “Spy on you?” “Chris, have you forgotten?” “This app was developed by Chloe. She asked me to help her beta test it, and you agreed to link your account.” “What? Now that your lies are exposed, you’re trying to turn the tables on me?” He suddenly sat up straight, frowning at me. “What lie did I tell!?” “It was just a stupid call! What if I don’t want to talk about it?” “Why do you always have to pry into everything? Do you have any respect for my privacy!?” His voice grew louder and louder. Passengers around us cast curious glances our way. “Fine, I won’t ask.” I turned my face away, looking out at the rapidly receding scenery through the window. This holiday, from its very first second, was destined to be unpleasant. Chapter Two When we arrived at the cozy rental we’d booked, Chris was still sulking. He tossed his suitcase onto the floor, then stormed into the bathroom, his face dark, slamming the door shut. I looked at my pale face in the mirror and let out a self-deprecating laugh. My phone vibrated again. It was a message from Chloe. [Hey, babe. Is the app stable? How’s the user experience?] I stared at the words, and almost instinctively replied. [Very stable. The experience… is incredibly stimulating.] Not long after, Chloe called. “What’s wrong, Jo? Your tone sounds off.” I walked out onto the balcony, closed the glass door, and quietly recounted what had just happened. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then, Chloe cautiously spoke. “Joanna, don’t overthink it.” “Chris isn’t like that. Maybe he really has something he can’t talk about?” “Like… maybe family needing money or something. He’s a man, you know, too proud to admit it to you.” Her words sounded reasonable, like she was making excuses for him. “If he’d just been honest, do you really think I wouldn’t help?” “Men have their pride,” Chloe sighed. “Why don’t you talk to him properly later? Don’t let this minor issue affect your relationship.” “If this app makes you uncomfortable, just turn it off. Forget the testing.” After hanging up, the irritation in my heart eased a little. Maybe I really was overthinking things. The bathroom door opened, and Chris walked out, hair still damp, wrapped in a towel. He stood in front of me, hesitated for a moment, then softened his tone. “Joanna, I’m sorry. My attitude was bad earlier.” I looked at him, not speaking. He reached out to hug me, but I stepped aside, avoiding him. His arm froze mid-air, and his face clouded over again. “Ugh! Fine, I’ll tell you. It was just my mom calling for money. I was annoyed and felt embarrassed, so I lied.” He explained, but his eyes wouldn’t meet mine. “Are you serious? You’re still nagging about this?” My heart stirred. I pulled out my phone and tapped open the “Truth-Teller” app. I looked directly into his eyes. “Chris, you just said that your mom called, asking for money, and that’s why you lied to me. Is that true?” A flicker of panic seemed to cross his face, but he quickly composed himself, nodding forcefully. “Yes, it’s true!” My gaze locked on the phone screen. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. My phone stayed quiet. No notification popped up.

A huge weight lifted off my chest, as if instantly. Could it be that I had really misjudged him? He saw my expression soften, and breathed a sigh of relief, pulling me into his arms. “Joanna, stop overthinking. I love you the most.” His voice was gentle, whispering in my ear. I closed my eyes, enveloped in his familiar embrace. Just as I was about to believe him, my phone vibrated subtly again. I snapped my eyes open, pulled away from his embrace, and looked down. It wasn’t an app notification. It was a bank deposit alert. [Your savings account ending in 6689 has received $1314.00.] I froze. Then, another one. [Your savings account ending in 6689 has received $1314.00.] It was the money from the previous two deductions, transferred to my account down to the last cent. This was Chloe’s “penalty disbursement” feature. She’d said that if the other person lied, the deducted money would serve as compensation for emotional damages to the wronged party. I hadn’t even had time to fully process it when Chris’s phone suddenly rang at the worst possible moment. He glanced at the caller ID, his body stiffened noticeably. Then, phone in hand, he hurried to the balcony, locking the glass door behind him. The movement was so smooth, so practiced, it sent a chill down my spine. Through the glass, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I could only see the gentle smile on his face. Chapter Three By evening, a light rain had started in the beach town. Chris returned from his phone call on the balcony, looking inexplicably down. He sat on the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette in silence. I walked over, took the cigarette from his hand, and put it out in the ashtray. “Don’t smoke so much. It’s not good for you.” He looked up at me. “Joanna, let’s go back tomorrow.” I paused. “Why? We just got here today.” “Something urgent came up at work. I have to go back and deal with it.” He stood up and began packing the few clothes he had just unpacked. I watched his back, and the cloud of suspicion in my mind resurfaced. “What kind of emergency requires you to rush back immediately?” I pressed. He paused, his back to me. “Don’t ask. You wouldn’t understand.” Those words again. I walked in front of him, forcing him to look into my eyes. “Chris, look at me.” “Tell me, is what you’re saying right now true?” He sighed, replying helplessly, “Yes.” “Ding-dong.” The familiar chime. [Partner detected lying. $1314.00 deducted from linked account.] Chris suddenly dropped the clothes in his hand and sank onto the bed. “Why…” he murmured, “Why do you have to push me like this?” Watching him like this, I felt a mix of grief and indignation. “Am I pushing you, or are you pushing me?” “Chris, we’ve been together for three years. I thought there were no secrets between us.” “But now? You haven’t told me a single truth!” “I didn’t lie to you!” he suddenly yelled at me. “Everything I said was true! This stupid app is the problem! It’s trying to tear us apart!” He lunged at me, trying to snatch my phone. I held onto it tightly, not letting him succeed. During the struggle, his nail scraped my hand, leaving a stinging red mark. I gasped in pain and released my grip. He grabbed the phone and frantically tried to uninstall the “Truth-Teller” app. But he quickly discovered that the app couldn’t be uninstalled. Chloe had written it, directly embedding it into the system’s core. Unless both of us applied to unbind, it would keep running. He slammed the phone onto the floor. “Crazy! Both of you are crazy!” The phone screen shattered. But the notification was still lit. That night, we lay back to back, neither of us speaking.

I stared wide-eyed until dawn. Chapter Four The next day, we ended our trip early. The atmosphere on the way back was incredibly heavy. Chris wore headphones, eyes closed, refusing any interaction with me. And I, meanwhile, repeatedly looked at the three deduction records on my phone, and the three “emotional damages” payments transferred to my account. A total of $3942.00. How ironic. Back home, Chris slammed the door to the guest room. I sat alone in the living room, my grievance nowhere to go. Chloe messaged again, asking if we had argued. I sent her a photo of my phone with the shattered screen and replied with three words: [You tell me?] She immediately called, her voice full of apologies: “I’m so sorry, Jo. I didn’t know it would be like this… I just wanted to make a fun app, I never thought…” “Chloe, tell me the truth. Why did you really develop this app?” I interrupted her. Another silence on the other end of the phone. “I… it was just a hobby,” she stammered. I sneered. “Really?” I tapped open the app, looking at our two linked profile pictures. “Chloe, did you know Chris was trouble all along? Did you make this app to warn me?” “No! Absolutely not! Jo, don’t overthink things!” she denied frantically. My gut told me she was lying. But I had no proof. Maybe from the beginning, I shouldn’t have agreed to this. That evening, Chris emerged from the guest room, his eyes swollen. He sat down beside me. “Joanna, let’s talk.” I didn’t respond. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said, head bowed. “I shouldn’t have lied to you.” “I admit it. I lied to you.” My heart clenched. “That call, it wasn’t my mom.” “It was… a childhood friend of mine, Mark.” “He got into gambling, owed money to loan sharks, and was being chased by them.” “He called me for help, and I, being soft-hearted, lent him the money we were saving for a car down payment.” He said, looking up. “I was afraid you’d be angry, afraid you’d scold me for not thinking straight, so I didn’t dare tell you.” “Joanna, I really know I messed up. I’ll find a way to get the money back.” His explanation sounded watertight. If this had been before today, I might have softened, might have believed him. But now. I looked at his face and calmly asked the question. “Is everything you just said completely true?” “Cross my heart!” He raised three fingers, swearing solemnly. “May lightning strike me if I’m lying again!” My phone was silent. No deduction. Could it be… that this time, he was finally telling the truth? I looked at him, my heart a mess of conflicting feelings. He cautiously watched my expression, then tentatively took my hand. “Joanna, please forgive me?” “Let’s unbind that app. It feels like a thorn between us. I’m afraid it’ll eventually tear us apart.” I looked at the earnest plea in his eyes, and my resolve started to crumble. Maybe he really did know he messed up. Should I really give him another chance? Just as I was about to nod. Chris’s mom called. I put her on speaker. On the other end, her voice was choked with tears.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299094”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Six years of my life, I dedicated to Ryan Sterling, building everything with him from the ground up. It wasn’t until a month before our wedding that I found out I’d been cheated on. The man who’d sworn to marry me had already tied the knot with someone else behind my back. As our wedding day loomed, I suddenly discovered that Ryan Sterling, my boyfriend of many years, was having an affair. It left me utterly bewildered. We’d started a business together, I’d helped him build his fortune from nothing, and we’d accumulated considerable wealth side-by-side. I’d watched him transform from a penniless young man into the successful entrepreneur he was today. But now, it seemed I was no longer the woman he loved wholeheartedly. I knew him when he loved me, so the lack of love was painfully obvious. Should I just cut my losses, quickly divide our assets, and break up? That didn’t feel fair to me. Or should I hold on, dragging things out until our relationship completely withered? That would be a torment for all of us, not just them. So, what was the best solution? My answer was clear: Yes, I could break up with him! But… He owes me, and I’ll make him pay for every single bit of it! They say once you’ve made it to the top, the first thing you do is cut ties with the very people who helped you get there. I never believed that before. Now, I had no choice but to. Discovering Ryan’s infidelity was purely by chance. That day, I happened to be home from a business trip, ready for a deep clean. When I changed the bedsheets, I instinctively removed the pillowcases too. So, when my hand brushed against that red marriage certificate inside the pillowcase, I froze, stunned to my core. Ryan Sterling… he actually got secretly married to someone else? How could this be happening? Tears welled in my eyes. I tried to delude myself, to believe it was all a fake. I desperately searched for any sign of a forgery. But the result was utterly disappointing. Blunt, bold words stared back at me. Holder: Ryan Sterling. Marriage Date: March 15, 2024. The raised official seal was a stark, undeniable reminder that I was the other woman. That day, it was supposed to be our wedding photoshoot. But he’d claimed urgent company business. I, naive fool, had actually believed him, thinking he was truly busy with work. My tears streamed down, uncontrollable. They splattered onto his marriage certificate with another woman. In the photo, their smiles were radiant and blinding. They seemed to mock me, the clown who’d been so easily deceived. I stood there, my fingers clutching the certificate, trembling uncontrollably. Why would Ryan hide this marriage certificate, conceal the fact that he’d betrayed me? Was someone holding something over him, forcing him to marry? Was he left with no choice? Or was he afraid that if I found out the truth, I’d expose his past and destroy everything he’d built? Whatever the reason, it was no excuse for betraying our relationship. Expressionless, I put the marriage certificate back exactly where I found it. I went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. It did absolutely nothing.

After sitting on the sofa for an hour, numb with disbelief. I called Leo Davis, Ryan Sterling’s assistant. I wanted to indirectly figure out what Ryan had been up to lately. When Leo answered, I heard a soft “Shhh” from his end, then the background noise gradually faded. A moment later, he spoke, a hint of a smile in his voice: “Lena, are you looking for Mr. Sterling? Bad timing, he just left to meet a client, he’s not in the office right now.” Meeting a client without his right-hand man? That lie was way too flimsy. I let out a cold laugh: “No, I’m looking for you.” Leo paused, then chuckled, replying: “Lena, anything you need my help with, just say the word.” I tapped my finger lightly on the armrest of the sofa, my voice as cold as ice: “Leo, do you remember how many years it’s been since we first met?” Silence stretched for a few seconds on his end. Then, his voice came back, tinged with a fawning tone: “Of course, it’s been exactly ten years since we met.” I pressed on: “Do you remember who saved you back then, when you were cornered in that alley and getting beaten by a gang?” “It… it was you. You called the police ahead of time and stepped in, stopping that assault, saving me from those thugs, and taking me to the hospital…” Leo stammered out his reply. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could picture his embarrassment. I took a deep breath, suppressing the anger boiling within me. “So, I’m looking for Ryan Sterling now. Is he there?” “…Yes!” “Where are you guys right now?” “The Golden Summit Private Club.” “Room number.” “7008.” I hung up without another word. Driving while this emotional was an accident waiting to happen. So, I opted for a cab to the club. Leo was already waiting for me at the entrance. The moment he saw me step out of the car, he rushed over. He took my bag and guided me towards the elevator. Inside the elevator, he seemed flustered, rubbing his hands together nervously, apologizing awkwardly: “Lena… I’m sorry, I, I really am. Mr. Sterling just met up with some friends today, I was afraid you’d worry, so I said he was seeing a client.” Just friends today. What about all the other times? My face was devoid of emotion. I didn’t bother to reply. If a boyfriend I’d been with for six years could betray our relationship, how could I expect loyalty from a so-called classmate, based on the flimsy ties of an old friendship? Leo escorted me to the private room door, then turned and left. I was about to push the door open, wanting to see with my own eyes who Ryan Sterling had chosen to marry. But the teasing voices drifting from inside the room made me pause, standing quietly by the half-open door. Someone joked, “Mr. Sterling is so virtuous, here we all are with ladies on each arm, and he’s just sitting there drinking juice.” Another person immediately chimed in. “Naturally! Mr. Sterling’s girlfriend is a top student from the Riverton City Music Academy, the campus belle everyone here envies, a truly supportive partner.” “I heard that when Mr. Sterling was just starting his business, he had cash flow problems. His girlfriend found out and didn’t hesitate to quit her job at the music academy, pouring all her savings into helping him. So admirable!” No sooner had the words faded than a man’s voice cut in, sounding quite certain: “You’ve got it all wrong!” It sounded like Sean Peterson, an old friend of Ryan’s. He continued, half-joking, half-serious: “What six-year girlfriend? Who in their right mind dates someone for six years and doesn’t marry them?” “You guys don’t know, do you? He told Lena he wasn’t married yet because he wanted to save up enough money to throw her a lavish wedding. But the truth is, he secretly married someone else two months ago.” “Saying he was forced, that she had something on him… please! Like they say, one’s willing to act, the other’s willing to play along. If he truly didn’t want it, no one could have forced him to drop his pants, right?” Everyone in the room burst into surprised laughter. Ryan, meanwhile, leaned back on the sofa, a smirk playing on his lips. Sean continued to spill the beans: “That girl isn’t even prettier than Lena, and she didn’t even finish high school. She’s just an online influencer from Riverton City. What do you think he’s thinking?” The room fell silent. Sean, growing even more relaxed, crossed one leg over the other, looking completely at ease. “Haven’t you heard that men never truly grow up? I’m just looking for something new, some fresh excitement.” “You wouldn’t know, Lena… she just can’t give me that thrill. She’s always so cold. Now, just thinking about her calm, controlled face makes me lose my appetite.” “Besides, even if she were a goddess, I’ve slept with her for six years, a whole 2190 days. I’m utterly bored.” “If it wasn’t for having to split half my assets with her if we broke up, I would’ve confronted her ages ago.” Hearing these words from Ryan’s own mouth felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me from head to toe. My heart was frozen to the core, the chill seeping into my very bones. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed these words could come from the mouth of the boyfriend who had always been so compliant with my wishes. Some sayings are indeed true. You can never imagine how ruthless a man can become once his heart changes. To him, you’re just a completely superfluous person. I didn’t push the door open and confront him. Instead, I quietly turned and walked away. Even for the sake of the past six years, I chose to preserve some dignity for both of us.

At the club entrance, Leo was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing me approach, he immediately rushed over, a wide, ingratiating smile plastered on his face: “Lena, I didn’t lie to you, did I? Mr. Sterling was just catching up with old friends today.” “As for those girls in the room, they have nothing to do with him. He even specifically asked me to order him juice, so he wouldn’t get drunk and make you worry.” I looked at my old classmate, who had become so smooth and slick. The genuine sincerity that once filled his eyes was long gone. He continued to smile ingratiatingly: “Lena, let me find someone to drive you home. And, I won’t tell Mr. Sterling you were here.” I didn’t refuse his offer. The driver was in Ryan’s business car. Sitting in the back seat, two handprints, one large, one small, were strikingly visible on the window. My heart sank. I stared intently at those tangled handprints, which seemed to whisper the sordid stories that had unfolded here. After getting out of the car, I told the driver: “Thank you for the ride.” “Oh, and by the way, the back window is dirty. Remember to clean it for your boss, Mr. Sterling.” The driver stood there, bewildered and helpless. Soon after I got home, my phone rang. It was Leo, calling specifically. On the other end, his voice was urgent as he explained. He said the handprints on the back seat were accidentally left when he was being affectionate with his new girlfriend, and he repeatedly promised it wouldn’t happen again, begging me not to tell Ryan about it. How ridiculous. He seemed to have forgotten who helped him get to where he was today. But I didn’t expose his lie. Late that night, Ryan finally returned home. I was sitting on the living room sofa, idly watching TV. On the screen, a girl was weeping bitterly: “Why are you doing this to me? You promised you’d marry me, so why are you marrying another woman behind my back?” In the past, I never truly saw Ryan for who he was. Now, I realized I probably hadn’t even seen his worst side. “So late, and you’re still not resting? Are you binging another show?” Ryan asked, his voice cheerful, as he entered, taking off his suit jacket and changing his shoes. I turned my head, gazing at the man I’d been with for six years. At thirty, he had only grown more mature. With a defined jawline and thick, dark short hair, he exuded mature charm and gentlemanly grace. His tall, slender physique, accentuated by his well-fitted suit, made him look even more composed. I had shaped this man, bit by bit. I had accompanied him through his growth, through his entrepreneurship, from nothing to everything, step by step, to where he was today. But now, he had betrayed me, marrying another woman. He took off his suit, draped it over the sofa back, then sat beside me, gently massaging my throbbing temples. “Is your head hurting again?” “Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll take you to the doctor, okay?” “Okay,” I replied softly, subtly moving his hand from my forehead. He didn’t notice my odd behavior. He stood up and said, “I’ll go shower first. I have to go on a business trip tomorrow; it might be for a month.” “Where to?” “Seaside City. Some suppliers there are having issues with contract fulfillment, I need to go talk to them personally.” He spoke smoothly, without a single flaw. I said nothing more, watching him quietly walk back to the bedroom. Only after the bedroom door closed, I walked to the entryway and picked up the jacket and briefcase Ryan had just taken off. I examined them carefully. Inside were a laptop, some business cards, and a few documents. The laptop was password-protected; I couldn’t open it. I flipped through the documents and business cards, finding nothing unusual. Just as I was about to put everything back in the bag, a piece of paper tucked inside the suit jacket caught my eye. It was an ultrasound pregnancy report. The report indicated early pregnancy, 10 weeks. Patient name: Amber Hayes. Patient age: 29. Amber Hayes… I froze. The woman who had married Ryan Sterling. The owner of a newly opened beauty salon in Riverton City. Her image involuntarily surfaced in my mind. An obviously cosmetically enhanced face, a slender build, long flowing hair, a preference for revealing, sexy clothing that showcased her long, pale legs. I remembered seeing her for the first time when I accompanied a friend to her beauty salon for a skin treatment. I’d casually heard her mention that her family background was modest, and she had worked very hard to get where she was. When it was time to pay, she even offered a discount, hoping we would frequent her salon more often. When she said that, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons. It truly left an impression. My hand clutching the pregnancy report slowly tightened. I took out my phone, snapped a picture of the report, then put the items back into the bag.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299081”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

My brother sent a SnapChat message meant for his mistress to my phone. “Darling, The Platinum Hotel, 12 AM, sultry red negligee ready.” A cold sneer played on my lips. I immediately SnapChatted him back. “$500,000. Hush money.” My brother called me right away. He started screaming, calling me shameless, accusing me of ripping off my own brother. I just smiled, not bothering to reply. I calmly hung up. Five minutes later, I received a transfer of $500,000 from my brother. And a text message. “Please, don’t tell Chelsea. She’s pregnant, it’s not easy for her right now.” I didn’t reply to his SnapChat. I just calmly transferred $300,000 to my sister-in-law, Chelsea. After she confirmed the transfer, I asked her, “The baby’s five months along, right? You’re pregnant, so you probably can’t get a divorce?” Her reply was swift. “That’s why I’ve decided to abort this child. Brandon doesn’t even like the baby anyway. What about you? What are you going to do?” Me? My gaze fell upon the photo of Brandon and me on the living room coffee table. The picture was taken during our college days, a casual shot snapped by a passerby. But in that instant, our eyes, locked on each other, were filled with such deep affection. Now… A bitter smile touched my lips. “I’m planning on aborting my baby too.” She didn’t reply to my SnapChat immediately. It was half an hour later when her response finally came. “Derek just got home.” “Okay, if you’re also planning to abort, I’ll arrange a private clinic now. What time works best for you?” “Seven days from now. In seven days, it will be Derek and your seventh wedding anniversary. And it will also be Brandon and my third wedding anniversary. We both started on that day, so let’s end on that day too.” She sent an “okay” emoji. As soon as I cleared the chat history, My brother’s SnapChat came through again. “Smart move. Glad you didn’t tell Chelsea.” Smart move? Oh, I’m definitely smart. After all, my dear brother, at eighteen, tore up my acceptance letter to an elite university, destroyed my academic records, and forced me to study abroad. All because the girl who had lived in our house, replacing me for ten years, Sierra, didn’t score as well as I did. She cried. And he, in his blind fury, destroyed the future I had fought so hard to secure for myself. And now, in the third year of my marriage to his best friend, Brandon, and three months into my pregnancy. The woman I’d driven away with my desperate, messy antics was back. Just because she said she still couldn’t forget Brandon. My wonderful brother, he actively orchestrated their affair, constantly creating opportunities to lure Brandon into cheating. I never understood why my brother was so cruel. Was it because when I was lost as a child and later found, I accused him of deliberately abandoning me? When Dad whipped him with a belt until his skin bled, Sierra cried and shielded him. And I, his sister, became his enemy. While Sierra became the apple of his eye. To the point where he was malicious enough to ruin my life, ruin my marriage, just to help Sierra.

Just as I was sinking deep into painful memories, the front door opened. Brandon was back. Seeing me curled up on the sofa, he paused, then instinctively said, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He quickly kicked off his shoes and walked over, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Is the baby bothering you again?” He reached out and stroked my still-flat belly, gently humming a lullaby. Listening to his soft voice, my hands, clutching the blanket, tightened. Sometimes, I couldn’t help but want to confront Brandon and ask him how he managed it. He still smelled of the woman he’d been with, yet he’d made it home by 10 o’clock, the curfew I’d set for him. Then he’d kiss my cheek. Then he’d sit with me, playing educational music for our baby. Well, it made sense. After all, when I was found and brought back to the Vance family, he managed to subtly approach me, listening to my stories of the five years I was lost and the pain I endured. Yet, in the middle of the night, if Sierra called, he’d take her out for a night ride on his motorcycle. He was always so contradictory, unable to let go of me, yet unable to let go of Sierra. Even when my brother’s actions forced me into孤苦无依 (loneliness and helplessness) abroad for college. When I called Mom and Dad again for living expenses, they were busy traveling with Sierra and Derek, ignoring my calls and me. Crying, I made just one call to Brandon. He only heard two sobs before he was on a plane that very night, flying to me, giving me money, and giving me his loving support. But after he returned home, he showed up at our family’s holiday dinner, embracing Sierra, looking like the perfect couple, in our family photo. I honestly thought I had won. After all, when I returned home, I threw a huge fit and practically blackmailed my parents into sending Sierra abroad. I forced Brandon to ultimately choose me. But only now did I realize I had lost. Completely. The pain was so intense that tears welled up and streamed down my face without my conscious control. Seeing me cry, Brandon panicked instantly. “What’s wrong, Cassie? Don’t cry, tell me what’s wrong.” I looked through my teary eyes at the man before me, his eyes full of concern. For a moment, I truly believed I was his whole world. But as he turned to grab tissues for my tears, I saw the dense, unmistakable hickeys on his neck, and my heart clenched. No wonder Brandon had been sleeping in high-collared shirts these past few days. When I was asleep, he was still working in his study. When I woke up, he was already dressed in his suit and tie. I had always thought Brandon was feeling guilty about his betrayal, but at that moment, it hit me. His pathetic attempts to cover his tracks were simply to hide the evidence of his infidelity. But what did he have to hide? Sierra had already threatened me the day she returned, vowing to take back everything that “belonged to her.” So, these past few days, the drawer where I kept my wedding ring was already filled with intimate photos of Brandon and Sierra. Any day Brandon might notice I wasn’t wearing my wedding ring and, on a whim, decide to put it on me, opening that drawer to find them. Yet, the man who used to complain if I didn’t wear my ring for even a day, accusing me of not valuing our marriage, Hadn’t noticed I’d taken off my wedding ring since Sierra returned. I also noticed Brandon’s wedding ring had changed. It was a ring with a similar general design to mine, but the details were completely different. I even snuck it off his finger while he was asleep and saw that the engraving inside the band had changed from B&C (Brandon & Cassie) to B&S (Brandon & Sierra). My heart ached, a suffocating pain. As Brandon reached out with a tissue to wipe my tears, A wave of nausea suddenly hit me. I instinctively slapped his hand away. Brandon froze, the tissue still in his hand. I quickly blurted out an excuse. “Sorry, I think I’m just having morning sickness. I’m going back to bed.” After that, I didn’t spare a glance at Brandon’s expression, fleeing frantically back to my room. The moment the door closed, I collapsed over the toilet, violently vomiting. For the past three months of my pregnancy, this baby had been incredibly considerate; I hadn’t experienced any morning sickness at all. But now it had begun. So, it wasn’t just me who found his disgusting, two-faced act nauseating. My baby felt it too.

I didn’t sleep a wink all night. After the violent vomiting, my stomach even began to ache with a dull, throbbing pain. In the past, I would have rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night. After all, I was a girl who was unloved by my father, unloved by my mother, unloved by my brother. I truly longed for a child whose eyes held only me. But this time, almost self-destructively, I didn’t move. Just as Chelsea said, his father didn’t love him anyway. Maybe his choosing to leave was the best option. Brandon didn’t return to the bedroom that night. I heard the front door close at midnight, and again at six in the morning. Where did Brandon go? It was obvious. After all, at 2 AM last night, I had received photos from Sierra. She and Brandon were snuggled on the bed in what used to be my childhood room. On the bedside table sat my old teddy bear, Barnaby, whom I used to hug to sleep every night. And in front of Barnaby was a photo of Sierra wearing a princess dress. Because, ever since I was lost for five years and returned home after so much hardship, My room had become Sierra’s. My brother had become Sierra’s. My parents had also become Sierra’s. What hurt me the most was that one night, I woke up crying from a nightmare about that cruel, jailed foster father. I crawled out of bed, searching for Mom and Dad, Only to find them, along with my brother, cradling a crying Sierra, whose stomach ached in the middle of the night, their faces filled with worry. “The guest bedroom is drafty, Sierra must have caught a cold and that’s why her stomach hurts.” No sooner had Mom spoken than my brother chimed in, “If Cassie hadn’t come back, Sierra wouldn’t have been kicked out. You see how difficult she is to get along with now, but you two, for the sake of appearances, still refuse to admit it.” “And you gave Sierra’s room to Cassie! Do you even think she deserves it?” As soon as my brother finished speaking, Dad slapped him on the head. “Shut up, don’t let Cassie hear you, or she’ll throw another tantrum.” Afterward, muffled sounds of them comforting Sierra not to cry echoed from the living room. That night, I returned to my room and developed a high fever. But no one among the three outside knew. It wasn’t until I had been in bed for four days, and my cold had naturally subsided, that I proactively suggested moving out of that room which was once mine, and offered to go live with my grandmother. Only then did they seem to realize they hadn’t seen me leave my room for four days. Thinking of the bitter past, a suffocating pain clenched my heart again. I struggled to get out of bed, brushed my teeth, and stepped out of the room, only to see Brandon, wearing an apron, preparing a meal for pregnant women. The sight stung my eyes, making them red-rimmed. Seeing me, Brandon took off his apron and walked towards me. “I saw you had morning sickness last night, so I was afraid of disturbing your rest and slept in the study.” With that, Brandon guided me to sit at the dining table. “I saw online that pregnant women only avoid morning sickness if they eat well.” He then turned to the kitchen to pour me milk. But looking at the breakfast spread on the table, all made with eggs, my heart clenched again. I am allergic to eggs. My eyes welled up once more. The next moment, my SnapChat notification chimed. It was Sierra. “Enjoy the egg feast I had Brandon prepare for you?” “Consider this your reward for sleeping alone last night.” “I hope you and the bastard in your belly end up in the hospital, dead and unburied.” “Oh, and Brandon will probably tell you about a business trip later, but actually, he promised to accompany me to visit my parents’ graves.” “You know, I just got back from abroad, so of course, I have to go back and see my birth parents.” “By the way, your mom, dad, and brother are coming along too.” My fingers holding the phone tightened their grip. After pouring the milk, Brandon walked back to me. He placed the milk on the table, then kissed my cheek, and said, “Honey, I have to go on a business trip today. Something urgent came up with the project in S City.” With that, he reached out and untied his apron. “You and this little troublemaker stay put at home. I’ll be back in a couple of days.” He didn’t care about my pale face. He didn’t care if I’d eaten a single bite of his carefully prepared egg delicacy. He rushed back to the room, grabbed his pre-packed suitcase, and walked out the door. He didn’t even say goodbye to me. He didn’t even ask why my eyes were so red before slamming the door shut. Listening to the lingering thud of the door echoing in the room, tears streamed down my face. And the fork and knife Brandon had given me, without me realizing, had pierced into the flesh of my palm. Scarlet drops ran down the blade, falling one by one into the milky white glass, swirling into a pink cloud.

I sat at the dining table for two full hours that day before I regained my senses. That same day, I called Chelsea and arranged for us to get our abortions earlier than planned. To my surprise, she was just like me; as soon as I suggested it, she agreed. When we met at the private clinic, her face was as ashen as mine. Before I could even ask her what was wrong, She walked over and hugged me tightly, her scalding tears threatening to burn my neck. “Don’t ask, I don’t want to talk about it.” I stroked her trembling back, a pang of sympathy rising in my heart. She and my brother were college sweethearts; she’d poured her heart and soul into pursuing him. I’ll never forget the joy and happiness radiating from her face when my brother brought her home to meet our parents. But in just seven short years. That once innocent, adorable girl had withered like a neglected rose, all the brightness gone from her eyes. After holding me tightly for several minutes, she finally let go. “I’m glad, in my darkest moment, to have someone by my side.” With that, she walked resolutely into the doctor’s office. Watching her back, I wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes without my knowing. Yes, I was glad, in my darkest moment, to at least have someone by my side. Afterward, I mimicked her, Resolutely, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked into another doctor’s office. Three hours later, Chelsea and I lay in the same hospital room. I didn’t speak. She didn’t speak. Only the hollow beeping of the heart monitor echoed in the room. After an unknown amount of time, a choked sob came from behind the white privacy curtain. “Cassie, do you know? I always thought if I aborted the baby, I’d be okay.” “I wouldn’t love your brother anymore, I wouldn’t be in pain anymore. But why, now that the child who was in my belly for five months is gone, do I feel such unbearable grief?” No sooner had she spoken than her heartbroken wailing filled the room. Listening to her sorrowful and despairing cries, I silently shed my own tears. Yes, why did it hurt so much? This was clearly the best choice. His father simply didn’t love him. If I just severed this last tie with that family, I would finally be free from Sierra’s vortex. But why did it hurt so much? My body felt like it was being flayed alive, my heart as if it were being torn into a thousand pieces. Chelsea and I stayed in the hospital for a seven-day post-procedure recovery. During those seven days, the man who constantly declared his love for me down to his very bones, didn’t send me a single SnapChat. He didn’t make a single call. Chelsea’s SnapChat, however, kept pinging. Afraid of her pain, I took her phone. I saw text after text from my brother, Asking her to pick up packages for Sierra. Asking her to go to the jewelry store to pick up the limited-edition bag he’d ordered for Sierra long ago. Tears welled up in my eyes again. Just as my trembling fingers were about to curse him back, Chelsea opened her lifeless eyes. “It’s so pathetic, isn’t it?” “Sometimes I even think I’m pathetic.” “Actually, when I was dating your brother in college, I knew he had a sister he cherished to his very core.” “Every month he’d transfer her money, he’d regularly buy her sanitary pads, and every holiday, he’d leave without a word’s notice.” “Back then, I thought that girl was you, and I was jealous of you for a long time.” “But it wasn’t until I married your brother that I realized that girl wasn’t you. The one he cherished was his sister with no blood relation to him.” “But I was so stupid, so foolishly believing that if I just worked hard enough, if I gave my all, your brother would love me.” “But love isn’t something you can force. Even if I abandoned all my self-respect to please him, to love him, he still wouldn’t love me. He’d rather find countless women who resembled Sierra than love me.” Listening to Chelsea’s choked voice, my heart ached with suffocating pain. I quickly consoled her. “It’s all over now. Once we divorce, we’ll leave this place.” “If you don’t know where to go, you can come with me.” “We don’t need those people who only have Sierra in their hearts, okay?” Chelsea’s voice trembled as she whispered “okay,” then pulled the blanket over her head. Afterward, Chelsea and I stayed in the hospital for another two weeks of post-procedure recovery before being discharged. As soon as we left the hospital, I received a call from Brandon. He told me that my parents wanted to host a family dinner to celebrate Sierra’s birthday. What a ridiculously ironic call. My parents were hosting a family dinner and they notified my husband, not me. And perhaps not only had my parents forgotten, but my husband had also forgotten, that today was my birthday too. My sister-in-law also received a call. She was even worse off than me. My brother, besides informing her to attend the family dinner, Also gave her a series of instructions. To order a cake from the bakery. To prepare a suit and dress shoes for him, and even demanded she pick them up at the airport. They were returning to Mom’s mansion, and he wanted Chelsea to take their luggage home for them first. Seeing my brother’s SnapChat. Chelsea and I exchanged a glance. “Are you ready?” Chelsea nodded. “I’m ready.” So she immediately SnapChatted back to my brother: “I’m busy today. I don’t have time to be your nanny.” The moment her message was sent, my brother’s call came through. His voice filled with reproach and deep impatience.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299082”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

The news of the alliance between two top-tier dynasties sent shockwaves through the business world. But on the night of our engagement party, I walked backstage and caught my fiancé, Liam Blackwood, and the “poor student” he’d been sponsoring, in a kiss so passionate it had drawn blood from their lips. “Vicky, it’s not what you think.” Liam fumbled with his shirt buttons, a deep flush creeping up his neck, his ears blazing crimson. I watched, my eyes cold, as the girl beside him frantically tried to cover herself, then let out a scoff. “What excuse are you going to cook up now? Do you think I’m blind? Or just stupid?” I ripped the engagement ring from my finger and flung it at his feet, my voice laced with venom. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Every power player and socialite in the city is watching this engagement party tonight.” “Either you go through with the ceremony as per our agreement, or… the Blackwood family will be facing bankruptcy!” He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding, before reluctantly bending down to pick up the ring. He squeezed out a single, resentful word: “Fine.” The ceremony began. Liam walked onto the stage in a noticeably wrinkled suit. Under the gaze of thousands, he strode past me, completely ignoring me, and handed the ring directly to the girl behind him, who was feigning innocence and helplessness. “Victoria Sterling, the woman I’ve always loved is Holly.” “Even if you destroy the entire Blackwood family, I will *never* marry a gold-digger who schemes her way to the top!” The moment the words left his mouth, the entire hall erupted. A chorus of mockery and the relentless clicking of camera shutters threatened to rip the roof off. And I, Victoria Sterling, became the biggest joke in the room. Watching him lean down and kiss his one true love, my heart died. Since you betrayed me first, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!

“Ms. Sterling, the company’s stock price has plummeted by 30%.” My assistant, Alex, reported, head bowed, voice trembling. I stared at my phone screen. The top five trending topics on Ins were all dominated by the engagement party fiasco. Under the hashtag #HeirDefiesArrangedMarriageForLove, the comments were a furious deluge. “Oh, so she has a few bucks, big deal? He clearly has true love, but she forced him into marriage. Shameless bitch, she deserved to be dumped!” “Good job, Mr. Blackwood! Let that manipulative bitch know what karma feels like!” “Sterling Corp should just collapse. This trash company doesn’t deserve to exist!” Page after page, every single comment was an accusation against me, calling me a monster. I calmly scrolled through them until Liam Blackwood’s latest statement popped up. [Finally free. From now on, I’ll be running towards a new future with the woman I love most.] The accompanying photo was a close-up of him and Holly Thorne, their fingers intertwined. That engagement ring, which should have been ours, was now gleaming on someone else’s hand. I stared at those words for a long time, then a laugh escaped my lips. “Notify the legal department. Immediately initiate the highest level of clawback clauses. Terminate all collaborations with Blackwood Industries!” Alex’s hand visibly trembled, his voice a slight tremor. “Ms. Sterling, shouldn’t we issue a statement first to explain? The entire internet is crucifying us right now…” “What’s there to explain?” I cut him off, slamming my phone onto the desk. “There’s no need to entangle myself further with a man who breaks his word like this.” I rubbed my throbbing temples, sinking deeper into the plush sofa. Memories flashed before my eyes. Five years ago, the Blackwood family was on the brink of bankruptcy. At an auction, Liam made a desperate bid, hoping to save their last ancestral estate. Everyone in the room was just waiting to watch him fail. Only I saw the unconcealed defiance in his eyes. I stepped in, bought the estate, and gifted it to him, free of charge. He had nothing then. He saw me as his last hope, kneeling at my feet, pledging: “Victoria Sterling, if you help the Blackwood family, I’ll do anything for you.” I chuckled softly, helping him up. “Alright, but you’ll have to marry me.” He gritted his teeth in anger, yet his eyes sparkled with a desperate light. To help Blackwood Industries through its crisis, I pushed myself to the limit at countless business dinners, once even ending up with a stomach hemorrhage. He stayed by my hospital bed, his eyes red-rimmed, telling me, “Victoria Sterling, don’t ever do that again.” Looking at his eyes, so full of me, I felt it was all worth it. I thought we were each other’s destined salvation. I used Sterling Corp’s resources and network to help him rebuild his commercial empire. I taught him how to be a competent businessman. Blackwood Industries transformed from a struggling small company into a top-tier multinational corporation. But our relationship, too, began to sour. He started resisting intimacy, rejecting my plans, even yearning for the “purity” of the past. That so-called poor student, Holly Thorne, appeared at precisely that moment. He projected all his obsession with the past onto this girl. A month before the engagement party, I had warned him directly: “Liam Blackwood, the importance of this alliance doesn’t need explaining. I expect you to maintain appropriate boundaries.” He fiddled with his teacup, dismissing me offhandedly. “Don’t make a big deal out of it. I just treat Holly like a little sister.” “Her family is struggling, what’s wrong with me helping her out?” I lowered my voice, reminding him: “She’s an adult. She can work for herself now.” He suddenly smashed his teacup. “That’s different! When did you become so cold-blooded?” “You’re just a soulless corporate shark now, obsessed with profit! Holly is so much purer than you!” It was then that I realized he was no longer the lost and desperate heir who had once needed me. He was now desperate to break free from my control. I chose to compromise, treating him merely as a strategic partner for the alliance. As long as he cooperated, everything would remain the same. But I forgot how easily hearts change, especially men’s. The office door was suddenly flung open. Liam Blackwood burst in, radiating a dangerous aura, with Holly Thorne trailing carefully behind him. I glanced at him, my voice cold. “Something wrong?” Seeing my demeanor, he pulled a document from his bag and slammed it onto my desk. “Let’s call off the engagement.” He coolly pulled Holly down to sit beside him. “Let’s part ways amicably, with some dignity.” I let out a cold laugh. “Liam Blackwood, do you even have the right to say that?” “Where was your dignity yesterday when you publicly humiliated the Sterling family at the engagement party?” I stood up, my fingertips pressed against the conference table, my eyes glinting with icy contempt. “You didn’t just ruin an engagement party; you destroyed three years of strategic partnership between two families.” “You threw away five years of business development in this city. Are you really so clueless?!”

He sneered, a mocking curl on his lips, leaning back into the sofa with an arrogant posture. “Of course I’m not clueless.” “Your eyes are always on profit! You even calculate and plan our engagement party for gain!” Holly tugged at his sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. “Ms. Sterling, please don’t blame Liam. It’s all my fault.” “I just couldn’t control my feelings…” “Shut up!” I snapped, cutting her off sharply. “You don’t have a say in this room!” Holly’s face turned pale, and she immediately fell silent. This scene completely enraged Liam. He shot up, pointing at me, and spat: “Victoria Sterling, that’s enough!” “Don’t think that just because you helped me, you can control me forever!” “I’m telling you, every single day I spent with you was suffocating! You helped the Blackwood family, you socialized and drank for deals, but it was all just to solidify *your* business empire!” “And I was just your most obedient pawn!” Every word was a knife, twisting in my heart. I took a deep breath, meeting his eyes. “So, in your eyes, from the moment I bought that ancestral estate, I was just using you?” “When I used my private jet to fly in top global specialists for your mother’s medical consultation, that was also an act?” “Liam Blackwood, do you even have a heart?” His eyes flickered, a momentary panic in their depths. I smiled, but my eyes were bloodshot. “Liam Blackwood, I’m asking you one last time.” “Did you—” “Yes, I did!” He interrupted me, his face a mask of angry defiance. “Satisfied?” “Do you really need to hear such an over-the-top answer to stop?” With that, he defiantly took Holly’s hand, his other hand resting on her stomach. “However, things are different now.” “Holly is pregnant with my child. I have to take responsibility for them.” The sudden truth hit me like a sledgehammer. It turned out I was just one more pawn in this pathetic cheating couple’s game. The next day, Liam Blackwood wasted no time in holding a press conference. I sat in my office, watching the news footage expressionlessly. Liam’s eyes were bloodshot, his face pale, looking utterly haggard. Holly sat quietly beside him, looking as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. “First, I want to sincerely apologize to all friends concerned about this matter.” His voice was deliberately choked with emotion. “For five years, I’ve been repaying a past kindness, forced to endure the Sterling family’s whims day in and day out!” “My life was carelessly decided by a single contract.” His voice remained hoarse throughout, his demeanor sorrowful. Only when he spoke of Holly did a faint smile touch his lips. “Only Holly truly cares about what *I* want.” He turned his face away, his Adam’s apple bobbing twice. “I admit, Victoria Sterling is indeed an outstanding businesswoman. Blackwood Industries wouldn’t be where it is today without her help.” But the very next second, his words turned sharp: “However, she questioned every client I met, every restaurant I chose.” “Even the evening gowns I wore to galas, the watches on my wrist, were all pre-arranged by her.” “I felt like a puppet without a mind of my own, my entire life lived in the shadow of one woman.” Holly, sensing her cue, appropriately clutched his arm, sobbing, her face a picture of sorrow, and pleaded to the camera: “Liam just wants to live for himself. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer so much.” “Ms. Sterling… I’m sorry. Please, I beg you, show us mercy and let us go.” The flashbulbs below flared, and reporters frantically pressed their shutters. The live stream’s comments exploded, curses filling the entire screen: [OMG! This wealthy heir had it so bad, he was practically a kept man!] [Victoria Sterling, that control freak, go to hell! This kind of bullying, obsessive psycho woman deserves to rot!] [Support Mr. Blackwood’s rebellion! True love can conquer all!] Finally, Liam Blackwood announced the establishment of a new company, completely severing ties with Sterling Corp. “I will rebuild a company my own way.” “This path will surely be difficult, but with Holly, and… our child.” “I won’t feel the slightest bit of hardship.” The press conference ended, and the entire internet was in an uproar. Everyone loves to kick a person when they’re down, and I became the target of public condemnation. Sterling Corp’s headquarters’ phones were bombarded by media calls, and several long-term partners subtly hinted at terminating contracts. They were all terrified of being associated with a negative enterprise. I stared at Liam Blackwood’s hypocritical face on the screen, feeling nothing but nausea. A chilling hatred churned within me. I raised my hand, wiping away the cold dampness on my face, and pressed the phone button. “Notify the legal department, meeting in five minutes.” Alex hesitated, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “Ms. Sterling… is there really no room for reconciliation?” I snorted, my voice terrifyingly calm. “What’s done is done.” “I’m going to make that pathetic cheating couple’s reputation utterly ruined!” “Ms. Sterling.” Sarah, the Legal Director, entered with her elite team. I slammed the prepared documents onto the conference table. “Within thirty minutes, publicly release these three documents on all media platforms.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299083”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic