Dominic Thorne’s first love was kidnapped while filming on a remote set and went missing for three terrifying days and nights.
Two months later, she stood on a rooftop, crying as she called him, “Dominic, I’m pregnant! The media is tracking me! I don’t want to live!”
He rushed to the rooftop and announced to all the media, “The baby is mine.”
Overnight, I became the laughingstock of the city’s elite circles.
That night, Dominic Thorne knelt before me, his eyes bloodshot, his voice choked with emotion, raw with pain.
“Elara, Seraphina Monroe has depression. If I don’t help her, she’ll die! After she safely gives birth, I’ll make it up to you, okay?”
I loved him, loved him so much it made meććŸź, so I could only grit my teeth and agree.
But the next day, the internet exploded with news, and the woman in the blurred photo was clearly me.
I trembled as I found Dominic Thorne. He embraced me in agony,
“We can’t suppress the news⊠Elara, you rarely appear in public. We’ll just have to ask you to claim this for now.”
He reached out to hold me, but his words sent a chill down my spine.
“How about this, you get rid of the baby first. We can have more later.”
In that moment, my heart completely died.
I wiped away my tears and dialed a long-forgotten number. The call connected, and a man’s deep voice came through with a dangerously low chuckle.
“You’ve finally⊠come to beg me?”
“What did you say?” My voice trembled violently.
“Seraphina’s kidnapping can’t be exposed. She just signed a major international brand endorsement. If it comes out, her career will be ruined,” Dominic Thorne’s tone was calm, almost cruel. “But you’re different. You rarely appear in public. As long as you take the blame for this, the public outrage will quickly pass.”
I stared intently at the man I had loved for years. “Dominic Thorne, do you know what you’re saying?”
“Before, you wanted me to claim paternity for Seraphina Monroe’s baby, and I agreed.”
“Now, you want me to admit to being kidnapped and⊠assaulted for her?!”
His voice was low. “Elara, I’m begging you.”
“Begging me?” I laughed, but tears streamed down my face. “For her, you want me to ruin my own reputation?”
“Seraphina can’t handle this kind of blow. She already has depression,” he said urgently. “But you’re different. You’ve always been strong.”
“So I’m just disposable?” I practically hissed through clenched teeth.
“It’s not a sacrifice, just a temporary solution.” He paused, his tone softening. “Elara, could you⊠get rid of the baby first?”
My world shattered in an instant.
“Dominic Thorne,” my voice was hoarse. “That’s your baby too!!!”
“I know!” His voice suddenly became agitated. “But Seraphina can’t handle any stress right now!”
My breath hitched for a second.
I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Fine, I agree.”
He was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang.
From the other end of the line, I heard a crying sound.
“Waaah! Dominic, I had a nightmare! I’m so scared! Will they tell everyone about what happened to me?” Seraphina Monroe’s delicate voice whined.
Dominic Thorne’s tone instantly changed. He cooed softly, “Don’t worry, Seraphina, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
The call ended, and he turned and left without a moment’s hesitation.
I went to the hospital.
The nurse handed me a form, her eyes filled with pity.
“Mrs. Thorne, are you sure you want to proceed with the surgery?”
I looked down at the paper. Dominic Thorne’s name was already signed.
He had already arranged all of this.
I nodded numbly. “Yes.”
The doctor pushed up her glasses, her voice calm. “Your physical condition is special. This abortion could lead to permanent infertility. Are you sure you want to risk it?”
I snapped my head up. “Permanent infertility?”
“Yes, your uterine lining is thin. If you force this abortion, it might be very difficult to get pregnant again in the future⊔
My fingers trembled slightly.
Dominic Thorne, you knew about this, and you still want me to abort this baby! All for Seraphina Monroe.
I bit my lip so hard until the taste of blood spread in my mouth.
Suddenly, a strange flutter came from my abdomen, like a tiny butterfly fluttering its wings a few times.
I grabbed the doctor’s wrist. “Stop! I’m not doing it!”
The doctor frowned. “Mrs. Thorne, your husband specifically instructed⊔
“I said I’m not doing it!” I yelled, sitting up from the operating table and tearing off the surgical gown. “I’m keeping this baby!”
When I walked out of the hospital, the sunlight was blinding.
I opened my phone. The top trending headline boldly read:
\#DominicThorneSeraphinaMonroeSweetOutingAtLuxuryBabyStore\#
The accompanying photo showed my husband’s hand carefully placed on Seraphina Monroe’s lower back as she gently caressed her visibly rounded belly.
The comment section was full of praise:
“This is a match made in heaven! A dazzling actress and a prominent mogul from the city’s elite â a perfect couple!”
“Seraphina Monroe’s belly is already so big. How can Dominic’s wife still cling to her position?”
“I heard that woman got pregnant with a bastard after disappearing for a few days, and Mr. Thorne was kind enough not to divorce her on the spot!”
“Who knows if she was really missing or faking it? Maybe she was secretly meeting with another man!”
My nails dug deep into my palms, but I felt nothing, only a profound numbness.
“Don’t be scared, baby,” I whispered, touching my abdomen. “Mommy will protect you.”
I turned and went to a law firm to draft divorce papers.
Back at the mansion, the front door was ajar.
Pushing it open, I saw Seraphina Monroe lying on the sofa, Dominic Thorne’s hand resting on her rounded belly.
“Dominic, the baby kicked me again!” she cooed, playfully grabbing Dominic Thorne’s hand and pressing it onto her stomach.
Dominic Thorne’s face showed a tenderness I had never seen before. “It’s really moving.”
I stood in the foyer, my fists clenched.
Dominic Thorne saw me, and his expression shifted slightly.
He quickly walked over, lowering his voice. “Elara, Seraphina tried to harm herself again today. The doctor said she has prenatal depression. Could you⊠give us some space?”
I scoffed. “This is my home.”
“She grew up with me; I can’t just abandon her.” His tone softened. “After she has the baby, I’ll find a way to send her and the child away, let her break into Hollywood.”
I said nothing more and turned to go upstairs.
Even in the bedroom, I could still hear their laughter.
“Oh, the baby kicked me!” Seraphina Monroe’s voice was cloyingly sweet.
I curled up on the bed, my tears soaking the pillow.
Late at night, Dominic Thorne quietly slipped into bed and embraced me from behind.
“Elara, I’m sorry,” his voice was hoarse. “We’ll still have children.”
My body stiffened.
He still didn’t know that I hadn’t aborted the baby.
“Ahâ” Seraphina Monroe’s piercing scream suddenly came from the next room. “Don’t touch me! Get away!”
“Don’t touch me! Don’t photograph me!”
Dominic Thorne shot up, not even bothering with slippers, and rushed out.
All night, his gentle, soothing voice echoed in the hallway.
In the morning.
Dragging my exhausted body downstairs, the scent of frying eggs wafted from the kitchen.
Dominic Thorne stood at the stove. Seraphina Monroe stealthily wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, her face pressed against his back, smiling sweetly.
Seeing me, she immediately let go and spoke timidly, “Elara, my head hurts a little. Could Dominic help me get my hat?”
Dominic Thorne, without a word, turned and went upstairs.
The apology on Seraphina Monroe’s face vanished instantly. She leaned closer to me, a smirk playing on her red lips.
“Dominic said the bastard in your belly should never have been kept.”
I snapped my head up, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably.
She gave a contemptuous smile, lowering her voice. “Do you know the Sterling family? My powerful connections are with them.”
She deliberately paused, savoring my rapidly changing expression. “The Sterling family just has to lift a finger, and the entire city would quake. What do you have to fight me with?”
I clenched my fists tightly.
The Sterling family was a true generational powerhouse, an old money dynasty, controlling a significant portion of the nation’s economy. Forget the Thornes; even all the powerful figures in the city combined were mere ants before the Sterling family.
She suddenly stumbled backward, falling to the floor, and shrieked loudly, “Elara! I know you hate me for taking Dominic! I’ll just end it all!”
“Elara!” Dominic Thorne rushed downstairs, shoving me violently.
I stumbled and crashed into the coffee table, a searing pain shooting through my lower back.
He immediately pulled Seraphina Monroe into his arms, his eyes icy and piercing. “What did you do to her? Can you stop acting childishly!”
“I didn’t do anything!” My voice trembled.
“You better not have!” He hugged Seraphina Monroe tightly and walked out without looking back. “Seraphina, let’s go.”
I stood in the living room, my hand unconsciously stroking my lower belly.
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After successfully winning over Ethan Clarke, I could have left, but I chose to stay in this world because I loved him.
After staying, I happily proposed marriage to him ninety-nine times.
But he always had excuses to put it off:
“I’m not in a good mood, maybe next time.”
“I want to focus on my career for a few more years, let’s talk about it later.”
When I couldn’t wait any longer and went to ask him for a definite answer, I overheard him arrogantly telling his female secretary outside his office:
“She can’t go back to her original world anyway, so why bother getting married? Once I’ve had my fun, I’ll go back and sweet-talk her, and she’ll eagerly ask the system to hand everything over to me again.”
Late at night, lying in our empty king-sized bed, I gritted my teeth as I typed out message after message.
[Ethan, Olivia loves you so much.]
[Ethan, she can’t live without you, don’t worry.]
I knew Ethan felt so secure because he could see these messages.
But what he didn’t know was that I had already made a new deal with the system to leave.
The moment he let me down for the hundredth time would be when I left.
Ignoring the noises coming from the study, I sat down and slowly ate my breakfast.
An hour later, Ethan finally emerged, looking satisfied and fully dressed.
“What the hell, Olivia? You started eating by yourself?”
“Why didn’t you make any for us?”
“If you want to eat, make it yourself.”
I ignored him and slowly finished my last bite.
Ethan’s expression turned ugly.
“Olivia, you’re really disappointing me more and more. You rely on me to support you, and you can’t even be bothered to make breakfast.”
“I’ll give you one more chance. Make two portions of breakfast in the next ten minutes.”
Ethan looked at me contemptuously.
Dead silence.
I still didn’t move.
Probably afraid I was really angry, Ethan changed his approach and came to hug me.
“Alright, Olivia. Are you upset because I’ve been busy with work lately and haven’t spent time with you?”
“I’ll make it up to you tonight after work, okay? Do you want to eat at that corner bistro, or do you want that handbag you liked? I’ll get you whatever you want. Just do me this favor today, alright?”
It was always like this. Always the same.
Ethan only sweet-talked me when he wanted something.
He thought a few nice words would make me soften up.
Why should I?
I sneered: “Ethan, you don’t really think everything is a given, do you?”
“That clothes magically become clean, food appears on your table by itself, the house somehow stays tidy. You just have to say the word and it all happens.”
He was stunned, not expecting me to suddenly say this.
“Didn’t you say you liked taking care of me? That’s why I fired all the maids. What’s this about now?”
Yes, five years ago, to win him over, I couldn’t wait to stay by his side and take care of his every need.
That’s how I ended up falling in love with him.
But things were different now.
Once I realized the man I loved wasn’t worthy, I naturally had to take back everything I’d given him.
“A full-time housekeeper’s salary is at least $2,000 a month, right? This mansion is so big, five housekeepers wouldn’t be too many. That’s $10,000 a month.”
“We’ve been together for five years, so that’s $600,000 total. Cash or check?”
“Hmph, you’ve really become obsessed with money. Olivia, you’ve changed!”
Ethan looked at me with a complex expression.
“Ethan, people change, don’t they?”
I met his gaze without flinching.
“Forget it. You rest. I’ll take Sophia out for breakfast.”
He sighed, then grabbed his coat from the rack and left with Sophia.
Looking around the empty house, memories kept flashing through my mind.
I was a “conqueror”, an orphan girl on the brink of death after a car accident in my original world.
The system approached me, asking me to go to a parallel world to win over Ethan Clarke.
It promised that if I succeeded, I could return to my original world,
Not only would I regain my health, but I’d also get a lot of money.
I was overjoyed, but as soon as I arrived in this world, I was cornered by thugs in an alley.
That was the first time I saw Ethan. He stood in front of me like a guardian angel.
After knocking out all the thugs with a brick, he grabbed my hand and we ran.
No one had ever protected me like that in my original world. I fell for him helplessly.
His carefree, dazzling smile that day is etched in my memory forever.
With the system’s help, I soon met him again at the bar where I worked.
He was surrounded by rich kids beating him up. When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with despair, no longer spirited like before.
His resistance angered one of the rich kids, who was about to pull out a knife.
I quickly found a way to get the manager to help, and we rescued him.
That night, he ordered a lot of drinks to help me earn more tips.
He also rambled on about many things.
It turned out he was the illegitimate son of a company boss. His half-brother was causing him trouble everywhere to fight for the family inheritance.
“Ethan, I believe you’re better than him.”
I told him firmly.
Later on, he started pursuing me. The conquest progress steadily increased.
At first I was happy, but as the numbers got higher and higher, I began to hesitate.
Before coming to this world, I was too ordinary.
I had no family, no money, and had never experienced being loved.
I thought, rather than return to that life in my original world, I might as well let the conquest progress stall.
At least here, as the conquest target, I still had the male lead’s love.
I started to feel insecure, avoiding Ethan or saying hurtful things I couldn’t control.
But he always firmly believed we were in love.
He said even though he didn’t know about my love, he could feel how much he loved me.
Even though I pushed him away again and again, he kept coming back with his heart on his sleeve.
In the end, I still succeeded in conquering him.
I was extremely reluctant to part with such a good lover.
I negotiated with the system to see if I could stay.
The system agreed, saying it would give me five years, but also gave me one chance to change my mind.
The system said [No male lead can remain faithful to just one woman after the grand finale.]
I didn’t believe it, saying Ethan was different from other male leads.
I never expected…
The next day, the gowns arrived three hours late.
When I asked, I found out Ethan had taken the white gown I chose to have it altered.
The dress was already made to my measurements, so it was clear who he was having it altered for.
Forget it. I was about to leave anyway. No point in arguing with people from this world anymore.
Soon, the day of the company’s bell-ringing ceremony arrived.
I put on a smile and gracefully accompanied Ethan through the ceremony.
Sophia’s eyes in the audience below were burning with jealousy, looking like they could bore holes in me.
As the boss’s wife, I also had to attend the shareholders’ meeting, forcing myself to stay alert.
In the past, I would have carefully recorded every word at these meetings, not missing a single detail.
Then I’d go back and help Ethan analyze how to make the company even better.
But now, none of it mattered to me anymore. All the facts and figures made me drowsy.
Suddenly, I heard Ethan shout angrily.
“What’s going on? Who put together today’s PowerPoint?”
I looked up to see that all 99 slides of the presentation were filled with my boudoir photos – innocent ones, seductive ones…
Without exception, they were all quite revealing.
It was the year I loved him most. Ethan had begged me for a long time before I finally agreed to take those photos as a memento for him.
“Mr. Clarke, there’s no need to share your little couple’s games with all of us shareholders. Are you trying to make us part of your roleplaying?”
“I think Ms. Johnson has a great figure. Mr. Clarke, are you doing this because you want to share the joy with everyone? Haha!”
The male shareholders’ lecherous gazes fell on me as they made one mocking comment after another.
“It was my fault. I used Mr. Clarke’s computer for the presentation and accidentally used the wrong file!”
Sophia, dressed in a smart business suit, hurried to admit her mistake, looking like she was about to cry.
“It’s fine, it’s just a mix-up with the files. Don’t make such a big deal out of it. Sophia, redo it and let’s continue the meeting!”
Ethan brushed it off carelessly, clearly more protective of his cute little secretary.
The other female shareholders looked at me with unbearably pitying eyes.
“Ethan, I’m the one whose private photos were exposed. She should apologize to me, and you owe me an explanation too.”
I stood up and looked at Ethan.
But before Ethan could speak, Sophia had already started fake crying:
“Sis, don’t blame Mr. Clarke. I was too careless. If you want to scold someone, scold me!”
I was about to leave anyway. No point in trying to get along with anyone in this world.
Since that’s how it is…
I swung my arm and slapped her hard across the face.
“You’re right, you deserve to be scolded and hit!”
“Olivia! How could you hit someone!”
“Sophia just made a small mistake at work. Do you have to keep harping on it?”
“Besides, if you thought those photos were inappropriate for others to see, why did you agree to take them in the first place!”
Ethan pulled Sophia behind him protectively and angrily berated me, spittle flying.
I looked at my conquest target and suddenly felt dizzy.
Steadying myself against the table, I found it laughably ironic.
Maybe I never truly knew Ethan. Maybe what I thought was his love for me was just an illusion created by the conquest.
How foolish of me to think that was love.
Ethan was still insulting me with vicious words, saliva spraying everywhere.
I raised my head and slowly walked towards him.
“You’re right. I was so focused on hitting her, I forgot about you.”
SLAP!
An incredibly loud slap rang out in the meeting room.
For a moment, everyone fell into an awkward silence.
“Shut up. She illegally shared my private photos. I’m calling the police!”
I crossed my arms and said.
Sophia gently tugged on Ethan’s sleeve.
Ethan said coldly: “We can’t call the police. Olivia, be more gracious and don’t make such a big deal out of this with a young girl.”
“Those photos star you. What good will it do you if this blows up? In the end, you’ll be the one embarrassed!”
I shook my head with a smile: “With that attitude, it’s hard for me not to call the police.”
“Then what do you want?”
“I want half of the shares you hold. Sign them over to me right now!”
“And I want you to marry me.”
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I was about to leave the upscale restaurant Julian owned when the manager stopped me. âExcuse me, maâam, you havenât paid your bill.â
I looked at the unfamiliar face, figuring she was new and didnât recognize me. So, I politely explained, âJust put it on Julianâs tab. He knows.â
The female manager swept a disdainful glance over me. âMaâam, our restaurant is a Michelin three-star. Weâve never had a policy of charging to an account.â
She finished speaking, then handed me a printed bill.
I glanced down, and my eyes widened. A single meal for half a million dollars.
Cutlery Gleam Maintenance Fee: Thirty thousand.
Exclusive Air Purification Fee: Fifty thousand.
VIP Serenity Service Fee: One hundred thousand.
And a bunch of other ridiculous charges.
I had no idea my brother was running such a rip-off joint. I was so furious, I actually laughed. âIâm Stella Cross, Mr. Crossâs sister. Tell him to come home and talk to me if thereâs a problem.â
But she wouldnât back down. âCanât afford it, huh? Donât pretend youâre someone important, trying to mooch off Mr. Cross.â
I immediately texted my assistant: *Tell Julian. Either fire this woman, or Iâm pulling all my investments.*
1
âMaâam, donât waste everyoneâs time. Just pay the bill.â
Her tone was utterly certain, cutting, as if sheâd already branded me as a vain gold-digger trying to skip out on the bill.
Several curious glances from other patrons were already turning our way.
I frowned, not wanting to waste time on such a ridiculous matter. I pulled out my phone and dialed my brotherâs number directly.
However, only a cold busy signal answered, and repeated attempts yielded the same result.
What the hell is that kid up to on a weekday?
I put down my phone and faced the aggressive woman, enunciating each word carefully.
âIâll say it again. My name is Stella Cross. I am your boss, Julian Crossâs, older sister.â
âHis phone is unreachable right now, but you can check his company account. My picture and information are linked to it.â
I thought this was the most direct and effective way to solve the problem.
But when the female manager heard my name, instead of verifying anything, she burst into a sharp, grating laugh.
She cackled, shaking with malicious glee, drawing even more attention.
Then, she abruptly leaned in close to me, lowering her voice to a volume only we two could hear.
âStill pretending? Iâve seen that face of yours in my husband Julianâs Ins feed countless times!â
âYou shameless hussy, secretly seducing my man!â
âNow you have the audacity to waltz into his restaurant and try to charge everything to his account? Do you have no shame at all?â
I froze for a second, then glanced at her name tagâTiffany Reed. An overwhelming sense of exasperation washed over me.
Julianâs girlfriend, the one heâd been keeping under wraps, not even a single picture heâd bothered to show me.
It turned out to be this foolish, venomous woman in front of me.
How could his taste be *this* bad?
Suddenly, I understood. This half-million-dollar âexorbitant billâ today wasnât a misunderstanding at all. It was a premeditated humiliation.
Before I could even open my mouth, sheâd completely lost her patience.
âSince this woman wants to dine and dash, weâll have to restrain her until the police arrive!â
She waved her hand backward, and two burly security guards, who had been standing nearby, immediately stepped forward.
One clamped his hand over my mouth, while the other wrenched my arms painfully behind my back, twisting them like rope.
I struggled violently, but the sheer difference in strength between us made all my resistance futile.
They ignored my furious glares and the horrified stares of the other patrons, roughly dragging me toward the back of the kitchen.
Then I was thrown heavily into a storage room reeking of disinfectant mixed with stale food.
The door slammed shut, cutting off all light and sound from the outside.
2
In the darkness, the female manager said nothing, but raised her high-heeled foot and brutally kicked me in the stomach.
The excruciating pain instantly made me curl into a ball, my stomach churning violently.
âThatâs for spending my manâs money!â
âThatâs for trying to seduce him!â
She shrieked, her voice distorted by jealousy and rage.
She looked down at me, towering over me, and ordered the two brawny men: âBeat her! Beat her senseless!â
The two security guards, clearly her loyal cronies, didnât hesitate for a second. A barrage of punches and kicks rained down on me.
I bit down hard, swallowing every cry of pain and groan.
My bones felt like they were being shattered, my internal organs dislocated.
Her shrieks continued. âWhat do you think you are? Nothing but a pathetic hanger-on!â
âI told you Iâm his sister! If you donât believe me, ask Julian! Call him right now, Iâll tell him myself!â
I struggled to explain, but the woman in front of me was deaf to my words. Only when my head was swimming and my vision blurring did she raise her hand and call a stop.
Her high-heeled foot pressed onto my shoulder as she smiled, looking down at me.
âYouâd better pay that bill today, and then fork over another five hundred thousand.â
âThatâs your punishment for seducing my man and spending his money.â
âIâm not afraid of things getting messy. Julian will have it all smoothed over for me.â
I lay curled up in pain, weakly protesting, âThatâs my own money. I told you, if you donât believe me, ask him.â
Her face twisted in anger, and she kicked me again. The two security guards immediately understood, and their fists and feet came down on me once more.
I knew she wouldnât listen to anything I said. If this continued, I might actually die here.
After I coughed up a mouthful of blood, I used the last of my strength to fumble for my phone on the cold floor.
âStop⊠Iâll⊠Iâll pay.â
She seemed pleased with my submission, motioning for the two security guards to stop. She knelt down and patted my swollen cheek.
âSee? Wouldnât it have been easier to just do it the easy way? You had to learn the hard way, didnât you?â
âOne million, not a penny less.â
I lay on the cold floor, gasping for breath, my lungs burning.
I ignored her and dialed my best friend Mayaâs number.
The call connected quickly.
âMaya, bring two million to Julianâs restaurant.â
âI need it now.â
Maya on the other end paused, then a note of alarm crept into her voice.
âStella? Whatâs wrong? Your voice soundsâŠâ
âDonât ask. Just hurry.â I cut her off and hung up.
When Tiffany heard âtwo million,â her eyes instantly lit up, a flicker of avarice in her eyes.
She probably thought Iâd been beaten into submission and was voluntarily increasing the payment to beg for mercy.
The smug triumph on her face was now impossible to hide.
âSmart move.â
3
Mayaâs speed was astonishing.
Soon, the storage room door was violently pushed open from the outside.
Maya stormed in, flanked by two bodyguards.
When she saw the blood at the corner of my mouth, my disheveled clothes, and my pathetic form curled on the floor, she gasped in shock.
She rushed forward and helped me up.
I shook my head, signaling her not to speak, then took the bank card with the sticky-note password from her hand and tossed it to Tiffany.
Tiffany took the card and didnât bother me further, waving her hand dismissively.
âIf thatâs a fake card, I have plenty of ways to find you. Now get out.â
I endured the excruciating pain that pierced my bones, and with Mayaâs help, I limped out of that disgusting place.
Once at the entrance, I thanked Maya. âThanks, Maya. Iâll pay you back as soon as I sort this out.â
She looked at me worriedly. âDonât worry about the money. But what happened to you?â
I let out a bitter laugh. âMy brotherâs found himself quite the girlfriend. Iâve got a score to settle with him.â
I pulled out my phone and found the number for the restaurantâs Vice President.
This VP was the actual manager of the restaurant, someone I had personally headhunted, and he was fiercely loyal to me.
The call connected. I didnât waste a single word, my voice devoid of emotion.
âYou have ten minutes. Fire a manager named Tiffany Reed.â
âOtherwise, the Cross family will withdraw all investments from the restaurant, every last penny.â
The VP on the other end was scared him witless the moment he heard my voice.
He must have heard the weakness and the unsettling tone in my voice, as he frantically agreed, not daring to ask a single question why.
I hung up, not pausing for a second, and hailed a cab directly to the police station.
Using the clearest, most logical reasoning, I explained everything that had just happened to the officer who received me.
After giving a detailed statement at the police station, I went to the hospital for a medical examination.
Holding that thin report, the fury of betrayal in my heart felt like it had been doused with hot oil, burning even more fiercely.
I needed an explanation.
I needed Julian Cross to give me an explanation himself.
My assistant located Julian at his own house. My driver and bodyguards were already en route to Julianâs villa.
That villa, too, was a gift from me.
However, when I arrived, I was greeted by deafening heavy metal music.
And the boisterous sounds of men and women emanating from the doors and windows.
He was throwing a party. No wonder he hadnât answered my calls.
The villaâs front door was ajar. On a whim, I didnât push it open immediately.
Soon, I heard a familiar female voice, choked with tears.
It was Tiffany.
She was crying to everyone in the house, painting herself as a poor victim bullied by an arrogant mistress, who was then falsely accused.
ââŠI just asked her to pay her bill, and she threw a million dollars in my face, and then had me firedâŠâ
âJulian, sheâs too much. She has absolutely no respect for you!â
âShe just wants to humiliate me, she just wants to break us up!â
Inside, Julianâs group of fair-weather friends all indignantly echoed her sentiments.
Julian, meanwhile, was loudly comforting Tiffany in his arms, his voice full of tenderness and indulgence.
âTiffany, donât worry, I wonât let you suffer this kind of injustice!â
Then, as if to prove his resolve, he confidently promised everyone:
âWhen I catch that woman, Iâll make her kneel and apologize to you!â
Inside, the group of spoiled brats continued to champion Tiffany, shouting about how they would make me pay.
âJulian, just say the word, and weâll drag her out right now!â
âYeah! Let her know who really runs things here!â
I couldnât listen anymore. I raised my hand, and a bodyguard kicked open the villa door.
The party music screeched to a halt, and the boisterous laughter instantly vanished.
Dozens of stunned eyes collectively turned toward the doorway.
âNo need to drag me out. Iâm right here. Who wants to teach me a lesson?â
4
The air seemed to solidify, leaving only the sharp click-clack of my heels on the floor.
Step by step, I walked toward the embracing couple in the center of the living room.
The Antarctic research team had an unofficial ‘dry spell’ ranking, and my name was a permanent fixture at the top.
Thatâs because for eight years of marriage, my wife and I never shared a bed, never touched. Yet, I stubbornly refused to divorce her.
She loathed me, saw me as pathetic and malicious, believing I’d selfishly caused the death of her beloved childhood sweetheart.
I hated her for being so utterly blind, so heartlessly oblivious.
I swore to cling to her for an eternity, ensuring that even in death, her tombstone would bear *my* name, and mine alone.
But then the glacier collapsed. She pushed me away, burying herself alive under the ice and snow.
“Ash,” she whispered, her voice fading, “if there’s a next life, I’m begging you⊠please, don’t love me anymore.”
By the time they rescued her, she had already suffocated.
Not long after, I died in a new mission.
When I opened my eyes again, I chose to actively forfeit our engagement. “This research mission,” I declared, “I’ll go.”
“The engagement with Scarlett, wasn’t that something you begged for? Are you really willing to give it up, and take Brandon’s place in Antarctica?”
My mother, the Director of the Research Institute, fixed me with a cold, probing gaze.
Everyone in the facility knew: Brandon and I weren’t blood brothers, and certainly not by choice.
There was no affection, no bond between us. Give up Scarlett, take Brandon’s place suffering under the Antarctic glaciers? Impossible!
“You’re just seven days away from finally becoming Scarlett’s husband. And now you want to forfeit?”
I parted my tightly pressed lips, cutting off my mother’s probing questions.
“Didn’t you always say I was born three minutes before Brandon, and that as the older brother, I should always step aside for him?”
Ever since I returned to this family, my mother’s biggest concern wasn’t whether I’d suffered while I was away.
No, her fear was that Brandon would be upset by the arrival of an ‘outsider’ in *his* home. In my past life, if I hadn’t reminded her of my father’s dying wish, she would’ve undoubtedly thrown me into that mission in Brandon’s place without a second thought.
Seeing my insistence, my mother sighed in relief. She submitted my name to the Antarctic research team and sent notice to the Vance family of the change in their long-standing engagement.
The moment I stepped out of the Directorâs office, Scarlett walked directly into me.
In my past life, she had volunteered to go in Brandonâs stead. When my mother refused, Scarlett went on a hunger strike.
I used every method imaginable to coax her into eating. I even had the institute doctors administer IV drips, practically dragging her to complete the wedding.
Now, I walked past her, my gaze unwavering, but Scarlett grabbed my arm.
I spoke in a cold voice, “The Antarctic expedition is urgent. It’s an order from the higher-ups.”
Scarlett clenched her fists. “You know that’s a death sentence! There must be another way!”
I chuckled dryly.
Nations worldwide are racing to find ways to unlock breakthroughs in human genetics. If we don’t act now, our country will fall drastically behind in the global scientific race!
One of us, Brandon or I, had to shoulder the responsibility of venturing deep into the Antarctic storm zone, even if it was a suicide mission.
“The higher-ups demanded the Director lead by example, sending her own flesh and blood to Antarctica. No one could stand in the way.”
She stared at me intently.
“Then why isn’t *he* going?”
Her thoughtless question made my pupils dilate almost imperceptibly. I instantly swallowed the urge to tell her the truth.
“Think what you like.”
“Maybe the outcome you wished for has finally arrived.”
I ignored her gaze and walked away.
I had intended to tell Scarlett about the change in names, but then thought better of it.
Consider it my selfish desire. I couldn’t bear to see her face remain utterly indifferent when she realized *I* was the one being sent to my death.
In my past life, at the moment the glacier collapsed, Scarlett pushed me onto the only life raft, burying herself alive beneath the heavy ice and snow.
I thought that if I kept giving, kept sacrificing, her heart would eventually warm to me.
She gave her life to save mine, and on the very same glacier that had claimed Brandon’s life, she pleaded with me not to love her in the next.
So be it. This time, as I head to Antarctica, consider it me repaying the life debt I owe her.
Back in my dorm, I began searching for information on the Antarctic storm zone.
It was a place of perpetual, violent storms, incredibly dangerous. In my past life, Brandon had spent six months locating the fossil, but after transmitting the signal, he was immediately engulfed by a storm, his body torn apart on the spot.
Later, when the research project resumed, Scarlett was buried alive by a glacier, triggered by a storm, as she tried to save meâŠ
I meticulously recalled the storm phenomena observed in my past life, attempting to summarize patterns. After a sleepless night with no breakthroughs, I headed to the cafeteria to grab some food.
The moment I sat down, my entire tray of food, soup and all, drenched me.
Scarlett grabbed my collar, her dissecting scalpel, still gleaming from its last use, pointed directly at my wide, startled eyes.
“Asher Hayes!”
I tried to push her away, but she shoved hard, slamming me back against the chair.
“Are you insane?!”
I twisted her hand, redirecting the blade, but she lunged forward, plunging it towards me.
“You knew going into the storm zone was a death trap, yet you still sent a congratulatory message to Brandon! How utterly disgusting are you?”
“Just to make me marry you?! Have you no self-respect left?!”
The spot on my back where the blade had narrowly missed felt like it had been hit by a jolt of electricity.
The icy days and nights of my past life flashed before my eyes, merging with the raw hatred burning in hers.
Snapping back to reality, I instantly raised my arm, elbowing the one pinning me down. The scalpel clattered to the floor.
“Researcher Vance, are you going to use your life-saving scalpel to kill me?”
She froze.
“Are you okay? I just⊠I just⊔
I picked up the scalpel, placing it on the table, cutting her off.
“No matter how dangerous the storm zone is, someone has to go. Will it be any less dangerous if I go?”
“Perhaps the wedding isn’t as bad as you think. Maybe it’s something worth celebrating.”
Scarlett was speechless.
“Watching Brandon die, marrying you⊠what part of that is worth celebrating?”
My limbs felt like they were on the verge of losing control. I clenched my fists and turned to leave.
Scarlett, this time, everything will be worth celebrating.
Deleting the approval status from my phone, I watched Scarlett, still relentlessly heading towards the Director’s office.
I returned with my storm zone research materials, just in time to see Scarlett carefully wiping dust from a good luck talisman with a fine brush.
Brandon saw me and asked, “What’s that? For me?” Scarlett, without looking up, replied, “It’s nothing. Just some worthless trinket. I’ll get you something better later.”
My turning footsteps startled Scarlett.
In her hand was⊠the good luck talisman my father had specially commissioned from a spiritual advisor after he learned Iâd been accepted into the National Academy of Sciences.
He said he was just a businessman, too preoccupied with money to truly help me with my academic path.
He didn’t care how far I went, only that I stayed safe. Later, when Scarlett suffered a chemical burn during a lab experiment, I gave it to her.
Despite Scarlett calling out, I didn’t turn back.
Late that night, still unable to sleep, I went out for some air. The good luck talisman, hanging on my doorknob, fell to my feet. I scoffed. I just glanced at it and slammed the door shut.
It wasn’t until the soft patter of rain began that I stood by the door for a long time before picking up the talisman.
At the send-off party, Brandon stood, glass in hand, soaking in the mix of colleagues’ fawning praise and barely concealed resentment.
The electronic screen in the hall only read, “Farewell to Director Chen’s Son, Journeying to Antarctica,” without specifying a name.
The person speaking hadnât expected me to show up.
He paused for a few seconds, then stubbornly continued, “What are you looking at? Brandon is just better than you, his older brother! I heard you grew up in the countryside, right? No wonder you’re such a coward!”
Someone else chimed in, “Exactly! They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but *this* guy is too chicken to even go to Antarctica! It’s a damn insult to Director Hayes’s and Mr. Hayes’s legacy!”
Brandon strode forward, calling out to me by the entrance.
“Mom said you *volunteered* for this suicide mission in Antarctica. Smart move. Scarlett loves me so much, if I died down there, would she be so heartbroken she’d live the rest of her life as my devoted widow?”
“I’m being so generous, giving you this chance to make history for the Institute. But if our colleagues want to think that, what can I doâŠ?”
“I guess I’ll just have to make sure to throw a bigger party when you’re gone, to thank you for ‘looking after’ my wife all these years~”
I scoffed, giving him a pointed, knowing look.
“You going is certainly a suicide mission. But why would it be for me?”
“You barely scraped by with your master’s and doctorate, and now you think you’re better than meâa direct recruit, top of my class at the National Academy? Mom’s been covering for you, cheating you through every assessment. Did you actually believe your scores were anywhere near mine?”
Before I could finish, he suddenly staggered backward, feigning alarm. “Brother, even if I shouldn’t be so close to Scarlett, you shouldn’t⊔
The sound of footsteps was all it took; I knew it was Scarlett. I was about to turn.
A burning slap landed across my face. Before I could even register it, another one followed on the other side. Scarlett shielded Brandon behind her like a mother hen protecting her chick, the fury in her eyes almost solid.
“I truly underestimated you!”
“Brandon is going to Antarctica for everyone’s sake! And at this critical moment, you target him? Are you trying to get him killed?”
I shook my head. “There are security cameras here, you⊔
“Shut up!”
Scarlettâs voice rose, her eyes like daggers.
“You’ve always been a cowering coward, running from the Antarctic expedition.
Fine! But your brother is going to such a dangerous place in your stead, and you not only show no gratitude, you try to harm him!”
“An ungrateful snake like you! I shouldn’t have saved you back then; I should’ve just let those kids beat you to death!”
“You’re nothing but a stain on Mr. Hayes’s legacy!”
My body went rigid, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn’t hear anything, only saw her lips moving.
But the lanyard around my neck was violently yanked, snapping me out of my daze.
I raised my bloodshot eyes, staring intently at the good luck talisman Scarlett shoved into Brandon’s hand.
“What are you doing?!”
Brandon whined piteously, “I’m going to Antarctica anyway, Ash, can’t you just let me have this? I just wanted Dad’s blessing and protection⊔
My eyes never left her face, watching Scarlett’s expression intently.
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what that talisman means to me!”
Scarlett’s face paled. Seeing Brandon’s hurt expression, she stepped forward and grabbed my arm.
“Brandon is leaving for Antarctica soon, Ash! This is about national interest! Don’t be so petty!”
“We’re both Mr. Hayes’s sons. I just wanted it to protect Brandon. Mr. Hayes wouldn’t mind⊔
“After the wedding, I’ll buy you ten, a hundred talismans to make up for it, okay?”
I shook off Scarlett’s hand, reaching for Brandon. With a sharp rip, the talisman tore into two halves.
Brandon mumbled, “I didn’t mean to!” but the smug triumph in his eyes, fixed on me, was unmistakable.
I was about to throw a punch when Scarlett pulled out her scalpel, pointing the tip directly at my forehead. This was the second time she’d used her lab scalpel on me.
“Didn’t you hear Brandon say it was an accident?”
“Do you really want me to report you for insulting a national hero?!”
I let out a bitter laugh, then pulled the corrosive chemical vial from my uniform pocket and rattled it, deliberately showing her the identification number.
Watching her panic, my mind flashed back to our past life, how we constantly glowered at each other, each wishing the other dead.
Through my hazy vision, I almost saw the look in her eyes as she pushed me, for the very last time.
Thwack! Through my tear-blurred vision, I watched the spreading crimson.
Scarlett’s hand went slack, her gaze fixated on the scalpel now buried in my chest.
Just like every bitter confrontation in our past life, she was always the one going for the kill, and I, always the one holding back.
Clutching my chest, I tried to support myself, stumbling towards the door. But my legs gave out, and I fell back into a welcoming embrace, filled with the sweet scent of jasmine.
The dampness trickling onto my neck felt unnervingly cold.
Luckily, no vital organs were hit. When my lab colleagues visited me, they mentioned that Scarlett had taken a leave of absence during my recovery to go to the mountains and pray for good luck charms.
I bundled up warmly, preparing to leave. As if to help me acclimatize to the cold, it had started snowing here too.
Following the fresh footprints, I looked at my door. A pile of good luck talismans hung on the doorknob, the topmost one tattered but mended with clear tape.
A sticky note on the door read, “Apology.”
I calmly averted my gaze and headed towards the Research Institute’s main gate, turning back for what might be my last look at it.
The roar of a helicopter’s propellers filled the air. Scarlett, breathless, lunged towards me. She touched a small patch of skin on my forehead not covered by my fleece hat.
“I’m useless. I couldn’t convince the Director.”
“Don’t worry. Even if I marry him, my heart will only ever be yours.”
She spoke earnestly, snowflakes dusting her hair. I watched her retreating back, a little surprised.
Pulling my suitcase towards the helicopter, the festive crackle of firecrackers stopped me in my tracks. It was only then that I remembered: today was also Scarlett and Brandon’s wedding.
Scarlett had just sent me an apology gift. Soon, she would receive mine.
Reaching the helicopter, the escort personnel took my luggage. As I was about to step inside, I was tightly embraced, the sweet scent of jasmine filling my nostrils.
“Are you⊠angry because I’m marrying Brandon?”
So, all those promises were for Brandon.
She continued, “I’m so sorry⊔
“I’ll wait for you to come back, no matter what our circumstances are then. Please, can you stop pushing me away?”
She sobbed uncontrollably, as if making a difficult, pre-emptive promise. “Ifâif you truly don’t come back, I’ll live the rest of my life as your devoted widow⊔
I grabbed the ladder and silently climbed up, wishing the noise of the helicopter’s propellers was even louder.
Through the densely falling snow against the window, I shifted my gaze to the ground. Scarlett, covered in goose-down flakes, looked drained of life amidst the vast whiteness.
She pushed away the red wedding umbrella offered by her colleagues, tearing her heart out as she screamed into the sky:
“Brandon!”
Only when the helicopter’s black speck vanished into the sky did Scarlett, shoulders heavy with snow, return to the Research Institute.
Her colleagues entered her room, helping her into a stunning red wedding gown and applying her makeup.
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Twenty years ago, a day that should have been filled with joy turned into the darkest pivot point of my life.
My wife, rushing back to celebrate my birthday, was tragically caught in a multi-car pile-up on the highway.
Her life ended right there, in that moment.
From then on, an endless wave of guilt drowned me. I always felt like my birthday was what killed her.
Carrying this unspoken burden, I became a yes-man to my in-laws, doing everything they asked, as if that could somehow lessen theçœȘ in my heart.
I handed over my publicly listed company, which Iâd meticulously built over years, to my in-laws without a second thought.
That was the culmination of my lifeâs work, but at the time, I didn’t spare a single thought for my own future.
Not only that, but I also transferred every piece of real estate I owned, one after another, to them. Watching my assets slip away, I felt no hesitation.
Stripped of all my income, my life instantly plunged into crisis.
To make ends meet, and to pay off escalating medical bills, I had to swallow my pride and become a delivery driver. Rain or shine, I zipped through the city streets, just to earn a little more.
But the constant strain eventually broke me. One day, I collapsed from exhaustion and ended up in the hospital.
The doctor told me I needed urgent surgery or my life would be in danger, and the surgery would cost ten thousand dollars. For me then, it was an astronomical sum.
Left with no choice, I swallowed my shame and asked my in-laws for a ten-thousand-dollar loan for my surgery. To my shock, they showed no pity.
Instead, they viciously called me a “vampire,” accusing me of trying to scheme money out of them.
No matter how much I begged, they remained indifferent. Finally, because I couldn’t pay, the hospital heartlessly kicked me out.
I lay there, alone, on the hospital steps, watching the crowds pass by, my body wracked with pain, my heart consumed by despair.
Slowly, I lost consciousness. It wasn’t until after I died, my soul hovering above, that I witnessed the heartbreaking truth.
My wife hadn’t died in that car crash at all! She and the male nanny Iâd hired to care for my in-laws were living it up, enjoying my money.
It was then I understood: everything that had happened was a meticulously planned charade by her entire family, all designed to swindle me out of my fortune!
As I was engulfed in boundless regret and fury, the world suddenly spun around me.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back twenty years, on the very day my wife was supposed to return for my birthday.
“Alex, did you see the news?” Brenda, my mother-in-law, clutched my hand, her face a mask of panic.
Her thousand-dollar manicure dug into my flesh like sharp claws. “Celine was in a multi-car pile-up on her way back! I can’t reach her on FaceTime! What are we going to do?”
I gazed at her face, no longer young but impeccably maintained, and a chilling realization hit me: I had been reborn.
Seeing my silence, Brenda grew more frantic, tightening her grip until her nails practically pierced my skin.
“Say something! My daughter was rushing back for *your* birthday!”
Just then, Arthur, my father-in-law, burst into my bedroom, his voice booming. “She’s right! Go to the highway right now! Maybe you can still save her!”
The familiar dialogue, identical to my previous life, sent shivers down my spine.
I scrutinized the two of them.
Their faces were etched with anxiety, their expressions panicked. At first glance, they genuinely looked like worried parents.
But as I focused, I caught a flicker of calculation in their eyes, a subtle glint that betrayed any genuine concern for their daughter.
In my past life, I was completely fooled by their deceptive act. I rushed to the highway, not even bothering to verify the truth. The result? I was severely burned by the explosion, my face practically disfigured, and I didn’t even find a trace of my wife.
When I woke up in the hospital, my in-laws cried hysterically, telling me my wife had died in the crash and blaming me for not getting there sooner, which they claimed delayed the rescue.
Overwhelmed by self-reproach, I believed it was all my fault. Without a moment’s hesitation, I transferred my company and all my properties to them.
Because of my severe burns and grotesque face, no respectable company would hire me. To survive, I had to wear a balaclava to hide my disfigurement and become a delivery driver.
I left before dawn and dragged my exhausted body home late at night, earning barely enough to cover my own medical expenses. But I never complained, always believing I owed them.
It wasn’t until I met my tragic end under a bridge, my soul hovering above, that I finally saw my wife, who had been “missing” for twenty years.
She was sweetly nestled in Marcus Lee’s arms, with their twenty-five-year-old daughter by their side! Marcus Lee was the male nanny my wife had recommended to look after my in-laws.
It turned out she had betrayed me long ago.
Doing the math, she must have gotten involved with Marcus and had their daughter the year I went abroad.
Reborn, I would never let such a disgusting travesty repeat itself. “You’re still hesitating? Are you even human? I should never have let my daughter marry a loser like you!” Brenda saw I was unmoved and, furious, her nails nearly poked my eyes out.
Marcus chimed in, feigning concern. “Don’t worry, Auntie. Alex isn’t like that. He loves Celine so much, he wouldn’t just ignore this. He’s probably figuring something out.”
“Alex, you must be looking at routes, right? I told you about Celine’s accident half an hour ago.”
I glanced at my phone. He had indeed sent me a message half an hour ago. But strangely, the accident had only happened twenty minutes ago! I put on a worried facade, my heart growing colder by the second.
“Mom, Dad, after all these years of marriage, I’ve always cherished Celine. Anything she wanted, I bought it for her without a second thought.
But â” I said, my face turning red with feigned urgency, “the accident happened in another state. It’ll take at least a dozen hours to drive there.
For a flight, only first-class seats are available now.”
“The company lost a lot of money recently, so I â” I pretended to be embarrassed to speak, “I really don’t have any money left.”
Arthur gritted his teeth and declared, “I’ll buy it!”
My teeth instantly clenched in fury. He was a notorious penny-pincher, usually making me pay even his phone bill.
The fact that he was willing to spend over ten thousand dollars on a first-class ticket for me now showed how desperate they were to swindle my money.
I didn’t want to die in an explosion like in my past life, so I tried to stall for time.
“I still have so many things to arrange at the company.
But don’t worry, I’ll contact the local rescue team right away. We’ll definitely find Celine.”
Seeing that he couldn’t convince me, Arthur suddenly clutched his chest, his legs buckling, and he collapsed onto the floor. Brenda wailed dramatically beside him.
“Oh, the horror! My daughter, she’s practically gone, and he won’t even go find her!”
“My dear! You can’t be sick! Otherwise, I won’t live either!”
I acted even more frantic than them, immediately pulling out my phone and dialing 911. “Dad, don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you!”
Arthur immediately yelled anxiously, “An ambulance costs money! Are you crazy?”
I put on an innocent face. “Dad, Celine is so filial. If she knew I didn’t save you, she’d definitely divorce me. I can’t lose her.”
Brenda couldn’t hold back. “No! Celine said you have to go!”
I seized on her slip of the tongue. “Celine said that? When? Is she okay?”
Marcus quickly pointed out the window. “The ambulance is here!”
I didn’t get a chance to press further. I had to follow my in-laws into the ambulance.
Marcus didn’t come along, saying, “Alex, you go ahead. I’ll help Uncle Arthur pack some clothes.”
I didn’t know what trick he was planning, but I knew it wasn’t good.
However, in front of my in-laws, I couldn’t say anything. I just needed to get to the hospital â as long as I didn’t go to the highway.
At the hospital, Arthur was wheeled into the emergency room. I pulled a doctor aside and spoke to them in a low voice for a while.
When Brenda finally hurried over, breathless, I looked flustered, my words jumbled. “Dad is almost â no, Dad’s perfectly fine.”
The doctor looked relaxed. “Your husband is fine. He just had a surge of anger. He’ll be fine after some rest.”
The more he said it, the more scared Brenda became. She grabbed the doctor’s hand, urgently asking, “He’s not going to make it, is he? Tell me the truth!”
I interjected, pretending to be anxious. “Doctor, my wife took them for a check-up a while ago, and she said my father-in-law has lung cancer.”
In my past life, my wife used this exact trick to swindle a huge sum of money from me for Arthur’s “treatment.”
I later found out that money was used to raise her and Marcus’s child! Even after I lost everything, they still used “lung cancer” as an excuse to keep demanding money from me.
During that time, to earn money, I didn’t even dare to eat vegetables, subsisting on stale bread and instant ramen, sometimes even picking up leftover food from others.
Meanwhile, they were living lavishly with my money, scamming me my entire life!
“Doctor, no matter how much it costs, as long as you can save my father-in-law, I’m willing to pay.”
Brenda’s small eyes darted around. She suddenly collapsed to the floor, sobbing dramatically.
“Oh, my poor husband! How could you be so miserable? Your daughter is in a car crash, and now you’re dying too!”
“And your son-in-law won’t even go save your daughter! What are we going to do!”
The surrounding people instantly looked at me with disdain. I cried out, more distraught than Brenda.
“Mom, don’t worry! As long as we can save Dad’s life, I’ll cooperate with the hospital even if it means open-chest surgery!”
“I’ll also have someone keep an eye on Celine. Even if she really passed away, I’ll always take care of you. I’ll transfer the house you live in to your names.”
Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
She quickly realized her expression was wrong and, remembering my mention of open-chest surgery, asked, “What open-chest surgery?”
“Lung cancer can be operated on. They just need to remove the bad part of the lung.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find the most expensive surgeon to operate on him. There definitely won’t be any problems.
Even if he can’t be saved, I’ve already bought a prestigious burial plot for him.”
Brenda shot up from the floor. “We’re not having surgery!”
“He’s not sick! No surgery!”
I insisted that Arthur was sick, even pulling out the old lung cancer report they had shown me before and handing it to the doctor.
The doctor immediately opened a fast track and sent Arthur to the CT scan room.
While waiting for the results, Brenda kept her back to me, texting on her phone.
I didn’t need to look to know she was sending messages to Marcus.
I also opened my phone and checked the surveillance cameras at the house. That villa was meant for their retirement.
Fearing the old couple might not be safe living alone, I had cameras installed, but I never told them, worried they’d feel uncomfortable.
Now, it had become a tool for my revenge.
On the monitor, Marcus entered my bedroom. He rummaged around for a long time but found nothing. He then called Celine.
Less than five minutes later, Celine appeared. She had been hiding nearby the whole time!
I watched as she walked straight to the safe, punching in the code. She tried several times, but it was wrong each time.
A pang of pain shot through my chest. That code was our wedding anniversary â she didn’t even remember it.
Marcus had to remind her, and she went to fetch our marriage certificate. The cabinet was empty; there was nothing there.
Celine angrily kicked the wall, cursing, “That bitch! If the property deeds aren’t here, where could they be? And his private seal, why can’t I find any of them?”
My body trembled. She actually wanted to transfer all my company assets and properties, so even if I managed to divorce her, I’d be left with nothing, and her family could live happily ever after.
Thankfully, a couple of days ago, I had used them as collateral with the bank to expand the company.
Finally, Celine declared decisively, “You go to the hospital and find Mom and Dad. Make them figure out a way to get rid of Alex. I’ll think of other ways.”
With that, Celine leaned in and kissed Marcus. The two of them couldn’t control themselves and started making out right there.
I felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. I wanted nothing more than to rush over and beat those two senseless. But I held back. I knew it wasn’t time yet.
Ten minutes later, the two hastily ended their secret meeting.
Celine turned to Marcus. “Go tidy up the bed. Alex isn’t stupid. Don’t leave any traces.”
Marcus nodded. “Considering he’s been funding our daughter all these years, I won’t be too hard on him.”
“But only if he’s obedient,” Celine added coldly.
Hiding in the shadows, listening to their conversation, a chill ran down my spine.
All these years of marriage, she always claimed she had health issues and couldn’t get pregnant.
I felt sorry for her, not even wanting her to try IVF.
I never imagined she had already had a child with someone else behind my back. She wasn’t infertile; she just didn’t want to have *my* child!
Then, Celine urged Marcus, “You need to get to the hospital quickly.
You have to handle Alex there. If all else fails, have Dad fake his death. Alex is such an idiot, he’ll believe anything.”
Half an hour later, Marcus arrived at the hospital empty-handed.
He asked me, his face anxious, “How’s Uncle Arthur? Auntie said he was doing really badly. Is it true?”
I deliberately raised my voice to attract the attention of those around us. “My father’s still being examined! How could you curse him like that?”
Marcus awkwardly glanced at Brenda, then said with a wronged expression, “Auntie, I didn’t mean it.
Please put in a good word for me with Alex. My family relies entirely on my salary. If I lose this job, they’ll all starve.”
Brenda’s eyes widened. She glared at me, yelling, “Alex! When you’re not home, Marcus takes care of us. He’s like my own son!”
“If we’re talking about who’s closer, he’s far more important than you!”
Brenda accidentally blurted out her true feelings.
What surprised me even more was that Marcus even suggested transferring Arthur to another hospital.
From a distance, I saw the attending doctor from that hospital already waiting at the entrance. Even though only her eyes were visible, she looked incredibly familiar.
I couldn’t help but stare a little longer. It wasn’t until my gaze fell on her name tag that I understood and smiled.
It was Marcus’s sister, Maria.
Maria stopped us outside the examination room. She busied herself inside for a while, then had the nurses push my father-in-law into the operating room.
I asked, my face full of urgency, “Doctor, why is he going straight to surgery?”
“Is it serious? I know a lung cancer specialist in New York who can fly over for the surgery.”
Maria looked down, avoiding my gaze. “There’s no time for that. His condition is progressing very rapidly.”
“We need to operate and remove the lesion now. I suggest you, as the family, resolve his worries first, give him some hope to live.”
Marcus also chimed in, sounding worried. “Alex, Uncle Arthur will definitely want to see Celine when he wakes up. You should go quickly.”
I scoffed inwardly. “I’ve already arranged for a rescue team. We’ll have results in an hour. We just need to wait.”
Marcus looked agitated. He subtly shot Maria a meaningful glance.
Maria understood and turned to enter the operating room.
To my surprise, Maria emerged just half an hour later, her face filled with sorrow.
“I’m sorry, we did our best. The patient’s will to live was weak. He didn’t make it. He left with regrets.”
Even at the end, she didn’t forget to cast blame on me.
I asked to see Arthur one last time, but Maria refused without hesitation.
“His illness is contagious. You cannot see him.”
I pondered for a moment, then pulled out my phone and called the funeral home.
“My father-in-law has passed away. Please send someone immediately to pick him up.”
“His illness is contagious, so I need the fastest cremation and funeral plan. The burial plot should be the most prestigious. Money is not an issue.”
I deliberately spoke loudly. “Even if it bankrupts me, I want him to have a grand send-off!”
Brenda, who had been trying to snatch my phone, lunged at me, hitting me and cursing.
I dodged her slaps and pressed the doctor again. “Is it still contagious after death? Are the organs contagious?”
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âMa’am, just a moment. Thereâs still an outstanding bill for $50,000.â
I was about to leave after using the restroom when the owner of the buffet restaurant stopped me dead in my tracks.
My jaw dropped at the outrageous sum she mentioned. This place was supposed to be $75 per person, tops!
â$50,000? What are you talking about? I already paid for my meal.â
She plastered on a sugary-sweet, fake smile. âOur premium restroom is only free for three minutes. Every minute over that costs $10,000. You were in there for twenty-one minutes, so that comes to $50,000.â
I frowned, utterly bewildered. âIâve never heard of any place with such a rule! This is extortion!â
âMaâam, our pricing and operations are perfectly legal and compliant. Our restroom is equipped with luxurious facilities and top-tier amenities. Charging a fee is completely normal.â
I almost laughed at her utterly self-righteous attitude.
âSo, youâre saying if you donât have money, you canât even use your bathroom? I’m not paying a cent!â
Seeing my refusal, she immediately turned on a megaphone.
âSomeoneâs enjoying premium services and refusing to pay! Everyone, come and judge this for yourselves!â
As a crowd started to gather, I quickly SnapChatted the restaurant name to my assistant.
âLook up the company behind this place. Acquire it immediately!â
âŠ
At Brenda’s shout, people swarmed from every direction, surrounding me.
âWell, look at her, all dressed up, but won’t pay for a fancy restroom?â
âSeriously, if you donât have the money, donât use their premium services! This place has a top-notch restroom. If youâre broke, just don’t use it!â
A few words of manufactured outrage made Brenda positively gleeful.
She stood in the center of the crowd, speaking with a condescending tone.
âMs. Vance, I see youâre a regular here. Iâm not completely heartless.â
âHow about this: pay the $50,000 today, and Iâll give you our most exclusive membership. Youâll get twenty percent off all meals from now on. What do you say?â
I nearly choked on my own laughter at her shameless logic.
In my entire twenty-something years, Iâd never been called a poor, freeloading cheapskate to my face.
I took a deep breath, my voice cutting clearly through the buzzing whispers.
âMs. Stone, I will pay every cent I owe for my meal.â
âBut could you please tell me which law in this country states that a citizen must pay extra for using a restroom provided by a business?â
âLaw?â
Brenda scoffed, a harsh, mocking laugh bursting from her like Iâd just told the funniest joke in the world.
âEveryone listen! Ms. Vance has such shallow knowledge! Our deluxe restroom package uses top-tier materials and space-grade nano-cleaning technology. Spend an hour in there, and youâll get a year younger!â
âDonât you understand what high-tech is? Donât you understand health investment?â
Her words immediately sent the crowd into a frenzy.
âWhat? A year younger! Owner, let me in there to try it out, Iâll pay!â
âSome people are just cheap, then they blame others for being expensive. They just donât know quality!â
The mood in the room flipped instantly.
Just moments ago, there were merely glances of disdain. Now, intense hostility burned in their eyes.
Brenda stood on her moral high ground of âtechnology and health,â watching me smugly.
What in the damn hell kind of cult brainwashing was this?
Brenda was crazy, and the customers in this place were even crazier!
âFine!â
I laughed, fueled by pure rage.
âMs. Stone, since youâre so convinced youâre operating legally and compliantly, then letâs invite the relevant authorities to make an assessment.â
I pulled out my phone and called the police right in front of everyone.
âHello, 911? Iâd like to report a massive extortionâŠâ
2
Soon, two police officers parted the crowd and walked in.
Brenda instantly put on a wronged expression and rushed to meet them.
âOfficers, thank goodness youâre here! This Ms. Vance enjoyed our premium services but refuses to pay.â
âWeâre a legitimate business; every single service is registered and approved by the cityâs consumer protection board. You have to side with us!â
She was quick to throw dirt on my name.
The police, of course, wouldnât just listen to one side.
I concisely recounted the events, emphasizing the ridiculously high fee and her so-called anti-aging claims.
The lead officer, a middle-aged man, frowned.
He looked at the approval documents Brenda handed him, then paused for a moment.
My heart sank a little.
This shouldnât be happening. Could Brenda Stone really have such powerful connections?
âMs. Vance, we understand the situation. After verification, this restaurantâs premium restroom service, its pricing standards, and relevant qualification documents⊠are all in order. On paper, it falls within the scope of legal operation.â
Meaning, the charging procedures were all complete.
As for the effectiveness of the service, that was commercial advertising and not within their jurisdiction.
A louder uproar immediately erupted from the crowd.
âJust pay the money, cheapskate!â
âThe police said thereâs no problem, yet sheâs still stubborn as hell, how embarrassing!â
Brendaâs triumphant smile was blinding.
But she still feigned a sigh.
âMs. Vance, why make such a fuss? I run a business, and honesty is the most important thingâŠâ
Integrity, my ass!
I clenched my fists, barely suppressing the urge to just utterly lose it.
If there wasn’t something seriously messed up behind this, I’d eat my hat!
I ignored them, quickly unlocking my phone and messaging Chloe Davies, my assistant.
[Find out the company behind this buffet restaurant and prepare for acquisition.]
[I want the acquisition contract on my desk tomorrow!]
After sending the message, I looked at the smug Brenda again.
âMs. Stone, Iâve paid for my meal, but for any illegal charges, I wonât give you a single cent!â
I couldnât be bothered to argue with this crazy woman anymore and turned to leave.
Back home, the entryway light was on. Derek was actually home at this hour.
Normally, heâd either be out at a work function or working late.
Iâd just kicked off my heels when he stormed out of the living room, clutching a few sheets of paper.
âAurora Vance! Look what youâve done!â
I glanced at the falling papers â it was a lawyerâs letter.
Brenda Stoneâs name was signed at the bottom.
Huh, she certainly worked fast.
âAnd this!â
Derek shoved his phone screen right into my face.
Trending on Ins, âAurora Vance: The Buffet Freeloaderâ was number one.
I tapped on it, and sure enough, there was a candid video of the scene.
The comments were absolutely vile.
âFreeloading AND calling the cops? This woman has some nerve!â
âGirls, doxx her! Make her pay!â
My name, my ID â everything had been dug up and laid bare.
Brenda, that crazy witch, dared to start a whole online smear campaign!
Yet, my boyfriend didnât care about what Iâd suffered. He just kept demanding to know why Iâd gotten into such trouble.
âTrouble? Derek Hayes, your girlfriend is being falsely accused of extortion, dragged through the mud, and cyberbullied, and all you care about is me embarrassing you?â
I pointed to the lawyerâs letter on the floor. âThat lunatic owner started this whole mess just because I didnât pay $50,000 for using her restroom. Does that sound reasonable to you?â
Derekâs brow furrowed into a tight knot.
âBut the police said it was legal, so why didnât you just pay what you owed? Itâs just $50,000, right?â
âJust hurry up, record an apology video, pay the money, and this whole thing will be over.â
I looked at him as if he were a stranger.
âDerek Hayes, are you out of your mind? If you want to be a sucker and a spineless pushover, then go pay her yourself, but donât drag me into it!â
âAurora Vance!â Derekâs face flushed crimson. He pointed a finger at me and yelled, âYouâre utterly unreasonable! Donât you know the company will fire you for this?â
I stared at him coldly, saying nothing.
The company was *mine*. If anyone was getting fired, it would be him!
Seeing that I still wouldnât budge, he violently threw his hand up.
âFine, youâre so righteous, so above it all! Letâs see how you get out of this mess!â
He grabbed his jacket from the sofa, glared at me, and slammed the door as he left.
I lay back on the small living room sofa and checked my SnapChat.
Messages from friends popped up continuously.
And on Ins, Brenda seemed to have deliberately posted an update to actively spite me.
[Taught some cheapskate a lesson today! Couldn’t afford our premium restroom package and still called the cops! What a world!]
The post included a smug selfie of her flipping off the camera, with the blurry sign of her pathetic restaurant visible in the background.
She really had the nerve! Cyberbullying and acting so arrogant, even after breaking the law.
My finger unconsciously scrolled down, curious to see if any mutual friends had commented.
Then, in the likes section, I saw a familiar profile picture.
It was Derekâs!
3
My mind instantly exploded, buzzing loudly.
Luckily, my hand moved faster than my brain, and I immediately took a screenshot.
When I refreshed Ins, that red heart âlikeâ had vanished.
I clutched my phone, my fingers icy cold.
How did Derek know Brenda?
All this time, whenever we went to restaurants, I was the one who ordered and paid.
Derek never got involved, did he?
Suddenly, a hazy memory flashed into my mind.
Two months ago, it was Derek who had his arm around my waist, excitedly telling me about this newly opened buffet restaurant.
After trying it, I was indeed impressed by their high-quality ingredients.
I even considered holding the companyâs group dinners there.
I stared at the screenshot on my phone, took a deep breath, and called Chloe Davies.
There were some things I absolutely had to get to the bottom of.
The next day at noon, just as I arrived at my office, the front deskâs internal line rang.
âMs. Vance! Someoneâs causing a scene at the front desk, specifically asking for you.â
Hearing the panicked tone from the front desk, I had a pretty good idea who it was.
Sure enough, as I walked into the office area, I heard Brendaâs shrill, grating voice.
âWhereâs Aurora Vance? That freeloading bitch who didnât pay, get out here! Too scared to show your face?â
âItâs all because of that jinx! She made me lose a huge contract. So unlucky!â
The employees were silent, casting complicated glances my way.
âLooking for me?â
I pushed past the employees blocking my way and walked toward Brenda, who was surrounded by a few of her restaurant staff.
âWell, well, the coward finally dares to show her face?â
She swayed her hips, her finger nearly poking my nose.
âAurora Vance, if you know whatâs good for you, pay the $50,000 right now! Do you have any idea how much money youâve cost me?â
âLike I give a damn.â
I raised my hand, wiped the spittle from my face, and disgustedly pushed her hand away.
âItâs all you! Freeloading, then calling the police, causing me bad luck!â
She suddenly shot a look to the side.
âHey, Liam, David, drag her out and make her scrub the floors to cleanse this place of her bad juju! Otherwise, business will be impossible!â
Those two restaurant employees actually started moving towards me.
A collective gasp went through the office.
In broad daylight, on my own turf, she dared to have her people lay hands on me?
A surge of pure, unadulterated rage shot through me.
To hell with reason, to hell with my image!
I lunged forward and slapped her hard.
âAh!!!â
Brenda clutched her face, stunned for a full three seconds.
âAurora Vance, you dared to hit me!â
âYeah, I hit you! Iâm hitting you, you foul-mouthed hag.â I shook my stinging palm.
âI havenât even settled the score with you for cyberbullying me, and you dare to come here and provoke me?â
âYou just wait!â
Brenda was shaking with fury.
She pulled out her phone and made a call.
âHoney, your companyâs employee hit me! Come quick and stand up for me! Sheâs completely out of control!â
Honey?
My heart plummeted.
No, it couldnât be that exact connection.
After hanging up, Brendaâs expression changed in a flash.
âHear that? My husband is coming out right now to deal with you!â
âI advise you to get on your knees and apologize immediately, otherwise, Iâll have my husband fire you!â
I laughed, livid.
Fire me? Iâd like to see who has the guts.
The elevator chimed, stopping on my floor.
Everyoneâs gaze turned towards it.
The doors slowly opened.
Derekâs anxious face appeared before everyone.
Brenda instantly flung herself at Derek like a giddy schoolgirl, clutching his arm tightly.
All the employees present gasped.
âHoney, youâre finally here! Itâs that bitch who freeloaded at my restaurant yesterday, she hit me today! Fire her, make her leave!â
Brenda pointed at me, her face alight with undisguised malice and triumph.
However, Derekâs face froze. He hadn’t expected such a grand spectacle.
So, he didn’t even look at Brenda. His gaze was fixed, unblinking, on me.
âWife? You⊠why are you here at the company today? If something was wrong, couldnât you have just told me?â
The triumphant look on Brendaâs face instantly shattered.
She abruptly released Derekâs arm, stumbling back a step.
âYou⊠you called her what?â
I didn’t spare a glance at their pale faces. Instead, I turned to Chloe, my assistant.
âChloe, whatâs the acquisition progress on The Epicurean Feast? Get the investors behind it here with the contract immediately!â
Brenda seemed to snap out of her shock, bursting into loud laughter.
âAurora Vance, have you lost your mind? A broke cheapskate who canât even afford $50,000 for a restroom, trying to acquire our restaurant? Dream on!â
No sooner had she spoken than the elevator chimed again.
A middle-aged man in an expensive custom suit stepped out.
Brendaâs face instantly lit up with the smugness of finding her backup.
âMr. Sterling! Youâre finally here. You have to stand up for me, this bitch, sheâŠâ
But before she could finish, Mr. Sterling, whom she considered her savior, quickly walked up to me with an almost fawning smile.
âMs. Vance, why are you here in person? Iâve brought the acquisition contract. When would you like to sign?â
4
âMr. Sterling, what did you call her? She⊠sheâs just aâŠâ
The joy and triumph on Brendaâs face instantly crumbled.
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In my past life, I endured a heart-wrenching fate. My husband, Norman Ballard, held me in utter contempt for bearing a low-class Black Dragon. Without a shred of mercy, he took the life of our innocent child. Then, he summoned a thunderstorm to end my life as well. As I lay dying, filled with rage and despair, I spat out a curse, “Drop dead right now!” With my blurry vision, I witnessed our bodies plummeting into the depths of the Dragon Pool.
To my astonishment, I awoke to find myself back on the day when Norman was choosing a bride. He wasted no time in picking my sister, a Blue Dragon just one rank above the Black Dragon. The disgust in his eyes was palpable as he looked at me.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he, too, had been reborn.
In the previous life, my sister was a Blue Dragon of humble standing, while I was a Yellow Dragon, second only to the noble Golden Dragon. Back then, Norman had readily chosen me.
But life took a cruel turn. My sister married a Yellow Dragon and gave birth to a high-class Golden Dragon, becoming the envy of all. Meanwhile, I gave birth to that low-class Black Dragon after tying the knot with him, and he became the butt of everyone’s jokes.
This time around, Norman was convinced that choosing my sister would guarantee him a Golden Dragon offspring. But here was the thingâlike begets like. How could a Black Dragon masquerading as a Golden Dragon ever give birth to the real deal?
*****
Suddenly, thunder boomed across the sky. Dozens of lightning bolts ripped through the thick clouds and lunged straight at me.
I was scorched and battered by the fierce lightning. As I plummeted through the air, I spotted my husband Norman standing outside the reach of the lightning. He stared at me with a cold and vicious look as I sank lower and lower.
“With the blood of the Dragon Clan as a curse, I wish Norman to drop dead right now!” I murmured the curse with my last bit of strength.
I watched as Norman shifted into his dragon form and fell. Eventually, we plunged into the Dragon Pool together.
“Megan, what are you daydreaming about?”
Someone beside me gently nudged me. I slowly opened my eyes, and it was my father, Ryan Wesley.
Wasn’t I just killed by the thunderstorm?
I rubbed my eyes, opened them again, and looked around. This wasn’t a dream.
I was reborn, and it was the day when Norman was choosing a wife.
Ryan, a high-class Yellow Dragon, asked, “Norman, which of my two daughters will you pick?”
Our eyes met. I recalled that in my past life, his eyes were full of tenderness when he looked at me, and he gave me his golden scales without hesitation.
But now, all I saw in his eyes was disgust.
“Sure, my younger daughter, Sally, is just an ordinary middle-class Blue Dragon. But she’s kind-hearted and virtuous, and she’s got feelings for you. If you two get along, it’d be a great match.” Ryan stroked his beard.
My sister Sally Wesley was shyly stealing glances at Norman.
The bride-selection of a Golden Dragon was a big deal in the Dragon Clan, crucial for the bloodline. The clan elders had come to witness it.
Even though Ryan said that, everyone knew that Norman, a high-class Golden Dragon, should pick me, a high-class Yellow Dragon.
However, Norman gave his scales to Sally.
Everyone present was shocked. Sally also looked at Norman in disbelief.
At that moment, I was sure that Norman, my husband from the previous life, was also reborn.
In the previous life, as expected, Norman chose me, the one with a higher rank. And Sally was arranged by Ryan to marry a high-class Yellow Dragon through his connections.
At first, Norman doted on me, and we were the talk of the town in the Dragon Clan. But things took a turn after I laid a Black Dragon egg.
A Golden Dragon laying a black egg was a huge laughingstock in the Dragon World. Everyone said Norman was a loser.
On the contrary, Sally laid a glowing golden egg. Since then, people flocked to their door, and everyone praised her husband for his strength.
The humiliated Norman became extremely bad-tempered towards me. He not only scolded me but also often rued not choosing Sally as his wife in front of me.
In the Dragon World, there were four attributesâBlack Dragon, Blue Dragon, Yellow Dragon, and Golden Dragon, and three ranksâlow-class, middle-class, and high-class.
The higher the attribute and rank, the rarer and more powerful the dragon, and the higher the family’s status.
So, dragons in the clan usually chose mates with higher attributes to have offspring with better bloodlines. Of course, there were exceptions where high-class dragons gave birth to low-class ones and vice versa.
Dragons in the Dragon Clan could transform into human forms after reaching adulthood.
The humiliation drove Norman to the brink of madness. In a desperate bid to salvage his shattered pride, he started spreading malicious rumors. He claimed I’d had an affair with a low-class dragon, and that was the reason I’d given birth to a low-class Black Dragon egg.
In a fit of rage, he punched the unhatched egg, shattering it into pieces. Then, with a wave of his power, he summoned a terrifying thunderstorm. The sky darkened, and thunder roared as if the heavens themselves were angry. Lightning flashed across the sky like fiery whips, and I knew my end was near.
Before I could even expose his true identity, I was engulfed by the storm.
Norman was a fraud. Beneath his false guise of a high-class Golden Dragon, he was nothing but a low-class Black Dragon.
Ryan was stunned by the outcome, whereas my mom, Emma Wesley, was overjoyed. Without hesitation, she pulled Sally close and began showering her with praise right in front of Norman.
“I get you all are curious to know why I didn’t choose Megan,” Norman said, giving a little bow to the elders of the Dragon Clan. My eyelids fluttered.
“I won’t marry a two-timing dragon like her,” he said, jabbing his finger at me angrily.
The place erupted in a flurry of confusion.
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Ryan barked.
After all, I was his flesh and blood.
“Chill out, sir. Let me explain. I’ve caught her fooling around with those low-class dragons more than once. That’s why I’m off the idea of marrying her,” Norman retorted.
“Prove it! You’re just badmouthing me!” I feigned the innocence of my younger self, not keen on letting Norman know I’d been reborn.
“Do you really think I, a noble Golden Dragon, would lie about you?” Norman sneered.
Ryan eyed me warily, and Emma shot me a dirty look, thinking I’d brought shame to the family.
Before I could get a word in, Norman rambled on.
“She’s got a rotten moral compass. Even if she’s a high-class Yellow Dragon, her kids would be low-class. Let’s see if I’m right.”
Golden Dragons could make predictions, but it took a toll on their essence and blood. Not many dragons were willing to go through with it.
Once he said that, the elders and relatives started whispering and gossiping about me.
“Fine, we’ll wait and see!” I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stay composed.
I was biding my time for his dragon egg to hatch and expose his true colors.
Sally’s wedding was a grand affair. Norman spared no expense, and it became the talk of the Dragon World.
As for me, thanks to Norman’s slander, my reputation was in the gutter.
Dragons who used to come knocking for marrying me stopped showing up. They were more worried about having low-class offspring than my so-called disloyalty.
In the Dragon World, a Golden Dragon’s prediction was no laughing matter.
With Norman stoking the fire, the rumors got wilder. People were saying I’d slept with three dragons in one night, and they painted the picture so vividly.
Emma thought I was a disgrace and gave me the cold shoulder all day. Ryan was at a loss.
I didn’t give a damn. I was done with the whole marriage thing after my past life.
Three days after the wedding, Norman brought Sally back for a visit.
When he saw me, he started taunting, “Megan, I bet no one wants to marry you now, huh?”
“Thanks to you, I’m having a peaceful life,” I shot back.
Norman sized me up and scoffed, “Without a mate, your mating season is gonna be a nightmare. You might end up with a wild snake and pop out some freakish thing.”
“Yeah, Megan. Stop being so choosy. Just marry a Black Dragon. Otherwise, not just the Dragon World but other races will laugh their asses off at you,” Sally chimed in.
It had only been a few days since she tied the knot, and she was already on Norman’s side. The two of them were like two peas in a pod.
Of course, Sally and I had never seen eye to eye.
Emma was Ryan’s second wife, and Sally and I were half-sisters, so there was never any real bond between us.
“Don’t worry about me. Worry about having a high-quality dragon baby first. After all, like father, like son,” I said, smiling as I glanced at Sally’s belly.
Norman’s eyes darkened with rage.
“What are you talking about? Norman is a rare Golden Dragon. His kids will at least be Golden Dragons. You’re just jealous that Norman picked me,” Sally snapped, raising her hand as if to hit me.
Just like old times, she still wanted to push me around. I stepped back, not in the mood to argue.
“Good-for-nothing who can’t even lay an egg.”
From behind, Norman’s voice, as gloomy as a storm cloud, echoed through the air. He casually slung his arm around Sally’s shoulders, shouldered past me with a nonchalant air, and sauntered ahead.
At the dinner table, Norman was all over Sally like a lovesick puppy. He kept piling her plate high with dishes and dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. They were the picture-perfect newlyweds, in total sync. Ryan, who’d been wary of Norman after his prophecy, seemed to have softened his stance.
In the old days, Norman was only mildly considerate of me. But serving me? That was out of the question. In his eyes, I was beneath him, born to serve.
Now, he was clearly rubbing it in my face.
There were other Golden Dragons out there, not just him. Maybe I could find one to “borrow” sperm from.
Borrow sperm! It wasn’t half-bad of an idea. No need to get married, and no one would lose out. Having a Golden Dragon baby would really stick it to Norman and make up for my past-life regret of not becoming a mother.
But all the Golden Dragons I could think of were either too old or too young. Where on earth could I find a proper one?
*****
“You’re looking for a young Golden Dragon?!” Carol Wilson blurted out.
I quickly slapped my hand over her mouth. “Keep it down, will you?”
Carol was a magical herb and my alien buddy.
“Mmmph.”
I let go, and she lowered her voice. “Well, I actually know about an extraordinary Golden Dragon.”
“For real?”
“Rumor has it that there’s a high-class Golden Dragon living in the Golden Dragon Pool on Elysian Peak. It’s a high-attribute dragon, a once-in-a-century sight in your Dragon World. Even the elders of your Dragon Clan would bow down to it.”
“Is it really that amazing?” I was skeptical.
Carol had a knack for exaggerating.
“Absolutely! They say the golden light from that dragon is so bright it can blind other dragons. Since it went up to Elysian Peak, it’s never come down. And we can’t get up there, either. So, Elysian Peak has turned into a forbidden area.”
I lowered my head, lost in thought. Come to think of it, when I was a kid, the clan elders had always warned me to stay away from that mountain.
I asked, “How do you know more about this than I do, a full-fledged member of the Dragon Clan?”
“I’ve lived for almost a thousand years. How could I not know?” Carol rolled her eyes at me.
“Then… hypothetically, if I wanted to ‘borrow’ sperm from it, is it even possible?”
“Eh? What!” Another ear-splitting exclamation.
I had to clap my hand over her mouth again.
“Shh! Don’t let the whole world hear.”
“Did I hear you right? Not to mention it’s impossible to get up the mountain now. No one knows what’s going on there after all these years. You still want to go find that Golden Dragon and ‘borrow’ its sperm? You’re just asking for trouble!”
I said, “Unless you give it a shot, you’ll never know. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find that Golden Dragon. I’ll use some aphrodisiac incense and sleep with it. By the next day, it’ll have completely forgotten about that steamy night.”
Carol was so shocked by my words that her mouth gaped wide enough to fit an egg.
I knew the way into that mountain.
In my past life, I tagged along with Norman. Desperate to conceal his true self as a Black Dragon, he went on a mad dash to collect forbidden tomes and esoteric cultivation secrets. One particular book made an indelible mark on me. It said that if one mashed up the Elysian Gilded Weed into a pulp and slathered it on one’s scales, one’s body would transform into a gorgeous, long-lasting golden sheen.
Norman was hell-bent on getting his hands on that herb. He spent God knew how many hours sifting through over 10 thousand ancient scrolls just to crack the code on entering the Elysian Peak.
There, at the southwest foot of the mountain, lay a rock. It was like a fortress, completely unyielding. However, there was a workaroundâuse high-class dragon blood as a trigger and draw a specific rune on it, and the mountain’s protective barrier would crumble. And amazingly, the image of that rune was still crystal-clear in my head.
Back then, Norman took nearly half a bowl of my blood. I was crossing my fingers that he’d return with the herb, but it was a no-go. Instead, he showed up battered and bruised. When I asked him what in the world had happened, he just clammed up and kept his lips sealed.
“You’re really out of your mind. That’s a high-class Golden Dragon. If it finds out a low-rank dragon like you has such crazy thoughts, it’ll swat you into pieces with one claw.” Carol waved two leaves around like claws.
“What do you mean by ‘a low-rank dragon’? I’m at least a high-class Yellow Dragon.”
Carol asked, “Are you serious about this?”
“Dead serious.”
“I’ve heard about what went down with you in the Dragon World. Considering all the fertilizer you’ve given me, this is the most I can do to help.”
With that, Carol plucked the tenderest leaf from her center and held it out to me.
“Actually, I’m a fertility herb. If you eat this, you’ll get pregnant on the first try, no doubt about it.”
“So, that’s your real deal. You always told me eating you would boost my power and extend my lifespan.” I couldn’t help but let out a couple of chuckles.
“Stop laughing at me!”
“Okay, okay.”
Carol said, “Please come back in one piece. I’m counting on you to fertilize me again.”
“Got it.” I waved her off and started making my way towards Elysian Peak.
Â
I followed the method and managed to break the barrier. Suddenly, Elysian Peak revealed itself in all its rawness.
From the outside, it was all misty and looked like a magical wonderland. But up close, the whole peak was shrouded in an eerie black haze.
The mountain path wound upwards, covered with dry leaves and broken stones. There were no signs of any spiritual animals or the slightest hint of spiritual energy. It was so quiet that even the wind seemed to have deserted the place, just dead silent.
“Can’t even see the sun, so why’s it getting hotter and hotter?” I grumbled, wiping the sweat off my face.
I remembered what the elders said, that Elysian Peak was full of spiritual energy and perfect for cultivation. But what I saw now was nothing like that.
I decided to put off the search for that dragon for a bit. First, I needed to find some water, or I’d die of thirst right there.
As soon as I stepped into the mountain, my body started to heat up. I felt dizzy, and a sense of unease crept over me.
Thankfully, after a short while, I heard the sound of water. I followed it and found a small pond.
I didn’t care if it was dangerous or not. I was burning up, and my mind was a mess. So, I transformed into my dragon form and plunged right in.
But the cool water did little to quench the fire in me. I could feel a strange heat down there, and my body became overly sensitive.
Damn it! Why did I have to go into heat at this moment?
I tried to calm myself down by circulating my inner energy, but it didn’t work well.
Even though I was a dragon, sexual desire was a natural thing.
That was why our kind looked for mates when we reached a certain age. Otherwise, some of us might just be tortured to death.
Damn it! It’d be great if there were another dragon around.
I looked around in frustration.
Hey! There was a cave in the pond, and it was giving off a faint golden glow.
Could this be the Golden Dragon Pool? And inside the cave, was the Golden Dragon?
I held my breath and swam into the cave slowly. Sure enough, there was a Golden Dragon coiled around a pillar, eyes closed.
This Golden Dragon was even more dazzling than any I’d ever seen. His figure was top-notch among our clan.
I didn’t dare to make a sound. I flew over to him and nervously took out the aphrodisiac incense, holding it near his nose. After seeing this Golden Dragon, my desire had become even stronger.
In no time, the Golden Dragon suddenly opened his eyes and quickly slid off the pillar. With a loud crash, the pillar collapsed.
I quickly flew away, but the dragon charged at me. Judging by those fierce eyes, did the aphrodisiac incense not work?
I tried to run, but my body was so weak that I just fell to the ground.
The Golden Dragon let out a roar, brushed past me, and flew out of the cave, stirring up the pond water like crazy.
Then he rushed back into the cave. Just when I thought it was going to kill me, he said, “Finally, you’re here.”
The Golden Dragon started circling around me, then lifted my body up.
His body was also burning hot. Our breathing became rapid and chaotic. When our eyes met, I could see the same desire in his eyes.
The Golden Dragon spread his scales and wrapped his body around me tighter and tighter. My mind was in a blur. I looked at our intertwined tails.
“What? Those are so big!”
Under his scales, something was stirring. My heart skipped a beat, and I swallowed hard. I suddenly wanted to run away.
Even though I thought so, the heat of passion clouded my mind. I was so weak that I could only let the Golden Dragon have its way with me.
This Golden Dragon knew all the tricks. He made me feel so good that I couldn’t help but wonder if the aphrodisiac incense had any effect on it at all.
“Like it?” he asked in a hoarse voice, the second thing I’d heard him say.
His body entangled with mine, as he took away my last bit of sanity.
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I Became the Cruel CEO’s Wife, But I Have a First Love Who Looks Just Like Him
Everyone knows I bear a striking resemblance to Adrian’s late wife, Ava. They think I’m just her replacement. What they don’t realize is that Adrian himself looks uncannily like the boy I fell for years ago.
The difference is, the boy I loved was gentle and refined. Adrian, on the other hand, often radiates a volatile, tyrannical aura.
One day, he killed my first love. Little did he know that even a docile puppet can bare its claws.
0
I had barely reached the entrance of Adrian’s office when a body covered in a white sheet was carried out. A crowd of people knelt outside.
Inside, Adrian was drunk, half-lying on an intricately carved chair. His brows were furrowed, eyes tightly shut.
Shards of porcelain cups and jade plates littered the floor. As I stepped in, a blue and gold vase suddenly shattered at my feet, its fragments cutting my arm.
I cried out in pain, clutching my hand as crimson blood seeped through my fingers and dripped onto the floor.
The sight of blood on the ground made me dizzy. I looked up to see Adrian beckoning me.
“Aria, come here.”
I had grown all too familiar with that name.
I obediently walked over. He stroked my head like one would pet an animal.
His palm was warm, but I didn’t dare lower my guard. For some reason, the hand resting on my head always made me uneasy.
The next moment, pain shot through my scalp as I was forced to meet his cold, dark eyes. “Who gave you permission to wear Ava’s hairpin?”
He yanked out the pin and glared at me coldly.
Even after a year, facing those eyes still filled me with fear.
They were the eyes of a lone wolf – a flash of red in the vast desert, locking onto its prey.
I knew he disliked seeing fear in my expression, so I skillfully put on the gentle smile I had practiced countless times. “My dear, you’ve had too much to drink. Do I need permission to wear my own accessories?”
His eyes lowered, long thick lashes hiding his expression.
After a long moment, he burst into laughter, wrapping an arm around my waist and burying his face in my chest. “Aria can wear whatever she likes, as long as she never leaves me…”
Ava… that was his late wife’s name.
My name is also Aria, but written with a different character meaning “distant.”
0
“Are you here to beg me to release those refugees too?”
He held my hand, his tone casual and disinterested.
I lowered my eyes submissively. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“My Aria would never say she doesn’t dare.”
I changed my words. “I won’t.”
He looked pleased, his expression softening.
Happy with my response, he waved his hand, ordering the staff outside to clean up his office. I saw the head butler breathe a sigh of relief, giving me a grateful look.
Adrian had renamed his office “Ava’s Study,” while my quarters were now called “Ava’s Tower.”
Back in my room, my father was already waiting.
“Mrs. Blackwood.”
My father is the company’s CFO. He used to dote on me, but since I became Adrian’s wife, it had been a long time since he called me Aria.
“Father, have you come because something’s happened at the company again?”
My father stared at me intently. In the few days since I’d last seen him, he seemed to have aged a decade. Silver strands sprouted at his temples, and his eyes held a pleading look. He knelt before me. “Please, ask your husband to help the people suffering from the layoffs.”
I didn’t move. This wasn’t the first time my father had knelt before me for the sake of the employees. But I clearly remembered the first time he knelt before his own daughter – it was to persuade me to marry the cruel Adrian.
Just because my face was 80% similar to Ava’s, he offered me to Adrian. Not for family honor, but so that I could use my resemblance to Ava to stop Adrian when he was about to do something cruel.
He wanted me to influence Adrian’s decisions.
I admit he’s a good executive, but he’s not a good father. He used our family bond to bind me, sending me to this cold, loveless marriage.
Enduring the mix of adoration and torment that Adrian’s unstable moods brought me.
Now, he doesn’t even call me Aria anymore. It’s always “Mrs. Blackwood” this and “Mrs. Blackwood” that.
I lowered my eyelids, hiding the hurt in my eyes. “What’s happened?”
“There’s unrest at the factory in Springfield. The leader’s been arrested and is scheduled for execution tomorrow.”
With Adrian imposing such heavy workloads and pay cuts across the company, I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire workforce revolted.
Without looking up, I picked up my unfinished embroidery and continued stitching a plum blossom pattern, my tone flat. “Springfield is far from here. Even if Adrian ordered a stay of execution today, it would take two days for the order to reach Springfield. You can’t save him.”
“What if that person is Marcus?”
The familiar name struck my ears. My fingers slipped, and the needle pricked my fingertip. A drop of blood fell onto the plum blossom I had just embroidered.
“Marcus has already been brought to the city. If you don’t persuade Adrian to stop, Marcus’s head will be on display in the town square tomorrow!”
My heart clenched. I slowly put down the needle and stood up.
Marcus… was the boy I loved.
0
Years ago, when I was fourteen, I went with my mother to a temple. We were attacked by bandits who killed all our guards. The horses pulling our carriage panicked and bolted, nearly running off a cliff. In that moment of crisis, Marcus saved me.
He wore white, cutting a dashing figure – a spirited young man.
With just one glance, my heart was captured. I could never love anyone else.
I had never run so frantically through the house before. Adrian had deliberately built my quarters close to his office out of his love for Ava.
I ran through the winding corridors, dragging my long skirt, seemingly out of breath after running for a long time.
My dress tripped me, but I paid no mind. I got up and hurried to Adrian’s side.
When I burst in, a blood-stained prisoner was kneeling before Adrian, who sat lazily in his chair. My sudden appearance startled them both, and they turned to look at me.
As my gaze swept over the prisoner’s face, I froze momentarily. It wasn’t until Adrian chuckled softly that I snapped out of it, hastily averting my eyes and scurrying to Adrian’s side.
Adrian gently stroked my head. “Aria thinks he looks similar too, doesn’t she?”
I kept my eyes lowered. “I was startled by the blood just now. I didn’t get a clear look at his face.”
Adrian laughed softly, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger. “If you didn’t see clearly, go take a closer look.”
I couldn’t fathom why he wanted me to look. Perhaps Marcus didn’t even remember someone like me.
Up close, his injuries were even more apparent. There were at least ten wounds of varying sizes all over his body, flesh torn open and bleeding. His white prison uniform was stained black and red, the original color indiscernible.
I had heard that after the leader of the Springfield uprising was captured, he endured severe torture without revealing his accomplices. I never imagined that leader would be Marcus.
Marcus stared at me coldly, all traces of his former gentle demeanor gone, replaced by ice.
I couldn’t help but take a few steps back, only to bump into Adrian’s chest. I hadn’t noticed him standing behind me.
“Did he frighten you?”
Before I could answer, Adrian kicked Marcus hard in the chest. The kick was so forceful that Marcus coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“In my presence, you’d better keep your claws sheathed.”
Marcus laughed coldly and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. “A cruel and incompetent tyrant has no right to call himself ‘I’.”
The bloody spittle landed right on Adrian’s shoe. Adrian’s expression remained calm, but my heart began to race.
“Aria.”
When he called my name, my body trembled slightly.
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I became the queen of a tyrant, but I had a first love, and they looked alike.
Everyone knew I resembled the late queen and was her replacement, but they didn’t know the tyrant also looked like the boy I had loved since childhood.
However, his personality was completely different from the one I loved. The boy I loved was gentle and refined, while the tyrant often exuded a cruel and violent aura.
One day, he killed my first love, not knowing that even a docile puppet could turn against him with sharp claws.
0
As I approached the entrance of the great hall, a body covered in white cloth was being carried out. A crowd of people knelt at the doorway.
Inside, the man was heavily drunk, half-lying on an intricately carved dragon throne. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes tightly shut.
Shards of porcelain cups and jade plates were scattered everywhere. As I stepped in, a blue and gold vase suddenly shattered at my feet, its fragments cutting my arm.
I cried out in pain, clutching my hand as crimson blood flowed through my fingers and dripped onto the floor.
The sight of blood on the ground made me dizzy. When I looked up, I saw the tyrant beckoning to me.
“Aria, come here.”
I was all too familiar with this name by now.
I obediently walked over, and he stroked my head as if petting an animal.
His palm was warm, but I didn’t dare let my guard down. For some reason, the hand resting on my head always made me uneasy.
The next moment, pain shot through my scalp as I was forced to meet his cold, dark eyes. “Who gave you permission to wear Aria’s hairpin?”
He yanked out the hairpin and looked at me coldly.
Even after a year, facing those eyes still filled me with fear.
They were the eyes of a lone wolf, a flash of red in the vast wilderness, locking onto you, hunting you.
I knew he didn’t like to see me looking scared, so I skillfully put on the gentle smile I had practiced countless times. “Your Majesty must be drunk, no? Does your humble servant need permission from others to wear her own hairpin?”
His eyes lowered, his long, thick lashes hiding his expression.
After a long moment, he burst into laughter, wrapping an arm around my waist and burying his face in my chest. “Aria can wear whatever she wants, as long as she doesn’t leave me…”
Aria… was his late queen.
My name was also Ava, but my “Ava” meant distant.
0
“Have you also come to beg me to release those refugees?”
He held my hand, his tone carrying a hint of indifference.
I lowered my eyes submissively, “Your humble servant wouldn’t dare.”
“My Aria would never say she wouldn’t dare.”
I changed my words, “Your humble servant won’t.”
His expression softened, showing satisfaction.
He was pleased and waved his hand, ordering the servants outside to clean up the inner chamber of Aria’s Palace. I saw the head eunuch breathe a sigh of relief and give me a grateful look.
Aria’s Palace was originally called the Royal Study, while the Queen’s chambers had been renamed Aria’s Tower.
Back at Aria’s Tower, my father was already waiting for me.
“Your Majesty, the Queen.”
My father was the current Prime Minister. He used to dote on me, but since I became queen, he hadn’t called me Ava in a long time.
“Father, have you come to see me because something has happened at court again?”
My father stared at me steadily. In just a few days, he seemed to have aged ten years. Silver strands had appeared at his temples, and his eyes were filled with earnestness. He knelt before me, “I beg Your Majesty the Queen to save our people.”
I didn’t move. This wasn’t the first time my father had knelt before me for the sake of the people, but I clearly remembered the first time he knelt before his own daughter was to make me enter the palace and become the tyrant’s queen.
Just because my face was eighty percent similar to the late queen’s, he offered me to the tyrant. Not for family glory, but so that I could use my face, so similar to the late queen’s, to stop him when he became violent.
He wanted me to whisper in the king’s ear.
I admit he was a good official, but he wasn’t a good father. He bound me with familial ties and sent me to this cold palace.
Enduring the love and torment brought by an unpredictable tyrant.
Now, he didn’t even call me Ava anymore, always addressing me as “Your Majesty the Queen.”
I lowered my eyelids, hiding the hurt in my eyes. “What has happened?”
“There’s unrest in Westbrook. The leader has been captured and is to be executed tomorrow.”
The king had imposed heavy taxes nationwide. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole country rebelled.
Without looking up, I picked up the embroidery I hadn’t finished yesterday and continued stitching plum blossoms. My tone was flat, “Westbrook is far from the capital. Even if the king issued an order today to spare his life, it would take at least two days to reach Westbrook from here. You can’t save him.”
“What if that person is Marcus?”
The familiar name entered my ears, and my fingers lost control of the needle, pricking my fingertip. A drop of blood fell on the plum blossom I had just embroidered.
“Marcus has already been brought to the capital. If Your Majesty the Queen doesn’t persuade the king to stop, Marcus’s head will surely be hanging on the city wall tomorrow!”
My heart clenched. I slowly put down the needle and stood up.
Marcus… was the man I loved.
0
That year, I was only fourteen. I had gone with my mother to pray at a temple when we encountered bandits. All our guards were killed, and our carriage horses were spooked, galloping wildly towards a cliff. At the critical moment, it was Marcus who saved me.
He was dressed in white, a graceful and spirited young man.
With just one glance, my heart could no longer accommodate anyone else.
I had never run so anxiously in the palace before. The king had loved the late queen so much that he had Aria’s Tower built very close.
I ran through the winding corridors, dragging my long skirt, as if I had been running for a long time, out of breath.
My skirt tripped me, but I didn’t care. I got up and hurried to the king’s side.
Our country was called Aldoria, and the king’s name was Alaric.
When I burst in, a man in blood-stained prisoner’s clothes was kneeling at the bottom of Aria’s Palace. Alaric sat lazily in the main seat. My appearance was very abrupt to them, and they all turned to look at me.
My gaze swept over the man’s face, and I was momentarily stunned. It wasn’t until Alaric chuckled softly that I broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly averting my gaze and running to Alaric’s side.
Alaric gently stroked my head, “Aria thinks he looks similar too, doesn’t she?”
I lowered my brows, “I was startled by the blood just now and didn’t see his face clearly.”
Alaric laughed softly, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger. “If you didn’t see clearly, then go take a look.”
I couldn’t fathom his intentions. I didn’t know why he wanted me to look, and perhaps in Marcus’s memory, there wasn’t even a person like me.
Up close, his wounds were even more apparent. There were no less than ten injuries, large and small, with flesh turned outward, oozing blood. His white linen prisoner’s clothes were stained black and red, the original color indiscernible.
I had heard that after the leader of Westbrook was captured, he still didn’t reveal his accomplices even after severe torture. I never imagined this leader would be Marcus.
Marcus looked at me coldly, no longer the gentle and refined person he once was, only ice-cold.
I couldn’t help but take a few steps back. At some point, Alaric had stood behind me, and I bumped into his chest.
“Did he scare you?”
Before I could speak, Alaric kicked Marcus hard in the chest. The kick was so forceful that Marcus coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.
“In my presence, you should retract your claws.”
Marcus laughed coldly and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. “A foolish and cruel person, how dare you call yourself ‘we’?”
The bloody saliva just happened to land on Alaric’s shoe. Alaric’s expression remained calm, but my heart began to race.
“Aria.”
When he called my name, my body trembled slightly.
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