Category: English

It had been three years since I ended things with Noah Slavin, three years since I’d left this city behind. Now, I was back. Everyone was whispering, speculating that I’d returned because I couldn’t stand being away from him any longer, that I was here to beg him to take me back. Noah himself seemed to think so, too. His buddies were already sucking up to him, their voices dripping with envy. “Damn, Noah, you’ve got some serious game. After all this time, the great Sienna Windsor is still wrapped around your finger.” Another one chimed in, “Who can compete with our man Noah? She stormed out of here like she was never coming back, and now look at her, crawling back like a lost puppy, ready to beg.” A mocking smile touched Noah’s lips as he listened. He let out a soft, arrogant laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. Even if she did come back begging, it all depends on whether I’m still interested.” But none of them knew the truth. I wasn’t the same girl I was three years ago. Six months ago, I got engaged to Grayson Holt. I was back to plan my own wedding. 01 My friends were all there to meet me at the airport. My best friend, Bella, threw her arms around my waist. “Sienna, you jerk! You’re finally back. I missed you like crazy.” Familiar faces surrounded me, warm and welcoming. But I never expected Noah to be there. Three years hadn’t changed him much. He still had those roguish, charming eyes, a lazy swagger, and that same untamable arrogance. “I told you not to wear stuff that’s so tight,” he said, his voice a low drawl. “Don’t come crying to me when people make fun of your body again. I’m just looking out for you.” Right. Still the same silver-tongued devil. I used to be so insecure about my large chest. A comment like that would have made me hunch my shoulders, instinctively looking down to see if something was out of place. But I was long past the age of letting someone else’s words define me. Besides, I was wearing a high-necked, knee-length dress. If anyone had a problem with it, that was a reflection of their own dirty mind, not my fault. So, I just gave him a cool, detached glance and a polite, distant smile, saying nothing. Bella, however, shot him a glare. “What do you know? Sienna has the kind of killer body other girls would die for. All the curves are in the right places.” Noah seemed to notice the change in me. His expression faltered for a second, his eyes fixed on me. To celebrate my return, my friends booked a private room at a bar. When it was time to sit, I deliberately chose a seat as far away from Noah as possible. The man’s sharp brows twitched, but he stayed silent, merely shrugging off the other girls who tried to slide in next to him. At one point, a couple of girls from the next room came over, using a game of “truth or dare” as an excuse to ask for Noah’s number. He turned them all down politely. That surprised me. The Noah I remembered was never one to refuse a pretty face, as long as she was decent-looking. Just then, a friend leaned in and whispered to me. “Noah’s changed a lot since you left. He barely talks to girls anymore. You hardly ever see him with another woman.” 02 I had no idea what he was trying to achieve by telling me that. Was I supposed to be touched? A little late for that, wasn’t it? This worthless, self-serving gesture? He was only trying to make himself feel better. Uninterested, I got up and headed to the restroom. On my way back, I saw Noah and a few of his friends smoking on the balcony just off the hallway. Their voices drifted over to me. “Seriously, Noah, you’re the man. All these years, and Sienna Windsor still can’t get over you.” “Yeah, teach us your secrets, bro. I wanna know what it’s like to have a rich heiress completely hung up on me.” “Who can compare to Noah? Remember how final she was when she left? And now she’s back, tail between her legs, ready to play nice.” A smirk played on Noah’s lips. He chuckled. “You guys are talking nonsense. Even if she begged me to take her back, it’s not a given I’d say yes.” A round of laughter followed. Then, one of them spoke up, a little more thoughtfully. “I don’t know, man. Sienna seems… different this time. She’s barely even looked at you.” Noah flicked the ash from his cigarette, the ember glowing faintly. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, completely unconcerned. “Different how? She’s just throwing a tantrum. It’s not the first time.” So that’s what they thought. That I’d come back to beg Noah for a second chance. A three-year-long tantrum. What a creative way to see it. I was afraid they were in for a major disappointment. Because six months ago, I had gotten engaged to Grayson Holt, the man at the helm of the Holt Corporation. I was back to get married. Still, I couldn’t entirely blame them. The old me really had been head-over-heels for Noah. 03 Noah and I were childhood sweethearts. It all started when he told me, “Stick with me, and I’ll have your back.” And so, I trailed after him for over a decade. After high school graduation, he said, “Sienna, I know you like me. Let’s give this a shot.” And just like that, we were a couple. I used to think I was special to him. He was the one who, when other guys would catcall me or make crude jokes about my figure, would complain about me being too flashy, then corner those jerks in an alley and beat the crap out of them. He was the one who, when I got injured during a track meet, set aside his germaphobia to have someone carry me to the nurse’s office on a stretcher. He’d grumble about me being a pain while carefully tending to my wounds. I always told myself that Noah just wasn’t good at expressing his feelings. That if I just loved him enough, one day, he would show me his gentle side. That fantasy shattered the day Lily, a transfer student on a scholarship, showed up. That’s when I learned that Noah’s kindness didn’t have to come packaged with insults and belittlement. That he could be genuinely warm and considerate. At first, Noah just said he felt sorry for Lily. She was all alone, struggling to pay tuition with student loans, and he just wanted to help her out. I believed him. I even went out of my way to buy Lily clothes and toiletries. I forgot that so many relationships begin with pity. But the moment that truly killed every last bit of hope was the campus “Prom Queen” election. 04 At our university, the elected Prom King and Queen got to share the first dance at the Freshman Ball. Noah was, without a doubt, voted Prom King. I, on the other hand, worked my ass off to become Prom Queen. I campaigned relentlessly, stayed up all night helping classmates with their group projects, and spent my entire monthly allowance buying them lunches and gifts. But when the final vote came down to a tie between me and Lily, Noah cast the deciding vote. For her. In that instant, my world went silent. The cheers, the whispers, the laughter around me all faded into a dull roar. All I could see was Noah on the stage and Lily in the crowd, sharing a triumphant smile. A bitter, acidic feeling churned in my stomach. For the first time, I wondered if Noah had ever liked me at all. He tried to smooth things over afterward, a rare attempt at placating me. He explained that the Prom King and Queen got a paid gig to shoot promotional posters for the university. I didn’t need the money, but Lily, with her difficult family situation, desperately did. He asked me not to fight her for it. But that night, outside the pool hall, I overheard the real reason from him and his friends. “Nice one, Noah. Getting Lily crowned was all your doing, wasn’t it? Sacrificing your own girlfriend for the cause. Cold-blooded, man.” Noah just laughed, not denying it. “A Prom Queen should be… you know, the pure type. Sienna’s not exactly the right fit.” “True,” another one added. “If Sienna wore the gown, all the freshmen would probably get nosebleeds just looking at her.” The whole group erupted in laughter, Noah included. The same boy who used to get into fights because someone made fun of me had become one of them, laughing right along. “But isn’t Sienna your girlfriend? We thought you were into her type.” Noah’s demeanor shifted, as if they’d hit a nerve. “No way,” he denied instantly. “If my parents hadn’t pushed me to be nice to her, I wouldn’t have given her a second look. A girl who’s that clingy? It’s such a turn-off.” The others glanced toward the entrance of the pool hall, their knowing smirks saying it all. One of his friends did push back a little. “I don’t know, I think Sienna’s great. If I were voting, I’d pick her. She’s a total bombshell. Hottest girl in school, built like a goddess.” The conversation grew cruder, and Noah’s face finally hardened. “That’s enough,” he snapped, his eyes landing on Lily, who was sitting nearby, blushing furiously. “There’s a lady present. Watch your mouths.” 05 I don’t remember how I got home. It felt like the world had been ripped out from under me. My heart was a block of ice, the cold so sharp it was agonizing. A lump of years’ worth of hurt lodged in my throat, and I couldn’t even find the courage to storm in there and confront him. It was hard to even breathe. If Noah’s love had been like sugarcane—too fibrous to swallow but too sweet to spit out—now, even that last hint of sweetness was gone. I didn’t sleep a wink. The next day, I dragged my exhausted body to class, only to see Lily showing off the dress Noah had bought her for the ball. “Wow, Lily, that dress is gorgeous!” someone gushed. Lily shot a triumphant look in my direction, but her tone was feignedly helpless. “I told Noah he shouldn’t have, but he just wouldn’t listen. He said that as his dance partner, I’d be by his side all night, representing him.” I was already past the point of caring, but Lily made a point to walk over to me. “Sienna, what do you think? Does this dress suit me?” She held it up against herself, giving a little, not-so-accidental twirl. I ignored her. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, Sienna, I’ve always wanted to ask… are they real?” She gestured toward my chest. “I mean, a lot of rich girls get implants to… you know, hook the guy they want.” “What did you just say?” I shot up from my chair and shoved her, hard. Lily stumbled backward, crashing into a desk. A cup of water tipped over, soaking the front of her shirt. “Sienna, what the hell are you doing?” Noah’s furious voice boomed from the doorway. He rushed to Lily’s side, pulling her into his arms and glaring at me with eyes as cold as ice. I told him what Lily had said, what she had insinuated. “So what? It’s a normal question,” Noah cut me off, his voice laced with impatience. “The way you look, anyone would wonder. You don’t have to be so sensitive about it.” With that, he draped his own jacket over Lily’s shoulders and carried her out of the room, presumably to the nurse’s office. Watching his arms wrapped so tightly around her, my eyes filled with tears. So, his germaphobia was selective. The one thing I had always longed for was something she could have so effortlessly. A broken laugh escaped my lips. Tears finally streamed down my face. I had been such a fool for so many years. His words were the final bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last flicker of hope in my heart. I broke up with Noah. I called my mom and told her I wanted to study abroad. The withdrawal papers were processed in two days. On the third day, I was on a flight to New York. Other than the generic holiday greetings he mass-texted every year, we had no contact. 06 “Hey, did you guys hear? I think Grayson Holt, the head of the Holt Corporation, is getting married.” Someone in our private room suddenly dropped the gossip bomb. “For real? That’s like seeing a pig fly. That guy is a total workaholic. He’s 32, and his parents have been on his case for years, but he never budged. They were starting to lose hope.” “I wonder who the lucky girl is. She must be something special to land him. I heard she’s young, still in college in New York.” “Sienna, you were in New York. Do you know who it is?” Bella nudged my arm. I managed a small smile, taking a sip of my drink to hide my unease. “No idea. I was totally focused on my studies. I didn’t really follow that stuff.” My thumb traced the rim of my glass, a nervous habit whenever I lied. Bella nodded, buying it completely. Only Noah noticed my small gesture. He gave me a long, searching look. When the party ended, we all started heading out. Suddenly, a jacket was draped over my shoulders. Noah was standing beside me. “I’ll take you home. If my parents find out I let you go home alone after drinking, they’ll kill me.” His tone was so familiar, so intimate. As if I’d been gone for three days, not three years. The old me would have been floating on a cloud of pink bubbles. But now, I just stepped back and handed the jacket back to him. “That’s okay. My boyfriend is coming to pick me up.” The word “fiancé” felt too intimate, too much to say out loud just yet. Noah’s smile froze on his face. Everyone else turned to stare, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. The guys who’d been talking smack on the balcony looked particularly flustered, their eyes darting between me and Noah. “You brat! You kept something this big from me?” Bella slung an arm around my neck, feigning offense. I laughed, apologizing. “I’ll tell you everything later, I promise.” One by one, everyone else left. I stood by the curb, waiting for Grayson, with a scowling Noah lingering behind me. After about ten minutes, the scowl on his face slowly melted into a smug grin. “Sienna, you don’t have to resort to childish games just because you don’t have a boyfriend. I know I was harsh before. If you’re still mad, I can…” Before he could finish, a black Bentley pulled up silently in front of us. 07 Arthur, the driver, got out. “Miss Windsor, Mr. Holt’s flight was delayed. He asked me to come and get you.” I nodded and slid into the back seat, not sparing Noah a final glance. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a message from him. Don’t tell me that old guy you hired is your ‘boyfriend.’ I get that you’re trying to make me jealous, but don’t lie like that again. It actually pisses me off. My brow furrowed in disgust. I blocked his number. I hadn’t bothered before because it seemed pointless. But now that he was actively nauseating me, there was no reason to put up with it. Sensing my discomfort, Arthur spoke from the driver’s seat. “Miss Windsor, there’s some soup for you. Mr. Holt anticipated you might be drinking tonight and had us prepare it.” He continued, “Also, Mr. Holt knows you prefer not to stay at your family’s home. He’s had the villa at Crescent Bay prepared for you. We’ve already replaced the bedding and toiletries with your preferred brands. If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” I nodded, picking up the thermos beside me and taking a sip. A warm, comforting feeling spread through my stomach. My mom had told me during the matchmaking process that older men were better because they knew how to take care of you. Turns out, she was right. It was nice. I didn’t have to worry about a thing; he had already arranged everything. After a shower, I sank into the plush bed, surrounded by the calming scent of my favorite aromatherapy diffuser, and fell asleep almost instantly. The next morning, I walked out of my room to find Grayson, just returned from his trip. He stood there in a black overcoat, tall and imposing. The moment his eyes met mine, a wave of raw, masculine energy washed over me. “You’re staying here too?” I asked, my brain still foggy with sleep. I’d completely forgotten this was his house. He raised an eyebrow. “Should I leave?” “No, that’s not what I meant!” I backpedaled quickly. “I just meant… there are a lot of rooms here. If you wanted to stay… it wouldn’t be a problem.” A hint of a smile touched his eyes. He handed his coat to the butler and strode toward me. Before I could say another word, he cupped my face in his hands, leaned down, and kissed me.

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In our past life, my sister forced me to marry a poor, ugly street thug. Ten years later, that thug became a billionaire stock market god, and I lived a life of unimaginable luxury by his side. Reborn, my sister raced to grab the thug’s hand, determined to marry him at any cost. But what she didn’t know: The true “Stock God” was me. Her man knew absolutely nothing; he was just a puppet I placed in the spotlight. 1 When I was reborn, I was in a dimly lit high school equipment room. In front of me was a heavy-breathing figure. It was my husband from my past life, Vince. He had ripped open the buttons of my shirt, pressing his face into my neck like a wild animal. My entire body was weak, my limbs twitching uncontrollably. Amidst the chaos, I forced myself to realize: time had rewound. I was seventeen again. I had returned to the day my sister, Chloe, drugged me. Just as my clothes were about to be completely torn off by Vince, the equipment room door burst open from the outside. Someone rushed in. It was Chloe. She looked like she had sprinted all the way here, her hair plastered to her sweaty face. Ignoring the mess, she rushed forward and hugged Vince tightly. “Vince! Don’t be with her! You belong to me!” It suddenly dawned on me. Chloe had been reborn along with me. 2 In our past life, Chloe liked the star quarterback of the school, but he ended up writing a love letter to me. Consumed by jealous rage, Chloe drugged me and forced me to marry the most pathetic, lowlife thug in school, Vince. Who would have expected that over a decade later, Vince would become a billionaire investing legend known as “V-God.” Because of him, I became a wealthy socialite living in absolute luxury, switching out rare Hermès Birkins daily and being chauffeured in a half-million-dollar Rolls-Royce. Everyone envied me. They said: “Audrey is so lucky she married a great husband.” “When Vince was a nobody, Audrey had the foresight to see his potential. Now she gets to enjoy the fruits of her labor!” Meanwhile, Chloe’s rich-kid husband had long since gone bankrupt, becoming a deadbeat chased by debt collectors. He even tried to kiss up to Vince: “Brother-in-law, you’re V-God, right? I idolize you! Can you take me under your wing on your next investment?” Every time Chloe looked at me, her eyes were filled with uncontrollable jealousy and deep, bitter regret. Sure enough, during a family gathering, when Vince excused himself to use the restroom, I saw Chloe secretly follow him. In the hallway, hiding in the shadows, I listened through the thin door to my sister’s drunken, tearful voice. “Vince, the one you liked back then was clearly me!” My sister hugged Vince, trying to kiss him. Vince inhaled sharply and violently pushed her away. He said stiffly: “That was over a decade ago.” My sister fell to the floor, continuing to cry relentlessly: “Have you forgotten? You brought me breakfast every day, rode me around on your bike, told me I was your goddess forever, and said you’d do anything I asked… Vince, it should have been me!” Vince ignored her. He straightened his clothes, which my sister had rumpled, and hurriedly fled out the door. He looked like he was running from a plague. Having lost all hope, my sister sat slumped on the cold tile floor of the restroom. I pushed the door open, looked down at her, and said coolly: “Stop sitting there. People who know the truth know you failed to seduce your brother-in-law. People who don’t might think you’re starring in a tragic teen romance movie.” Chloe’s head snapped up. She glared at me, her eyes full of hatred. “Why you, Audrey? “How are you better than me? Why are you the one who married into wealth?” I coldly brushed her hand away. “Chloe, get your facts straight. Me being with Vince is entirely thanks to you. “Now that you see Vince is successful, you regret it? Too bad. It’s too late.” My sister glared at me fiercely. After a moment, she shook her head and smiled a venomous smile. “Audrey, you’re wrong. It’s not too late at all.” … Back then, I didn’t understand what that meant. But right now, looking at my seventeen-year-old body, I understood. Chloe must have bound herself to some sort of system that brought her back to when we were seventeen. Given a second chance at life, she wanted to win back the man who rightfully “belonged” to her. Right now, in the equipment room, Vince was breathing heavily, his face written with lust. He looked at me: “I feel so hot…” Chloe forcefully grabbed Vince’s face, forcing him to look at her instead of me: “Vince, I love you.” She initiated a kiss, and the two were quickly tangled together. I watched the two of them passionately making out nearby, struggled to my feet, buttoned my shirt, and stumbled out the door. Thank God. Thank you, Chloe. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would get to do this over again and escape this nightmare. In my past life, Chloe spiked both mine and Vince’s drinks and locked us in the equipment room. Then she brought our parents and neighbors to “catch us in the act.” The neighbors witnessed my disheveled state with Vince. My parents felt deeply humiliated, decided no other man would ever want me, and forced me to marry him. When I refused, they locked me in the house, denying me food and water, beating me viciously every day. Chloe even cried next to me, urging: “Audrey, just marry Vince. Otherwise, to protect the family’s reputation, they’ll just beat you to death.” In the end, clinging to life by a thread, I was forced into marrying Vince. Later, even though we had immense wealth, that trauma haunted me for life. Now, I had finally escaped that shadow! 3 Chloe came home during dinner. Her face was flushed with excitement. As soon as she walked in, she couldn’t wait to announce that she was going to marry Vince. Upon hearing this, our parents almost dropped their forks. “Chloe, why on earth? “Vince has been held back for years; he’s in his twenties and still repeating his senior year. How is he good enough for you?” Chloe shook her head, stating firmly: “Dad, Mom, I promise you, Vince is only down on his luck right now. He will definitely be incredibly successful in the future!” How could our parents believe that? They tried even harder to talk her out of it, and Mom even started sobbing. Finally, fed up, Chloe yelled: “It’s useless to try and stop me! I’ve already given myself to Vince.” She touched her flat stomach: “For all I know, I’m already pregnant with his child!” Our parents were stunned. Seeing their shocked and despairing faces, Chloe smiled calmly. She sat next to them, affectionately putting her arms around their shoulders, and comforted them: “Dad, Mom, you have to believe your daughter. “Before, I told Dad not to go into business with Uncle Dave, and I told Mom to stop going to that shady clinic on the east side. What happened? It came out that Uncle Dave embezzled money and ran off, and that clinic got shut down for medical malpractice. “You see, everything I say comes true—ever since I was little, the fortune teller said I was a lucky star. Did you forget?” After Chloe said this, our parents’ expressions softened significantly. She pressed on: “So, you have to trust my taste in men too. Vince carries immense wealth in his destiny. We’ll be living in luxury because of him in the future.” Mom was the first to be swayed: “Really?” Chloe smiled: “Of course.” Dad also gradually started to believe Chloe’s certainty. He even began worrying in advance: “If Vince becomes successful, will he treat you badly?” Chloe smiled nonchalantly: “No, he won’t. You can tell just by looking at him that Vince is the kind of guy who spoils his wife.” She must have been thinking about our past life. After Vince’s identity as “V-God” was revealed, young, beautiful women wanting to throw themselves at him were a dime a dozen. But he never even glanced at them. Instead, he treated me, his original wife, better and better. He would always open the car door for me, serve me food at dinner, and if I said go east, he wouldn’t dare go west. Meanwhile, Chloe’s rich-kid husband, despite being buried in debt, still shamelessly stared at every young girl on the street with a good figure. Comparing the two, it was no wonder Chloe’s eyes bled with jealousy. Right now, listening to Chloe praise Vince to our parents, I kept my head down and ate my rice, pretending I didn’t hear a thing. I didn’t want to engage with Chloe, but she insisted on rubbing her presence in my face. That night, Chloe pushed open my bedroom door. She stared at me, who was focused on doing homework, and let out a cold laugh. “Audrey, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking—acting all quiet on the surface, but secretly plotting how to snatch Vince back. Am I right?” How should I put this… with my sister’s level of thinking, I was embarrassed to admit we had the same mother. But I was very happy she misunderstood me like this. Let Vince attract all her attention. Only then would she not compete with me for the things that truly mattered. Chloe walked over as she spoke. She grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at the mirror nearby. “I advise you to save your energy. Look at yourself. If I make a move, how could you possibly compete with me?” The mirror reflected a dark, skinny girl wearing thick, heavy glasses and a worn-out, baggy school uniform that looked like a potato sack. Next to her stood Chloe, with a face as fair as jade, smooth dark hair, wearing the season’s newest dress—a beautiful girl with a 100% head-turning rate on the street. I was indeed not as refined as Chloe. Combined with my parents’ favoritism—giving Chloe the best food and clothes, leaving me malnourished and sallow—the gap was even more obvious. “Look at yourself. Do you really think any man would like you?” Beside my ear, Chloe relentlessly mocked me, as if trying to vent all the grievances she suffered in her past life. “Vince was my simp to begin with. In the last life, he only married you because he couldn’t get me. “This time, I won’t give you another chance. “As soon as I’m of age, I’ll marry him immediately. When he becomes V-God, half of his wealth will be mine!” Chloe’s eyes were practically glowing as she said this. Right. At his peak, V-God had billions in assets. Getting half in a divorce would be enough to live in luxury and date young models for the rest of her life. I spun my pen and kept my head bowed deeply. Chloe thought I was crushed by her words. But actually, I was lowering my head to hide the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. My dear sister, I really love how much you underestimate me. Because of this deep-rooted underestimation, I’m afraid even if you were reborn ten thousand times, you would never guess— The true V-God is me. Yes. I was the legendary mastermind who built an empire from scratch using intelligence, courage, and luck. First, I won massive capital in the stock market, then capitalized on the perfect timing to load up on Bitcoin, achieving absolute financial freedom. Because my burner ID on an investing forum was “qwertyu,” randomly mashed on a keyboard, people called me V-God (using the ‘V’ from ‘Value’ or ‘Vision’ in the English adaptation). Too many people were curious about V-God’s true identity, and I knew I couldn’t hide behind the scenes forever. So I pushed Vince to the front, making him my puppet. Or rather, my scapegoat. After all, our circle is full of drastic ups and downs. Sudden immense wealth makes you the target of everyone’s jealousy, while sudden ruin breeds desperate, dangerous people. Over those years, Vince was kidnapped three times and brutally beaten by enemies four times. Once, when we went back to visit family, he had just been beaten up, and one of his ribs was still broken. That was why when Chloe hugged him, he not only inhaled sharply in pain but immediately pushed her away. But even while taking all the heat on the front lines, Vince would absolutely never dare tell the truth. He didn’t dare cross me. By being a puppet, he at least got to enjoy wealth and luxury. Without me, he truly was nothing. Right now, looking at the completely clueless Chloe, I offered a sincere smile. “Sister,” I said softly, “I wish you and Vince a lifetime of happiness.” You go ahead and bind yourself to him. While I focus on my SATs, save up money, go to college in New York, and leave this family forever. 4 I genuinely hoped Vince and Chloe would stay together forever. However, after school, Vince blocked my path. He parked his bike horizontally in front of me and blew a sleazy whistle: “Audrey, you look pretty good today. Where are you going dressed up so nice?” I took a step back, feeling a wave of disgust. I knew exactly what kind of person Vince was. He was a complete scumbag. In a scumbag’s world, the one they haven’t slept with yet is always the best. In our past life, that person was my sister. Now, it was me. Clenching my jaw, I tried to dodge around him: “I’m going to work. Move.” I was recently helping out as a cashier at a local supermarket, trying to save up some starting capital for myself. The boss was a good guy. Seeing me in an ill-fitting, too-short school uniform, he brought his daughter’s clothes for me to wear. A light blue cardigan and a snow-white midi skirt made me look much prettier than usual. And as a result, I caught Vince’s eye. At this moment, he leaned in with a sleazy grin. “Work? What kind of work? Your big bro here has some ‘work’ for you, you want it?” As he spoke, he tried to press his body against mine. Suppressing my nausea, my hand had already quietly reached into my backpack, gripping a pair of scissors for self-defense. But before I could pull them out, a figure suddenly charged out from the side. She shoved me hard aside and stood protectively in front of Vince: “Audrey, why are you rubbing yourself against Vince?!” Her voice was loud, pointing her finger right at my nose: “Seducing your own sister’s fiancé, do you have any shame?” Vince stood a bit further away, rubbed his nose, and played along: “I just ran into Audrey while riding my bike, and she wouldn’t let me leave.” Hearing this, Chloe’s anger flared even higher. “Audrey, are you still not giving up? Take a look in the mirror, how are you good enough for Vince? “I am definitely marrying Vince in this life. If you dare seduce him again, believe me, I’ll have Mom and Dad sell you off to some backwoods town.” With that, Chloe grabbed Vince and turned to leave. But clearly, she wasn’t reassured. That night when I got home, I found my room completely ransacked. The metal tin box I used to save money had been found and lay open in the middle of the room. It contained all the wages I had saved from working at the supermarket, but now it was empty. The cash was clenched in Chloe’s hand. Chloe looked at me triumphantly. She waved the bills in one hand and pointed at my nose with the other, her long nails almost poking my face. “This is Audrey’s secret stash. “She’s been hanging out outside lately, but she’s actually sleeping with the supermarket owner. “I saw with my own eyes the supermarket owner giving her money and taking her to buy new clothes.” Chloe pointed at the cardigan and skirt I was wearing and scoffed. “Tsk tsk, I bet everyone over there knows our family produced a mistress.” Before I could say anything, my dad, with a dark expression, rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face. My mom cried and complained from the side: “That fortune teller back then said this girl was bad luck. I took several doses of abortion medicine, but she just wouldn’t come out. Now look, she’s completely disgraced our family…” My parents were always like this. They favored my sister unconditionally. Whatever she did could be forgiven. But because a psychic called me a jinx when I was still a fetus, and my dad’s business went bankrupt shortly after I was born… Everything I did was wrong. Right now, my dad confiscated all the money I had saved and started whipping me with his belt. A smug smile played on Chloe’s lips, but her voice carried a fake tone of distress as she stood by adding fuel to the fire. “Audrey, don’t blame Dad for hitting you hard. “If he doesn’t hit you hard, you won’t learn your lesson. “Girls need to respect themselves. Make sure you never earn that kind of dirty money again.” Finally, I passed out from the excruciating pain. When I woke up, I was lying in the yard. My parents had taken Chloe shopping. Chloe was getting engaged recently, and they were buying her a nice dress. And I had lost all my savings, without even basic first aid supplies around me. Struggling to my feet, I stumbled out of the yard. The yard next door belonged to my cousin. At this moment, only my cousin-in-law, Brenda, was outside washing clothes. Seeing me so weak I couldn’t even speak, she was startled. “Audrey? Oh my god, what happened?” Brenda dropped the clothes and came to support me, her hands getting covered in my blood. “Sit down, I’ll get you some medicine.” I lay on the empty patch of dirt in the yard, looking up at the sky. The moon was very bright, but there are always dark corners in the world its light can’t reach. Brenda applied the medicine for me. “Your parents, why did they hit you so hard… you’re still their biological daughter…” Brenda wiped her tears. She was a soft-hearted, good person. But her life was very bitter. She wasn’t very literate, forced to drop out of school in the third grade to help at home and take care of her younger brother. Later, her dad basically sold her to my cousin to raise the bride price for her brother’s wedding. Right now, she was tenderly applying medicine to my wounds, and I gently touched her arm, which was equally covered in scars. My cousin beat her frequently. In our past life, before I even turned twenty, Brenda passed away. After a long silence, I suddenly spoke: “Brenda, do you have any secret savings?” Brenda froze for a moment. “Don’t be afraid, I won’t tell him.” She breathed a sigh of relief: “I have two thousand. Why? “Are you going to college and your family won’t give you money? “If that’s it, take it. Education is important, girls should go to school.” My nose stung. I bit the inside of my cheek hard to stop myself from crying. At the most bitter points of destiny, pitiful people try hard to offer each other a little bit of sweetness. I said softly: “No, Brenda. I don’t want you to sponsor me. I want to take you to make money. “I can turn your two thousand into twenty thousand, maybe even two hundred thousand…” Brenda burst out laughing. She clearly didn’t believe me, coaxing me like a child: “Alright, alright, just use this two thousand for school. When you graduate college, you can pay me back. We’re family, it’s not like I’m going to charge you interest.” I didn’t say anything, just looked at the boundless night sky. In my past life, I became successful too late. By the time I returned to my hometown, Brenda had already died of depression. In this life, I definitely had to help her. And help myself too. Chloe, you are too stupid. Given the chance to rewind time, all you have in your head is stealing a man. While my head is full of stock ticker symbols. Do you even know what kind of cheat code you gave me? 5 Early Monday morning, I took the money Brenda gave me and went to school. I planned to sneak out during the long recess when no one was paying attention and open a brokerage account. I didn’t expect that just as I rode my bike out of the school gates, a figure would suddenly dart out from an alley ahead. The person swung a spiked wooden bat at me. I dodged in a panic, tumbling straight off my bike and crashing hard onto the pavement. I ignored the pain, first clutching my backpack tightly to my chest. Inside was all of Brenda’s secret savings. In front of me was a pair of brand-new, expensive sneakers. Looking up, a round, chubby face looked down at me, sporting a malicious smile. I recognized him. It was Chloe’s husband from my past life, Kevin. Since middle school, Kevin had been a loyal simp trailing behind Chloe. He was a rich kid whose dad did business down south. Back when we were all wearing drab school uniforms and knockoff sneakers, Kevin could already rattle off the names of various foreign luxury brands. Kevin had pursued Chloe for years. Chloe disdained his looks but couldn’t bear to let go of his wealth, so she strung him along throughout her entire teenage years, treating him as her ultimate backup plan. Later, when Chloe got older and hadn’t met a better man, she married Kevin. Who knew that shortly after they got married, Kevin’s family went bankrupt? Chloe, who had invested with them, was implicated, and their whole family became deadbeats, not even allowed to buy plane tickets. But no matter how miserable the future Kevin would be, the Kevin right now was still that arrogant, wealthy young master from a prominent family, someone nobody dared to offend. So I clutched my backpack, cautiously scooting backward, not wanting a direct confrontation with him. But Kevin wouldn’t let me go. He nudged my face with the tip of his shoe and sneered: “Chloe always tells me her sister is a sneaky little rat, and I actually caught you—sneaking out of school, what are you trying to do?” I whispered: “Buy some things.” “Buy things?” Kevin chuckled. He suddenly stopped smiling, violently yanking my backpack strap and dumping everything out. Pencil case and textbooks scattered across the ground, and an envelope slipped out. I tried to grab it, but Kevin was faster, snatching the envelope immediately. “Wow, so much money?” Kevin waved the cash. “What are you buying? Wedding candy for you and your sister?” He pocketed the envelope and said coldly, “Don’t think I don’t know. Chloe told me everything. You’re vain and jealous of her, so you wouldn’t hesitate to be someone’s mistress just to earn money for pretty dresses. I bet you stole or scammed this money. I’m going to tell Chloe right now.” I was kicked into the corner by Kevin. Dust flew up, making me cough violently, but my mind suddenly cleared. Kevin following me was indeed under Chloe’s orders. Having been reborn alongside me, even though she had already stolen Vince, she still wasn’t at ease about me. So she sent her simp, Kevin, to keep an eye on me. But that wasn’t the main point. The main point was the phrase Kevin had inadvertently blurted out just now. “Wedding candy for you and your sister.” I suddenly burst out laughing. Perfect. Kevin really didn’t know about Chloe and Vince being together. It made sense. Kevin was only useful to Chloe if he was kept in the dark. If Chloe told him she was getting engaged to someone else, how could he possibly still do her bidding? Kevin originally planned to turn and leave, but suddenly saw the smile on my face. He couldn’t help but frown: “What are you laughing at?” My smile grew even brighter: “I’m just happy for my sister.” “You love her so much and protect her. I’ll definitely have a great brother-in-law in the future.” I said softly, “I can’t wait for you two to get married.” This was exactly what Kevin wanted to hear. His expression softened, but he still eyed me suspiciously: “Saying nice things now, hoping I’ll let you off the hook?” “You don’t need to let me off the hook. I haven’t done anything wrong.” I stood up, dusting off my clothes. “This money is from my cousin-in-law. She heard about my sister’s good news and asked me to buy some gifts for her.” Kevin’s gaze instantly changed. He frowned: “What good news?” I feigned confusion: “I don’t know either, but I heard my parents say they plan to hold an engagement party for my sister before she goes to college in the city. After all, you guys are childhood friends from the same town, and everyone knows each other. It’s better than going to the big city and getting scammed by bad men.” I observed Kevin’s expression, then smiled: “Silly, you still haven’t figured it out?” Kevin looked a bit dazed: “Figured what out?” “My sister’s fiancé is definitely you.” I said with a beaming smile. “Think about it. Everyone knows you like my sister. My parents mentioned ‘childhood friends.’ Among all the boys around here, who is a better match for my sister than you?” Kevin’s face lit up with joy, though he hesitated: “Why hasn’t Chloe ever told me?” I chided playfully: “My sister is shy, she’s definitely just embarrassed. But she’ll probably tell you in the next few days—oh, I’ve seen her running to the small woods behind the school a lot lately. She must be preparing some surprise for you.” Kevin, completely blinded by love, exclaimed: “Really?!” “You can go check it out yourself right now.” I held out my hand to Kevin: “Give me the money. I still have to pick out a dress for my sister—brother-in-law, do you like pink or blue? I’ll pick according to your preference.” Being called ‘brother-in-law’ made Kevin euphoric. Without overthinking, he slapped the envelope into my hand: “Pink!” After saying that, he sprinted off toward the school. He was probably anxious to see what kind of surprise Chloe had prepared for him. I smiled, got on my bike, and was in such a good mood I even started whistling. This surprise… is definitely going to make Kevin remember it for the rest of his life. 6 When I hurried to the brokerage firm, Brenda was already waiting anxiously at the door. It was her first time in a trading hall. Looking at the screens filled with fluctuating colors and numbers, she felt completely lost: “Audrey, you understand this stuff?” I didn’t even need to look. From the moment I bought my first stock, the market trends for the past and future ten years were etched into my brain like a photograph, unforgettable. I didn’t explain this to Brenda; I just smiled: “I understand it. Just trust me.” At the brokerage firm, I also saw a familiar figure. Kevin’s father, Mr. Hayes. He was originally handling business accompanied by his secretary, but after receiving a phone call, his face drastically changed. He hurriedly got into a black sedan parked at the entrance and sped off toward our school. I stood at the door, silently watching the sedan disappear. After finishing the paperwork, Brenda came to my side: “What are you looking at?” I glanced at the sky: “Nothing, just that the weather is about to change.” … And the weather did change. Under my “encouragement,” Kevin excitedly rushed to the small woods, waiting to see the surprise Chloe had for him. But as soon as he entered the woods, he heard indescribable noises. Taking a closer look, he discovered the main characters were his goddess Chloe and the street thug Vince, whom he had never even given the time of day. This could be considered the biggest shock Kevin had received in his nearly twenty years of life. By the time he reacted, the sound of ambulance sirens was already echoing all around. Vince was beaten so badly by him that he was sent straight to the ER. When I arrived at the hospital, Vince was already awake, wrapped in bandages like a mummy, lying immobilized in bed. This scene was quite familiar to me. After all, in my past life, when I pushed him to the front as my shield, he often got beaten up like this. But Chloe had never seen a scene like this before. She sat by the hospital bed, crying so hard she could barely breathe. Kevin was marched into the hospital room by his father, Mr. Hayes. Mr. Hayes, fearing his son would go to jail, had come to negotiate a cash settlement. But Kevin was like a charging bull. The moment he entered the room, his eyes went red, and he charged straight at Vince. If Mr. Hayes’ two secretaries hadn’t been quick enough to restrain him, Vince probably would have been thrown straight out the window. “Kevin! Apologize right now!” Mr. Hayes was frantic. “Apologize for what?! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Kevin panted, pointing at Vince on the bed. “He was raping Chloe, that’s why I beat him up!” Poor Kevin. As an ordinary person without the perspective of being reborn, seeing Vince and Chloe together, his first reaction was naturally that. At this moment, Kevin looked eagerly at Chloe: “Chloe, please say something for me. I was trying to save you.” Mr. Hayes also saw a glimmer of hope and looked at Chloe: “Young lady, you are an eyewitness. Please tell everyone the truth.” Suddenly, the eyes of everyone in the hospital room landed on Chloe. She gritted her teeth, plunging into a long internal struggle. Finally, blushing, she whispered: “It was consensual.” Kevin’s face instantly went deathly pale. “What? Chloe, you couldn’t possibly…” On the hospital bed, although Vince was covered in casts, he still managed to squeeze out a smug smile. A gutter rat like him had never been able to make a wealthy young master like Kevin eat dirt in his entire life. Chloe actually giving him this opportunity made him feel like he was flying high. “That’s right, Chloe and I are truly in love.” Vince, ignoring the pain from his wounds, said loudly. “Kevin intentionally assaulted me! He belongs in jail!” Mr. Hayes’ face darkened. He took a step forward, not looking at Vince on the bed, but attempting to pressure Chloe: “Young lady, I advise you to think carefully before you speak…” The Hayes family had immense power and influence locally. Even my parents began to feel scared, hinting to Chloe: “Chloe, maybe you should think it over again…” But you could tell Chloe was genuinely conflicted. But she couldn’t afford to offend Vince. Not only could she not offend him, but she also had to firmly grasp his heart. That was the future V-God! Compared to the billions in wealth of the future, the Hayes family right now seemed insignificant. So she tightly gripped Vince’s hand: “Think about what! Vince and I are truly in love. Anyone who hurts Vince must pay the price!” Kevin couldn’t hold back anymore. He shook off the secretary’s hand, rushed forward, and slapped Chloe across the face: “Chloe, are you blind?!” In our past life, Kevin went bankrupt shortly after getting married, and he acted incredibly pathetic in front of Chloe. Chloe had always looked down on him. This was her first time being slapped by this utterly despised man. She went completely crazy. “Kevin, who do you think you are?!” She shoved Kevin hard. “A useless rich kid, do you think having money makes you special? Let me tell you, in a few years your family is going to be bankrupt!” As soon as these words left her mouth, even Mr. Hayes, standing a bit further away, turned ash-grey. Finally, Mr. Hayes stormed out, slamming the door. Kevin chased after him, leaving only our family in the hospital room. My dad rubbed his hands together anxiously: “This… this, Chloe, why on earth did you offend the Hayes family?!” In recent years, my dad had relied on the Hayes family’s resources to run a small business. With Chloe offending them like this, my dad could forget about doing business with them anymore. Chloe frowned impatiently: “Dad, don’t be so short-sighted. If the business is gone, it’s gone.” She looked at Vince tenderly, with the gaze of someone looking at a rare treasure: “With Vince, we’ll have everything.”

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My wedding was in full swing when my bridesmaid and best friend, Autumn, seemed to have a problem with her eyes. She stepped on my gown, mumbled an apology, then tugged the torn dress and pulled us both down. The hall fell silent. Leaning close, Autumn spoke as if offering kind advice: “Selene, Harrison is busy with his company’s IPO. Love will only hinder his ambition. I hope you and Harrison won’t share a bed or even meet for the next ten years.” My makeup artist rushed to help me up. I looked calmly at Autumn. “What right do you have to say that?” She replied, “I’m Harrison’s business partner,” and pulled a document from her bag. “Sign this. After ten years, you can bear his children.” I turned to Harrison, who was coming off the stage. “Do you agree with this?” Just then, Autumn took a call and left. Harrison jogged after her, brushing past me. “Autumn joined the latest round of investment. Given her business sense, I believe she’s doing this for my good.” A moment later he added, “We’ll consummate our marriage in ten years.” 1. Divorce Announcement Hilarious. I scoffed. At this moment, a mix of humiliation and rage churned within me, but I fiercely suppressed it. Watching Harrison about to step out of the banquet hall doors, I grabbed the microphone from the emcee, facing everyone. “No need to consummate the marriage.” “Because I’m divorcing you!” Harrison’s hand, reaching for the door, paused. He turned, asking dismissively, “Are you sure?” “No regrets?” From his tone, it wasn’t hard to guess. He didn’t love me at all; he probably thought I was just being childish. So, all this time, only I took this relationship seriously, right? “Don’t worry. I won’t cling to you anymore.” “Now scram.” “I hope you stick to your word.” Harrison nodded, his reply utterly calm, then quickly chased after my best friend, his business partner. I was left speechless. I could only conclude that all my passion over the years had been utterly wasted. To win Harrison over initially, I secretly used the allowance my parents gave me as his startup capital. I shamelessly begged all my relatives to buy his unbranded, unverified products. To protect his pride, I never mentioned it to him. Perhaps in Harrison’s eyes, and in the eyes of his entire family, a young man from a humble background with no connections could build an empire by the age of thirty entirely through his own efforts. But they had no idea. With just one word from me, this promising, celebrated young entrepreneur could be utterly ruined. Without a shred of doubt! I walked to my dad’s table and threw my arms around his neck. “Dad, I’ve realized. I don’t want someone who doesn’t love me.” “I want to be your good girl.” My dad patted my arm, which was draped around his neck. “My dear, I’m so happy you’ve finally shown some sense.” Harrison’s father walked over from his table and handed me a card. “Here’s thirty thousand dollars. Consider it buying out your seven years of relationship with Harrison. Don’t you dare cling to our Harrison ever again.” I was amused. My dad wanted to stand up in anger, but I held him down firmly. “You think thirty thousand dollars can buy out all my effort and dedication, from his startup to now, over seven years?” Harrison’s father’s face darkened. “Thirty thousand dollars is enough to live very well in a small town. Young lady, don’t be too materialistic at your age.” Harrison’s mother also walked over, disdainfully eyeing my dad and me. “You, a gold-digger who loafs around all day, does nothing, and relies entirely on men, thirty thousand dollars probably isn’t enough for you, huh?” “What if we don’t give it to you?” “Ultimately, whether or not you have this thirty thousand dollars, I won’t allow you to cling to our Harrison anymore.” “Otherwise, I’ll report you to the police and have you arrested every time I see you, and your dad too!” I took the bank card, fiddling with it for a moment. “Since you’ve said all that, if I don’t take this money, I’ll feel like I’m losing out.” “Thanks, nice lady.” Harrison’s mother rolled her eyes so hard they almost disappeared into her head. But I continued unhurriedly. “However, thirty thousand dollars isn’t quite enough. My ambitions are huge. I want all of your family’s assets. Will you give them to me?” “Oh, don’t roll your eyes just yet. This time, you don’t need to give them to me; when the time is right, I’ll come and take them myself.” Harrison’s father burst into loud laughter. The relatives on the groom’s side all joined in, chuckling. Some were even more exaggerated, mimicking my tone and mannerisms, mocking me sarcastically. “Oh dear, anyone with a dream is amazing. Little lady, I support you.” “When you take over the Smith family assets, why don’t you start a live stream? I’ll send you donations.” Harrison’s father finished laughing, then scoffed arrogantly. “You’ve taken the money now, so save your big talk for outside. Today is our Smith family dinner; uninvited guests should kindly excuse themselves.” “Then just wait. Don’t come begging me to come back then.” I linked arms with my dad, and my relatives and I gradually left the banquet hall, reopening several tables at a more upscale hotel to celebrate my newfound single status. Luckily, Harrison and I hadn’t registered our marriage; we’d only held the wedding banquet. Otherwise, I’d have to go through a divorce now, what a hassle. 2. The Smith Family Crisis The day after the wedding was canceled, Harrison’s company descended into chaos. Harrison’s father’s office door, as one of the owners, was almost kicked down. It was packed with department managers and distributors. Smith Corp’s production lines, supply chain, sales channels, and customer base all experienced major fluctuations. Sales, especially overseas, were hit hard. The shipping company, with whom they had long-standing agreements, sent a message first thing in the morning. They demanded a price hike. Otherwise, they would refuse to carry Smith Corp’s cargo. Harrison’s father, too anxious to eat breakfast, personally rushed to the shipping company to negotiate the freight fees with the manager. He was fuming, but still had to plaster on a smile. “The freight fees were agreed upon before, why are you pulling this stunt just before loading? If you do this, the cost of the goods will go up, how are we supposed to sell them?” The moment Harrison’s father finished speaking, the shipping company manager replied, “That’s your problem, what does it have to do with me? Our shipping company is huge, we employ thousands of staff, we need to eat too, you know.” “With the current international situation so tough, increasing freight fees is just a matter of survival.” “Besides, if you think it’s too expensive, you can always find another company.” “Another…” Harrison’s father choked. Finding another shipping company just before loading? Where would he even find one? Harrison’s father wasn’t stupid. They had always worked with this company, and it had always been stable. This sudden move could only mean someone was pulling strings behind the scenes. Sure enough, as he was leaving, a carrier he had a good relationship with subtly warned him. “The Smith family must have offended someone big.” “This morning, our boss got a call, and then the price for your ship went up.” Harrison’s father fell into deep thought. Who did he offend? He was accustomed to smiling at everyone he met for business, how could he have offended anyone? The carrier saw he still hadn’t figured it out. He could only sigh and remind him. “Lien!” Harrison’s father was incredulous. “Selene Lien?” The carrier said nothing, turning to leave. Harrison’s father’s mind reeled. He suddenly remembered Selene’s words at the wedding yesterday. “I want all of your family’s assets. Will you give them to me?” When he first heard it, he hadn’t paid it any mind. He thought it was just big talk from a young girl, abandoned by his son, trying to save face. He never imagined she actually had the power. He felt completely disoriented. To get the goods shipped out and salvage some losses, he turned back, gritted his teeth, and signed the increased freight agreement with the shipping company. Then he jumped in his car, floored the accelerator, and drove straight to his son’s newly bought villa, pulling him out of bed. At that moment, Harrison and Autumn, after a night of passionate intimacy, were sweetly asleep. The sudden yank of the blanket startled Autumn, who screamed as she rolled off the bed, using it to shield her body. Harrison quickly blocked Autumn, looking at his father with utter bewilderment. “Dad, why didn’t you knock?” “Do you know what privacy is?!” Harrison’s father didn’t even glance at his son, only staring at Autumn’s head, which was peeking out from behind him. “You, you’re still protecting her!” “Why didn’t you protect Selene like that?!” Autumn, hearing this, looked plaintively at Harrison’s bare back. “Harrison.” Harrison snatched the blanket from his father, covering both himself and Autumn. “Dad, what are you talking about? You know I don’t love Selene, why are you saying this?” Harrison’s father anxiously slapped his thigh. “Son, we’ve lost a golden phoenix.” “Dad, what on earth are you talking about?” Harrison’s father recounted the series of events that morning, and the difficulties Smith Corp might face in the future. Autumn, listening, felt her pupils contract in shock. After a long moment, she murmured, “That’s impossible. I’ve known Selene for six years. Every time I saw her, she dressed so cheaply. In college, she even worked three part-time jobs.” “With that kind of background, how could she possibly…” Harrison nodded in agreement. He gently calmed his father’s exploding temper, then said he would call Selene to get to the bottom of it. At this moment, I was still sound asleep. The phone rang. Seeing Harrison’s name on the caller ID, I instantly perked up, quickly grabbed my phone, and sat up in bed. “Selene Lien, you really are something!” I leisurely admired my newly done manicure. “If you want to talk about the trouble Smith Corp is having, I can tell you this: I’m just engaging in healthy competition with you. It’s your lack of strength, your inferiority, who’s to blame?” “As for that shipping company…” “My apologies, that happens to be my family’s business.” “Yours?” “Mm-hmm.” “Selene, have you been reading too many romance novels? Do you really think you’re some rich heiress now? You can actually make up such nonsense?” “If you don’t believe me, fine, I’m hanging up.” Harrison choked, but reacted quickly. “No, wait, wait!” “Where are you? Let’s talk face to face.” 3. The Truth Revealed I sent him my location. Half an hour later, Harrison met me at the restaurant in the little villa. This villa in the suburbs was a coming-of-age gift my parents gave me when I was eighteen. I didn’t usually live there; I stayed at my parents’ house. I didn’t want him to meet me at my main residence, fearing he’d cling to me in the future. As for why I let him meet me here? Because I wanted to see his expression when he realized I was living better than he was. I sat at the dining table, elegantly sipping milk. Harrison was led in by the butler. He looked around the richly decorated room, then at me, who had once lived in a basement with him and packed cardboard boxes for a living, his eyes wide with shock. He would never in a million years have thought I’d be living in the most valuable hillside villa in this city. This property was worth over two hundred million dollars. The property management fees alone amounted to over three hundred thousand dollars. Plus, there were the nannies, butler, gardener, chef, and so on. The key was that even with money, it wasn’t guaranteed you could buy a place here. Because this area was home to renowned entrepreneurs, celebrities, directors, politicians, and the like, every prospective buyer underwent a strict vetting process. Although the Smith family had developed quite well in this city over the years and gained some fame, they were still insignificant compared to these figures. In simple terms, it was like the difference between a commoner family and an established aristocratic one. The Smith family was the commoner. Hearing footsteps approaching, I unhurriedly turned my head. “How do you want to talk?” Harrison’s focus was still on the connection between this villa and me. “Are you working as a housekeeper here?” “Or a taste-tester?” He stared at the breakfast in my hand, probably assuming a housekeeper wasn’t allowed to eat the owner’s food. But he absolutely refused to believe I was the owner of this villa. I found it quite amusing. “Want me to show you my property deed? Or my bank balance, which is longer than your ID number?” I pulled out my phone, opened my mobile banking balance, and held it up for him to see. Harrison laughed until tears came to his eyes. “Selene, you doctored a few pictures, rented a villa, and got a fake deed, and now you’re shamelessly claiming you’re rich?” “Hahahaha, you’re quite an actress. It’s a shame the film studios aren’t hiring you; it’s a waste of your talent.” I turned off my phone and continued eating breakfast. Let him think whatever he wanted. “So, you’re doing all this photo-editing and whatever else to prove you really have the financial power to bring down our Smith family, is that it?” “Selene, you’re truly a drama queen.” “Honestly, you should go to Hollywood. That’s where you belong.” I hadn’t intended to say much more to him, but if he was going to talk like that, congratulations, he had successfully provoked my competitive spirit. I calmly picked up my phone and called the shipping company. “Have the manager come over.” “I’ll text you the address.” Harrison watched me operate my phone, then, whether from hunger or exhaustion, he pulled out a chair and began eating the elegantly plated breakfast on the table. “Excuse me, sir, that’s not your breakfast!” The high-class nanny, who was playing the violin for entertainment, suddenly interjected. “It’s alright, let him eat. It’d be a waste otherwise.” I still had that much generosity. While waiting, Harrison’s father, mother, and Autumn also arrived. Harrison’s father had been quite confident letting Harrison come alone. But he suddenly remembered how yesterday, all those distributors, suppliers, and even the shipping company had warned him about offending a powerful figure.

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When my father pulled a faded photograph from his closet, I could hardly believe my eyes. The man in the tailored suit had gentle features, but his face looked exactly like mine. It all started with a bank statement I’d printed the day before. The teller slid the paper across the counter, and the numbers froze me: a monthly deposit of fifteen thousand dollars had been wired to an account for exactly eighteen years. The sender was a stranger named Richard Kensington. The first transfer was made the day I was born. I rushed home, threw the statement on the kitchen table, and demanded to know who Richard was. My father stared at the name in heavy silence before finally going to his room and retrieving that hidden photo. The real beginning was the night my mother died. While cleaning her room, I found an old, worn bankbook tucked deep under her mattress. My mother was a laid‑off garment worker living on a nine‑hundred‑dollar monthly pension. Yet the balance in that book was a staggering five hundred thousand. My dad sat in the corner, lighting a cigarette. His hands were steady. He simply said it was the money my mother had saved all her life, and I should keep it. But how could a woman earning nine hundred dollars a month save half a million? That impossible question finally had an answer the moment I saw the photograph. 1 I stared at the picture, my hands shaking uncontrollably. “Dad, what is this?” Arthur Bennett, the man I had called ‘Dad’ for eighteen years, leaned back in his chair. His eyes were rimmed with red. “You aren’t my biological daughter.” Those words felt like a dull, rusted knife. They didn’t slice quickly, but they dug incredibly deep. I opened my mouth, but my throat was completely sealed shut. He took a slow drag of his cigarette and kept going. “When your mother was young, she worked on the floor at the local textile mill. One day, a young executive came in to negotiate a contract. He was handsome, spoke well, and wore expensive clothes. Your mother was the most beautiful girl in that entire factory.” He paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily. “Eventually, she got pregnant with you. That man, Richard Kensington, promised he was going to take her away and give her a proper life.” “And then?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “And then his wife found out.” Arthur’s voice suddenly flooded with raw, toxic hatred. “Her name was Victoria Hastings. She came from massive real estate money. She brought six or seven hired thugs, stormed right onto the factory floor, and dragged your mother by her hair across the raw concrete. Right in front of hundreds of people.” My fingernails bit so hard into my palms they almost broke the skin. “The beating wasn’t enough for her. Victoria forced the factory management to fire your mother on the spot, screaming that she was a homewrecker trying to ruin a wealthy family. The factory owners were terrified of the Hastings family. They kicked her to the curb the very next morning.” “Where was Richard?” I asked, my chest tight. Arthur let out a dry, bitter laugh. “He fell to his knees in front of his wife and swore on his life he would never see your mother again.” “He did it right in front of her.” I closed my eyes, feeling a physical ache in my ribs. “Your mother was thrown out onto the street, heavily pregnant. The entire town branded her a slut. Nobody would give her the time of day.” His voice cracked, turning raspy. “I was just a security guard at the front gate back then. Just a simple, quiet guy who knew he’d probably never find a wife. She needed a place to survive, and we just made it work.” I opened my eyes, staring at his worn, calloused hands. “So you knew all along?” “I knew.” “And the fifteen grand a month? You knew about that too?” “Yes. Richard started wiring that money the minute you took your first breath. Your mother refused to spend a single dime of it on herself. When you got sick as a kid, or when your tuition was due, that’s what paid for it. She hoarded every other penny.” “Half a million dollars,” I whispered, my throat burning. Arthur slowly shook his head. “It was way more than that.” “What do you mean?” “Eighteen years, Nora. Fifteen grand a month. Do the math.” Fifteen thousand times twelve, times eighteen. That was over three point two million dollars. But the bankbook under her mattress only held five hundred thousand. There was nearly two point seven million dollars missing. “Where is the rest of the money?” Arthur stood up with a heavy sigh and rummaged through the back of the closet again. He pulled out a thick, brown manila envelope. My mother’s handwriting was on the front. It was shaky and uneven, but I recognized every single stroke. It read. “For Nora. Open immediately.” I tore the flap open. A sleek, embossed business card fell out into my palm. Thomas Wright. Wright and Associates. Senior Partner. On the back of the card, my mother had scribbled a message. “Nora, find him. He will tell you everything. I am so sorry for the life I gave you, but everything I did, I did to protect you.” I clutched the heavy cardstock, my mind spinning. My mother was a laid-off factory worker. She lived on a nine-hundred-dollar pension. How in the world did she know a senior partner at a corporate law firm? What exactly had she been doing behind our backs all these years? 2 I didn’t sleep a single wink that night. I sat on the floor of the tiny bedroom my mother had lived in for eighteen years, tearing through every possession she owned. Her closet held exactly four winter coats. Two of them were visibly patched. Her shoe rack held three pairs of shoes. Two worn-out canvas sneakers and one pair of cheap plastic sandals with the soles rubbed paper-thin. At the very bottom of her lowest dresser drawer, I found a massive stack of newspaper clippings. I pulled them out, examining them one by one under the dim desk lamp. Every single article was about Kensington Global. The oldest clipping was a tiny column from fifteen years ago. “Local Entrepreneur Richard Kensington Awarded State Business Excellence Ribbon.” In the middle of the stack was a half-page feature from seven years ago. “Kensington Global Expands into Healthcare Sector, Investing in Major Metropolitan Hospitals.” The most recent was a full-page glossy spread from two years ago. “Kensington Global Market Cap Breaks Billion-Dollar Mark. The Expanding Empire of Richard Kensington.” My mother had taken a red pen and highlighted critical sections in every single article. The margins were filled with her scribbled notes. I leaned in close to read the shaky handwriting. “2016. Real estate expansion too aggressive. Debt-to-equity ratio critical.” “2019. Brought in strategic investors. How much were his voting rights diluted? Check the annual corporate filings.” “2022. Tristan Kensington joins executive board. Three major development projects operate at a massive loss. Capital flow unaccounted for.” My fingertips traced the faded ink, a sudden chill raising the hairs on my arms. My mother. A woman who didn’t even finish high school. She had been actively analyzing the financial structure and corporate debt of a billion-dollar conglomerate. I grabbed my phone and typed “Richard Kensington” into the search bar. The screen instantly exploded with results. Richard Kensington, 52. Chairman and CEO of Kensington Global. Dominant in real estate, finance, and private healthcare. Estimated personal net worth. Nine hundred million dollars. Nine hundred million. I pulled up my own banking app. Available balance. One hundred and twelve dollars. That was everything I had saved from pulling double shifts at a local coffee shop all summer. I kept scrolling down the search results. A high-definition family portrait loaded on the screen. Richard was standing tall, his arm wrapped around an incredibly glamorous woman. Victoria. Her skin looked flawless, and massive emerald teardrops hung from her ears. Her smile was perfectly practiced, straight off the cover of a luxury magazine. Standing next to them was a young man in his mid-twenties. He was tall, lean, and carried a sharp, arrogant smirk that screamed generational wealth. Tristan Kensington, 26. Executive Vice President of Kensington Global. Columbia MBA graduate. Twenty-six years old. Vice President. Ivy League pedigree. Mansions and supercars. I was eighteen, slinging lattes for twelve bucks an hour. I zoomed in on the watch wrapped around Tristan’s wrist. It was a Patek Philippe Nautilus. Market value was easily a quarter of a million dollars. A quarter of a million. My mother hadn’t even owned a cheap gold chain her entire life. I locked my phone and tossed it onto the bed. I picked up the business card again. Thomas Wright. Wright and Associates. Financial District, 38th Floor. “Mom,” I whispered into the empty, quiet room. “What kind of game were you playing?” Early the next morning, I put on the nicest piece of clothing I owned. A white button-down shirt my mother had bought me on sale for fifteen bucks. Right as I reached for the front doorknob, Arthur called my name. “Nora.” “Yeah.” “Before your mother passed, she made me promise to tell you something.” I froze, my hand hovering over the brass knob. “She said, ‘Arthur, if Nora decides to go look for that man, do not stop her. But you make sure you tell her one thing. Do not beg him. Do not get on your knees. And do not ever let him look down on you.’” A sharp burn stung the back of my nose. I didn’t turn around. “I hear you.” 3 It took an hour and a half on the city bus to cross into the financial district. The Kensington Global headquarters towered at the end of the block. Forty-six stories of sleek, reflective glass. The morning sun hit the facade, making the building look like a golden blade piercing the sky. The revolving doors were spotless. The lobby was paved in imported marble. When I walked in, my worn canvas sneakers let out a pathetic, squeaking sound against the polished floor. The receptionist at the front desk looked up. Her eyes slowly dragged from the top of my head down to my cheap shoes. I will never forget that look as long as I live. She looked at me like I was a cockroach that had crawled through the front door. “Can I help you? Do you have an appointment?” “I need to see Richard Kensington.” The corner of her mouth twitched. It wasn’t a smile. It was the kind of exhausted smirk you give a crazy person. “Mr. Kensington does not accept walk-ins. What company are you representing?” “I’m his daughter.” The smirk froze on her face for exactly one second. Then her hand dropped to the intercom button on her desk. “Security. We have a girl in the lobby claiming to be the CEO’s daughter. Please remove her.” Two massive security guards appeared out of nowhere. They grabbed me by the arms, lifting my feet entirely off the floor, and dragged me toward the exit. “I am actually his daughter! Just let him see my face!” “We get three of you nutjobs a month,” one of the guards sneered, rolling his eyes. “Last one claimed she was his long-lost twin sister.” “Go home, kid. You don’t belong in a place like this.” They violently shoved me through the revolving doors. My foot caught the edge of the metal frame, and I crashed hard onto the concrete steps outside. The skin on my knee tore open. Hot blood immediately pooled and began trickling down my shin. But the physical pain was absolutely nothing compared to the suffocating humiliation burning in my chest. Right at that exact moment. A matte black Porsche Cayenne pulled up to the curb. The heavy door swung open, and a pair of Italian leather loafers stepped onto the pavement. It was Tristan Kensington. He looked even taller than in the photos. His posture was rigid, and his eyes were completely devoid of warmth. He was flanked by an assistant, a secretary, and a driver. He had a bigger entourage than a movie star. He glanced down at me bleeding on the ground, then turned his head toward the guards. “What is this?” “Mr. Kensington, just a crazy girl causing a scene. Claimed to be the Chairman’s daughter. We handled it.” Tristan let his heavy eyelids droop, looking down his nose at me. His lips curled into a cruel, mocking sneer. “Another gold digger looking for a payout?” He casually reached into his tailored jacket, pulled out a sleek money clip, and slid out a crisp hundred-dollar bill. He leaned over and dropped it on the concrete right in front of my face. “Buy some bandages. And don’t ever come back.” He stood up straight, casually adjusting his expensive cuffs, and looked at his secretary. “Make sure the front desk registers her face. If she shows up again, call the cops and have her arrested for trespassing.” The rhythmic clicking of his leather shoes echoed off the concrete as he walked away, never once looking back. I stayed on my knees. The wind blew past, lifting the edge of the hundred-dollar bill and flipping it onto the back of my hand. I stared at that piece of paper for a very long time. Then I stood up. The blood from my knee dripped steadily down my leg. One drop. Two drops. Staining my white canvas shoes. I didn’t run away. I walked down the street with my spine completely straight, step by deliberate step. I found a public restroom a block away, washed the blood off my leg, and slapped two cheap bandages over the wound. I dug into my pocket and pulled out the business card. Thomas Wright. Wright and Associates. Financial District, 38th Floor. I checked the building directory. It was a three-minute walk from the Kensington Global headquarters. Mom, did you seriously pick a law firm right next door to his empire? I pushed through the heavy glass doors of the firm. The receptionist looked up at me. Her expression was completely different from the one at the Kensington building. There was no disgust. No superiority. “How can I help you? Are you looking for someone?” “Thomas Wright.” “And your name?” “Nora. Nora Bennett.” She froze. She immediately snatched up the phone on her desk. “Mr. Wright. There is a Ms. Bennett here to see you. Yes. Nora Bennett. Right away.” When she hung up the phone, her entire demeanor shifted into absolute, terrifying respect. “Ms. Bennett. Mr. Wright is in the corner office at the end of the hall. He said to tell you…” She swallowed hard. “He said he has been waiting for you for a very long time.” 4 Thomas Wright’s office was massive. The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookshelves stacked with heavy legal texts. He stood up immediately when I walked in. He was in his late fifties, with silver hair and wire-rimmed glasses. The moment his eyes locked onto my face, they turned glassy with unshed tears. “You look… exactly like your mother.” I didn’t have the energy for small talk. “Mr. Wright, my mom told me to find you. She said you would tell me everything.” He nodded slowly. He walked over to a heavy steel safe bolted into the wall and punched in a code. He pulled out a thick, black archival box. Inside was a mountain of legal documents. He pulled the top file and laid it on his desk. It was an irrevocable trust agreement. Grantor. Margaret Bennett. Beneficiary. Nora Bennett. Establishment Date. March 15th, 2012. The signature at the bottom was my mother’s. It was meticulous and precise, vastly different from the shaky writing on the envelope. It looked like she had practiced that signature a thousand times. “Your mother walked into this office fifteen years ago,” Thomas said, his voice slow and heavy. “She was wearing a faded, cheap winter coat, clutching a plastic grocery bag. That bag was filled with cash. Exactly sixty thousand dollars.” “She sat exactly where you are sitting and said, ‘Mr. Wright, I need you to open a brokerage account for me. I want to buy stock.’” “I asked her what company she wanted to invest in.” “She looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘Kensington Global.’” My fingertips went completely numb. “I was stunned. A woman wearing threadbare clothes, clutching a grocery bag of cash, wanting to dump her life savings into a company I assumed she knew nothing about?” “But then she pulled out a spiral notebook.” “It was filled with three years of Kensington Global’s financial data. Revenue streams, profit margins, debt ratios, executive board shifts, and horizontal industry analysis. It was more thoroughly researched than reports I get from Wall Street analysts.” “She looked at me and said something I will never forget.” Thomas took off his glasses and wiped them with a silk cloth. “She said, ‘Mr. Wright, I don’t know the first thing about the law. But I know one truth. I cannot leave my daughter’s fate in someone else’s hands.’” A hot tear spilled over my lashes and hit the polished mahogany desk. “For the next fifteen years,” Thomas said, opening a thick portfolio, “your mother took the vast majority of the allowance she received and pumped it straight into Kensington stock. In the early days, when the stock was cheap and the market cap was small, she bought huge blocks of it. When they went public and the price skyrocketed, she bought smaller fractions. But she never stopped.” He slid the final page of the report across the desk. Total Ownership Stake. 8.3%. Current Market Value. Twenty-Four Million Dollars. A blinding white flash exploded behind my eyes. My mother. Living on a nine-hundred-dollar pension. Wearing patched coats. Walking in shoes worn down to the pavement. A woman who never even bought herself a birthday cake. Over fifteen brutal years, operating entirely in the shadows where nobody bothered to look, she had systematically bought up eight percent of a billion-dollar empire. Tristan Kensington had thrown a hundred-dollar bill at me and told me to get lost. I currently held more voting shares in his company than he did. “There is one more thing.” Thomas reached into the very bottom of the black box and pulled out a heavy manila envelope. There was no writing on it. The flap was sealed with thick, red wax. “Your mother gave me strict instructions. This envelope was only to be opened after her death.” I broke the wax seal. I pulled out a few sheets of loose-leaf paper. It was handwritten. The writing was jagged and erratic. In several places, the blue ink had bled, warped by tears that had fallen onto the page. The title was written in bold letters. “My Death Record.” I read the first line. “Nora, if you are reading this, it means I failed to swap out my medication in time.” Every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. “Mr. Wright.” “How exactly did my mother die?”

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My younger sister always claimed I stole her glamorous life. “If I had been the one to drop out of school and enter Hollywood back then, your Oscar would be mine right now.” I always just laughed it off, until we were both reborn and sent back to the exact day we had to make that fateful choice. This time, my sister chose to drop out, leaving me to stay in school. I lowered my head and sneered. Did she really think making it in Hollywood was that easy? 1 As an internationally acclaimed, Oscar-winning actress, I was surrounded by a small army of bodyguards and assistants. Every single item I wore cost six figures. The men chasing me ranged from Silicon Valley billionaires to the hottest pop stars. They swarmed around me, eager to please, just hoping I’d cast a glance their way. All of this made my younger sister, Chloe, seethe with jealousy. Every time I went home for the holidays, Chloe would stare at me with eyes full of grievance and resentment: “Maya, tell me the truth. If I had been the one to drop out and brave Hollywood back then, and you had stayed in school, would I be the Oscar-winner today?” When I didn’t answer, she continued, lost in her own delusion: “I definitely would have climbed higher than you. I was always much prettier than you back then.” Chloe was bitter. She had chosen to stay in school, but her grades were mediocre, and she only managed to get into a low-tier state college. Now, at twenty-nine, she was working as a mid-level admin at some corporate firm, not even clearing six thousand a month. And I? I had been worse than her at everything back then, but because I made the “right” choice and entered the entertainment industry, every movie I starred in became a massive hit. Resources poured in, and the industry practically forced the Oscar into my hands. Now, at thirty, thanks to top-tier dermatologists and trainers, I looked like I was in my early twenties. Meanwhile, at twenty-nine, Chloe’s face was already showing deep signs of exhaustion. The more Chloe spoke, the more agitated she became, completely unable to pull herself out of her fantasy. I, on the other hand, was genuinely exhausted, dozing off on the sofa. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shattered the peace. The gas line in the house ruptured. A piece of shrapnel slammed into my head, and in an instant of blinding agony, I lost consciousness… 2 “Maya, Chloe, things are really bad. We just can’t afford to keep both of you in school anymore.” My mother wiped her tears, clutching the urn holding my father’s ashes. “Your dad is gone, and he left us with a mountain of debt. My salary barely covers rent. You two… you two need to figure out which one of you is going to drop out and get a job to help the family. I’m so sorry…” Before my mother could even finish, Chloe rushed forward: “Mom, I’ll drop out!” “Yesterday, a talent scout approached me and Maya on the street. He said he wanted to sign both of us! With how bad things are at home, I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Let Maya stay in school. I’ll go try my luck in Hollywood!” My mother let out a long, heavy sigh and didn’t say anything else. But my mind was racing. I suddenly realized what was happening. Chloe and I had been reborn! We had been thrown back to the exact day we had to make the choice that would define our lives! I was seventeen, a junior in high school. Chloe was sixteen, a sophomore. Our family had just declared bankruptcy, my father had taken his own life, and he had left us with an unmanageable mess. My mother couldn’t shoulder the burden alone. She needed one of us to drop out and work to support the family. In my past life, I was the one who volunteered. I gave up my spot as the valedictorian of my high school, signed with that talent agency, and worked myself to the bone to pay for Chloe’s education, eventually clawing my way up to become an Oscar-winning actress. But now, Chloe, having seen the glamorous future I built for myself, was desperate to hijack my life. I… happily agreed! In fact, I couldn’t wait. Did she really think Hollywood was an easy place to survive? She had no idea how much blood, sweat, and literal tears I shed on my way to the top. One wrong step, and you fall into an abyss you can never climb out of! She didn’t even realize how much I envied her pure, simple, normal high school life! 3 The next day, I went back to school, while Chloe was supposed to report to Apex Media. I opened my textbooks. All the knowledge I had accumulated by seventeen was still perfectly intact in my brain. I knew how to solve every problem; every concept was deeply ingrained in my memory. It was amazing. This feeling was incredible. I sat in a clean, bright classroom, laughing and chatting with my classmates, using my pen to finally fill the regrets I had carried in my past life. I didn’t have to wear heavy makeup at the crack of dawn. I didn’t have to waste my youth at seedy industry parties, enduring the leering, handsy behavior of producers old enough to be my father, just forcing a smile for a single chance to be on camera. After school, I hummed a tune as I walked home. The first thing I saw was Chloe sitting on the sofa, her makeup perfectly done, her luggage packed beside her. Just like in my past life, my mother signed the contract as her legal guardian. The agent collected the contract, transferred the signing bonus to my mother, and then shot a sidelong glance at Chloe. His eyes were full of calculation. My mother, remembering that I had an academic scholarship, gave the entire signing bonus to Chloe, telling her to take good care of herself out there. Seeing me walk in, Chloe looked incredibly smug: “Sister, this massive wave of wealth is finally coming my way. Even if you try to steal it from me now, it’s too late.” “I’ve officially signed with Apex. I’m moving into the apartment they provide. I’ll be going to auditions and casting calls. You’ll see me on TV soon.” I replied flatly, “Congratulations on getting exactly what you wanted.” Unsatisfied with my mild reaction, Chloe stood up, leaned close to my ear, and threw out a provocative whisper: “This time, the wealth, the Oscar, the fans, the billionaires chasing me… everything will be mine.” “Maya, we finally get to swap lives.” With that, Chloe held her head high and walked out the door without looking back, not a single trace of nostalgia in her eyes. My eyes were completely cold. Chloe still had no idea that the contract she just signed was a predatory trap designed to destroy her. 4 Apex Media’s signing bonus wasn’t easy money. If you didn’t generate a specific, massive amount of revenue within the first year, you were required to pay the company back tenfold as a penalty. In my past life, after I signed with Apex, they shelved me for six months, refusing to give me any auditions. Then, just as I was panicking and desperate, they suddenly threw me into a massive reality TV survival show. A hundred beautiful girls competing for five spots in a new pop group. My agent told me that I had to make the final group no matter what it took. I had to prove my value to the company, or I could pay the penalty and get out. You have to understand, the girls who made it past the initial cuts either had massive financial backers or were wealthy socialites themselves. Competing against a group like that, I was so stressed I developed a severe ring of cold sores around my mouth. I had to cake on foundation just to cover it up. That was when my agent “kindly” pointed out an alternative route. He brought me to a private dinner with Mr. Vance, the biggest sponsor of the reality show. My agent leaned in close, his voice sleazy and suggestive: “Maya, Mr. Vance loves pure, innocent girls like you. As long as you make him happy tonight, making the final group is nothing. He could even make you an A-list star…” That night, I endured the sickening dinner. When the moment was right, I secretly recorded a video of Mr. Vance sexually harassing another young actress. Then, I smashed a wine bottle on the table. I held the jagged glass to my own jugular, my other hand hovering over the “Send” button on my phone, glaring at them like a cornered, feral panther. I gambled my life, and I won. Mr. Vance didn’t get angry; instead, he laughed. He laughed at my naive audacity, laughed at how out of my depth I was. With a wave of his hand, he gave me the opportunity I wanted, acting like he was placing a bet on a wild animal, eager to see how hard I would crash and burn later. I didn’t expect to actually seize that opportunity. I fought my way into the final group and had my first viral, nationwide performance. Now, all of that was falling squarely onto Chloe’s shoulders. I was very much looking forward to seeing how she handled it. 5 Six months passed, and I didn’t hear a single word from Chloe. It seemed that, just like me in my past life, she had been temporarily shelved. Meanwhile, I took first place in the midterms and qualified for the state academic decathlon. It wasn’t until the internet was suddenly flooded with aggressive marketing for the new reality show, Apex Girls, that I unexpectedly saw Chloe in the contestant lineup. The light in her eyes flickered wildly. She wore a pure, sweet smile, but her eyes were burning with raw, unbridled ambition. During the first round of solo evaluations, Chloe’s score was dead last. I calculated that this was right around the time her agent would step in and arrange the dinner with Mr. Vance. I called Chloe. The first time, she didn’t answer. The second time, the third time… It wasn’t until the eighth ring that Chloe finally picked up. “Chloe, listen to me. Do not go to that dinner…” Before I could finish, Chloe interrupted me, her voice dripping with irritation. “Maya, are you ever going to leave me alone?” “It’s just a dinner. You went to it in your past life, why can’t I go? Are you just jealous? Are you trying to make me miss my shot?” “You are so disgusting. You got to enjoy all the wealth and fame in your past life, and now that it’s my turn, you’re trying to sabotage me?!” “Mind your own business from now on. Stay out of my career!” Click. The line went dead. Chloe hung up on me. I sighed. Fine. I’ll respect her choices. I need to let go of my savior complex. 6 I threw myself entirely into preparing for the state finals, leaving no extra energy to keep up with Apex Girls. My mom even arranged for me to board at the school to save time. Occasionally, overhearing my classmates gossip, I learned that after Chloe’s disastrous solo performance, she seemingly experienced a miracle, skyrocketing from the bottom to the top three in the second episode. She eventually secured her debut, taking the highly coveted center position. She looked much more glamorous and successful than I had in my past life. After finishing the state finals, I walked out of the exam hall and immediately checked my phone for news about Chloe. The media’s intense focus gave her a massive surge in exposure, but soon after, paparazzi caught Chloe and Mr. Vance entering the same luxury hotel, one after the other. The show’s producers immediately issued a statement claiming the entire group had a scheduled appearance and were all staying at that hotel rehearsing that night. The other members of Apex Girls quickly came forward to publicly support Chloe. The scandal was temporarily suppressed. Watching all this unfold, I secretly lamented. I knew my worst fear had come true. By attaching herself to Mr. Vance, Chloe gained a fleeting moment of spectacular fame through a shortcut. But she was entirely unequipped to handle the second major hurdle that was fast approaching. After the Apex Girls national tour, they would have the opportunity to audition for the second female lead in Director Nolan’s highly anticipated historical drama. Director Nolan famously despised actors who relied on connections, and it was an open secret in the industry that he and Mr. Vance hated each other. When I debuted with the group back then, Mr. Vance publicly stated to the press that he didn’t see any potential in me. Following his lead, the reality show’s producers subtly shaded me, and the other group members made passive-aggressive comments about me in interviews. The goodwill I had just built up from my performances plummeted. At that time, the opportunity to audition for Director Nolan’s new project felt like my only lifeline. I stayed up for nights analyzing the script, visited film sets to observe seasoned actors, and completely immersed myself in the character. That was the only way I managed to impress Director Nolan during the audition and secure the role. But Chloe… could she seize this opportunity? 7 After the Apex Girls tour concluded, it was publicly announced that they would be auditioning for Director Nolan’s new drama, Spring’s Return. In front of the cameras, Chloe looked completely self-assured and radiant. She flipped her hair, looking like victory was already hers: “The second female lead? No, I’m auditioning for the lead role, Elara!” “I’ve read the script. Elara’s resilient, unyielding character, blooming even in adversity… it resonates with me so perfectly. It’s like the role was tailor-made for me. Director Nolan has great taste; he’ll definitely pick me!” The reporter had probably never encountered an actress this “authentically unpretentious.” His mouth visibly twitched. “So, you believe you have a natural talent for acting?” Chloe’s eyes narrowed playfully, and she gave a coy smile: “Well… why wouldn’t I?” Watching that interview, I genuinely couldn’t handle the secondhand embarrassment. I had to respect the reporter’s professional composure. A few days later, a hashtag exploded to the top of the trending page— #DirectorNolanCallsChloe’sActingDisgusting# My eye twitched. I clicked the hashtag, and a video clip of Chloe’s audition popped up. The scene involved the protagonist, Elara, intentionally leaping out of a hidden cellar to draw the assassins’ attention, sacrificing herself so her younger sister, hiding inside, could survive. When Chloe’s version of Elara jumped out, there wasn’t a trace of heroic sacrifice. Instead, she looked incredibly eager and impatient, as if she already knew about the miraculous plot armor waiting for her after being captured. Even the crucial line, “You monsters will burn in hell,” was delivered softly and weakly, sounding more like a coquettish pout. Director Nolan was furious. He threw a script at her, yelled “Disgusting!”, and told her to get out. After the hashtag blew up, Chloe posted a defensive, aggrieved statement: “If Elara hadn’t jumped out, the assassins would have taken the sister. Then the sister would have gotten all the future opportunities and plot armor, and the sister would have ended up on the throne. What would Elara have gotten?” “So the way I see it, Elara was just stealing her sister’s future. What’s there to be sad about? She was just making a calculated choice that benefited her.” “The real Elara is selfish. My interpretation was the accurate one! I have no idea why Director Nolan reacted that way…” Director Nolan, probably on the verge of a heart attack from her sheer audacity, posted a public response: [Chloe might be able to sing and dance, but she is absolutely unfit to be an actor. A good actor requires empathy and a strong moral core. She has neither. I don’t understand why just anyone thinks they can act these days.] Director Nolan carried immense weight in the film industry. That single statement effectively blacklisted Chloe from acting. Perhaps triggered by Chloe’s atrocious performance, after the first round of auditions, Director Nolan shook his head and sighed: “Actors today are too superficial. We need fresh blood.” He then announced a “Nationwide Search for the Female Lead” open casting call. On the day I saw the casting notice, I happened to be heading to the state academic finals. Coincidentally, the exam venue was less than five blocks from the audition location. After thinking about it, I decided to sign up. In my past life, the second female lead I played was gentle on the surface but ruthless and selfish underneath. The role sparked massive internet outrage, which ironically made me incredibly famous. Everyone said my performance was flawless, but no one knew that I was actually desperately in love with the protagonist, Elara. I saw myself in Elara. Playing the villain required me to dissect the script and meticulously craft my performance. But Elara? I wouldn’t even need to act. Because she was me. I didn’t need to perform her sacrifice. Because I understood exactly what Elara felt when she jumped out to protect her family. Every internal conflict, every hesitation—I had lived it. That kind of sacrifice, that kind of surrender… I had already experienced it once. In the script, when Elara reunites with her sister later, the sister’s first reaction isn’t relief that Elara is okay. Instead, she marvels at the luxury of the palace and says, her voice laced with jealousy, “Sister, if it were possible, I wish I had been the one who jumped out that day.” The chilling heartbreak of that moment, the eventual death of hope, the complete disillusionment with her sister… I resonated with it deeply. So this time, not driven by desperation or poverty, but purely to fulfill a regret from my past life, I submitted my name for the role of Elara. 8 Coming out of the state finals, most of the students around me were sighing and looking defeated. A few kids who wanted to compare answers were immediately shut down: “To compare answers, you have to actually have an answer first! We couldn’t even understand the questions! Where are we supposed to get answers from?!” “Exactly! Are these questions even designed for humans? I want to see how many brains the kids who win medals actually have!” “Whatever, forget it. The test is over, what’s the point of checking answers now? Let the teachers grade it. Let’s just go have some fun. I heard there’s an open casting call for a movie nearby, and a lot of celebrities are showing up. Let’s go check it out!” I nodded. “I’m actually heading there to audition. It’s on my way, let’s go together.” “You? You’re going to audition for the lead role?” My classmates’ jaws practically hit the floor. Someone immediately made a snide, jealous comment: “I don’t want to burst your bubble, Maya, but even though you’re pretty, you’re at best ‘high school pretty.’ You think you can be the lead in a movie? Keep dreaming.” I shrugged. “I’m just going to try. I have nothing to lose. I’m just doing it for fun.” Seeing the mocking looks on their faces, I figured they probably didn’t want to walk with me anyway, so I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked off alone. By the time I arrived, there was still half an hour before the auditions began. A casting assistant looked me up and down, then said dismissively: “Tsk, why aren’t you wearing any makeup? Are you just a high schooler?” As soon as he spoke, everyone in the waiting room turned to look at me. Most of their gazes were disdainful or contemptuous. Only one girl offered me her small makeup bag. I gave her a grateful look. Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone in the room, I transformed my face in under a minute. In my past life, constantly rushing between sets, speed-makeup was a basic survival skill. After logging my name, the assistant handed me a piece of paper. It was the scene I was supposed to perform. Unlike celebrity auditions, unknowns like me don’t get to see the full script outline; we only get a short excerpt. The scene I drew happened to be the exact same one Chloe had auditioned with. “Number 168, Maya Sterling!” I immediately stood up, smoothed out my clothes, and pushed open the door to the audition room. This was my first time seeing Director Nolan in this life. He looked exactly the same. He looked like an unkempt, grumpy old man, but his eyes were startlingly clear. Because they were so clear, they looked exceptionally bright. He was my mentor in my past life. He brought me into the industry, cast me in hit after hit, pushed me to the pinnacle of television awards, and then introduced me to the heavyweights of the film industry, helping me push for the Oscar. Back then, rumors about us flew everywhere. Some said he was my sugar daddy; others said I was his illegitimate daughter. The concept of “soulmates” was something they didn’t understand, and they didn’t believe in. That was until Director Nolan smashed a whiskey bottle in front of a camera, pointed at the broken glass on the floor, and smiled at the gossip reporters: “Eat it.” All the so-called “scandals” about me vanished overnight. The brightest jewel on that Oscar crown… I won it to give to him. But when I won the award, he was in the ICU. The day I won Best Actress happened to be the day he passed away. I could only place the jewel among his personal effects, letting it be buried with him. The day he took his last breath, his phone screen was playing my acceptance speech. They said that when Director Nolan left, he was smiling.

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Today was my little darling’s fifth birthday. My husband, who usually buried himself in work, had, for once, agreed to take our first family photo. I was so excited I woke up early, scrambling to book the city’s most exclusive photography studio. But as the appointment time drew near, there was no sign of my husband or son. I waited at the studio until closing time, and then my husband’s message finally arrived. He casually mentioned that his company had organized an end-of-year trip, and he’d already left with our son. Right after, my son sent a voice message, his tiny voice saying the trip was super fun and he’d take pictures with me when he got back. I smiled at the screen, sent a “Sounds good!” back. Then, with a flick of my finger, I messaged the chairman of my husband’s company: “Your company organized a trip? Why wasn’t I, your biggest shareholder, informed?” … 1. A voice call came through immediately, laced with bewilderment: “What trip? Are you still half-asleep? End of the year is crunch time for sales, everyone’s running themselves ragged. There’s no way I’d arrange a trip. Everyone in the company is working overtime, except for your husband, who took annual leave.” My best friend, Quinn, her voice crackled through the receiver. I tightened my grip on the phone. “I understand.” “Wait, no, what’s going on?” Quinn heard the shift in my tone and pressed anxiously. I pressed my lips together, looking at myself in the mirror – impeccably dressed in a haute couture gown, hair perfectly styled, yet utterly alone. I felt like a joke. “Come pick me up.” I gave her the address. “Alright, five minutes.” I hung up, still frozen at the vanity. The studio staff had already begun packing up their equipment, ready to close. I could feel the shift in the air; the staff, who had initially eyed my extravagant private booking with envy, now looked at me with blatant pity. Amidst their hushed whispers, I vaguely caught phrases like “stood up,” “poor thing,” and “what’s money good for anyway?” Just then, the studio manager approached, carrying a thick photo album. “Ma’am, please don’t be too upset. Perhaps your husband had an urgent, unexpected matter.” The manager gently pushed the album towards me. “Although today didn’t work out, you can take a look at our sample prints. This is our collection of family portraits; you can choose a style for next time, and when you bring your husband and son, we can start shooting right away.” I felt dispirited, but out of politeness, I casually opened the first page. The moment I did, my entire body froze. Staring back at me, proudly displayed on the title page as a studio showpiece, was a huge family portrait. The background was warm and luxurious. A man in a crisp suit smiled gently; a woman in an elegant gown stood beside him. In the middle, a little boy in a miniature suit, eyes curved into crescent moons, held a bouquet of daisies. That was my five-year-old son. That was my husband, the man I shared a bed with. And that woman… The manager, seeing my stunned expression, thought I was amazed by the photo’s quality. She immediately launched into a gushing explanation, a hint of pride in her voice: “Ma’am, you have excellent taste, choosing this one right away. This family is our studio’s model family, and they’re long-time clients.” “The gentleman in the photo is the general manager of a listed company, earning millions a year. He’s handsome and charismatic. The lady next to him is also impressive, famously doting on her husband and child.” “This family of three, they’ve been coming to us for family portraits every year since the child was a month old. Look at this little boy, he’s incredibly photogenic, loves having his picture taken, and is always so happy every time he comes. The entire staff loves to play with him.” “Oh, by the way, they booked the Grand Hall at the Grand Estate Hotel for a birthday party today. Our studio photographer was even invited to follow and document it.” Every word from the manager felt like a knife, slicing into my heart, one by one. Years ago, for my husband Liam’s dream, I had willingly stepped back. Fearing he’d be bullied, I secretly got him into Quinn’s company, continuously investing anonymously to make him an undeniable top performer, earning him the General Manager position. Immediately, my mind flashed back to every time I’d tried to take photos of my son. He would always frown, either hiding behind his father or outright covering his face with his hands, yelling: “Go away, Mom! I hate photos!” Back then, Liam always protected him, scoffing at me: “If the kid doesn’t like it, just drop it. Don’t force him; your photography skills aren’t that great anyway.” But now, looking at my son smiling in that photo, I suddenly felt a chill run through me, a bitter coldness deep in my heart. He didn’t hate photos; he just hated taking photos with me. My gaze slowly shifted to the woman in the picture. At first glance, she looked familiar. Now, on closer inspection, wasn’t this Seraphina Song, the impoverished college student I had sponsored for four full years? I had seen her diligence and hard work, not only paying for her entire university education, but when she graduated and struggled to find work, it was I who used my connections to get her a job at a well-regarded state-owned enterprise known for its excellent benefits. I never imagined that the bright student I had sponsored would end up not only in the company I arranged for her, but also in my home. The manager was still chattering away: “Ma’am? Ma’am, what do you think of this style? If you like it, next time…” Just then, the roar of a sports car came from the doorway. Followed by hurried footsteps: “Chloe!” Quinn burst in, a whirlwind of energy. She spotted me instantly, unable to resist a playful tease: “Whoa! This look, you’re stunning! Anyone would think you’re walking the red carpet.” She surveyed the empty studio, puzzled. “Why are you alone? Where are Liam and Leo? Didn’t you say you were taking family photos? Are you done?” I closed the album. This was utterly humiliating. “What’s wrong, Chloe? You look awful.” Quinn dropped her playful demeanor, looking at me with concern. I looked at her and gave a short, bitter laugh: “To the Grand Estate Hotel. I hear my son’s having a birthday party today.” 2. Quinn paused for a moment, then floored the accelerator, driving us straight to the Grand Estate Hotel. The Grand Estate Hotel was not only the most luxurious hotel in the city but also an establishment owned by Quinn herself. Standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, a massive welcome poster greeted my eyes. On the poster was that family portrait: Liam had Seraphina in his arms, our son perched on Seraphina’s shoulders, and the title read: [Our Beloved Son Leo’s Sixth Birthday Bash]. Sixth birthday? I froze. Wasn’t Leo five? Quinn’s face turned stormy. As the big boss of this hotel, she was about to explode, but I held her back. I pushed open the banquet hall doors, and the clamor inside instantly ceased. Hundreds of eyes turned in unison towards the entrance. Most of them were employees of Liam’s company; I didn’t show up often, but I had delivered food to the company a few times, so some recognized me. “Oh, isn’t that the freeloading wife of Manager Smith?” Someone in the crowd scoffed, and then whispers swelled like a tide. “What bad luck, what’s she doing here on such a joyous day?” “I heard she’s worse than the nanny at home, just washing and cooking all day, completely dependent on Manager Smith. Truly a disgrace to women.” “Look at her, dressed to the nines. I bet that gown was bought with Mr. Smith’s credit card.” Liam was standing center stage, cutting the cake, a long knife in his hand. Seraphina’s hand rested intimately on his. They looked utterly coupled. Seeing me enter, Liam showed no trace of guilt, instead frowning. “Chloe Johnson, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to stay home? Don’t come here to embarrass me!” He didn’t even bother to step down from the stage, reprimanding me from above. I walked towards the stage, step by step. “Embarrass you?” I pointed at the large number on the poster, my voice hoarse. “Liam, is Leo five this year, or six?” Liam’s eyes flickered, then he became even more self-righteous. “What’s the difference between five and six?” At that moment, Seraphina walked out, smiling. She wore a perfectly tailored haute couture gown, exuding the air of a successful professional. Holding a glass of champagne, she looked at me with an expression that was seemingly polite but truly mocking. “Since you’re here, find a corner and grab something to eat. Today is Leo’s birthday party, hosted by Liam and me, and it’s also a gathering to celebrate my promotion. Don’t spoil everyone’s fun.” “Go away!” Suddenly, a small figure darted out and pushed me hard. It was my son, the one I had doted on for five years. He wore a prince-like suit but glared at me as if I were his enemy. “I won’t let you bully Mommy Seraphina! Mommy Seraphina said you’re a useless good-for-nothing, you only drag Daddy down!” In that moment, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I stared in disbelief at the son I had hand-fed, the one I had stayed up all night watching when he had a fever. “Leo, I’m your mom…” “No, you’re not!” Leo hugged Seraphina’s leg, proudly lifting his chin. “Mommy Seraphina is my mom! She earns lots of money and can buy me lots of things. Mommy Seraphina said I have excellent blood, just like her, not a good-for-nothing like you!” The entire hall erupted in gasps, then quickly dissolved into roaring laughter. “Looks like someone’s a step-mom!” “Hahahaha, raising someone else’s kid for five years, what an incredible cuckold.” “No wonder Mr. Smith doesn’t like her. That kind of waste deserves to be a pawn.” Those employees who usually respectfully called me “ma’am” were now, eager to flatter Seraphina and Liam, speaking with increasingly cruel words. Six years ago, I sponsored Seraphina through her senior year of college. Liam and I met around that time; he tearfully recounted how he’d been unlucky in love and wanted to settle down with a stable person. It turned out that from beginning to end, this was a scheme to find a free meal ticket for Seraphina’s child. “Liam.” I took a deep breath, suppressing the hatred about to erupt in my chest. “So, for these five years, you’ve been acting?” Quinn finally lost it. She rushed forward, pointing at the executives. “You blind idiots! Open your damn eyes and see who I am! And Chloe Johnson, standing right in front of you, is your company’s biggest—” “Security!” Liam impatiently cut Quinn off, casting a cold glance at us. “Get these two disruptive lunatics out of here. Especially the one next to Chloe Johnson, dressed like a lowlife thug. She must be some poor relative of this good-for-nothing, right?” Eager to impress, the employees didn’t even wait for security. Several tall managers rolled up their sleeves and surrounded us, sinister smiles plastered on their faces. 3. “Who dares touch me!” Quinn roared, enraged. She usually presided at the group headquarters, rarely inspecting this branch office. Plus, dressed casually today, these people truly didn’t recognize the legendary Chairman. “Is that woman crazy? ‘Who dares touch her’?” A department manager sneered. To curry favor with Seraphina, she was the first to rush forward and shove Quinn. “Who are you anyway? Don’t you know Mr. Smith is the General Manager here? Getting rid of you is as easy as squashing an ant!” Seraphina stood on the stage, holding her son, arm around Liam, watching us being encircled as if it were a play, a smirk playing on her lips. “Everyone, whoever cleans out these two pieces of trash today, so they no longer dirty mine and Liam’s eyes, will have their year-end bonus doubled next year.” Generous rewards always spurred bravery. The pushing and shoving crowd instantly turned violent. Someone kicked Quinn hard in the knee, sending her stumbling to the ground. I rushed to help her, but a heavy punch to my back made my vision go black. “Chloe Johnson, do you really think you’re someone important?” I spat out a mouthful of blood, looking up at Liam. “Can you really afford the consequences of marital infidelity and marriage fraud?” Liam walked off the stage and stopped in front of me, looking down at me on the floor with eyes full of disgust and contempt. “Since we’re speaking so plainly, I won’t hide it from you anymore.” He pulled a marriage certificate from his bag and threw it directly in my face. It bore the names Liam Smith and Seraphina Song, and the registration date was a year earlier than mine. I shot my head up, my pupils contracting violently. “No need to look, the marriage certificate we got back then was fake.” Liam sneered. “Back then, Seraphina had just graduated, her family was poor, and she didn’t have a stable job. She couldn’t give the child a good life. We had to find an honest person to take care of things, right?” “You’re an orphan with no parents, the easiest to control. I originally planned to dump you after you raised the kid. I just didn’t expect you to be so ungrateful, causing trouble at a time like this.” “Fake.” I mumbled, feeling as though my insides were twisting in agony. So, these five years of days and nights, these five years of devoted effort, even the legal recognition, were all a deception! “This marriage doesn’t even need a divorce, because it never existed.” Seraphina walked over, stepping on the back of my hand and grinding her heel down hard. “Senior, thank you for your sponsorship back then, and thank you for helping me raise my husband and child for these past five years. Now that I’m successful, it’s time for a good-for-nothing like you to make your exit.” I endured the excruciating pain, trying to get up, but she kicked me in the chest again. Quinn, trying to shield me, was savagely struck on the head with a wine bottle, blood instantly gushing down her face. Quinn was almost incoherent, still desperately trying to protect me. “You… you’ll regret this…” “Regret?” The manager who had struck her spat on her. The surrounding people laughed. “Hit them! Hit them until they’re dead! Mr. Smith will take responsibility for anything that happens!” Quinn and I huddled on the ground, taking countless kicks. My vision was already blurring, and the smell of blood filled my nostrils. Liam watched it all coldly, then turned and covered his son’s eyes. “Leo, don’t look, it’s dirty.” Just as that manager raised a solid wooden chair, preparing to smash it onto my head. “Bang!” The banquet hall doors were violently forced open from the outside. Immediately after, a team of bodyguards rushed in. Before anyone could react, a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses and a refined aura stumbled in. When he saw Quinn, battered and bloody in the pool of her own blood, his entire body froze. “Chairman?!” He then looked up and saw me, also bruised and bloody, his face turning ashen. “Miss… Johnson…”

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1 I was escorting a high-value prisoner on a commercial flight when a flight attendant began openly flirting with the man next to me. I shot her a warning look and quietly asked her to move us to a secluded pair of seats. She rolled her eyes. “Do you own this airline? What’s the problem with me talking to this gorgeous guy? Are you jealous or just painfully single?” Her boldness left me speechless. I called for the chief attendant, but before help arrived, she broke into dramatic tears, telling everyone I was bullying her. Sympathetic and accusing eyes turned toward me. I could not explain aloud that the “gorgeous guy” was a notorious serial killer on death row. Just as the tension peaked, the prisoner made his move. He seized her in a chokehold and yelled for the pilot to turn the plane around. Since you’re so eager to please a man, now is your chance. … My name is Renee. I am a homicide detective. I spent three grueling months deep undercover just to track down Silas, a serial killer who had terrorized the entire country. It took everything I had to finally slap the cuffs on him. Following strict orders from the top brass, I was transporting him back to the state precinct via a commercial flight. Before boarding, my captain emphasized one rule above all else. Total secrecy. If the passengers found out who Silas was, it would trigger a mid-air panic. I kept my badge tucked away and draped a thick jacket over the steel cuffs binding Silas to my wrist. I whispered a harsh warning for him to behave, my eyes scanning every single face in the terminal. I couldn’t afford a single second of distraction. Shortly after the plane leveled out, a fresh-faced intern flight attendant pushed her beverage cart down the aisle. The moment her eyes landed on Silas, they stuck to him like glue. She purposefully slowed her pace, completely invading my personal space as she leaned over me to get closer to him. Her voice dripped with an artificial, sugary sweetness. “Hey handsome, what can I get you? Water, coffee, or maybe some juice?” Silas slowly looked up at her. A chilling smirk played at the corner of his mouth. My stomach dropped. I instantly answered for him. “No thank you. He doesn’t need anything. We are trying to rest, so please do not disturb us.” The intern acted like I was invisible. She shot me a look of pure disgust before leaning even closer to Silas. “Are you feeling okay, handsome? Do you need me to grab you some medicine?” I forced down the rising anger in my chest and deepened my voice, heavily stressing my next words. “I said we do not need anything. We want to rest. Do you not understand English?” I glanced around the half-empty cabin. “Also, I need you to move us to the back row. Keep us as far away from the other passengers as possible. I don’t like the noise.” That was apparently the wrong thing to say. The girl flared up like a cat backed into a corner. She slammed her plastic cup onto my tray table. Water splashed directly onto my shirt, but she didn’t offer a shred of an apology. “Excuse me, lady, but I was talking to him. Did I ask you?” “Did your daddy build this airplane? You think you can just demand seat changes? Why don’t you go sit on the wings then?” My eyebrows knitted together. I kept my voice as level as humanly possible. “We are traveling together. I am speaking for him. He isn’t eating or drinking. Please stop hovering.” I flicked my eyes downward, practically begging her to notice the silver handcuffs hidden beneath the coat. She was completely oblivious. Instead, she raised her voice, dripping with pure arrogance. “Drop the act, lady! You must be seriously starved for male attention if you’re throwing a tantrum just because I said hi to a hot guy!” Her loud, piercing tone drew the attention of half the cabin. Heads swiveled in our direction. “Seats on this flight are assigned. You think you’re some kind of royalty?” My eyes widened. I genuinely could not fathom how a supposedly trained professional was acting like a high school mean girl. Having said her piece, she turned back to Silas, her voice suddenly morphing into a whiny pout. “Sir, look at her. I was just trying to offer you good customer service, and she’s attacking me.” “If she tries to file a complaint against me after we land, you have to promise to defend me, okay?” Silas gave me a dark, amused look before speaking in a low, slow drawl. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. A pretty girl like you doesn’t deserve to be in trouble.” The intern blushed furiously, staring at her feet. She immediately dug a notepad out of her apron, scribbled down her number, and slid it toward him. “Here. My name is Brittany. Add me on Insta.” I took a massive breath, grinding my teeth together so hard my jaw ached. “I said, change our seats!” 2 Brittany jutted her chin out, looking completely untouchable. “And I said no! Even if you drop dead today, you’re dying in that exact seat!” My hands began to shake with suppressed fury. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. “Go get your Chief Flight Attendant right now! I want to know if this is the standard of professionalism Trans-Global Airlines accepts!” Brittany scoffed loudly. “God, women are so pathetic. Always letting jealousy ruin everything and instantly crying to the manager.” “Call her! You think I’m scared of you?” Whispers broke out across the cabin. A fiery rage spiked in my chest. I had been a detective for eight years. I had personally taken down some of the most vicious predators to ever walk the earth. But I had never met someone so willfully, painfully stupid. She had absolutely no idea that the gorgeous guy she was throwing herself at was a monster with hands soaked in innocent blood. The Chief Flight Attendant hurried over shortly after. She put on a polite, practiced smile. “Ma’am, is there a problem I can assist you with?” Before I could even open my mouth to explain, Brittany stepped forward and practically threw herself at the older woman. “Aunt Helen!” Then she buried her face in her hands and started sobbing hysterically, making sure every single passenger in the cabin was watching her performance. “Aunt Helen, this woman is bullying me! I was just doing my job, and she started screaming at me out of nowhere! She’s demanding a seat upgrade and threatening to get me fired!” She deliberately shouted the words bullying and fired, playing the role of a frail, helpless victim to absolute perfection. The passengers in the front rows swallowed the bait instantly. People started standing up, craning their necks to look. A few even pulled out their phones to record me, their voices laced with pity for the weeping intern. A middle-aged man in a polo shirt pointed a thick finger at me. “Hey lady, you need to back off! The poor kid is just an intern doing her job. What kind of monster threatens a young girl’s livelihood?” His wife nodded vigorously, glaring at me with utter contempt. “Exactly. Dressed so nice but acting like pure trash. That girl is someone’s daughter. You’ll have kids of your own someday, you know! Have some compassion!” “Some hags just can’t stand seeing a young, pretty face. It’s pure, bitter jealousy.” “Don’t worry, sweetie! If she tries to report you, we will all write to the airline and defend you!” A businesswoman across the aisle violently yanked off her sleep mask and shot me a lethal glare. “Can you shut up? Your life must be incredibly sad and pathetic if you get off on harassing service workers.” The wave of baseless accusations made my blood boil. “Are you all blind? Or just completely brain-dead?” “She is completely twisting the truth! I politely told her multiple times to leave us alone, and she refused to stop harassing us. All I did was ask for a seat change, and she flips the script and plays the victim!” Seeing the crowd rally behind her, Brittany cranked up the waterworks. She choked out her words through heavy sobs. “Thank you, everyone. Thank you for seeing the truth. I’m just trying to do my job, and she’s targeting me!” She then actually buckled her knees, pretending she was about to drop to the floor. “Ma’am, I’ll take the blame! I’m so sorry! Please, I’m begging you, don’t get me fired! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” A chorus of disgusted clicks and sighs echoed through the plane. “Flight attendants are human beings too. Look at how terrified the poor thing is.” “This lady is out of her mind. Does she think she owns the sky?” Helen’s polite mask vanished instantly. She yanked Brittany up, shielding the girl behind her own body, and stared at me with eyes like shards of ice. 3 “Ma’am, I suggest you watch your tone. Service workers are not beneath you.” “Professionally speaking, she is my subordinate, and checking on passengers is her literal job description. She did nothing wrong.” “Personally speaking, I am her aunt. I helped raise her. I know her character infinitely better than some bitter stranger.” She paused, making sure her voice carried to the back rows. “It is 2026. As a fellow woman, why are you tearing down another girl just to get a man’s attention? You’re a textbook pick-me. Maybe log off the internet and stop projecting your insecurities onto innocent women!” “A pick-me? Tearing down women?” I genuinely let out a dry, humorless laugh. The sheer absurdity of the situation had pushed me past the point of anger. I looked her dead in the eye. “You have a lot of nerve. You didn’t even bother to ask for my side of the story. You blindly took your niece’s word for it. Isn’t that the exact same thing you’re accusing me of?” “She’s an intern, so fine, I’ll write off her stupidity. But you are the Chief Flight Attendant. You are in charge of this cabin. Did you not read the pre-flight briefing regarding a high-risk VIP on board? Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in if you compromise my operation?” The whispers grew louder, tinged with heavy sarcasm. “Oh please, a VIP? Who does she think she is? If she was important, she’d be in first class.” “Empty cans rattle the loudest. Just listen to her.” “This is hilarious. It’s like she’s never been on a plane before. The secondhand embarrassment is killing me.” Hiding behind her aunt, Brittany flashed me a smug, victorious smirk, her eyes practically dancing with mockery. Helen faltered for a fraction of a second before her face hardened again. “Don’t you dare try to intimidate me with some fake VIP status. I have the manifest for every single person on this aircraft, including you! If you don’t want me calling your employer when we land, I suggest you sit down and shut your mouth. One more word, and I’m calling the Air Marshal.” We were locked in a stalemate. My fingertips brushed against the cold leather of my police badge inside my pocket. Right at that moment, another flight attendant rushed out from the back galley and grabbed Helen’s shoulder. She leaned in, whispering frantically. “Helen, I just double-checked the system. There is a high-level VIP on this flight! The company flagged it with absolute top priority. We cannot mess this up!” The smugness washed right off Helen and Brittany’s faces. The older woman hastily grabbed her company tablet, her fingers swiping frantically across the glowing screen. 4 Brittany leaned over her aunt’s shoulder, her eyes glued to the alert on the screen. Her initial panic faded. Within seconds, a nasty, triumphant grin spread across her lips. Helen locked the tablet and slowly looked back at me, radiating pure arrogance. She let out a sharp laugh. “You’re actually right. There is an incredibly important VIP on this flight. But guess what? It’s not you.” She stood a little taller. “We are hosting Dr. Arthur Harrison, the country’s top cardiovascular surgeon. He’s flying out for an emergency medical summit. Corporate gave us strict orders to ensure his absolute comfort and silence.” The entire cabin erupted into cruel laughter. “Oh man, she actually had me going for a second. Thought she was a senator or something.” “Did you hear the lady? Dr. Harrison needs quiet. What are you gonna do when you stress out a surgeon, huh?” Brittany, utterly drunk on her own perceived victory, rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. She turned to Silas, her face softening into faux concern. “Sir, I honestly think the woman next to you is mentally unstable. For your own safety, why don’t I escort you up to first class? We can actually talk without the crazy lady screaming at us.” She reached out, attempting to grab his arm and pull him up. Panic surged through my veins. The last thread of my patience snapped. I didn’t care about being humiliated. But Silas was a lethal weapon. I could not let him leave my side for a single second. I yanked my badge out of my pocket and held it up high. “I am a police detective! I am in the middle of an active operation!” Before I could even blink, Brittany snatched the leather wallet right out of my hand. She didn’t even glance at it. She just ripped the internal ID card cleanly in half. “I could buy a whole box of these fake badges on Temu. If you’re a cop, then I’m the freaking President of the United States!” She puffed out her chest, acting like a superhero saving the day. “Do you realize what you’re doing? Handcuffing him to you is illegal imprisonment! I am saving this man!” With a sudden burst of manic energy, she grabbed the steel chain linking my wrist to Silas’s. She planted her feet and pulled upward with all her body weight. “Let him go! Let him go right now, you absolute psycho!” I lunged forward, desperately trying to pry her fingers off the metal. “Do not touch the cuffs! You are going to get everyone killed! He is a convicted murderer!” We wrestled violently in the cramped aisle. Snap. The metal link shattered. The sudden release of tension threw me completely off balance, sending me crashing hard into the armrest. I threw my head up. Silas’s wrist was completely free. Half of a broken, jagged handcuff dangled uselessly from my own arm. 5 A blur of motion tore past my vision. It was so fast my brain struggled to process it. By the time I scrambled upright, Silas was already standing directly behind Brittany. His massive hands clamped down around her throat. The sheer force was horrifying. Brittany’s face instantly turned a sickening shade of crimson. “Tell the pilot to turn this plane around! Now! Or I snap her neck like a twig!” Brittany’s eyes bugged out of her skull. Her tongue protruded slightly as she gasped for air that wouldn’t come. Her manicured nails clawed frantically at his thick forearms, tearing at his skin, but he didn’t even flinch. He was an unmoving wall of muscle. “I am not going to repeat myself! Turn the plane around or every single one of you dies up here!” Silas’s voice was devoid of any human emotion. The entire aircraft plunged into a terrifying, suffocating silence. The passengers who had been laughing and mocking me seconds ago were now paralyzed, their faces drained of color. A heartbeat later, absolute pandemonium broke out. Screams, sobs, and terrified prayers bounced off the curved ceiling. Passengers scrambled over each other, trying to press themselves as far back into their seats as possible. Helen, the Chief Flight Attendant, looked like she was going to vomit. She cowered behind the Air Marshal, her legs physically giving out beneath her. “Please! Don’t hurt us! We’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t do anything crazy!” Trapped in a suffocating grip, Brittany was drowning in pure terror. She choked out a pathetic, rasping whimper. “P-please… handsome… I’m sorry… cough… let me go…” Even as she was being strangled to death, she pathetically tried to rub her cheek against his arm, acting like her flirtation could save her. She was banking on a miracle. She severely underestimated the monster holding her. Silas didn’t care about her pretty face. His eyes darkened, and his grip tightened until a sickening, wet popping sound echoed from her throat. He leaned in close to her ear, his voice laced with venomous mockery. “I really should be thanking you, sweetheart. I never would have gotten these cuffs off without your help.” Brittany’s complexion shifted from crimson to a bruised purple. Her airways were completely crushed. Tears of agonizing regret spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t even manage a whisper anymore. I ripped the broken cuff off my wrist and locked my eyes onto him. Every muscle in my body was coiled like a spring. “Silas, there is nowhere to run! Hijacking an aircraft is a federal offense. You let her go, put your hands up, and I swear I will ensure you make it to trial alive!” A decade of intense police training kept my heart rate steady. I couldn’t afford to panic. But Silas wasn’t a street thug. He was a trained, calculated apex predator. Good cops had died trying to put him behind bars. Taking him down inside a metal tube thirty thousand feet in the air, surrounded by civilian hostages, was a nightmare scenario. Silas shot me a sideways glance, letting out a dark chuckle. “I’m already sitting on death row, detective. What are they gonna do? Kill me twice?” “Besides, it’s just you up against me. You really think you can take me down?” His eyes darted around the chaotic cabin, calculating his next move, looking for a better insurance policy. Right at that exact second, Brittany, desperate to save her own skin, managed to wheeze out a single, damning sentence. “I… I know where the doctor is! Take him! He’s worth way more than me!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “437438”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

A video of me and media mogul Richard Sterling walking out of the same Hamptons mansion early Monday morning hit the internet, and Twitter practically crashed. Netizens were tearing me apart: “If she can’t hook the A-list actor, she hooks his dad. She really will do anything to marry into a billionaire family.” The A-list actor’s girlfriend even threw shade at me in an interview: “Don’t worry, the Sterling family has high standards. They would never let trash like her step foot in their house.” But she didn’t know. I am that actor’s biological older sister. And his dad is my dad. She was right about one thing, though. I absolutely would not let a piece of trash like her step foot in my house. 1 First thing Monday morning, a video of me and the legendary media tycoon, Richard Sterling, walking out of a mansion went viral. In the sixteen-second clip, I was holding Mr. Sterling’s arm, acting very intimately, with what looked like a fawning smile on my face, occasionally reaching out to touch his arm. The comment section was flooded with hate. “Jade Carter realized she couldn’t get Leo Sterling to look her way, so she went after his dad?” “To marry into the Sterling family, she really has zero bottom line.” “Maybe her true love is still Leo, and marrying the dad is just a way to get closer to him… gross.” “Please stop talking upstairs, I’m already feeling sick. Leo Sterling has a girlfriend, and it’s our sweet Brianna.” As expected, the paparazzi—never ones to miss a chance for drama—interviewed Leo Sterling’s girlfriend, Brianna Harper, asking for her thoughts. Brianna looked into the camera, her voice soft and sweet: “About Jade and Mr. Sterling? Ah, I can’t really say much, though I have heard a little bit about it. “It was Jade who was chasing him. Mr. Sterling wasn’t really paying her much attention, so Jade has been getting very desperate lately… I also don’t understand why a perfectly fine girl would do such shameless things. As her colleague, I feel very ashamed and sorry for her. “But don’t worry, the Sterling family wouldn’t let trash like that into their home.” Before I could even react, my manager, Sarah, was furious. “Brianna is such an ungrateful little bitch! Does she not remember who helped her hook up with Leo in the first place?” Oh, yes. Brianna only met Leo Sterling because of me. Back then, Brianna had just joined the agency. She played the part of the pure, innocent girl perfectly, sweetly calling me “sister,” saying she didn’t have any friends and felt lonely, and begging me to invite her to any events I went to. So, she met Leo at my birthday party. Three months later, Brianna and Leo were officially together. She came to me, looking pitiful, and apologized: “I’m sorry, Jade. You actually like Leo too, right? “But I can’t help it. Sometimes a sudden spark is stronger than years of friendship. We fell in love at first sight. I hope you won’t hold it against me.” Brianna didn’t know that Leo Sterling wasn’t just my “friend.” He is my biological younger brother. 2 My parents divorced when Leo and I were very young. He went with our dad, and I went with our mom. The public had no idea we were siblings. Later, we both entered the entertainment industry. He became the youngest, most critically acclaimed A-list actor, while I became the “evil supporting actress” specialist with a legion of haters. To avoid being gossiped about, we never publicly disclosed our relationship. But that didn’t mean we didn’t care about each other. Take, for example, that infamous video of “Jade Carter being a pathetic simp for Leo Sterling for 120 seconds.” The truth was, Leo and I were filming a travel reality show. He had been suffering from bad stomach aches, and our mom told me to make sure he drank his herbal medicine on time. There weren’t many supplies on the trip, so I found a coffee cup, poured the medicine in, and brought it to him. Leo violently refused at first, but was eventually forced to drink it, making a face like his life was over because it was so bitter. However, after the show’s editing, the version the audience saw was: Jade Carter brings Leo coffee. Leo doesn’t want to talk to her. Jade forces him to drink it. Leo, out of politeness, reluctantly takes a sip. After drinking it, he rolls his eyes at Jade. … As for the video of me and my dad, if that paparazzo had just been a little closer, he would have heard me say: “Dad, Mom actually still cares about you. You know how she is, just stubborn. Look at this suit she custom-ordered for you, it fits perfectly…” But the resulting video looked like this: Jade Carter smiles fawningly, sycophantically stroking Mr. Sterling’s arm. Mr. Sterling looks aloof and ignores her. … I really don’t understand. Everything I do is for our broken little family. Is it easy being me? Why am I always the one getting hurt?? 3 Speaking of which, my brother is great in every way. Except he’s completely brainwashed by love. He genuinely thinks Brianna is the pure, innocent flower she pretends to be, that she doesn’t want anything from him and just purely loves him. So he threw resources and endorsements at her, managing to elevate Brianna—who had terrible acting skills and couldn’t handle hard work—into a rising star. An older sister shouldn’t control her younger brother, so I usually didn’t interfere much with his dating life. But this time, Brianna directly threw dirty water on me in front of the media, and I couldn’t tolerate it anymore. I called Leo: “Did you see how your girlfriend accused me of seducing our dad in her interview?” Leo had a great attitude and apologized to me, but immediately defended Brianna: “Brianna is just a simple person. She speaks without thinking. The things she says often aren’t what she really means…” As soon as I heard that, I knew it was a lost cause. My brother’s “love-brain” disease was terminal and very hard to cure. “Let me go explain it to Brianna and tell her the truth.” “Don’t!” I cut him off immediately. That wouldn’t be any fun. “Okay, okay. If you tell her now, she’ll definitely feel guilty, but she might also blame you for not telling her sooner. I don’t want to affect your relationship with your girlfriend because of me.” If she’s going to play the manipulative victim, I can play it even better. Sure enough, Leo was very moved: “You’re the best, sis.” I immediately took advantage of the situation: “But my reputation is taking a hit right now, and it’s hard to get jobs. Do you have any projects you can bring me in on?” Leo asked his agent a couple of questions, then told me: “There’s a new live-streamed reality show. I originally took it just to bring Brianna along. Do you want to come too…” “You got it!” That was exactly what I was waiting for. Hanging up the phone, I smiled. 4 In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the reality show recording. When I arrived at the dressing room, Brianna was already getting her makeup done. She was wearing a starry-night gown. The deep purple skirt was dotted with diamond after diamond, breathtakingly beautiful. I was stunned: “Isn’t that my dress?” My assistant had sent the dress to the dressing room a day early, planning for me to change into it as soon as I arrived. I didn’t expect Brianna to be wearing it. Brianna looked in the mirror and gave a faint smile: “Jade, you’re currently hated by the whole internet. You should be satisfied just being able to get on a show. It’s useless for you to wear this dress. If the audience’s attention is all on you, won’t you just get cursed at even more? I’m doing this for your own good.” I frowned: “But this dress is haute couture sponsored by the brand specifically for me. They specified I was the only one who could wear it.” Brianna raised an eyebrow: “What brand? Do they think they can boss people around just because they sponsored the show with a little money? However much they paid, my boyfriend can pay double!” As soon as she got angry, the people in the dressing room naturally started kissing up to her. “This dress suits Brianna perfectly. Brianna wearing it makes her look like a runaway princess.” “We’ll just get someone to give the brand a heads-up later. Don’t worry about it.” Even my manager, Sarah, quietly pulled me aside: “It’s already great that we could get on this show. Why are you arguing with Brianna over this? She’s the future daughter-in-law of the Sterling family. Who would dare not give her face?” I wasn’t angry, I was just curious: “But didn’t my video with the elder Mr. Sterling also trend? Why didn’t anyone think I was going to be the Sterling family’s daughter-in-law and give me some face?” Sarah was very puzzled. “What kind of Sterling daughter-in-law are you? Brianna was personally brought on the show by her boyfriend, it’s official. What about you? “In the video, the elder Mr. Sterling didn’t even look at you. It looks like you haven’t even touched the threshold of the Sterling family…” So it was my own dad who set me up. I swallowed a mouthful of blood and decided that the next time I played chess with the old man, I would never let him win again. While we were getting our makeup done, other celebrities arrived in the dressing room. They completely ignored me and all crowded around Brianna. “Brianna, the movie industry isn’t doing great right now. If you get any new roles, please think of us.” Brianna generously declared: “No problem. Once I marry into the Sterling family, whatever scripts you want to act in, I’ll just tell Leo to invest in them. I guarantee you’ll all be the male and female leads, and you’ll all become huge stars.” The guests gasped in pleasant surprise, all surrounding Brianna and praising her to the skies. I sat on the side, silently rubbing my temples. With my old man’s stubborn-as-a-rock temper, even when his own biological daughter wanted to break into the entertainment industry, I had to start from the bottom, working my way up step-by-step from playing extra roles. Since getting my makeup done was boring anyway, I simply started chatting with them: “Aren’t you guys having too many fantasies about billionaire families? Becoming a little famous depends on backing, but becoming a superstar depends on fate. Capital isn’t omnipotent.” As soon as I spoke, the dressing room went quiet for a moment, then immediately exploded. Brianna was the first to attack: “Jade Carter, what do you mean by that? If capital isn’t omnipotent, then why did you try so hard to marry into a billionaire family?” Next to her, one of Brianna’s lapdogs immediately chimed in: “Jade Carter is just experiencing sour grapes. She can’t marry into a rich family, so she’s saying it’s not good.” Lapdog number two took the opportunity to praise Brianna: “Jade is just jealous of our Brianna. Don’t be mad, Brianna. Jade couldn’t afford the diamond ring you’re going to get when you get engaged to Leo even if she worked for fifty years. She’s going to be so jealous in the future.” I remained calm amidst the chorus of mockery. I even smiled at Brianna. You can look forward to getting engaged to Leo Sterling. But you can only look forward to it. If you can actually make this happen. I’ll write my last name, Carter, backward! … Soon, the livestream officially began. The production team naturally wanted to promote Brianna and Leo’s couple dynamic, so the sofa arrangement was very deliberate. In the middle, two single sofas were pushed together, and the backrests formed a heart shape. It was clearly a couple’s seat. Brianna was the first to enter, naturally sitting on the left half of the heart-shaped sofa. The next person to enter was me. I took a look. There was a chair next to the sofa, probably left for me by the crew. I ignored that chair and sat down on the right half of the heart-shaped sofa. Live Chat: “???” Quickly, the viewers flooded the screen, cursing me like crazy. “Is Jade Carter sick in the head? That seat is obviously meant for Leo Sterling.” “What does she mean by sitting there? Can you not ruin the vibe for us shippers?” “We want to see our Brianna and Leo. Who wants to see her huge face in the center?” Brianna’s face turned red with anger, but this was in front of the cameras. She always maintained her gentle, innocent persona, so naturally she couldn’t curse at me. So she said in a whiny voice: “Jade, this seat is for Leo.” “Ah?” I feigned confusion. “This seat doesn’t have a name tag on it.” Just then, Leo walked in. I immediately looked up and asked him: “Leo, can I sit here?” Leo glanced at the aggrieved-looking Brianna and hesitated a bit. “Okay, then I’ll move over.” I stood up and started walking toward the chair next to it. The back of that chair was hard and didn’t fit the curve of the human body. The show was going to be recorded for seven or eight hours; it would be very tiring. Not to mention my lower back was injured when I was a kid. At the time, I went ice skating with Leo, and to protect him, I fell and hurt myself. Sure enough, the moment Leo saw the chair, he stopped me. “You just sit on the sofa, I’ll sit on the chair.” As soon as he said that, the live chat was stunned. “What’s going on? Why did Leo suddenly stop protecting his girlfriend?” “Why is he being so nice to a manipulative simp?” “I get it. Leo must be considering his dad’s feelings.” “Jade Carter is truly evil. She couldn’t get Leo’s love, so she went and became his stepmom!” The production team didn’t dare let Leo sit on a folding chair, so they quickly brought over another single sofa. Now, I had Leo on my right and Brianna on my left. I was separating the young couple. I felt great. Leo didn’t think there was a problem. Only Brianna was furious. I knew long ago that Brianna had spent money to bribe the prop master of this show. That chair was placed there specifically by her to disgust me. And with her personality, she had probably already planned out how to interact with Leo and how to create viral topics. But now, with me sitting in the middle, all her ideas were ruined. As expected, an unbalanced Brianna started causing trouble. She pretended to casually nudge me: “Jade, with you showing your face on a TV show like this, won’t ‘Dad’ be unhappy? After all, their generation is very traditional and prefers women who stay home and take care of the family.” I sneered: “Mr. Sterling is just old, not brain-dead.” I was so blunt that Brianna’s fans in the chat immediately started attacking me. “Our Brianna gave her a suggestion out of the goodness of her heart, why is she acting like she swallowed gunpowder?” “That bitch Jade is just jealous of Brianna. Whatever Brianna says, she has to contradict.” “Our Brianna is just too innocent, willing to be friends with a bitch who wants to steal her man.” I wasn’t finished. I said coolly to Brianna: “Also, girls should have some manners. Don’t rush to call someone ‘Dad’. You’ve only been dating Leo for a month. You haven’t reached the level where his dad is your dad.” The hatred in Brianna’s eyes flashed for a second, but she immediately lowered her head and said softly: “You are my senior. It’s right for you to lecture me. I’ll listen to you.” When she said this, the chat cursed me even harder. “My poor daughter is so pitiful and sensible. She’s being bullied like this, and she still treats that bitch as a senior.” “What kind of senior is Jade Carter? Mr. Sterling is at best just playing with her because she’s young and pretty. Does she really think she can marry into that billionaire family?” “The Sterling family would only marry a gentle, cultured girl like our Brianna. Jade shouldn’t even dream of entering the Sterling family in her next life.” There were also passersby speaking up for me. “To be fair, what Brianna said was pretty harsh too. What’s this about Mr. Sterling not letting women show their faces… Even my 80-year-old grandmother’s views are more progressive than hers.” “And Jade and Leo have known each other since they were kids. They’re practically childhood sweethearts. It’s hard to say who’s stealing whose man, right?” But their voices were very weak, completely drowned out by the army cursing me. Just as the show was halfway through recording, something major happened. Mr. Sterling was photographed on a date with his ex-wife, Ms. Carter. 5 When the news broke, Leo and I exchanged a glance, our hearts bursting with joy. However, unexpectedly, there was someone even happier than us. Brianna’s lips were curling up so high they almost touched the sky. During a break in the show, she sneaked up next to me and smiled arrogantly: “How about that, Jade? Mr. Sterling is getting back together with his ex-wife now. Your dream of marrying into a billionaire family is completely shattered.” I couldn’t be bothered with her, but she relentlessly sighed: “When we joined the agency together, you were much more popular than me. I had to swallow my pride and beg you to bring me resources… At that time, you probably never thought I would have today, did you?” I couldn’t blame Brianna for being so smug. The Sterling family was a massive empire with deep roots. No matter who married into it, it would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. Now, everyone around her assumed Brianna would be the future young mistress of the Sterling family, so they were extremely respectful to her, afraid of offending her. But I didn’t care. With a cold laugh, I looked at Brianna: “I never thought you’d have today? Why, is there something special about you today? Especially stupid?” Brianna went crazy with anger. She gritted her teeth: “Jade Carter, you just wait. Once I marry into the Sterling family, banning you will just be a matter of one sentence.” I mimicked the whiny voice Brianna usually used in front of the cameras, putting on a pitiful expression: “For real? I’m so scared, boo hoo hoo.” Seeing that I had no fear whatsoever and dared to mock her, Brianna almost fainted from anger and stormed off to find Leo. But she looked everywhere and couldn’t find him. It was very simple, because the moment Brianna left, Leo came to find me. He looked at me with tears in his eyes. I also looked at him with tears in my eyes. Then, we excitedly hugged each other. “They finally got back together!” Leo shed tears: “From now on, we finally have a mom and a dad again!” I also shed tears: “If they didn’t get back together soon, I was going to die of exhaustion being this messenger.” Leo and I were so immersed in the joy of our parents finally getting back together that we didn’t notice Brianna had returned. And she happened to see this scene from afar. Seeing me and Leo hugging tightly, Brianna was blinded by rage. But she didn’t dare accuse Leo. She could only wait until Leo left, then aggressively came looking for me. I was touching up my makeup in the dressing room when she fiercely grabbed me and dragged me to a place with no people. “Jade Carter, are you fucking done? Mr. Sterling doesn’t want you anymore, so you shamelessly come back to seduce Leo?” I looked at Brianna and didn’t speak. Brianna’s voice was shrill: “Not talking? You fucking know you’re a bitch, so you’re keeping quiet, right?” No. I wasn’t talking just because… Just now in the dressing room, I had already put my microphone on. At this moment, Brianna’s words were being flawlessly broadcast into the livestream through my mic. In places we couldn’t see, the live chat had exploded. “Did I hear that right, is this Brianna?” “Isn’t Brianna a gentle, well-behaved innocent flower? Is this something an innocent flower would say?” “Oh no, I feel very much in danger right now, it seems like my house is about to collapse…” Brianna was completely unaware of the massive exodus of her fans. In her rage, she lit a cigarette. Taking a drag, she impolitely poked her finger at me: “Don’t let me see you seducing Leo again, or I’ll buy a thousand gossip accounts to destroy you.” After saying that, Brianna turned and left. Returning to the broadcast room, she flashed a gentle, beautiful smile at Leo, trotted over to hug him: “Leo, even though we haven’t seen each other for just a little while, I’ve already started missing you.” After delivering this carefully crafted line, Brianna immediately looked toward the large screen. She wanted to find the comments of fans going crazy over their sweetness. But she found that the large screen was turned off. They could no longer see the real-time comments from netizens. “What’s going on here?” Brianna was a little confused. “Nothing, just the show’s flow. The following segments won’t show netizens’ comments,” the director explained to her. It wasn’t actually true. This was a spur-of-the-moment decision the director made in the last few minutes. Because of Brianna’s dirty words just now, the show’s view count and discussion rate skyrocketed. Based on his intuition, he didn’t want Brianna to find out about all this right now. Instead, he wanted her to… reveal more of her true self in a state of complete ignorance. Brianna was a bit angry: “Ah, why didn’t you inform us in advance? Right, Leo?” Then she realized that Leo’s expression was also a bit strange. “Leo… Leo?” Leo looked at Brianna. That glance was very unfamiliar, as if he were getting to know her all over again. A moment later, he slightly pulled his arm away from Brianna’s grasp and gave a very low “Mm.” 6 During the break, Leo came to find me, looking very pained. Clearly, he had heard Brianna’s dirty words and had struggled with it for a long time. “Sis, I’m definitely a little disappointed… but I still feel like Brianna shouldn’t be that kind of girl.” I laughed as soon as I heard that. Okay, this “love-brain” disease still wasn’t completely cured. Let’s continue the treatment. “Oh, then what do you want to do?” I asked him. “I hope to bring her to see you, reintroduce you to her as my sister, and clear up the misunderstanding.” I thought about it: “Okay, then you arrange it.” From afar, I saw Brianna looking this way again. She didn’t know Leo’s sudden change in attitude was because he heard those dirty words. She still thought I was seducing Leo, which was why Leo was cold to her. Brianna’s sense of crisis grew heavier. So, when Leo told her he wanted to take her to meet his family. Brianna was simply overjoyed. She eagerly agreed. Later, she provoked me in person: “Jade, do you think you can steal him away? Let me tell you, Leo is already taking me to meet his parents.” “I meant what I said. When I marry into the Sterling family, the first thing I’ll do is ban you.” 7 Before officially meeting me, Leo and Brianna had one more date to film. During this date, Leo and Brianna sat together in a Ferris wheel. Amidst the city lights, Leo began to reveal his inner thoughts. “Brianna, I’ve rarely talked about my family before, but now, I think it’s time to tell you about my family situation. My parents divorced…” Before Leo could finish, Brianna immediately put on an understanding expression. She held Leo’s hand and comforted him softly: “Leo, don’t be sad. You still have me.” Leo: “…They divorced when I was seven. I’m not sad anymore.” The atmosphere was a bit awkward. But Leo quickly adjusted and continued. “The public always thought I was my dad’s only child, but actually I have an older sister who went with my mom back then. “Even though we don’t live together usually, my sister has always been very good to me. My parents are both very busy people, so she always came running over to take care of me. Even during my hardest times, she was the one who accompanied me through it. “She is the family member I value most. Regarding me dating, it doesn’t matter if my parents support it or not, but I very much hope my sister can give us her blessing.” Brianna nodded obediently: “Don’t worry, Leo. Your sister is my sister. I will definitely work hard to leave a good impression on her!” Leo paused for a moment. He probably remembered the grudge Brianna had formed when she insulted me for seeking a sugar daddy in the interview. But Brianna’s attitude was good. Making up for her mistakes later should be fine. On the other side, in a place we couldn’t see, the live chat was also discussing Leo’s sister. “So Leo has an older sister. That would be a female version of Leo, she must be very beautiful.” “How come we’ve never heard of this billionaire heiress before? She’s too low-key.” “So the content of the next episode is Leo taking Brianna to meet his sister?” “It should be! Ah, I really hope Leo’s sister is good at spotting fake bitches…” “Agreed, agreed. I feel like Brianna is definitely not a good person right now. I don’t want her with Leo.” “What’s wrong with our Brianna? She only cursed because that bitch Jade made her angry, okay? Do you never swear in your life? Leo likes Brianna so much, Leo’s sister will definitely like our Brianna too!” “…” Just like that, time flew by. Soon it was the episode the vast audience was looking forward to the most—Leo taking Brianna to meet his family. The meeting place was a private room in a high-end, exclusive restaurant. Brianna arrived at the private room an hour early. She seemed very nervous, repeatedly confirming the menu with the manager, and constantly adjusting her appearance in the mirror. It was no wonder she was so nervous. Whether she could win over Leo’s sister could be said to be a crucial step in marrying into the Sterling family. She couldn’t afford not to take it seriously. In the corner of the private room, the show’s hidden cameras silently started recording, broadcasting Brianna’s current performance live to the vast audience. In the chat, Brianna’s fans were very happy. “Our Brianna reached a new height of beauty today. Who doesn’t love a sweet, obedient girl?” “Brianna’s nervous look is so cute too.” “Waiting for the sister to arrive with Brianna!” And right at this moment, wearing a rose-red, one-shoulder silk dress, I arrived at the door of the private room. I knocked on the door. Brianna was very nervous: “Coming, coming.” She obediently trotted to the door with small steps and personally opened it: “Sister… Jade? Why is it you?” I lowered my eyelids, calmly meeting Brianna’s gaze. At this moment, there was no one else in the private room. Brianna looked me up and down: “Today is when Leo and I are meeting his sister. Why are you here to steal camera time?” It was no wonder Brianna’s thought process was so bizarre. After all, when she first debuted, she used this exact method to steal my camera time. So I deliberately teased her, pushing my way into the private room: “So what? Back at my movie premiere, didn’t you also dress up elaborately and come over to steal my camera time?” Brianna’s voice immediately became shrill: “Get the hell out of here!” She grabbed me and pushed me straight out the door. What she didn’t know was that the live chat had exploded. “Whoa, I remember this. That was Jade’s first time playing a lead role. Everyone else dressed very simply at the premiere, but Brianna wore a super grand dress. The press releases that day were all about how beautiful Brianna was, and no one remembered the movie itself.” “Lmao, does Jade hold a grudge? So she specifically came today to mess with Brianna.” Obviously, although Brianna couldn’t see the chat, she also thought of this point. “Jade Carter, I’m warning you. If you dare ruin this meeting between me and Leo’s sister, I really won’t let you get away with it.” To prevent me from going in again, she even called the restaurant’s security personnel, pointed at me, and said: “This person is deliberately trying to cause trouble. Don’t let her into our private room, understood!” So, the security personnel asked me to leave the restaurant. I wasn’t angry either. There happened to be a hot pot restaurant across the street, so I went straight to eat skewers. Ten minutes later, Leo arrived. He walked into the private room and asked Brianna: “Has my sister arrived yet?” Brianna shook her head: “Not yet.” Leo took out his phone: “I’ll text her and ask.” I was just dropping tripe into the spicy broth when my phone rang. Brother: “Sis, where are you?” Me: “I’ve already arrived.” Brother: “I don’t see you. When you come in, just tell the waiter the room number.” I happened to finish eating my skewers. I got up, leisurely reapplied my lipstick, and walked across the street. Those two restaurant security guards had probably taken a tip from Brianna. Seeing me wandering at the restaurant entrance again, they immediately stopped me. I smilingly took out my phone and typed to Leo: “I can’t get in.” Then I sent another message right after: “Actually, I was here earlier.” Leo was stunned. He turned to ask Brianna: “Did someone come to the private room just now?” Brianna completely didn’t want Leo to think of me, so she immediately shook her head: “No one came.” Leo was suspicious: “No one at all?” Brianna was very certain: “No, absolutely no one came.” Leo went outside to call me: “Sis, are you at the restaurant entrance? I’m coming to get you…” However, when he walked to the restaurant entrance, there was no one there. There was only a text message from me on his phone: “Let’s eat at Mom and Dad’s house tonight. I’m full from lunch.” This was the truth. My stomach was already full of tripe, chicken feet, fatty beef, and frozen tofu. I didn’t want to go in and eat this meal anymore. Leo rubbed his head, clearly finding the situation a bit strange. Brianna had already chased after him: “What’s wrong, Leo?” Leo said in a low voice: “My sister left. She said she’s not eating this meal.” Brianna had painstakingly prepared for a long time. Her dress and shoes were newly bought, and her makeup alone took five hours. Hearing this, she almost cried: “Does your sister not want to see me?” “No, no.” Leo quickly comforted Brianna. “My family has a dinner gathering tonight. My sister said we can eat together tonight.” Not only would she get to meet Leo’s sister, but she would also meet Leo’s parents. Brianna, who was on the verge of tears, immediately broke into a smile. But she didn’t know that her fans could no longer laugh. She couldn’t see it from her perspective, but the fans in front of the screen had clearly seen everything at the restaurant entrance. Even the most foolish person should have realized something was wrong by now. But Brianna was completely unaware. She happily touched up her makeup, got in the car with Leo, and arrived at the Sterling family’s mansion— Yes, the one where my dad and I were photographed.

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It was time for the company’s end-of-year review. The boss announced that revenue was down. To boost morale, he decided to take my entire annual commission and distribute it to everyone as a holiday bonus. My coworkers were absolutely thrilled. One guy chimed in that since I drove a BMW and didn’t have student loans, I should look out for those of them who had families to feed. Another preached that a company only thrives when its employees are happy, telling me to be a team player and show some sacrifice. I just smiled, nodded, and immediately stepped out to call my clients, telling them to freeze all their pending payments. Fast forward to the week before the holidays. The company had zero cash flow. They couldn’t even make payroll. Panic set in. And one by one, they all came crawling to me, begging for help. 1 “The economy is tough right now. To make sure everyone has a great Christmas, Riley has generously agreed to donate her entire commission for the year. It will be distributed as your holiday bonuses!” The moment our boss Victor finished his sentence, the conference room erupted into thunderous applause. As the subject of this supposed generosity, I sat there completely stunned. Using my commission as the company bonus pool? This was the first time I was hearing about it. Swallowing the bitter taste of anger in my throat, I spoke up. “Our sales volume increased by fifteen percent compared to last year. Logically, the company is highly profitable. We shouldn’t be in a position where we can’t afford standard holiday bonuses, right?” Victor’s fake smile instantly vanished. “Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep all of you employed? I match your 401k, I pay for premium health insurance. Have I ever mistreated you?” “What do you know about operating a business? Just because you say we’re profitable doesn’t make it true! Why don’t you sit in this chair and run the company!” Victor was getting more agitated by the second, slamming his hand flat against the mahogany table. Terrified of getting caught in the crossfire, my coworkers kept their heads down, exchanging nervous glances. The room fell dead silent until Victor’s assistant finally broke the ice. “Come on, Victor, don’t get mad! Riley definitely didn’t mean it like that. She’s a veteran here. She would never just sit back and watch us struggle through the holidays.” Serena, our Sales Director, had always hated my guts. There was no way she was going to let an opportunity to screw me over slip by. “Riley, whenever you needed help, Victor and I never hesitated! You’ve always been the most mature one here. The company is facing a rough patch and needs your sacrifice. Don’t be ungrateful!” With that, she shot a pointed look at Valerie sitting next to her. Valerie’s eyes darted around before she took the cue. “Look, most of us spend our paychecks covering mortgages, car loans, or kids’ tuition. You’re different. Your parents bought your condo in cash. Even without this commission, you’re going to have a fantastic holiday.” “But don’t worry, your generosity won’t go unnoticed!” She plastered on a sickeningly sweet smile and addressed the room. “Everyone, when you visit your hometowns this break, make sure to bring back some local treats for our girl Riley!” “Oh, absolutely! My whole family will be so grateful to you, Riley. I’ll bring you some of my mom’s famous homemade maple syrup!” “Riley, I promise to work twice as hard next year! I’m going to toast to your health on New Year’s Eve!” “I’m not great with words, but I’ll put it out there. From now on, whatever you need, just say the word and I’ve got your back!” One by one, they chimed in, piling the fake praise higher and higher. Seeing his employees act so obediently, Victor finally cracked a smug smile. “I always knew I wasn’t wrong about Riley. When the employees thrive, the company thrives! Come on everyone, let’s give it up for Riley’s selfless contribution!” The applause grew louder, but my heart turned entirely to ice. As the top sales rep in the company, I was scraping by on a pathetic base salary of three thousand a month. If my family wasn’t financially comfortable, and if my parents didn’t occasionally help me out, I wouldn’t even have enough cash to cover the fancy dinners required to entertain my clients. It wasn’t like I had never complained about this. I had told Victor that the base pay was insulting, expense reimbursements took months to clear, and relying on my own pocket to build client relationships was hurting our business growth. His response back then? An awkward chuckle and a personal Venmo transfer of five grand, framed as a “personal loan” to tide me over. He had heavily implied that I needed to understand the company’s struggles and tough it out. He even promised that when my year-end commission was calculated, he would throw in interest for the hassle. Like a fool, I believed him. I gritted my teeth and worked like a dog. I had been counting down the days until the end of the year. The moment December hit, I sat down with our new accountant to run the numbers. When I saw my accumulated commission was sitting at a cool hundred grand, I was ecstatic. I had it all planned out. I was going to pay my parents back and use the rest to take them on a luxury vacation to the Bahamas. And now? Without a single word of consultation, he took my hundred thousand dollars and handed it out as charity to buy loyalty. It hit me then. Victor never intended to pay me a dime. If he was going to play dirty, I was going to play ruthless. I held up a hand, stopping a younger colleague named Noah who looked like he was about to speak up in my defense. I let out a cold, sharp laugh. “Alright. Since everyone feels so strongly about it, let’s consider it done.” 2 Victor clearly hadn’t expected me to cave so easily. A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes, but he didn’t push his luck. With a stiff chuckle, he patted my shoulder and dismissed the meeting. My coworkers filed out, side-stepping me. As they brushed past, the mocking glints in their eyes practically screamed that I was the biggest sucker on the planet. I sat alone in the quiet room, waiting until the last person was gone before returning to my desk. “Alright everyone, our holiday bonuses are secured! To celebrate the good news, afternoon coffee is on me!” Serena clapped her hands, her voice loud enough for the whole floor to hear. Noah, who was on my team, immediately jumped in. “That new place downstairs has a seasonal roast. I’ve been dying to try it.” He glanced over at me. “Riley, what do you want?” Before I could politely decline, Valerie’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Oh please. Riley drives a Beamer. She wouldn’t be caught dead drinking drip coffee from downstairs. She only does artisanal lattes. Just order for ourselves.” Noah looked deeply uncomfortable. I saved him the trouble. “I’ve been dealing with insomnia anyway. I’ll pass.” Grabbing my phone, I walked straight to the rooftop terrace. The biting winter wind cut through my rage, bringing a sharp clarity to my mind. I found a contact and hit dial. “Harper. Put a hold on this year’s final payments. There’s no rush.” After a burst of bright, infectious laughter, Harper started teasing me. “Are you playing hard to get, Riley? Relax. I already approved the paperwork this morning. The funds will drop in two days. I promise you won’t be stuck living off a three-grand base salary anymore!” “I’m not joking, Harper. Seriously, hold the payment.” Sensing the shift in my tone, Harper’s voice instantly dropped the playful edge. “What happened? Who messed with you?” “Let me guess. Victor lost his damn mind and disrespected his top earner?” “…Don’t tell me he backed out of paying your commission.” I let out a heavy sigh. On the other end of the line, Harper sounded like she had just struck gold. “I told you! I told you to come work for me! If you jump ship and join my team, I’ll beat whatever commission rate they gave you by a full percent!” “Don’t answer right now. Just think about it. My door is always open.” She hung up quickly, almost as if she was afraid I would reject her on the spot. Truth was, I had no intention of rejecting her. If anything, I was incredibly grateful for how she had looked out for me over the years. I wasn’t some corporate heiress. I didn’t have a CEO father or family connections to pave my way. I wasn’t even that great at schmoozing executives over expensive cocktails. But I knew how to be genuine, and people remembered that. When one client’s mother was diagnosed with diabetes, I consulted a specialist and personally typed up a custom dietary plan. When another client was too busy to notice her daughter was being relentlessly bullied at school, I was the one who drove down there and raised hell in the principal’s office. Every single account I won, I bled for. I earned my title as top seller from the ground up. After hanging up with Harper, I dialed a few more of my key accounts. Thankfully, these were people who actually considered me a friend. They were more than happy to help me serve up a cold dish of revenge. Satisfied, I slipped my phone into my pocket and headed toward the stairwell, fully intending to march down to HR and quit. But as I rounded the corner, Victor’s voice echoed from the hallway. “A hundred grand is not chump change. Once it hits my accounts, it’s my money. Riley isn’t asking for her commission. She’s reaching into my wallet and robbing me.” “I’m withholding it on purpose. What’s she going to do? She’ll swallow her pride and keep working like a dog to make me rich.” My stomach dropped. I quickly stepped back, hiding behind a row of filing cabinets. I heard Serena’s voice next. “People online say firing your top earner is like cutting a major artery. You aren’t worried she’ll quit and take the clients with her?” Victor scoffed loudly. “Top earner? She’s a gullible idiot!” “She only pulls those numbers because she has the Apex brand backing her. Any account she can close, I guarantee you can close too!” I heard the dull clink of ceramic as Victor playfully bumped his coffee mug against Serena’s. Serena giggled. “Well, I know my place, unlike her. I’d gladly take a lower commission rate. Thanks for the opportunity, boss!” They erupted into laughter. “She brought this on herself. If she wants someone to blame, she can blame her own high numbers!” My fingernails dug so hard into my palms they almost broke the skin. The blood roared in my ears. Originally, I was just going to hand in my resignation and take the commission issue to the Department of Labor. But now? The game had changed. I was going to make Victor fire me. And I was going to bleed him dry for every single cent of severance and commission I was owed. 3 The end of the year was a nightmare of deadlines. Normally, the sales department was deserted by mid-afternoon as reps went out to meet clients. Today, everyone was glued to their monitors, furiously typing away. If I wasn’t actively plotting my own termination, I would be drowning in work right now, chasing down delayed invoices while drafting strategic plans for the first quarter. Pulling twelve-hour shifts was the standard. But today? I was in absolute paradise. I played three rounds of a mobile game on the clock, streamed an episode of a new reality show, and when I got bored, I wandered down to the lobby to gossip with the receptionist. Before I knew it, it was quitting time. My coworkers were still typing frantically, completely oblivious to the clock. With exactly five minutes to spare, I shut down my laptop, packed my designer tote, and stood right in front of the fingerprint scanner. The second the clock struck five, I punched out and practically skipped out of the building. I had barely made it to the intersection down the street when my phone lit up with Serena’s name. “Riley! Everyone is grinding out these deadlines and you just clock out without submitting your proposal?! Get your ass back here right now! The Crestwood Corp pitch is in a few days. I need that deck on my desk tonight!” “The deadline isn’t for another three days. Chill out. I’ll have the deck ready by the pitch.” “Your pitch needs company approval first! I’m telling you for the last time, turn around and come back to the office. Disobey me, and I’ll pull you off this flagship account!” I let out a dry laugh. “I don’t even get commission anymore. Taking me off the account just sounds like a paid vacation.” “Fine. You’re going to regret this!” Serena slammed the phone down. I powered my phone completely off. After a nice, quiet dinner at home, I took my parents out for an evening walk in the park. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had done this. Since I started working, my life was a relentless cycle of quotas and metrics. The fear of being dead last and publicly humiliated at the weekly meetings kept me constantly on the road, swallowing insults and forcing smiles for clients. And every year, the quotas got higher. The corporate greed was quite literally a bottomless pit. The next morning, I swiped into the office at exactly nine. Not a minute early. Walking past Serena’s glass office, the harsh stench of stale cigarette smoke hit my nose. I asked Noah about it. He whispered that Serena hadn’t gone home at all. She stayed up all night desperately trying to build the Crestwood proposal herself, but Victor kept rejecting her drafts. By lunch, she looked like a zombie. She didn’t even stop to eat before dragging Victor out of the office with her. A few days later, the morning of the Crestwood pitch finally arrived. Serena’s exhausted aura was completely gone, replaced by an air of arrogant victory. Before heading out, she gathered the sales floor for a quick huddle. “Every ounce of success you have is because of this company. Don’t ever delude yourselves into thinking that just because you have decent numbers, the company has to bow down to you. Get too full of yourself, and you’ll find yourself out on the street!” I knew the threat was aimed directly at me, but I was so desperate to get fired that I couldn’t stop the massive grin spreading across my face. Serena looked like she wanted to strangle me. Thankfully, Victor knocked on the glass, telling her the Uber was waiting, and she managed to swallow her rage. Noah leaned over and whispered that Serena and Victor had spent the previous evening taking Arthur Brooks, a VP at Crestwood, out for a very expensive dinner. Rumor had it the proposal was greenlit in private, and today’s pitch was just a corporate formality. He looked at me with genuine anxiety. “Riley, aren’t you worried at all? If Serena lands Crestwood, she’s going to use that leverage to get rid of you.” Arthur Brooks? I smirked, but kept my mouth shut. Over at Crestwood’s headquarters, Serena was scheduled as the final presenter. She pulled up her deck, strutting across the front of the boardroom, words spilling out of her mouth a mile a minute. Just as she was hitting her stride, the lead executive cut her off. “Is this your actual proposal? The quality is completely unrecognizable from your previous work. You haven’t even grasped our core demographic or strategic direction for Q1. I don’t have time to entertain this garbage.” Serena froze like a deer in headlights. Her confident smile shattered. A thin layer of cold sweat broke out across her forehead. “We… we built this exactly to Arthur’s specifications…” The executive didn’t even let her finish. He waved his hand dismissively and pushed his chair back to leave. Victor scrambled forward, panic in his eyes. “Please! The rep who normally writes our decks had a medical emergency! Give us one more chance. I’ll have her send the real file over right now!” The executive paused, checked his watch, and slowly sat back down. Two minutes later, my phone rang. It was Victor. “Riley, get your ass over here right now!” When I didn’t immediately respond, his voice shifted into desperate pleading. “If you save this account for us, I swear on my life I will pay out your full commission!” “Deal! With a promise like that, boss, consider it done.” I hung up, grabbed my coat, and took a cab straight to the venue. Having worked with these executives for years, we were on great terms. When I walked into the boardroom, the icy atmosphere instantly thawed. “Hey, Riley!” “Thank god you’re here, Riley. We were starting to get worried.” I gave them a warm smile and immediately plugged my flash drive into the console. Victor, entirely convinced I had swallowed his bait about the commission, didn’t even bother checking the file before tossing the remote to Serena. Serena stood back up, cleared her throat, and launched into a renewed opening statement. She got exactly two words out before the screen flashed. Suddenly, a massive, glitchy cartoon donkey appeared on the eighty-inch monitor, blasting a deafening, bass-boosted remix of “Old MacDonald” at max volume. The entire boardroom fell dead silent. Serena jumped backward, letting out a shriek. She frantically mashed the buttons on the clicker to close the presentation. But the clicker was totally unresponsive. The screen froze, leaving the neon donkey spinning upside down while the terrible music blared on a loop. A few people in the room started snickering. The lead executive slammed his hands on the table, absolutely furious. “Is this how Apex treats a multi-million dollar account?! Are you people making a joke out of us?!” At that exact moment, every single eye in the room turned to look at me.

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1 When I opened my eyes, I found myself right back in the chaotic moments before my wedding. Julian and his identical twin brother, Perry, were standing directly in front of me, both dressed in the exact same bespoke tuxedo, their hair styled identically. “Chloe, can you tell which one of us is me?” Julian asked, his voice teasing. In my previous life, I had picked Julian out instantly. He had smiled, taken my hand, and walked me down the aisle, vowing in front of all our family and friends that he would love me forever. After the wedding, he treated me like absolute royalty. I honestly believed I had found true happiness. That is, until Monica, a girl from Julian’s college, died when her cruise ship was hit by a freak tsunami. Everything shattered. He lost his mind. He dragged me to the roof of a high-rise and threw me off, screaming like a madman, “If you had just picked the wrong brother at the wedding, I could have gone with Monica to travel the world! She wouldn’t be dead!” “Chloe, why did you have to recognize me that day!” His voice was choked with pure despair and venomous resentment. This time, without a single second of hesitation, I threw myself directly into Perry’s arms, my voice sickeningly sweet. “How could I ever not recognize you!” I heard Julian let out a quiet sigh of relief beside us. But he didn’t notice how tightly Perry’s arms wrapped around my waist, nor did he see the raw, burning ambition hidden deep in his twin’s eyes. … “You guessed right.” Perry’s eyes darkened instantly, his grip on my waist tightening possessively. “Chloe, the ceremony is starting soon,” Julian urged from the sidelines. “You two head out first. I need to change out of these clothes,” Julian added, shooting a triumphant, conspiratorial look at his brother. I pretended not to notice a thing, linking my arm through Perry’s and stepping out of the bridal suite. The moment we pushed the door open, we practically bumped right into Monica. Her gaze swept past me and locked onto Perry’s face. After a few seconds of intense scrutiny, a flicker of sheer, unmistakable glee danced in her eyes. “Chloe, wishing you and Julian a very happy marriage!” She placed heavy, deliberate emphasis on “Julian,” her congratulations laced with thick, biting mockery. Monica was sneering at me for picking the wrong groom. In my previous life, she had run away from the suite in tears. When I asked about it, Julian brushed it off, claiming Monica was just emotionally unstable due to some career setbacks. I trusted him implicitly. I didn’t give it a second thought. It wasn’t until Julian hurled me off that building that I finally learned the truth. He and Monica had made a sick bet. If I failed to pick him out on our wedding day, he would assume Perry’s identity and spend the next three months traveling the world with Monica, a grand romantic gesture to make up for the fact that they couldn’t be together permanently. After the three months were up, he planned to switch back with Perry and pretend absolutely nothing had happened. In this life, I decided to give them exactly what they wanted. I looked at the undisguised triumph in Monica’s eyes and flashed her a blinding, radiant smile. “And I wish you everything you’ve ever wanted.” Without giving her a chance to process that, I pulled Perry toward the grand ballroom. The orchestral music swelled, signaling the start of the ceremony. My name and Julian’s were emblazoned in massive gold letters across the screens behind the altar. But Julian and Monica were sitting in the dimly lit audience, leaning against each other intimately as if no one else was in the room. It was as if this wedding had absolutely nothing to do with him. The ceremony flowed flawlessly until the final, crucial moment. The officiant smiled warmly at the crowd. “Now, the bride and groom may embrace and share their first kiss.” I leaned into Perry’s chest and tilted my head, my eyes sweeping over the crowd. A memory struck me. In my past life, when Julian pulled me in for this embrace, he had secretly kissed my earlobe and whispered, “Chloe, I finally get to marry you.” Right now, he was in the audience, holding another woman. When my gaze locked onto his, Julian instinctively dropped Monica’s hand. But as his eyes shifted to the man standing beside me, the reality that they had swapped identities finally hit him. He rubbed his nose, looking suddenly guilty and uncomfortable. Monica stared down at her empty hand, her expression turning incredibly dark. Suddenly, she stood up and shouted toward the stage. “A hug is so boring! Let’s see a real kiss from the newlyweds!” Her outburst ignited the crowd. The guests immediately started cheering and chanting. “Kiss! Kiss!” “You’re married now, don’t be shy!” Julian stopped breathing. He shot to his feet, violently yanking Monica back down into her chair, and roared at the crowd. “They don’t like PDA! Stop pressuring them!” A month ago, when going over the itinerary with the planner, Julian had specifically insisted on skipping the kiss. Looking back, he had already been laying the groundwork for Perry to take his place at the altar. Thinking of this, I reached up, grabbed Perry by his silk tie, pulled him down, and stood on my tiptoes. I kissed him deeply. “Chloe!” 2 Julian violently kicked his chair back, vaulting himself onto the stage in one fluid motion. Under the shocked gasps of hundreds of guests, he practically tore me away from Perry, screaming in my face. “Chloe! Have you lost your mind?! How could you kiss him?!” I blinked at him, the picture of wounded innocence. “I’m kissing my own husband at my own wedding. How is that crazy? And why are you so angry about it?” Perry grabbed my hand, smoothly pulling me behind his broad back. “‘Perry,’ I know it’s hard to watch your brother get married, but Chloe is your sister-in-law now. Show some respect.” As he spoke, he casually swiped his thumb across his lower lip, wiping away a smear of my lipstick, looking as if he were savoring the taste. Julian’s eyes went completely bloodshot with rage. “You need to remember who…” Before he could finish his threat, Monica rushed onto the stage and forcefully grabbed his arm. “Stop it!” She leaned close to his ear, hissing through her teeth. “Julian, whatever your problem is, deal with it backstage! Can’t you see the press and the entire city are watching you?!” Julian finally looked out at the audience. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were glued to him. The media crews hired by Sterling Corporation had every camera lens zoomed in on his face. The sheer stupidity and impulsiveness of his actions finally dawned on him. If the press found out that the heir to the Sterling empire had forced his twin brother to stand in for his political marriage to the Davis family, the resulting scandal would obliterate the company’s stock. Seeing Julian finally regain some sanity, Monica quickly stepped to the microphone to run damage control. “I apologize, everyone! ‘Perry’ is just overwhelmed with emotion seeing his brother tie the knot. He had a bit too much champagne to celebrate.” “Please, enjoy the reception! Don’t mind this little brotherly spat.” The MC, a seasoned professional, immediately seized the opportunity to defuse the tension. “It seems the Sterling brothers share an incredibly deep bond! Moving on, let’s welcome the phenomenal pop star, Lexi, to sing a special blessing for our beautiful newlyweds!” Before Julian stepped off the stage, he shot Perry a look of pure, venomous hatred. “You’re dead, kid. Just wait.” Perry maintained his calm, polite smile, but his eyes were absolute glaciers. While the grand ballroom outside was filled with music and laughter, the private bridal suite was a warzone. Julian hurled his crystal champagne flute directly at Perry’s feet. A shard of shattered glass bounced up, slicing a thin red line across Perry’s cheek. “Perry! I told you to stand in for the ceremony! I didn’t tell you to actually act like her husband!” “Chloe doesn’t know the truth, but you damn well do!” “When she kissed you, why didn’t you push her away?! You were actually enjoying it, weren’t you?!” Perry slowly raised a hand, wiping the drop of blood from his cheek. “Push her away? And have tomorrow’s headlines scream that the Sterling heir is disgusted by the Davis family bride?” “Or maybe you’d prefer ‘Sterling Heir Publicly Rejects Arranged Marriage at the Altar’?” Julian stared at the cold mockery in his brother’s eyes. He lunged forward, grabbing Perry by the lapels of his tuxedo, his voice shaking with suppressed fury. “Don’t think I don’t know exactly what game you’re playing!” “I should have known you didn’t agree to help me and Monica out of the goodness of your heart. You never got over Chloe!” “But don’t delude yourself into thinking you can swoop in and steal her!” He slowly released his grip, his gaze turning to absolute ice. “I’ve transferred you to the European tech acquisition project. It lasts exactly three months. Your flight leaves tonight.” “In three months, everything resets.” “I am the heir to the Sterling empire, and the only man marrying Chloe is me.” I stood right outside the door, hearing every single word. But Julian had made one massive miscalculation. Whoever I married became the heir to the Sterling empire. 3 Years ago, the Sterling patriarch, Julian and Perry’s grandfather, had allowed me to choose which of his grandsons I wanted to marry. The three of us had practically grown up together. I knew perfectly well that both brothers were in love with me. The event that finally pushed me to choose Julian was a terrifying accident. When I was eighteen, I was kidnapped by a ruthless corporate rival of my father’s. Right as the kidnapper raised a knife to execute me, Julian burst in, took the blade directly into his own stomach, and saved my life. The day he was discharged from the hospital, I told the Sterling patriarch that my choice was Julian. That was the exact day our engagement was announced, and simultaneously, the day Julian was officially named the heir to the Sterling empire. He saved my life, and in my past life, I repaid that debt with my own blood. In this life, our ledger is completely clean. Hearing footsteps approaching the door, I quickly turned and walked down the hallway, pulling out my phone. “Set up a meeting for me. I need to speak privately with Chairman Sterling.” That night, Perry didn’t follow his brother’s orders. He didn’t board a flight to Europe. He walked straight into our new marital penthouse. When he opened the door, I was lounging on the velvet sofa, swirling a glass of whiskey. A flicker of surprise crossed my face, but I smoothly stood up, poured a second glass, and offered it to him. “Drink?” Perry took the glass, his intensely heated gaze locked onto the damp residue of whiskey on my lips. “I’m thirsty for something else…” His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice low and incredibly gravelly. “Chloe.” Before I could react, his shadow fell over me. He cupped my face in his large hands and crashed his lips against mine. Maybe it was the alcohol in my bloodstream. I didn’t push him away. Instead, I leaned into him and kissed him back. My response seemed to obliterate his remaining self-control. He became insatiable. From the living room to the hallway, from the sofa to the mattress. Right up until the point of no return. He suddenly froze, his muscles taut. “Chloe, do you know exactly who I am?” He stroked my cheek, his eyes a storm of agonizingly restrained desire and complex fear. I wrapped my arms around his neck, arched up, and whispered directly against his ear. “Perry.” Before the word fully left my mouth, he crashed down on me. Moonlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting tangled shadows against the wall. It wasn’t until the first faint light of dawn breached the horizon that the room finally grew quiet. The next morning, the shrill ringing of Perry’s phone woke me. “The project manager in Europe just called me. You never got on that plane.” “Perry! Where the hell are you right now?!” Julian’s enraged roar echoed through the speaker. Perry pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice lazy and completely unapologetic. “It was my wedding night. Where do you think I was?” His voice was still raspy from the night before. A beat of silence passed before Julian’s voice cracked, rising an entire octave. “Perry! This isn’t funny! Get your ass to the airport right now.” “I’m currently on a yacht, and I’m about to lose signal.” Half-asleep and annoyed, I mumbled into the pillows. “Turn that down, it’s too loud.” Dead silence on the other end of the line. When Julian finally spoke, his voice was visibly shaking. “Was that Chloe?” “Is she in bed with you? Did you sleep with her?!” Before Perry could answer, the call dropped abruptly. Julian had probably lost his satellite connection on the water. With that chaotic wake-up call, my exhaustion evaporated. I felt an intense gaze burning into the top of my head. Remembering the absolute madness of the previous night, a violent flush of heat rushed to my cheeks. Perry finally broke the silence. “Chloe, you knew it was me from the very beginning, didn’t you?” I nodded slowly. “Since we were kids, I have never once confused the two of you.” Even though they shared the exact same face. One look was all it ever took for me to know exactly who was standing in front of me. “Then why did you pick me yesterday?” Looking at the desperate, fragile hope swimming in his dark eyes, I told him the absolute truth. “Because the man I wanted to marry was always you.” Perry froze, blinking as if he couldn’t comprehend the words, before letting out a low, breathy laugh. “So Julian thought he was playing you this whole time, but he was actually the one being played.” But by noon, Julian, who was supposed to be halfway across the ocean on a romantic cruise with Monica, suddenly burst through the penthouse doors. He grabbed Perry by the shoulder and violently shoved him toward the master bathroom. “Perry, take your clothes off right now! We’re switching back!” 4 Seconds later, Monica stormed into the apartment, completely ignoring the protests of the building’s head of security. She walked right past me as if I were invisible, marching to the bathroom door and pounding her fists against the wood. “Today is my birthday! You promised you would spend my birthday with me!” Her voice cracked, thick with dramatic tears. “This was my only wish last year! We had a deal! Just give me this one last day!” Exactly one year ago today, I had been in a minor car accident and was rushed to the ER. Julian told me he was stuck on a business trip overseas and couldn’t get a flight back. The truth was, he was throwing Monica a birthday party. The bathroom door clicked open. Julian stepped out. Seeing the crystalline tears clinging to Monica’s eyelashes, his face softened instantly. He pulled her tightly against his chest. “Stop crying. I promise, I’ll stay.” Monica buried her face in his shirt, her shoulders trembling delicately. “I knew you wouldn’t abandon me.” Perry leaned against the doorframe, watching them with icy indifference, before walking over to me. “Chloe.” It was only then that Julian finally realized I had been sitting on the sofa the entire time, quietly observing the whole spectacle. A flash of genuine conflict crossed his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. “Since today is Monica’s birthday, why don’t the four of us go out and celebrate together?” “‘Julian,’ Monica is just your old college friend, right? You shouldn’t mind.” He shot Perry a look loaded with silent threats. Perry completely ignored him, turning his gaze down to me. “What do you think, honey?” I stood up, looping my arm casually through Perry’s, and shook my head. “We’ll pass. We’re heading to the courthouse this afternoon to file our marriage certificate.” In my past life, Julian had been terrified of upsetting Monica, so he kept making excuses, calling the certificate a “meaningless piece of paper” to delay making our marriage legally binding. But Perry was different. He wanted the ink dry and the legal standing absolute. Julian’s eyes widened in sheer panic. “You’re filing the certificate today?!” His face drained of color, turning a sickly shade of gray. But it only lasted a fraction of a second before he forced a tight, stiff smile. “Well, if you have paperwork to handle, we won’t get in your way.” Right before he left, he subtly slipped his own ID into Perry’s jacket pocket. Making sure I couldn’t hear, he leaned in and hissed at his brother. “I know you’re just mad on Chloe’s behalf, and that audio clip this morning was just to piss me off.” “But I swear I am not betraying Chloe. I just want to be here for Monica as a friend, to help her check this world tour off her bucket list.” “I swear, after today, we switch back permanently. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to Chloe.” “You file that paperwork for me, and I’ll forget this whole stunt you pulled.” The second the door closed behind them, Perry pulled Julian’s ID out of his pocket and casually dropped it into the trash can. Watching him do it, everything clicked into place. Julian actually believed Perry was just putting on a performance to scare him. He thought he was so incredibly clever. He had absolutely no idea that the woman he was supposed to marry, and the empire he was supposed to inherit, were already gone. At the courthouse, the paperwork was processed with lightning speed. Forms filled. Signatures signed. Photos submitted. The heavy steel stamp slammed down. Two small red booklets were handed to us. Under the names of the legally bound couple, it read: Chloe Davis and Perry Sterling. Right on cue, a text from Julian lit up Perry’s screen. “Did you get the certificate done?” “Send me a picture of it right now.” “You do this for me, and when I officially take over the Sterling empire, I’ll make you a full partner. We’ll run it together.” Perry snapped two photos of the open certificate and hit send. A second later. Julian’s phone call ripped through the silence of the car.

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