Category: English

“$50 million. Leave the country within a week. And stay away from my son forever.” Mrs. Harrington sat opposite me, her perfectly maintained face etched with undisguised contempt. If this were years ago, my eyes would have welled up, and I’d have retorted, “I’m not with him for money.” But now, I just calmly nodded. “Okay.” Mrs. Harrington clearly paused, then sneered. “At least you know your place.” She emphasized those last words, as if highlighting the immense social chasm between her son, Rhys Harrington, and me. I lowered my gaze, took the check, and turned to leave. By the time I returned to the mansion, it was already dark. This place was too big; I often got lost. The only familiar thing was the photo on the coffee table. In it, Rhys had his arm around my waist, looking down at me with eyes so tender they could melt the deepest winter’s ice. I gently brushed over the photo, suddenly remembering that rainy night three years ago. That year, I found Rhys by the alley entrance. He was covered in blood, his eyes unfocused. “Who are you?” I asked him. “I… I don’t remember,” he murmured, shaking his head. Rain mixed with blood dripped from his hair. And just like that, I took this amnesiac man home. Our tiny, run-down apartment was cramped with the two of us. The paint peeled from the walls, the pipes leaked, and in winter, we needed three blankets just to stay warm. But it was in this most impoverished place that the purest love blossomed. We relied on each other, becoming each other’s sole world. He would wait three hours downstairs when I worked late, just to walk me home. He would stay up all night, rubbing my stomach when period pain made me break out in cold sweats. He even worked five jobs a day, secretly, just to buy me an expensive necklace I’d admired three times but never dared to buy. The only thing I couldn’t quite handle was his insistence on our intimacy every night. I’d blush and plead, and he’d nuzzle my earlobe, chuckling, “Baby, it’s because I love you too much.” During our most loving year, he even dragged me to a tattoo parlor, getting my name inked on his collarbone. The tattoo artist asked if he was scared of the pain, but he just smiled at me. “Pain is good. That way, I’ll never forget the one I love most.” I thought we’d be happy like that forever. Until he regained his memory. That’s when I learned he wasn’t some poor guy found on the street, but the scion of the powerful Harrington dynasty, practically owning half the financial world in Westwood. He’d only lost his memory in a car crash, orchestrated by a rival, and ended up on the streets. After reclaiming his identity, Rhys moved me into a sprawling mansion. Its bathroom alone was ten times the size of my old apartment. But he, too, became a different person. He wore custom-tailored designer suits whose brands I couldn’t even recognize, sported priceless watches, closed multi-million dollar deals, and spent nights away from home. I deluded myself, telling myself he was just too busy. Until the day entertainment headlines were plastered with rumors of him and the heiress, Serena Albright. In the photos, he was holding the car door open for her, wearing one of those designer suits. The way they smiled at each other stung my eyes. The comment section buzzed with “a perfect match” and “destined to be together.” In that moment, sitting alone by the window, watching the moon all night, I finally understood the truth. The Rhys who braved the wind and snow to pick me up from work, the Rhys who worked construction to buy me a necklace, the Rhys who tattooed my name on his collarbone – he had died the day his memory returned. The current Harrington scion and I were more than just worlds apart. He stood among the clouds, and I was stuck in the mud. Just like the moon can never reach the dust, someone like him was destined for someone equally brilliant. If that was the case, why humiliate myself further? It was better to let go. To let go of him, and to let go of myself. That night, the mansion remained empty. Rhys still didn’t return. I didn’t wait for him until dawn as usual. I went to bed early, and as soon as morning broke, I headed to the visa center. I used the expedited service, and my visa and passport would be ready within a week. It was noon when I left the visa center. I found a random restaurant. The moment I pushed the door open, my steps faltered slightly. By the window, Rhys was gently wiping Serena Albright’s lips with a napkin. His eyes held a tenderness that could melt the deepest winter’s ice, exactly as they had when he used to kiss me, laughing, in our old rental. I stood rooted to the spot, feeling my heart gripped by an invisible hand. I turned to leave, but accidentally knocked over a potted plant by the door. Rhys looked up at the sound. Seeing me, the warmth in his eyes vanished. He slowly walked towards me, his thin lips parting, his voice low and cold. “Are you stalking me?” Before I could even speak, he continued, “I already explained those online rumors were just about a business deal. How long are you going to keep this up?” I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but my throat felt choked with cotton. Mrs. Harrington’s words from yesterday echoed in my ears: “Rhys and Serena’s marriage alliance was decided long ago by our families. He’s very fond of Serena himself…” A partnership? Was it that kind of partnership? “Rhys, don’t be so harsh.” Serena followed, smiling sweetly to smooth things over. “It’s fate that we ran into each other. Come, let’s sit together.” Before I could refuse, Serena pulled me directly to their table. I sat there like a puppet, placed in a chair, directly facing Rhys’s icy cold face. “Aubrey, what would you like to eat?” Serena pushed the menu towards me. “Their French cuisine is very authentic.” I stared at the French words on the menu, completely incomprehensible to me, a sense of embarrassment spreading in my chest. “I’m not hungry.” I pushed the menu back. “Then have some soup.” Serena spooned a bowl of seafood soup and placed it in front of me. “It’s very fresh.” I stared at the shrimp floating in the soup, my stomach clenching with a sharp pain. I was severely allergic to seafood. Just as I was about to politely decline, Rhys’s phone rang. He stood up to answer it, his back tall and straight. I’d seen that suit in a magazine; it cost more than my entire old neighborhood. “Go on, try it.” Serena suddenly lowered her voice. “After all, given your background, you don’t usually get to eat such expensive dishes.” I snapped my head up, meeting her smiling eyes. “You don’t really think that just because you had a fling with Rhys, you can marry into a wealthy family, do you?” Her fingertip tapped lightly on the rim of her glass. “If he hadn’t lost his memory, a low-class woman like you wouldn’t even be fit to polish his shoes.” I clenched the napkin, the fabric crumpling in my palm. I might have been poor, but I wouldn’t let anyone trample my dignity like this. “Serena, we don’t even know each other, you—” “Oh!” My words were cut short as Serena suddenly gasped, raising her hand and knocking over the bowl of seafood soup. The scalding liquid splashed onto her hand and all over mine. Rhys, hearing the sound, rushed back. His long fingers immediately clasped Serena’s hand. “What happened?” “It’s nothing…” Serena’s eyes were red. “It’s all my fault. Aubrey, as your girlfriend, seeing us having lunch together, she must have gotten angry, and it’s understandable…” Rhys instantly looked at me, a frosty frown on his brow. “Aubrey, I’ve explained countless times. Do you have to be like this?” “I didn’t, she just—” “Enough!” He cut me off. “I saw it with my own eyes. How could it be false? When did you become so unreasonable?” With that, Rhys put his arm around Serena and walked away without a backward glance. Serena, her head on his shoulder, slowly turned back and gave me a triumphant smile. I stood there, my hand trembling, red and blistered from the scald. Blisters were already forming, stinging like a thousand needles. But in Rhys’s eyes, there was only Serena’s slightly reddened skin. He left so quickly, so decisively, without even a glance my way. Yet, my Rhys, he used to be so concerned about me. Three years ago, when I burned myself cooking, he was so anxious his eyes turned red. He rushed to the pharmacy that night to buy medicine, and when he returned, he applied it to my hand, asking, “Aubrey, does it hurt?” Back then, his eyes were only for me. But the Rhys of today could no longer see me. Chapter 2 I went home alone. Once there, I found the first-aid kit in the living room and disinfected, medicated, and bandaged my own hand. A sharp, stinging pain radiated from the wound, like countless ants gnawing at my skin. As I turned to go upstairs, my gaze fell upon the grand piano in the corner of the living room. Rhys had bought it after he regained his memory, saying he’d teach me to play. But after all this time, a thick layer of dust had settled on the piano lid. Just like our relationship, it had long been covered in dust. My eyes welled up, and I quickly went to my room to pack my luggage. Clothes, documents, bank cards… I sorted each item slowly, as if bidding farewell to my past self. Halfway through, the bedroom door suddenly swung open. Rhys stood in the doorway, his suit jacket draped over his arm, his tie loose. He saw my open suitcase and frowned. “What are you doing?” “Packing.” I answered calmly, continuing to fold clothes without looking up. Rhys frowned and walked closer. A faint scent of perfume, the same one Serena had worn today, wafted from him. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it made me wince in pain. “Just because I had lunch with Serena today, you’re throwing a tantrum and running away? Serena didn’t even make a big deal out of you hurting her, and here you are, acting childish?” I looked up at him. The irritation in his eyes was painfully clear. “Serena and my family are old friends. Her parents asked me to look after her since she just returned. Can’t you be more understanding?” Understanding? The word pierced my heart like a knife. I clutched the clothes in my hand, the fabric crumpling in my palm. I was already preparing to exit quietly. How much more “understanding” did he want? “Speak!” Rhys suddenly raised his voice. I turned silently, resuming my packing. My silence completely enraged Rhys. “Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep this up.” With that, he slammed the door shut. The “bang” reverberated, making my chest tremble. The next morning, when I went downstairs, I saw Serena sitting in the living room, laughing and talking with Rhys. She was wearing a white dress today, her makeup flawless, looking innocent and elegant. Seeing me descend, she immediately stood up, smiling sweetly and harmlessly. “Aubrey, you’re awake? My parents insisted Rhys take me to today’s auction. Please don’t overthink it.” I glanced at Rhys. He was looking down, adjusting his cufflink, not even sparing me a glance. “I’m not overthinking it.” My voice was barely a whisper. “What you two do has nothing to do with me.” Rhys’s hand paused, his frown deepening. He was about to speak, but Serena quickly interjected. “Why don’t you come along, Aubrey? You don’t have anything else to do, anyway.” Before I could refuse, Serena affectionately linked her arm through mine. I was dragged into the car just like that. The auction house lights glittered, filled with distinguished guests. Rhys sat in the front row, his long fingers casually raising the bid paddle. One by one, pieces of jewelry and luxury watches were won by him, then casually handed to Serena by his side. Serena smiled gracefully, occasionally leaning in to whisper in his ear, their intimacy a painful sight. “Rhys, should we get something for Aubrey too?” she suggested, feigning thoughtfulness. Rhys’s tone was indifferent. “No need. She’s not used to such things.” Hearing this, Serena’s lips curled into a slight smile. In an angle Rhys couldn’t see, she shot me a victor’s smirk. I lowered my gaze, my fingertips gently tracing the auction catalog in my hand, my heart chilling. Was it that I wasn’t used to them, or that I didn’t deserve them? In his eyes, I was probably always that Cinderella from the wrong side of the tracks. Even standing beside him now, deep down, I didn’t deserve these luxurious things. But it didn’t matter. Soon, there would be no connection between us anyway. I sat quietly in the corner, watching Rhys lavish Serena with gifts, watching their open displays of affection, as if I were merely an irrelevant bystander. Until the final item was presented— A jade bracelet. My breath hitched. My fingers involuntarily clenched. It was Grandma’s heirloom! Three years ago, to buy me a birthday gift, Rhys had worked construction and ended up falling from the site, nearly losing his life. To pay for his surgery, I had no choice but to sell the only bracelet my grandma had left me. Later, when I saved enough money to buy it back, the bracelet had already been purchased by someone else. I searched every antique store in Westwood, but I never saw it again. And now, here it was, unexpectedly appearing before my eyes. A thrill of hope surged through me. Almost instinctively, I raised my bid paddle. “One million.” Serena turned to look at me in surprise, then let out a light laugh and raised her paddle. “Three million.” “Four million!” “Five million!”

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I loved Julian Hayes for seven years. When I was kidnapped, he refused to pay the ransom, all because his secretary suggested this was a perfect chance to teach me a lesson and make me *behave*. I endured hellish torment. Finally, I learned to stay away from Julian. But then, he cried, begging me for another chance. The day I walked barefoot into the city center, I made headlines. The adopted daughter of the Hayes family, kidnapped for months, returned a wreck – clothes torn, filthy, reeking, her feet bare and covered in scars, like a beaten animal scrambling back home. I watched the media flashes ignite around me, frantic to capture every second, but my heart was long dead, a stagnant pool incapable of stirring even a ripple. The old Scarlett was gone. The bright, innocent, headstrong, vibrant Scarlett had died. It was those kidnappers, and Julian Hayes, who had utterly destroyed her. Soon, a group of bodyguards in black suits carved a path through the dense crowd. Their captain, Dean Miller, I recognized him. For seven years, while I clung to Julian, it was always Dean who ‘escorted’ me out of Julian’s office and private apartment. ‘Escorted’ was a polite term; it was more like being dragged, because I’d cling relentlessly, because Julian was utterly fed up. “Miss Scarlett, Mr. Hayes is waiting in the car. Please, follow me.” Dean’s gaze lingered on me for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He clearly hadn’t expected to see me in such a horrific state. I nodded, stepping forward on my injured feet, leaving a trail of bloody prints on the pavement. The pain receptors in my nerves were long numb; this short walk was nothing compared to my escape. Dean walked behind me, unable to help himself. “Miss Scarlett…” he began. I didn’t answer. Was he pitying me? He should be grateful, really. After this ordeal, I’d never pester Julian again, and I’d never cause him any extra trouble at work. Inside the car, I saw Julian sitting, eyes closed, deep in thought. His short, dark hair was impeccably styled, his sculpted features flawless. Of course. During my absence, he must have felt an unprecedented sense of peace and relief. He looked perfectly well-rested. Hearing the faint movement, Julian slowly opened his eyes. The moment he saw me, he barely recognized me. “Scarlett?” I nodded meekly. Yes, I had learned my lesson. Before, I hadn’t cared about being the adopted daughter of the Hayes family, acting as if I were their true child, proud and defiant. But now, after the kidnapping, I knew the truth: my life was in the Hayes’ hands. If Julian didn’t pay the ransom, my life was utterly worthless to them. He frowned, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “What did you do to yourself to end up like this?” Like this? What ‘like this’? A lunatic? A beggar? I had been on the run for dozens of miles, constantly vigilant. Besides the kidnappers, I had to watch out for wild animals in the remote woods. When thirsty, I drank rainwater; when hungry, I scrounged through roadside trash heaps on the highway. I figured anyone would go mad under those circumstances. I knew he was annoyed that my disheveled appearance would cause trouble for his company, or more accurately, the Hayes family’s company, if I showed up in front of the media like this. “I’m sorry.” I’m sorry for being such a repulsive sight to Julian. Julian paused, hearing my apology, then a cruel smile tugged at his lips. “She was right. You really did learn your lesson.” I didn’t understand what Julian was talking about. Once the car door closed and the engine started, Julian suddenly reached a long arm towards me. I instinctively recoiled, shrinking into the corner, but then he stopped, his voice filled with disgust. “Scarlett, you reek.” Perhaps it was the confined space of the car, but Julian finally caught the awful stench emanating from me – a mixture of blood, sweat, the grime from rolling in dirt, and the fermented smell of trash heaps. Hearing Julian’s words, I instinctively moved away from the seat, but the car swerved slightly, and I ended up kneeling in the aisle. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I won’t soil the seats. I just… I just need to stay kneeling here.” It hurt so much. My knees, and the blood holes left by the thin steel needles the kidnappers had used. They blamed me; they said I wasn’t important to Julian, that they couldn’t get the ransom, that I had wasted their time. So, they took it out on me. I couldn’t stand up, so I simply remained kneeling in that cramped space. Julian instantly became furious. “What are you doing? Get back in your seat!” He commanded me, but he was too disgusted to help me up. I could only obey, using all my strength to push myself back onto the seat. The pain, combined with the low blood sugar from the past few days, brought involuntary tears streaming down my face. Julian had always ignored my tears, finding them annoying. But this time, for the first time ever, he unexpectedly tossed the handkerchief he had just wiped his hands with onto my lap. I clutched the clean, white cloth. Once, I would have been overjoyed, but now, that handkerchief only served to highlight my own filth and brokenness. Dean glanced at me through the rearview mirror. I kept my head down. Perhaps he had never seen me so disgraced, so pathetic.

When the car pulled up to the Hayes mansion, Julian ordered the staff to take me to the bathroom to wash up. I refused the maids’ help, only asking them to find a long dress, one that covered my ankles, from my old wardrobe. They searched for a while, finally pulling out a conservative long-sleeved dress, like a student’s uniform, from a corner amidst various fashionable outfits. No one dictates what a student should wear, but looking at myself in the mirror, I certainly looked more like a student than with my previous flamboyant style. I remembered receiving an acceptance letter to a top design academy abroad before the kidnapping. Now, three months had already passed since the reporting date. “Thank you.” The maids looked startled, clearly not expecting their young mistress to thank them. But after everything that happened, I understood perfectly well that, at my core, I was just like them. They were maids hired by the Hayes family; I was merely a daughter they had taken in. Pushing the door open, I saw Julian waiting for me at the top of the stairs. He leaned casually against the railing, his eyes lazily sweeping over me before he let out a scoff. “Scarlett, what game are you playing now? Dressed like that.” Was I plain? Julian probably thought this was another one of my childish ploys to get his attention, but all I wanted was to cover the scars on my body. I followed Julian into the dining room. A heavy silence hung in the air until Julian gestured for me to approach. Only then did I see Mr. and Mrs. Hayes sitting at the dining table, their faces etched with worry. The moment Mrs. Hayes saw me, she rose, practically rushing over. Her steps faltered, and a woman beside her, Valerie Stone, Julian’s secretary, thoughtfully supported her. “Mrs. Hayes, please don’t rush. Miss Scarlett is back, safe and sound, isn’t she? Miss Scarlett, Mrs. Hayes has been worried sick about you.” I recognized her. She was Julian’s secretary. Valerie Stone had natural black hair, and was dressed in the simplest, most unassuming high-neck sweater and jeans, yet a beautiful rose gold necklace hung around her neck. I was “safe and sound.” In contrast, Mrs. Hayes had worried herself sick. The moment Valerie spoke, I was transformed from a victim into an ungrateful daughter of the Hayes family. Mrs. Hayes clung to me, weeping, while Valerie comforted her beside us. But I couldn’t cry. I looked at Julian, and his eyes seemed to say I was heartless. Finally, Mr. Hayes spoke sternly, interrupting them. “Stop holding Scarlett. Let her come and eat.” Mrs. Hayes wiped away her tears. “My fault, my fault. My dear girl, you’ve suffered so much these past months. You must not have eaten properly. Come, I made your favorite fish chowder!” Mrs. Hayes pulled me to sit between her and Mr. Hayes. Julian sat opposite me, with Valerie next to him. It looked so much like a family. I stared at the food on my plate, a feast of color, aroma, and taste. I had almost forgotten what normal food looked like. I wanted so badly to toss my forks aside and just grab it with my hands and shove it into my mouth. The closer I got to the city highway, the stricter the sanitation management became. Gradually, I couldn’t find any trash heaps, which meant no food. So I’d been starving for almost three days, forced to eat leaves to survive. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I forced myself to pick up the bowl and shovel rice into my mouth with my forks. Even so, I still caught Valerie’s mocking gaze. She ate daintily, a small bite at a time, showcasing her elegance. Julian, seeing this, naturally looked even more disgusted with me. Yet, at Mrs. Hayes’s prompting, he reluctantly picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and placed it on my plate. I had thought that even the plainest white bread and rice, which I once found hard to swallow, I could now devour. But looking at the tempting sweet and sour pork, and knowing Julian had served it to me, my stomach churned with nausea. “My dear, eat! Julian knows you like sweet and sour, so he specifically asked the chef to add this dish.” Lies. Julian knew nothing about my preferences. On the contrary, I knew his tastes inside out. For example, gold – he loved rose gold the most. Seeing my hesitant grip on the forks, Mr. Hayes asked kindly, “What’s wrong, dear? Did you argue with Julian on the way back? Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him after dinner.” “Dad!” Julian exclaimed, perhaps feeling embarrassed in front of Valerie. I shook my head silently, overcoming the physiological nausea, and brought the sweet and sour pork to my mouth with my forks. But the moment I swallowed, I threw it back up. Julian’s expression was startled. I immediately stood up from the stool, clutching my head and backing into a corner. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’ll eat it, please don’t hit me!” Everyone gasped. Mrs. Hayes’s tears started flowing again, and she came to embrace me. “Did those people abuse you, dear? Tell me, did they?” Mr. Hayes and Julian also came over. Mr. Hayes looked heartbroken, gazing at me with immense pity. Julian, however, frowned, remaining silent, his face turning incredibly dark. What did that mean? Hadn’t the kidnappers threatened the Hayes family, saying if they didn’t pay the ransom, they’d let their adopted daughter experience abuse? So why were they asking me now if I had been abused? Actually, giving me a moldy bun or spoiled rice wasn’t exactly abuse, considering what I ate later was like pig slop. But I was terrified, terrified of the feeling that my life was in Julian’s hands. The kidnappers had negotiated directly with him, yet he chose to abandon me. He hated me that much. I suppose, that’s where the physiological nausea came from.

After dinner, I was called to Mr. Hayes’s study. Mr. Hayes, abandoning his usual stern business demeanor, asked me patiently and kindly, “Scarlett, you’ve loved Julian since you were a child. Do you still love him?” I immediately shook my head, so vigorously that the muscles in my face began to ache. Seven years of loving Julian, seven years of humiliation, seven years of pain. But I never learned my lesson, did I? That’s why this time, this time I went through a hellish cycle of revenge and torment. I couldn’t dare to love Julian anymore. Mr. Hayes pondered my answer for a moment, then sighed regretfully. “Ah, never mind. If you can’t be a daughter-in-law of the Hayes family, you’ll always be a daughter of this family. Scarlett, you’re so kind, so beautiful; it’s Julian who’s unlucky.” He pulled a bank card from his drawer. “This is from your parents. There’s four million dollars in it. They asked me to keep it for you, saying it’s for your dowry when you grow up.” Four million dollars. The ransom was also four million dollars. During the kidnapping, I had sometimes resented my parents, wondering why they hadn’t taken me with them, leaving me to suffer such torment. But now, I realized. They had already left me a guarantee for a good life. They loved me so much. I bit my thumb to stifle a sob, preventing myself from crying out loud. “Thank you, Uncle.” It was already eight o’clock in the evening when I left the study. I walked towards my own room, but halfway there, I ran into Julian. He seemed to understand my intention and spoke with an unexpectedly gentle tone. “Valerie is staying in your room tonight. You can use the guest room next to mine.” It was for Valerie, then. I nodded and began walking in the opposite direction. When I first moved into the Hayes mansion, Julian disliked me so much that he moved to the furthest room from mine, one at the east end, one at the west. But my room had been decorated by a top luxury designer; the guest room couldn’t compare. Still, everything in this house belonged to the Hayes. If Julian asked me to give way, I would. I hadn’t walked two steps when Julian called out to me. “Scarlett, why are you so obedient now?” I turned back to him, noticing his expression held both mockery and a hint of worry. “I… I’m sorry…” I stammered, unable to think of anything to say to Julian other than a constant stream of apologies. “This is the third time you’ve apologized to me today. You’re acting strangely.” Julian walked closer, leaning down to reach out a hand to my forehead. I recoiled as if electrocuted, bouncing away so fast that my legs went weak, and I could barely stand as I gripped the hallway railing. Julian looked at me as if I were insane, his expression growing impatient. I forced back the tremor in my voice and said, “I… I’ll move out tomorrow. I’ve already spoken with Uncle Hayes about it.” I had expected Julian to be relieved at this news, to finally let me go. But instead, he grew angry. “Move out? Why?… I just let Valerie stay in your room for a night. She’s a guest, what’s wrong with you letting her have it?” I shook my head frantically. “No, it’s not that.” Julian’s face darkened, and he strode towards me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards the room at the east end. “Come with me. I need to talk to you.” A tidal wave of terror engulfed my mind. With a sob, I pulled out the bank card Mr. Hayes had given me earlier. “I’m sorry, I have money. Please don’t hit me.” “I have money, please don’t hit me.” Julian looked back in astonishment. I had already collapsed to the floor, my wrist still raised, clutched in his hand. “Scarlett, what are you talking about?” My lips were now bitten purple. Watching Julian’s face grow closer, I began to recall the kidnappers’ taunts: *A dog of the Hayes family, daring to cling to its master.* “Julian… Mr. Hayes, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll never dare again.” Julian finally seemed to realize that my mental state was off. His movements became much gentler as he put an arm around my waist, lifting me from the floor. The feeling of weightlessness made me instinctively cling to Julian’s neck. His stern expression finally softened a bit. “Scarlett, I’m not saying I don’t want you around, it’s just…” Before he could finish, the hallway door clicked open. Valerie Stone poked her head out of my room, the bright light from inside spilling into the hall. She clapped a hand over her mouth, feigning surprise. “Mr. Hayes, Miss Scarlett.” Julian looked annoyed. “I gave you the room. What else do you need?” Valerie replied, a hint of feigned hurt in her voice, “It’s a video conference with the US branch office, Mr. Hayes. They need you to attend personally.” Julian glanced at me in his arms, then reluctantly set me down. My body was rigid, unable to speak. “Wait for me in my room.” Julian left those words, then walked towards Valerie. They entered the room, and the door closed. The bright light vanished from the hallway. I felt like I had narrowly escaped disaster, cold sweat already soaking through the back of my clothes. Julian wouldn’t come back. I knew Valerie’s tactics. Countless times—on my birthday, at my graduation ceremony—he had been called away by Valerie like this. Perhaps he genuinely wanted to leave, and truly didn’t want to come back. And I had to leave quickly too, to a place where I would never see Julian. I was terrified that any further contact with him would push me to a mental breakdown, to madness.

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After five years in prison, the first thing Anya did was book a sky burial. “Ms. Anya, this is for your sky burial service. After your death, your body will be sent to the Tianshan Mountains for the ceremony. You need to pay the deposit first, and the remaining balance within two weeks.” Anya nodded, pulling a plastic bag from her faded denim jeans. She carefully counted the crumpled bills and coins she’d saved up in jail, her movements clumsy, before finally handing over the deposit. She’d been diagnosed with late-stage cancer in prison, with barely a month left to live. She remembered years ago, she and Asher Hayes had promised each other they’d get married in a sacred mountain range, letting all the spirits of the Tianshan Mountains witness their unwavering love. Now, that wedding dream was impossible. Let her rest forever in that pure land; it would be some comfort. The cost of a sky burial wasn’t cheap. After leaving the agency, to settle the remaining balance, she applied for a server position at The Velvet Club. With a criminal record, she couldn’t find a legitimate job, and that place was the city’s most notorious high-end hotspot for the wealthy, offering decent pay for servers. The manager gave her a quick rundown of the rules, then handed her a uniform and told her to start that very evening. After a brief training, she carried a tray of drinks into a VIP room. The lights in the room were dim, with many wealthy elites playing games. She lowered her head,crouching beside the coffee table, carefully setting down the bottles. Just as she was about to turn and leave, that familiar, cool voice suddenly drifted over from nearby. Her body stiffened. She froze on the spot! Sure enough, there he was on the elevated sofa, Asher Hayes, surrounded by fawning admirers. His sharp, handsome features, softened by the shifting lights, made him look even more distinguished and aloof. Five years had passed, but his appearance hadn’t changed a bit. Only now, there was a chilling coolness about him that warned others to keep their distance. She couldn’t help but stare for a moment longer, then noticed a woman clinging to him. And that woman was her best friend, Celeste. They seemed to be talking about their wedding. “The wedding will be just as you like it, in a seaside chapel, with pink roses covering the beach.” “If you didn’t like the dress the designer made last time, I’ll arrange for a new one. Everything will be exactly to your taste.” Anya listened to that familiar voice, her thoughts drifting back. Five years ago, she was so close to becoming Asher Hayes’s bride. They had been childhood sweethearts, growing up together. When Anya’s parents died unexpectedly, Asher was the one who stayed by her side through those agonizing years. He’d biked her to school, stood up for her when she was bullied, and even, blushing fiercely, bought her sanitary pads the first time she got her period. Then, naturally, they fell in love, taking step after step towards the altar. Until the eve of their wedding, when she accidentally hit and killed Asher’s mother with her car! She would never forget that night. Asher’s eyes were bloodshot, crimson with rage. He cornered her against the wall like a madman, demanding to know why, if there was some hidden reason. Anya had never felt such despair. She looked up and smiled, her voice hollow. “No hidden reason. She saw me sleeping with another man and threatened to tell you. In a fit of anger, I just… ran her over.” She would never forget the look Asher gave her then. Fury, hatred, disappointment, all interwoven like an impenetrable net, trapping her, suffocating her. The story ended with Asher himself sending her to prison. During her five years in prison, she’d often wondered if, had she told the truth, she and Asher wouldn’t have ended up like this. But logic reminded her: she couldn’t. Because Mrs. Hayes had been suffering from severe depression. On the eve of their wedding, her illness flared up, leaving her disoriented. She’d mistaken her bodyguard for Mr. Hayes and had an affair. Anya, coincidentally, had gone to discuss wedding plans with Asher and stumbled upon the scene. Mrs. Hayes, lucid again, was filled with regret. She tearfully begged Anya not to reveal what she’d seen. Though conflicted, Anya eventually agreed. But to her horror, as she started her car to leave, Mrs. Hayes, unable to bear her guilt, suddenly threw herself in front of it. Asher had always been the golden boy, destined for greatness. If his mother’s scandal got out, it would bring devastating ruin to him and Hayes Enterprises. Society would look at him differently, and some might even question his parentage. So, for Asher’s sake, she had to bear the burden alone, taking the fall for everything. And now, terminally ill, there was even less need to reveal the truth. If he hated her, let him continue to hate her. That way, when she finally left, she could do so cleanly, with no lingering attachments. Her body trembling, she was about to slip away when someone behind her suddenly called out her name. “Anya? You’re out of prison!” She flinched, not daring to meet the sharp gaze she felt from the elevated sofa. Just as she moved to leave, someone extended a leg, tripping her as she passed. Unprepared, she crashed into the coffee table, falling heavily to the ground. Several bottles clattered and shattered, and her hand was cut in multiple places, bleeding freely. The room erupted in laughter. Everyone stood up, scrutinizing her disheveled, pathetic state. “Anya, it really is you! You just got out of prison and you’re already working? You’re really desperate, aren’t you?” She kept her head down, saying nothing, just pressing her hand against her bleeding wounds. The person spoke again. “What are you waiting for? You spilled wine all over the floor. Clean it up, now.” “And remember, get on your knees when you do it.” Another wave of laughter washed over her. She could only pull a rag from her apron and kneel on the floor, wiping the wine stains again and again. She didn’t look up, but she could feel Asher’s hateful gaze, cold and sharp, fixed on her. It was like a dagger, poised above her head, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment. He hated her so much; seeing her tormented must make him happier than anyone. After quickly wiping up the wine, she tried to stand and leave, but the person wasn’t willing to let her off so easily. “Trying to leave already? Those bottles you broke are worth a fortune. How are you going to pay for them?” Anya clutched her hands, flustered, not even daring to look up. “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to.” “You think an apology is enough? I doubt you can afford to pay. Tell you what, I’m not saying I won’t give you a chance. Just crawl under my legs, and we’ll call it even.” The person sneered, propping a leg on a stool, his gaze mocking her. A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd, followed by shouts of encouragement. “Crawl under! Crawl under!” She bit her lip, her cheeks burning. The mocking stares felt like daggers stabbing into her back. There was no escape. She had no money to compensate them, and this person was clearly trying to exact revenge for Asher. If she didn’t kneel, they’d find other ways to torment her. During those five years in prison, dignity had long since become worthless to her. Her vision blurred. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Finally, in front of everyone, she sank to her knees before the man. Just as she bent down, preparing to crawl under his leg, the coffee table was violently kicked over. A voice, cold as ice, rang out. “Enough!” Then, a sharp pain shot through her arm. Before she could react, she was yanked out of the room. In the dim hallway, Asher slammed her against the wall, his eyes burning with hatred and cold fury. “Anya, are you really that desperate to degrade yourself?” Her back hit the cold marble, and she flinched uncontrollably. It took her a moment to turn her head. “You shouldn’t have defended me. If you do this, can your mother truly rest in peace down there?” Her words, predictably, ignited his anger. He shoved her away. “Defend you? You’re overthinking it. I pulled you out here to talk about a deal!” “You’re so desperate for money, aren’t you? Stay outside my room tonight, and I’ll pay you. From now on, you’ll follow me around. I guarantee I’ll pay you more than you’d earn serving drinks.” He finished, and without waiting for her refusal, he pulled out a stack of cash and roughly slapped her across the face. Anya’s head snapped to the side, and her cheek immediately started to bleed. She knew his demand was nothing more than an act of revenge. And he certainly achieved it. That night, standing guard outside his door, she heard him and Celeste making love. The man’s muffled grunts and the woman’s moans echoed ceaselessly. She stood there like a zombie, numb even as tears streamed down her face. The moans continued all night. It wasn’t until dawn that Asher opened the door, looking at her coldly. “Clean up the room.” She looked at the “battlefield” of used condoms scattered across the floor, her heart sinking, but she said nothing, just nodded silently. Celeste emerged from the bathroom, covered in hickeys, and paused when she saw Anya. Then, she took Asher’s arm and pleaded, “Asher, it’s all in the past. Please, let Anya go.” Asher curved his lips, but no warmth reached his eyes. “She wants money, I’m giving her money to do my bidding. It’s a fair transaction. Why would I ‘let her go’?” He then pulled Celeste closer, his voice softening. “Don’t worry. Before the wedding, I’ll make sure she completely disappears.” In the following days, wherever Asher and Celeste went, he brought Anya along. If someone proposed a toast, he’d make Anya drink on Celeste’s behalf, until Anya was dizzy and ran to the restroom to throw up repeatedly, yet he wouldn’t call a halt. During meals, he’d make her serve Celeste like a maid, peeling shrimp, deboning fish, wiping her hands, even accompanying her to the restroom. And he, in front of everyone, showered Celeste with affection. After every social engagement, he would expressionlessly take a stack of cash from his car and forcefully throw it at her. “Today’s payment.” Facing his humiliation, she never reacted, simply bending down in silence to pick up the soiled bills, carefully tucking them into her bag. Yes, she needed the money. Once she had enough, she could disappear from his world completely. A sky burial, leaving not a single bone, not a piece of flesh. As if Anya had never existed in this world. On Celeste’s birthday, Asher hosted a lavish party for her. His devotion to Celeste was evident to everyone. The entire venue was decorated according to Celeste’s preferences; it was rumored that over a million roses were used just for the flowers. Celeste’s dress that day was the very one Asher’s mother had designed for his future daughter-in-law. The two walked in hand-in-hand, instantly becoming the center of attention. Asher was as handsome and distinguished as ever, but now, the woman by his side was no longer Anya. Her mind involuntarily drifted back to their own engagement party. It had been just as grand and extravagant, their friends and family witnessing his deep love for her. They had walked hand-in-hand, believing they were stepping into a life of happiness. He had presented her with the heirloom ring, placing it on her finger, telling her that with his ring, she would forever be his, and they would never be apart. The murmurs of conversation around her snapped her out of her memories. “What was Anya thinking, anyway? Childhood sweethearts with Asher, he practically put her on a pedestal, cherished her like gold, and she still went and ran over his mom.” “Exactly! Everyone in the city knew how much Asher loved her. I can’t believe she’d do something so twisted.” “If that hadn’t happened, they’d probably have kids in elementary school by now.” “Don’t even bother. Can you understand the mind of a snake-hearted woman like her? She deserves everything she’s getting now.” “Yeah, women like her should just die!” Anya listened to the curses, her face devoid of expression. As they wished, she would soon be dead. The party ended, and Asher was still saying goodbye to guests. Anya and Celeste waited by the lake near the entrance for him to come out. It was the first time they had been alone since Anya’s release from prison. Celeste remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Anya, do you know? I’ve always been deeply in love with Asher. I fell for him even before you two got together.” “Back then, you two were so happy, so I’d already given up on him, prepared to bless your happiness. But why did you betray Asher?” “Do you know how much Asher suffered all these years? I finally managed to calm him down, so why did you have to show up now, upsetting him again!” Anya looked at the woman before her. She’d never imagined that her best friend, who had been by her side all these years, had secretly loved her man. But now that she’d reappeared, she had no intention of disturbing their lives. A woman who “killed” his mother, a dying woman, was destined to contend for nothing. “Celeste, I’ll be leaving soon.” Celeste looked at her coldly, her eyes glinting, clearly not believing her words. Suddenly, she took off the ring on her finger and forcefully threw it into the lake. “Anya, you threw my ring in the water. You should help me get it, right?” As Celeste’s words fell, Asher’s figure appeared, rushing over. He angrily grabbed Anya’s arm, his eyes burning with fury. “Anya, can’t you stay out of trouble for a minute? What does the ring I gave Celeste have to do with you? Why did you suddenly throw it away!” Anya looked directly into his eyes. In his furious gaze, there seemed to be a hint of expectation. Was he expecting her to have thrown Celeste’s ring out of jealousy? Her heart ached with bitterness, but she forced a smile. “Why would I throw away a trivial ring? To me, it’s not even as important as a stack of cash you give me.” Asher’s eyes instantly turned cold and merciless. He violently pushed her into the lake. There was a splash, and her startled cry, but he had already turned his back, not looking at her again. “I don’t care how you do it, but you *will* get that ring back for me.” With that, he took Celeste’s hand and hurried away without hesitation. It was winter, and a fresh snow had just fallen. The weather was bitterly cold. Sparse ice floes drifted on the lake; just looking at them made one shiver. Anya plunged into the lake. The icy water numbed her entire body, and the muddy bottom was filled with sharp debris, cutting her feet until they bled freely. She bit her lip, diving under again and again, surfacing again and again. She searched the lake mechanically for an entire night, until the blood stained a large part of the water. Finally, at the bottom of the lake, she found the ring. When she appeared before Asher, bruised and battered, looking utterly pathetic, he frowned, then coldly pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and mercilessly threw it at her feet again. Just like every time before, she picked up the money in silence and left. For the next few days, Asher unusually didn’t bother her. Until one day, she returned home from an errand. As she stepped out of the car, she saw the entire Hayes mansion enveloped in thick, rolling smoke. A surge of unease gripped her heart. Asher was in danger! The thought flashed through her mind, and she rushed towards the raging fire without hesitation. Asher always preferred quiet, so the house staff only came to clean when he wasn’t home. He’d been home these past few days, so there wouldn’t be anyone else in the house besides him! Familiar with the mansion, she quickly found Asher unconscious in his bedroom. The fire had spread incredibly fast. He must have taken sleeping pills and been resting, which was why he was trapped in the fire and overcome by smoke without any warning. She struggled to hoist him onto her back, laboriously moving towards the door. The fire grew larger, almost completely blocking their path. As she hesitated, a burning beam suddenly fell. Without thinking, she shielded Asher with her body. The hot timber crashed onto her back, and the pain nearly made her pass out. But looking at Asher, sprawled on her shoulder, his brows tightly furrowed in unconscious sleep, a fierce determination she’d never known before surged through her. She *had* to save Asher, even if it cost her life. With a desperate resolve, utterly disregarding her own safety, she somehow managed to drag the six-foot-tall man out of the blazing inferno. They collapsed onto the lawn, Anya gasping for fresh air, her entire body battered and bruised. Seeing Celeste frantically rushing towards them, Anya used her last remaining strength to push Asher into Celeste’s arms. “If he wakes up, tell him you saved him.” Celeste looked at Anya, wondering what game she was playing. She called out to Anya, who was trying to get up, and asked again. “Tell me, Anya, did you really kill Mrs. Hayes on purpose?” Anya swayed as she stood, her body stiffening at the question. After a long pause, she finally spoke. “Yes.” With that, she hurried away, not looking back. In the following days, Celeste meticulously cared for Asher. When he learned that Celeste had risked her life to save him, he became incredibly doting towards her, granting her every wish, to the envy of others. Their intimacy also grew more frequent. Anya, standing guard outside their room, distinctly heard their passionate encounters and the sweet nothings he whispered to her. She thought, perhaps now, Asher truly loved Celeste. That was good. He deserved to find his true happiness. And she, like a rat in the sewers, could only darkly glimpse at others’ joy. The wound on her back still throbbed. She could only secretly apply medicine when no one was around. One day, as usual, she was hiding in her small room, taking off her jacket to apply ointment, when the door suddenly opened. It was Asher. His gaze landed on the grotesque wound on her back, and his eyes instantly reddened. Then, he walked towards her, step by trembling step. “What are those burns?” “Were you the one who saved me that day?” Anya didn’t know why he suddenly appeared there. She reflexively sprang up and immediately put her clothes back on. Looking at Asher’s shattered eyes, she almost blurted out the truth. But reason immediately returned. She forced herself to put on a reckless smile. “Saved you? What are you talking about?” “These scars? Oh, those are from prison, from fighting with other women over men. They got jealous because the men preferred me, so they used hot water to get back at me.” Asher’s face went pale with anger at her words. The flicker of compassion in his eyes vanished. He grabbed her neck with furious strength, wanting nothing more than to choke the life out of her. “Anya, you’re heartless!” “Are you that desperate for men? Was I not enough for you? What did our relationship even mean back then?” She choked, her face turning crimson, coughing desperately. But when he finally released her, she started to laugh. “What did it mean? It meant you were devoted, it meant you were stupid.” “Asher, I truly wanted to marry you. But it’s so hard to love only one person your whole life. Honestly, those other men were just flings. If your mom hadn’t caught me cheating, I wouldn’t have had to run her over, and we wouldn’t be like this now. After all, no matter what, they could never treat me as well as you did, right?” Asher’s face fluctuated between green and white, clearly pushed to his limit. He disgustedly flung her hand away, his voice now devoid of any emotion. “Anya, you sicken me. Loving you was the biggest regret of my life.” With that, he didn’t spare her another glance, storming out and slamming the door behind him. Finally, she was alone in the room. She sank weakly to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself, leaning against the bed frame. Wasn’t this what she wanted? For him to completely despise her, to never think of her again. But why did her heart ache so much? It felt as if someone had brutally torn her heart open with a knife, then sprinkled salt on the wound. It would pass, she told herself. After she got dressed, Celeste approached her and asked Anya to drive her out to buy some things. The Hayes family had a driver, and Anya didn’t know why Celeste insisted on her driving, but she didn’t ask any questions. She got into the driver’s seat and started the car. Just as the engine roared to life, Celeste, who had been standing nearby, suddenly rushed to the front of the car and collapsed onto the ground, covered in blood. Anya froze, utterly bewildered. The car had only just started, it hadn’t even moved. Even if it had hit Celeste, it wouldn’t have been this severe. So where had all that blood come from? Before she could figure it out, Asher rushed over. He quickly helped Celeste up, his voice filled with urgency. “Celeste, are you okay?” Celeste leaned weakly into his arms, her eyes fixed on Anya with a piteous gaze. “Asher, don’t blame Anya. I’m sure she didn’t mean to.” With that, she suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. The vivid red sharply stung Asher’s eyes. He looked up, his gaze cold, at Anya, and the image of his mother being hit by a car involuntarily flashed in his mind. In that instant, he completely lost control. “Anya, you never learn, do you? Did Celeste catch you with another man again, that you’d do this to her!” He gritted his teeth, picked up Celeste, and placed her in the car, then got into the driver’s seat himself. As the engine roared, Asher’s eyes grew redder and redder. He stared at Anya, the image of his mother’s death and Celeste vomiting blood constantly overlapping, like a net, trapping him completely. His heart felt suddenly gripped by an invisible hand, hurting so much he could barely breathe. But those images and Celeste’s moans reappeared, and he finally steadied himself, slammed on the accelerator, and drove straight towards Anya. *Bang!* With a screech of brakes, Anya was flung into the air. For those few seconds she floated, her world was chaos. The moment her body hit the ground, she thought she heard her bones shattering. Then, she completely lost consciousness. She seemed to be dreaming, a dream where she was back with Asher, when they were still in love. She’d just gotten her driver’s license then, and wasn’t used to driving. Asher would sit beside her, teaching her hand-in-hand. “Anya, don’t be scared. Drive boldly. I’m here with you.” But the scene shifted. The person beside her suddenly vanished, replaced by him, his eyes red, angrily slamming the accelerator and charging towards her. Anya awoke from the dream with a start, her forehead drenched in sweat, her back soaked. She realized she was in the hospital. Her chest ached terribly. It wasn’t until a nurse came to give her an injection that she learned several of her ribs were broken. During her time in the hospital, Asher never visited her. She hadn’t expected him to; after all, he hated her so much now. When she was discharged, Asher was already busy preparing for his wedding with Celeste. He demanded that she be involved in every step. Because he wanted her to watch him marry another woman, to watch everything that was once hers be given to someone else. Anya didn’t refuse. She obediently followed behind him and Celeste, watching him pick out wedding dresses for her, accompanying her for wedding photos, and finalizing the wedding venue. She had walked this path once before. Now, walking it again, the bride was a different person. On the anniversary of Mrs. Hayes’s death, Anya bought flowers first thing in the morning and went to pay her respects. She sat beside the tombstone, resting her head against it, looking at the kind and gentle face in the photograph, talking to herself. “Mrs. Hayes, are you doing well wherever you are? Are you lonely?” “I remember how much you loved me when you were alive. You said I was like your own daughter. And in my heart, you were like my own mother.” “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be joining you soon.” In fact, before Mrs. Hayes’s death, their relationship had been very close. Anya, who had lost her mother at a young age, found the maternal love she lacked in her. They were supposed to become a true family. But fate was cruel; they ultimately lacked that last bit of destiny. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. She looked up and realized it was Asher and Mr. Hayes, coming to pay their respects. Seeing her, Mr. Hayes’s face instantly darkened. “You wretched girl! Who let you come here! How dare you show your face!” With that, he stepped forward without a word and forcefully tried to push her away. Anya had just been in a car accident and had no strength to resist. She fell heavily against the tombstone, her head striking it hard, gashing her forehead. Blood streamed down her cheek, but she simply covered the wound, not saying a word. Mr. Hayes’s anger didn’t subside a bit because of her injury. A torrent of furious curses followed one after another. “You! You don’t deserve to be here!” “Murderer! You’re the one who should be dead!” “What did our Hayes family ever do to you? Asher loved you so much, and my wife cherished you like her own daughter. Why did you have to run her over?!” By the end, his voice choked, almost dissolving into sobs. Her face was pale, but she remained numbly crouched on the ground, utterly silent. Asher watched her coldly from nearby. Knowing she had just had several ribs broken from his car, he couldn’t help but step in. “Don’t dirty my mother’s tombstone. Get to the car and wait for me.” Anya struggled to her feet, stumbling out. It was only then that Mr. Hayes realized Asher had kept Anya by his side all this time. His face turned ashen, his brows furrowed deeply, tinged with a new sorrow. “Asher, tell me honestly, do you still love this woman?” Asher averted his eyes, unable to look at him, his body trembling slightly. “No, I haven’t loved her for a long time.” “My feelings for her now, apart from hatred, are nothing else.” Mr. Hayes’s tall figure, for the first time, seemed somewhat frail. He looked at Asher, his hair full of white, his eyes showing the weariness of age. “You’re my son; you can’t hide it from me.” “Asher, Anya is your mother’s killer!” “No matter how much you like her, it’s impossible between you two. How can you love your mother’s killer? How can you let your mother rest in peace knowing this?” His words completely froze Asher, leaving him almost unable to move. For days, he had been trying to numb himself, telling himself he only hated Anya, that keeping her by his side was merely to torment her. But he knew that was just a lie he told himself. He remained silent for a long time, then finally spoke. “Dad, don’t worry. I’ll marry Celeste as soon as possible.” “And Anya, I’ll make her leave, disappear from our lives forever.” In the final days before the wedding, Asher didn’t devise any more schemes to torment her. Instead, he drove her out alone. They went to “Lover’s Lock Bridge,” a place they used to frequent. The first time they came, she’d sprained her ankle halfway, and he’d carried her onto the bridge, where they’d hung a padlock symbolizing their eternal love. But this time, the once-intimate lover was a different person. Asher searched for a long time before he found their padlock. He pulled out a pair of scissors, silently snipped the lock, and then unhesitatingly threw it into the lake. Then, he took her to the Cold Mountain Temple outside the city and untied the wish ribbon they had tied together. The wishes they had written on the red ribbon were still vivid in her memory: “Asher and Anya, forever together.” But in a blink, the red ribbon was carried away by the wind, falling over the cliff, never to be seen again. Next, they went to the beach where they first fell in love, to the park where they had planted a wishing tree together… Anya knew he was systematically erasing all traces of their love. He, like her, had decided to completely cut each other out of their lives. After visiting all the necessary places, Asher leaned against the car door, smoking several cigarettes, fiercely. When the ground was littered with cigarette butts, he pulled a check from his pocket and handed it to Anya. “The money here is enough to cover the broken bottles at the club. With the rest, buy a plane ticket and never appear in front of me again.” “Don’t tell me where you’re going. And don’t let me find you.” Her palm was digging into her skin, her heart felt tightly clutched, making it hard to breathe. After a long moment, she took the check and quietly agreed. “Okay.” They looked up, their eyes meeting unexpectedly, and almost simultaneously spoke. “Anya, goodbye forever.” “Asher, goodbye forever.” Asher lowered his gaze, not looking at her again, and turned to leave with finality. Anya silently watched his retreating figure, until he disappeared completely, then she walked in the opposite direction. Three days before the wedding countdown, Anya paid the full amount for her sky burial. That same day, news of Asher and Celeste’s impending marriage hit the headlines. Their wedding would be held by the sea, attended by all the city’s tycoons. Celebrities in their circle flooded Ins with congratulations, and dozens of trending topics filled the feeds. Two days before the wedding, Anya booked a flight to the Tianshan Mountains. That day, Asher, to celebrate in advance, spent tens of millions on a grand fireworks display across the city. Under the dazzling, sky-filling fireworks, everyone congratulated him and Celeste, wishing them a happy marriage and a long, loving life together. The day before the wedding, Anya packed a box, then set it on fire, burning everything to ashes. Inside were gifts Asher had given her, all her memories with him, and the treasures she had cherished most in prison. But now, she was dying. These things held no meaning anymore. Asher, her beloved, would walk down the aisle hand-in-hand with the woman he loved. She thought, he would be happy. They would have children, and live every day sweetly, just as they had promised when they were still together. The flames danced before her eyes, silhouetting all their loving memories into fragments, gradually disappearing with the fire. That night, in the restaurant, Celeste looked at Asher’s distracted expression, feeling a sudden unease. “Asher, are you still thinking about Anya?” Asher snapped back, reaching for her hand, his voice gentle. “No.” “Celeste, I’ve completely let her go. Don’t worry, I’ll love you well from now on.” “From this moment forward, you are the most important person in my life.” Celeste finally smiled, nodding contentedly. After their meal, they planned to return to prepare for tomorrow’s wedding. But just as they stepped out, the chandelier above them suddenly fell, hitting Celeste’s head. Blood gushed out instantly, and she collapsed, unconscious. Asher’s face instantly changed. He scooped her up and ran frantically to the hospital, rushing her into the emergency room. The doctor said she was bleeding heavily and needed an immediate blood transfusion, but the RH-negative blood bank was critically low. Someone needed to donate enough blood to save her life right away. Asher became frantic. He immediately ordered Mark, his assistant, to arrange a city-wide search to find a compatible blood type for Celeste and bring them in for donation. Mark quickly searched and finally found a name in the blood bank. Anya! He rushed to Asher. “Mr. Hayes, there’s only one person with a compatible blood type for Ms. Celeste, but it’s…” Before he could finish, Asher interrupted him. “I don’t care who it is. Celeste must be saved, even if it means draining that person’s blood. At any cost, do you understand?” Mark said no more and quickly arranged for Anya to be brought to the hospital. At that moment, Anya was holding her plane ticket, preparing to head to the airport, when she was suddenly taken to the hospital and escorted into the blood donation room. Unsure what was happening, she struggled fiercely. The nurses couldn’t proceed, so they had to call Asher’s assistant. Seeing Anya, Mark’s face was filled with disgust. He had followed Asher for many years and knew everything that had happened, so he had no fondness for her whatsoever. “Ms. Anya, Mr. Hayes ordered you here. Ms. Celeste had an accident and is bleeding profusely. Only your blood type matches hers.” “Mr. Hayes said that as long as Ms. Celeste can be saved, he doesn’t care if your blood is drained dry.” “We have people everywhere, inside and out. I advise you not to struggle. Besides, you owe Mr. Hayes a life, don’t you?” As his words fell, Anya froze. Her struggles grew weaker and weaker. Yes, she did owe Asher a life. And whether she donated blood or not, she was going to die anyway. It was just a matter of dying sooner or later. Thinking this, she completely gave up resisting. The needle was forcefully plunged into her vein. She watched her blood slowly drain away, her face growing paler and paler. 400ml 600ml 800ml 1000ml … As more and more blood was drawn, the alarm on the machine began to blare, and her vision gradually blurred. She weakly closed her eyes, feeling her life disappear, little by little, with the blood. Asher, this time, it was truly goodbye… The alarm grew louder and louder, until finally, it became a flat line. Seeing this, the nurse screamed, quickly pulled out the needle, and ran down the hallway. “Her blood’s drained, she… she’s stopped breathing!” Mark, standing at the door of the blood donation room, heard the nurse’s cry, and felt as if struck by lightning. He rushed inside. His gaze fell upon Anya’s pale face. That once vibrant and moving face was now devoid of color, like a cold sculpture. The needle was still in her wrist, blood no longer flowing. The flat line on the monitor screen was a jarring sight. “Anya… is dead?” Mark murmured to himself, as if unable to believe what he was seeing. Though he wasn’t a fan of Anya’s, and even harbored deep disgust for her, at this moment, an indescribably complex emotion surged within him. He knew Anya had betrayed Asher, knew she was a fickle woman, but… he had seen Asher’s feelings for her all these years. That torment of love and hate, that unresolvable pain, he understood better than anyone. Now that Anya was dead, what would Asher’s reaction be? Mark’s mind was a mess. He instinctively shouted to the nurse, “Quick! Save her! You have to save her, no matter what!” The nurse shook her head, her voice heavy. “She’s already stopped breathing. She had cancer, and with so much blood drawn, she can’t be saved.” “Cancer?!”

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I, Eleanor, made a decision Julian would never approve of. Behind his back, I sent Seraphina, the young woman he had taken in, to a top music academy abroad. Julian Sterling, a man always described as aloof and unapproachable, a picture of cool indifference, instantly snapped. He was convinced I had deliberately gotten rid of his “little rose.” In a fit of rage, he threw our five-year-old son, Leo, onto a cruise ship headed for the Arctic, demanding I bring Sera back. I watched, paralyzed, as Leo cried uncontrollably on the ship. The vessel was already moving into international waters. Then, Julian’s assistant lifted Leo, his small body dangling precariously over the side. Julian’s voice, dark and chilling, cut through the wind. “My love, you have five minutes to decide. Otherwise, our son will sink into the deep sea!” The first minute, my mind flashed back to my five years of silent adoration for Julian. I had quietly become his secret partner. He came from a prestigious pharmaceutical family, while I was from a humble background with an ordinary face. I chose to stay in the shadows, asking for no title. The second minute, his family pushed for an arranged marriage between Julian and an heiress after his graduation. Instead, he pulled me straight to the registry office and married me. The third minute, I was pregnant, but his family still refused to acknowledge me. Julian took me away from his family, cut ties, and we had Leo. The fourth minute, Julian adopted his friend’s niece. The night of her 20th birthday, I saw the raw, protective, and deeply hidden love in Julian’s eyes when he looked at her. The fifth minute, my thoughts spiraled to Julian and his “niece,” Seraphina, entangled on a bed, their bodies intertwined in a desperate embrace… Julian let go of something. The intricate silver bracelet he’d worn for nearly twenty years, the one he never let anyone touch, was gone. It was now casually clasped around Sera’s right ankle. Julian’s eyes were utterly cold, devoid of any warmth. “Eleanor, I’m asking you one last time. Where is Seraphina?” A sharp pain seared my throat, amplified by Leo’s incessant cries in my ear. “Mommy, save me…” The sea wind whipped at my face, stinging me raw. “My love, do you want our son to die?” A suffocating pain gripped my chest, making it hard to breathe. I lifted my tear-filled eyes to Julian. “Julian, Leo is your biological son! How could you threaten me with his life?” His thin lips parted to utter, “But Seraphina is my life too!” Tears streamed down my face. So, Seraphina was his life now. What about me? What about our son? “Eleanor, as long as Seraphina comes back, you’re still my wife.” I swallowed back my emotions, fighting for control. “Julian, I don’t believe you’d actually take our son’s life for Seraphina, especially since I haven’t harmed her.” Julian’s voice turned arctic. “Counting down from five. If you don’t tell me where she is, our son, Leo, will be thrown into the open sea, to feed the sharks!” “5… 4… 3…” Seeing the man actually begin to move, I couldn’t hold out any longer. “Seraphina is at the BK College of Music in the US.” I collapsed to the ground. He actually dared. He dared to abandon our own son for Seraphina. My tear-filled eyes watched Julian immediately grab his phone and make a call. He was clearly frantic. “Get a helicopter ready. I’m flying to the US.” He didn’t spare me another glance, his eyes glued to his phone. My trembling hand clutched a handful of sand. For the past ten years, I had quietly been the woman behind Julian. In every scientific breakthrough, every achievement, every single one of his projects, I had played a crucial role. He built Sterling Group from the ground up, moving away from research to become the CEO. I, on the other hand, spent 24 hours in the lab, solely dedicated to developing the medicine he desired. I succeeded. Sterling Med skyrocketed, becoming a top-tier pharmaceutical conglomerate, rivaling the old Sterling family empire. That night, Julian held me close, his kisses trailing down my neck, filled with deep affection. “Ellie, you are my rib! The kind that melts into my bones and blood!” I thought everything was finally moving in the right direction. I could prove I was worthy of standing by his side. Even his family saw my achievements, and our relationship with them had softened over the past two years. But the end result was Julian falling for a girl nine years younger than him, a girl who was blissfully naive to the world, innocently demanding, and constantly clinging and playing the innocent card. “Julian, I want you to stay with me.” “Julian, I don’t know how to do this. Help me.” “Julian, you *have* to be at Sera’s cello competition. If you’re not there, I won’t play…” “Julian, Sera likes you so much.” Begging and fawning were things I had never done for Julian. Confessing my love was also something I had never done. Right under my nose, Julian fell deeply in love with his ‘helpless’ little princess. She needed him to lift her up and spoil her, and he indulged her willingly. The helicopter arrived swiftly. Julian couldn’t wait for Leo’s ship to return. He boarded the helicopter and flew off to the US. I watched the helicopter disappear into the distance, calling Julian several times, only for him to hang up on me each time. I sent him a SnapChat message directly: [When is our son coming back?!] [Three hours, Eleanor. Seraphina is just a friend’s daughter I promised to look after. She calls me ‘Uncle Julian.’ I cannot betray that trust.] Reading his explanation, a bitter laugh escaped me. Betray that trust? Just as I was about to close my phone, another message popped up. [Eleanor, so what if I love Julian? He wants to be with me, and we’ve been entangled in desperate passion. He lost his passion for you ages ago. You’re the one who can’t let him go.] [Eleanor, Julian came to see me at school again tonight. We went to a hotel. He really liked the bunny outfit I wore today.] […] And then, the explicit video. It captured Julian’s wild abandon in vivid detail. I shut off my phone and sat numbly by the sea, waiting for Leo to return. My tears were dried by the wind. I used to believe that as long as I loved Julian, it was enough. When he cheated, I even rationalized it, thinking men sometimes just seek excitement. We had a son; we needed a complete family. But now, I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. From childhood, I had been alone, without parents’ love or family’s affection. I thought I had found true love, but now, everything was shattered. I scrolled through a contract on my phone. This was the divorce agreement I had secretly signed when Sterling Group was going public. It stipulated automatic forfeiture of all my shares in Sterling Group and the termination of my marriage. Just before the IPO, Grandpa Sterling had sought me out. “Eleanor, if you sign this, I will help Julian’s company go public. With my help, Sterling Group can rival the old Sterling empire, especially if he wants to list it in G-Port.” To reassure his family and for Julian’s sake, I had signed the agreement in secret. I had never imagined Julian would abandon me. But now, everything had changed beyond recognition. Soon after, I sent another message. [I accept. I’m joining Ocean Gate.] Ocean Gate was a world-leading marine medical research team, home to top talents from various countries. Once you entered, you had to stay underwater for 30 years before you could emerge. My only condition was to take my son, Leo, with me. Julian would never find Leo and me again! To go to a place without borders, I needed to take my unique research findings. But all those research data and samples were in the lab. The lab could only be opened with both Julian’s and my fingerprints and passwords, simultaneously. Not long after, I finally waited for Leo. His face was stained with tears, and he was sleeping fitfully. I kissed his forehead. “Leo, do you want to leave with Mommy?” Leo’s eyelashes fluttered. He looked at me, crying, “Mommy, Leo almost went into the sea.” At five years old, he already understood. It was Julian’s closest assistant who had taken Leo away. My eyes welled up with moisture. “Leo, if you come with Mommy, you won’t have Daddy anymore. Are you willing?” Leo’s small arms wrapped around my neck, and he nodded. “Wherever Mommy is, Leo is.” I took Leo to the company. My fingerprints and password allowed me access to the high-level research lab. But I still couldn’t open the door. Through the glass, I could see the computers and various experimental samples inside. One set of experimental data, entirely developed by me, was the only thing I needed to take. “Mommy, what should we do? Daddy isn’t here, you can’t open this door.” My mind replayed the memory of Julian building this lab and entering our fingerprints and passwords. He held me close, whispering in my ear, “Ellie, don’t tell me this password, and I won’t tell you mine. This lab holds the most important treasures of the company. Only when we’re both here can we open this door and see these things. This way, we’ll always be connected, never apart.” When two people are in love, this creates mutual dependence. But when love dies, it becomes the perfect way to guard against each other. Julian, did you ever imagine this day, five years ago? The lab door remained unopened. I took Leo directly to our apartment on the second floor. For years, Leo, Julian, and I lived at the company until Seraphina appeared, and we bought a villa, making it feel more like a home. Everything in this apartment was something Leo and I had made together, before Seraphina. I packed all my personal belongings – the things Julian bought me, the things I bought him, and all the matching couple’s items I had secretly cherished. Leo also packed all his things. “This is what Daddy bought, don’t want it. This is what Mommy bought, take it. This is our family photo, don’t want it.” The little guy sorted things quickly into three bags. I suppressed my tears, watching my son meticulously categorize everything. Julian, do you know how smart Leo is? He didn’t say anything, but he knew you had given up on him. Leo ran over and hugged me. His small hands wiped my tears. “Mommy, you always wanted to go to that lab, didn’t you? You said the ocean takes up three-quarters of our home, and we need to protect it. You always wanted to be a warrior protecting the ocean. Mommy is the best. You’re just going to fulfill your dream, and Leo supports you and will follow you.” I looked at a painting in the distance. Julian was a talented artist. It was an oil painting he did of Leo and me when Leo was two. I walked over, opened a paint box nearby, grabbed a brush, and slowly painted myself out of the picture. Leo immediately grabbed a small brush and, mimicking me, painted himself out of the picture too. The little guy said warmly, “Mommy, in the future, when Leo learns to paint, I’ll only paint for you. Leo is super good, definitely better than this painting.” A faint smile touched my face as I caressed my son’s cheek. Once everything was sorted, I made a phone call and had the garbage disposal service take everything away. This included the bed Julian and I shared, the sofa, the kitchenware—everything. The cozy photos I had put up on the walls, Leo’s messy scribbles—I tore them all down and discarded them. I even got new paint buckets and meticulously painted the walls over and over again. Until this 200-square-meter apartment was stripped bare, leaving only the load-bearing walls, empty and gleaming white, without a single trace of what had been. In the kitchen, the stomach medicine I always kept for Julian was gone too. It took me a day and a night to do all this. Leo had fallen asleep on the floor. I carried Leo back to the villa. Pushing open the door, I found the living room shrouded in cigarette smoke. The ashtray overflowed with a dozen cigarette butts. Julian’s usually stoic face was etched with a hint of exhaustion, his red eyes bloodshot. His voice, dark and low, filled the air. “Sera was bullied the moment she got to school, covered in bruises and lying in her dorm, without even money for medicine!” Julian had been waiting for me, his face filled with accusation, his icy gaze piercing, as if I were his enemy. I glanced at Leo, asleep in my arms. “Julian, whatever it is, don’t argue in front of our son.” Just as I was about to go upstairs, Seraphina appeared at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a white nightgown, her cascading curly hair falling to her waist. Her innocent face was etched with panic, her hands nervously clutching the fabric of her nightdress. “Aunt Eleanor, I—I promise I won’t bother Uncle Julian anymore. Please don’t send me abroad.” The girl stood not far away, deliberately calling me ‘Aunt Eleanor’ to make me sound older, like a faded, resentful woman. She looked at me pitifully. Julian had already risen from the sofa and strode towards Seraphina on the stairs. He gently pushed aside her long hair, revealing red finger marks on her fair face, as if she’d been viciously slapped. Seraphina leaned into Julian’s embrace, sobbing. “Aunt Eleanor, the people who bullied me were all from outside. They said they were paid to do this to me. You sent me to a top music academy, so it couldn’t have been you trying to hurt me.” Julian’s eyes turned utterly cold, his icy gaze fixed on me, standing on the first floor. “Eleanor, you can dislike Sera, but I told you I have to take care of her until she graduates with her master’s at 25, until her uncle returns. But my constant compromises have only led you to repeatedly bully Sera.” During their argument, I saw Leo stir awake. He tried to turn his head, but I wouldn’t let him. “Leo, close your eyes, don’t listen.” I desperately tried to compose myself. “Julian, BK College of Music is one of the top three institutions globally. If there’s bullying, you can report it to the police, or investigate it yourself, instead of accusing me here.” Seraphina continued to sob uncontrollably. “Aunt Eleanor, I was wrong, I was wrong.” She pleaded as she sank to her knees. “Please, Aunt Eleanor, I just want to study here in Northwood. I can even live in a dorm. I promise I’ll only come back once a month, no, even half a day is fine. Please don’t send me away. Those people will kill me.” Seraphina’s tears seemed to enchant Julian. He picked her up right in front of me, his eyes filled with a fierce intensity as he glared at me. “Let’s talk in the study later. I need to comfort Sera first.” I walked numbly upstairs. Leo’s childish voice, muffled against my shoulder, asked, “Mommy, can we leave Daddy soon?” I stroked his back, my heart aching. “Yes, honey. Once Mommy handles everything, Mommy will try her best.” I carried Leo down the second-floor hallway, heading towards his bedroom. As we passed Seraphina’s room, I noticed the door wasn’t fully closed. Through a tiny gap, I saw Julian pressing Seraphina down onto the bed, and his hand reaching inside her white nightgown. My body froze instantly, my eyes filled with excruciating pain. Julian, is *this* how you ‘care’ for her? Watching Julian’s betrayal with my own eyes felt like my heart was being ripped out. I carried Leo into his room and placed him gently on his small bed. I tried my best to soothe him. “Leo, three days at most. We’ll leave in three days. Please pack your little things in your room.” The little one nodded. I came out, closing the door behind me. In the hallway, Julian’s eyes were cold and dark. His voice was grim. “Study, now.” I entered the study, only to realize that somewhere along the way, Seraphina’s presence had taken over Julian’s private space. Her hair accessories, jewelry, sheet music, and various snacks littered the sofa and the carpet. For all those years before, his study had been filled with our data, our research directions, our work. Without me even noticing, it had completely transformed. I remembered when I was pregnant with Leo, too exhausted to move, I would fall asleep leaning against him. When I woke up, Julian would kiss my forehead and say, “Ellie, don’t push yourself too hard. You and our child are my future. If you two are well, I can be well.” Back then, I believed all my efforts were worth it. Julian had given me a home, given me warmth. As I stepped into the study, Julian flung a stack of documents at me. Each page was a confession, written in what appeared to be foreign characters. “Eleanor, news came from Sera’s school. These are the bullies’ confessions. Someone wired money from Northwood to their accounts, instructing them to harass Sera. And the account was ultimately traced back to you.” I said nothing. Julian’s voice was cold. “I won’t divorce you. I’ll calm Sera down this time, but I absolutely will not let her leave my side again. If you still want to be with me, to maintain our marriage, then put an end to your malicious schemes.” I didn’t even have the energy to explain. I just tried to keep myself composed. “Julian, are you free tomorrow? I need you to come to the lab with me. There’s an issue with a set of data, and I need to go in and verify it.” Hearing that there was a problem at the company, Julian’s brow furrowed slightly. “Hmm. Tomorrow morning, I need to take Sera to the hospital; her injuries can’t scar. I’ll have lunch with her, and then I’ll be at the company in the afternoon.” So, I was relegated to the very last. I hadn’t noticed before, but from this outsider’s perspective, it was glaringly obvious. For Sera’s cello competition, he abandoned me to face international partners alone in a meeting, just to watch her perform. When Sera claimed she was in pain, he left me stranded on the roadside, telling me to take a taxi home to face his family elders by myself. When Sera expressed a desire for wontons, he woke me up in the middle of the night, regardless of my working over a dozen hours, to make them for her. “Alright…” I sighed, a deep, weary sound. The next morning. I was jolted awake by a piercing scream. Julian burst into my room like a madman and dragged me off the bed. I cried out in pain, my delicate features contorted. Julian’s grip on my arm was incredibly forceful, his eyes bloodshot with fury. “Eleanor, how *dare* you treat Seraphina like this?!” Leo, beside me, was crying and hitting Julian. “Let go of Mommy, you bad Daddy!” Julian shoved Leo, sending the child tumbling to the floor. Julian’s phone slammed onto the bed. “Eleanor, those people actually dared to take *explicit* photos of Seraphina, and now they’ve posted them all online! The entire city knows!” “Ah… Mr. Sterling, Miss Seraphina has attempted suicide.” Julian immediately pushed me away and rushed across the hall. Standing there, I saw Seraphina sprawled on the bed, her wrist slashed, red blood steadily gushing out and dripping onto the floor. My face went ashen. I quickly covered Leo’s eyes. “Leo, listen to Mommy, stay in your room and don’t come out.” This elaborate scheme—Seraphina was willing to gamble with her life. I didn’t know what the cost would be. Julian cradled Seraphina and rushed to the hospital. But I was restrained by Julian’s bodyguards and forced into another car. The car sped off, heading directly to the hospital owned by Sterling Group. Julian ran in frantically, holding Seraphina. I watched, realizing in my shock that he had forgotten he himself was a brilliant surgeon. Julian had been in my room for less than thirty seconds before Seraphina cut her wrist, and Mrs. Gable just *happened* to see it. That amount of bleeding wouldn’t even be life-threatening. I was dragged to the operating room doors. Julian’s eyes were icily fixed on me. “Since you like taking pictures so much, fine!” Julian walked over, right in front of the bodyguards and the passing crowd. He roughly tore my clothes. My dress ripped, exposing my pale skin in an instant. My body trembled with cold. I tried to pull my clothes to cover myself, but Julian’s tall frame loomed over me, his large hand gripping my wrist tightly, not allowing me to struggle an inch. His eyes were glacial. “Eleanor! What you did to Sera, I will return to you a hundredfold!” My body shook, my throat constricting as if cut by razor blades. “Julian, I’m your wife, and the mother of your child! How can you do this to me in front of so many people?” But Julian brutally pushed me against the cold wall. Ignoring the growing crowd, he ripped off the rest of my clothes with a harsh tear. My clothes fell to the ground. Instantly, I saw countless camera flashes pointed at me – live streams, photos, video recordings. Julian’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. “Eleanor, you utterly ruined Sera’s reputation! I will make you a spectacle for the entire city!” My face was deathly pale. I tried to cover myself with my hands, but it was useless. Julian further pinned my wrists above my head, intentionally letting those people get a clear view of my body. The crowd’s filming grew even more frenzied. Julian Sterling – everyone knew who he was. In that moment, tears streamed down my face. My mind drifted to Julian five years ago. My skirt had just been snagged, and he immediately took off his jacket, wrapping it tightly around me. He was terribly anxious, even though nothing had been exposed. But now, the man before me, for the sake of another woman, was utterly destroying me. The moment Julian released my hands, I crumpled to the ground. My trembling hands quickly grabbed my torn clothes and put them on, desperate to leave the scene. Julian’s cold, heartless voice reached me. “Eleanor, the entire internet is flooded with your pictures now. Sera’s photos have been taken down across all platforms, but yours… hah… you deal with it!” My face twisted into a bitter smile. I clutched my chest, saying nothing, and simply walked away. My mind was filled with the first time Julian had ever made love to me. He kissed the mole over my heart, saying, “Ellie, from now on, only I can see your body. No one else is allowed to lay a finger on you.” Sitting in the car, I opened my phone and saw news headlines everywhere: [Mrs. Sterling has a red mole over her heart.] [The red-mole beauty.] [Smoking hot figure!] [Breaking!] […] I tapped on a video. It showed the entire brutal scene: Julian tearing off my dress, my reactions, his ruthlessness—all captured in clear detail. Below, the comments from netizens: “Mrs. Sterling, with her usually conservative look, always in black business suits and skirts, who knew she was such a wild one underneath?” “That body, that tiny waist. No wonder Mr. Sterling married her.” “I love her legs the most, so slender and straight. Must be a thrill to touch.” “Those curves… I’d guess D-cup.” “OMG…” The words were sickeningly explicit. My phone rang. I answered, and Julian’s icy voice came through. “Eleanor, I won’t let anyone help you with those online photos. You have only one option: use your money to buy them back, one by one.” Then I heard Julian add, “You must pay for harming Sera. I owe her uncle an explanation!” Julian hung up. My trembling fingers opened my bank account. There was only just over five million dollars—my salary from Sterling Group over the past five years. Yes, salary. I had no shares in the company; all the company’s dividends went to Julian. He had given me a black card. I found a friend, gave him the five million and the black card, asking him to buy back all my photos and videos online. But the influencers who posted the videos were asking for exorbitant prices. My five million only covered seven accounts. My friend tried using the black card. It worked for the first transaction. But for the second, the card was frozen. “Eleanor, the card is frozen, no money can be withdrawn. Those people won’t back down. Without tens of millions, you can’t buy back the videos posted on the influencers’ main pages.” I stared at the black card. Julian had given it to me on the day the company went public. He said, “Ellie, this card has no limit. I want you to never want for money. I’ll take care of you.” Tears blurred my vision, falling onto the black card. In these five years, I had lived and worked at the company, with no significant expenses. The company paid me a salary, so I had never touched this card. The only time I tried, it only worked once. My mind filled with Seraphina. Seraphina, using Julian’s secondary card, shopped everywhere. Later, Julian grew tired of Seraphina constantly going out, only to come back exhausted and complaining of sore feet. He simply waved his hand, arranging for luxury brands to visit monthly, bringing all their latest releases for Seraphina to choose from, money flowing like water. My phone chimed. A message from Julian: [Don’t use my money to buy back the photos. Eleanor, even if you sell yourself, I won’t help you with a single cent.] I wiped away my tears with my hand. “Help me sell that patent, to buy these photos and videos.” My friend was shocked. “Eleanor, are you crazy? That’s your decade of work! Absolutely not! I’ll help you, I promise I will!” My friend took out all his savings, and then frantically sold off his three properties, barely managing to buy back all the original photos and videos. As for the reposts, my friend helped me hack and delete them all. Seeing all the photos cleared, my friend’s words echoed in my mind: [Eleanor, I know that research of yours is ten years of your blood and sweat. And I know that thing absolutely cannot be sold cheaply. It just needs a little finishing touch, and the moment it’s released to the world, it will benefit humanity, worth hundreds of billions. Just remember to give me a hundred million.] My friend’s playful words were still vivid, but then I thought of Julian’s cruelty and ruthlessness. I knew that in these ten years, my biggest mistake was wasting all my time on Julian. I regretted ever loving him. I returned to the villa. The moment I walked in, I heard Leo crying. I rushed inside immediately. I saw Seraphina, a smug look in her eyes, slap Leo across the face. Instantly, I moved swiftly, grabbed Seraphina’s hand, and slapped her twice across the face, back and forth. I pulled my son into my arms, holding him tightly. But Seraphina’s cries were filled with despair. “Julian! Julian!” Julian descended the stairs. Seraphina immediately threw herself into his arms. Julian saw the slap marks on Seraphina’s face, and his eyes instantly filled with murderous rage. Seraphina sobbed, “It’s not Aunt Eleanor’s fault, she just misunderstood me. Leo was playing with blocks just now, and when Aunt Eleanor came back, she got angry and slapped Leo’s face, saying he—he looked too much like you. I tried to stop Aunt Eleanor from hitting Leo, but she slapped me twice instead.” Leo’s childish voice, choked with sobs, exclaimed, “Daddy, Seraphina hit me! She hit me! Mommy only hit her to protect me!” Julian said coldly, “Eleanor! Did you really hit Sera?” I heard Julian completely ignore the core issue and only focus on me hitting Seraphina. “Julian, have you looked at Leo’s face? Do you think I’ve ever hit him since he was born?” Panic flickered across Seraphina’s face. She immediately clutched her wrist, and the bandage instantly began to seep blood. Julian’s eyes were filled with worry. “Sera, did your wound reopen?” Seraphina nodded tearfully. When Julian looked at me again, his voice was cold. “Marcus, slap her ten times. For every hit Sera took, Eleanor will return it tenfold.” I had no chance to resist. Julian’s assistant brutally slapped me ten times, left and right. My face throbbed, blood seeping from the corners of my mouth. My hands covered Leo’s eyes, but he cried hysterically. “Daddy, it wasn’t Mommy’s fault! That woman bullied me, and Mommy just protected me! I hate you! I hate you!” I looked at my son, struggling in my arms. My hands clutched him tightly, not allowing him to move. I endured all ten slaps. My son was crying as if his heart would break. “Mommy, let’s leave Daddy! We don’t want him anymore! Leo only wants you!” Julian’s face changed drastically, filled with extreme anger. “Eleanor, is this how you teach our son? He’s only five, and you want him to disown me as his father? You’re the malicious one! Sera doesn’t understand anything. Can’t you be more generous?” I picked up my son and started to walk out. But Julian immediately had the bodyguards block our path. “Throw them, mother and son, into the stables. They need to reflect.” We were both locked in the stables. I saw the triumphant gleam in Seraphina’s eyes. She mouthed silently, “Julian is mine!” But I knew, I would never want Julian again. The night in the stables was bitterly cold. My son, in my arms, suddenly developed a high fever. I immediately tried to open the stable door. But it was locked. I called Mrs. Gable. It was Seraphina who answered. “Eleanor, enjoying your stay in the stables? You wanted to compete with me, and now you see, Julian won’t believe a word you say. He loves me even more. You and Leo had better get as far away as possible, or I’ll make sure both of you suffer.” “Seraphina, Leo has a high fever. Let Julian talk.” “Haha, isn’t that just perfect? Your son will just burn up and become an idiot. Let me tell you, Eleanor, I’m already pregnant with Julian’s baby! The one in my belly is the true heir to the entire Sterling Group. Your son might as well become an idiot.” With a ‘snap,’ Seraphina hung up. I tried calling again, but it wouldn’t connect. I watched my son’s fever worsen in my arms. My whole body trembled. I immediately called Mrs. Gable again. Mrs. Gable said nervously, “Madam, I can’t help you. Mr. Sterling issued an order: anyone who brings you or the young master a single cup of water will be fired immediately.” The phone was hung up on me again. My eyes were filled with pain. My phone only had five percent battery left. I gently put Leo down. I slammed my entire body against the wooden door. Once wasn’t enough, then twice, then three times. My whole body was screaming in pain, but I didn’t stop. After hundreds of repetitions, the door finally burst open. My fingers were too sore to lift, but I still scooped up my son and ran outside. “Leo, hold on, Mommy will get you to the hospital right away.” Leo was so feverish he wasn’t responding. Tears streamed down my face. “Leo, Mommy will take you away. I promise.” I couldn’t drive, and no one at the villa would help me. In the middle of the night, I could only plead with Julian. I ran back to the villa. Upstairs, I burst into Julian’s room, holding Leo. I found Julian tenderly comforting Seraphina. A flicker of panic crossed Julian’s eyes, but then he said coldly, “Sera had a nightmare. She just came over to my side.” Seeing their intimate scene, I felt nothing anymore. “Julian, hurry and take our son to the hospital! He has a fever!” Julian showed a flicker of conscience. He came over and saw that Leo truly had a fever. He immediately took Leo, rushing towards the hospital. But Seraphina cried out, “Aunt Eleanor, how can you be so vicious, so cruel to Leo? You deliberately make Leo sick with a fever, just to make Julian feel sorry for him, don’t you?” Julian’s face turned grim at her words. He immediately handed Leo back to me. “Eleanor, you deliberately used our son to soften me. Since you caused this, then you walk your son to the hospital.” Julian refused. My face was deathly pale. “Julian, I’ll divorce you. Please, take Leo to the hospital now. He has a high fever, he really can’t wait.” A look of surprise crossed Julian’s eyes. In his eyes, I had never been weak. I was frighteningly calm, even in his arms, aside from shyness, there was only composure. Julian was about to speak, but Seraphina cried out, clutching her stomach. “Julian, my stomach hurts so much!” Julian looked at Seraphina. His hand unhesitatingly touched her flat abdomen. “Sera, what’s wrong?” I tugged at Julian’s arm. “Julian, take Leo to the hospital, please, please! I’ll agree to anything you want—divorce, property, I don’t care about any of it. I only want Leo.” Julian grew furious when he heard me mention divorce. “I will absolutely *not* divorce you! Eleanor, you are my wife, and that will never change!” But he picked up Seraphina and left. “Since you could solve the photo incident last time, you can solve our son’s fever this time too.” I hugged Leo and ran after Julian’s car. “Julian, please, take our child, take our child to the hospital!” But all I got was Julian speeding away, unwilling to stop for even a second. Seeing Julian’s utter resolve, I let out a hollow laugh. I was wrong, so wrong. Leo, he doesn’t deserve to be your father, and he doesn’t deserve my research. I immediately called 911 from the landline. Julian, I begged you, and you wouldn’t even take our son to the hospital. There will never be another chance.

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After my rebirth, I immediately signed up for a tourist group to Antarctica. I did this for one reason only: in my previous life, my boyfriend Bennett Foster’s adopted sister Emilia Foster had used a “system” to forcibly exchange our sense of touch with mine. She could feel my sensations, and I could feel hers. Back then, Emilia deliberately went out to do good deeds in 108-degree Fahrenheit heat, delivering water to outdoor workers. While I was clearly staying in a 61-degree air-conditioned room, I suffered heatstroke and passed out from the heat. I begged Emilia to stop the touch exchange. But she looked at me innocently and said, “Abigail Jones, if you’re going to lie, at least come up with a decent excuse.” Bennett’s tone was full of disdain. He said, “You’re so selfish. You have good conditions and hide in your air-conditioned room enjoying yourself every day, but you can’t stand Emilia helping others.” Later, Emilia deliberately stayed outside in the sun for a month. Someone filmed her “doing good deeds” and posted it online, moving countless netizens. Meanwhile, I died of heat stroke in my air-conditioned room, and no one even discovered my body. Since that’s how it was, in this life, I’ll let them experience the “coolness” of Antarctica’s minus 185 degrees Fahrenheit. ***** After the successful registration message popped up on my phone, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. The tour group would depart in three days. In this life, I would definitely make those bastards pay. At this moment, my body was already burning up like it was about to explode. Sweat poured down like a waterfall, soaking through my pajamas. I simply turned off the air conditioning, grabbed my phone, and walked outside. Standing under the blazing sun, I let out a cold smile. I thought, “Emilia, do you think you’re the only one who can sunbathe?” “Abigail, why are you standing outside?” Bennett asked. He was carrying a large watermelon, running toward me with both anxiety and concern. Today was the first day Emilia and I exchanged sensations. In my previous life on this day, I hadn’t had time to go to the hospital for a checkup, nor had I discovered that Emilia was behind it all. Back then, the moment I complained about the heat, Bennett immediately ran to the fruit store at the community entrance to buy watermelon. He deliberately put on a show of caring about me in front of me. I didn’t want to deal with him at all. I simply turned around and continued basking in the sun. Since I could only feel heat now, I wanted Emilia to experience it too. Bennett kept trying to persuade me: “Abigail, come back inside with me. If you keep standing in the sun, what if you get heatstroke? You’re usually most afraid of heat. What’s wrong with you today?” So he knew I was most afraid of heat. Then in my previous life, when I swallowed my pride and begged him and Emilia to stop the sensation exchange, why did they both just mock me? Emilia even secretly filmed me begging them and posted it online. Because what I said about “exchanging sensations” was too bizarre, no one believed me, and I was even called a “drama queen princess” by netizens. Looking at Bennett, I said, “Bennett, didn’t Emilia say I was being dramatic? Didn’t she say that since I have money, I don’t work and just stay home enjoying air conditioning? I took her words to heart, so I came outside to get some sun.” Actually, from the moment she met me, Emilia had always looked down on me. These were all things she complained about to Bennett privately on WhatsApp. Bennett was left speechless by what I said, only able to stammer, “You… you…” Our commotion attracted a group of elderly people who were enjoying the air conditioning in the lobby downstairs. One elderly person said, “Young girls these days really know how to make a fuss.” Another elderly person said to Bennett, “Wives need to be disciplined to listen. If Abigail doesn’t appreciate your kindness, you should teach her a lesson. Men these days are really too oppressed. Society has changed.” Yet another elderly person said, “He kindly told her to go back and enjoy the air conditioning, but she’s still throwing a tantrum. She really doesn’t know how to be grateful.” These people looked at me with particularly unfriendly eyes, as if I were some disobedient child from their family. I rolled my eyes directly. Not only did I not listen to them, but I started jogging in the 108-degree heat. I thought, “Emilia, I don’t believe you can still endure this heat.” Bennett turned red with anger, pointing at me with a trembling finger. He said, “Fine. You must be possessed by some evil spirit today.” After saying that, he turned and left. My expression grew cold. I thought, “Looks like he still doesn’t know that I’ve discovered the sensation exchange.” I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away, and ran even faster. Usually when I ran fast, I’d feel a dull pain in my lower abdomen, but now I felt nothing at all. Just then, my phone suddenly rang. I smiled coldly and calmly answered the video call. Emilia on the other end looked absolutely terrified. She shouted, “Abigail, why are you outside?”

I carefully observed Emilia’s disheveled state. Her face was flushed red, looking like she was about to explode, her clothes soaked with sweat, and her breathing so labored it seemed like her lungs might burst. Then, covering my mouth with a laugh, I said, “Emilia, why the sudden concern for me today?” “I just wanted to get some exercise. Honestly, running in summer feels pretty great.” Emilia was so furious she was about to explode. Today, she had deliberately gone to the construction site to bring water to the workers, even hiring an assistant to film her, wanting to document her “good deed.” At first, she felt comfortable. Despite enduring the scorching sun and walking around the construction site for hours, she didn’t feel hot at all. Instead, she felt refreshingly cool, as if she were in an air-conditioned room. But just as she was secretly celebrating the magic of this “sensory exchange system,” the sensation suddenly changed. All the previous coolness and comfort vanished, replaced by sauna-like stuffiness that left her barely able to breathe. Watching Emilia’s constantly changing expressions in the video, I suddenly lost interest in teasing her. I warned her directly: “Emilia, give up those underhanded tactics right now, or you’ll end up dead!” Emilia’s expression kept shifting, then she immediately hung up the video call. When I tried calling back, I found she had blocked me. Soon, the burning sensation on my body disappeared. Emilia must have escaped into an air-conditioned room. I also stopped running and headed home. As soon as I walked in, Bennett came over with ice water, looking “doting” as he said, “Abigail, drink some water quickly. Don’t do this anymore.” I frowned, feeling wary, and directly refused him. But the next second, someone struck me hard on the back of my neck, and I passed out immediately. When I woke up, I found Bennett had taken me to a mountain resort at over 3,000 feet elevation. It was always cool here, with temperatures never exceeding 77 degrees Fahrenheit. My heart sank. Soon, Bennett pushed open the door and entered, grinning at me: “Honey, come out with me. Everyone’s waiting for you.” With that, he dragged me outside. A pool party was being held outside, attended by all of Bennett’s friends. I rarely interacted with them normally, always feeling like their gazes held some vague malice. One man said to me with a grin, “Abigail, thanks for the treat. We’ve never been to such an expensive resort before.” Though he was smiling, his expression made me very uncomfortable. I turned to Bennett and asked directly, “What’s the meaning of this?” He was just an ordinary office worker – he must have used the family card I had linked for him. Bennett took my hand, looking tender as he said, “Abigail, aren’t you afraid of heat? This is my surprise for you.” With that, he jumped into the swimming pool and pulled me into the water. I was furious and slapped Bennett across the face. For Emilia’s sake, he was really pulling out all the dirty tricks! I was starting to feel hot and dizzy again – Emilia must be playing the good Samaritan again, delivering water to people in the blazing summer heat. That’s how it was in my previous life. Emilia went viral online with her “kind” persona while I was literally burned to death in an air-conditioned room. Now that I refused to be controlled by them, Bennett had trapped me in this mountain resort. “Get lost!” I roared. I pushed Bennett away forcefully, trying to climb onto the shore. But he pressed me down hard, holding me firmly under the cold water. The “gentleness” finally disappeared from Bennett’s face. He smiled viciously, his movements rough and forceful. Bennett said, “Abigail, since you insist on opposing Emilia, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” I was trapped in the water, my hands and feet bound, completely unable to move. If my sense of touch hadn’t been swapped, being submerged in water should have felt comfortable right now. But my body still felt dry and hot as usual. Several men brought ice cubes and kept forcing them into my mouth. One man laughed and said, “Abigail, I heard you’ve been complaining about the heat. We’re here to help cool you down. Actually, I have an even better method—how about we try it with Abigail tonight?” Another man chimed in, “You want to keep her all to yourself?” The first man replied, “I wouldn’t dare. How about we all try it with Abigail together tonight?” The men kept making disgusting comments. Bennett finally spoke up to stop them: “Enough.” The men immediately fell silent, but their eyes continued to roam up and down my body with revolting gazes. Bennett stood on the shore, looking down at me from above. There was a trace of sympathy in his eyes. Bennett said, “Abigail, just behave yourself and stop making a fuss. Things will get better in a while.” His tone was full of fake concern that made me sick. I understood what he meant. In my previous life, after I died, my body slowly rotted while my soul floated in mid-air, unable to move. Two months after my death, my bedroom was finally opened. Emilia covered her nose and disgustedly ordered someone to remove my corpse. Once they were alone, she said, “System, cancel the touch swap now. Abigail, your greatest use in this lifetime was helping me become an influencer with a million followers. Now that I’ve succeeded, it’s time for you to go.” Only then did I realize that all the abnormalities in my body were caused by her. Once she became an influencer, she would swap our senses back. Bennett said things would get better in a while? I refuse. I said, “Bennett, the biggest regret of my life is being with you.” It was my choice to be with a bad person that cost me my life. But in this lifetime, I will never let them off the hook. The trace of sympathy on Bennett’s face instantly vanished, his expression turning cold and vicious. Ever since being with me, he’d been called a man who lived off women. Bennett thought, “Abigail has been spoiled since childhood—pampered and willful. Who else but me could tolerate her?” He said angrily, “In that case, you can just stay in the water.” Trapped in the water, the dry, burning sensation on my face combined with the suffocating feeling of drowning. My skin was also swelling from being soaked. I shouted with all my strength, but they showed no reaction. Bennett’s thug friends mocked me. One man said, “Stop screaming. Even if you shout until your voice gives out, it won’t help.” Another added, “Are you trying to get our attention? Your voice sounds so sweet, it’s getting me excited.” I was so angry my chest felt tight, my heart ready to burst out. Finally, I passed out. When I woke up, I still felt unbearably hot and breathless. The next second, I realized this was a basement. Bennett stood at the doorway, expressionless. He said, “Abigail, this basement is constantly maintained at 61 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll be staying here for the next month.” After saying this, he left without looking back. The heavy door closed with a dull thud. In my rage, I threw everything within reach at the walls. The objects crashed against the walls with shattering sounds. I gripped the diamond bracelet on my left wrist, preparing to take action. Just then, the surveillance camera on the wall suddenly flashed red. A wave of unease washed over me, and I immediately stopped my movements, pretending to look fearfully at the camera.

The screen on the wall suddenly lit up. Emilia looked particularly smug, her provocative gaze seeming to pierce right through the screen and onto me. She smiled and said, “Abigail, how’s your little ‘vacation’ going? I’m so jealous. I still have to put on this whole masculine energy act to deliver water to those poor people at the bottom.” Every word Emilia spoke was dripping with malice. I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at her for even a second. But that only made her more excited as she continued flaunting in front of me: “Abigail, once I become an influencer, I’ll definitely treat you to dinner. After all, you’ve been such a huge help to me.” She was absolutely reveling in this moment. I let out a cold laugh: “Emilia, everything you’ve gained by stealing from others will never truly belong to you.” As if she’d heard something incredibly amusing, Emilia burst out laughing. She said, “Abigail, you really won’t give up until you’re completely defeated. I stole from you? That’s hilarious! If you hadn’t stolen Bennett away from me, you bitch, would I have targeted you?” I frowned deeply. So that’s what this was about? In that moment, all those things that had felt off to me before came flooding back into my mind. The first time I went to Bennett’s house, Emilia hid in her room and wouldn’t come out. His parents awkwardly explained, “She’s being difficult. Don’t mind her.” I actually believed them. After that, every time I went shopping, I’d buy gifts for Emilia, trying to improve our relationship. But she would always smash the gifts I gave her to pieces and throw them in the trash. Every time I went to their gatherings with Bennett, his friends would show subtle hostility toward me. All these things had confused me before. “Emilia, I’m warning you one last time. If you don’t make those weird spells of yours disappear, I’ll make your life miserable,” I said seriously. But Emilia completely ignored what I said. She deliberately pulled out her phone in front of me and dialed a number. Emilia’s voice turned sickeningly sweet and coy: “Bennett, I’m so upset. I just told Abigail I wanted to treat her to dinner, and she threatened me, saying she’d make sure I come to a bad end.” Emilia’s lies were pathetically obvious. But Bennett’s voice on the other end was filled with a tenderness and affection I’d never heard before. He said, “Emilia, don’t be upset. Once that bitch has no more use, I’ll sell her off to some mountain village, okay?” My emotional defenses completely crumbled. Even though I’d known what kind of person Bennett was, hearing him say something so vicious and absurd with my own ears still filled me with pain and anguish. My nails dug deep into my palms, but I felt no physical pain at all. After all, no matter how much that hurt, it couldn’t compare to the pain in my heart. Emilia laughed, showing her triumphant expression: “See that? In Bennett’s heart, you’re not worth even a strand of my hair.” Then the screen went dark. The silence around me was terrifying. I clenched my fists and suppressed that feeling of humiliation in my heart. Then I spoke to the tracking device disguised as a diamond bracelet: “Come get me.” After that, I was secretly rescued. Tomorrow was the day I’d board my flight to Antarctica. I rushed to the airport as fast as I could. The next day, Bennett had just woken up when his heart suddenly filled with panic, as if something important was about to slip out of his control. But he couldn’t figure out what it was. Bennett carried his breakfast and opened the basement door. With just one glance, his heart sank to the very bottom. Bennett thought, “Abigail is gone?” Just as my phone started ringing, I had already finished checking in for my flight. I hadn’t blocked Bennett’s number. Instead, I watched with great interest as the incoming call notifications kept appearing on my phone. I could imagine how frantic he must be. After reaching my destination, I didn’t wait a moment and immediately video-called Emilia. I smiled and said, “Surprise! Guess where I am?” Emilia felt like she’d suddenly fallen into an ice cellar and was about to faint.

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Before my best friend Mia Sanchez married the wealthiest man in town, Weston Thomas, she asked me, Emma Jackson, to help her with her premarital medical examination. After the tests, I discovered she had contracted AIDS. Considering patient privacy rights, and since Mia told me that Weston didn’t mind her having AIDS, I didn’t tell Weston about the test results. Later, Weston also contracted AIDS, but Mia went online crying and blaming me. She said, “If Emma hadn’t deliberately withheld our test results, my husband wouldn’t have gotten AIDS. This is all her fault.” Even my boyfriend Asher Wood came forward to accuse me. He said, “This isn’t the first time Emma has hurt Mia. The reason Mia got infected with AIDS is because Emma used a needle that had been used on an AIDS patient to draw her blood.” No matter how I tried to explain, no one believed me. To escape the overwhelming online attacks, I had to move to another city with my parents. But Weston was furious and drove his car into our family, killing us all. After Weston was sentenced to death, Mia inherited all of his wealth. Then she and Asher lived a luxurious life like the wealthy elite. Unexpectedly, when I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Mia came to me for her premarital examination. Mia said, “Emma, hurry up and draw my blood. Weston and I are still waiting to get our marriage license.” Seeing Mia extend her arm toward me, I was stunned for a moment, then instantly realized I had been reborn. “Emma, you need to be thorough with the examination. If Mia didn’t trust only you, I wouldn’t have brought her here,” said Weston, Mia’s boyfriend. Weston’s family had assets worth over a hundred million dollars, and he was extremely demanding about his partner. He absolutely wouldn’t allow his girlfriend to have lived with anyone else before marriage. Mia had pretended to be an innocent girl for over half a year before finally getting Weston to agree to marry her. In my previous life, hearing Weston say this moved me deeply. I really thought Mia had deep feelings for me, but I never realized she came all this way to find me for the examination solely to pin the blame for Weston getting AIDS on me. Thinking about this, I refused without hesitation. I said, “You just ate something, and blood draws require fasting. You two should go do other tests first.” As soon as I finished speaking, Asher came running over quickly. He said, “Why are there so many rules? Mia is waiting to apply for a marriage license. Emma, can’t you be flexible? Just finish their blood test quickly so we can get the results sooner.” Seeing his face, the hatred in my heart instantly reached its peak. I still clearly remember that before I died, he walked up to me and stomped hard on my head with his foot. He said, “Emma, are you regretting not telling Weston about the test results now? “Actually, your regret is useless. Even if you had told him about Mia having AIDS back then, preventing her from marrying Weston, we still could have taken you to court for violating patient privacy rights. Your fate wouldn’t have been any better than it is now. So just go die in peace.” So since I’m living again, I must make sure they get the punishment they deserve. I suppressed the intense hatred in my heart and looked at Weston. I said, “If you get blood tests now, the results might not be accurate. Mr. Thomas, you came all this way, so you certainly don’t want the blood test results to be problematic, right?” Hearing me say this, Weston nodded seriously. He said, “Mia, Emma is right. Let’s go do other tests first.” After watching them walk away, I immediately sent a text message to the director, Hudson Ortiz, telling him I wanted to resign. Only after doing this did I breathe a sigh of relief. But looking at Asher, who had been staying by my side the whole time, I still frowned. I said coldly, “Why do you keep staring at me? Don’t you have to go to work?” Asher flashed a cheerful smile, but it made me feel incredibly afraid. He said, “I took the day off, perfect for spending time with you.” Asher said he was keeping me company, but even when I went to the bathroom, he followed me every step of the way. Obviously, he was afraid I would escape and ruin his and Mia’s scheme. Finally, at noon, Mia came rushing over with Weston. She said, “Emma, hurry up and draw my blood. I’m starving to death.”

I pretended to feel dizzy and said to Mia, “Sorry, I didn’t eat breakfast this morning and I’m feeling a bit hypoglycemic. I can’t draw blood for you right now. How about I get someone else to do it?” “No.” Two voices spoke in unison. I looked at Mia and Asher in surprise. “What’s wrong?” Asher quickly smiled and put his arm around me. “Emma, Mia came all this way to find you because she trusts you. You wouldn’t want to disappoint her, would you?” Trust? I couldn’t help but smile bitterly to myself. In my past life, it was because I believed in that word that I lost my life. It was out of trust in Mia that after discovering she had AIDS, I didn’t tell Weston about the premarital examination results. But what about her? After Weston was infected with AIDS by her, she desperately cried and accused me of ruining her. She said, “If Emma had told us the results on the day of the premarital examination, I definitely would have broken up with my husband. I love him so much, how could I bear to let him get infected with AIDS? This is all Emma’s fault. She just wanted to destroy all of us!” What made me even more desperate was that even Asher, who had been with me for so many years, actually stood against me. He said, “This isn’t the first time Emma has harmed Mia. Mia got infected with AIDS because Emma used a needle that had been used on an AIDS patient to draw her blood.” With Asher’s testimony, all my explanations and rebuttals seemed powerless. No one believed me. The hospital fired me, and my house was burned down by arsonists. Finally, to survive, I had to take my family to live in another city. But at Mia’s instigation, Weston drove a big truck and killed our entire family. After I died, I saw Mia move into Weston’s villa with Asher. Only then did I finally understand that these two had been together behind my back all along. Coming back to my senses, I coldly pushed away from Asher’s embrace. “Since Mia trusts me so much, I need to be in my best condition. It’s lunchtime anyway, so I’ll go eat first.” “I have a protein bar.” Afraid I would leave, Mia immediately took a protein bar out of her purse. I didn’t take it, and Mia looked a bit embarrassed. Weston said, “Since I’m getting married today, let me treat you all to lunch.” This was exactly what I was waiting for Weston to say. Because of my insistence, Weston drove us to a restaurant. As soon as the server saw Mia, she enthusiastically approached us. “Ms. Sanchez, welcome! How come you didn’t come with your boyfriend today?” Weston looked at Mia with confusion. Mia glared at the server angrily. “What’s wrong with you? My boyfriend is standing right next to me!” “But…” the server wanted to say more. But Mia pushed her and said angrily, “This is my first time at this restaurant. You must have mistaken me for someone else.” Hearing this, the server could only keep apologizing. I almost laughed out loud. I chose this restaurant precisely because Mia used to date her ex-boyfriend here frequently. But that alone wasn’t enough. I immediately took out my phone and anonymously sent a text message to Mia’s ex-boyfriend, Dylan Cook. He probably still didn’t know that he had been infected with AIDS by Mia. After all the dishes were served, Mia finally spotted Dylan, who was constantly looking around at the restaurant entrance. Her face immediately changed. “Mia, what’s wrong?” Weston looked at her with concern. Mia lowered her head and buried her entire face in her arms, pretending to have stomach pain. She said, “Honey, I think my period just started. Could you go to the pharmacy and get me some painkillers?” I took out the ibuprofen I always carried in my bag and handed it to her. I said, “I happen to have some. Take this.” Mia glared at me fiercely, her eyes full of resentment. But she still forced a smile. “Emma, thanks for your kindness. But ibuprofen doesn’t work for me. I need naproxen.” Then she acted coquettishly toward Weston. “Honey, please. Didn’t you say you’d spoil me and love me forever?” “Alright, I’ll go right now,” Weston said. He took the car keys and left the restaurant. Just then, Dylan, who had been looking around, finally spotted Mia. He rushed over with a kitchen knife. Then he roared, “Mia, you b*tch! You infected me with AIDS!”

Mia quickly hid behind Asher in terror. However, she didn’t admit it. “Don’t make things up. I don’t have AIDS at all, so how could I possibly infect you? If you don’t believe me, just ask Asher. He works at the hospital.” Hearing Mia mention his name, Asher raised his hand and swore. He said, “That’s right, I can swear that Mia absolutely doesn’t have AIDS.” “If it wasn’t you, then why are you hiding?” Dylan roared. He was a notorious bully who had always been the one picking on others, never the one being schemed against. Even when Mia dumped him back then, he only let her go after taking tens of thousands of dollars as breakup money. After I sent him the text, he immediately went to get tested for AIDS. As soon as the results came out, he rushed over with a knife. Not wanting to be exposed, Mia quickly defended herself: “You’ve slept with so many women, what makes you think I’m the one who infected you? Besides, if I had AIDS, how could the richest man Weston still marry me?” But Dylan’s rationality had long been drowned by hatred. He raised the knife and slashed down. The blade struck Asher’s shoulder. Instantly, blood splattered everywhere, covering Mia’s face. Realizing he’d hit the wrong person, Dylan finally came to his senses. Seeing all the blood on the ground, he panicked, dropped the knife, and ran out of the restaurant. Witnessing this, the waitstaff immediately called 911. Looking at Asher who wasn’t quite dead yet, I felt disappointed. I thought to myself, “Why wasn’t he killed on the spot?” After getting the news, Weston rushed to the hospital. Mia threw herself into his arms crying, saying, “Honey, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for saving me, Asher wouldn’t have been slashed like this by that thug.” “What exactly happened?” Weston pressed. The waiter who came to the hospital with us eagerly spoke up: “That thug said Ms. Sanchez infected him with AIDS, so he came with a knife to kill her.” Upon hearing “AIDS,” Weston’s eyes widened instantly. He pushed Mia away and his expression became extremely grave. Weston asked, “You have AIDS? Didn’t you say you were a virgin?” Mia cried even louder. She said, “Honey, how could I possibly have AIDS? That man is framing me. He pursued me multiple times before and I rejected him every time. I don’t know how he found out about my wedding, so he made up this excuse to try to kill me. If I really had AIDS, wouldn’t you know once Emma finishes my pre-marital medical exam?” Mia cried pitifully. Seeing her like this, Weston gradually let his guard down. He said, “You’re right. If you really had AIDS, you would have been eager to infect me long ago.” Watching their loving display, I just thought Weston was an idiot. However, Mia’s fabricated lies were about to be exposed. After learning about the surgery from the doctor, I put on a distressed expression. I grabbed Mia’s hand and pleaded, “Mia, you must save Asher. Asher has lost too much blood, but our hospital doesn’t have enough Type B blood in stock. Among all of us here, only you have Type B blood. You’re the only one who can save him now.” A nurse immediately stepped forward and said to Mia, “Ms. Sanchez, to ensure blood safety and patient health, please come with me for a blood test.” “No. I can’t go!” Mia looked terrified and without thinking, shouted out loud. For a moment, everyone looked at her in confusion. Even Weston frowned. Suppressing my inner satisfaction, I asked her in confusion, “Mia, are you unwilling to take the blood test because you really do have AIDS?”

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Years after my husband James Lewis’s brother Daniel Lewis passed away, Daniel’s wife Grace Lewis claimed that their child Luca Lewis was the reincarnation of Ares, the god of war. She insisted that Luca was blessed by heaven with an incredibly resilient body that couldn’t be harmed. But in reality, Grace was transferring all the injuries Luca should have suffered onto my daughter Ruby Lewis. Luca was born with a congenital heart condition, yet this disease miraculously disappeared within a single day. Despite being so young, he could participate in all kinds of extreme sports without getting hurt at all. Meanwhile, my daughter Ruby’s originally healthy body grew weaker and weaker. She would suffer inexplicable full-body fractures, leaving not a single part of her uninjured. I couldn’t help but connect these two events. So I shared my suspicions with my husband James and James’s mother Hannah Lewis. But they said I was mentally unstable and accused me of being jealous that Grace had given birth to a genius son while I only had an ordinary daughter. Later, Luca challenged himself to trek across the Sahara Desert and became a hugely popular child star. But my daughter Ruby mysteriously developed heat stroke and suddenly died. Grace even posted on her social media platform, accusing me of slandering her out of jealousy. Because of this, I was stalked by Grace’s fanatical fans and eventually dismembered by them. When I opened my eyes again, I had somehow returned to the day Grace claimed Luca was a genius. This time, in my capacity as an expert physician, I put on my gloves and said to Grace, “Grace, let me examine whether Luca’s condition has truly been cured.” Grace replied, “Penelope, are you suggesting I’m lying? What would be the point of faking something like this?” Penelope Moore is my name. She held the hand of Luca, who had just emerged from the ICU looking energetic and bouncing around, and gave me a mocking expression. I clenched my fists tightly but tried my best to appear calm. I said to Grace, “I’m just concerned about Luca. After all, he needed IV fluids yesterday, and today he’s suddenly fine. I’m worried about him.” Grace said dismissively, “Fine, examine him all you want. Don’t you think I know whether my son is cured or not?” With that, she patted Luca’s back and had him walk over to me. I gave Luca a comprehensive physical examination, but the results sent chills down my spine. Luca was now four years old and had been kept alive in the ICU until now. He was born with a congenital heart condition and was so frail that he might go into shock the moment he left the hospital. But to my amazement, all his test results were now normal. His previously thin arms had grown thicker, as strong as a calf’s legs. Seeing my shocked expression, Grace impatiently pulled Luca back to her side. She said, “I told you my son is the reincarnation of Ares, the god of war. His body is incredibly resilient and can’t be harmed. What’s a heart condition to him?” How was this possible? A patient nearby couldn’t help but laugh, not quite believing Grace’s words. He said with a chuckle, “Can’t be harmed? Are you kidding me? He’s still just a little kid.” As soon as he finished speaking, Grace whispered something in Luca’s ear. Immediately, Luca ran to the window and jumped straight out. The patient shouted, “Oh my God! Someone go check if he’s okay!” Even James and Hannah were worried, but Grace wasn’t anxious at all and leisurely walked downstairs. Incredibly, Luca was standing completely unharmed at the hospital entrance. Everyone who had followed downstairs was stunned: “How is this possible? He fell from the fourth floor and doesn’t have a scratch on him?” But just then, I received a call from the kindergarten teacher. Ruby had suddenly collapsed. Moreover, after Ruby fainted, the teachers had only gently moved her, which somehow caused both her legs to fracture. I quickly asked James to go to the kindergarten and bring Ruby to the hospital. But Grace wasn’t having it. She said, “My son just recovered from his illness and wants to try something thrilling. James already promised to drive us bungee jumping.” Thinking of Ruby’s tragic fate in my previous life, I instinctively shouted, “No! You need to go pick up Ruby first!” Suddenly Hannah slapped me across the face. Hannah glared at me angrily and said, “You go get your daughter. We’re taking my grandson out to have fun. If you don’t agree, I’ll cause a scene here until you lose your job.” I was so angry my chest ached. The car at home was bought with my money, but James had been hogging the car keys, claiming he needed to frequently drive Grace to the hospital. Grace’s son had just recovered, and Ruby had an accident. What are the odds of such a coincidence? Grace must have done something. After what happened in my previous life, I knew I couldn’t count on James and Hannah to help me. I had to find the truth and ensure that Ruby and I wouldn’t die such tragic deaths again. I didn’t want to waste time arguing with them here, so I borrowed a colleague’s car and rushed to the kindergarten. I opened my phone and saw that Grace had already started a live stream. In the video, Luca leaped from a fifty-meter-high platform, and the bungee cord wasn’t properly secured, making me feel both scared and anxious. Sure enough, when Luca descended to about ten meters, the rope came loose. But Luca landed smoothly on the safety mat, completely unharmed. At that moment, I arrived at the kindergarten and saw Ruby, unconscious and with blood all over her legs.

After I rushed Ruby to the hospital, the chief of staff was worried I might make mistakes due to my panic over Ruby’s condition, so he personally came to examine her. He emerged from the examination room with a troubled expression and asked me reproachfully, “Does your daughter have congenital heart disease? Then why did you let her participate in PE class?” I was on the verge of tears and quickly said, “That’s impossible!” Ruby was born at our hospital. Right after her birth, I had my colleagues run comprehensive tests on her. She was perfectly healthy with no congenital conditions whatsoever. He continued, “Also, your daughter’s fracture was caused by significant impact force. You should ask the kindergarten teachers what happened and get to the bottom of this. This poor little girl will need at least three months to recover.” A chill ran through my entire body. I had actually already reviewed the kindergarten’s surveillance footage. But strangely, the video showed no one had touched Ruby at all. The other children were just running normally. Ruby simply started crying and complaining of pain halfway through her run. A teacher quickly called the school nurse, but the nurse couldn’t find anything wrong and had to call me immediately. Shortly after, Ruby completely passed out on the kindergarten’s couch. When the teachers tried to move Ruby to a bed, before they could even lift her, Ruby’s leg started bleeding externally, looking as if it was broken. My head was splitting with pain, and I couldn’t figure out how Grace had managed to do such a thing. When Ruby woke up, I hurried to her bedside and asked, “Baby, how do you feel? Are you still in pain?” Instantly, Ruby burst into tears, saying, “Mommy, my hands hurt too, and my body hurts. Everything feels uncomfortable.” Only then did I notice her hands and saw they were already swollen. I instinctively opened Grace’s social media and found her account had become incredibly popular. She now had around 500,000 followers. The video clips of Luca bungee jumping were still gaining traction online. Everyone was shocked by this four-year-old child taking on extreme sports. [Did evolution skip the rest of us? That’s a 164-foot platform!] [Not only did he land smoothly, he wasn’t hurt at all. This is absolutely incredible.] Riding this wave of popularity, Grace launched a series featuring Luca challenging 100 extreme sports. One fan suggested that since Luca wouldn’t get hurt, they should have him arm-wrestle with a giant lobster. I’d seen videos online showing lobster claws crushing phone screens. But Grace agreed to the suggestion without hesitation. In the video, Luca used just his chubby little hands to fend off the lobster’s attacks. His hands didn’t have a single pinch mark. I could only quickly bandage Ruby’s wounds. Then I took a deep breath, tried to calm myself, and organized what I knew so far. Grace had transferred Luca’s congenital heart disease to Ruby, and even the injuries Luca should have sustained could be transferred. Even when Ruby did nothing, the pain would still transfer to her. This was utterly bizarre. How was Grace doing this? Was it simply because Ruby and Luca were related? I had no choice but to call James directly. I said coldly, “Let’s get divorced.” James’s impatient voice came through the phone: “Just because I didn’t pick up Ruby, you want to divorce me? Do you know how many people are sending Luca gifts? You’re truly narrow-minded and ignorant. I’m thinking about our entire family’s future. You’re just unreasonably jealous of others.” To expedite the divorce, I even agreed not to take any property with me. The house and car were all purchased by me. James’s salary over the years wasn’t even enough to cover his cigarettes and alcohol. So James came back without hesitation to divorce me. Afterward, he moved into the mansion Grace had rented with the money earned from Luca’s livestreams. James even told me, “You stupid woman, even if you beg me in the future, I won’t spare you a second glance.” Grace even made our divorce a topic for her livestream. She said, “Because Luca is so talented, I wanted him to earn more money so everyone’s life could be easier. But I never expected Penelope to have such a dirty mind, actually suspecting something between James and me, and wanting to divorce James. She even lied to James about her daughter having a serious illness. I think she just doesn’t want Luca to succeed and wants to steal their affection for Luca.” Grace also said I lacked medical ethics and that I was incompetent and only knew how to be jealous of others. Suddenly, the label of being “jealous” was pinned on me. My work information was also posted online, and no one wanted me to treat them anymore. The hospital had no choice but to put me on temporary leave. But work was no longer important to me. Looking at Ruby covered in injuries, I took her back to my home and even changed her surname to mine, Moore. We had severed all ties with the Lewis family. I didn’t believe Grace could still transfer Luca’s injuries to Ruby.

I kept a close eye on Grace’s livestream activities. I learned that in three days, Grace would have Luca challenge waves dozens of feet high. But Luca was only 4.6 feet tall, not even as tall as a surfboard. Three days later, my parents and I watched the livestream with tense expressions. After hearing my suspicions, they didn’t show a hint of disbelief, completely different from James. My eyes slowly welled up with tears, and I felt deeply regretful. I should have listened to my parents from the beginning and never married that poor guy James, let alone work so hard to earn money to improve his life. Just then, sounds came from my phone. Grace and the others had already reached the beach. Luca, holding a surfboard taller than himself, rushed quickly into the sea. As expected, he was soon knocked down by the waves. But after just a moment, he swam back up without any sign of choking on water. I immediately went to check on Ruby in her room. Seeing her still sleeping peacefully, I couldn’t help but feel relieved. But the next second, Ruby started crying and spitting up water, her face instantly turning pale. I quickly called my parents over to help perform CPR on Ruby. However, Ruby continued showing signs of drowning. I hurried to check the livestream and realized that Luca had been falling and getting back up in the water until he finally succeeded at surfing. Being so small, he failed hundreds of times before succeeding. Everyone praised him as a true child prodigy, with perseverance and determination, saying even such deep seawater couldn’t harm him. I was filled with confusion. Why was this happening? How exactly was Grace doing this? Listening to Ruby’s painful cries, I truly couldn’t forgive this. After much thought, my parents and I pooled all our savings to buy the right to designate Luca’s challenge projects. To avoid exposing ourselves, I even used my friend’s account. Our family was fairly well-off, so we put up $10 million at once. Grace was tempted by the money, so the challenges she arranged for Luca next were harmless projects like “picking out ten thousand green beans.” Ruby was finally able to recover gradually and no longer had to suffer. But I still didn’t expect that despite taking my money, Grace would still decide to have Luca trek across the Sahara Desert on foot a week later. I was so angry that I immediately went to confront her, only to be blocked by her. Grace even said: “$10 million is only enough to buy naming rights for ten projects. Everyone finds these current projects boring as hell. Someone has already offered $50 million to watch Luca trek through the desert.” Rational people tried to persuade Grace after hearing this: “He’s such a small child, having to cross such a vast desert. Even if he truly won’t get hurt, his body won’t be able to handle it.” But Grace just shrugged, saying carelessly: “Don’t worry about it. Just save up money to send Luca gifts. Wait and watch Luca, this ‘God of War Ares,’ cross the desert.” I was instantly plunged into despair. What could I do? As long as Luca went to the desert, Ruby would definitely die again. Looking at Ruby lying in bed, her whole body wrapped in bandages, I cried out in grief. But Ruby reached out her little hand to comfort me: “Mommy, don’t cry. It’s my fault for always being sick.” “No, it’s not.” I said through my sobs, a flash of determination in my eyes. I couldn’t let Ruby die inexplicably again after being given a second chance at life. I convinced my parents to sell our house in the city and move to the countryside. Then I took out $5 million and contacted Grace again. Grace replied: [This amount isn’t enough to make me give up the desert challenge.] I quickly responded: [You don’t need to give up the challenge. I just want to see up close how the ‘God of War Ares’ crosses the desert. Just have Luca bring a phone mount and livestream in first-person view in real time.] This was basically free money, so Grace immediately agreed. On the day of the challenge, I stared intently at Luca’s first-person livestream on my phone. He walked step by step across the desert, and you could feel the heat waves even through the screen. Even Grace, sitting in an air-conditioned car, was sunburned red all over her face from the scorching heat. But Luca showed no reaction at all. At that moment, Ruby’s voice came from the room: “Mommy, I’m so hot, I feel so uncomfortable.” Even though the air conditioning in the room was set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, Ruby’s face was still flushed red, her whole body looking as if it had been sunburned. Then I looked at Luca’s feet in the camera feed. I finally knew exactly what Grace had done, and how she was transferring Luca’s pain and illness to Ruby.

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I wasn’t pregnant at all, yet I was popping abortion pills like candy. In my previous life, after my husband Joseph Price’s brother Cooper Price died, his wife Sofia Price got pregnant and somehow transferred all her pregnancy symptoms onto me. She’d happily munch on seafood tacos with her growing belly while I’d be rushed to the hospital from severe morning sickness and stomach pain. She’d strut around in crop tops all day, showing off her smooth, flawless skin, while my stomach was covered in ugly stretch marks. When I went to Joseph and told him what was happening, he impatiently shoved me away. He said, “Even if you want my attention, there should be limits. Cooper’s dead, and Sofia’s carrying Cooper’s only child. It’s perfectly normal for me to be good to her. Do you really have to cause trouble on purpose?” After that, Sofia’s behavior became even worse and more vicious. During her pregnancy, she started doing crazy dangerous things and even ate mango cake that she was allergic to. From the severe allergic reaction, I went into shock and was hospitalized, my life hanging by a thread. When I went to the hospital for tests, the doctors couldn’t explain why I was sick and could only conclude that my intense jealousy was causing psychosomatic symptoms. Later, to create her image as a hot single mom, Sofia started livestreaming workout sessions while heavily pregnant. After she danced frantically for three hours, my uterus literally fell out, I bled profusely, and died. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Sofia announced her pregnancy. ***** After Cooper’s death, Sofia used her pregnancy with Cooper’s child to demand that Joseph take care of both her and me simultaneously. Joseph’s mother Ella Price was naturally thrilled and immediately agreed, even bringing Sofia corn chowder that had been simmering for hours. But the moment Sofia took a tiny sip of the corn chowder, my stomach immediately felt terrible. I couldn’t help but dry heave. Sure enough, living through this again, my situation hadn’t changed. I wasn’t pregnant at all, yet the morning sickness that should have been Sofia’s was happening to me instead. While I was lost in thought, Sofia pushed away the corn chowder in disgust, demanding super spicy seafood tacos. She said, “Joseph, this soup is too bland. I’m carrying a baby and want something with more flavor. Please?” Joseph looked at Sofia’s coquettish behavior with indulgent eyes and sighed helplessly. “Fine. Besides seafood tacos, what else do you want?” Sofia smiled and said, “Great! I also want mango cake and pickles.” Hearing Sofia rattle off a list of unhealthy foods, I immediately stepped in front of her. If I let her mess around like this, just one bout of morning sickness would torture me to the point of not wanting to live. I quickly said, “Joseph, Sofia’s pregnant now. How can you let her eat these nutritionally empty foods?” Ella, who had expected me to make a scene about her making Joseph care for both Sofia and me, was stunned when she heard me showing such concern for Sofia’s health, then immediately agreed with me. She said, “Exactly. When a woman’s pregnant, she should eat light, nutritious foods. How can she eat such unhealthy junk? Joseph, don’t spoil Sofia.” But after hearing this, Sofia’s eyes immediately welled up with tears and she started crying loudly. She said, “Ariana, why do you have to deliberately make things difficult for me? I’m just pregnant and want to eat something that’ll help my appetite.” Ariana Myers is my name. After a pause, Sofia continued, “Are you mad that I stole Joseph from you, so you’re treating me this way? Fine. I’ll schedule an abortion right now, get rid of the baby, and leave.” It was the same situation as my previous life. Ever since Sofia got pregnant, I’d been experiencing all sorts of pregnancy symptoms, so I immediately suspected Sofia was behind it. But because Sofia was pregnant and really good at playing the victim, Joseph didn’t believe a word I said. He said, “Are you making up these lies because you’re jealous that I’m paying more attention to Sofia, trying to get me to believe you? Even if you want my attention, there should be limits. Cooper’s dead, and Sofia’s carrying Cooper’s only child. It’s perfectly normal for me to be good to her. Do you really have to cause trouble on purpose?” After that, Joseph moved out with Sofia and took care of her attentively. Whenever he caught me going to their place, he’d ruthlessly kick me out. Several times, I collapsed from morning sickness right at their doorstep. Joseph would carefully hold Sofia while mocking me, “When you’re done with your act, get lost. Sofia’s carrying a child and can’t see someone as unlucky as you.” Joseph and Sofia lived outside for three months. During this time, I was hospitalized fifty times for strange reasons like morning sickness, allergic reactions, and signs of miscarriage. Later, to create her image as a hot single mom, Sofia started livestreaming workouts at six months pregnant. After she danced frantically for three hours, my uterus literally fell out, I bled profusely, and died. When I opened my eyes again, I had actually been reborn. This time, I had to find the key to solving this predicament. With that thought, I met Sofia’s currently hateful gaze and proactively bowed my head to apologize. I said, “Sofia, I didn’t mean to make you angry. Since you want those things, I’ll personally go buy them for you.” Though I said this out loud, I secretly decided to pick up a bottle of abortion pills while I was at it. Since Sofia could use pregnancy side effects to torture me, I might as well give her an even harsher taste of her own medicine.

Joseph didn’t expect me to be so cooperative and swallowed back the harsh words he was about to say. Even Ella and Sofia standing nearby were stunned. Before they could react, I grabbed my things, turned around, and ran out of the house to the supermarket 3 miles away. When I returned carrying a large bag of groceries, Sofia frowned. She inspected the snacks in the plastic bags one by one. Then she said with disgust, “Ariana, I wanted the extra spicy seafood taco. Why did you only buy the mild one? And this cake—I wanted mango flavor, but you bought strawberry. Are you deliberately going against me?” But I completely ignored her complaints, staring intently at her belly instead. Because on my way back, I had already drunk an entire bottle of abortion pills. I wanted to see if she would be affected by my taking the medication. But Sofia remained calm with no reaction whatsoever. Was the dosage I took not enough? Just as I was puzzling over this, Sofia smiled maliciously, “Ariana, it seems you didn’t take my words seriously at all.” She deliberately put on a pitiful act: “Sigh, it’s all my fault for only discovering I was pregnant after Cooper died. If I had known you hated me this much, I shouldn’t have kept this child.” With that, Sofia began frantically hitting her own belly. Immediately, sharp, needle-like pain shot through my abdomen. She was doing this on purpose. I endured the pain and put on a sincere apologetic expression: “Sofia, I was thinking about your health. I remember you became allergic to mangoes after getting pregnant, so I switched to a different flavor cake. You’re pregnant now—if you had an allergic reaction and it affected the baby, that would be terrible. Cooper only left behind this one child, so please don’t be stubborn.” Hearing me say this, Ella remembered her deceased eldest son Cooper and quickly urged Sofia not to go too far. Ella even praised me for being thoughtful and considerate. Sofia wanted to act coquettish and seek help from Joseph, but he was also worried about something happening to the baby, so he went along with persuading her not to make a fuss. He said, “Ariana is doing this for you and the baby’s good. Be good—once the baby is born, I’ll take you to eat whatever you want.” Watching them interact intimately right in front of me, I fought back nausea and ran to the bathroom, where I swallowed another entire bottle of abortion pills. But Sofia still showed no reaction. How infuriating! I hadn’t expected this side effect transfer to be one-way only. By this time, Joseph had already unwrapped the seafood taco for Sofia and was hand-feeding her the strawberry cake. Fortunately, I had switched everything Sofia wanted to eat to relatively safe options this time, so the morning sickness wasn’t as severe as before. I also didn’t go into allergic shock from the mango cake again. I finally breathed a sigh of relief and dragged my exhausted body back to the bedroom to rest. But lying in bed, I couldn’t sleep at all. As long as I couldn’t figure out what was really going on, Sofia could control me at any time. Just as I was thinking about how to solve this predicament, my stomach began to feel uncomfortable. The next moment, I suddenly threw up. The vomit even contained blood streaks and bile. I hugged the toilet, vomiting continuously, carefully trying to recall if I had eaten something I shouldn’t have. Just then, I suddenly remembered something and quickly opened my phone to find Sofia’s Instagram account. I discovered she had actually gone out alone with her big belly to eat barbecue. She had even posted a video showing off, with the caption: [Got cravings while pregnant with the baby, so I had to sneak out alone to eat something delicious.]

In the video, Sofia held spicy barbecue in one hand and an ice-cold Coke in the other, laughing with pure joy. My usual preference for bland food, combined with morning sickness, had already left me breaking out in cold sweats. Seeing this, I angrily called Sofia directly. When she answered, Sofia pretended she knew nothing. She said, “Ariana, it’s so late—why aren’t you asleep yet? I’m still out having barbecue. If there’s nothing important, don’t bother me. Oh, and I hope you’ll keep this secret from Ella. You know how she tends to worry about everything.” Before she could finish, I lowered my voice and snapped, “Sofia, what exactly did you do to me? Why are all your pregnancy side effects transferring to me after you got pregnant?” But Sofia on the other end deliberately ignored my question, even calling out to the owner for several more orders of extra-spicy barbecue. I felt incredibly nauseous, vomiting violently, my whole body trembling with weakness. Sofia pretended she had no idea what I was talking about: “Ariana, do you have some kind of persecution complex? What could a pregnant woman like me possibly do to you? You’re not trying to compete with me for Joseph’s attention by pretending to suffer because I’m pregnant, are you? Just admit you’re putting on an act, and I’ll stop eating all this stuff.” Hearing her deliberately order more spicy, greasy barbecue, my stomach cramped violently. I could only cry and admit, “Yes, you’re right. I’m just acting. Please stop messing around, okay?” Unexpectedly, the next second, Joseph’s angry voice came through the phone: “Ariana, you’ve disappointed me beyond words.” Immediately after, Sofia hung up with a loud laugh. After another bout of violent vomiting, I used my last bit of strength to call 911. Fortunately, the ambulance arrived in time. After being unconscious for 8 hours, I finally woke up. This time, I had gone into shock from severe dehydration due to the morning sickness. However, looking at my medical chart, the doctor couldn’t find any cause for my illness. He said, “I performed an endoscopy and ran blood tests, but found no problems. Do you have any thoughts? Any idea what might be causing this?” I didn’t answer the doctor’s question. Instead, I immediately asked him to process my discharge papers and rushed straight home to confront the person who had really made me this way. The moment I saw Sofia, I pressed a knife to her throat. Sofia screamed, “Ariana, what are you doing?” I stared intently at her belly. Then I said coldly, “I don’t have time for your games. Tell me now—why do all your pregnancy side effects transfer to me?” Sofia said pitifully, “Ariana, what are you talking about? Do you really have a persecution complex?” I moved the knife closer to her belly: “Stop pretending. Talk.” Sofia screamed in terror: “Okay, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.” But the next second, she put on a pitiful expression and started crying, shouting, “Joseph, come save me!” Joseph actually snuck up behind me while I wasn’t paying attention, snatched the knife from my hand, and kicked me in the chest. He roared, “Ariana, you dare hurt Sofia? Do you want to die?” Ella also rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face. She cursed, “Damn it! You evil woman! I thought you’d finally grown up. Turns out you had such wicked intentions all along. You actually dared to harm my grandchild? I’ll beat you to death!” Joseph and Ella immediately called the police, saying they had to teach me a lesson. Facing a room full of police officers, Joseph directly played the recording from that night when he accompanied Sofia to eat barbecue. He said, “My wife Ariana insists that Sofia transferred all her pregnancy side effects to her. But she clearly admitted with her own mouth that all these reactions were fake. She was deliberately trying to compete with Sofia for my attention. Today she even dared to threaten Sofia with a knife. Please arrest this vicious woman immediately.” The police were initially somewhat skeptical of Joseph’s claims. But when they clearly heard me say in the recording, “Yes, you’re right. I’m just acting,” their expressions immediately changed. They put handcuffs on me directly and warned me sternly, “Just because of jealousy, you actually went this far. You’re truly incomprehensible.” I struggled desperately, trying to explain to the police, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Sofia smiling as she bit into a piece of mango. Instantly, a severe allergic reaction gripped my throat like invisible hands. My limbs began convulsing uncontrollably, and I could only tremble as I begged everyone present for help. But Joseph just sneered coldly, completely indifferent. He said, “Look, this woman is acting again. Today I’ll let you all witness it firsthand.” I clenched my fists tightly, mustering my last breath of strength as I collapsed into the arms of the female officer beside me. I told the officer, “I’m not acting. Please, get me to a hospital.” Seeing my pale complexion, the officer finally realized something was seriously wrong and quickly moved to support me as we prepared to leave. However, Joseph and Ella blocked our path, demanding that I apologize to Sofia before I could go anywhere. Joseph even said to me, “If I ever catch you trying to hurt Sofia again, we’re getting divorced immediately.” After hearing his words, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up in the hospital again, the doctors were frantically scratching their heads. They couldn’t understand why all my test results came back normal when I had clearly suffered from anaphylactic shock for no apparent reason. In the end, they could only recommend that I see a psychiatrist. I let out a bitter laugh and told them to just prescribe me some sleeping pills and painkillers. Having no other options, they reluctantly complied, giving me a handful of pills before discharging me. The police classified our incident as a domestic dispute and didn’t pursue any serious charges against me. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I quickly packed my belongings and decided to return to my parents’ house. Fortunately, my parents believed me completely. They took me to the hospital for comprehensive tests, but once again, no problems were found. Afterward, they patiently comforted me and told me to rest well. I smiled and nodded in agreement. But suddenly, a sharp, dropping pain shot through my lower abdomen. It felt like invisible hands were violently tearing at my uterus. Blood began flowing out as well. Instinctively, I searched for Sofia’s social media account online. There, I saw she had started a weight-loss livestream under the banner of “Single Hot Mom.” In the video, Sofia, nearly five months pregnant, wore a tight corset and was jumping around energetically in front of the camera. She even said to the camera, “If women don’t stay thin, men won’t love them. Even when pregnant, we need to maintain good body management.” Clutching my agonizing stomach, I trembled with rage, wanting nothing more than to kill Sofia. Just then, I received a mysterious phone call. This time, I finally understood what was really going on.

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After the class reunion ended, my good friend Olivia Greene naturally expected me, Adeline Moore, to be the designated driver and take everyone home. I agreed, but halfway through, we got rear-ended by a limited edition Rolls-Royce. The owner claimed to be a wealthy overseas businessman. He said filing an insurance claim would be too much trouble, and that hitting my car must have been fate’s arrangement, so he generously gave me the car. Later, when Olivia saw me driving the luxury car every day, she went crazy with jealousy. She tampered with my car when I wasn’t looking, causing me to crash and die. My boyfriend Noah Thomas not only didn’t help me, but insisted I had been driving while fatigued. My parents couldn’t handle the shock and died of sudden heart attacks. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day of the class reunion. ***** “Let me drive this car. I’m more familiar with the roads around here, so it’ll be safer if I drive and take everyone home.” Olivia’s voice reached my ears. I snapped my eyes open to see her holding the car keys in one hand, looking at everyone with eager eyes. I realized that Olivia had also been reborn. Seeing my silence, she tentatively pushed my shoulder. “Adeline, I’m only offering to drive your car because I can see everyone’s tired from tonight. Don’t read too much into it.” In my previous life, Olivia knew I was allergic to alcohol and couldn’t drink, which is why she kept convincing me to drive to the reunion. Whenever classmates said they were worried about missing the last train and wanted to leave early, she would point at me with a cheerful smile and say: “Don’t worry, Adeline will take us all home. She used to be student council president, so I’m sure she’d be happy to serve us. In the future, when you guys have emergencies, feel free to call her for rides like I do. She’s so kind, she won’t refuse.” Back then, I thought she was just speaking casually, and since I considered her a good friend, I was genuinely willing to help her. But now, hearing those words again, they sounded nothing but sarcastic. It took dying once to understand that she had simply been treating me like a servant. I snapped back to reality and snatched the car keys back. “This is my car. If you’re really so considerate, you can pay to call rides for everyone.” Olivia froze for a moment, then turned to everyone with a hurt expression: “So Adeline deliberately drove here tonight just to show off her money! Her car isn’t even that expensive anyway. Does she really need to be so precious about it…” As soon as she finished speaking, everyone turned to look at me, whispering among themselves. “She’s always been pretentious. Even after graduation, she’s still like this.” “Olivia is so kind, being friends with someone like that for so many years.” “It’s just a car. If you love it so much, why don’t you just lock it up at home and never drive it!” Noah also pulled me aside and said: “Come on, Adeline. Olivia’s just being nice, wanting to take everyone home. Just let her do it.” I looked at him, fury burning in my chest. If I hadn’t been reborn, I would never have known that he had been hooking up with Olivia all along. I jerked my hand away from his. “Did you forget that Olivia just had alcohol? If she drives my car and something happens, who’s going to take responsibility?” The air fell silent for a few seconds, and everyone began exchanging glances. “That’s actually a good point. Forget it, Olivia. Since she won’t let you use her car to drive us, let’s just call rides home.” Hearing this, Olivia panicked and quickly waved her hands. “No! I have to personally drive everyone home! I only had a tiny sip of alcohol! Besides, it’s past 1 AM now – there are no DUI checkpoints. Trust me.” As she spoke, she pressed down on my car keys with considerable force. Of course I knew why she was so insistent. In my previous life, while I was driving, I got rear-ended by a Rolls-Royce. The owner claimed to be a wealthy overseas businessman who didn’t want to deal with insurance and just gave me the car. But how could she believe that such good fortune really existed in the world – a luxury car worth millions of dollars just given away like that? Seeing that I still wouldn’t agree, she suddenly started crying: “It’s so late now, and we have several girls here. Taking rides would be so dangerous! It’s safer if we drive ourselves back. Adeline, if you think we’re taking advantage of you, I can transfer gas money to you for everyone.” She pulled five hundred dollars from her purse and handed it to me. “Is this enough?” Noah grabbed the money and placed the car keys in Olivia’s palm, his tone mocking. “Just agree already! Olivia is genuinely worried about everyone’s safety. I think you’re just jealous that she’s prettier and more popular than you.” I was about to argue back when Olivia had already plopped down in the driver’s seat. The others pulled me toward the back row. “Hurry up, I’m dead tired.” After getting in the car, I clearly heard Olivia lower her voice and say excitedly: “Just wait. This time, that luxury car will be mine!” I took a deep breath and sneered inwardly. Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish.

Olivia hit the road with excitement written all over her face. I could see her eyes in the rearview mirror—they were gleaming in a way that was honestly kind of scary. “Olivia, slow down!” the passenger in the front seat couldn’t help but remind her. She chuckled and said, “Relax, I’m a great driver!” Maybe she was too excited, or maybe the alcohol was getting to her, but she’d barely made it out of the parking lot when she suddenly took a sharp turn. My heart jumped, and before I could say anything, I heard a loud “BANG!” An electric bike got knocked over, and the middle-aged woman riding it, Riley Sanchez, hit the ground. Everyone in the car instantly panicked. “Olivia, what the hell was that driving?” “Can you even drive? Maybe we should let Adeline take over!” Hearing everyone’s complaints, Olivia went pale as a sheet, gripping the steering wheel with trembling hands. Noah panicked too and quickly helped Olivia unbuckle her seatbelt: “Olivia, get in the back seat, now!” He lowered his voice, his eyes darting around: “When the cops get here, just say Adeline was driving.” I stared at him in disbelief: “You want me to take the fall for her?” Noah stuck his neck out defiantly: “Olivia’s your best friend—what’s wrong with helping her out? You haven’t been drinking, and the car’s insured. What are you worried about?” With that, he yanked Olivia out of the driver’s seat: “Olivia, hurry up. I won’t let anything happen to you.” But Olivia suddenly snapped back to reality and glanced down at her watch. She shook her head frantically, broke free from Noah’s grip, and ran over to the electric bike. Crouching down in front of Riley, she asked: “How much do you want? Name your price—as long as you don’t call the police, I’ll pay whatever you ask!” Everyone started whispering among themselves. “What’s gotten into Olivia? A private settlement’s gonna cost a fortune.” “Yeah, what if she asks for a ton of money?” “Olivia, Adeline’s car has insurance. You should just come back.” Olivia completely ignored them and urgently pressed Riley: “Come on, show me your payment code. I’m in a hurry!” Riley struggled to her feet and looked her up and down: “You’re just gonna leave like that? How do I know there won’t be any complications later?” Olivia pointed at my car: “If you’re worried about complications, then take pictures of my license plate. But I really have something urgent to deal with. Just name any amount—I’ll make it worth your while.” Noah looked completely confused and quickly grabbed her: “Olivia, are you drunk out of your mind?” Olivia quietly pulled Noah aside and whispered something in his ear. Noah’s expression changed instantly, and he immediately turned to shout at Riley: “Olivia’s right—the license plate’s right there. If anything comes up later, just track down this car. We really need to leave right now!” I thought they were being absolutely ridiculous. This was my car! I quickly pulled out my phone to secretly record, then got out of the car: “I’m calling the police and the insurance company—” Before I could finish, Noah clamped his hand over my mouth: “No way!” Seeing everyone staring at him, he stammered: “Olivia was kind enough to give everyone a ride home today. We can’t throw her under the bus. If the cops arrest her, she’ll have a criminal record. What about her reputation?” How ridiculous—what about my reputation? Before I could respond, Noah leaned close to my ear with a nasty tone: “Adeline, you’re gonna get this car deregistered tomorrow. When I have money later, I’ll get you a new one.” Olivia pulled him over and said coldly to me: “Enough. You just want to squeeze some money out of me, don’t you? I suggest you think bigger—there’s nothing money can’t solve.” Hearing this, Riley didn’t hesitate to hold up five fingers. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, immediately scanned Riley’s payment code, and transferred fifty thousand dollars. Riley was stunned. Olivia looked completely relaxed: “I thought it was gonna be more than that. It’s just fifty grand.” Everyone was even more shocked. “Olivia, didn’t you say your family’s financial situation wasn’t great? How do you suddenly have so much money?” “Yeah, that person doesn’t even seem badly hurt—just some scraped skin at most.” “Did you pay too much?” Riley swallowed hard, quickly got back on her electric bike, and rode off: “Well, in that case, this matter ends here. This was voluntary on your part—don’t come looking for me later!” Everyone wanted to chase after her, but Olivia stopped them. She looked smug and said mysteriously: “After tonight, I’m gonna be rich. That fifty thousand was just buying peace of mind—no big deal.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Olivia settled back into the driver’s seat, muttering under her breath: “Good thing that woman didn’t mess things up. My luxury car should be showing up any minute now.” Noah was equally excited, rubbing his hands together as he said: “This is great! We’re about to become rich!” The passengers in the back seat ignored them completely, thinking these two had lost their minds. Sure enough, ten minutes later, when Olivia drove to the stretch of road where she’d been rear-ended in her previous life, a limited edition Rolls-Royce slowly appeared behind them. Seeing that car, Olivia trembled with excitement: “That’s it!” Before she’d even finished speaking, she slammed on the brakes. The next second, the Rolls-Royce crashed hard into them. The classmates in the back seat finally couldn’t take it anymore and started yelling at Olivia: “Why are we so unlucky tonight!” “Olivia, if you can’t drive, don’t take someone else’s car out to show off!” “Let us out right now! We’re not riding in this car anymore!” “Olivia, you didn’t do that on purpose, did you?” Facing their accusations, Olivia just sneered: “Really? When I become a millionaire, don’t come crawling to me.” After saying this, she pushed open the car door and put on a panicked act, walking around to the back of the car to check: “What happened…” A man in his thirties quickly got out of the Rolls-Royce, wearing quite a bit of gold jewelry on his hands. He frowned and demanded: “Why did you suddenly brake?” Olivia looked innocent as she said: “Huh? I didn’t notice. Isn’t there a crosswalk up ahead? I just wanted to slow down a bit.” She blinked her eyes, putting on a pitiful expression. Noah stared intently at that Rolls-Royce, barely able to look away: “Olivia, you were right, it really…” He looked up at the car owner, and his tone immediately became aggressive: “Either way, rear-ending means the car behind is fully at fault, right? How can you yell at her? So tell us, how do you plan to compensate?” I spoke up at the right moment, pretending to be flustered: “This is my car, and now it’s damaged like this…” Olivia immediately glared at me: “What do you mean yours? I’m driving the car, so it’s mine! I was just being nice since we’re good friends and let you drive it all this time. I never thought you’d actually claim the car was yours now.” Noah chimed in with a laugh: “That’s right, I can testify to that. I’m Adeline’s boyfriend, so I know better than anyone. Olivia was just being considerate of her feelings and never called her out on it.” Hearing this, the people around started pointing at me and making snide remarks: “So Adeline loves to put on airs like this.” “She drives Olivia’s car but now claims it’s hers. How fake.” “This is so embarrassing.” Just then, the Rolls-Royce owner looked down at his phone, and his face instantly turned pale. He stumbled as he interrupted everyone, looking directly at Olivia: “You said you’re the car owner, right? Look, I just got back from overseas and I’m not familiar with the domestic police and insurance procedures. Besides, my family has plenty of cars like this.” His voice was trembling: “Since I hit you, I’ll just give you this car.” As soon as he said this, the entire scene fell silent, with everyone discussing in shock: “No way! Olivia’s luck is incredible!” “That guy just gave Olivia a luxury car worth millions of dollars!” “Oh my God, she’s so lucky!” Olivia was so excited her eyes were red, but she still tried to appear composed as she waved her hand: “Actually, you don’t have to do this…” The car owner turned to look at me: “I could give it to you instead.” As soon as he said this, Olivia immediately rushed over and grabbed the car owner’s arm: “In that case, I’ll accept it! Let’s handle the transfer paperwork tomorrow. When would be convenient for you?” The man was sweating profusely and hurriedly handed her a string of numbers: “Tomorrow at 3 PM, I’ll wait for you at the DMV.” After saying this, he quickly hailed a taxi and left in a hurry. After that man left, Olivia circled the Rolls-Royce like she was possessed, muttering nonstop: “I got it! This time it’s finally mine!” She turned to show off to everyone: “Did you see that? This is destiny!” Noah was so excited he could barely speak coherently: “Olivia, you’re amazing! This is a luxury car worth millions of dollars! We’re really going to be rich!” I took a deep breath and carefully examined my car’s trunk. Although this car looked a bit old, it was an imported car my parents specifically bought for me back then. Once damaged, many parts would need to be imported for repairs, and the repair costs could even exceed buying a new car. I looked up at this group of excited people and said calmly: “You promised him you wouldn’t go through insurance, so please cover my repair costs.” As soon as I finished speaking, Noah pointed at me mockingly: “Why is everything about money with you? I never realized you were so materialistic, Adeline. You really disappoint me.” He shook his head with disgust: “Let’s just break up.” The others also cast disdainful looks at me. “Didn’t you say the car wasn’t yours? What are you pretending for now?” “I think you’re just jealous that Olivia suddenly got a luxury car and you’re psychologically unbalanced.” I laughed in anger and directly pulled out the vehicle registration: “Look clearly – that’s my name on it.” Olivia just snorted coldly without concern: “The car is indeed registered under her name, but the person who bought her this car was me. Adeline used to always bully me and forced me to give her a car after graduation. That’s probably why she’s saying this. But whatever, it’s just an old discontinued car – how much could it be worth?” Hearing this, everyone looked at me with even more contempt. “So you forced Olivia to buy you a car? You’re shameless.” “Are you money-crazy? Noah, you did the right thing – you should have broken up with someone like this long ago!” I didn’t bother addressing her slander and just smiled faintly: “The entire trunk is deformed. Repair costs will be at least five hundred thousand dollars.” Hearing this, Olivia turned red with anger: “Five hundred thousand dollars? This car costs five hundred thousand! Adeline! You’re seeing that I have money now and deliberately trying to scam me!” I shrugged indifferently: “If you don’t believe me, I’ll file an insurance claim right now.” Noah quickly grabbed my hand: “Don’t file! If you file insurance, that car owner might not give me that car!” Olivia gritted her teeth and operated on several platforms using her and Noah’s phones. A few minutes later, she actually transferred five hundred thousand dollars to me. I caught a glimpse of their phone screens, clearly showing they had borrowed from several online lending platforms. After I discovered this, she said proudly: “Once I get the car tomorrow, I’ll sell it. This small amount of money means nothing to me.” Noah also laughed and said: “Just a few hundred thousand dollars – consider it charity for you.” I smiled without saying more, watching Olivia excitedly drive away in that Rolls-Royce. That night, she took hundreds of photos with the Rolls-Royce and uploaded them to social media. To show off, she even invited everyone in our class group chat to watch her pick up the car, boasting she’d give each attendee ten thousand dollars for travel expenses. The next afternoon, I went too. As soon as I arrived, I saw Noah intimately holding Olivia. When he saw me, he looked disdainful: “I thought you were so high and mighty, but you still came running for a little money.” Others also made snide remarks. “Exactly, she acted so aloof yesterday.” “Sure enough, no one can resist the temptation of money.” I didn’t respond. I wasn’t there for the ten thousand dollars, but to see how they would handle what came next. Quite a few classmates had gathered at the DMV entrance, all waiting to see Olivia become the owner of a luxury car. She wore designer clothes and exquisite makeup, looking radiant. She proudly waved the Rolls-Royce keys: “Everyone’s here! After we finish the paperwork, we’ll go to the most expensive restaurant to celebrate! My treat today!” Everyone chimed in with various compliments and flattery. Finally, at three o’clock in the afternoon, after the Rolls-Royce was sent for inspection, Olivia confidently dialed the other party’s number. However, the number turned out to be disconnected. Olivia was stunned and dialed again. The same message played. Her face began to turn pale: “What’s going on…” Just then, a DMV employee ran out in panic: “Who’s Olivia? There’s a problem with your car – we can’t process the paperwork!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “398216”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Rebirth #BestFriends #Betrayal #Revenge

I was married to Elara for twenty years, and for ten of those years, I cared for her bedridden mother, Mrs. Albright. I put my own life on hold, helping Elara’s mother rise from a local community college instructor to a renowned university professor. Everyone praised me as the perfect husband, the greatest asset to the Albright family. On her deathbed, Mrs. Albright clutched my hand, her voice weak but firm, wishing I could be her son-in-law again, even in the next life. Elara hugged me tight, her voice thick with gratitude. “Leo, you’ve sacrificed so much for us these past years. I promise, I’ll make it all up to you.” I thought my suffering was finally over. But before Mrs. Albright’s grave was even settled, Elara shoved a divorce agreement into my hands, then turned and embraced Caleb, my supposed best friend, the guy I’d grown up with. She said, “Leo, I’ve tolerated you for twenty years. I’m finally free.” “The man I truly love has always been Caleb.” I walked away with nothing but the clothes on my back. I ended up on the streets, lost and broken, until a car accident brutally cut my life short. Then I opened my eyes again, and I was back. Back at my blind date, twenty years ago. Ms. Gable, the matchmaker, was practically gushing, rattling off Elara’s virtues: “This young lady is a real catch, a diamond in the rough! She’s got a wonderful heart, so dedicated to her family. Any man who marries her will be set for life!” I looked at the refined, seemingly sincere woman across from me, and a cynical smile touched my lips. Then I crumpled the profile sheet in my hand and tossed it straight into the nearest trash can. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’re a good match.”

The smile on Elara’s face froze. She adjusted her glasses, her tone still mild. “Mr. Hayes, have I given you the wrong impression?” “We can take our time getting to know each other. No need to rush to conclusions.” Ms. Gable looked frantic, grabbing my arm. “Oh, Leo, what are you thinking?!” “A brilliant young woman like Ms. Albright? They don’t make them like her anymore! You’d be lucky to find someone half as good!” “Don’t mess this up!” I gently pulled my hand away, my gaze calm as I looked at Elara. In my last life, that gentle, refined demeanor had fooled me for an entire lifetime. I believed her humble background was just a temporary hurdle, and that her integrity was beyond reproach. So I emptied my savings, passed on my scholarship to art school, and settled down with her in that quiet town. I cooked, cleaned, entertained her superiors, and navigated the politics, paving every single step of her path to success. And what did I get? Once she achieved everything, she just kicked me away like a worn-out stepping stone. I curved my lips into a slight, bitter smile. “Ms. Albright, it’s not a misunderstanding. You’re a wonderful woman. I simply don’t deserve you.” With that, I stood up, grabbed my bag, and walked away. “Leo!” Elara grabbed my wrist. I turned back, my gaze cold. She seemed to realize her lapse in composure and loosened her grip. “Mr. Hayes, I just feel it’s a shame.” “I promised my mother I’d find a reliable and caring husband, just like you.” “I…” “Then you should keep looking,” I interrupted, shaking her hand off forcefully. “Ms. Albright, please stop following me. It’s a bad look.” I walked out of the noisy coffee shop without looking back. The early summer breeze kissed my face, carrying a hint of warmth. I exhaled slowly, a long, deep sigh of pure relief. It felt good. Everything could still be changed. Just then, my supposed best friend, Caleb, called. I swiped to answer, and his voice, thick with feigned concern, immediately came through. “Hey, Leo, how did the blind date go?” “Ms. Gable said Ms. Albright is a really wonderful woman. Did you meet her?” I leaned against a sycamore tree on the sidewalk, watching the dappled shadows dance. A cynical chuckle escaped me. “I did.” “That’s great! How is she? Is she everything Ms. Gable said?” “Yeah, she’s a diamond in the rough,” I said, my voice deliberately flat. Caleb on the other end seemed to let out a breath of relief, his voice overflowing with thinly veiled excitement. “I knew it! Leo, you have to seize this opportunity!” “A man, you know, getting a good wife and settling down is more important than anything!” “Don’t worry. If you and Ms. Albright get together, I’ll definitely treat her like family and get along with her well.” He’d said the exact same thing in my last life. Then, while I was overwhelmed caring for my mother-in-law, he, in the very shirt I’d bought him, went to ‘comfort’ Elara in my stead. While I was scrambling, practically begging for her research grants, he, posing as her intellectual confidant, escorted her to academic conferences, hobnobbing with the elite. Finally, he stood there, arm in arm with my wife, and had the audacity to tell me, “Leo, I’m sorry, but you can’t control who you fall in love with.” I closed my eyes, forcing down the bitter, searing hatred that clawed at my gut. “Caleb, if you think she’s such a catch, why don’t I just pass that ‘blessing’ on to you instead?” On the other end, Caleb’s breathing hitched, a sharp gasp.

“Leo, you… what are you talking about?” Caleb’s voice suddenly sounded flustered. “We’re best friends, how could I possibly…” “Between brothers, good things should always be shared.” I cut him off, my voice dangerously light. “Didn’t you always say you wanted an ambitious woman, someone dedicated to her family, someone who’d be good to you?” “Elara checks every single one of your boxes.” “But, but she’s your blind date!” “I already turned her down.” I looked at the bustling street, feeling as if the whole world had brightened. “So, she’s a free agent now.” “You have Ms. Gable’s number, right?” “Don’t drag your feet. A ‘diamond in the rough’ like her won’t last long on the market.” With that, I hung up before he could even react. I could picture Caleb on the other end of the line, a mixture of shock and glee plastered across his face. In my last life, he’d sung Elara’s praises countless times, urging me to settle down quickly. He just wanted me to clear all the thorns from her path, to do all the heavy lifting, and once I’d helped Elara climb to the top, he’d swoop in and steal all the glory. This time, I’d let him have it. I’d love to see how, without my family’s support and savings as startup capital, without my network and sacrifices paving the way for her, Caleb will manage to build that ‘good life’ he dreams of with his beloved ‘diamond in the rough.’ Back home, my mom, Carol, was waiting for me on the sofa. Seeing me, she quickly asked: “Well, how was it? Is Ms. Albright alright?” My dad, Robert, also poked his head out of his study. My parents were working-class, a bit old-fashioned. They always believed the most important thing for a man was a stable family. In my last life, they were incredibly pleased with Elara as their cultured daughter-in-law. I sat down next to them, speaking calmly. “Dad, Mom, I wasn’t interested in her.” “What?” My mom’s face fell in disappointment. “Why not? Ms. Gable said she was…” “She mentioned her mother’s poor health, needing medication year-round. And a younger brother in college, with her salary being the sole support for all of them.” I stripped away Elara’s carefully constructed image of ‘family dedication’ and ‘responsibility,’ exposing the harsh reality of her situation. My mom’s expression visibly changed. “That’s… that’s a lot of burden, isn’t it?” “Yeah,” I nodded. “Besides, I don’t want to get married so early.” “Dad, Mom, I want to pick up my paintbrush again. I want to apply for grad school for art.” This was a dream I’d buried deep in my heart for twenty years. In my last life, for Elara, I gave up my guaranteed scholarship for grad school. She had solemnly promised, “Leo, once I’m settled, I’ll fully support you going back to school.” Later, when she was settled and a professor, she told me: “You’re almost forty. What’s the point of stirring things up now? Wouldn’t it be better to just settle down at home?” My dad listened to me, silent for a moment, then finally nodded. “Alright. If you want to apply, then apply. Don’t worry about things at home.” My dad had always been more open-minded than my mom. My eyes welled up, and I nodded emphatically. The next day, I was at the bookstore, poring over grad school application guides, when Elara suddenly appeared, blocking my path. “Mr. Hayes, I know this is audacious, but I wanted to try again.” I closed my book and looked at her. “Ms. Albright, I think I made myself quite clear.” “I know,” she said with a bitter smile, her voice laced with a hint of plea. “My mother, she found out yesterday that you weren’t interested. She didn’t sleep a wink all night and woke up sick this morning.” I smirked inwardly. In my last life, I was too soft. When her mother ‘fell ill,’ I went to visit, only to be ambushed by their entire family, guilt-tripped and emotionally blackmailed until I reluctantly agreed to marry Elara. I met her gaze directly, speaking each word with deliberate clarity. “Ms. Albright, if your mother is sick, she should be in a hospital, seeing a doctor.” “Not coming to me, a stranger you’ve met once. I’m not a doctor, I can’t cure her.”

Elara’s face instantly darkened. She took a deep, shaky breath, her voice weighted with desperation. “Leo, I just want to beg you to see her.” “She truly adores you. She hasn’t stopped talking about how you’re exactly the son-in-law she always dreamed of.” “Just… out of pity for an old woman, could you please just go see her?” Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes were a little red. I put my book back on the shelf and turned to leave. “Leo!” Elara’s voice suddenly rose sharply. “Are you really so heartless?!” Heads turned, eyes drawn to our little scene. I stopped, my gaze calm as I met her slightly displeased stare. “Ms. Albright, please watch your words.” “Between us, there’s nothing but a single, failed blind date.” “Your public outburst right now is making me incredibly uncomfortable.” Her chest heaved, a clear sign of her barely contained rage. “Fine. Fine. Fine.” She spat out the words, a dark, unsettling glint in her eyes. “Leo, I’ll remember this.” With that, she turned and hurried away, her back radiating a certain defeat. That night, I received a call from an unknown number. On the other end was a frail, elderly woman’s voice. “Is… is that Leo, dear?” I instantly recognized the voice: Elara’s mother, Mrs. Albright. “Mrs. Albright, hello,” I replied politely, a hint of detachment in my tone. “Oh, Leo, dear.” Mrs. Albright sighed heavily on the phone. “Auntie knows. It’s our Elara who’s simply not good enough for a wonderful young man like you.” “But, but I just desperately want to see you, to say a few words to you in person.” “Otherwise, my heart will feel so heavy, so choked up, I’m afraid… I’m afraid I won’t last much longer.” As she spoke, her voice started to break with sobs. I gripped the phone, a heavy silence hanging in the air. She was just like this in my last life. Every single time Elara wanted something from me, Mrs. Albright would conveniently fall ill, claim her heart was heavy, or say she couldn’t go on. And I, time and again, would soften, time and again, I’d compromise. “Leo, dear, Auntie doesn’t ask for anything else. Just please, come to the hospital and see this old woman, alright?” “Just… out of pity for me.” Her voice was full of pleading, as if I had no choice but to agree. I took a deep breath, knowing that if I didn’t deal with this once and for all, they’d cling to me like a stubborn stain, forever. “Alright,” I agreed. “Send me the address. I’ll come tomorrow afternoon.” After hanging up, I stared out at the inky black night sky, my gaze growing colder with each passing second. Elara, if you and your mother insist on performing this little drama, then I’ll be more than happy to play my part. But this time, the script is mine. The next afternoon, I arrived at the city hospital as promised. Just as I reached the hospital’s main entrance, I saw Caleb waiting there. He was dressed in a crisp white T-shirt, wearing an expression of perfectly calibrated concern. The moment he saw me, he rushed over. “Leo, you finally made it! Mrs. Albright, she… she hasn’t eaten anything since this morning, just keeps asking for you.” He instinctively reached out, trying to sling an arm around my shoulder, as if we were still the closest of brothers, sharing every secret. “Really?” I subtly sidestepped him. “Then let’s go in quickly. We shouldn’t keep an elderly person waiting.” Caleb’s eyes flickered, a momentary lapse, before he smoothly slipped back into his ‘helpful friend’ persona, guiding me toward the ward. As he pushed open the病房 door, a heavy, cloying scent of antiseptic and stale medicine instantly assaulted my senses. Mrs. Albright lay weakly on the hospital bed, Elara perched on a chair beside her, gently offering her water. The moment she saw me enter, Mrs. Albright’s eyes lit up, and she struggled to sit up. “Leo, dear, you’re here…”

“Mrs. Albright, please lie still.” I pulled up a chair and sat down a comfortable distance from the bed. Mrs. Albright grabbed my hand, tears instantly welling up in her eyes. “Such a good boy. I knew you had a kind heart.” “See? Our Elara, aside from her humble origins, what’s not to love about her?” “She’s smart, dedicated to her family, and she’s going to achieve great things, I promise you.” “Will you… just give her another chance? Please?” The moment she finished speaking, Caleb, though a flicker of irritation crossed his face, quickly piped up in support. “That’s right, Leo. Elara really is a wonderful woman. It would be such a shame if you two missed out!” Elara, meanwhile, kept her head down, feigning an expression of guilt and helplessness. Three actors, one pitiful play. I looked at Mrs. Albright and spoke slowly. “Mrs. Albright, there are many successful women out there. But I’m not interested in charity work.” One sentence, and the entire room fell silent. Mrs. Albright’s tears were still clinging to her face, but her expression had frozen. Caleb’s mouth hung open, looking utterly bewildered. Elara suddenly snapped her head up, her face instantly flushing crimson. “You… what did you say?” “I said, I’m not interested in charity work.” I repeated, meeting her furious gaze with unflinching calm. “Ms. Albright, what’s your monthly salary?” “Is it enough to buy your mother’s medication, pay your brother’s tuition, and support an entire household?” “My parents raised me for over twenty years, not for me to marry some woman and struggle through life right alongside her.” “Leo!” Elara shot to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at me. “You, you’re practically insulting me! Don’t you dare mock the less fortunate! I…” “I’m not mocking you. I’m simply stating facts,” I cut her off. “And besides, Ms. Albright, you’re talking to the wrong person.” “The person who truly appreciates you and is willing to fight alongside you… isn’t me.” My gaze slowly shifted to Caleb, who stood nearby. “Caleb, didn’t you always say Ms. Albright was a diamond in the rough, a woman of good character, and that whoever married her would be set for life?”

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