Category: English

Liam Miller died in a high-speed crash while vacationing on a private island with his assistant. By the time the police notified me and I arrived at the scene, his assistant was still kneeling by his body, screaming his name and sobbing hysterically. But I saw him. I saw Liam’s soul, floating right there in the air. I guess the devil doesn’t have a vacancy for traitors yet. 01 The detective standing next to me cleared his throat awkwardly when I didn’t say a word. “Mrs. Sterling?” That one sentence cut right through Elena Vance’s wailing. She was Liam’s “assistant,” currently draped over his body. It seemed Liam really did love her. In that violent wreck, he had taken the brunt of the impact. He was dead, while Elena walked away with nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises. But Liam’s love… I glanced at the translucent shimmering figure of the man hovering above us and scoffed internally. Liam’s heart changed colors faster than a chameleon in a neon light district. When Elena looked up and saw me, her expression shifted from grief to pure shock. Then, she lunged at me, her face flushed with a manic energy. Liam’s spirit reacted instantly, just like he would have when he was alive. He tried to step between us, desperate to shield Elena from any imaginary harm I might inflict. But he had no physical form. He had to watch, helpless, as Elena passed right through his chest and grabbed my shoulders. “Elena, be careful!” he barked, his brow furrowing. Then he turned his venomous gaze toward me, trying to intimidate me with a look. “Vanessa, I’m warning you. Don’t you dare touch her.” It was a scene we had played out a thousand times before. Except now, I was the only one who could hear his hollow threats. Elena’s grip tightened on my jacket, her face contorted with malice. She wasn’t here for a sisterly chat. I stepped back, pulling away from her. The detective stepped in, steadying her before she could fall. “Ms. Vance, you need to compose yourself,” the officer said firmly. “The arrangements for Mr. Miller are the responsibility of his legal wife, Mrs. Sterling.” The detective wasn’t an idiot. He had clearly clocked the dynamic between the CEO and his “assistant.” He put a heavy emphasis on the word wife. Elena froze. Her face twisted into something grotesque—like a demon out of a horror movie. “Officer, I want to report a crime!” Elena shrieked. “This wasn’t an accident! She did this! She killed him!” The detective sighed heavily. I looked at her, watching her lose all control, and tucked myself behind the officer. I didn’t want this lunatic scratching my face. Liam was standing right beside her now, his eyes cold as he stared at me. I couldn’t read his ghostly expression perfectly, but I knew him. He was probably suspecting me, too. 02 The detective looked exhausted. As he opened his mouth to speak, I cut him off, looking directly at Elena. “If you don’t have proof, that’s defamation,” I said calmly. “And I will sue you for every cent you don’t have.” Elena gnashed her teeth, her rage bubbling just under the surface. I found the whole thing tedious. I decided to offer her some “friendly” advice. “I suggest you go home and start cataloging everything Liam ever bought you.” I paused, letting the silence hang. “Since we were legally married, everything he spent on you is technically marital property. My son, Leo, and I are the sole heirs to Liam’s estate. I wonder how fast I can get a court order to claw back every dollar he wasted on you.” Elena, who had been sobbing just seconds ago, went deathly silent. Seeing her finally quiet down, the detective signaled a female officer to escort her out. As Elena left the room, Liam tried to follow her. To his horror, the moment he reached the doorway, an invisible force yanked him back. I smirked. Serves you right. “Mrs. Sterling, we’ll handle the paperwork from here,” the detective said. They had already investigated. The crash was a textbook accident—blown tire at high speed. They had only asked me some routine questions on the way over. I had no interest in looking at Liam’s face, especially not the post-crash version. I didn’t want nightmares. I called my assistant and my lawyer to handle the logistics, then turned to leave. Everything had been so rushed. I had sent the nanny to pick up Leo from preschool, but I was still anxious. Leo had grown up without his father’s presence. He was clingy, and I was worried he wouldn’t go to sleep if I wasn’t there. I finished the formalities, confirmed my assistant was on the way, and headed straight to the airport for the first flight home. 03 It was confirmed. Liam couldn’t leave my side. I looked up at the ceiling of the plane, knowing he was tethered to the roof or the seat next to me. I squinted into the air. This was going to be fun. The moment I landed, the nanny sent me a video. There was Leo, in his cute pajamas, his big dark eyes blinking at the camera. He refused to go to sleep, constantly calling for “Mommy.” It wasn’t until the nanny told him I was watching that he sat up and gave the lens a weak, tired smile. “Mommy, I want to cuddle. Please come home soon.” Leo was five. He was starting kindergarten next year, but he still had that sweet, high-pitched toddler voice that could melt stone. I hurried home. My driver was waiting, and I was through my front door in less than an hour. The nanny was showing Leo a picture book. When he heard me, Leo sprinted to the door and dove into my arms. I held him tight, carried him to his room, and tucked him in. I read him three stories before he finally drifted off. While I was occupied with Leo, I caught Liam out of the corner of my eye. He was sitting on the padded window seat in Leo’s room. When he was alive, he never bothered with the boy. He claimed he didn’t like “kids,” but the truth was he just didn’t like me. He almost never spent time with his son. That was why, during the whole bedtime routine, Leo never once mentioned his father. I heard Liam’s ghostly murmur. He was asking himself why Leo wasn’t asking for “Daddy.” I almost laughed. I kissed Leo’s forehead and went to the master bedroom. 04 I wasn’t in the mood for games. I sat at the edge of the bed and spoke into the empty air. “Leo is five years old. In those five years, how many times did you actually play with him?” “Did you ever take him to the park? Did you ever tuck him in? What reason does he have to miss you?” “Leo is closer to our driver than he is to you.” I looked at the spot where I felt his presence. We had been married for ten years. He had been cheating with his assistant for three. The semi-transparent soul suddenly met my eyes. The room went cold. His face was a mask of pure shock. He didn’t look like the powerful “Mr. Miller” anymore. “You can see me.” I didn’t answer. I just looked at him like he was an idiot. Liam sighed and sat at my vanity. When he realized he didn’t have a reflection in the mirror, he sat there dazed for a few seconds. I let out a short, dry laugh and crossed my arms. “So, Mr. Miller, even in death, you can’t seem to quit me?” The moment I discovered his affair with Elena, I had asked for a divorce. He refused. He claimed he couldn’t live without me, that Leo needed a father—every excuse in the book to block the filing. I even tried to take it to court. But I lacked the “smoking gun” evidence. Elena was his assistant; they were expected to be together around the clock. After enough fighting, I gave up. I looked at it from a different perspective. A billionaire husband who is never home but provides a limitless credit card? That’s just a high-end ATM. So I started buying real estate in Leo’s name. I focused on my own career. I was always prepared for him to eventually force a divorce on his terms. I never expected he’d drop dead first. Liam had no siblings. His parents passed away years ago. That meant Leo and I were the sole beneficiaries of his entire empire. The legal wife and the biological son. What a generous man. 05 We didn’t talk much that night. I went to sleep quickly. Early the next morning, my assistant emailed me the cremation certificate and a video of the coffin entering the furnace. Liam drifted over to see what I was looking at. He watched his own body turn to ash. “You aren’t even a little sad?” His voice was muffled, hollow. I took a sip of my coffee, feeling quite refreshed. I didn’t bother answering. I went to Leo’s room to wake him up. He had preschool. Furious at my silence, Liam started pacing around me, his voice rising in a ghostly roar. “Vanessa!” Leo couldn’t hear him. He just woke up, rubbed his eyes, and giggled as he crawled into my lap. “Mommy, can I take extra snacks to share with my friends today?” While he brushed his teeth, Leo was dancing with excitement. I smiled, helped him pack his favorite treats into his backpack, and sent him off. 06 After dropping Leo off and confirming a few things with my lawyer, I went to Miller Group HQ. Liam was still in a foul mood, so he didn’t say anything. He just sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed. I knew he was probably hoping to see Elena. He was going to be disappointed. Men are notoriously slow at figuring certain things out. Like the true nature of the women they keep. When we reached the office, Elena was nowhere to be found. Liam’s other assistant, Ms. Gable, already knew the news. My lawyer had called her. She knew exactly why I was there. She had already scheduled a board meeting for 2:00 PM. Ms. Gable led me into Liam’s private office. “Mrs. Sterling, please make yourself comfortable. I’ll bring the files over.” She hesitated for a second, then opened a concealed door in the wood-paneled wall, revealing a hidden suite. “If you’re tired, you can rest in here.” The room had a king-sized bed, a walk-in closet, and a designer tub. I frowned. Thinking about what Liam and Elena might have done in there made my skin crawl. Actually, the whole office felt tainted. “It’s filthy in here,” I said, avoiding Liam’s gaze and stepping back. I wiped the tip of my nose. “I’ll wait in your office, Ms. Gable.” Liam, who had been silent, was now glaring at me with pure rage. I ignored his fury and followed Ms. Gable out. 07 I spent the morning reviewing files and consulting with a specialist my assistant had hired. By noon, Liam realized what my plan was. As I followed Ms. Gable to the executive cafeteria, Liam was screaming in my ear the whole way. I had known him since we were seventeen. We started dating at eighteen and married at twenty-three. This was the first time I’d seen the “Great Liam Miller” lose his mind. “Vanessa, how dare you sell my shares!” “You bitch!” “That’s mine! You have no right!” Liam came from a comfortable middle-class background. Everything he had, he built himself. He was the golden boy of his generation. He had proposed at twenty and waited until twenty-three to marry me, promising he’d give me the world. But seven years into the marriage, he cheated. I waited until Ms. Gable went to grab our trays before I finally looked at his ghost. “It’s mine now.” I didn’t offer any further explanation. Liam froze, his ghostly eyes turning a deep, angry red. “Vanessa! I hope you rot in hell!” After lunch and a quick nap, the board meeting started. Before I even reached the conference room, I heard a familiar voice. It was Elena. I leaned against the doorframe and looked back at Liam. The look of desperate expectation in his eyes was pathetic. Men are so predictable. “Members of the board…” Elena’s voice wavered through the door. Liam tried to rush inside, his gaze darting to me repeatedly. But he was tethered. He couldn’t go in unless I did. He had to stand there and listen with me. “Mr. Miller has passed away…” Elena’s voice was shaky, acting the part of the grieving, loyal employee. I didn’t want her ruining my play, so I pushed the door open. “Ms. Vance. What a surprise.” 08 At the sound of my voice, Elena, dressed in a modest white chiffon dress, visibly flinched. “Good afternoon, everyone,” I said, ignoring her as I addressed the board members. Elena was still standing in front of my designated seat. I casually tossed my designer bag onto the table and raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you have a reason for being here, Ms. Vance?” Elena wasn’t smart. She couldn’t hide her tells. I saw the calculation in her eyes. It was the same look she gave me three years ago when she first slept with Liam and came to flaunt it to my face. She was trying to align herself with the board, hoping to leverage Liam’s “bequest” for her own gain. But Liam was a fool. He missed the greed in her eyes entirely. Instead, he only saw the “timid” look she gave Mr. Davenport, the senior board member sitting next to her. Seeing that look, Liam’s ghostly heart broke for her. He hovered next to me, trying to look through me with his murderous glare. “Vanessa, you treat her well, or I swear I’ll drag you to the grave with me!” Tch. The grave? I ignored him and glanced at Mr. Davenport’s balding head. Elena’s taste in men was really going downhill. I knew exactly what Elena was up to. Every person in this room knew about the affair. Elena was a toxic asset now; anyone with a brain would stay far away from her. But Mr. Davenport was famously horny and incredibly rich. I nudged Elena aside and pulled out my chair. “I’m here to discuss the future of the company.” I signaled Ms. Gable to give the board a summary of the transition. As she spoke about the “accident,” the board members began looking at Elena with varying degrees of suspicion. In the early days, Liam didn’t have a driver. If there was a crash with Elena in the car, nobody believed she was entirely innocent of distraction. But since she was the only witness and she claimed it was an accident, the police couldn’t do much. Even Mr. Davenport’s gaze toward her lost its warmth. Elena bit her lip, her eyes red, her eyelashes fluttering. She looked like a wounded bird. I tapped the table. “I’m not familiar with the inner workings of Miller Group. After consulting with my team, I’ve decided to liquidate Liam’s majority stake.” “I value the contributions you’ve all made, so I’m giving the board right of first refusal.” I pulled a stack of my assistant’s business cards from my bag, handed them to Elena, and smirked. “Ms. Vance, would you be so kind as to hand these out to the board members?” When she first started with Liam, she was careful. But after two months of realizing Liam and I were strangers, she stopped hiding. She used to walk past me wearing the jewelry Liam bought her just to see my reaction. Now, suddenly being treated like a low-level clerk, Elena’s eyes welled with tears. The perfect damsel in distress. Liam was fuming, but he couldn’t touch me. Mr. Davenport, however, stepped up. He waved a hand, a greasy smile on his face. “Mrs. Sterling, let’s not be hard on Ms. Vance.” He reached out and took the cards from her hand himself. I shrugged. “You have three days to consider the offer. After that, I’m opening the floor to outside buyers. All fifty-five percent.” I stood up to leave, then paused at the door, looking back at Elena. “Ms. Vance, remember what I said at the station? I’m coming for my money. You might want to start packing.” Then I walked out on my four-inch heels. 09 The tether snapped tight, forcing Liam to follow me out of the building. In the car, Liam sat next to me. Seeing that I was dead serious about selling his life’s work and ruining Elena, he finally stopped fighting. His voice softened. “Vanessa, I know I messed up. But I was good to you in my own way. I’m begging you… sell the shares to Graham. And please, stop targeting Elena.” Graham was Liam’s co-founder. He had been the best man at our wedding. I hadn’t seen him in the meeting. He’d sent a proxy. I kept my head down, watching a video the nanny had sent from the preschool. In the video, Leo was handing out snacks to his classmates. The kids were cheering, surrounding him in a circle. Leo was in the middle, his eyes crinkled into little crescents, laughing with pure joy. Liam hadn’t gotten a response, so he leaned over to look at the screen. When he saw Leo’s happy face, his voice caught. He stopped talking. He just stared at the image of his son’s smile, over and over. The car pulled up to the estate. My assistant was waiting for me. Ever since the island, he had been working around the clock. He looked exhausted. Thinking about the cards I’d just handed out, I felt a slight pang of guilt. “Your year-end bonus is doubled,” I told him as I walked inside. His face instantly lit up with energy. He followed me in, handing me the formal death and cremation certificates. “I’ve already forwarded these to the legal team. They’re finalizing the asset transfer to you and Leo.” I took the papers and tossed them casually onto the armchair where Liam was sitting. “Good work.” Just as I said that, the assistant’s phone rang. He looked at me, I nodded, and he put it on speaker. A man’s voice, slightly breathless, came through. “Tell Mrs. Sterling I’ll take the shares. All of them.” The voice sounded a bit old. It was Mr. Davenport. I took a sip of water. The timing. The tone. Tch. Elena sure moves fast.

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To dodge overtime, I’d cultivated a reputation as a “wife-obsessed madman.” Every day, rain or shine, I clocked out on the dot to go home and cook for my wife and kid. If I didn’t, my wife would “discipline” me. My colleagues all thought my life was a living hell. I never imagined the tables would turn so spectacularly. My ex-girlfriend, Victoria Borstein, just bought our company. She was flipping through everyone’s attendance records when her eyes landed on me. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes played on her lips. “The entire company, and you’re the only one who never works overtime. The reason being… you have to go home and cook for your wife and kid?” A coworker next to me immediately jumped to my defense. “Please, Ms. Borstein, you have to understand. His wife’s temper is… notoriously bad.” He then pulled up my sleeve, revealing a fresh scrape on my arm. Victoria’s face instantly darkened. Without a word, she grabbed me and dragged me into the CEO’s office, slamming me against the back of the door. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and she growled through clenched teeth, “Asher Sterling, we only broke up two years ago. Were you in that much of a hurry to marry a woman like that?” 1 Out in the world, your identity is what you make it. My persona at the office was simple: The ultimate simp. Married, with a kid. Every other sentence was about my wife and child. Because of this, I was the only person in the entire company who could leave on time every single day. Everyone knew the score—if I was late getting home, dinner would be delayed, and my wife would beat me. I didn’t care about overtime pay or comp days. I had zero ambition, a perfectly chill, non-competitive employee. My colleagues loved having someone so utterly non-threatening around. My real happiness began after I clocked out. A few drinks with the guys, checking out some hot girls, enjoying life. Life was peaceful, uncomplicated. Until our company was acquired. And the new CEO was my… ex-girlfriend. 2 Honestly, the day Victoria Borstein descended upon our office, my brain short-circuited. Perfectly styled curls, an expensive designer suit, and a gaze that could freeze hell over. She was no longer the girl from two years ago; she radiated the powerful, sophisticated aura of a queen. A flock of assistants trailed behind her. She walked like she had her own personal soundtrack. I run this town, I do as I please, the world is at my feet. I run this town, I never, ever look back. Every eye was on her. The next second, I let out a massive sneeze. Was she trying to fumigate the office with that perfume? Every head swiveled in my direction. To maintain my “married dad” persona, I was currently sporting a puffy black down jacket with a pair of tacky, floral-print oversleeves. Victoria’s gaze landed on me, and she let out a small, contemptuous scoff. “If I recall correctly, this is the only employee in the entire company who never works overtime.” She made a show of flipping through the work logs in her hand. “What’s the problem? Is the overtime pay not good enough? We offer a bonus, comp time, and we even reimburse your cab fare. Mr. Sterling, do you have a problem with the company?” “No, Ms. Borstein,” I replied, my face a blank mask. An older colleague, seeing the new boss was singling me out, rushed over to smooth things over. “Ms. Borstein, you don’t understand, Asher has it really rough.” My stomach dropped. Oh no. But it was too late. My colleague grabbed my sleeve and yanked it up. A prominent scrape was on full display. …The truth was, I got wasted with my buddies at a bar last night and took a spill on my way out. “You see, Ms. Borstein? Asher has to be home on time every single day to cook for his wife and kid. If he’s late… well.” She trailed off, looking at me with profound pity. The implication hung heavy in the air. My toes curled in embarrassment. But I’d made my bed, and now I had to lie in it. I closed my eyes, resigned to my fate, and nodded. “That’s right. If I don’t get home on time to make dinner, my wife beats me.” I looked up and met Victoria’s incredulous gaze. “And that, Ms. Borstein, is why I don’t work overtime.” 3 The papers in Victoria’s hand crumpled, her knuckles turning white. A vein pulsed at her temple. She stared at me, her fury barely contained. “Say that again. Who beats you?” “His wife! Ms. Borstein, you have no idea, the woman is a monster!” another colleague chimed in, and suddenly the whole office was buzzing with sympathy for me. My older colleague was a notorious gossip. Most of the “evil deeds” of my fictional wife were a product of office rumor-mongering. But I couldn’t deny it now. I just lowered my head and picked at my fingers, feeling the burn of their collective pity. I felt like a tragic hero from a soap opera. Victoria’s jaw was clenched tight, her expression growing darker with every whispered comment. Finally, she’d had enough. “That’s enough,” she snapped, her voice cutting through the chatter. “I understand the situation. Everyone, get back to work.” I felt a wave of relief wash over me and tried to slip away, but a hand suddenly clamped down on the back of my neck, grabbing the hood of my jacket. “You,” she said, her voice like ice. “Come with me.” 4 Victoria dragged me by the arm, the air around her crackling with murderous intent. “Ms. Borstein, where are you taking me? Couldn’t we have talked back there?” “What? Does the boss need your permission on where to conduct a meeting now?” “…Right. You’re the boss. You’re the biggest.” The second we were inside her office, the door slammed shut with a deafening bang. The next thing I knew, I was pinned against it. Her eyes were dark, burning into me, her chest heaving. I slowly turned my head away. “Ms. Borstein, this is highly inappropriate.” “Hah. Ms. Borstein?” she scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her. “When things were good, you called me ‘baby.’ Now that you’ve got someone new, it’s ‘Ms. Borstein.’” Okay, I take back what I said about her being mature. She was just as childish as ever. “Should I call you ‘boss’ then?” I tried to create some space between us. “Boss, I’m a married man. I have a wife and a child. What you’re doing right now constitutes workplace harassment.” Victoria froze for a second, then let out a cold, humorless laugh and released me. “Asher, you dump me, and two years later, you’re in such a rush that you marry a piece of trash like that?” I had no response. I just offered a polite smile. She slumped into her office chair, tugging at the collar of her blouse, looking utterly defeated. “Who was it that swore they would never, ever get married?” “You know what they say. You don’t know what you’re missing ’til you meet the one,” I spouted, pulling the cliché out of thin air. “And your ‘one’ beats you?” “…” I was speechless. She continued, her voice rising. “Everyone in your office knows your wife hits you. Every day you practically sprint out of there, terrified of being late with dinner. You said that, didn’t you?” “…Yes, that’s what I said.” “Then why are you still defending her?” “…She’s nice to me when she’s not hitting me.” Victoria stared at me, her eyes a mixture of pain and anger. “What happened to you? The old you wouldn’t have blinked while kicking me to the curb. And since when do you cook? I used to thank God you didn’t burn the kitchen down. It’s only been two years. Where did that ruthless bastard I knew go? You told me you were against marriage, but you managed to have a kid with this psycho in two years? What, was I just the wrong season for you?” I silently retracted my earlier thought about being a tragic hero. Clearly, she was the one auditioning for the part. “Ms. Borstein,” I interrupted. She looked up at me, her expression pitiful, as if she were waiting for an explanation. Unfortunately, I had none to give. I curved my lips into a small smile. “It’s quitting time. I should get home and start dinner.” “Asher Sterling!” she seethed, her voice shaking with rage. “I hate you.” “Hate away. Just don’t dock my pay.” “Goodbye, Ms. Borstein.” I closed the office door gently behind me and walked away without looking back. 5 The next few days were quiet. Victoria didn’t bother me again. I was secretly pleased. It seemed the “married dad” persona was also an effective ex-girlfriend repellent. Until one rainy afternoon, when I was stranded on a street corner, unable to hail a cab. A Porsche pulled up beside me. The window rolled down. Victoria was leaning back in the driver’s seat, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Pouring rain, and your dear wife didn’t come to pick you up?” “She’s busy with work,” I said dismissively. “Hah, how busy can she be?” she sneered. “A happy wife means a happy life, haven’t you heard? A miserable wife brings a miserable life.” “Right, right. Not everyone can be as enlightened as you. You must have taken a masterclass in wifely duties.” My retort seemed to hit a nerve. She frowned. “Asher, with that sharp tongue of yours, how could anyone possibly bully you?” I was in no mood to argue. I just opened the door and slid in. “Let’s go. South Orchid Apartments.” “Who said I was giving you a ride?” Still playing tough. She’d already circled the block three times. And I’d already spotted two large boxes in the back seat: a limited-edition giant Gundam model and a complete Barbie doll set. “You’ve already bought presents for my kid. Still want to pretend you weren’t going to give me a lift?” Caught, the tips of her ears turned red. She looked away, clearing her throat. “I did the math. The kid isn’t yours, is it?” she asked, her voice full of false confidence. “You married a divorcée? Is the little freeloader a boy or a girl?” “He’s mine,” I said, my voice serious. “My son.” I paused, then delivered the final, crushing blow. “He’s only a little over a year old, though. Too young for a Gundam.” Victoria’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. She took a sharp breath, and when she spoke again, her voice trembled. “Asher, we broke up two years ago… and your son is over a year old. Are you telling me you got with her the second we broke up?” Her eyes were already starting to glisten. I sighed. “Maybe we should drop it. I’m afraid you’re going to start crying.” She slammed her foot on the gas, and the car shot forward. The rest of the drive was silent. By the time we reached my apartment building, she looked like an angry, puffed-up blowfish. Before I got out, I said, “Let’s just let the past be the past. I’m happy to see you’re a big-shot CEO now. Goodbye.” 6 The first thing I saw when I got home was the overturned cat food bowl. And lying next to it, my fat cat, giving me the dirtiest look imaginable. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry. The rain was bad, I was only a little late. Don’t be mad, Your Majesty.” I opened a can of wet food and mixed it into his kibble, then placed it reverently on his little dining stand. A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Victoria, her voice cold. “You forgot the presents for your kid.” I glanced at my cat, who was busy inhaling his dinner. “It’s fine. He’d probably just break them anyway.” “Asher,” she said, her voice suddenly serious. “Yeah?” “Divorce your wife. I’ll be your wife instead.” I was stunned for a few seconds, then laughed. “Ms. Borstein, you’re harassing me again.” “Then sue me! I’m going crazy!” Her voice suddenly shot up, filled with a raw, desperate frustration. “I’m downstairs right now, looking at the light in your window, thinking about you living with another woman… and I just want to come up there and shoot her.” Such a drama queen. Always with the threats. “You seem to be forgetting, your highness,” I said drily, “You’re back from the States. We have gun control here.” “…Can you be serious for one second?” “Fine, go ahead. The sooner you’re done, the sooner you can go home.” “Divorce her. I’ll raise the kid. I promise I’ll treat him like my own. If you don’t believe me, I’ll go get sterilized right now.” Silence from my end. She grew more agitated. “The kid can have your last name, and I’ll take the kid’s last name. How about that?” “Impressive,” I finally said, wanting to applaud. “Why don’t you just take my wife’s last name?” The other end of the line went silent. A few seconds later, I heard a sniffle, then her voice, laced with venom. “Asher Sterling, you don’t even treat me like a human being.” The line went dead with a sharp click. I let out a long breath. They say you’ll be haunted for a lifetime by the thing you couldn’t have when you were young. But sometimes, a single moment can set you free from that obsession. It’s true for things, and it’s true for people. A memory is just a memory. It has no power. 7 When Victoria and I were at our best, we were both fresh out of college. We were young, broke, and running on love alone. We were crammed into a tiny rental, inseparable the moment we got home from work. From the living room to the bedroom, from the bedroom to the bathroom. We were disgustingly, intoxicatingly in love. By the time we finally collapsed into bed, I was too exhausted to even move. She would lie beside me, twirling a strand of my hair, her eyes sparkling. “Baby, I have to be honest with you. I’m actually a down-and-out heiress. I ran away because I hated the life my father planned for me. You’re so amazing, you don’t mind that I’m poor.” “And even though I love being crammed in this tiny apartment with you, when we get married, we’ll have to get a big mansion, right? Do you like sports cars? Oh, no, that’s a bad idea, they’re too fast. We’ll get you a chauffeur instead.” I was so tired my head was spinning. I just assumed she was delirious, murmuring “uh-huh, sure” to whatever she said. After all, I was with her for her looks. For a beautiful woman, being poor was a plus. So I never took her words seriously. Until she started acting strange. She was always frowning, lost in thought. She started taking calls in secret, hiding her phone. My conclusion was immediate: she was cheating on me. I could handle a poor, beautiful woman. I could not handle a dirty, unfaithful one. One night, while she was asleep, I secretly jotted down the number that had been calling her so frequently. Worried the other guy was being played, I even sent him a message, telling him Victoria had a boyfriend. To my surprise, he asked to meet. The person who showed up was Victoria’s father.

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This was the tenth time I had faked my death to scare my husband. But this time, it was his secretary who I ended up terrifying as she walked him home. For the first time, Caleb exploded at me. “Are you ever going to stop this pathetic acting? If you really want to die so badly, then just go do it!” He didn’t know that I actually was dying. Every “prank” was just a desperate attempt to desensitize him, so he wouldn’t be so devastated when the real day came. But as I watched him tenderly comfort his secretary, a cold curiosity gripped me. When the truth finally comes out… will he actually feel a single shred of regret? 1 When I heard the electronic lock click, I put down my makeup sponge and glanced in the mirror. Even the palest foundation could barely hide the gray, sallow tint of my skin. The blood on my T-shirt was real—I’d coughed it up earlier—and it looked more convincing than anything in a slasher movie. I slumped onto the floor. A second later, the door swung open. The sound that followed wasn’t Caleb’s voice, but a woman’s sharp, terrified scream. It took a moment for me to “recover” and open my eyes. I saw a woman huddled in Caleb Sterling’s arms. She was sobbing pitifully. “Mr. Sterling, I’m so scared.” It was his secretary, Heather Miller. Caleb stiffened, but he didn’t push her away. When he turned to look at me, his eyes were overflowing with nothing but irritation. “How much ketchup did you use this time? Jade, are you actually addicted to this drama?” Heather clutched his arm, letting go only when she saw me sit up. “Mrs. Sterling, that was horrifying. I’m okay, but Mr. Sterling is exhausted and had a few drinks. What if something had actually happened to him because of the shock?” I stared at their proximity. Caleb didn’t look even slightly guilty. “Aren’t you getting up?” he snapped. I whispered, “I don’t have the strength.” He didn’t believe me. He reached down and roughly hauled me to my feet. It was the first time I’d ever seen him this angry with me, and it was for the sake of another woman. “Jade, aren’t you tired of this?” “I spend all day at the office grinding for this family. I don’t expect you to be grateful, but stop making my life a living hell with these stunts!” Heather poured a glass of water and handed it to him. “Mr. Sterling, I’m sure she didn’t mean it. She didn’t know you were stressed today.” Caleb’s knuckles turned white. He grabbed the glass and hurled it at the floor. Smash. The shards flew everywhere. A jagged piece sliced across my wrist. Bright red blood began to bead and drip. “There’s a lot she doesn’t know,” Caleb said, his gaze cold and disgusted. “Since you love playing dead so much, why don’t you just go ahead and do it for real?” 2 Caleb was wrong. I knew a lot of things. I knew he was “busy” at the office, so I spent my days brewing nutritious soups to keep him healthy. I knew he worked late, so I stayed up every single night waiting for him to come home. I also knew his alcohol tolerance was high. So why did he need Heather to “walk him home” because he was supposedly drunk? To foster a more “intimate” connection between a boss and his subordinate? I sat in the hallway outside our apartment all night thinking about it, until I eventually started laughing at myself. A neighbor passed by, startled by the sight of me, and muttered, “Freak,” under their breath. I hugged my knees. The hallway was freezing. Caleb really must have been “out of it.” After Heather left, he’d shoved me out the door to “sober up” and told me to stop looking for trouble. I was locked out. I knocked, but there was no sound from inside. Caleb had fallen asleep. I checked my wrist. The bleeding had stopped. It stung, but compared to the gnawing agony of stage four stomach cancer, it was a paper cut. I didn’t have my phone. I had nowhere to go. I suddenly remembered the first time I faked my death. Caleb had turned ghost-white. His hands shook as he held me. As if the world were ending, he whispered my name over and over. “Jade? Jade, please!” Then I’d popped my eyes open and grinned. “Gotcha!” Caleb had stared at me for a long time before frantically wiping away his tears. He couldn’t even find the words; he just held me so tight I could barely breathe. His eyes told me everything: He was terrified of losing me. That was the method I’d chosen. I wanted to make him so used to the idea of me dying that when it finally happened, it would just feel like another one of my jokes. I thought I was being kind. 3 The next morning, Caleb opened the door and pulled me back inside. He had those beautiful, drooping eyes that made him look innocent when he was apologetic. “I’m sorry, Jade. I can’t believe I left you out there all night.” He patted my stomach and coaxed me, “You must be starving. It’s all my fault.” You see, even when he was “apologizing,” he hadn’t called me by my nickname in months. I acted angry, blaming him for letting me freeze. It was a Saturday. I told him he had to give me the whole day. First, I made him watch a movie with me. In the film, a husband comes home every day to find his wife “dead” in various creative ways. Caleb’s brow furrowed. “Is this where you got it from?” He paused the TV. “Are you really that bored? You’re basing your life on a movie to torture me?” I didn’t look at him. I just stared at the frozen screen. “But her husband thought it was cute…” Caleb let out a cold laugh. “Movies are movies. In real life, it’s exhausting. It’s annoying as hell.” “I admit I was a jerk yesterday because of the drinks, but you need to hear this.” “Real life isn’t cute. It’s irritating. Do you understand that?” His voice wasn’t loud. His tone was calm. But it felt like a tiny, poisoned needle stabbing directly into my heart. I was glad the room was dark, lit only by the faint glow of the television. He couldn’t see my smile cracking. I understood. Maybe the wife in the movie understood, too. “The movie is halfway done. Just finish it with me.” Suddenly, his phone shrieked. The name Heather Miller flashed on the screen. Heather’s panicked voice came through clearly: “Mr. Sterling, I think I ruined the Harrison account.” “The CEO tried to… touch me. I said no, and then he…” Caleb bolted upright, grabbing his coat. I reached for his hand, but I hit the wall of his heavy, darkened eyes. “Stop making a scene,” he said. He brushed my hand away. The front door slammed shut. The movie kept playing: The truth is revealed. The wife had a terminal illness. She faked her death over and over so her husband wouldn’t be so sad when she truly left. The husband in the movie thought his wife was cute. But when the credits rolled, my phone buzzed. It was a call from Heather. I heard Caleb’s voice in the background, soft and comforting. “Don’t cry. If we lose the account, we lose it. It doesn’t matter.” “You must be hungry. Let’s go get dinner. There’s a new place near the office.” Heather chirped happily, “Okay, I’m going to make you pay for the most expensive thing on the menu—” I suddenly spoke into the phone: “Which restaurant? Maybe I should join you?” 4 The silence lasted for a second before the line went dead. Heather clearly didn’t expect me to be listening. But it didn’t matter. I knew where they were going. Because I was the one who had suggested that restaurant to Caleb months ago. It was a famous romantic spot—The Glass House. I’d begged him to take me. What had he said? He’d said he was too busy. Busy making money. Busy building our future. On our last anniversary, he’d pushed me away and said, “Jade, can you just give me some space?” That night, he’d stayed at the office. Later, I saw Heather’s Instagram post. They were the only two left in the building. Caleb looked relaxed without his glasses, a cup of tea by his side. He looked nothing like the irritable man he was at home. Heather had captioned it: Late nights at the office. Boss is working so hard! That was when I first started noticing her. And now, he was taking her to the restaurant he refused to take me to. When I arrived, Caleb was alone by the car. He was leaning against the door, smoking. He didn’t look surprised to see me. He just took a long drag and exhaled. “Finished already?” I asked. “I’m not eating,” Caleb said, blowing a cloud of smoke toward me. “Jade, you’re becoming really pathetic.” Through the haze, his eyes held nothing but weary exhaustion. My heart twisted. I looked away, my voice trembling. “Where’s your jacket?” The car window slid down, revealing Heather’s flushed face. She was in the passenger seat, draped in Caleb’s blazer. She smiled at me. “Mrs. Sterling, I’m so sorry. I accidentally hit the call button on my phone earlier.” Caleb crushed his cigarette. “Get in. She’s shaken up. I need to drop her home.” Seeing me stare at Heather, he offered a brief explanation. “She gets car sick. The front seat is better for her.” “So, I’m supposed to just move to the back for her?” It was absurd. She was just a secretary. Why was she so precious? She “accidentally” calls the wife after a crisis, and then “rightfully” takes the wife’s seat. Seeing my displeasure, Heather bit her lip. “Is Mrs. Sterling upset? Maybe I should just take an Uber.” “Mr. Sterling, don’t worry about tonight. It was my own fault for not being careful. I shouldn’t have bothered you.” She made a move to get out, but Caleb stopped her. He turned to me, scowling. “Jade, do you have any humanity left?” “She went through that because of me. You’re both women—can’t you show some empathy?!” I looked at his self-righteous anger. “She says she was harassed, and you just believe her?” “No woman would lie about her dignity like that.” “She says she called me by accident, and you believe that too?” Caleb paused. “She’s not that kind of person.” I wanted to laugh. What was I even doing here? He had unconditional trust in his secretary, but none for his wife. A searing, suffocating feeling rose in my throat. I doubled over. “I’m not getting in the car.” Caleb’s voice dropped an octave. “What are you doing now?” He grabbed my arm, opened the back door, and tried to shove me inside. The pain was explosive. It felt like my entire body was breaking. “I’m not getting in!” I screamed. I used every ounce of my remaining strength to tear my arm away from him. Caleb froze. He had always had things his way. Even when we started dating, I was the one who pursued him. I was always the one who lowered my posture in this relationship. This was the first time I’d ever defied him. When he recovered, he let out a cold sneer. “Fine, Jade. You’re really something today.” “You don’t want to get in? Fine.” He climbed into the driver’s seat and slammed the door. “Then stay here!” The car sped away. Through the rear window, I saw Heather tilt her head toward me, adjusting Caleb’s jacket on her shoulders. I stood there for a long time, completely lost. I tried calling him, but he didn’t pick up. I opened my messages and typed, deleted, and retyped. Finally, I sent one sentence: “Caleb, I want a divorce.” 5 I ended up eating at that restaurant alone. A romantic spot where even the dish names were themed around love. The waiter looked at me, confused. “Table for one?” He muttered under his breath, “Who eats alone at a place like this?” I just smiled. The food didn’t taste as good as I’d imagined. I couldn’t even remember why I’d been so obsessed with coming here with him. It started raining outside. When Caleb said he was leaving me there, he meant it. The waiter suddenly ran over and handed me an umbrella. “You look really pale. You should get home.” “Whatever is bothering you, don’t neglect your health.” My nose stung. It was strange. No matter how much it hurt before, I didn’t want to cry. But this small act of kindness from a stranger almost broke me. When I got home, Caleb was waiting with a face like stone. He looked me up and down. “Do you regret it now?” Regret not getting in the car? Regret talking back? A stranger could see how sick I looked, but my own husband was only concerned with whether I had “yielded.” I looked at the man who was my husband and slowly shook my head. Caleb’s face darkened. Before he could speak, I asked, “Did you see my text?” “What text?” He glanced at his phone, and as he realized what I meant, his voice turned sharp. “What are you trying to pull now?” “Jade, you’re crossing a line. I let your little games slide before, but now you’re bringing up divorce?” “You think you can threaten me with a divorce?” In his eyes, everything I did was just a performance. I wiped my eyes. I wasn’t crying, but they were burning. I looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. “I don’t want anything. I just want a divorce.” Seeing that I wasn’t joking, Caleb calmed down. “I know we’ve been fighting lately, but that doesn’t give you the right to be impulsive.” He rubbed his temples. “Jade, you can’t live without me.” “Don’t call me Jade.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. I didn’t want to look like a hysterical woman. Now he was using my name softly. He always did that—he’d use a gentle tone only when he thought I was being difficult. What did he take me for? Even a child wouldn’t fall for such cheap tactics. “The divorce papers are being drafted. Please sleep in the guest room tonight.” Caleb was shaking with rage at my defiance. “I’m moving out. I’m giving you time to clear your head.” He sneered. “Jade, I’ll be waiting for the moment you come crawling back, begging for me to come home.” 6 But why would I beg him? I was practically dead already. With Caleb gone, I had the deepest sleep of my life. I slept so hard I thought I might never wake up. But I was jolted awake by someone pounding on the door. I opened it to find my mother. She grabbed my hands, her face etched with anxiety. “What happened? Why are you fighting with Caleb?” When I didn’t answer, she grew frantic. “Caleb is a catch! Where are you going to find another man like him?!” I wanted to tell her I didn’t have a “future” to worry about. But her next words turned my blood to ice. “Your brother is about to graduate from his Ivy League school. We were counting on Caleb to pull some strings for his career. You stupid girl, why are you causing trouble now?!” She looked at me with pure resentment. “Listen to me. Go to Caleb and apologize. Now.” Then she grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me toward the door. My wrist was skeletal from my illness. She didn’t notice. Her nails dug into my skin, all for the sake of her son’s “future.” I thought she might at least ask why I wanted a divorce. She didn’t. I was her child, too. Or so I thought. “I’m not going,” I said. She glared at me. “You heartless brat. I raised you, and now you won’t even help your own brother!” A violent surge of nausea hit me. I wrenched my hand away and used the last of my strength to push her out of the apartment. I collapsed onto the floor, the world spinning around me. Sometime later, my phone rang. It was Caleb. His voice was cold and detached. “Jade, your mother came to my office.” “She’s begging me not to divorce you.” 7 By the time I reached his office, a crowd had gathered outside the door. Caleb was standing there, while my mother was on her knees, sobbing hysterically. Heather handed me a glass of water. “Mrs. Sterling, you should really talk some sense into her.” She glanced inside and smirked. “This isn’t exactly a good look, is it?” I met Caleb’s eyes. They were filled with cold mockery. They said: See? I told you you’d be the one begging. Now your mother is doing it for you. The sight made my heart lurch. It felt like a physical blow to the face. I couldn’t find a single second of peace. I walked slowly into the room and tried to pull my mother up. She refused to move, her nails digging into my arm. “You ungrateful bitch! I’m not leaving!” It hurt. It hurt so much. Was there anyone who would save me? I looked at the faces around me. They were all enjoying the show. No one was coming. The last thing I saw was Caleb’s expression suddenly shifting. I couldn’t hold on anymore. I coughed, and a spray of blood hit the floor. 8 I woke up in a familiar hospital room. Caleb was sitting by my bed, his expression unreadable. I thought he finally knew. Seeing me awake, he tucked the blanket around me. “The doctor said it was an emotional collapse.” Oh. He still didn’t know. I had told the doctors here to hide my condition from him. Originally, it was so he wouldn’t be sad. But now, I’d changed my mind. “Let’s stop fighting, okay?” he said. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been so hard on you.” “We won’t get a divorce.” He kept rambling. It was strange; I hadn’t seen him this concerned about me in a long time. I stared at him for a while, then said: “Okay.” Caleb choked on his next words. He looked up, a flash of genuine surprise and joy on his face. “You promised. No taking it back.” I nodded. “I won’t.” He seemed truly happy. He personally handled my hospital paperwork. He stopped going to the office, moving a small desk into my room so he could work by my side. Heather came by occasionally to drop off files. Each time, she would stand there biting her lip, but Caleb wouldn’t even look at her. “Just leave the files and go. There are too many people in here; the air is getting stale.” Heather’s eyes turned red instantly. She turned on her heels and left. Once I was “asleep,” Caleb whispered my name. “Jade?” When I didn’t respond, he stepped out of the room. I stood by the door, watching through the crack as Heather threw herself into his arms. “Mr. Sterling, I love you.” Caleb’s back was to me. I couldn’t see his face. Was he happy? Was he hesitating? The sunlight through the window hit them both, making them look like a perfect couple. If only I wasn’t his legal wife. I let out a soft cough. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but Caleb’s entire body went rigid. He turned around and looked directly at me. “Jade—” He pushed Heather away and strode toward me. “It’s not what it looks like.” He looked genuinely distressed. His perfectly styled hair was a mess. “She confessed to me. I was just about to turn her down.” I watched his feigned regret for a moment, then reached out and slowly smoothed his hair. “I know. She’s the one who initiated it. I don’t blame you.” Caleb’s expression finally relaxed. I looked into his eyes. “But I don’t like her. Can you find a new secretary?” Our gazes met. Caleb lowered his eyes. “Okay,” he promised.

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I spent three months grinding away at a ten-billion-dollar acquisition deal, and finally succeeded. At the celebration banquet, Ethan Pierce took all my credit and handed it to his first love, Lily Hayes. He said, “Lily just came back from overseas. She needs an impressive resume. You’ve always been understanding—it’s most appropriate to put this project under her name.” I looked at his matter-of-fact expression and said nothing. Five years. For five years, I’d worked myself to the bone for him during the day and warmed his bed at night, only to end up not even worthy of having my name attached to my work. At the charity gala, Lily Hayes accused me of stealing a brooch. In front of all the city’s elite, Ethan Pierce stripped me of my clothes and searched me. My belongings scattered across the floor, proving my innocence. He didn’t even apologize. He just frowned and said, “Alright, the misunderstanding’s cleared up. Don’t ruin the atmosphere of the gala.” I bent down. What I picked up wasn’t the contents of my bag, but the Pierce Corporation employee badge lying on the floor. Then, in front of everyone, I threw it into the champagne tower. “Ethan, from today on, even if you get down on your knees and beg me, I’m never coming back.”

Sophia Bennett POV The celebration banquet for the Empire Group acquisition was held at the city’s most luxurious hotel. Crystal chandeliers sparkled brilliantly overhead, while elegantly dressed guests mingled with champagne glasses in hand. I wore a well-tailored black business suit, holding a glass of champagne, standing quietly in a corner of the banquet hall. As Chief Investment Analyst at Pierce Corporation, this three-hundred-billion-dollar acquisition had taken me and my team three entire months of grinding work, countless cups of espresso, and even a trip to the emergency room for gastric bleeding before we finally closed the deal. I glanced down at the simple band on my ring finger—something Ethan Pierce had casually bought for me last month. I thought that tonight, at this celebration banquet, he would finally publicly acknowledge our five-year underground relationship. As the grand doors swung open, the banquet hall fell instantly silent. Ethan Pierce entered in a custom-tailored black suit, his posture impeccable, his features sharp and cold. However, on his arm hung a woman in a pure white haute couture gown, her smile gentle and delicate. Lily Hayes. Ethan Pierce’s first love—the woman he’d pined for, who had spent years overseas. My breathing hitched sharply, my knuckles turning white as I gripped my champagne flute. Ethan Pierce walked onto the stage with Lily Hayes, took the microphone, and his deep, pleasant voice echoed throughout the hall: “Thank you all for attending. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce Pierce Corporation’s new Vice President of Investment, Miss Lily Hayes. The successful landing of the Empire acquisition was entirely thanks to Miss Hayes and her overseas connections.” Thunderous applause filled the room. I stood in the shadows, feeling as though all the blood in my body had reversed course, leaving even my fingertips numb with cold. Entirely thanks to Lily Hayes? In these three months, Lily Hayes hadn’t looked at a single punctuation mark of the acquisition documents. And all my sleepless nights, my effort, my dedication—just like that, in Ethan Pierce’s offhand remark, became nothing more than a stepping stone to make his beauty smile. Halfway through the banquet, I cornered Ethan Pierce on the deserted terrace. “Why?” My voice was soft, but it trembled with suppressed emotion. Ethan Pierce lit a cigarette, the blue-white smoke blurring his hard features. He looked at me, his eyes calm to the point of cruelty: “Lily just returned to the country. To establish herself at Pierce Corporation, she needs an impressive resume. You’ve always been understanding. Putting this project under her name is the most appropriate solution.” “Understanding?” I bit down hard on my lower lip, tasting blood. “Ethan, I’ve worked myself to death for you for five years, been your underground lover for five years, and now… you’re taking the results I achieved with my life and using them to curry favor with her?” Ethan Pierce frowned slightly, seemingly displeased by my questioning. “Sophia Bennett, don’t be unreasonable.” He flicked his cigarette ash, his tone rational and cold. “Whatever compensation you want—bonuses, stock options, or that penthouse downtown—I can give it to you. But Lily is different. She’s sensitive and can’t handle being wronged. You’ve already gained enough from your position. Don’t be greedy.” Greedy. That word was like a rusty, dull knife sawing through my heart. Eight years of secret admiration, five years as his girlfriend—I thought even if I were a stone, I could eventually warm him up. But it turned out that in his eyes, I was just a tool to be sacrificed at will, a subordinate who could be bought off with money. “I understand.” I didn’t cry. I just pulled at the corner of my mouth as the light in my heart slowly extinguished. “I’m sorry. Mr. Pierce is right. I overstepped.” I turned and left the terrace, my spine straight, without a trace of lingering attachment.

Sophia Bennett POV Late at night, I returned to the penthouse apartment I shared with Ethan Pierce. The location was prime, the property worth a fortune, yet it was as cold and empty as a showroom. Over these five years, I’d tried so hard to fill it with life—buying flowers, adding soft rugs, changing to warm-toned curtains. But looking at it now, it all seemed ridiculously futile. I pulled out a suitcase and began packing my things. Actually, I didn’t own much—just a few changes of business attire and some professional books. At two in the morning, the sound of the password lock opening came from the entrance. Ethan Pierce walked in carrying the faint scent of alcohol and Lily Hayes’s floral perfume. He loosened his tie and saw the suitcase in the living room, his brow furrowing. “What are you throwing a tantrum about now?” He approached, habitually reaching out to hold me. “I already explained what happened tonight. Tomorrow, finance will transfer fifty million into your account. Sophia, don’t make me think you’re being unreasonable.” I sidestepped his touch. “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” I looked at him calmly. “Mr. Pierce, since Miss Hayes is back, it’s inappropriate for me to continue living here.” Ethan Pierce’s hand froze in midair. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms, lowering his head to kiss me. “Let go!” My stomach churned violently. I pushed him away with force. Ethan Pierce stumbled back a step, his expression darkening completely. “Sophia Bennett, my patience has limits.” He looked at me coldly. “The position of Mrs. Pierce can only belong to Lily, but I never said I was kicking you out. As long as you behave yourself, you’ll still be Pierce Corporation’s Chief Analyst, and you can still stay by my side.” I looked at this devastatingly handsome man before me and suddenly felt he was utterly unfamiliar. How could he speak such shameless words so matter-of-factly? He wanted Lily Hayes as his legitimate wife and me as his hidden mistress. “Ethan, you’re disgusting.” Leaving those words behind, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the apartment without looking back. The next morning, at Pierce Corporation’s Investment Department. I had just stepped out of the elevator when I saw that my formerly spacious and bright private office had been fitted with a new nameplate: “Vice President – Lily Hayes.” Lily Hayes was directing staff to move my files out. When she saw me, she gave me an apologetic smile: “Sophia, Ethan said I needed a quiet environment to familiarize myself with the business, so he’s letting me use this office first. I hope you don’t mind squeezing into the open office area for now. You understand, right?” Colleagues around us were stealing glances. I looked at my personal belongings being carelessly piled into a cubicle and said lightly: “I don’t mind. As long as Vice President Hayes is happy.” I walked to that cramped cubicle, sat down, opened my computer, logged into the company’s HR system, and clicked on the “Resignation Application” page. On the third day after Lily Hayes’s airborne appointment as Vice President, Pierce Corporation held an important board meeting. The core topic was a risk assessment for an overseas new energy project. This project involved five billion dollars in funding—one misstep could severely damage Pierce Corporation.

Sophia Bennett POV The atmosphere in the conference room was tense. Lily Hayes stood in front of the projection screen, holding the assessment report my team had stayed up all night preparing, but her presentation was stumbling and incoherent. “Regarding this project’s internal rate of return, we estimate it to be… uh, we estimate eight percent. And the cash flow break-even period would require… require fifteen years.” The moment those words left her mouth, the room erupted. Several senior directors’ faces turned ashen. One director slammed his hand on the table: “Fifteen years to break even? Eight percent return? Miss Hayes, do you even know what the current cost of capital is? You’re actually recommending this garbage project to the board as a priority investment?!” Lily Hayes’s eyes reddened from being yelled at, and she looked pleadingly toward Ethan Pierce, who sat at the head of the table. Ethan Pierce frowned deeply, about to speak up to save her, when I suddenly stood up. Without looking at Ethan Pierce, I walked straight to Lily Hayes, took the laser pointer from her hand, and switched to a different PPT slide. “Directors, Miss Hayes just read the wrong data set.” I said, “Eight percent is the stress test result under an extremely pessimistic model. In reality, based on our calculations of local policy subsidies and carbon credit trading, the baseline IRR is above twenty-two percent, with a cash flow break-even period of four years and seven months. The detailed sensitivity analysis is on page thirty-two of the report.” In just three minutes, with extremely precise data and rigorous logic, I defused what could have been a catastrophic trust crisis. The directors’ expressions softened, and they looked at me with admiration. Lily Hayes, standing beside me, had turned pale. After the meeting ended, I was summoned to the CEO’s office. The moment I pushed open the door, a file folder came flying at me. I didn’t dodge. The sharp plastic edge grazed my temple, instantly drawing blood. “Sophia Bennett, you really showed off in that conference room today, didn’t you? Are you proud of yourself?” Ethan Pierce sat in his chair, his eyes frighteningly dark. Lily Hayes sat on the sofa, crying softly. Feeling the stinging pain on my forehead, my heart remained utterly calm: “I was only trying to save the company’s project.” “Save it?” Ethan Pierce laughed coldly, suddenly standing and walking up to me, looking down at me from above. “You knew perfectly well that Lily wasn’t familiar with those numbers. Why didn’t you go over them with her before the meeting? You deliberately embarrassed her in front of the board, deliberately used your expertise to highlight her incompetence. Sophia Bennett, when did your heart become so vicious?” I looked at him steadily and laughed. I’d stayed up for three nights straight preparing that report. Lily Hayes hadn’t even bothered to glance at it before taking it to claim credit. When she made mistakes, I stepped in to fix them and saved Pierce Corporation’s reputation. But in the end, I became the vicious one. “Yes, I’m vicious.” I closed my eyes. “Mr. Pierce is absolutely right. Every mistake is my fault. I apologize to Miss Hayes.” I turned toward Lily Hayes on the sofa and gave her a slight bow, my voice dead: “I’m sorry, Miss Hayes. It’s my fault for not covering up your incompetence well enough and letting you be wronged.” “Sophia Bennett! Get out of my sight!” Ethan Pierce’s furious voice rang out behind me. I straightened my spine and walked out of the office. My heart had completely died.

Sophia Bennett POV Friday was my twenty-eighth birthday. For the past four years, no matter how busy Ethan Pierce was, he would cancel all his engagements on this day and have dinner with me at a discreet restaurant. This was our unspoken secret, the only warmth I could draw from this hidden relationship. Last month, Ethan Pierce had kissed my earlobe and promised he would give me a huge surprise for this year’s birthday. At seven o’clock that evening, I arrived punctually at the restaurant and sat by the window. Outside, autumn rain began to fall, and the temperature dropped sharply. I wore a thin dress, looking at the exquisite cake on the table, quietly waiting. Eight o’clock. Nine o’clock. Ten o’clock. The restaurant’s clientele changed wave after wave. The servers’ glances toward me gradually shifted from admiration to pity. Eleven-thirty. I picked up my phone and dialed Ethan Pierce’s number. The phone rang for a long time before someone answered, but it wasn’t Ethan Pierce’s deep voice—it was Lily Hayes’s sweet, delicate tone. “Hello? Sophia? Ethan can’t come to the phone right now.” My fingers tightened around my phone: “Where is he?” “We’re at the vet hospital.” Lily Hayes’s voice carried a hint of sweet complaint. “My Ragdoll cat suddenly got diarrhea. I was terrified, so Ethan immediately drove me here. He was running around holding the cat and got all sweaty—he left his phone in the car. Sophia, it’s so late. Is there some urgent work matter?” A cat with diarrhea. I looked at the cold rain outside the window and suddenly found it all absurd. My birthday that I’d looked forward to with such anticipation, my five years of youth—in Ethan Pierce’s eyes, they couldn’t even compare to Lily Hayes’s cat having diarrhea. “Nothing urgent.” I said, “Sorry to bother you.” I hung up, picked up my fork, and shoved a large piece of cake into my mouth. Too sweet. Sweet to the point of bitterness, so bitter my tears fell without warning. I didn’t wipe them away. I just kept eating that cake, one bite after another. After paying the bill, I walked out of the restaurant and into the cold, rainy night. Back at my temporary rental apartment, I opened my laptop and logged into Pierce Corporation’s HR system. I looked at the resignation application I’d already drafted, my cursor hovering over the “Submit” button. My phone screen lit up with a message from Ethan Pierce: 【Lily’s cat got sick. I won’t come over tonight. I’ll make up for your gift tomorrow.】 I looked at that message without replying. I opened my photo album and, without a moment’s hesitation, permanently deleted all five thousand-plus photos and videos of Ethan Pierce. Then I moved my cursor and pressed “Submit.” The system displayed: 【Your resignation application has been submitted. Thirty-day handover countdown begins.】 Eight years of foolish infatuation, five years of absurd devotion—in this moment, it all finally came to an end. After submitting my resignation application, it required approval from both the department head and the CEO according to protocol. But Ethan Pierce had recently devoted all his attention to Lily Hayes and hadn’t logged into the office system at all. The HR director sighed and simply approved it by default. The thirty-day countdown began quietly. Lily Hayes decided to host an extremely lavish charity gala in Pierce Corporation’s name. “Sophia, Ethan says you’re the most detail-oriented. I’m putting you in charge of coordinating this gala.” Lily Hayes tossed a thick planning document onto my cramped desk, her tone carrying a condescending sense of charity. “I want white roses flown in from overseas. The lighting at the gala must be warm-toned. Also, you need to personally review all the media releases—they must highlight my image as Pierce Corporation’s future mistress.” I looked at the planning document without even lifting my eyelids. “Alright.” I responded flatly. Over the next two weeks, I executed all of Lily Hayes’s unreasonable demands. I slept only three hours a night, coordinating venues, confirming procedures, verifying guest lists. I never initiated contact with Ethan Pierce again, nor did I show even a trace of grievance over Lily Hayes’s deliberate difficulties. Occasionally, when Ethan Pierce ran into me in the company hallways, he would see my gaunt face and cold eyes. The day before the gala, I compiled all my work handover documents, encrypted them, and sent them to my deputy in the investment department. I looked at the countdown calendar on my computer screen. Tomorrow would be my last day at Pierce Corporation.

Sophia Bennett POV The charity gala was held at the city’s largest estate. As night fell, luxury cars gathered. Lily Hayes wore the custom-made gown Ethan Pierce had spent a fortune on for her, her arm linked with his as she moved among the guests like a star surrounded by admirers. I wore an inconspicuous black business suit with a walkie-talkie earpiece, standing in the shadows at the edge of the banquet hall, coldly watching it all. As the gala reached its climax and the most important charity auction was about to begin, a scream suddenly came from backstage. Lily Hayes, holding up her dress, ran out of the lounge with a pale face and red-rimmed eyes, throwing herself into Ethan Pierce’s arms: “Ethan! It’s gone! The ‘Heart of the Ocean’ sapphire brooch that was supposed to be the finale auction piece is missing!” The entire venue erupted in shock. That brooch was worth nearly a hundred million dollars—Ethan Pierce had specifically acquired it to bolster Lily Hayes’s standing. “What happened?” Ethan Pierce held her, his brow furrowed. Lily Hayes trembled all over, then suddenly turned and pointed directly at me standing in the corner: “It’s her! Only Lily and Sophia knew the safe’s password! When I was changing clothes earlier, only she went into the lounge!” All eyes instantly turned to me like spotlights. Skeptical, contemptuous, eager gazes. I removed my earpiece and walked calmly into the center of the crowd. I looked at Lily Hayes’s face: “I entered the lounge to deliver tonight’s speaking notes to you. I put them down and left. I never touched the safe.” “Who else could it be but you?!” Lily Hayes cried, tears streaming down her face. “Sophia, I know you’ve always resented me, thinking I took your position, but you can’t jeopardize the company’s reputation like this!” The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves. I ignored the gossip and simply looked quietly at Ethan Pierce. Eight years. I’d known him for eight years, managed over ten billion dollars for him, and never made a single error. Yet Ethan Pierce looked at me with eyes that held no trust—only coldness and impatience. “Sophia, open your bag and let security search it.” Ethan Pierce said coldly. “If you didn’t take it, a search will prove your innocence. Don’t make things difficult for Lily.” “Search my bag?” I softly repeated those words, feeling the last trace of warmth in my chest being drained away. In this circle, being publicly searched was tantamount to having my dignity stripped away and trampled on the ground. To calm Lily Hayes’s tears, Ethan Pierce chose without hesitation to sacrifice my dignity. “Ethan, are you really going to search my bag?” I looked at him. Ethan Pierce hesitated for a moment, but seeing Lily Hayes in his arms, he frowned: “It’s just a formality. Sophia, think of the bigger picture.” Think of the bigger picture. I laughed. I didn’t wait for security to approach. I opened the zipper of my cheap black canvas bag myself and dumped everything inside onto the polished marble floor. Lipstick, a notebook, several pens, a box of stomach medicine, and a few access cards. Scattered everywhere. No sapphire brooch. Just then, a security guard ran out of the lounge, sweating profusely, holding up the brilliant brooch: “Found it! Miss Hayes, the brooch fell into the velvet gap behind the safe. It wasn’t stolen!” The banquet hall fell into deathly silence. Lily Hayes froze for a moment, then covered her mouth with a regretful and innocent expression: “Oh my, so it fell into the gap. Sophia, I’m so sorry. I was too anxious just now and spoke without thinking. Please don’t be angry with me.” Ethan Pierce also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the mess on the floor, frowned, and said to me: “Alright, since it was a misunderstanding, that’s resolved. Sophia, pick up your things. Don’t let this affect the gala’s atmosphere.” Casual and dismissive, as though the trampling of my dignity moments ago had been nothing more than an insignificant joke. I looked down at those things on the floor. I didn’t pick them up. I slowly bent down, unclipped the Pierce Corporation employee badge from around my neck, and gently tossed it onto that pile of belongings. “I’m not picking them up.” I straightened, my gaze calmly sweeping past Lily Hayes before finally landing on Ethan Pierce’s shocked face. “Ethan, I quit.” With that, I turned and, under everyone’s stunned gazes, walked step by step out of the brilliantly lit banquet hall without looking back.

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The day before my wedding, I was driving a friend to their hotel when I ran into my fiancée and her ex-boyfriend checking into a room together. Just ten minutes earlier, she’d texted me: “Babe, can’t wait for you to make me your wife tomorrow.” I swallowed my rage and recorded a video of them kissing. The next day at the wedding, I played the video for everyone to see. The moment the cheating video started playing, the venue exploded. Michelle’s brother Anthony reacted fastest, pointing at the staff and shouting. “What the hell did you people do! Playing this kind of video at a wedding!” “You dare humiliate the Thompson family—does your event planning company have a death wish!” “Where’s your manager! Get me…” Anthony quickly fell silent, frozen like the other guests, staring at the screen. I nodded with satisfaction. “Everyone, today is Michelle’s and my breakup party. From now on, we’re done. Please, eat and drink your fill.” Michelle realized she was the star of the video and rushed over frantically, trying to grab me and explain. But I’d already dropped the microphone and walked out. The second I left the hotel, my dad called. I let my AI assistant handle him. When I’d first told him I was marrying Michelle, he’d been so thrilled he went on a three-day drinking binge. He’d told everyone he met that I was marrying a rich man’s daughter, bragging about how capable I was. Now that this marriage was falling through, he’d be the first to object. Back home, my dad kept calling non-stop. The more I looked at it, the more irritated I got. I just yanked out the SIM card. After tossing my wedding suit in the trash, I headed to a bar. With a new phone, I couldn’t see whatever chaos they were in. The bar owner spotted me and came over with a teasing smile. “Flying solo today? Where’s your fiancée?” I glanced behind me and smiled. “She’ll be here soon.” The next second, a familiar figure appeared. Michelle was frantically pushing through the crowd. Eyes on her phone, she squeezed her way toward me. A man who’d been watching me suddenly rushed toward her, but Michelle fought him off hard. I couldn’t hear what he said, but it made her face twist with resentment as she shoved him away ruthlessly and kept searching through the crowd. The man watched Michelle from a distance, his expression desolate and pained. In the flickering bar lights, I couldn’t make out his face clearly, but he looked familiar somehow. I assumed he was one of Michelle’s friends who’d spotted me and tipped her off. But thinking back, I couldn’t place him at all. Then the bar owner called out to me. “George, your fiancée’s been calling my phone. What, you two have a fight?” I looked up. The bar owner thought I wanted to answer and just picked up. Very considerately put it on speaker too. The moment he answered, Michelle’s shouts came through. “I know you’re at the bar. Please tell me where. Just give me a chance to explain.” I hung up immediately. The owner looked stunned. “Aren’t you going to find your fiancée? Aren’t you worried she might be in danger?” I glanced at the man from before—he’d already disappeared into the crowd. I muttered distractedly, “She’s not my fiancée. She doesn’t need me.”

When I got back from the bar, it was two or three in the morning. I looked up to find Michelle crouched by my door. This was always what she did after screwing up. “George, I went to the bar but couldn’t find you. Your phone’s off too.” “How much did you drink? You can barely stand.” “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up inside.” Michelle rushed up to me excitedly, acting like nothing had happened as she fussed over me. I shoved her away hard. “Get lost! Don’t touch me!” Michelle froze, her eyes wounded. “George, the event company pranked us. The video was deepfaked.” “I’ve already hired a lawyer to sue them. I’ll definitely find evidence…” “I took the video myself.” I looked at her coldly. “You were so into that kiss outside the room, you didn’t even notice I was nearby.” Michelle’s face went white. She stood there frozen and lost. My stomach was full of alcohol. The slightest stimulation made it churn. I shoved past Michelle blocking my way and dove into the bathroom, hugging the toilet as I vomited until tears streamed down my face. Michelle followed me the whole time. Handing me tissues, finding hangover medicine, cooking noodles—silently taking care of me without a word. But every second, my mind replayed the scene of her passionately kissing her ex. Seeing her meticulous care now just felt jarring and laughable. “Michelle, I don’t want to see you anymore. Leave my house right now.” Suddenly, the sound of a bowl shattering came from the kitchen. She didn’t say anything for a long moment. After a while, she placed the cooked noodles in front of me and cleaned up the broken pieces herself. “George, just calm down for now. I’ll come back in a few days so we can talk properly.” I leaned back on the couch, hand weakly covering my eyes. “Get out.” I didn’t touch anything on the table. I slept on the couch all night with my arms wrapped around myself. Early the next morning, someone pounded on my door. The moment I opened it, my dad charged in without caring if he knocked into me. “George! Did a donkey kick you in the head?” “Michelle’s a daughter of a wealthy family. Of course she has an ex—that’s completely normal. Once you’re married you’ll have everything. You’d ruin the wedding over something so trivial!” “All our friends and family were there—where am I supposed to put my face!” My head was splitting from his ranting. I said weakly: “Dad, did you not see the video from the venue?” “She was checking into a hotel with her ex the day before our wedding…” My dad waved his hand dismissively, refusing to listen. “Don’t give me that!! Michelle’s fourth-generation wealth. Men lining up to marry her. This happened because you couldn’t keep her satisfied. If you had what it takes to make her devoted to you alone, this wouldn’t have happened. You’re about to move up a whole social class. You want to just walk away? You’re 30 years old—where are you going to find another woman who can help you more than Michelle?” I wasn’t surprised at all to hear these words from my dad. He had no bottom line when it came to money, especially rich women. But I couldn’t be like that. “Dad, if you like Michelle so much, why don’t you have her call you daddy.” My dad was so furious his mustache bristled. He raised his hand to slap me. I’d drunk too much last night and hadn’t eaten a thing. With this provocation, my stomach cramped painfully and something started forcing its way up. I shoved my dad aside and rushed to the toilet, retching violently. My dad kept going, saying I didn’t know how to be flexible, had irregular eating habits and loved drinking. But every sentence ended with Michelle. “Michelle’s beautiful and considerate, with an unmatched family background. If you don’t hold onto her, she’ll immediately find someone more handsome, more capable, and more understanding than you. Then you’ll have nowhere to cry.” His words traveled down the hallway and pierced straight into my ears. I suddenly remembered that desolate-looking man from last night. The delayed realization hit me like a sledgehammer pounding my heart. “Such a grown man who can’t even clean up. Why is there blood on the floor?!” “Only Michelle would put up with you. Any other woman would’ve blown the roof off by now.” I slammed the door hard and buried myself under the covers. I curled up into a ball, wrapping myself so tightly in the blanket that no air could get through, and broke down sobbing.

How Michelle and I got together wasn’t what my dad described. It wasn’t about me wanting to climb the social ladder while she happened to be a non-assertive rich girl. We’d been together ten years. We fell in love during the craziest period when my dad controlled my life. In our tenth year together, through my own efforts, I bought a condo and a car in the district where her family lived. I teased her on purpose. “Paid off the condo and car in full, got the wedding gift ready, even bought the diamond ring in your favorite style. How much longer do we need to date before you’ll marry me?” She cupped my face and kissed me, her love consuming. When we separated, her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. “This year. Let’s get married.” “George, do you still want to marry me?” I didn’t. I should have said I didn’t want to earlier. Michelle, you said now and forever you’d only love me. I was the one who soothed your past. I was your peaceful present. I was supposed to be the one walking into marriage with you. So why, when I was closest to happiness, did you maintain this ambiguous connection with your ex? My dad clung to me, threatening and persuading by turns. All to make me reconcile with Michelle. When all his efforts got no reaction from me, he slammed the door and left in anger. I locked myself at home. Nobody came looking for me. I turned off my phone too. Couldn’t hear anything. I lay in bed like a corpse, completely lifeless. Monday, I went to the office. The moment my coworkers saw me, they congratulated me. “The wedding didn’t happen. Sorry about that.” My coworker’s face showed shock and embarrassment. “So sudden. Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” “Let me buy you coffee. Sorry…” I cut off their apologies with a forced smile. “No need. It’s all in the past.” The busy morning helped me temporarily forget those troubles. I grabbed my mug and headed to the break room, where I found several people huddled together whispering. “Why didn’t George get married?” “His fiancée’s gorgeous and from a great family. Did she look down on him?” “Don’t talk nonsense. His fiancée treated him so well. She made him stomach-soothing soups, different ones every day of the week. Last time he worked himself into a perforated ulcer and ended up in the hospital, his fiancée never left his side. After he was discharged, she drove him to and from work for a while. She loved him to the bone—you can’t just make things up.” “Then what could it be? Don’t tell me George was cheating on his fiancée.” “There you go making things up again! We’ve been coworkers this long—don’t you know him? Capable and responsible, easygoing with a good sense of humor, very reliable. That kind of man.” I didn’t keep listening. I bought coffee from the vending machine and went back to work. As soon as I sat down, my dad called again. I didn’t answer, but his messages kept coming. 「How could you block Michelle? Are you a child?」 「Can’t you two just sit down and talk things through calmly?」 I looked at these words with detachment. I didn’t know how to respond. I felt completely empty inside. By the time I snapped out of it, my dad was already in my blocked list too.

Thunder rumbled and rain poured down. Wind howled. Watching my coworkers leave one by one, I finally headed downstairs. When I opened my bag, I remembered—I’d never been in the habit of carrying an umbrella. For the past ten years, Michelle had always reminded me. Before leaving, her eyes would hint at me repeatedly, playfully watching until I grabbed an umbrella. I’d gotten used to following her lead. As long as it was her, I’d trust unconditionally. This kind of habitual trust was truly terrifying. I held my bag over my head and ran through the rain into the parking garage, only to find my car wouldn’t start. I punched the steering wheel in frustration. It had been fine. When did it break? In the end, I had to run through the rain to the subway station. Just as I left the garage, I saw Michelle standing in the rain. The moment she spotted me, she ran over with concern. “George, why are you soaked? Let’s go home first…” “Let go!” I struggled free of her hand and kept walking without looking back. She called after me while chasing me, constantly reaching out to try to shield me from the rain. “George, I drove here. Let me give you a ride!” “You have stomach problems—catching a cold will make you miserable!” “If you won’t get in my car, at least take the umbrella. I’ll worry if you get sick…” “Get lost! Stop following me!” I stopped abruptly and broke down screaming at her. “Get away from me! Get lost!” “I don’t want to see you! I don’t want to hear another word from you! Do you hear me!” “I’ll never trust you again in this lifetime! Get lost! Get far away!” I shouted until my whole body shook. I couldn’t tell tears from rain on my face anymore. My throat felt like it was bleeding from screaming. Why? Today had been so normal. I’d finalized a project with clients and eaten properly. I’d even decided to get my long-delayed stomach issues checked out. I thought I’d moved on. Why did seeing Michelle make me fall apart again? Our only umbrella got knocked out of my hand and was immediately swept away by the wind. Michelle in her elegant dress was completely destroyed by the wind and rain. We both stood there looking absolutely wretched. Despite my harsh rejection, she stood motionless like a statue. She stared at me blankly, her mouth opening and closing as if calling my name. Seeing her so confused and dazed didn’t give me any relief. My heart only felt heavier. The scattered people nearby all turned to look at us. I didn’t want to stay locked in this standoff. After wiping the water from my face, I left with determination. After getting home and showering, I felt congested with stomach pain. After taking medicine, just as I was about to lie down, my phone lit up with an unfamiliar number. “George, you bastard! You even blocked your own father!” “I’ve been going crazy! Michelle tried to kill herself—she slit her wrists!” “Downtown First Hospital, third floor emergency room. Get here right now!”

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Caldwell crushed his cigarette butt on my dining table, looking at me with a lecherous grin. “Juliet, rent’s going up 50% starting next month. Unless you don’t want it to go up.” He leaned close to my ear, his hand landing on my shoulder. “Come to my place this weekend. We’ll have a nice little chat.” I pushed him away and grabbed my phone. “What did you just say? I didn’t catch that. Say it again?” He sneered and pointed at my nose. “What are you acting so high and mighty for? I’ve seen plenty of people like you from poor countries.” “Spend one night with me, and I’ll waive a year’s rent. That’s not a bad deal, is it?” I held up my phone. “Mr. Caldwell, say that again.” Caldwell slapped my phone out of my hand. He stepped on my phone. “Record this, bitch.” He grabbed my collar and shoved me against the wall. The back of my head hit the tile, making my ears ring. “Juliet, let me tell you something. I control the rent in this area. You’re just an immigrant working in America, making pennies a month. Without me looking out for you, you would’ve been kicked out of the country ages ago.” I stared hard at him. “Mr. Caldwell, the contract says a one-year lease. It’s only been four months. You can’t unilaterally raise the rent by 50%. That’s illegal.” “Illegal?” Caldwell laughed. He released me and pulled a stack of cash from his bag, throwing it in my face. “Here’s your deposit. Take it and get lost. If you don’t move out by tomorrow, I’ll have people help you move.” Bills scattered across the floor. I crouched down and picked them up one by one. “Fine. I’ll move.” I folded the money and put it in my pocket. Caldwell patted my face. “That’s more like it. Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. If you change your mind, come to my place this weekend. I’ll treat you to dinner.” He turned and left. I closed the door and slid down to the floor. There was a knock on the next door. “Juliet, are you okay?” It was my roommate, Mary, who worked as a programmer at an internet company. She saw the red marks on my neck and her eyes went wide. “That old bastard came again?” “Yeah.” “Call the police!” “It won’t help. He didn’t hit me. There are no cameras, and audio recordings can’t directly convict him.” I grabbed her hand. “Mary, how long have you lived in this complex?” “Two years.” “Has Caldwell ever harassed you?” Mary lowered her head and clenched her fists. “Once. He said he wouldn’t raise my rent if I came to his place for dinner on the weekend. I bought pepper spray the next day.” “Anyone else?” “The nurse on the third floor, Niles. She moved out crying last month. I heard Caldwell knocked on her door in the middle of the night saying he was checking the water meter.” I went back to my room, opened my computer, and created a new WhatsApp group chat. Group name: Victims of Caldwell Alliance. I pulled Mary in, then added several other girls who rented from Caldwell. My phone buzzed. It was Caldwell. “Juliet, don’t take what happened earlier to heart. I was just joking with you. Come over for dinner tomorrow. I’ll make you something delicious.” I took a screenshot, then replied: “Okay.” The next evening at seven, I stood outside Caldwell’s door. I took a deep breath and knocked. Caldwell opened the door wearing a robe, reeking of alcohol. “Oh, Juliet’s here. Come in, come in.” His hand went to my waist, guiding me inside. I didn’t dodge. “Mr. Caldwell, I’ve thought it over. About the rent, can we talk about it some more?” “Talk? Of course we can talk.”

He closed the door and locked it. “Let’s eat first. We’ll chat while we eat.” The living room table was set with dinner and an open bottle of red wine. He poured me a glass, then poured one for himself. “Come on, cheers.” I clinked glasses but didn’t drink. He took a big gulp. “Juliet, you’re so pretty. You could’ve married a rich guy back home. Why come to New York to suffer?” “Mr. Caldwell, about the rent increase…” “What’s the rush?” He sat down on the sofa and patted the seat next to him. “Come, sit here. Uncle will have a good talk with you.” I didn’t move. His expression darkened. “What? Not giving me face?” “Mr. Caldwell, I have a boyfriend.” “A boyfriend?” He laughed, stood up, and walked toward me. “How much does your boyfriend make a month? Can he buy you a house? Can he get you a green card?” He reached me and lifted my chin with his finger. “I’m different. If you’re with me, you can live in this house however you want, rent-free. I’ll give you five thousand a month for spending money.” I took a step back. He followed. “Don’t run away. You came all the way to my place just for this, didn’t you? Stop pretending.” I reached into my pocket and pressed the record button on my phone. “Mr. Caldwell, you’ve had too much to drink.” “I haven’t had too much.” He suddenly grabbed me, his mouth coming toward mine. I couldn’t hold back. I slapped him across the face. “Smack…” He froze, then flew into a rage. “How dare you hit me?!” He grabbed my hair and slammed me against the wall. “Ungrateful bitch! You should be honored that I want you!” The back of my head hit the wall. Everything went dark. “Caldwell, let me go.” “No! You’re not leaving this place tonight unless you sleep with me!” He tore at my clothes. Buttons scattered everywhere. Just then, the door was pounded. “Open up! Police!” Caldwell froze. I pushed him away and ran to the door, unlocking it. Two police officers stood outside, along with Mary and the other girls. They held up their phones, recording everything. The officer saw the bruises on my neck and my torn clothes. His expression changed. “What happened here?” I took a deep breath. Finally, tears fell. “He tried to rape me.” Caldwell panicked. “No! She seduced me! She came to my place on her own!” I pulled out my phone and played the recording. After listening, the officer looked at Caldwell. “Come with us.” “No! Let me explain!” “You can explain at the station.” As Caldwell was being taken away, he looked back at me with pure hatred in his eyes. “Juliet, just you wait. When I get out, I’ll kill you.” I leaned against the wall, trembling all over. Mary hugged me. “It’s okay now. It’s okay.” I shook my head. “No. This is just the beginning.” My phone buzzed. It was the “Victims of Caldwell Alliance” group. Someone with the name “Niles” sent a message. “I just saw Caldwell being taken away downstairs. Do you know? This building of his is illegal.” “Every room’s fire safety doesn’t meet code at all. I took photos before.” She sent over a dozen photos. Partition walls, illegally wired electricity, sealed fire exits. Looking at these photos, a thought flashed through my mind. It wasn’t about sending him to jail. It was about bankrupting him.

Caldwell was released from the police station after just one night. The reason: “Insufficient evidence, does not constitute rape.” “Insufficient evidence.” Mary slammed the table in fury. “He almost raped you! And that’s insufficient evidence?!” I said nothing, because I knew this would happen. No surveillance, no witnesses. He insisted it was “consensual.” The police could only classify it as a “civil dispute.” The first thing Caldwell did after getting out was come curse at my door. “Juliet! You bitch! How dare you call the police on me?!” He kicked the door three times. The security door dented inward. “I’m telling you, you can forget about living in this place! Get out tomorrow!” “Deposit? Not refunding a penny! Go ahead and sue me! Let’s see who wins!” A neighbor opened their door, took one look, and quickly shut it again. No one dared speak. I sat inside, listening to his cursing, my hands shaking. My phone rang. My mom was calling. “Juliet, did that Caldwell come after you again?” “Mom, it’s fine.” “What do you mean fine! I saw the bruises on your neck in our video call! Just wait, I’m coming to New York next week.” “Mom, you don’t need to come. I can handle it myself.” “How will you handle it? You’re a twenty-four-year-old girl fighting against a property owner?” I was silent for three seconds. “Mom, didn’t you teach me? When you strike a snake, strike at its vital point.” “Where’s his vital point?” “His building.” My mom’s a lawyer. She’s handled many property dispute cases. She knows these property owners’ weak spots better than anyone. “Juliet, have you checked the property rights for his building?” “I’m checking now.” “After you finish, call me. I’ll help you contact a lawyer.” I hung up and opened my computer, logging into the New York City planning and natural resources website. I searched for records on Caldwell’s building. Ten minutes later, I found it. This building had no rental registration at all. Not only that, its designated use was “commercial,” not “residential.” Converting a commercial building into partitioned rentals was illegal in itself. I screenshotted the page and saved it to a folder. My phone buzzed again. Mary sent a message. “Juliet, I just saw in the tenants’ group that Caldwell’s looking for a renovation crew to tear down all the partitions on the third floor.” “Why?” “Someone said Immigration has been checking illegal immigrants and illegal rentals lately. He might have gotten word.” A lightbulb went off in my head. This meant he knew his building had problems. I opened the “Victims Alliance” group. There were seventeen people now, all tenants screwed over by Caldwell. Girls and guys. Some had their deposits withheld, some had their rent raised, some were harassed. I sent a message in the group. “I found a way to send Caldwell to prison and make him pay up.” “What way?” “Report him for illegal rentals. Fire code violations, no rental registration.” “Then what?” “Then we collectively sue him. Those who didn’t get deposits back, those who were overcharged rent, those who were harassed—everyone can get back what’s rightfully theirs.” The group went silent for ten seconds, then exploded. “Count me in!” “I’m suing him too!” “I have evidence of him taking cash without giving receipts!” “I have chat records of his sexual harassment!” Messages came one after another, flooding the screen.

I typed the last line. “Tomorrow at 2 PM, Starbucks on Highway 1. Let’s meet and talk.” Everyone replied: “Got it.” I shut off my phone and looked out the window. Caldwell’s car was still parked downstairs. He sat in it, staring at my window. I pulled the curtains closed. Tomorrow would be the real beginning. The next day at 2 PM, Starbucks on Highway 1. Seventeen people sat in a corner on the second floor. The entire “Victims of Caldwell Alliance” was present. I stood up and looked at them. Programmers, nurses, delivery drivers, salespeople, receptionists, designers… All immigrants working in America who’d been screwed over by Caldwell. “My name is Juliet. I live in 302…” “I’m Mary, 303…” One by one, they shared their experiences. I opened my computer and projected the evidence of Caldwell’s building violations onto the screen for everyone to see. I held up three fingers. “First, everyone organize your evidence—transfer records, chat screenshots, audio and video recordings. The more detailed, the better.” “Second, collectively report to Immigration and the fire department. The more people, the more seriously they’ll take it.” “Third, find a lawyer and collectively sue Caldwell, demanding deposit refunds and compensation for damages.” Niles raised her hand. “Are lawyer fees expensive?” “My mom’s a lawyer. She helped us contact a firm that does public interest litigation. They don’t charge upfront. If we win, they take fifteen percent of the compensation.” Wallace said, “I agree. Even if we don’t get money back, I want to make him miserable.” Everyone raised their hands in agreement. After the meeting, I returned to the complex. As soon as I entered the hallway, I smelled paint. On the door to 302, someone had spray-painted “BITCH” in red. I took out my phone to photograph it, then went to property management to check the surveillance. The property manager said, “The cameras are broken.” “When did they break?” “Yesterday.” Yesterday, the day Caldwell got out of the police station. I smiled. “Right. The cameras are broken. I’ll fix them myself.” I called Mary. “Mary, do you know how to install cameras?” “Yeah. I took an elective in electronic engineering in college.” “Do me a favor.” Half an hour later, I installed a pinhole camera in the hallway fire exit. The angle was aimed right at my door. That night, Caldwell came again. He stood outside my door and cursed for ten minutes. Then he pulled out a key from his pocket. He opened the door and went inside. I was next door at Mary’s place, watching the surveillance footage on my phone. My hands were shaking, but I didn’t move. Five minutes later, he came out holding my laptop. That was my work computer. It had all my social media accounts, client information, and unpublished articles. I held back. Didn’t go out. Didn’t call the police. After Caldwell left, I returned to my room. Drawers had been rifled through, closets opened, cigarette ash on the bedsheets. My underwear was thrown on the floor. I crouched down and picked them up one by one. Mary stood in the doorway, her eyes red. “Juliet, let’s call the police.” “Not yet.” “What do you mean not yet? He took your computer! Your work is on there!” I looked at Mary and smiled. “That computer—I just replaced the hard drive yesterday. The current hard drive only has one thing on it.” “What?” “Full video footage of Caldwell breaking into my place and stealing things.” I pulled out a USB drive from my pocket. “The pinhole camera is connected to this. Him opening the door, entering, taking the computer—it’s all recorded.”

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My husband’s mistress is pregnant. My mother-in-law Mrs. Gibson urged me to be understanding: “Men will be men. It’s normal for them to stray.” My husband Calvin even ordered me to vacate the master bedroom to welcome his mistress: “If you dare hurt her or my son, I’ll kill you!” I didn’t make a scene. Instead, I smiled gently: “Sure, I even bought her new sheets.” The next day, they came home excitedly after shopping for baby supplies, only to find a pregnant stranger sitting on the sofa. Mrs. Gibson froze: “Who is this woman?” I smiled as I introduced her: “Mom, this is Dad Anderson’s mistress. You might not know this, but she’s the one who’s pregnant.” While cleaning under the master bedroom bed, I swept out a positive pregnancy test. Looking at the two red lines, I fell into deep thought. Calvin and I hadn’t had sex in over half a year. This pregnancy test wasn’t mine. Before I could throw this cursed thing into the trash, Mrs. Gibson pushed the door open. She spotted the pregnancy test immediately. First she froze, then she lunged forward and snatched it from my hand, her presbyopic eyes bulging wider than saucers: “Oh my goodness, someone’s pregnant?” I was about to explain when she shot me a look of utter disdain: “What are you looking at? I know it’s not yours. You’re a hen that hasn’t laid an egg in three years. You’d never be so lucky!” I laughed in anger: “If it’s not mine, then why are you so excited?” “Don’t be stupid! If it’s not yours, then it must belong to Calvin’s mistress!” Mrs. Gibson beamed with joy. “Men will be men. Which one doesn’t stray? As long as she can bear an heir for the Peters family, she’s done us a great service!” Just then, Calvin pushed the door open. Mrs. Gibson immediately rushed to him, holding up the pregnancy test like a treasure: “Calvin, be honest with me. Is your mistress Margaret pregnant?” Calvin glanced at me guiltily. But when he saw I wasn’t making a scene and Mrs. Gibson looked overjoyed, his spine suddenly stiffened. He nodded confidently: “Mom, since you already know, I won’t hide it. Margaret is indeed pregnant. We just found out.” Standing to the side, I almost laughed out loud. “Well done, you make me so proud!” Mrs. Gibson slapped her thigh excitedly. “Since Margaret is carrying a child, we must bring her home to enjoy her rightful status!” Calvin’s eyes reddened with emotion: “Mom, you’re so understanding! Margaret said she doesn’t need a title, she just wants the baby to be healthy.” “The poor girl.” Mrs. Gibson turned to look at me, her expression instantly changing. “Elliot, since you can’t give birth yourself, don’t be jealous of Margaret. Clear out the master bedroom right now. We’re bringing her home tomorrow to rest during her pregnancy!” Calvin chimed in: “That’s right, Elliot. Move to the guest room. The master bedroom gets better sunlight. Let Margaret have it. She’s pregnant and needs the calcium from sunshine.” He paused, then warned me viciously: “You better behave yourself. If you dare lay a finger on Margaret or touch a single hair on my son’s head, I’ll kill you!” I stared expressionlessly at this pair of despicable mother and son, hands in my pockets, quietly pressing the record button on my phone. “So what you’re saying is, as long as a mistress is pregnant with a Peters family child, she must be brought home and taken care of, never left to fend for herself?” Mrs. Gibson lifted her chin: “Naturally!” I continued: “And this child, even if illegitimate, must enjoy exactly the same inheritance rights as a legitimate child?” Calvin stated firmly: “Obviously! He’s Peters family blood. Who dares mistreat him?” “Alright, I understand.” I nodded, the corners of my mouth curving into a gentle smile. “Of course. Since she’s carrying a Peters heir, naturally we must treat her well with good food and drink.”

Mrs. Gibson snorted coldly: “Good that you know your place. Hurry up and pack your things, move all your junk out. Don’t bring us bad luck!” For the next two hours, I leaned against the doorframe like an idle bystander, watching Calvin and Mrs. Gibson gleefully throw my belongings out. “Change these sheets. Margaret likes pink!” “Move this vanity too. Make room for the baby crib!” Calvin was all smiles. “Mom, let’s go to the mall tomorrow and buy Margaret the best bird’s nest soup!” Mrs. Gibson grinned from ear to ear: “Yes, I’ll pay! As long as her belly delivers, I’ll buy her anything!” I watched their busy backs, nearly laughing myself to tears. Oh Calvin, since you’re so happy, I won’t show you the azoospermia diagnosis report I just picked up from the hospital. Let you enjoy yourselves for a couple more days. Early the next morning, Mrs. Gibson and Calvin left the house in high spirits. They said they were going to upscale baby boutiques to stock up, preparing to welcome the “great contributor” Margaret home. Before leaving, Calvin didn’t forget to warn me viciously to clear out the last bits of trash from the master bedroom so it wouldn’t offend Margaret’s eyes. After the door closed, I unhurriedly took out my phone and dialed a number. “Hello? Is this Ms. Hill? Yes, I’m Calvin’s wife, Elliot. I saw the pregnancy test you left under our master bedroom bed yesterday.” There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. I laughed lightly, my tone gentle. “Don’t be afraid. Mrs. Gibson and Calvin have spoken. Since you’re carrying Peters family blood, you absolutely cannot be left to fend for yourself. Pack your bags. I’m sending a car to bring you to the villa to rest during your pregnancy.”

At three in the afternoon, the villa gates opened. Mrs. Gibson and Calvin walked in carrying bags of imported bird’s nest, luxury baby cribs, and a mountain of other baby supplies, their faces beaming. “Margaret said she’s suffering from morning sickness today and needs to wait a couple more days before moving in. I feel so bad for her.” Mrs. Gibson muttered as she changed her shoes. Calvin agreed: “Mom, Margaret is carrying a boy. It’s normal for him to be demanding. Please take extra care of her, and I’ll make sure she treats you well later.” The two were chatting and laughing as they turned into the living room, then the smiles on their faces instantly froze. On the leather sofa sat a woman in her thirties, still attractive and well-maintained. She wore loose maternity clothes and was using a toothpick to eat the strawberries I had just washed. Seeing the mother and son laden with packages, the woman also froze, somewhat awkwardly putting down the fruit plate. “Who, who is this?” Mrs. Gibson’s eyes widened as she looked the woman on the sofa up and down. “Elliot, what are you playing at? Why are strangers coming into the house? Is this some poor relative of yours?” Calvin also frowned: “Elliot, are you sick? I told you to make room for Margaret, and you invite your relatives over? Get her out of here now!” I walked out of the kitchen carrying a glass of warm milk, handed it to the woman on the sofa, then turned around with a beaming smile. “Please don’t be angry. If you get upset, how will you take care of the pregnant woman?” I walked to the woman’s side and patted her shoulder affectionately, introducing her with great ceremony: “This is definitely not my poor relative. What’s in her belly is genuine Peters family blood.” Mrs. Gibson’s mind hadn’t caught up yet. She thought it was another of Calvin’s affairs. “Calvin, besides Margaret you got another woman pregnant? This woman looks well into her thirties. You could actually bring yourself to sleep with her?” Calvin’s face turned green, frantically waving his hands: “Mom, I don’t know her! I swear I’ve never touched even a finger of hers! Why would I have a lover this old?” I pretended to be shocked, covering my mouth. “Calvin, that’s not right. How can you shout at your elders like that?” I looked at the two confused people with a smile. “Oh my, did I forget to tell you? The pregnancy test swept out yesterday really wasn’t mine, but it wasn’t Calvin’s mistress’s either.” “Mrs. Gibson, let me formally introduce you. This is Ms. Hill, the mistress Anderson keeps on the side. Yesterday, while you were out, Anderson brought her home to get something and accidentally dropped the pregnancy test under the bed.” “Originally, I wanted to pretend nothing happened. But yesterday, you swore that Peters family blood couldn’t be left outside, that illegitimate children must also enjoy inheritance rights. So I brought Ms. Hill home.” “You won’t mind, will you?”

The air froze in that instant. Mrs. Gibson’s face, which had been glowing with health just moments ago, visibly turned the color of liver. Her lips trembled as she pointed at the woman on the sofa, unable to squeeze out a word for a long time: “You, what did you say?” I blinked innocently and took out my phone, pressing play on yesterday’s saved recording. Mrs. Gibson and Calvin’s full-throated voices immediately rang out: “As long as she’s carrying Peters seed, she absolutely cannot be left outside!” “Even if it’s an illegitimate child, they must enjoy exactly the same inheritance rights!” “We must bring her home and treat her well! If you dare touch a hair on their head, I’ll kill you!” After the recording finished, I spread my hands, smiling virtuously. “Mom, Calvin, your words yesterday really opened my eyes. Our Peters family values bloodline. Since Ms. Hill is carrying Anderson’s child, that makes it Calvin’s little brother or sister!” “Such precious Peters family offspring, how could they be left outside? So I immediately brought her home to take good care of her.” I pointed at the pile of upscale baby supplies on the floor, full of admiration: “You two were so thoughtful, even buying bird’s nest and maternity clothes. Ms. Hill, see how much they care about you!” Mrs. Gibson stood stunned for a full half minute before suddenly erupting in a piercing shriek. “That’s bullshit! Elliot, you bitch, stop trying to drive a wedge between us!” She pointed at the woman on the sofa, trembling all over. “Her? Anderson is well into his fifties. How could he do something so disgusting outside! Anderson would never be that kind of person!” “That’s such an ugly thing to say.” Ms. Hill, who had been silent until now, timidly put down the cherries in her hand, her eyes watery and full of grievance: “Anderson said he’s most annoyed by the old woman at home nagging about everything. He said I’m gentle and understanding, that I know his heart best. If he hadn’t insisted on dragging me to the bedroom yesterday for some excitement, the pregnancy test wouldn’t have fallen under the bed.”

“Ahh! You shameless slut, I’ll tear you apart!” Mrs. Gibson completely lost it. The woman who had been putting on airs as a wealthy matriarch just moments ago now lunged at the woman with her teeth bared and claws out. I reacted quickly, grabbing her and pushing her back into Calvin’s arms. “Mrs. Gibson, please calm down!” I urged her. “Didn’t you just teach me yesterday that men will be men. Which one doesn’t stray? Anderson is in his prime. It’s perfectly normal for him to have affairs. This shows Anderson has charisma. You should be more understanding!” “Shut your mouth. How is that the same?” Mrs. Gibson’s chest heaved violently, nearly coughing up blood. “How is it different?” I widened my eyes in feigned confusion. “Oh right, you also said yesterday that as long as it’s a Peters child, they absolutely cannot be left outside. Look, I’m just following your orders, bringing Anderson’s true love home to treat her well with good food and drink.” I turned to look at Calvin, who was still in a daze: “Calvin, you personally made a vow yesterday. If anyone dared touch a pregnant woman’s hair, you’d kill me. Now your mom wants to attack her. Are you going to do something about it?” Calvin finally snapped back to reality. But what concerned him wasn’t Anderson’s affair, but something far more critical. “Wait!” Calvin’s face turned deathly pale as he stared at Ms. Hill’s belly, his voice cracking. “The baby in your belly is my dad’s? Then, then won’t he have to split our family fortune?” I nearly laughed out loud. This scumbag’s thought process was truly refreshingly unique, always fixated on money. I clapped my hands in loud praise: “Calvin, you’re so smart! Yesterday you said emphatically that even illegitimate children must enjoy exactly the same inheritance rights!” I walked to Ms. Hill’s side and raised an eyebrow at Calvin: “Since your mistress’s child can split your fortune, naturally Anderson’s mistress’s child should also split Anderson’s fortune. By calculation, whether Ms. Hill’s baby is a boy or girl, they can split away exactly half the family assets!” “No way! Absolutely not!” Calvin completely broke down, stamping his feet and cursing. “My dad’s money is all mine. Why should it go to this bastard child from who knows where! Elliot, get her out of here right now!” I crossed my arms, took a step back, and watched coldly as this mother-son pair jumped around anxiously. “Get her out? Too late.” I spread my hands. “When Ms. Hill came in, I already sent Anderson a message saying I brought his sweetheart home to rest during her pregnancy. By my calculation, he should be arriving home any minute now.” As soon as I finished speaking, the sound of urgent car brakes came from outside the villa. Then the front door was pushed open. Anderson, usually stern and rigid, rushed in breathlessly. As soon as he entered, his gaze fell on the woman on the sofa. His usually stern face instantly softened with tenderness: “How did you end up here? Did anything happen to the baby?” In the living room, Mrs. Gibson’s face finally changed from liver-colored to deathly pale. And Calvin looked like he had swallowed a live fly.

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After my roommates found out I was the daughter of the richest man in the country, their attitudes toward me changed. Every month when my dad transferred me a hundred thousand dollars for living expenses, my roommate would make snide remarks. “Why does a girl need so much money?” “The company will end up in your brother’s hands anyway. With how recklessly you spend now, don’t be surprised when they kick you out of the family!” As everyone knew, my dad only had one daughter—me. When she demanded I hand over my allowance yet again, I finally snapped: “Are you insane? I’ll spend my money however I want. It’s none of your business!” Who knew my roommate would smirk with contempt. “Of course I can tell you what to do. After all, I’m pregnant with your dad’s child. By family standing, you should obey me!” But my dad had a testicular removal surgery two years ago. How could she possibly be pregnant with his child?! The hundred thousand dollars in living expenses had just hit my account, and I went straight to the boutique to buy their limited edition handbag. I was in a pretty good mood until I got back to the dorm and heard my roommate Yasmin’s sarcastic voice. “Oh, Sophia’s back. What nice things did you buy today?” Ever since finding out I was the daughter of the richest man in the country, Yasmin’s attitude toward me had completely changed. She constantly took the lead in isolating and ostracizing me. When I went to the cafeteria to eat, she would deliberately start trouble. “How can the daughter of the richest man sit and eat with us commoners!” When I returned to the dorm to rest, she would force the other roommates to act like servants. “Don’t you guys have any sense? The princess is back. Everyone better serve her carefully!” At first, I would try to explain, but every time Yasmin would jump out to sabotage me. Over time, everyone avoided me like the plague. Only Yasmin, the instigator of it all, put on the act of being my savior. “See? I’m the only one who can tolerate your bad temper.” But I couldn’t stand her petty behavior. I ignored her and walked straight past. To my surprise, Yasmin snatched the bag from my hand and examined it carefully. “So this is what a designer bag looks like. The texture really is different.” Seeing the greedy look on her face, I said irritably, “Give it back!” “You already have so many bags. You don’t need this one. Why don’t you just give it to me?” Before, I just thought Yasmin had no sense of boundaries. Now I realized she not only had no boundaries, but was also incredibly shameless. “If you want one, buy it yourself. Why should I give you my stuff!” I snatched it back from her hands. Yasmin’s expression darkened frighteningly. She glared at me. “Does having money make you so great? Don’t think that just because you have some money you can insult people however you want!” Her eyes suddenly reddened, and she collapsed on the desk crying. I was completely bewildered when my roommates came back from outside. They must have heard what was just said, because they looked at me disapprovingly. “Sophia, we know your family is rich, but you can’t use your wealth to trample on others’ dignity.” I almost laughed from anger. “She didn’t want to pay a cent and tried to take my bag. What, should I have gotten on my knees to thank her?” I pulled out the recording from earlier and exposed Yasmin’s true face. The roommates realized they’d been deceived and immediately distanced themselves from her. After being set up by her so many times, I’d finally won one back. Seeing her lie exposed, Yasmin dropped the act. “Was I wrong? Can you even use all those bags? I was helping you lighten your load!” “No need to worry about me. If I can’t use them all, I can sell them for charity. Either way, I’m not giving them to you!” Yasmin’s face turned livid with rage. She couldn’t say a word. After suffering in silence for so long, it felt great to finally see her lose. After this incident, I figured she wouldn’t dare provoke me again!

Yasmin seemed frightened by the recording incident. She stopped making sarcastic remarks and even deliberately kept her distance from me. Without her interference, the air felt much fresher. I gradually let my guard down, thinking she had finally learned about boundaries and stopped looking for trouble. The month passed peacefully. Until the day of the holiday, I packed my suitcase and walked out of school to find William’s black Bentley already parked at the school gate. He wore a pressed dark suit, his posture upright. He looked nothing like a driver. “Sophia, let me take that for you.” William smiled as he took the suitcase from my hand and expertly placed it in the trunk. Just as I pulled open the car door to get in, Yasmin’s voice suddenly called from behind. “Sophia, wait!” I turned around to see Yasmin pulling her suitcase, jogging toward me. Her eyes glanced at William and the car, and she was still catching her breath. “My parents are working overtime on a construction project and can’t pick me up. Plus, I bought a lot of study materials this month, so I don’t have enough money for a cab.” “Sophia, could you give me a ride?” She looked at me expectantly, her tone cautious. I frowned. Honestly, I didn’t want any more entanglement with her, but seeing those yellowed canvas shoes on her feet, and considering she really hadn’t bothered me this past month. I couldn’t help but relent. “Get in.” “Thank you so much! Sophia, you’re the best!” Before I could react, she had already walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and got in. Her movements were so natural, as if it were her designated seat. I froze for a moment, frowning. Usually when William picked me up, I put my bag or files in the passenger seat. No one else ever sat there. But then I thought, it was just a seat. No need to make a big deal out of it. So I opened the back door. As soon as the car started moving, Yasmin began chatting with William. “Sir, this car is so comfortable. It must be expensive, right?” Her voice was sickeningly sweet, completely different from her sharp and bitter tone in the dorm. William smiled politely. “It’s alright. Just for transportation.” “You look so young, sir. You must take really good care of yourself, right?” Yasmin rested her chin on one hand, staring straight at William. “Do you focus a lot on health maintenance? My mom always says men need to take care of themselves as they get older, or they’ll age fast…” She babbled on and on, every topic somehow circling back to William, every word dripping with deliberate flattery. One moment she’d praise his suit fabric, the next she’d say his voice was magnetic, and she even meaningfully mentioned: “My dad works construction year-round. His hands are covered in calluses. Not like you, sir. You look like someone who does important things. Even your fingers are so long and elegant.” I got goosebumps listening to her and couldn’t help glancing at her. But she acted as if she didn’t notice my gaze and continued chatting animatedly with William. William clearly sensed something was off and his responses became increasingly perfunctory, mostly just “Mm” and “I suppose” to brush her off. But not only did Yasmin not hold back, she intensified her efforts. As we passed a dessert shop, she suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! This place has such famous mousse cake! I’ve always wanted to try it, but it’s too expensive…” As she spoke, her eyes drifted toward William, her tone taking on a wheedling quality. “Sir, have you tried it? I heard rich people have personal pastry chefs at home. Is that true?” “I’m not rich…” “You’re too modest, sir. If you don’t count as rich, then what are we? Beggars?” Yasmin chattered nonstop the entire way. It was incredibly annoying. I tried to interrupt her several times, telling her to stop. But she’d stay quiet for less than a minute before finding another topic to discuss with William. Thoroughly irritated, I simply put in my Bluetooth earbuds to block out her voice. It was just a short ride anyway. Once we dropped her at the subway station, we’d never cross paths again. No point getting into another conflict over such a small thing. However, when the car approached the subway station, Yasmin suddenly said: “Sir, actually my home isn’t near the subway station. It’s in the suburbs. Could you drive me a bit further?” Then she turned to wink at me. “Sophia, you don’t mind, right?”

Before I could answer, she had already turned back to William. “My parents are working overtime today. I’m a girl carrying luggage and walking alone at night—it’s kind of scary…” William didn’t respond this time. He looked at me through the rearview mirror, waiting for my decision. Looking at Yasmin’s entitled expression, that uncomfortable feeling finally crystallized into clear disgust. Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile—that was her true nature! My patience finally ran out. When she emphasized taking her home yet again, I refused sharply. “No! We agreed on the subway station, so it’s only to the subway station.” The smile on Yasmin’s face instantly froze. She hadn’t expected me to reject her so firmly. She paused for two seconds, then her eyes suddenly reddened and her voice became choked with sobs. “Sophia, I shouldn’t be so demanding, but my home really is far away. Even after getting off the subway, I still have to walk for over two hours. By the time I get home, it’ll be dark.” “My parents work so hard to save money. They haul bricks during the day and watch warehouses at night. They won’t even buy themselves decent clothes. I really don’t want to trouble them to pick me up.” She cried while wiping her tears. “I’m not afraid of walking alone at night for any other reason, just afraid of running into bad people… If something happens to me, how will my parents survive…” The atmosphere in the car grew heavy. William glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes showing some sympathy. “The suburbs aren’t that far by car. Maybe we should…” I cut him off. “This isn’t about distance.” But Yasmin grabbed onto it like a lifeline. “Sir, you’re such a good person! Sophia, I know you’re still angry about before. I’ll apologize, okay?” “I promise, this is the last time I’ll trouble you. After this, I’ll stay far away from you!” “She’s just a young girl. It really isn’t easy for her. Let me take her.” Seeing the sincerity in William’s eyes, and glancing at Yasmin’s pitiful tear-streaked face, I finally closed my eyes. “Take me home first, then you can drive her.” Yasmin immediately broke into a smile through her tears. “Thank you, Sophia! Thank you, sir! You’re both such good people!” For the rest of the drive, she was much more subdued, only occasionally glancing at William with a smile she couldn’t quite hide. When we arrived at my villa, William was about to get out to help with my luggage, but Yasmin had already jumped out first and eagerly opened the trunk. “Let me, let me! Sophia, you live here? This house is gorgeous!” Her eyes were filled with undisguised envy, and her attitude became much more fawning. I ignored her and took the bag William handed me. “Drive safely.” “Don’t worry.” As the car started up again, I looked back. Yasmin was sitting in the passenger seat, saying something to William that made her face flush with shyness. I felt an uneasy feeling, but quickly dismissed the thought. I must be overthinking it. After all, William was old enough to be her father. Yasmin had such high standards. How could she possibly be interested in William?

After the holiday ended, Yasmin had visibly changed. She no longer wore faded T-shirts, but had switched to designer clothes. Within a few days, she’d gotten the latest iPhone. Someone who used to be too stingy to even buy a cup of iced latte was now treating the other roommates to upscale Japanese restaurants averaging over a hundred dollars per person every few days. Roommate Lily couldn’t help asking curiously, “Yasmin, did you win the lottery? You’ve been so generous lately.” Yasmin smiled with pursed lips. “It’s nothing. Just my boyfriend’s gifts. He’s worried I won’t eat well at school, so he gave me some spending money.” “Your boyfriend must be rich! He’s so generous.” When asked about her boyfriend’s identity, Yasmin became evasive. “I’ll introduce you to him when there’s a chance.” I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but when Yasmin said this, her eyes seemed to deliberately glance at me. I had no interest in other people’s private lives, especially Yasmin’s. Where her money came from, who she was dating—none of it concerned me. My phone suddenly vibrated. It was the hundred thousand dollars in living expenses my dad had transferred. I had just opened my phone to look when Yasmin immediately leaned over. “Did your dad transfer your living expenses? He’s really generous.” I turned my phone face-down on the desk and gave a noncommittal hum. “Sophia, don’t you think it’s unsafe for a girl to keep so much money on hand?” I frowned. “What do you mean?” Yasmin smiled very sincerely. “Look, this hundred thousand dollars—you’ll spend it all in no time. Why don’t you let me hold onto it for you? I’ll save it.” “If you want to buy something, just tell me. I’ll check it for you, so you don’t waste money.” This was absolutely absurd. I couldn’t help but snap. “Yasmin, who do you think you are? My money is none of your business!” The smile on her face froze, and a flash of resentment appeared in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. “Sophia, how can you say that? I’m doing this for your own good.” “Do I need you to teach me?” I cut her off. “My dad is happy to give me money to spend. I’ll spend it however I want. You have no right to tell me what to do!” Yasmin’s face turned red and white. Just when I thought she’d explode with anger, she suddenly showed a strange smile. “Sophia, you’re so arrogant now just because you’re the only child of the Sterling family. But have you ever thought about what happens if your dad has a son?” I frowned, completely unable to follow her logic. “What nonsense are you talking about? My dad only has one daughter—me. Where would a son come from!” “Why not?” Yasmin raised an eyebrow. “Men, you know, they always have that old-fashioned thinking. No matter how big the family business, there has to be a son to inherit it. Your dad treats you well now because he has no other choice.” She paused, then continued, “Once your dad has a son, do you think you’ll still get a hundred thousand dollars a month in allowance?” This made me furious. Forget that my dad couldn’t have more children. Even if he could, why shouldn’t I inherit my family’s business? “Yasmin, have you been watching too many TV dramas? My dad’s company will definitely be left to me in the future. Stop worrying about things that don’t concern you!”

I’d said as much, and I thought Yasmin would finally know to back off and stop bothering me. But that evening, I was studying in the dorm when Yasmin suddenly ran up to me and opened with: “Sophia, where’s your living expenses?” I looked up at her. “How is my living expenses any of your business?” Yasmin raised her voice. “Of course it’s my business. Didn’t I tell you last time? From now on, hand all your living expenses to me. When you need to spend money, submit an application. Once it’s approved, I’ll transfer it to you.” “Of course, if you behave well, I’ll give you an extra five hundred dollars each month as a reward.” Watching her get more and more excited, I almost thought there was something wrong with my ears. My fingers tightened slightly around my phone. I looked up at her, my eyes cold enough to freeze: “Yasmin, what did you just say? I didn’t hear you clearly.” “I said, hand over the hundred thousand your dad gave you. I’ll manage it. If you behave well, I’ll reward you with an extra five hundred each month.” I laughed coldly. “Yasmin, who do you think you are to demand my money over and over again!” Yasmin’s voice suddenly rose. “Of course I’m qualified.” She gently caressed her abdomen. “Because I’m pregnant with your dad’s child. Once I marry into the Sterling family on the strength of my child, by family standing, you’ll have to obey me.” At those words, the dorm fell instantly silent. The roommates’ gazes bounced between me and Yasmin, too shocked to speak. Yasmin looked at me triumphantly, as if certain I would break down over this. But I just looked at her calmly. Yasmin pregnant with my dad’s child? That had to be the most ridiculous joke I’d ever heard. Two years ago, Dad was diagnosed with a testicular tumor. For complete treatment, he’d already had testicular removal surgery. The doctor had explicitly stated that he had zero chance of having children after the procedure. This was kept strictly confidential within the family. Almost no one besides Dad and me knew about it. If Yasmin had really investigated my family, she would never have fabricated such a flawed lie. I could guess what Yasmin was thinking. After finding out I was the daughter of the richest man, she’d gotten greedy ideas, even trying to use pregnancy to latch onto a wealthy family, and wanted to manipulate me in the process. How stupid and greedy! “Sophia, be smart and hand over the money.” Yasmin threatened in a low voice. “Otherwise, once I marry into the family, you’ll regret it. By then, forget a hundred thousand in living expenses—whether you can even stay in the Sterling family will be questionable!” Watching her spittle fly everywhere, I suddenly had a new idea. Since she wanted to put on a show, I’d play along!

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On our tenth wedding anniversary, my husband took me to see the ocean. We were caught in a maritime disaster. In my dying moments, he used his last bit of strength to hold my hand. “Thank you. I’m so lucky to have you.” Through tears, I squeezed back the hand of my dying husband. A few breaths later, I followed him into death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my junior year of high school, studying day and night. All so I could go to Harvard with him and make up for the regrets of my past life. At the post-SAT party, he walked toward me holding roses, just like in my previous life. “I want to tell you—I like you.” My heart swelled with sweetness as I stood up, about to say: I like you too. But he walked past me and handed the roses to Mia, who stood beside me. Suddenly, I understood. He had been reborn too. He had always loved Mia. In this life, he wanted a different future. I decided to grant him that wish. When applying to colleges, I chose Stanford University, three thousand miles away from him, to pursue my own dreams.

Everyone in the private room was looking at me. I forced my voice to sound light and natural. “I was just about to say—you came so late, I almost couldn’t help but tell Mia early.” The atmosphere relaxed instantly. Everyone started cheering. “Kiss! Kiss!” Ethan lowered his head, gazing at Mia with tender seriousness. “May I, Mia?” Mia nodded, her joy overflowing. I turned my face away, retreating to a corner, slowly drinking my iced Coke, trying to keep my breathing steady. Someone from the table in front leaned over. “Don’t you like Ethan? You two walk to and from school together every day. Everyone thought you’d end up together.” I forced a smile, acting as naturally as possible. “We’re neighbors, of course we walk together. He’s like my brother.” Even though this “brother” had hooked pinkies with me just yesterday, promising to go to Crystal Lake together. He wanted to make eternal vows under the witness of snow-capped mountains and sacred lakes—promises for this life and the next. I could feel an oppressive gaze falling on me. He wasn’t the eighteen-year-old Ethan whose eyes held only me. He was the forty-eight-year-old Ethan, also reborn. So I instinctively applied the social rules of forty-eight-year-old Rebecca Lynn. As the wife of the CEO of Wright Corporation, no matter how humiliating the situation, I had to maintain dignity first and not affect the company’s stock price. My hand gripping the cup suddenly tightened. I snapped back to reality. Damn it. I’m broke right now. What Wright Corporation stock price? The person in front was about to say more when Ethan walked over with his arm around Mia. He smiled brightly, but his eyes held no warmth when he looked at me. “Becca, from now on, when you see Mia, remember to call her Mia.” “Mia wants to go to Alaska for her graduation trip. I have to go with her. You’ll have to go to the plateau by yourself.” I stared at the rose pinned in Mia’s hair, saying nothing. Mia playfully swatted him, her eyes full of disdain and triumph as she looked at me. “Aren’t you worried about Becca going so far alone?” “How about I introduce her to some of my childhood friends as boyfriends? They’re all rich kids.” Of course she was triumphant. A year ago, she cornered Ethan to confess, but he publicly rejected her, citing his studies. She could see that he and I were always together. She’d planned to come tonight to ruin Ethan’s confession to me. She never expected the confession would suddenly be directed at her instead. What she didn’t know was that in my past life, tonight, she had burned the roses Ethan gave me. If I hadn’t stopped him, the furious Ethan would have nearly slapped her across the face. Later, she pursued Ethan for eight years, only to be coldly rejected each time. I once nestled in his arms and asked: “Mia is so beautiful, and her dad is a major shareholder in your company. Aren’t you even a little tempted?” He snorted. “I can’t afford to mess with that kind of princess.”

Later, he went to Germany on a business trip. The next day, Mia followed him there and was caught in a plane crash. When I heard the news, my heart tightened. I instinctively looked at Ethan. His face was pale. He said nothing. But that night, he cried in his sleep. “If I had said yes to you, you would have flown with me and wouldn’t have died. It’s my fault…” After waking, he never mentioned it again. I thought it was just guilt. Until now. Looking at the pain and tenderness he couldn’t hide in his eyes, I finally realized belatedly that it wasn’t guilt that night—it was love. Ethan tucked a strand of hair behind Mia’s ear, not even glancing at me. “What’s there to worry about? She’s an adult. She won’t get lost.” “If your friends like her, Mia, that’s her good fortune. Just send them her Snapchat.” He turned to me, his tone commanding as if it were obvious. “Mia and I are going to Harvard together. With your grades, just apply to a community college nearby.” Mia and the others looked at him in surprise, but he remained oblivious, still arrogant. “You’re a good cook and attentive. Help me take care of Mia, and later she’ll introduce you to a good boyfriend.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to tell him things had changed. Then I heard him add casually: “Come to think of it, you took good care of your dad’s health. You do have experience in that area.” I looked at him in disbelief. In my past life, my dad was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis five years later, surviving each day on expensive imported medication. All my salary went to medical bills. He accompanied me between home and the hospital, never complaining even when important clients were stolen by colleagues. Everyone said I was dragging him down. He held me as I cried and broke down, gently patting my back. “He’s my dad too. Without them raising me all those years, there would be no Ethan today.” His parents had gone to work elsewhere and started new families. His grandmother died when he was twelve. My parents raised their neighbor as their own son, always cutting him the biggest piece of steak. But now, he was using my dad’s illness as leverage, forcing me—his wife from a previous life—to care for his new love. My throat tightened. Looking at his familiar yet strange face, I suddenly found it absurd. Was he really the Ethan who had shared my bed for thirty years? Meeting his cold eyes, I took a deep breath. “My mom wants me home early. I’m leaving.” As I passed him, I turned my head slightly to look at him. “By the way, that thing you asked me to hold for you last time—come get it sometime.” There was no such thing. It was just the usual social phrase for “let’s talk privately.” If he really was the forty-eight-year-old Ethan, with years of marital understanding, he would get my meaning. When I got home, Dad frowned seeing only me. “Why didn’t Ethan walk you back?” I stared at him. “Did you go for your physical today?” He waved his hand. “What’s the point? It’s a waste of money. I ranked 48th in the state on the SAT. The school gave me a hundred thousand dollars. I have money.” He was silent for a moment, his rough hand touching my head. “Alright. Our Rebecca has grown up. I’ll go tomorrow.” I leaned against Dad watching TV, so happy I nearly cried. 2 In my past life, he ultimately suffocated to death. His last words were that with Ethan taking care of me, he could rest in peace. Back then, Ethan and I were known as a loving couple. Childhood sweethearts, from school uniforms to wedding dress. In the morning, he needed a hug from me before leaving for work. After work, he always brought me a rose. When it was hot and we took walks, he fanned me. When it was cold and I was weak, he warmed my feet. After his business grew, beauties swarmed around him, but he never gave them a glance. “My wife is waiting for me at home.” He was afraid childbirth would hurt me, so he suggested we not have children. “Just the two of us, living our whole lives together. Is that okay?” But why, after being reborn, did he cast me aside like trash? The more I thought about it, the less I understood. Did Mia say something? Remembering the truth about Mia’s death that I’d uncovered in my past life, I decided to wait for Ethan to return and have it out with him. At midnight, I finally heard the sound of keys turning next door, then my phone vibrated. [Ethan: Come over.] I closed my eyes. He really was the reborn Ethan. I went next door and got straight to the point. “Why?” He was silent for a moment. “I think of you as family.” I laughed through my tears. “You slept with me for thirty years and now you call me a sister? Are you crazy? What are you yelling about? Mom and Dad are sleeping next door.” He released his hand, stepped back, and looked me up and down with disgust. “Let me be honest. I’ve slept with you for thirty years. I’m really sick of it! Kissing you is like kissing myself.” “Look at you. Average intelligence, no ambition, going to community college.” “After I became successful, you did nothing but beauty treatments with the other wives and stayed home like a parasite. You can’t do anything.” His eyes suddenly lit up, filled with ambition and longing. “But Mia is different. You know who her dad is. With her, I can cut ten years off my struggle!” “I’m choosing her not because you’re bad, but because—” He paused, his eyes shifting away for a moment as if he couldn’t bear it, then immediately returning to casual arrogance. “You’re not good enough. You can’t help me. It’s not your fault, but it’s the truth.” He grabbed my hand, his expression sincere. “I know you love me and can’t leave me. I love you too.” “But not right now. Let’s be just friends for now.” “You obediently take care of Mia, and when I succeed, I’ll give you a better life than the last one.” “You help my future now, and I’ll secure yours. Okay, Becca?” Shock, anger, humiliation, disgust… Even though I’d been reborn for a year, I felt like I was suddenly plunged back into the day of the maritime disaster. Countless emotions surged at me. I struggled desperately, but could only let myself be swallowed. His hand gripping mine was as cold as it had been on the day of the disaster. I quietly heard my own heartbeat pounding frantically, then gradually weakening, falling into deathly silence. He didn’t love me anymore, but he didn’t want to let me go either. Those promises of eternal devotion in the next life were just my one-sided joke. Rebecca Lynn, you’re such a fool! I swallowed the truth about Mia’s death and laughed coldly as I slammed the door on my way out. “Fine. I wish you both a hundred years of happiness and good health.” When filling out college applications, I directly chose Stanford University. It had the best game design program—my dream that I’d discovered at age forty-five in my past life. And it was a full three thousand miles away from Ethan. As soon as I finished, Ethan’s message came. [Did you finish filling it out?] [Yeah.] [Good job.] 4 He immediately followed up with several instructions. [Mia said you ignored her friends. Good job.] [But you’re not Mrs. Wright anymore, your grades are mediocre, and your background is ordinary.] [When you meet those rich boys, don’t give them attitude. Be polite to them and don’t make me worry.] I sneered. Seems like his precious Mia never mentioned my grades to him. 48th in the state on the SAT—my phone had just been bombarded with calls from admissions offices, promising scholarships up to five hundred thousand dollars. Where would I have time to deal with those shady friends? Exiting the chat, I opened my friend requests. [Heard from Mia that you’re obedient? I happen to need an obedient follower. Let’s chat.] [Your boyfriend’s sister? What kind of sister?] [You look decent in your photos. Want to have some fun with me? I’ll make it worth your while.] I frowned in disgust. Ethan’s message popped up again. [Mia and I are going to Alaska in a few days. Those cookies you brought back last time were delicious. Where did you buy them? I’ll get you some.] Get them for me, or take Mia to eat them? [Mrs. Lynn’s exclusive recipe. Not for sale.] After a while, he replied: [Okay, I trust you.] I gripped my phone, anger rushing to the top of my head. [Believe whatever you want!] Before sending, I deleted it. Forget it. Talking to a deaf person is just a waste of time. I got up and started packing the things he’d given me over the years. Pens, bookmarks, notebooks, snow globes… Odds and ends filled an entire box—childish and cheap. But it was a box full of what was once sincerity. Ethan, how did you become so unrecognizable? I carried the box next door and threw it in a corner of the storage room, turning to leave. Draft papers on the desk were blown everywhere by the wind. I sighed and picked them up one by one to put back. But on the open notebook, I saw a few words pressed hard into the paper: [Whisper Bay, Sacrifice True Heart, Start Over] All the blood in my body instantly turned cold. Whisper Bay was where we encountered the maritime disaster. Sacrifice—what did that mean? Was our rebirth his arrangement? My hair stood on end. I carefully restored the room to its original state and took the box back, pretending I’d never been there. During the five days of college application submissions, Ethan and I didn’t see each other. He was busy dating Mia, fantasizing about traveling around the country together during their four years of college. I was busy searching online and at the library… looking everywhere for legends about Whisper Bay. Every day he shared dating stories with me, subtly mocking my dullness, and ordered me to plan their travel itinerary. Unwilling to alert him, I did everything he asked. He grew increasingly entitled. July 7, 4:54 PM. I finally saw a post on an obscure forum. [Want to restart your life? Welcome to my hometown. We have a sea called Reincarnation Sea.] [It swallows several people every year, but my grandma says they don’t die—they’re reborn.] [Long ago, there was a fisherwoman whose husband went to sea and never returned. She waited thirty years.] [Then one full moon night, she rowed out alone and never came back.] [After that, people passing by that sea at night heard a woman crying and a man answering.] [My grandma said that as long as you truly love someone and are willing to die for them, Reincarnation Sea will send you both back to the past.] The replies below were all mocking: [I love money above all else. Let me memorize lottery numbers and I’ll find the poster.] [Too cliche. Why not say going there together lets you cycle through ten lives together? Better for tricking people in love to travel, right?] I stared at the screen, trembling uncontrollably.

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After being reborn, I burned every photo I had with Ethan Rivers. I also tore up the love letters Lucas Knight had written for three years. Because in my previous life, I became a complete joke between these two men. Ethan said he loved me, but after I gave up my study abroad opportunity for him, he left the country with Willow Hayes. Before leaving, he left me a letter: “She needs me more than you do.” I cried for three months. Lucas stayed by my side and said, “I’ve waited eight years for you.” After marrying him, he came home on time every night and never got involved with any other women. I thought I’d finally made the right bet. Until that winter when I got into a car accident. I was unconscious in the ICU for seven days, and he never came once. But I heard the nurses talking: “Her husband comes every day, but he goes to the room next door to take care of a patient named Willow Hayes.” Later I learned that Ethan took Willow abroad to treat her illness, and Lucas paid for everything. In this life, I sold my house early and took my grandmother abroad to study.

“The patient in Room 12 is so pitiful. Her husband comes every day but never goes in to see her.” “Yeah, he goes straight to the next room to visit that patient named Willow Hayes.” The nurses’ voices drifted in from outside the door. After the car accident, I had multiple fractures and had been lying in the ICU for seven days. Though unconscious, my mind was clear. I heard the nurses call Lucas Knight over and over. But he never came to see me. He was with someone more important. The salvation I thought I’d found was just another lie. I used all my strength trying to open my eyes, but my vision filled only with a flat line on the heart monitor. When I opened my eyes again, the sunlight was blinding. I sat at my familiar desk. The calendar showed three months before I would give up my study abroad spot for Ethan Rivers. This time, I answered the call from the school’s international exchange office: “Professor, I confirm I’m participating in this year’s exchange program. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.” The professor’s voice was pleased: “I’m glad you’ve thought it through. It would be such a waste to give up such a good opportunity.” Yes, such a waste. Giving up my own life for a man was the stupidest thing I’d ever done. After hanging up, I contacted a real estate agent and listed the house my parents left me. I had only one requirement: full payment, as soon as possible. Once that was done, Ethan called. His voice was cold: “Anna, Willow’s graduation project hit a snag. You’re good at this stuff, go help her.” Willow again. Her business always came between us. In my previous life, I stayed up three nights straight because of that one sentence, revising her design from rough draft to final product. The award-winning work bore only her name. Ethan’s explanation was: “Willow’s health is poor. She needs this award for her resume.” I actually believed him back then. I gripped my phone and said softly, “Okay, send me the materials.” Ethan’s voice came through the phone: “Good girl.” One word, and he thought he could dismiss me. I looked out the window, thinking back to my past life, and felt nothing but absurdity. Before long, Lucas Knight knocked on my door carrying macarons from my favorite shop. His tone was gentle: “I know you’ve been stressed about Ethan and Willow. Don’t wear yourself out.” He always appeared when Ethan hurt me, coming to care for me. Then he would casually mention: “That project is pretty important for Willow. Ethan doesn’t have much choice. That girl’s been frail since childhood, can’t handle it alone.” See, they always had a thousand reasons. Willow’s health was poor, so everything she did was justified. I bit into a macaron and smiled at him: “I know. I won’t make things difficult for Ethan.” Lucas smiled with relief. They all thought I was still that Anna Sullivan who would compromise endlessly for Ethan Rivers. The next day, I took my laptop to the library to prepare my study abroad application materials. I was searching for references in the materials section when I looked up and saw Ethan and Willow not far away. Willow was leaning against Ethan, her face rosy, looking nothing like someone with poor health. She was laughing, saying to Ethan: “Ethan, thank goodness for you. I really wouldn’t know what to do otherwise.” Ethan looked down at her with a tenderness I’d never heard in his voice: “Silly girl.” Ethan turned to buy water, and when he looked back, he saw me. His expression froze for a moment, then quickly turned to a frown. My presence disturbed them. I didn’t rush up to confront them like in my previous life. I just gave him a slight smile from afar. Then I turned back to continue searching for my books on the shelf. The gaze from behind made me uncomfortable all over. I didn’t care. Anyway, these days would be over soon.

I didn’t touch a single word of Willow’s graduation project. Two days later, Ethan found me in the library. He yanked the book from my hands and slammed it on the table with a bang. Students around us all looked over. “Anna Sullivan, I told you to help Willow, and you’re here reading boring books?” I looked up at him, and at Willow standing behind him with an innocent expression. “I was just researching some materials,” I answered. “What research could be more important than Willow’s graduation project?” Ethan demanded, pulling Willow in front of him. “She hasn’t slept well for days because of this design, and you don’t care at all.” Willow tugged at his sleeve right on cue, saying softly: “Ethan, don’t be like this. Anna must have her own things to deal with. I’ll figure something out myself.” Her words made Ethan think I was even more unreasonable. “Listen to that!” He pointed at Willow. “Willow is more sensible than you! Anna Sullivan, I’m saying this one last time: within a week, I want to see a complete proposal.” I watched them perform their duet and looked away. I nodded: “Got it.” Ethan thought I’d given in. His expression softened slightly as he pulled Willow away. I took in all the strange looks from the surrounding students. It didn’t matter. This was the last time anyway. Ethan finally couldn’t hold back. His voice was sharp on the phone: “Anna Sullivan, what are you playing at? It’s due in a week and you haven’t done anything?” “I’m sorry, my grandmother hasn’t been feeling well lately. I’ve been at the hospital taking care of her, so I fell behind,” I lied. “Willow’s graduation project is very important to her. Put your family stuff aside and finish her work first.” Listen to how entitled he sounded. My grandmother meant less to him than Willow’s homework. “But…” I pretended to hesitate. “No buts.” Ethan cut me off. “Anna Sullivan, don’t be childish. If Willow can’t graduate, you’ll regret it.” He hung up forcefully. I turned off the faucet and looked at myself in the mirror, unable to understand how I’d been so desperate over such a man in my previous life. Fortunately, I could start over in this life. The agent called at just the right time to tell me the house had found a buyer who agreed to full payment and could sign the contract today. I replied with a simple “okay.” To make the house sale more convincing, I needed to move out some of the old furniture my parents left behind. Those things were heavy. I couldn’t move them alone. The first person I thought of was Lucas Knight, who had always played the role of reliable friend. I called him: “Lucas, are you free? I have some old furniture at home I want to get rid of. Could you help me?” There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Lucas’s voice came through: “Anna, really bad timing. I can’t get away right now.” In the background, I clearly heard Willow’s delicate coughing. “Willow has a bit of a fever. I need to stay here and look after her,” Lucas explained. “Try to figure something out yourself, or call a moving company? I’ll transfer you some money later.” Willow again. I laughed softly: “No need. Take good care of her. I can manage.” After hanging up, I didn’t hesitate for a second and immediately found a paid moving service online. Why beg people for help when money could solve the problem? After hanging up, I clutched my stomach and called Lucas in a weak voice: “I have terrible stomach pain. I’m at City Central Hospital right now.” Lucas immediately answered: “Don’t move, I’ll be right there!” I sat on the cold bench in the hospital emergency hall, watching people come and go. Half an hour later, I saw Lucas. He was running fast, looking hurried, but didn’t glance in my direction at all. Lucas ran right past me, heading straight for the orthopedic clinic on the other side. I stood up and followed. Outside the clinic, Willow sat in a wheelchair with her ankle wrapped in bandages, crying. Lucas crouched in front of her, coaxing her in a soft voice: “Come on, don’t cry. The doctor said it’s just a minor sprain, right? It’ll heal in a few days.” “But it hurts so much…” Willow whined coquettishly. Lucas frowned, reaching out to touch her ankle but afraid of hurting her, his movements cautious. That look was more genuine than any performance he’d put on at my bedside in my previous life. I stood behind them watching. So the rumors I’d heard in the ICU in my previous life had started even earlier. My appearance changed the atmosphere between them. Lucas suddenly turned and saw me, freezing completely. “Anna… what are you doing here?” His eyes were panicked. Willow saw me too. The tears in her eyes instantly disappeared, replaced by a challenging look. “I have stomach pain. I came to get some medicine,” I pointed at myself. “Are you… how are you?” Lucas stood up, looking flustered. “Nothing serious, just an old problem.” “You go ahead with what you’re doing. I’ll head home after I get my prescription.” I didn’t give him any chance to explain and turned to leave. I knew my unhesitating departure would make them even more convinced that I was still that jealous but helpless Anna Sullivan.

The day I signed the house sale contract and received the full payment, the weather was beautiful. I transferred the money to a bank card, then went to school to complete my leave of absence and study abroad procedures. That weekend, a mutual friend organized a bar gathering and invited me. I knew Ethan and the others would be there. To avoid raising suspicion, I agreed. In the private room, everyone started playing Truth or Dare. After a few rounds, Willow suddenly shook the dice in her hand and suggested with a smile: “Let’s play King’s Game! Whoever draws the king can order any two people to do anything!” The suggestion immediately got everyone’s approval, including Ethan and Lucas. Sure enough, in the first round, Willow became the king. She announced her command: “I order Number 2 and Number 5 to recreate the classic bow embrace from Titanic!” After she spoke, everyone started checking their cards. I opened my palm. Number 2. And Ethan, frowning, revealed his Number 5 card. The room erupted immediately with whistles and cheering. “Anna, this is your chance!” “Ethan, don’t just stand there, give her a hug!” I was pushed by the crowd onto the coffee table, not knowing what to do with my hands and feet. Ethan was pushed in front of me, his face full of unwillingness. Lucas was still laughing nearby: “Ethan, hurry up, don’t keep everyone waiting. Anna, spread your arms.” I stiffly spread my arms and closed my eyes, not daring to look at Ethan’s expression. I didn’t wait for an embrace. Instead, a strong force came from behind. It was Willow. She hugged me from behind with a laugh, shouting to Ethan: “Ethan, look, isn’t this the same?” The moment she grabbed me, my foot slipped and I fell backward uncontrollably. A loud bang. I crashed heavily to the ground, the back of my head hitting the hard corner of the coffee table. The pain made my vision go dark. Drinks and fruit on the table tipped over from the impact, pouring ice-cold liquid all over me. The world went silent for a second. Then I heard Ethan’s undisguised mocking laugh. Ethan didn’t even glance at me. He just said to someone nearby: “What a buzzkill.” Lucas only frowned slightly. “Anna, how could you be so careless? It’s just a game.” Not one person came to help me up. All their attention was focused on Willow, who had pushed me and now had red-rimmed eyes. Ethan immediately pulled her to his side, comforting her gently: “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. She just didn’t stand steady.” The sharp pain from the back of my head spread through me as I lay on the cold floor, soaking wet and utterly disheveled. Without a word, I got up from the floor and walked out of that noisy room. In that moment, I was only grateful I’d already sold the house and completed my study abroad procedures. Only three days left until I could leave. The third day was my birthday. Perhaps because of the bar incident, Lucas sent a text: “Anna, happy birthday. Tonight at 7 PM, Cloud Summit Restaurant. I booked the best table for you. See you there.” Soon after, Ethan also sent a text: “Happy birthday. Willow didn’t mean it last time, don’t take it to heart. We’ll celebrate together tonight.” Looking at these two messages, I felt nothing. Consider it a final goodbye. I replied “okay” to both. That evening, I took a cab to the restaurant. Still that window seat with a view overlooking half the city’s nightscape. This scene was identical to my previous life. On this day in my previous life, at this very place, wearing the dress he gave me, they left before we even ordered, called away by Willow’s phone call. I waited from seven o’clock until the restaurant was about to close. They never came back. Calls went unanswered. Messages unreturned. The pitying looks from other diners, the hesitant inquiries from waiters, made me uncomfortable all over. Until I saw a photo on a friend’s social media. In the photo, she wore a princess dress, holding a cake and smiling. Ethan and Lucas stood on either side of her, looking at her adoringly. The caption read: “Grabbed two knights last minute to eat cake. Sure, it’s not my birthday, but who says you can only eat cake on birthdays!” So my birthday meant less than her impromptu celebration.

“Anna? What are you thinking about?” Lucas’s voice pulled me from my memories. Lucas and Ethan had arrived and sat across from me. The food was quickly served. No one spoke. The atmosphere was stiff. Lucas raised his glass first: “Anna, I was wrong the other day. I’ll punish myself with a drink. Happy birthday.” Ethan also rarely dropped his stern expression, though his eyes remained complicated. Just then, Lucas’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller and immediately answered, his voice changing: “What? How could she suddenly faint? Which hospital?” He hung up and looked at me apologetically: “Anna, I’m sorry. Willow… she fainted from acute hypoglycemia. She’s at the hospital now. I need to go check on her.” Before I could speak, Ethan had already stood up, coat in hand, saying to Lucas: “Let’s go together. One person might not be enough.” Just like in my previous life, they abandoned me for Willow once again. Lucas assured me: “Anna, you eat first. We’ll come back as soon as we settle her in. Very quickly!” They hurried out. The door to the private room closed, shutting out the noise outside. The world instantly quieted. I looked at the table full of food and didn’t wait a single second longer. I grabbed my coat and called the waiter. “Check, please.” Walking out of the restaurant, the night wind hit my face. It was cold, but I felt more clearheaded than ever. I took out my phone and blocked and deleted both Ethan and Lucas’s contacts. This time, I wouldn’t wait anymore. I hailed a taxi and went straight home. When I opened the door, the house was empty. Except for a few suitcases for my grandmother and me, there was no trace of life lived here. I took off that dirty dress and threw it straight into the trash without thinking. Along with that dress, I threw away the last bit of feeling I had for Ethan Rivers. I walked into my grandmother’s room. She was already asleep, breathing steadily. I tucked in her blanket and kissed her forehead. Grandma, this time I’ll take you away from this place that broke your heart. In the latter half of the night, I barely slept. I checked and rechecked the documents and luggage, making sure everything was perfect. At dawn, I woke my grandmother. “Grandma, we’re going to a faraway, wonderful place. Okay?” Though my grandmother’s memory was a bit fuzzy, she loved me most. She looked at me and nodded with a smile: “Okay. Wherever Anna goes, Grandma goes.” The morning light at the airport shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was warm. I held my grandmother’s hand, walking step by step toward the boarding gate. Goodbye, Ethan Rivers. Goodbye, Lucas Knight. And Willow Hayes. May your love last forever.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “392791”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster