Category: English

Two months into college, my daughter got pregnant. For her future, I persuaded her to have an abortion. Afterward, she smoothly graduated and landed a high-paying job, becoming the pride of our small community. Yet, at the peak of her success, she brutally pushed me into a deep, abandoned quarry, leaving me to drown. That’s when I realized the child she’d carried was from a wealthy heir. All these years, she’d blamed me for every hardship in her life and career, resenting me for destroying her chance at a rich wife’s life. Now, I’m back to the day Delilah confessed her pregnancy to me. This time, I agreed to let her keep the baby. If she’s not willing to be her own person, then she can be a lapdog, hidden in the shadows. “Mom, I need to tell you something.” Watching my daughter standing there, so meek and hesitant, it hit me – I’d been reborn. It was hard to reconcile the sweet, obedient girl in front of me with the vicious monster who pushed me into that well. The suffocating terror of the water, it felt like it was just seconds ago, still clinging to me. I struggled to control my emotions. “I’m pregnant.” Delilah spoke, cautiously watching my expression. When I didn’t react too strongly, she let out a quiet breath of relief. “It’s up to you if you want to keep it or not.” “Really?” My answer made Delilah look up in surprise, a flicker of almost imperceptible joy in her eyes. “You’re an adult now. It’s time to take responsibility for your own life.” Though I felt a pang of regret for the daughter I’d meticulously raised for over a decade, I had no use for someone utterly devoid of gratitude. In my previous life, Delilah knelt before me, tears streaming down her face, telling me she was pregnant. The news hit me like a bolt from the blue. But I quickly calmed myself and asked if it was consensual. She stammered, unable to give a clear answer, making me think she’d been assaulted. Only when I threatened to call the police did she admit she had a boyfriend and it was consensual. Seeing her eyes brimming with tears, ready to spill, I couldn’t bear to scold her. I told her it wasn’t the right time to have a baby, that she should finish her studies first, then consider what came next. Under my persuasion, Delilah had the abortion. Afterward, she excelled in her studies, found a high-paying job right after graduation, and became a powerful career woman, with both fame and fortune at her fingertips. But later, she blamed all her life and career setbacks on me. If I hadn’t made her get rid of the baby, she’d be a rich wife now, free from all these injustices, she’d claimed. Finally, after just one critique from her boss, she drove almost two hundred miles back home and, without hesitation, pushed me into the well and drowned me.

“I want to keep this baby.” Delilah looked at me with newfound determination. “If you’ve decided, then that’s that.” In my previous life, after learning about Delilah’s pregnancy, I investigated the man. His scandalous reputation was already public knowledge, no investigation needed. The trust fund baby was named Blake Kingston, an utterly unwelcome illegitimate child. Years ago, the CEO of Kingston Holdings had donated his genetic material. Blake’s mother, desperate, found a way to acquire it and successfully became pregnant. She wanted to use this method to get money from the Kingston family. But the Kingstons weren’t so easily fooled; they immediately called the police. Yet, Blake’s mother, her ambition unwavering, her greed still burning, went live on social media, condemning the Kingston family. The Kingstons immediately released evidence, and Blake’s mother was subjected to a massive wave of cyberbullying. Even under such circumstances, Blake’s mother insisted on giving birth to him, believing an opportunity would eventually come. But she never imagined the opportunity would arrive so quickly. When Blake was three, the head of the Kingston family died in a car accident, and Blake, as the only male descendant, was brought back to the Kingston estate. Perhaps it was his inherent malice. Even with meticulous upbringing, Blake remained an incorrigible playboy, wild and reckless. He left a trail of broken hearts everywhere, and Delilah was just one of them. I knew he wouldn’t take responsibility for Delilah, especially given the vast social chasm between them. Since Delilah wanted to try her luck with a man who radiated pure malice, then as her mother, I had to support her. Watching Delilah still harboring hopes for happiness, I felt a pang of pity. “If you change your mind about this baby, I’ll take you to have an abortion.” This was the biggest concession I’d offer, her last chance. “I won’t abort him.” Delilah refused me flatly. Although I had expected this answer, I couldn’t help but feel my heart grow cold.

“So, what’s your plan now?” I cut off Delilah’s blissful musings. “I’m going to find my boyfriend first. We’ll get engaged, and after the baby is born and can walk, we’ll get married.” “Then the baby can even attend Mommy and Daddy’s wedding! It sounds so perfect.” Delilah imagined their future life, a genuine smile spreading across her face. Watching her, I calmly saved the audio recording. With my apparent approval, Delilah impatiently rushed off to find Blake Kingston. After she left, I took a few days to rest. After all, you need to be well-rested to truly enjoy the show! Sure enough, just a few days later, Delilah’s tearful call came in. “Mom, he doesn’t want this baby!” Before I could even speak, her sobbing, choked voice poured through the phone. I subtly twitched the corner of my mouth, fighting hard to keep my emotions in check. “Come home.” When Delilah returned, she recounted the events of the past few days. It turned out that when Delilah went to find Blake, he didn’t even remember who she was. Delilah desperately tried to prove she was his girlfriend but was humiliated and then thrown out by security. Yet, she didn’t give up, staking out every place Blake might pass through daily. Finally, she irritated the ruthless man. He immediately tried to force her to the hospital for an abortion. But they underestimated Delilah’s determination to climb up the social ladder. She fiercely struggled free from those who were trying to drag her away and fled to her rental apartment, not daring to leave for days. After spending the last of her meager money, she finally thought of me, her mother, and called. Delilah, her voice tearful and broken, recounted her ordeal of the past few days. Her eyes, still wet, held a mixture of hurt and bewilderment. Perhaps my calm reaction disappointed her; she looked at me with questioning disbelief. Realizing my response was too flat, I quickly adjusted my expression, forcing out a sympathetic wince. “Mom, what should I do?” Seeing the emotion she desired appear on my face, she continued. “You found your own boyfriend, you chose to sleep with him, and you chose to have this baby. These are your choices.” I looked at Delilah’s pathetic, half-dead expression and felt nothing but annoyance. What sin had I committed in my last life to have a daughter like this? “I’ll give you two choices: either you get rid of this child, or I give you five hundred thousand, and from this day forward, you are no longer my daughter.” Five hundred thousand was the most I could afford, but it would also serve as a good buffer against any future threats from her. “I want the five hundred thousand.” Not a moment of hesitation. “Good.” “I’ll find a lawyer in a few days to finalize the agreement.” “Mom, I’m so sorry. I have to do this for my baby.” That face, desperately trying to look sad, didn’t shed a single tear. All I saw was a crumpled, ugly grimace.

With the help of my lawyer friend, Mr. Miller, I successfully severed ties with Delilah. Oh, I can’t call her daughter anymore. I should call her Delilah. All these years, to better care for Delilah, I had been forced to give up the work I loved. Now, I finally had time to pursue my true passion. I immersed myself in the fulfillment my work brought me. I loved this life. I’d rather be an inconspicuous little sapling than a clinging, parasitic vine. I thought my upbringing would make my child such a person, but I never imagined she aspired to a different life entirely. Now, she was off chasing her life, and I would pick up mine. I reopened my design studio. The sketches I’d made in my spare time before, I brought them to life. What I hadn’t expected was how popular these designs would be. I posted my work on social media platforms and they quickly gained traction. I even felt a surge of uncontrollable excitement; I thought after all these years, I had lost my passion for these things. I was ecstatic, yet filled with gratitude. Just as I was basking in this newfound satisfaction, my former good daughter, Delilah, came knocking. “Eleanor, isn’t this your daughter?” My colleague, Maya, forwarded a video to me. In the video, Delilah was rambling on, introducing her relationship with me. The comment section was filled with nothing but praise. “No wonder they’re mother and daughter, both so talented.” “The little lady’s mom’s work is seriously amazing.” “Like mother, like daughter.” … I forced myself to watch the entire video, suppressing a wave of unease, then immediately called Delilah. Half an hour later, Delilah arrived at my studio. I no longer bothered to hide my emotions; my displeasure was plain on my face. “Ms. Delilah, I believe we’ve already severed our relationship, haven’t we?” I glanced at Delilah’s slightly swollen belly. “Besides, if anything were to happen to your child while you’re here, I wouldn’t be able to bear the responsibility.” Delilah probably hadn’t expected the mother who once doted on her to be so heartless. Her eyes quickly welled up with tears.

“Mom, are you really going to disown me? I’m your only child. Who will take care of you when you’re old if you don’t acknowledge me?” Did she really think I cared? Big deal if I ended up dying alone on the street someday; it would scare others, not me. “I must ask Ms. Delilah to delete the video immediately and apologize to me personally.” I warned Delilah sternly. Without a doubt, her misdeeds would soon spread, and this would definitely impact my brand. The sooner I distanced myself from her, the better it would be for me and my studio. Delilah probably hadn’t expected me to be so resolute. She looked on the verge of tears. But I knew that Delilah’s appearance was not what it seemed. “Ms. Delilah, you have three days to resolve this matter. Otherwise, I will file a lawsuit against you.” Seeing my unyielding stance, and knowing she was in the wrong, Delilah finally left in a fit of rage. Delilah deleted the video as I demanded, but she didn’t apologize. Out of consideration for our more than ten years of mother-daughter history, I didn’t pursue legal action. But this nearly ruined my studio. After Delilah left, I finally had a few more peaceful months. I calculated the time; Delilah was probably due to give birth soon. With the continuous growth of my studio, I also bought myself a car and a house. Just as everything was moving in a positive direction, Delilah delivered a swift kick to the gut.

After Delilah gave birth, she began staking out the Kingston Holdings building daily, even before she was barely recovered from childbirth. She would yell to anyone who passed by: “Blake Kingston of Kingston Holdings, abandoning his child and their mother!” “Blake Kingston of Kingston Holdings, abandoning his child and their mother!” … This behavior quickly spread across social media platforms, causing quite a stir. Kingston Holdings’ stock plummeted. Out of desperation, they had no choice but to call the police. But Delilah remained unfazed. After multiple police warnings, she changed her strategy. She stopped appearing outside the Kingston building and instead started live streaming online. She thought this would make Blake Kingston back down, but she greatly underestimated his ruthlessness. Although he was also an unwelcome illegitimate child, this didn’t evoke any sympathy from Blake; instead, it reminded him of his own shameful past. Blake’s name used to be different, but even after being brought into the Kingston family, he was still looked down upon. When it came to any interests or benefits, he was always the one sacrificed, which is why he was given a name that reflected being ‘abandoned’ or ‘forgotten’. Over the years, anyone who dared to look down on Blake had been quietly dealt with. Delilah’s current actions were just like his mother’s years ago. Some internet users even found videos of Blake’s mother from over twenty years ago. The shadow of being scorned had hung over him for years. Delilah’s actions successfully infuriated him. To deal with a woman like her, Blake had countless methods; after all, countless girls came looking for him downstairs at the company every day. But I never imagined that I, too, would become a target of his revenge. I arrived home from my studio to find Delilah kneeling at my doorstep, drawing stares and whispers from passersby. I avoided her gaze, walked straight to my door, and started to open it. Just as I was about to close it, she violently slammed her hand against the doorframe.

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My sister, Chloe, got pregnant before she was married. She gave birth to a boy in a small, private clinic and then just vanished. The doctor from that clinic showed up at our door, following the address she’d left, and thrust the baby into my arms. My parents pleaded with me, practically on their knees, begging me to raise the child. I had no choice. A single woman, never married, I had to grit my teeth and raise the baby. Life was a constant struggle. Every penny for food, clothes, and a roof over our heads came solely from me. I finally managed to raise the child, but that’s when Chloe reappeared. She showed up with a rich guy, loaded with a chunky gold chain around his neck. The moment she stepped through the door, she grabbed my son and started crying, claiming I was petty and jealous, that I’d stolen her child and caused their mother-son separation for years. My son, influenced by her words, immediately cut ties with me and acknowledged her as his real mother. My parents also cursed me for being nosy and kicked me out of the house. Our neighbors gossiped, spreading rumors that I’d abducted the child and was a wicked-hearted sister. No one believed me. Filled with utter despair, I ended it all, jumping from the rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day my sister gave birth.

It was still dark, just before dawn, when a frantic pounding echoed from our front door. I jolted awake, my heart hammering like it wanted to burst from my chest. Last time, it was at this exact hour. That shady clinic doctor had stormed our house, banging so loudly he woke up everyone in the entire block. He’d publicly shoved the baby into my arms, pointing his finger right in my face and yelling that I’d abandoned my child without a second thought, that I was heartless. Only later did I find out it was my sister, Chloe’s, baby. My parents had pleaded with me, practically on their knees, saying that since I wasn’t planning on getting married anyway, I should just keep the child. I, fool that I was, had softened and agreed. The result? That child ruined my entire life. I was filled with burning resentment. Now, hearing the knocking again, my scalp tingled with dread. I scrambled out of bed, rushing to the door in three strides. The moment I opened it, that face appeared again – the old Dr. Miller from the clinic. “Aria Scott, you abandoned your child after giving birth. Do you know that’s a crime?” The neighbors were already peering out, some even stepping out in their slippers to gawk. I glared at him, not even thinking, and instantly threw my slipper right at his face! “You disgusting old man, trying to frame me? Do you believe I can flatten you right here?” “Me? I haven’t even been on a proper date, how could I have a kid? Have you ever seen a woman who just gave birth capable of beating someone up like this?” “Look at me! Do I look like I’ve ever been pregnant?” My barrage of questions and insults made him stumble backward, his face turning green. That’s when Aunt Carol from across the street spoke up: “Yeah, Aria goes to work on time every day. Who here ever saw her belly swell up?” “Could he have made a mistake?” “Isn’t that the doctor from that small clinic on the corner? I heard he doesn’t even have a proper license!” I put my hands on my hips, raising my voice even higher: “You old fossil, running an unregistered clinic and still daring to frame me? I’m calling the police right now!” At the mention of police, he immediately panicked: “I… I’ll leave, alright?!” I lunged forward, grabbing the hair at the back of his head: “Trying to run? No way!” I pulled out my phone and dialed: “Hello, 911? There’s someone selling babies here!” “Don’t lie!” He stomped his foot in desperation. I glared at him: “When the police get here, if you don’t explain everything clearly, I’ll tear down your pathetic clinic!” Heaven gave me a second chance. All the humiliation I endured in my previous life, I was going to settle it all today! When the police arrived, Dr. Miller’s face was bruised, and he was holding a newborn baby whose umbilical cord hadn’t even been fully cut. I stood there in my pajamas, one slipper still clutched in my hand, my eyes red. All the neighbors were gathered at the door, chattering and explaining what happened. The police examined the child, confirmed it was a newborn, and frowned at the doctor: “Alright, explain yourself. What’s going on?” “This… this is the patient’s information. The address listed is hers, and the name matches,” the doctor stammered, pulling out a medical record. The officer glanced at it. It indeed showed my address and the name “Aria Scott.” I scoffed, crossing my arms: “I don’t even know this person. Someone used my name to give birth and now wants me to take the fall?” As soon as I finished speaking, my parents pushed their way through the crowd. “Aria, dear, since you’re not getting married anyway… why don’t you… just keep the child?” I turned to them, my voice as cold as ice: “Dad, Mom, what you’re saying is truly chilling. A child of unknown origin, how can I just take him in?” “Who knows what his biological parents did? What if they were drug addicts or criminals, and the child carries diseases or addiction issues? Me, raise him? And raise an enemy?” My parents were stunned into silence by my retort. The doctor’s face turned ashen, and he directly shoved the baby into my arms: “Your family’s problems are for your family to solve! This child is Chloe’s, let her raise him herself! If I’d known your family was this troublesome, I would’ve rather died than come to this door!” The entire scene instantly went silent. Everyone’s eyes widened. Turns out, this baby was my sister, Chloe’s!

“You’re lying! Just now you said the child was mine, and now you’re saying it’s Chloe’s? Can you prove it? You want to shove a child into our family without any evidence? Officer, I suspect this man is involved in child trafficking!” With that, I pushed the baby straight back into his arms, then turned and crossed my arms, looking like it had nothing to do with me. My mom, standing nearby, gasped in alarm: “Aria! What are you doing?!” “Dad, Mom, don’t be so naive. There are so many scammers out there, specializing in these kinds of tricks!” Aunt Carol also stepped forward: “Old Mr. and Mrs. Evans, you can’t just talk nonsense. The doctor clearly said the child was Aria’s at first, and now he’s saying it’s Chloe’s. Isn’t that contradictory?” “Exactly! Who can guarantee this child isn’t just some random kid he picked up from somewhere?” The doctor panicked, suddenly standing up: “I, Dr. Miller, have been practicing medicine for years, and I’ve never lied! What would I gain from deceiving you?” “Just last night, your sister Chloe herself came to my clinic, begging me to deliver her baby!” “She even left her cell phone with me as collateral!” Saying that, he pulled a phone from his bag. I focused my eyes – it really was Chloe’s. My parents were both stunned. The evidence was right in front of them; the child was indeed Chloe’s, no mistake about it. The surrounding neighbors erupted in chatter: “Oh my, Chloe gave birth at such a young age? Whose is it?” “Who knows, she’s always appearing and disappearing mysteriously, wearing baggy clothes. Who would’ve thought she was already pregnant!” “Probably got tangled up with some shady guy, and this is the fallout!” “You all shut up! My daughter is pure and innocent!” My mom, furious this time, yelled at the crowd, “Whoever spreads rumors again, I’m not done with them!” Dr. Miller sneered: “Hmph, Chloe herself instructed me. After giving birth, she wanted me to deliver the baby to your house, for her sister to raise. Officer, I even have a handwritten note from her here!” He pulled out another letter, revealing it to everyone. But in my previous life, there was no such letter. Back then, when Chloe returned and cursed me, Dr. Miller had even added fuel to the fire, insisting I’d stolen her child, driving me to desperation until I died an unjust death. This man was utterly wicked! Dr. Miller grunted: “I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved in this mess. Cursed my luck!” The police officer looked at the situation, sighing: “This is a family dispute; it’s hard for us to intervene too much.” I grabbed the officer’s arm: “Officer, this isn’t just a family matter! Can you really conclude that my sister gave birth and then ran off, just based on a cell phone and a letter?” “What if she’s been dead in your clinic all this time? And you’re just trying to brush it off?” The officer listened, thought it made sense, and immediately took Dr. Miller with him, heading straight to the clinic for investigation. My parents also followed. I took the opportunity to quickly pack my luggage. I was never staying in this house again. Just as I stepped out, a neighbor saw me: “Aria, where are you going?” “I’m moving out. I can’t stay here. What if they really dump that kid on my parents, and then I’d end up raising him anyway?” “Why should I take the fall for a child Chloe made herself? I’m not even married yet. If my future partner’s family finds out, they’ll think I’m promiscuous. My reputation would be ruined beyond repair!” Everyone nodded in agreement: “That makes sense! Aria, think of yourself, hurry and go!” “Oh, Chloe, she’s too bold. She gave birth, and now she’s gone!” “Maybe that doctor did something shady, and she’s been gone for a while!” “It can’t be that bad…” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to their gossip. I grabbed my bag and left. By the time my parents returned home, I was already settled in my company’s dorm. Not long after, my mom’s call came through. I answered the phone, and her anxious voice came from the other end: “Aria! Where did you run off to?!” In the background, a baby was wailing. I calmly said: “I’ve moved out.” “How could you leave? What about this child if you’re gone?!”

It seems my mom and dad went to the clinic and confirmed that the child was indeed Chloe’s, and Dr. Miller really did help Chloe with the delivery. But I just couldn’t understand why they kept bothering me. “Mom, what does this child have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to him!” “Right now, the most important thing is to find the child’s biological father. Anyway, I have to go to work, gotta hang up!” After hanging up, I went to work as usual. As soon as I sat down, Brenda from the office secretly came over and whispered: “Aria, do you have a boyfriend? Want me to set you up with someone?” I was about to decline, but then I had a change of heart. “Sure, Brenda, who are you setting me up with?” “My nephew. He’s three years older than you, was in the military, and after he retired, he opened a small restaurant. He’s honest and hardworking!” “How about we all have lunch together and you meet him?” I immediately agreed. Brenda was so happy she couldn’t stop smiling and quickly pulled out her phone to call her nephew. In my previous life, raising the child alone had exhausted me. Brenda saw it and helped me find a lot of side jobs, always urging me to find a dependable man. But back then, I was afraid the child would suffer if I dated, so I never dared. Looking back now, I was truly foolish. At lunch, I met Leo. We chatted during the meal, and I felt good about him. We added each other on SnapChat and decided to see how things went for a while. Brenda came back and asked how it went. I nodded: “He seems nice. We’ll try it out.” She clapped her hands in delight: “I knew it! If it works out, he’ll definitely treat you well! I’ve watched that boy grow up, he’s hardworking and has a good heart!” I felt a little embarrassed, my face flushing, which only made Brenda even more excited. From then on, Leo and I started dating. Half a month later, my parents hadn’t contacted me, and I hadn’t gone home either. Unexpectedly, my mom actually showed up directly at my company. I was busy that day when the security guard suddenly called: “Aria, come down quick! Your mom just dumped a kid in our guard booth! He’s screaming his head off, come get him!” My mind went blank: “What kid? I’m not married, where would I get a child? Don’t talk nonsense!” I deliberately spoke loudly so the entire office could hear me. The security guard helplessly said: “How should I know? Just come down and see for yourself!” As soon as he hung up, everyone stared at me. “Aria, what’s wrong?” “Not sure. The security guard said someone pretending to be my mom dropped a baby at the entrance!” Brenda gasped in surprise: “There’s such a thing? That’s ridiculous! Come on, let’s go see together!” “Yeah, is someone trying to extort you or what?” “Aria has a kid? I never saw her pregnant!” “Could she have secretly had a baby years ago? Who knows what these young people do nowadays!” Hearing these words, even Brenda started looking at me strangely. I feigned a clueless expression, pretending I knew nothing, and she couldn’t spot any flaws. At the guard booth, everyone was stunned when they saw the infant. Brenda breathed a sigh of relief: “How is this possible! Aria gave birth to this? This baby isn’t even a month old!” “Exactly! If he were any older, Aria would be tainted forever!” “This is just plain immoral, trying to frame someone?” “This is ruining someone’s reputation!” I scoffed internally. The security guard also shook his head: “That person said she was your mom; how dare I stop her!” I immediately said: “Check the surveillance cameras! I want to see who did this!” Looking at the footage, I didn’t recognize the person who brought the child. I immediately made up my mind: “Call the police! That’s not my mom at all, and I don’t know that woman either!” Everyone was still a bit hesitant, so I spread my hands: “This is an abandoned infant! I work in sales; I’ve handed out hundreds of business cards. Who knows who might impersonate my family? I don’t want to take the blame for raising someone else’s child!” At that, everyone agreed, and the police were called. When the police arrived, they took the child. I even specifically asked: “Where will this child go?” “Where else? If we can’t find the biological parents, he’ll have to go to the foster care.” Hearing that, a huge weight lifted from my heart. In this life, I would absolutely never again raise a child for that ungrateful wretch!

No sooner had the police left than my mom’s SnapChat message arrived. “Aria, your sister has contacted us. She says she’s working out of town. We’re too old to take care of him, so please, just raise him as your own.” I immediately replied: “Mom, what are you talking about? I have a boyfriend now, and when I get married, I’ll have my own children. I absolutely won’t take this child!” I didn’t mention what happened today, and she didn’t ask, so I just pretended it never occurred. Leo was truly good to me. Six months later, we got engaged. On our wedding day, my parents and relatives all came. Afterward, we applied for a transfer to a branch company, and his restaurant moved with us. From then on, except for holidays, I rarely went back to my hometown. Even when I did go back, I’d visit briefly and leave quickly. Later, I gave birth to a daughter, and two years after that, a son, making our family complete. My son, Ryan, was brilliant from a young age. At fifteen, he was accepted into an accelerated program at a prestigious Ivy League university. The news delighted our entire family. Leo was especially proud. He decided to bring the whole family back to our hometown to host a celebratory banquet. All our relatives and friends came, even my parents rushed over. Ryan, though only fifteen, was tall and looked like an adult, about the same height as my daughter. My parents, however, mistakenly thought this child was Chloe’s. My mom grabbed his hand and patted it: “If Chloe knew her son was so accomplished, how happy she’d be!” “Mom, it’s such a happy day, why bring up Chloe? Has she come back?” My mom’s eyes immediately darted away: “No! She hasn’t!” “Oh, she hasn’t come back to see you two for so many years. Has something happened to her? I heard that once a person goes missing, they’re usually never found.” Over the years, the neighbors had talked a lot about Chloe. I also spread the word when I was out, telling everyone that Chloe had abandoned her child and never even came back for the holidays. Everyone had long assumed she had disappeared. But only I knew that my parents had been secretly in touch with her all along. Now, hearing me say this, my mom’s face instantly changed, her voice sharp: “What nonsense are you talking about! Chloe is alive and well!” The entire room suddenly fell silent, everyone looking over. My mom’s face flushed, utterly embarrassed. I chuckled, taking over the conversation: “So, Mom, you actually still have contact with her? Then why doesn’t she come to see her own son?” “Well, abandoning your own flesh and blood, she’s probably not doing well. Forget it, it’s a joyous day, I won’t mention her anymore.” My mom visibly relaxed when she heard that. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but finally closed it. The last flicker of hope in my heart completely died. In my previous life, when the child she had raised became successful, Chloe came back. This time, I knew she would come too. As for when, I no longer cared. Because my son was accepted into the accelerated program, a teacher from the university was there, and reporters were present. Everyone’s eyes were focused on our table. Ryan, as the guest of honor, was invited to the stage. When he stood up, my parents didn’t even realize – this child was only fifteen. And the “illegitimate child” they constantly mentioned, the one Chloe had abandoned, if he were alive, he’d be almost eighteen this year. They completely missed this point, instead constantly checking their phones, waiting for news. I smirked, gripping Leo’s hand tightly. We exchanged a knowing glance. On stage, Ryan spoke loudly: “I owe my acceptance into this prestigious university primarily to my mom. Without her support and companionship, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” “Mom, come up here!” My son waved at me. I smoothed my dress, just about to walk forward, when suddenly a sharp shriek cut through the air: “She’s not your mom at all! She has no right to stand there!” As soon as those words came out, the entire room fell silent. Everyone turned in unison towards the source of the voice. I, however, felt a wave of relief – she’s finally here.

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My stepbrother despised me. But I always clung to him. He’d pay me two thousand dollars to not walk home with him after school, and twenty thousand to transfer out of his class. But every single time, I’d find a way back to him. After senior year finals, he wired a huge sum of money to my account, his voice icy. “That’s five million. Go study abroad. Just don’t ever show up at my house again.” My eyes burned. I dropped my gaze and whispered, “Okay.” Yes! He finally fell for it. I almost walked in on Mason kissing a poor student. In the dimly lit private room. He leaned back on the corner couch, looking worn out, his eyes closed. His sculpted features were obscured by shadows. A girl in a white dress stood beside him, hands braced on either side of his head, leaning in tentatively, inching closer. I suddenly pushed the door open. She jumped back, startled, and spun around to face me. Her eyes were wide and wet, like a startled deer. “Chloe, I…” I walked past her, straight to Mason. “The driver’s here to pick me up. My dad said I should bring you home too.” He grabbed his jacket from beside him, throwing it on as he followed me out. It was late, and the corridor was mostly empty. He closed the door behind him but didn’t leave. He just leaned against it, casually. “She almost kissed me.” “…” I kept quiet. A hint of irritation flared in his voice. “She’s really shy. It took her a lot of courage to even do that.” I unlocked my phone, showing him the time and my stepfather’s message. I explained softly. “My dad really did tell me to pick you up on my way.” He glanced at it, giving a dismissive grunt. “Oh.” “I’m an adult now. I’ve finished finals. He can’t control me anymore. Your tattling won’t work.” The flickering club lights shifted, illuminating his face. His cheeks were flushed. He was drunk. I clutched my sleeve, my voice barely audible. “But…” He cut me off abruptly. “Go home by yourself.” “And—” His fingers tapped a few times on his phone. “Here’s five million. Go study abroad. Don’t ever appear at my house again.” “Let’s just never see each other again.” “Chloe, I really hate you.” He never wanted to see me again. My eyes instantly burned. I dropped my gaze, biting back a choked sob. “Okay.” Mason turned and walked back into the private room, slamming the door shut with a bang. I checked the numbers on my mobile banking app. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I crouched down, clamped a hand over my mouth, and let out silent, joyful giggles. Yes! He finally fell for it.

Mason had hated me for a long time. He thought my mom and I were only after the family’s money. Well, he was a smart one. When he was fourteen, he put two fake spiders in my bed, trying to scare me into leaving his house. I cried my eyes out. My stepfather, to console me, gave me more allowance. Seeing the money, I cheered right up. When I was sixteen, Mason and I were assigned to the same high school. He didn’t want to be in the same class as me, and he definitely didn’t want my dad to yell at him and then comfort me. So he skipped all the usual steps. “Twenty thousand.” “Switch out of this class.” Freshman year, I left. Sophomore year, I was back. He never specified a time limit. When I walked back into the classroom with my backpack, Mason’s face was dark. The guy in front of him grinned. “Mason, your sister’s really persistent.” Mason’s voice was cold. “She’s not my sister.” Everyone around us exchanged knowing glances and chuckled. Mason looked at me, his brows furrowed. “What exactly will it take for you to just disappear from my sight?” My eyes reddened. “Do you really hate me that much?” He held up a number with his fingers. I bit my lip. “My bad, I must have walked into the wrong class today.”

That’s when I saw the business opportunity. Mason was seriously rich. His mom, living abroad, had already paved every path for him. He’d play golf, and I’d be there as part of the “atmosphere crew,” fetching his water and jacket. He’d confront me about it. I’d look up at him, my eyes wide and starry. “I just admire you, big brother. Is that not allowed?” He’d transfer money to me. “Go shop if you’ve got nothing to do. Just stop bothering me.” So, I’d happily accept. I clung to Mason for over a year. Everyone knew he had a stepsister, and they even joked about us, saying next time they’d come visit him in therapy. Eventually, Mason just stopped bothering to explain. He just kept telling me to take the money and leave. But I wasn’t about to leave my personal ATM. For Mason’s eighteenth birthday, he drank a lot. When he came home from the hotel, I was there, one hand holding a hangover soup, the other helping to steady him. I hoped he’d be so drunk he’d accidentally add an extra zero to a transfer. He squinted, looking down at me, and then suddenly said, “Chloe, you’re really cunning and manipulative.” There was a hint of mockery in his tone. My foot, mid-step on the stairs, froze. Being insulted required additional compensation. He suddenly gripped my waist, his hand shutting off the lights in one smooth motion. I was pressed against the spiral staircase railing, his lips on mine. My vision went dark in an instant. Only his face, magnified, filled my view. His breath was a storm. I gasped, pushing him away abruptly. The bowl in my hand clattered to the floor, rolling down the stairs. My stepfather called from upstairs, “Chloe, what happened?” I suppressed my trembling voice, crying out in a wounded tone, just like always, “Mason’s drunk! He’s throwing a fit and even broke my bowl!” Mason stood silently, leaning against the railing in the dimness, his gaze downcast. My stepfather sighed. “He’s just like that, gets crazy when he drinks. Don’t mind him, go back and rest. I’ll help him.” I fled back to my room. Three in the morning. Mason messaged me. [I’m sorry.] [I couldn’t see clearly. I thought you were someone else.] It was the first time he’d ever apologized to me. But it felt like an insult. He attached a transfer. I didn’t accept it, and I didn’t reply.

I later found out who that person was. One of Mason’s many admirers. Grace, the poor student who was always in the top ten of our class. She was shy and timid, only daring to look up at him from afar. And Mason, of all people, had noticed her. He said, “She’s just like Chloe, always looking pitiful.” “Who’s she trying to fool?” He hated me, but he seemed to enjoy Grace’s helpless act. After school, I was waiting in the car for him to come out. But then I saw a girl in a school uniform following him. The car door opened. He didn’t get in. He was holding her backpack and raised an eyebrow at me, casually. “Get out.” I froze for a second. Grace carefully reached out, grabbing his arm and shaking it gently, her voice soft. “It’s okay, Mason.” “I can go home by myself.” Mason didn’t budge, his voice growing colder. “I’m taking her home.” “I’ve transferred the money to you. Get a taxi.” Why didn’t he give me enough to just buy my own car? Never mind. Best to quit while I was ahead. I nodded, feeling humiliated, biting my lip and gripping my backpack straps, obediently getting out of the car. It was dusk, and the crowds were thinning out. I stood alone by the roadside, staring at my shoe tips, tears silently falling. Only after his car drove off in the opposite direction did I wipe away my tears and open Mason’s message. 20,000? Good thing I didn’t check the message in front of him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to cry so convincingly. Mason’s five million came too late. I hadn’t prepared for the IELTS in advance, so I had to cancel most of my travel plans and parties, holing up in my room to memorize vocabulary. Mason was throwing a party downstairs with his friends.

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The day the zombie apocalypse hit, our school was rehearsing a stage play. Brittany, the queen bee who played the elf, got healing powers. The background extra, who played a tree, became invisible to zombies. Liam, my childhood sweetheart playing the knight, could skewer zombies like shish kebabs with his long sword. … They all stared at me, a makeup artist, holding nothing but ordinary makeup brushes. So, I was abandoned. Later, when our paths crossed again, their team of powered individuals watched me get swallowed by a zombie horde, each one cracking sarcastic jokes. But I used my makeup brushes to turn zombies into my own superpowered army, instantly turning the tide. You guys are gods, but I’m the one who *makes* gods. **1.** When bad luck strikes, even cleaning up makeup backstage can get you attacked by a zombie. I was tackled onto the dressing table, screaming for help, my voice raw. But the stage, which had been so noisy just moments before, was now as silent as a tomb. My will to survive finally kicked in. I cried and fought, luckily managing to wrap a prop chain around its mouth. My hands shook like a leaf as I pulled back the curtain, ready to bolt, only to see a group of perfectly made-up people staring silently in my direction. When they saw it was me, they looked genuinely surprised. “Rose, you can’t even lift a water cooler bottle, and you beat a zombie?” Brittany, the queen bee, playfully punched her updo, a smirk playing on her lips. “Looks like I lost that bet again. The zombies had like, a ninety-nine percent chance of winning. How did they lose? My luck is just the worst, seriously.” Alex, the student body president, chuckled and chimed in, “A bet’s a bet. For the next two days, you’re my shadow, ensuring my safety when I’m fighting zombies.” “Ugh! Lucky you! I’m the most valuable healer now, everyone’s begging for my help.” My heart instantly sank. I’d thought everyone was dead. After all, when the zombies first broke out, the screams and wails on stage were non-stop. I’d even felt guilty for surviving alone. But they had just stood by, using my life as a damn bet! “You were all here? So, you intentionally left me to die? Why?” Everyone stared at me in silence, as if my question was utterly ridiculous. Brittany gave a light laugh. “If we didn’t push you, you wouldn’t have known you could defeat a zombie, right? So, what’s your power, Rose?” I was shocked and confused, instinctively retorting, “What power?” “No way?” She gasped. “You only beat that zombie because you got lucky?” Seeing me still standing there dumbfounded, her smile widened, becoming even more radiant. “Alright, I’ll be merciful and show you.” She walked over to a classmate with a scraped arm, gently placing her hands on the wound. The injury healed at a visible rate, then vanished without a trace! The classmate touched his smooth arm, his voice filled with awe. “Brittany’s power is healing. She’s the core member of our little team now!” I stood there, stunned, watching them show off their various abilities. The strongman classmate who played the bouncer threw zombies hundreds of feet away. The classmate who played a stone wall was impervious to blades. Alex, the student body president playing the king, just gave orders, and all the background extras sacrificed themselves to save him… Their golden auras were so blinding I could barely keep my eyes open. “We figured it out. Everyone got powers based on the roles they played in the drama club production.” “This proves we’re the chosen saviors, picked by fate!” Finally, everyone turned to look at the makeup brushes in my hand. After an eerie silence, they burst into laughter, sharing a knowing glance, their voices dripping with mockery. “Rose, you seriously plan to fight zombies with *that*? Aren’t you just going to be dead weight?” “Makeup brushes aren’t bad, though. You can poke zombies’ eyes with them, then they won’t see you!” “Brittany won’t be able to save anyone else if she’s too busy saving just you. How’s she supposed to be useful?” “Why don’t you volunteer to stay behind and cover our retreat? At least you’d be somewhat useful then!” **2.** My face went ghostly pale. I looked out the window at the dense swarm of zombies, feeling like I’d fallen into an ice pit. How could a normal person like me cover the retreat for a group of superpowered individuals? That was a death sentence. I looked at Liam with pleading eyes. We’d been childhood sweethearts for twenty years. My parents had even saved his entire family from a house fire. He wouldn’t just leave me to die. Sure enough, his brows softened, and he started to plead on my behalf. “Maybe Rose’s power just manifested later. Let’s give her a chance, okay? I can’t leave her here to die.” Someone immediately shot back, “Then *you* stay behind and protect her! But don’t forget, even if you can pierce three zombies with one sword, you can’t defeat the horde outside. Are you really going to give up your life for a useless person?” “Oh my god, seriously! The apocalypse is the worst with dead weight and overly soft heroes. You don’t fear a godly opponent, you fear a teammate who’s a total liability.” “What if you accidentally stab Rose while fighting a zombie? That would be hilarious.” Alex, the student body president, was always the peacemaker. “Let’s not call anyone useless. We’re all classmates. Liam’s right, what if Rose’s power is just late to awaken?” I looked at him gratefully, then heard him continue, “So, why don’t you go outside and find a zombie right now to trigger your potential? Or you can stay here in the school, there might still be a glimmer of hope.” He smiled sweetly at me. But a shiver ran down my spine. Only then did I realize that Alex had always been this kind of two-faced person during my days of being excluded by classmates. How could I forget? How could I forget that this very group of people had just tried to kill me! I grabbed Liam’s hand, clutching it like my only lifeline. “Liam, save me! Don’t leave me alone!” But Brittany stretched out her arms to Liam. “Liam, we need your combat power. Don’t be too soft-hearted in the apocalypse, okay? Do you want to see me exhaust myself trying to save her?” Liam didn’t let go. The two sides were at a standstill. The zombies outside grew more agitated. Someone began to pull out their weapon, pointing it at us. “Stop acting like a hero! Either stay or go, don’t waste our time here!” “Exactly! We don’t *need* you! To be honest, with dead weight like her, your combat power is even worse than mine.” “Alex, let’s go! If we drag this out any longer, all the zombies in the school will surround us!” Liam was torn, still trying to explain for me. “Rose is really good at long-distance running. She definitely won’t slow us down.” “So, you’re saying she’ll abandon us and run for her life in a crisis? We absolutely cannot let that kind of ungrateful wretch come with us!” “No, I mean…” Before he could finish, someone unexpectedly flung open the auditorium doors. The zombies, seeing a group of living people, their eyes glowing green, surged in like a tide. Everyone unleashed their powers to fight them off. In the chaos, Alex shouted, “Charge!” Everyone bolted outside. Someone shoved me, and by the time I reacted, I was behind everyone else. Liam turned back to look at me, his pupils shrinking. “Rose!” He wanted to save me, but Brittany suddenly shrieked, “Liam! Help me! The zombies are grabbing me!” Even though everyone else ran towards Brittany after hearing her cry for help, Liam hesitated. He looked at me, then at Brittany. My heart clenched instantly. I struggled, running towards him. “Liam! Save me!” Just as I was about to grab his hand, he pulled it back. “Rose, I owe you. I’ll repay you in the next life!” Then, he turned his back and ran towards Brittany without a second glance. **3.** I stood there stunned, unable to believe he would do that. Twenty years of childhood friendship, plus saving his family’s lives from a fire… and he said he’d repay me in the *next* life? If he wouldn’t save me in *this* life, what was he going to repay me with in the next?! I was trembling with rage. But the immediate priority was to get away from these zombies. Though most of them had been drawn away by the others, a few stragglers were still around. Seeing me, they shrieked and lunged. I picked up a spear from the ground, trying to overcome my fear, and thrust it into their chest. *Splat—* The zombie’s head exploded with a single blow. Its rotting body toppled onto me, and I finally reacted, screaming and scrambling backward. “Can you stand up?” A gloomy guy looked down at me, his voice hoarse. It took me a while to remember he was a classmate who always lurked in the corner of the classroom. I think his name was Caleb. Caleb, like me, was an outcast. We were also the only two people who weren’t in the drama club production. The difference was, I was disliked by a lot of girls for being too close to the popular Liam. He, on the other hand, was cold and arrogant, offended a lot of people by being a loner, and was subjected to silent treatment. “Th-thanks…” He extended a hand and helped me up. “I was worried these guys would use me as a human shield, so I pretended to be dead and observed them. Heh, just as I thought…” “Zombies aren’t human. Stabbing their hearts does nothing. You have to go for the head, understand?” “Got it! Got it!” I nodded repeatedly. He turned and started disposing of the bodies. I cautiously ventured, “Um… Caleb, are we, like, allies now?” After a few minutes, he just gave a faint “Hmm.” I sighed in relief and eagerly started helping him. But when I knelt down to look, I nearly fainted from fright. Caleb was collecting zombie blood in a glass bottle! “What are you collecting that for?” My voice trembled. Caleb glanced at me, calmly saying, “To mask our scent. You didn’t see the situation backstage earlier, but zombies use their noses to detect humans, not just their eyes.” “If we coat ourselves in their blood, we can fool them and get out safely.” I see. Despite the disgust, the thought that it was for survival pushed down my urge to vomit. After collecting the zombie blood, I took out my portable makeup brushes and started applying it to Caleb. The fishy smell of blood and decay went straight to my head. I painted and gagged. Caleb was a tough cookie, though; he didn’t even change his expression. If his eyelashes weren’t subtly trembling, I would’ve thought the person in front of me was already dead. “Alright, later you can just smear some zombie blood on yourself.” Caleb opened his eyes, and I was shocked to see his pupils had turned white! “Caleb, what’s wrong with your eyes?” I hadn’t even put colored contacts on him! A thought flashed through my mind. I snatched the spear from Caleb’s hand and leaped away. The next second, Caleb lunged at me, trying to bite. He had turned into a zombie! Cold sweat poured down me. I cursed the heavens for being so unfair. Not only did I not have a power, but my freshly-made ally turned into a zombie! The problem was, Caleb hadn’t even said he was injured! Was this just a conspiracy to keep me from living?! Caleb didn’t give me a chance to react and lunged again. I dodged while aiming the spear at his head. But killing someone sounds easy; doing it is a whole different beast. Aside from the blood all over his face, Caleb looked exactly like a human. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a prop water tank on the stage. A lightbulb went off. I jogged, luring Caleb towards it. As he lunged, I used all my strength to tackle him down and hold him underwater. *Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle—* Caleb was submerged, the blood he’d just had on his face swirling in the water. He was still struggling. I hardened my heart and pressed down harder. Caleb slowly stopped moving. I finally let out a breath, collapsing weakly to the side, about to lament my unfair fate. Unexpectedly, Caleb suddenly convulsed, then gripped the edge of the water tank and climbed out. **4.**

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After the girl he put on a pedestal fell to her death, my stepbrother hated me for ten years. Even after I used despicable means to completely claim him. He never truly forgave me. Until, in a fit of pique, I ran off abroad and got caught in a riot. But my brother, without a moment’s hesitation, shielded me, taking the bullet and dying. His last words, whispered in my arms, were: “I spoiled you.” “I truly regret… becoming your brother.” Everyone called me a lunatic. They said I was the one who destroyed my brother, a man of integrity, upright and self-controlled. So, I knelt on those long stone steps for fifty years. Begging for a chance to start over. This time, I would complete him. All I wanted was for him to live a life of peace and happiness. “Stella, just look at the things you wrote! Don’t you feel sick to your stomach?!” “How could you… have such thoughts about your own brother?!” That voice, so familiar, so cherished, echoed in my ears. My eyes snapped open. I saw Julian holding my diary, his face blazing crimson with fury. That diary was filled to the brim with my— Desires for him. But at that moment, I felt no shame from being exposed. Instead, I burst into grateful tears. I had truly been reborn. Reborn to the first time Julian and I ever argued, the moment he discovered my forbidden feelings for him. My brother, vibrant and alive before me, made my body tremble uncontrollably. It was too good to be true. He was alive. Julian noticed my strange reaction. The fire that had been burning in him immediately died down by half. He pointed to the floor. “All of this… take it and burn it.” In my previous life, after hearing those words, I became completely hysterical, grabbed him by the collar, and kissed him. Julian, his eyes wide with shock, fled in a panic, slowly distancing himself from me. And all my obsessive desires, fueled by that outrageous kiss, broke through their chains. Making me hate Lena, the girl who stole my brother, even more. Leading to all the tragedies that followed. So this time, I furiously wiped the tears from my face. And picked up the box full of diaries. “Okay.” “I’ll go burn them.”

My diaries chronicled more than a decade of my life with Julian. My mom and Julian’s mom were best friends. But my mom was a total romantic, always blinded by love, and she ended up marrying a monster who abused her. When I was five, my mom passed away despite all efforts to save her. My dad, a chronic alcoholic, fell into a ditch on his way to turn himself in to the police and died. Julian’s Aunt took me in. And then she passed away when Julian and I had just started middle school. From then on, it was just Julian and me in the large villa, with only a few house staff. Julian was only a few months older than me. But I was a complete magnet for trouble, and Julian was always like a miniature adult. So, from childhood, he followed me around, cleaning up my messes. Julian’s Aunt was always very busy with work. And the housekeepers and nannies often took days off. When I had a terrible stomach bug, he stayed by my side all night while I was hooked up to an IV. When I got into a fight, he always had my back. When it stormed, he’d grab his pillow and blankets and squeeze into my bed with me. Even when Lena fell to her death because of me. Julian hated me to his core. But when the riot broke out, he still didn’t hesitate for a second, stepping in front of me to shield me. My brother was perfect in every way. Except his love for me was family. My love for him… it felt like a sin I couldn’t confess. In my previous life, Mrs. Davis was inconsolable when she heard about Julian. Mr. Peterson, though, he pointed a finger right at my face and screamed, “Stella, you’re nothing but a jinx, a curse! Are you only happy when everyone around you is dead?!” I remembered Julian’s last words to me: “I spoiled you.” “I truly regret… becoming your brother.” He regretted it. Actually, I regretted it too. The secluded monastery tucked away in the northern hills was rumored to grant wishes, to answer prayers. I wanted to ask for a next life where Julian would never meet me again. But perhaps I was too wicked. The abbot refused to see me. So, I knelt year after year. The dark, mottled stains on those stone steps? Each one was a mark of my forehead, a desperate plea. From my youth until my hair turned white. Finally, when I was frail and old. The abbot agreed to see me. He said: “What has already happened cannot be changed, but perhaps there can be a new beginning.” “You are his fated hurdle. If it’s not resolved, all your efforts will be in vain.” Then, he slipped a small silk pouch into my wrinkled hand. “It will guide you to the moment of your rebirth.” When I woke again, the pouch clutched in my hand told me it wasn’t a dream. This time, I wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. I would pay any price, as long as my brother was safe and happy.

The next day, when we went to school, neither of us mentioned what had happened the night before. A suffocating silence hung in the car. When we got out, Julian finally broke the quiet. “You hurt Lena a few days ago. Go apologize to her today.” His tone was stiff, almost forced. It was as if he expected me to throw a tantrum again before he even spoke. But I just nodded calmly. “Okay.” Julian looked at me with a hint of surprise. But in the end, he didn’t say anything more. During lunch break, as promised, I went to find Lena to apologize. But after searching around, I found her with Julian. The bustling afternoon was warm and bright. Lena giggled, playfully tapping Julian’s chest. The next second, her eyes flickered over to me, and she immediately cowered behind Julian, clutching her bandaged hand. Julian’s arm instantly shot out, shielding her. “What are you doing here?” His voice was slightly distant. He’d already forgotten he’d told me to come apologize that morning. It wasn’t really my brother’s fault for being on edge. I truly was a lunatic. I had an almost savage possessiveness over Julian. He was handsome, and kind. Plenty of girls liked him. And I’d scared every single one of them away. I interpreted Julian’s silent consent as: *He has feelings for me too*. Just like in my previous life, I’d put something in his drink. Forcing him to cross a line. He resisted my touch, yet I could discern a twisted pleasure in his fragmented gasps. But I’d ignored that it was just an uncontrollable physical reaction. Lena was special to him. Even ten years after her death, Julian still hadn’t forgiven me. I forced down the bitter pang that threatened to overflow in my heart and let out a shaky breath. Then, I gave Lena a deep, abrupt bow. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have hurt you a few days ago, and I shouldn’t have publicly insulted you and humiliated you.” “Can you… forgive me?” Lena cautiously glanced at Julian. Seeing he said nothing, she finally replied, “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I forgive you.” I straightened up, meeting Julian’s eyes. They churned with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher.

In my previous life, there was another reason I hated Lena. More than once, I’d seen her acting close with Brock, the school bully and my brother’s archnemesis. Brock had a terrible personality and loved to trip Julian up. I seriously suspected Lena was sent to deceive my brother’s feelings, so I targeted her at every turn. This time, no matter what the truth was, I had to find out. I needed to put the two people who were meant to be together back on track. So, I started clinging to Lena, telling her how remorseful I was and how much I wanted to be her friend. At first, she was wary. But when she saw I genuinely had no ill intentions, she let her guard down. I casually probed her, “What do you think of my brother?” A blush crept up Lena’s ears. “Julian, he… he helped me a lot. And he really loves small animals. He used to feed the stray cats around here all the time and even got them spayed and neutered.” “I think he’s incredibly kind.” Sure enough. They loved each other back. Lena was actually pretty amazing. Her family wasn’t well off, but she was incredibly diligent, studying on a scholarship. She was the picture of a resilient girl from a humble background. My brother was handsome, the top of his class, and had a large inheritance left to him by Julian’s Aunt. Anyone looking at them would say they were a perfect match. Even though I’d long known this, my stomach still twisted with jealousy. That evening, Julian knocked on my bedroom door for the first time in ages. He didn’t dare to come in. The last time, it was because he’d suddenly walked into my room that he discovered my shameful thoughts. I spoke first, “I’m just looking at schools to apply to, nothing else…” Since my rebirth, I’d felt Julian was constantly distancing himself from me. Even without that kiss, he couldn’t accept that the sister he’d raised liked him *that* way. And even without that kiss, I couldn’t let Julian go. He cleared his throat unnaturally. “Why haven’t you been coming home with me lately?” I was a bit surprised he was asking about that. *Because I need to quickly get used to life without you*. I silently replied in my head. Even today, I was thinking of finding a school far away from Julian. Anyway, he and Lena had good grades, so they’d definitely go to the same university later. As for me, the further from him, the better. I casually threw out an excuse. “Lena and I actually get along pretty well, so we agreed to go home together. We can chat.” As soon as I said it, even I didn’t quite believe it. Julian stared at me intensely, making my scalp prickle even more. I stiffened my neck and challenged him, “Am I… bothering you two?” He frowned, then tapped me on the forehead. “What are you thinking? Of course not.” Then, he raked a hand through his hair, slightly agitated. “Forget it, you… it’s good to make more friends.”

Today, I walked home with Lena as usual. She’d opened up to me quite a bit, and I wanted to figure out the real reason for her fall in the previous life. Everyone thought I had pushed her off the building. Even Julian believed it. After all, I had a long history of acting out. But I hadn’t. I hadn’t even touched a single thread of her clothes. She just started crying and jumped. I wondered if something terrible had happened to Lena’s family, causing her to think of taking her own life. “Lena, if anything’s wrong, you have to tell me. If you’re in trouble, let me know, I’ll help you fix it!” Lena first froze, then her eyes welled up. She *was* in trouble. Just as she was about to speak. Suddenly, a group of thugs burst out from the alleyway beside us. They looked menacing, brandishing metal pipes they’d apparently ripped off school desks. I’d learned some self-defense when I was little and managed to hold my own against them. Lena, however, wasn’t doing so well. Seeing a pipe about to land on her, I didn’t think twice and shielded her. Then, my vision went black. When I woke up again, the back of my head and my back throbbed with a burning pain. I was covered in mud, but the scene before me was so shocking I couldn’t even register my own pain. Lena lay naked beside me. “Hey, Lena, what happened to you?” My voice trembled. Without thinking, I frantically searched for my phone. I just wanted to reach my brother as fast as possible. But my phone was shattered, completely unresponsive. Just then, a blinding light suddenly shone on my face. I instinctively lowered my head, squinting my eyes. The piercing wail of police sirens tangled with Julian’s furious shouts. I felt a force shove me away, sending me stumbling against a nearby step. “Stella, I really thought you’d changed, but I guess you were just biding your time for today, weren’t you?!” Julian’s eyes were bloodshot. I stared at him blankly, only then realizing. He’d misunderstood. “Julian, no, it wasn’t me.” Julian scooped Lena into his arms. “You’re holding your phone and saying it wasn’t you?! Delete all those photos, I’ll deal with you when we get home!” I watched his retreating back numbly, tears welling up in my eyes. “It really… wasn’t me…” Finally, all the strength drained from my body, and my vision blurred into darkness once more.

I dreamed of the previous life, when Julian had been just as angry with me. When Lena fell to her death, and I was taken in for questioning. Julian hit me for the first time. A loud, stinging slap. “How could you do something like this…?” “I’m so disappointed in you.” “I wish I never had a sister like you.” His eyes held an emotion so profoundly sad, it was almost serene. I couldn’t blame him. After all, only Lena and I were on the rooftop that day. No one would believe that a graduating student with a bright future would just jump off a building for no reason. But even if Julian didn’t believe me. He still found me the best lawyer. There were no security cameras on the rooftop, no direct evidence proving I pushed Lena. Besides, my fingerprints weren’t found on her body. But there was still the possibility that I had incited Lena to jump. Ultimately, the incident was ruled an accident. Julian paid Lena’s mother a large sum of money. But she still came to the school every day, causing a scene. So, Julian proactively took me out of school. I truly ruined his life. If it weren’t for me, what a brilliant life he would have had. No matter how the outside world speculated about the incident. For Julian, his sister had killed the person he loved. From that day on, there was no going back. I woke up with a jolt from my dream. Before my eyes was my familiar bedroom. Julian was sitting by my bed, looking haggard, dark circles under his eyes. When he saw me wake up, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes. Then, he hugged me tightly.

It turned out, Lena had woken up before me. She recounted the entire story. I had been knocked unconscious while saving her. The group of thugs had taken pictures of her and fled. Julian held me, his body trembling uncontrollably. He kept repeating apologies. “I’m so sorry, Stella, I’m so sorry.” “It’s my fault for misunderstanding you.” “I didn’t take good care of you, and I accused you without a second thought. You should hit me…” His trembling was obvious and clear, and his body heat seeped into me, making my eyes well up with warmth. Days of accumulated grievances burst forth. My tears and snot plastered all over Julian’s shirt. “Julian! It’s all my fault!” “If I hadn’t been such a mess before, you wouldn’t have doubted me!” I desperately shook my head, wanting Julian to believe my promise. “I’m truly sorry. I’ll never cling to you and make things difficult again!” “I’ll never yearn for you like that again. I just want to be your sister, always your sister!” I felt my brother’s body stiffen for a moment. Then, his hand gently patted my back. We hugged like that for a long, long time. It was as if all the previous distance between us had simply vanished. Julian brought over a bowl of porridge from the side. “Eat something first.” He tied up my hair and grabbed his jacket. “I’m going out to buy you your favorite tarts as an apology.” “Wait for me to come back. I have something important to tell you.” I gazed at Julian obediently, sensing something was different about him. As if he’d made some kind of decision. But I waited a long time, and my brother never came back. Instead, I first received a message from Lena. 【Stella, please, come find me on the school rooftop.】 【Only you.】 【Please…】

I ran out of the house like a madwoman. Why was it still happening? The abbot’s words echoed in my mind. *What has already happened cannot be changed.* Was I truly unable to change anything? Then what was the point of me being reborn?! But Lena’s message to me was different from the previous life. In my previous life, she’d sent me a taunting message. Lying that she and Julian were secretly meeting on the school rooftop. This time, though, it was different. I felt like the truth was within reach. On the rooftop, Lena was crying, just as she had in the previous life. “Lena, what the hell are you doing?!” *Does this building just have to be jumped off of?!* Lena looked at me, then dropped to her knees with a thud. “Stella, I can’t escape this. The people who hurt us that day were Brock’s men. They took so many photos and videos of me… I’ve been trapped for so long.” My blood immediately rushed to my head. “You knew this? Then why didn’t you tell the police? You’re the victim! It’s not your fault!” Lena screamed, looking completely on the verge of a breakdown. “It’s no use, Stella!” “I fought back, but it was useless…” “They threatened my mom and my younger siblings. Brock’s family has serious connections, we can’t go against him at all.” “He’s a monster. He’s always been toying with us. He wants to ruin Julian, that’s why he tried to get to him through you.” “I’m so sorry. You and your brother have both been so kind to me.” “Don’t come near me. As long as you don’t touch me, they won’t find any evidence on you.” “Julian cares about you so much, he’ll find a way to protect you, no matter what.” “But if I don’t listen to Brock, my family won’t have a chance to live. If I die, maybe it’ll blow up and get enough attention.” “I only ask one thing, please, after I die, look after my family, just for the sake of our short month of friendship…” I didn’t let her finish. I rushed forward, grabbed her by the collar, and pulled her to her feet. I could only hear my own roar echoing. “Then do you know what will happen to my brother after you die?! He’ll spend his entire life mourning you!!” It was only then that I realized I was a complete mess, tears streaming down my face. Lena stared at me blankly. The small silk pouch in my pocket *clattered* onto the floor. It lay there quietly. I vaguely remembered the warmth that had spread through my palm the first time I held it. *If I’m Julian’s fated hurdle.* *Then without me, he’d be happy, wouldn’t he?* …So, that’s what it meant. I finally understood. “So, we just need to make a big scene, right?” I turned and ran towards the edge of the rooftop. At first, it was a light, floating sensation. Then, a heavy, plummeting feeling. I chose the abyss. So I fell into the abyss. *Thud—!* A deafening sound, followed by a piercing shriek. It shattered the quiet of the night. At the same time, Julian, who was just a street away from the school, was so startled by the sudden loud noise that he almost dropped what he was holding. It was the last box of tarts. The bakery he usually went to was closed. He’d gone to several places before finding this newly opened one near the school. The crowd around him gradually grew louder. “Someone died!” “Someone jumped! A female student!” Julian turned his head, looking towards the school. He suddenly remembered the sharp pang he’d felt in his chest when he heard that loud thud.

Julian, as if compelled by some strange impulse, walked towards the school. He was never one to be curious about crowds. But that day, a voice inside him seemed to say: *You should go see.* He saw Lena. She was crumpled on the ground, crying, calling Stella’s name. *Why would she call Stella’s name?* Julian’s heart pounded with growing dread. He couldn’t control his hands, desperately pushing through the crowd. The person lying on the ground. He couldn’t *not* recognize her. No matter what she looked like, he would know her at a glance. But his sister should be lying in her room right now, waiting for him to come home with tarts. She shouldn’t. She shouldn’t be lying there, broken and shattered, on the ground. Lena confessed everything. She cried, saying she had killed Stella. “When I was injured before, I deliberately framed her. That day, she came to find me, furious, and I intentionally placed a cup near her. She accidentally knocked it over and broke it, and I pretended she pushed me and cut my arm.” “She actually believed it. She even apologized to me, even though she was the only one who ever treated me like a friend…” Julian stared at her blankly, it took him a long, long time to find his voice. “What did she say, in the end?” “She said, if I died, you would mourn me your whole life.” Julian felt as if someone was choking him, making it impossible to breathe. He finally realized: The one who killed his sister, was himself. Julian still clearly remembered the day he told Stella to burn the diaries. She stood in the yard, burning them and wiping away tears. His heart twisted with pain. He told Mrs. Davis to call Stella back inside. But he found himself uncontrollably walking towards the pile of ashes. There was one diary that hadn’t completely burned. He stomped out the flames. Inside, the elegant handwriting was something he had taught her, stroke by stroke. *Would Julian be disgusted if he knew I loved him?* In that moment, he felt nothing else mattered. He shouldn’t have blamed her. He had no right to blame Stella. In this world, no matter what mistakes Stella made. His own sin was far greater. He was just too afraid to take that step. If one day, Stella no longer loved him. If she saw a better, wider world. If men out there made her realize her brother was actually insignificant. Then they wouldn’t even be able to be siblings anymore. The step he took would damn him forever. That night, he even had a twisted thought: *It would be better if he and Stella had a blood relation.* At least that way, there would be an indelible mark between them. He was terrified. So, when he realized Stella hated Lena. For the first time, he didn’t distance himself from someone his sister disliked. He thought, *just let Stella give up on me.* She would grow up eventually. She would leave him eventually. But when Stella had been unconscious for several days, then woke up crying and apologizing, saying she was a jerk. He just wanted to say: *He* was the jerk, a thousand times worse than her. Not only that, he was a coward. Letting Stella bear the burden of their shared sin alone. Julian finally understood. He would tell Stella: *It’s fine. We can just go somewhere no one knows us.* But it was his moment of hesitation that made him lose his sister forever. … By the time Julian came back to his senses. He had already handled Stella’s funeral. That small urn held the person he loved most. She was so lively and active. How could she bear to stay in such a cramped space? His senses seemed to return belatedly. Thousands of razor blades seemed to sprout from his internal organs. He desperately dry-heaved. The blades sliced his esophagus, his throat. But nothing came up. He could only spend his days in Stella’s room. It was the only place in the world that still carried her scent. He didn’t know how much time had passed. His life had ended the day his sister died. Behind the wall, Mr. Peterson and Mrs. Davis were incredibly anxious. “We’ve found so many therapists, but nothing helps!” “He looks like he’s lost his soul. I heard that monastery in the northern hills is very spiritual…” I didn’t expect to wake up again. In a dimly lit rented apartment. There was an admission letter. The name on it was “Stella.” I had been reborn into a body with the same name.

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Ever since my wife got pregnant, strange things have been happening around our house. Our bathroom was constantly swarming with spiders. And my wife’s behavior grew increasingly bizarre. She started keeping secrets, her temper flaring up at the slightest provocation. One night, while I was asleep, she *savagely* bit my neck, coming terrifyingly close to severing my artery. Chloe frantically explained it was just hormones, unbalanced by the pregnancy. I stared at the thick black hair covering her legs, not entirely convinced. The next day, she secretly left for her family’s remote estate. I discreetly hired a private investigator, only to discover she’d been hiding something from me for *three whole years!* Deep in the night, an urgent call of nature stirred me awake. Still groggy, I tried to get up, but something fuzzy and round was pressing down on my chest. I couldn’t budge it. I grabbed my phone for light and nearly screamed. All grogginess vanished as I tumbled off the bed onto the floor. Right there on the bed, staring back at me, was a spider the size of a dinner tray. Its eight glowing green eyes were fixed on me, and my heart nearly stopped beating. I scrambled to my feet, desperate to escape the room. But the next second, the world spun, and I blacked out. “David? What’s wrong, David?” Still hazy, I felt someone shaking me. My face drained of color as the memory of that horrifying spider flashed back. “A spider! A giant spider!” “David, what spider? Did you have a nightmare?” Chloe quickly got out of bed, her face etched with worry, gently stroking my cheek. Seeing her kind, beautiful face, I slowly calmed down and immediately recounted what had just happened. “David, you must be stressed about my pregnancy, worrying about me and the baby. It’s just a nightmare.” Her explanation made sense, and I nodded. After all, where in the world would you find a spider the size of a dinner tray? But the dream felt so incredibly real, like I was truly there. Just as I was about to drift back to sleep, I noticed Chloe’s arms were covered in thick, dark hair! Chloe caught my gaze and hastily explained, “David, it’s probably just my hormones, unbalanced because of the pregnancy.” I nodded, though her hormones seemed to be *wildly* out of whack. She clearly needed some extra nutrition. The next day, I bought a live rooster, planning to make her some nourishing chicken soup. But when I took the knife to the bathroom to butcher it, the rooster was *gone*! And the bathroom was thick with spiderwebs, like a scene straight out of a horror movie, or a giant spider’s nest. It felt like spiders were suddenly *everywhere*. First my dreams, now the bathroom. But I kept the house spotless – how could there be so many webs? As I wondered, I noticed a puddle of feathers on the floor, some with skin still attached. But the chicken meat itself had simply vanished. “Was this chicken… eaten by a spider?” I shook my head immediately. Impossible. A spider big enough to kill a rooster would have to be the size of two hands, and there’s no such thing in the world. But where did the chicken meat go? I was about to ask Chloe when I got close enough to smell it: a strong, metallic scent of blood coming from her mouth! A flicker of panic crossed Chloe’s face. She quickly explained, “David, my gums are bleeding, pretty badly. I was just about to get some medication for inflammation.” Ah, that made sense. Pregnancy was hard, women developed all sorts of issues. My heart went out to her, and my worries about the chicken completely vanished. The vanished chicken remained an unsolved mystery. I cleaned the bathroom’s spiderwebs thoroughly, but found no spiders. Where were these webs even coming from? It wasn’t just the bathroom. Lately, there were webs on the bed, the couch, even in the kitchen – and *lots* of them. This had never happened before. It felt like ever since Chloe got pregnant, one strange thing after another kept happening. That night, Chloe stared at me, her eyes unblinking, swallowing constantly. “David,” she purred, “you smell so good. I just want to devour you.” I thought she was trying to be intimate, so I bit back my urge and said, “Sweetheart, we’re in a delicate stage right now. What if we hurt the baby? It could lead to a miscarriage, and we don’t want that—AHH!!!” The words were barely out of my mouth when a searing pain shot through my neck. Chloe was sinking her teeth deep into my neck, a monstrous growl rumbling from her throat. I cried out in agony, scrambling away from Chloe and clamping my hand over my neck. I flipped on the light and gasped in horror – my neck was bleeding, and she had nearly bitten a chunk of flesh right out of it!

Chloe scrambled out of bed, her face pale with terror as she saw my bleeding neck. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m so sorry, David! I don’t know why… I just felt so drawn to your body…” Seeing her so distraught and remorseful, I sighed deeply, unable to blame her. It had to be those pregnancy hormones, throwing everything out of whack. I comforted her for a moment, then quickly stopped the bleeding as best I could before rushing to the emergency room. The wound treatment took forever, and I must have drifted off to sleep at some point. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. A surge of panic hit me. I hadn’t been home all night! Chloe must be frantic with worry! I quickly grabbed my phone to call her, but just as I did, I saw a message from Chloe: “David, I’ve gone back to my family’s estate to rest during the pregnancy. Please, don’t come looking for me until after the baby is born.” Apparently, Chloe felt her emotions were too unstable for the pregnancy, so she called her mother for help. Her mom suggested she return home to recuperate. My blood ran cold. Most rural houses are built to face the sun, but my mother-in-law’s place was nestled deep in the shadows, and its structure was incredibly peculiar. The house was perpetually damp, dark, and sunless. Living there long-term would make anyone sick, let alone a pregnant woman! It was absolutely *not* a good place for Chloe to rest. I was about to call and urge her to reconsider when my mother-in-law called *me*. “David, dear,” she said, “I haven’t been feeling well lately, a bit overwhelmed. Could you possibly come stay and help care for Chloe for a while?” I first asked about her health, then suggested bringing Chloe back home. But Martha insisted, “David, don’t you worry. I had a carpenter specially renovate a room – it’s airy, sunny, and absolutely perfect!” After much hesitation, I agreed. Two and a half hours later, I arrived at Martha’s place. Martha greeted me with a warm, almost *too* warm, welcome. To be honest, she always unnerved me. She just had this unsettling, eerie vibe. Her face was chalk-white, as if dusted with flour, her eyes were unnaturally dark, and her nails were long and sharp. Honestly, she looked like something out of a gothic horror film. Chloe heard the commotion and rushed out, her eyes wide with shock when she saw me. “David, I told you *not* to come!” I told her exactly what Martha had said. Chloe’s emotions flared. She whirled on her mother, furious. “Mom! How *could* you? Are you trying to kill him?!” Martha’s voice softened, almost pleading. “Chloe, I’m doing this for your own good. If you want a safe delivery, you *need* him.” Their exchange sent a chill down my spine. A dark premonition washed over me. “Chloe, what do you mean, ‘kill me’? What are you two talking about?” Chloe’s face crumpled, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She quickly explained, “I was afraid the same thing would happen again… What if I bit you to death…” Her words made my neck throb, but I didn’t think much of it. She hadn’t meant it, after all. I sighed in relief and told her not to worry. Chloe looked like she wanted to say more, but under Martha’s stern gaze, she finally lowered her head. Once Martha had left, Chloe pulled me aside, her voice urgent and serious. “David, you *have* to leave! Right now!” I thought she was still feeling guilty about the night before, so I held her gently. “Sweetheart, don’t worry, I—” “It’s not that!” Chloe cut me off. A look of deep torment crossed her face. Finally, she met my eyes, her voice sharp and resolute. “I can’t explain. But if you don’t leave, we’re getting a divorce!” The word ‘divorce’ hit me like a lightning bolt. I never imagined she’d use that to force me away! Why on earth would she do that? I couldn’t shake the feeling Chloe was hiding something big, and her recent behavior had been undeniably strange, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was off. And Martha… she was increasingly unsettling, always looking at me with a calculating gleam in her eyes. Facing Chloe’s stubborn expression, I finally nodded, agreeing to leave. I immediately drove away. But just as I reached the village exit, a spider, twice the size of a dinner tray, suddenly blocked the road. Its eight blood-red eyes were fixed on me, unblinking. I slammed on the brakes, terrified. By the time I wrestled the car under control, the spider had vanished without a trace. I frantically scanned my surroundings, but there was no sign of it. Was I… just too stressed? First the nightmares about spiders, now hallucinations?

My mind reeled, filled with doubt and fear. My gut screamed that something much deeper was going on – and it definitely involved Chloe. So, I decided to hire a private investigator to discreetly follow Chloe and Martha. Barely half a day later, the private investigator sent me a video. The moment I clicked play, my blood ran cold, freezing in my veins! On screen, a disheveled woman was tearing into a live chicken, devouring it raw like a wild animal. My blood ran cold. The face was gentle, beautiful… it was my wife, Chloe! My sweet, gentle Chloe! She was eating with terrifying relish, sucking and slurping like she was drinking juice. In moments, the entire chicken was gone, leaving only a pile of feathers. My face was ashen, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. This *couldn’t* be just pregnancy hormones. What pregnant woman would transform into a ravenous, bloodthirsty monster? That speed of consumption was utterly inhuman! Suddenly, I remembered the chicken that had vanished days ago. I’d only found feathers then. Could it be… could Chloe have eaten *that* chicken raw, just like this? My phone buzzed again. It was the second video from him. When I saw what was on screen, I nearly dropped my phone, my heart pounding. The second video showed: A hunched figure was slowly approaching a plow cow. But the horror! It wasn’t a human head she wore, but a massive, fuzzy spider’s head! Its barbed front limbs wrapped around the cow’s neck, and its gaping maw bit down with sickening force. The sturdy cow collapsed instantly, frothing at the mouth. Then, the creature suddenly *smiled*. Its monstrous head began to melt, slowly shifting into a familiar human face – Martha, my mother-in-law! Martha seemed to notice something, and her eyes glared intensely at the screen. “David! You goddamn ruined me!” The video cut out with the detective’s terrified scream. I stared at the black screen, trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat slicking my skin. My entire world had just shattered into a million pieces. I couldn’t believe it. Martha… was a spider demon! Which meant Chloe was too. The night before last, when she bit my neck and said she wanted to ‘eat me,’ she wasn’t flirting – female spiders devour their mates after conception. It’s an instinct ingrained in their very genes! She actually *wanted* to eat me! My hands shaking, I reached for my phone to call the police, but then a chilling breath brushed against my neck. “My dear son-in-law…” a chilling whisper slithered into my ear. “Who are we calling, hmm?” I slowly turned my head. Hovering right behind me was a black widow spider, twice the size of a dinner tray. Its mandibles dripped with viscous fluid. And that voice… it was undeniably… “M-Martha?” My vision swam, and I passed out cold. When I woke, I was encased in a sticky cocoon, lying in a damp, web-filled cavern. Two enormous black widow spiders loomed before me. One, slightly smaller, had eight glowing green eyes – the very same spider that had been on our marital bed that terrifying night! It scuttled towards me, its segmented legs clicking against the ground. “C-Chloe?” I choked out, my voice trembling. The spider froze. All eight eyes constricted, revealing a flash of agony and struggle. I stared at the black widow, trembling violently, cold sweat drenching my back. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that the woman I’d shared a bed with for three years was such a massive spider demon. She had hidden her true nature so incredibly well. Female spiders, after conceiving, instinctively devour their mates. It’s their very nature. Now, wrapped tightly in sticky silk, imprisoned in this dark cavern, my heart hammered. Was she… was she going to eat me *right now*?

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I was chosen by a billionaire to be his stand-in for a hefty five-million-dollar salary. I thought my job was just to make appearances when he couldn’t. Who knew his first assignment would be to accompany his wife on their wedding anniversary, and to fulfill her every request? Meanwhile, his stunning secretary kept hinting that she wanted a “special arrangement” with me. I fell deep into the billionaire’s lavish, indulgent life, surrounded by women and luxury, completely unable to pull myself away. Little did I know, he had his own dark agenda… “Alex, you’ve got mail.” My name is Alex. I’m a programmer, 29 years old, and an orphan. Every day, I work my fingers to the bone, grinding away for a meager salary that barely tops five thousand a month. That kind of money? Forget buying a house or a car. It was hard enough just surviving in a major city, and I certainly didn’t have many acquaintances outside of my colleagues. So, who would be writing to me? I ripped open the envelope. Inside, there was only an address and a key. What the heck was this supposed to mean? It couldn’t possibly be some inheritance left to me by a distant relative I’d never heard of, right? I’m not in some cheesy movie! Just as I was pondering this, my phone rang. It was an international number. I immediately hung up. Lately, I’d been getting way too many spam calls; my phone was practically smoking from all the rings. They were all the same old tricks, nothing new or interesting. But before I could even put my phone down, it rang again. Seeing that the caller wouldn’t give up, I answered. “Mr. Alex, please don’t hang up. I’m Mr. Richard’s butler. Because your appearance is remarkably similar to Mr. Richard’s, he’d like to hire you as his stand-in.” “A stand-in?” My jaw dropped. I’d heard of Richard, the billionaire, but only in passing. What he looked like, what he did—I had no clue. “That’s right. Mr. Richard needs to go abroad for six months for medical treatment. During this time, to stabilize stock prices, he requires a stand-in.” “Mr. Richard is willing to pay five million dollars, and all your expenses during this period will be covered by him. You just need to follow Mr. Richard’s instructions.” “Deal! I accept!” Hesitating for even half a second would be an insult to that five million dollars! “Be at the address on the envelope by 6 PM. Some information will be sent to your phone. Tonight is a test for you. If you pass, two million dollars will be transferred to your account as an initial payment.” Looking at the villa key in my hand, a smirk played on my lips. Who knew? My face would actually pay off one day. I spent the entire afternoon scrolling through my phone, memorizing the information the butler had sent. Right on time, I arrived at the address from the letter. I had to admit, standing before that opulent mansion, I was green with envy. Calling it a villa was an understatement; it was a full-blown estate! I pulled out the key and opened the grand gate. As soon as I stepped inside, Brenda, the housekeeper, immediately came forward. “Sir, you’re back. What kind of drink would you like?” As she spoke, she bent down and retrieved a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them at my feet. When she leaned over, her low-cut maid uniform inevitably gave me a peek. The housekeeper, a woman in her thirties, was stunningly curvy, making me blush. It was my first time being waited on like this, and while it felt strange, it was also pretty amazing. “His usual single malt scotch.” According to the provided information, Richard was a man of immense authority and presence, and he adored his single malt scotch. Brenda nodded and said with a bow, “Madam is still in the bedroom picking out her dress. Today is your wedding anniversary, and Madam has been looking forward to it all day.” Those words made my scalp prickle instantly. What? Madam? Wedding anniversary? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?! Cold sweat immediately drenched my back. The key in my hand suddenly felt incredibly heavy. Tonight was going to be tough. *Clack! Clack!* Just as I was thinking, the sound of high heels echoed from the staircase. I looked up, and my gaze was immediately drawn to a pair of long, shapely legs. Then, a breathtaking woman appeared before me. It was Celeste, Richard’s wife. Seeing her face, I couldn’t help but swallow hard. Beautiful! Seductive! She was utterly mesmerizing, like a darker Angelina Jolie. Those eyes could reel you in! Just one look, and I felt like my soul was being sucked right out of me. No wonder Mr. Richard had to go abroad for treatment; with a beauty like this by your side, even the healthiest man wouldn’t last! The next second, her voice chimed. “It’s rare that you still remember today’s date.” “I could forget anything else, but never today.” I managed a smile, but my forehead was already covered in sweat. A fragrant scent wafted over as Celeste reached out, gently wiping the sweat from my brow. “Look at you, all sweaty. Go wash up quickly.” She turned and instructed Brenda, “Brenda, tell the kitchen dinner will be served in half an hour.” I steadied myself and headed upstairs, found the master bedroom, and rushed into the bathroom, turning on the faucet. I barely had time to strip off my clothes and sink into the tub. Then, the bathroom door creaked open. Celeste walked in. “Honey, let me give you a massage…” Immediately, a pair of soft hands rested on my shoulders, gently kneading them. My heart pounded like a drum. I felt a strange, forbidden thrill, a rush of stolen pleasure. If Richard ever found out, he’d kill me! To avoid giving myself away, I quickly closed my eyes. Just as I was getting comfortable, I suddenly felt those hands become restless. They traced a path downwards, along my body. “I’m all clean. Let’s go eat.” I forced down the rising desire, stopping those mischievous hands. I looked up, meeting Celeste’s glistening eyes head-on. My heart lurched. Again, I feigned Richard’s tone: “I’m starving.” “Where are you starving, honey? Your stomach or…” Her gaze flickered downwards, and I instantly got her meaning. I quickly replied, “My stomach! My stomach is hungry!” Hearing this, Celeste rolled her eyes at me, a pout on her face. “Your clothes are by the door. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Only after she left did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. No, I had to find an excuse to leave tonight. Staying here would definitely lead to trouble! As expected, Celeste had changed into a white evening gown without me noticing. She sat across from me and told Brenda to open a bottle of red wine. “Honey, try the lobster that just arrived from Australia this morning.” As she served me, her cleavage was on full display, a distracting sight. I quickly lowered my head, focusing all my attention on the lobster. “Come, darling, here’s to our happy wedding anniversary.” My tolerance for alcohol wasn’t great, but on a day like this, I absolutely couldn’t expose myself. So, I gritted my teeth and raised my glass. “To you, my love, may you get even more beautiful.” My words made Celeste giggle. Her alluring eyes kept raking over me. “Honey, you’re a little different today.” Damn it! Had she seen through me? My heart hammered. I cursed myself for talking too much; why did I have to add that extra line?! The next second, a hint of melancholy crossed Celeste’s face. “You haven’t been back for over half a year. I thought you wouldn’t come back today either.” She hadn’t noticed? I let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed their relationship wasn’t exactly great either. Otherwise, who would leave such a gorgeous wife alone for over six months? To avoid saying anything else wrong, I remained silent, focusing all my attention on the delicious food on my plate. Celeste kept serving me from across the table. “Honey, eat slowly.” “Here, have another drink.” Before long, the bottle of red wine was empty. All the food on the table had disappeared into my stomach. My low alcohol tolerance quickly caught up to me, and I felt a wave of dizziness. I leaned back in my chair, resting. Celeste, her face flushed, stared at me with eyes full of desire. “Honey, do you know how much I’ve missed you these past six months?” Her scent enveloped me, and under the table, her foot kept brushing against my leg. The fire I had barely managed to suppress instantly flared up again! Combined with the alcohol, my head spun, and I got up, scooped Celeste into my arms, and headed towards the bedroom…

The next morning, I woke up to find Celeste sleeping beside me, and my heart sank. The worst had happened. Not only was my stint as a stand-in probably over, but Richard wouldn’t let me off the hook either. Just as I was getting dressed, planning to slip away unnoticed, my phone rang. It was the butler. For a moment, I was gripped by nerves, unsure how to explain what happened last night. “Hello?” “Mr. Alex, your performance last night was excellent. Mr. Richard is very pleased. The initial payment has already been transferred to your account. You need to go to the company today; the car is waiting for you at the villa entrance.” *Ding!* As soon as I hung up, the bank text message arrived. Two million dollars! I had never seen so much money in my life! This… I slept with his wife, and I *passed* the test? I truly didn’t understand the world of the super-rich. But at least, for now, I didn’t have to worry about retaliation. Celeste was also woken by the phone call. She mumbled, “Honey, who was that?” “The company. Something urgent came up.” She sat up, revealing a generous amount of cleavage, hooked her arms around my neck, and lightly pecked my cheek. “Will you be back tonight?” I nodded, pulling the blanket up to cover her. Not for any other reason, but because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to resist. After a few minutes of sweet nothings, I left the villa. A Rolls-Royce Cullinan was already waiting at the entrance. Upon arriving at the company, I was escorted by a private assistant to a private elevator that took me straight to the top floor. It was a luxurious office, spanning over two thousand square feet. My rented apartment was barely five hundred square feet. Damn capitalists. As soon as I sat down, Chloe, the personal secretary, brought in a cup of Richard’s usual single malt scotch. “Mr. Richard, your drink.” Chloe was a graduate of a prestigious university, with a delicate face and a slender yet curvaceous figure, clearly the result of regular workouts. “Just leave it.” I glanced at her briefly before looking away. I opened my laptop and played some games for a while. Just as it was time for lunch, Chloe walked in carrying an insulated lunch box. “Mr. Richard, this is the nutritious meal I prepared this morning. Please, have a taste.” There was fish, shrimp, and a fragrant bowl of soup. “Thank you. That’s thoughtful of you.” The words barely left my mouth when Chloe burst into tears. “Mr. Richard, have I done something wrong?” I froze, staring at her, utterly bewildered. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Richard. Whatever I did wrong, I’ll fix it immediately. Please don’t fire me. My mother is still in the hospital, and I really need this money…” I mentally sighed, realizing I’d said the wrong thing again. I waved my hand. “You’re excellent. I won’t fire you, don’t worry.” But to my surprise, Chloe directly knelt down. “Mr. Richard, please give me a chance to make amends.” I felt a little helpless, leaning back in my chair and closing my eyes. Just as I was wondering how to get rid of this woman, I suddenly felt a pair of hands undoing my belt. My eyes snapped open: “Wait, I don’t need to change my pants!” Chloe, her eyes red, pleaded, “Mr. Richard, please give me this chance.”

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After a terrible car crash, my eyes were severely damaged. The day they finally healed, I started seeing a strange number floating above every woman’s head. My wife’s number was 0. My mother-in-law’s was 30. And my wife’s best friend had a 45. What did these numbers mean? As I investigated, I uncovered a shocking truth… 1: *CRASH!* I watched, helpless, as the speeding car slammed into mine, even though I’d braced myself. The moment of impact hit me like a suffocating wave of death. I barely felt any pain before I passed out. When I finally woke up, I could faintly hear a voice nearby. “Good thing you arrived in time. The patient’s condition is stable now.” Another voice spoke up. “Thank you, Doctor. We truly appreciate it.” It was my wife, Chloe. She kept thanking the doctor. I knew I’d survived the crash, but why was everything black? I couldn’t see anything. I managed to let out a weak sound, and Chloe heard it. She rushed to my side. “Honey, are you awake?” I whispered back, “Why can’t I see anything?” The doctor’s voice chimed in again. “Your eyes suffered severe trauma in the accident. We’ve done our best, but we can’t promise a full recovery. Please prepare yourself for that possibility.” A heavy silence fell over me. In the days that followed, Chloe stayed by my side at the hospital, caring for me. I’d often ask her, “Honey, what if my eyes never get better?” Chloe would always comfort me, saying, “Don’t be silly! You’ll definitely get better, I promise.” Our financial situation wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. The expensive medical bills started to weigh on my mind. I asked Chloe, “Honey, what about the driver who hit me?” Chloe spoke softly, “That driver hit you and then fled the scene. They still haven’t been found. The car had stolen plates, and the police haven’t found any leads yet.” Chloe seemed to sense my thoughts. “Honey, don’t worry about it. Even if we never find that driver, we have to get you well.” “Don’t stress about the money.” I said nothing. During my hospital stay, besides both our parents, Chloe’s best friend visited me the most. Her name was Maya. We’d met a few times. Like Chloe, she was a true stunner. Her figure and looks were absolutely gorgeous. I figured she worried Chloe would get bored staying in the hospital all day, so she’d come over to chat with her whenever she had free time. I secretly vowed that once I recovered, I’d treat her to a nice meal to thank her properly. Perhaps it was Chloe’s meticulous care, but my eyes, which could initially only perceive a faint light, slowly began to show signs of recovery. This reignited my hope. After two months of recuperation in the hospital, my vision miraculously returned. Even the doctors called it a miracle. But the moment I opened my eyes, the scene before me baffled me. I faintly saw a blue number floating above Chloe’s head. It was a 0. Could it be that my eyes had just recovered, and I was seeing things? I rubbed my eyes, then looked at her head again. This time, I was certain I wasn’t mistaken. There was indeed a number 0 above Chloe’s head. Just then, the doctor and a nurse walked into the room. The doctor didn’t have a number above his head, but the female nurse did. It was a 5. I froze. Chloe, seeing me staring intently at her head, couldn’t help but look up at the ceiling too. “What’s wrong, honey?” I whispered, “Chloe, your… why is there a zero above your head? And the nurse has a 5 above hers.” 2: Hearing this, Chloe touched her own head. “There’s nothing there, honey. What’s wrong? Are your eyes still adjusting after recovering?” The doctor also told me, “Your eyes were blind for several months. It’s perfectly normal to experience some visual hallucinations after regaining sight. Just a few days of rest at home, and you’ll be fine.” In the end, I had no choice but to believe the doctor. But as my wife handled my discharge paperwork, I sat in the hospital lobby. I noticed that among the people coming and going, men didn’t have numbers above their heads, but all women did. Most of them were 0s. I couldn’t believe this was just a hallucination. Just then, a voice called out, “Chloe!” I looked up. It was Maya. She walked in through the hospital entrance, waving at Chloe, who was beside me. And a number appeared above Maya’s head: 45. I was stunned. While most women had 0s above their heads, including my wife Chloe, why were some numbers different? Like Maya’s, why was hers 45? Maya came over to us. After greeting Chloe, she looked at me. “Hey, Writer! Congrats on getting discharged! You’ve been through so much, good fortune is definitely heading your way!” I quickly smiled and nodded at her, saying “Thank you.” Chloe said to me, “Honey, our car was totaled in the accident, so I had to ask Maya to pick us up from the hospital.” I smiled but said nothing, still trying to figure out why all women had numbers above their heads. Once we were in the car, Chloe was worried I might be uncomfortable, so she had me sit in the back while she and Maya sat upfront, chatting. I, however, kept staring at the numbers above their heads. It wasn’t until we arrived at our apartment building and parked that I got out and said to Maya, “Hey, Maya, thank you for visiting Chloe so often at the hospital. I’ll definitely treat you to dinner sometime soon.” Maya laughed, “Oh, it’s no big deal. Chloe’s my best friend. Visiting you and keeping her company was no trouble at all.” I was about to speak when suddenly, the number above Maya’s head flickered. It changed from 45 to 46. I was stunned again. What in the world was going on? I was certain this isn’t a hallucination, but what did these numbers above their heads mean? Chloe’s number was still 0, unchanged. Why did Maya’s number change? Before I could figure it out, Chloe said to Maya, “Maya, Leo’s discharged today, and both our parents are at our place, so we won’t keep you.” “We’ll thank you properly another time.” Maya was very understanding. She nodded, then looked at me. “Go home and rest well. Don’t make Chloe worry anymore.” I nodded at her, and she started her car and drove away. When we got home, both sets of parents, all four of them, surrounded us, asking about my health. But my attention was fixed on my mom and mother-in-law’s heads. To my surprise, my mom’s head didn’t show a number, but my mother-in-law’s had a 30. I was dumbfounded again. This was another different number. These numbers were driving me crazy! What on earth did they mean? But the more I thought about it, the more my eyes ached. In the end, I decided to stop thinking about it. Back home, everyone agreed I should rest. They didn’t let me sit up for long, urging me to lie down in the bedroom. They started talking in the living room about the hit-and-run driver, saying they needed to find him and make him pay. Unconsciously, drowsiness crept in, and I lay down and fell asleep, hoping that when I woke up the next day, those numbers wouldn’t be there anymore. 3: The next day. When I woke up, Chloe was already out of bed. She was preparing breakfast for me. I quickly went to the kitchen doorway and looked at her head. The number was still there. She noticed me behind her and turned around, smiling softly. “Honey, you’re awake! Breakfast will be ready soon.” Seeing her already dressed in a business suit, I asked, “Chloe, are you going out?” Chloe replied, “Of course. I haven’t been to work for months taking care of you. The company has called me countless times. If I don’t go back soon, I might lose my supervisor position.” “You stay home and rest. Don’t worry about work for now.” I nodded at her. Chloe left without eating breakfast with me. Staying cooped up in the house felt stifling, so I decided to go for a walk downstairs in our apartment complex. During my walk, I encountered many women, our neighbors, with whom we usually got along well. Numbers were still above their heads, but this time, 0s were in the minority. For example, the young girl next door, who was about to take her final exams and often came to me for writing tips. Her number was 25. The property manager who worked downstairs, her number was 17. And the deli owner, where we frequently bought things. Her number was 38. Could these numbers represent a woman’s loyalty or infidelity rate? But then, I immediately dismissed that idea. Over the next few days, I was constantly bothered by these inexplicable numbers. I told Chloe, but she just brushed me off with the doctor’s explanation. One day, Chloe had a day off, so we decided to invite her best friend, Maya, over for dinner to thank her properly. Maya agreed when Chloe called her. When she knocked on the door and Chloe went to open it, I was immediately struck by her outfit. Today, she wore denim shorts that showed off her long, fair legs, paired with white high heels. It was a treat for anyone who appreciated great legs. On her upper body, she wore a tight white T-shirt that perfectly accentuated her curves. Chloe had many beautiful friends, but Maya was definitely the most stunning among them. After admiring her beauty, I quickly looked at her head. The number was still there, unchanged, still 46. She entered, put down the fruit and milk she’d bought, greeted Chloe, and then looked at me. “Hey, Writer, how are you doing? Feeling better?” I snapped out of it, nodded, and smiled, “Much better, thanks for asking.” She didn’t say anything more and went to the kitchen to help Chloe. Soon, the fragrant dishes were on the table. To celebrate my recovery, they brought out beer, though they wouldn’t let me drink any since I’d just been discharged. So, the two of them started drinking at the table, glass after glass. I knew Chloe wasn’t good with alcohol. Sure enough, after two bottles of beer, her speech became slurred. She was clearly drunk. Maya, on the other hand, was fine, just a little flushed. A little while later, Chloe completely passed out on the sofa, unconscious. Feeling a bit helpless, I helped her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. I returned to the living room. Maya was sitting on the sofa. Seeing me, she smiled. “Oops, Leo, sorry I got your wife drunk again.” I chuckled, “It’s fine, as long as you two had fun.” Maya stood up then. “Alright, since Chloe’s asleep, I won’t bother you anymore. Especially you, you need to rest.” With that, she walked towards the door. I quickly called out to her, “Wait.” Maya turned back to look at me. “What is it?” I quickly picked up a jacket from the sofa and asked her, “Did you drive here?” Maya replied, “No, I knew I’d be having a few drinks with her today, so I didn’t drive.” I walked towards her. “Good. Don’t drink and drive. You should take a taxi home. You’ve had quite a bit to drink, I’ll walk you out.” Just as I finished speaking, I suddenly noticed the number above Maya’s head changed again. It jumped from 46 directly to 49, increasing by three points.

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My boyfriend, the one I was crazy in love with, turned out to be a married jerk. When I confronted him, his wife opened the door and just cut to the chase: “Ten million. Help me take him down. In or out?” In! Hell yeah, I’m in! Revenge and getting rich? That’s the best damn deal on earth! So, I quit my job and went undercover at his company, teaming up with his wife. Together, we slowly but surely pushed that arrogant bastard into the grave we dug for him. Don’t even talk to me about love. All I care about now is cash and chaos! It was *that* kind of night. Roses, champagne, and his warm kisses still tingling on my collarbone. The sound of water running in the bathroom, Julian Hayes was washing away the day’s stress. Everything was perfect. Until his phone, which he’d left on the nightstand, buzzed at the absolute worst moment. The screen lit up, and my eyes just drifted to it. **[Lily’s running a 103.6 fever! Where the hell are you?!]** Lily? Who was Lily? Fever? My mind went blank. Maybe a relative’s kid? A younger sister or something? But then, the second message completely shattered any hopeful thoughts. **[Julian Hayes, what kind of father are you?! If you want a divorce, just say so!]** Julian Hayes, father! Those words felt utterly foreign to me. My boyfriend of three years was married, with a kid! The love story he’d built for me, a perfect fairy tale, crashed down in an instant. The man who swore I was the only light in his life, who even said he was willing to be child-free for me, had a whole family already. No wonder he was willing to be child-free. He already had a child. The bathroom door creaked open. Julian came out wrapped in a towel, water droplets glistening on his sculpted abs. He closed his eyes, instinctively reaching for me, his voice a husky, sexy whisper: “Valerie, come here, give me a hug, and blow-dry my hair.” It was almost instinct. I tossed his phone back onto the nightstand and stiffly walked over. The hair dryer’s hum was piercingly loud. Hot air blasted through his hair, but I felt nothing. He scooped me up, carrying me to the soft bed, his hot breath overwhelming me. “My darling, happy romantic night.” His kisses were aggressive, exploring eagerly. My stomach lurched, a wave of nausea I couldn’t hold back. I shoved him away. “Your phone… it just rang,” I stammered, scrambling for an excuse. “Sounds urgent.” A flicker of annoyance, almost imperceptible, crossed Julian’s handsome face, but I still caught it. “What could be more important than you?” He chuckled, his large hand already moving back over my body. “Tonight, you’re only mine.” Just as his hand was about to cross my line, his phone rang sharply, ripping through the sensual tension in the room. Julian’s face completely darkened. I practically scrambled off the bed, grabbed that insistent phone, and handed it to him, a hint of defiance in my eyes that even I hadn’t realized was there. He glared at me, then snatched the phone, turned, and strode onto the balcony, slamming the glass door shut. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, only saw the tension and frustration in his rigid back. A few minutes later, he pushed the door open, fully dressed. “Something urgent came up at work, I have to go immediately.” He leaned in, trying to kiss me, but I instinctively turned my head away. His movements stiffened. In the end, he just mumbled, “Be good, I’ll be back,” before rushing out. The moment the door closed, the whole world fell silent. Two hours later, at 2 AM, a call came in from my best friend, a nurse in the downtown hospital’s emergency room. “Valerie! I just saw Julian Hayes! He was holding a little girl, with a haggard-looking woman by his side, rushing into pediatrics, sweating buckets! The kid… she kept crying and calling him ‘Daddy’!” The call ended. I sank to the floor. I was the other woman.

I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Only one thing on my mind: destroy Julian. As soon as dawn broke, I drove straight to the hospital. In the pediatric ward hallway, I spotted her right away: Victoria Hayes. She was sitting on a chair, beautiful but utterly exhausted. I walked over, the click of my heels alerting her. She looked up at me, her eyes devoid of emotion, as if she’d expected me. “You’re Julian Hayes’s wife?” I cut straight to the chase. I wished so badly she’d shake her head, or even say “ex-wife.” Anything to ease the guilt in my gut. But she just nodded faintly. “I know you, Valerie Davis. Julian got involved with you three years ago, right after I got pregnant.” Oh. My. God. I felt like the biggest, most humiliated fool on the planet, practically glowing with it. My grand romance, my great love story, was built on someone else’s pregnancy and pain. “Let’s talk somewhere.” I struggled to keep my voice even, forcing the words through clenched teeth. Downstairs at the coffee shop, I ordered an iced water. So did she. I was fully braced for her to throw it in my face. But she just watched me, saying nothing. Her silence made my anxiety even worse. “Listen, divorce him.” Finally, she raised an eyebrow, a mocking twist to her lips: “The mistress wants to move up? That eager?” “You’ve got it all wrong,” I scoffed, slamming my water cup down. “Julian told me he was single. Now that the truth’s out, a man dirtier than a dumpster? You don’t want him, and I certainly don’t need him!” My honesty seemed to surprise her. The scrutiny in her eyes sharpened into curiosity. “You think I don’t want a divorce?” She gave a bitter laugh. “You overestimate yourself. He has women outside, more than a field of weeds. He mows one down, another springs up. You, you’re just the freshest one.” Another heavy blow. So I wasn’t just the other woman. I was just another disposable plaything, probably not even worth a number in his little black book! Seeing my expression, like I’d just swallowed a fly, Victoria’s eyes finally softened a bit – a shared understanding, a kinship between victims. Rage shot straight to my brain. “So you just put up with it?” I asked. “Julian won’t divorce easily. His career needs the facade of a stable family,” she stated, hitting the nail on the head. “So, you’re trapped?” I pressed. “We’re *both* trapped,” she corrected. I got it. Both of us, played by that bastard. In that moment, mistress, wife, all that crap just melted away. We were two peas in a pod, both screwed over by the same jerk. The only enemy was the son of a bitch who started this whole fire. “I’ll help you,” I said, staring into her eyes, enunciating each word. “Help you gather evidence, help you stir up public opinion, help you strip him bare. I don’t want anything for myself, just to see his reputation in ruins.” Victoria stared at me for a full thirty seconds, then spoke. “I want him bankrupt. I want him to walk away with nothing.” A faint smile touched her lips, a spark of life finally returning to her eyes. “You help me, and when it’s all done, I’ll give you ten million. In or out?” What?! Ten million? Revenge and getting rich? This was the best damn deal on earth. “In!” I answered without a shred of hesitation. We pulled out our phones. No more talk. We just exchanged SnapChat contacts. The moment the friend request went through, I knew it. Game on. Our goal: to personally drag that high-and-mighty Julian Hayes down and stomp him into the dirt.

The day after we connected on SnapChat, Victoria immediately sent me the profiles of two other women, with one simple message: **[These two are also victims. Hook them in if you can. More people, more power.]** I clicked them open. The first was Willow Greene, a designer. The profile said that Julian, that bastard, won a major design award last year, bragging about it endlessly. But the truth was, he’d completely swindled the concept from Willow. He not only stole her hard work for free but also sabotaged her project, almost driving her to bankruptcy. The second was Ashley Roberts, a former finance employee at Julian’s company. This girl had it even worse. Because she was pretty, Julian tried to make a move on her. When she refused, that son of a bitch found an excuse to fire her, pinning a bogus charge on her that ruined her reputation in the industry. I looked at both profiles, my blood boiling. Julian Hayes, that animal, was an absolute scumbag. Victoria’s message was clear: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I contacted Willow first. We met at a secluded studio. The moment she saw me, her eyes were filled with wariness. “Who are you? What do you want?” “I’m Julian Hayes’s… another victim.” I didn’t beat around the bush. I laid out my and Victoria’s plan. “We’re going to hit him hard. Put him behind bars, and bankrupt him. That design he stole from you? We can help you get justice for it, and make sure he gets what’s coming to him. Are you in?” Willow froze, probably not expecting me to be so direct. She was silent for a long time, her eyes slowly welling up. That stolen design was her heart and soul, the result of countless sleepless nights. It was her baby. “Why should I trust you?” she asked, her voice hoarse. “You don’t have to trust me,” I handed her my phone with Victoria’s SnapChat profile. “You should trust her. She’s Julian Hayes’s wife. What we need now is a sharp blade to expose his business lies. And you, you’re that blade.” Willow stared intently into my eyes. Finally, she gritted her teeth and nodded: “I’m in! I kept the original copies of all those messed-up contracts he tricked me into signing!” One down. Next, Ashley Roberts. Ashley was harder to deal with than Willow. Julian had terrified her, and she’d tremble at the mere mention of his name. I tried to meet her three times before she finally agreed to a noisy fast-food restaurant. “I don’t want anything to do with him anymore. Please, just leave me alone,” she mumbled, head bowed, her voice barely a whisper. “Leave you alone? You wish!” I slammed my hand on the table, drawing stares from everyone around us. “You think hiding will make it all go away? The dirt Julian threw on you will follow you forever! Everywhere you go, people will whisper behind your back! Do you want to live like a pathetic coward your whole life?” My words cut her like knives. She suddenly looked up, her eyes full of tears. “But what can I do…?” “What can you do? You throw it right back at him, of course!” I lowered my voice, leaning closer. “We’re taking him down now, and we’re going to make it as big as possible. You were his finance person. You know better than anyone how rotten his company’s books are. You don’t need to show your face. You just need to tell us where his weak spots are. Like, which accounts are shady, which projects are empty shells.” I looked at her, saying each word clearly: “We’re not asking you for a favor. We’re giving you a chance. A chance to get back all the injustice, all the bitterness, with interest.” Ashley’s breathing grew faster and faster. Finally, as if making a monumental decision, she pulled a USB drive from her bag and pushed it across the table to me. “This is a backup I kept. It has evidence of some of his fake accounts. I was scared back then, didn’t dare bring it out…” She took a deep breath. “Now, take it! Destroy him!”

The alliance was formed. Next step: action. Victoria’s plan was simple and direct: I needed to get into Julian’s company and gather dirt on him. This suited me perfectly. Julian had been pestering me for ages, wanting me to be his secretary, saying it would be “convenient for us to see each other anytime.” Back then, I found it annoying and kept making excuses. Now, I couldn’t wait to get there. The next morning, I walked straight into my dead-end job and handed my boss my resignation letter. As I was packing my things, that fake-sweet Tiffany from the office started with her passive-aggressive jabs: “Oh, some people just get lucky, find a rich boyfriend, and never have to work again. Just lie back and count the money.” I was already in a foul mood today, and she walked right into my crosshairs. Without a word, I walked over and gave her a hard slap across her face. The entire office went silent. “Is your mouth too busy with the boss last night to remember a toothbrush?” I glared at her, smiling like a villain. “I saw you, you know, in the breakroom. Tsk, tsk, quite a show.” Tiffany’s face instantly flushed red. She clutched her cheek, unable to utter a single word. I grabbed my box and walked out, leaving everyone gaping in shock. I was done playing nice. That very evening, Julian heard about my resignation and immediately came rushing over, practically tripping over himself, his eyes gleaming. “Valerie, my darling, you finally came around!” He hugged me, ecstatic. “Come be my secretary. We can be together every day, office play, whenever, wherever…” I suppressed a wave of nausea, pasting a fake smile on my face, tracing circles on his chest. “Oh, you’re so naughty. I’ll be shy.” Inside, I was thinking: *Play that with your mother!* He was utterly consumed by desire, immediately dragging me towards the bed. I was about to lose it, about to break character, when I had a sudden idea. I clamped my legs together, wincing, and looked at him with a pained expression. “Honey, I can’t… my period just came.” Julian’s movements froze. The desire on his face instantly morphed into irritation and suspicion: “Didn’t you just get it last week?” “Oh, you know, I’ve been so stressed lately, my cycle’s been a bit irregular…” I blinked my innocent eyes, internally awarding myself an Oscar for that performance. Though annoyed, he didn’t force it. He just went to the bathroom for a cold shower. The next day, I officially started at Julian Hayes Enterprises as the President’s Special Assistant. The moment I stepped into the company, I felt countless eyes on me: jealous, contemptuous, waiting for a show. Whatever. I was here to cause trouble, not make friends. I leveraged Julian’s favoritism to familiarize myself with everything in the company. Which departments were key, which executives were his loyalists, which surveillance cameras were broken. Everything was going according to plan. Until the third afternoon of my employment. I was pretending to bring him coffee, passing by a meeting room, when I heard a voice inside. It was Ashley Roberts. My heart sank. Wasn’t she fired ages ago? What was she doing here? I quietly pressed my ear to the door, catching Julian’s assistant talking to someone: “…Don’t worry, the Ashley Roberts situation has been completely handled. All the core accounts she ever touched, I had everyone re-cover them three times with the new system. Even a god couldn’t find anything.” The USB drive Ashley gave us… was it fake? Or rather, was it just useless data now?

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It was the first day back home for summer break, and the house felt strangely empty. Then my mom’s texts flooded into the family group chat. “Your dad and I are taking Blake on a trip. You’re home alone. I’ll give you five bucks a day for living expenses.” “If it’s an emergency, I can add five more, but you need to submit a request three days in advance.” “Getting a summer job is humiliating. Our family doesn’t allow it.” They wouldn’t give me money, and they wouldn’t let me earn it either. I texted back, “You guys are spending tens of thousands on a trip, can’t you just give me a little more allowance?” The next second, my mom lowered it from five dollars to three. “You’re so stubborn. You won’t starve to death with a little less.” I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping me. If three bucks is their standard, then the million dollars I brought back this time has absolutely nothing to do with them! I’m a college student, and every summer I lug a mountain of luggage back home. This summer, I texted my mom three days in advance to let her know when I’d arrive. She read it but didn’t reply, and I didn’t think much of it until I walked through the front door and found the whole house deserted. The “Miller Family Chat” group hadn’t had any activity for over a week. I tapped my phone, sending the first message. “Where are you guys? I’m home.” Half a minute later, my mom’s replies started pouring in. “So you’re back, why bother texting? Your dad and I took your brother on a trip. There’s still leftover rice from two days ago in the pot. Heat it up and eat it. And don’t forget to scrub the pot clean for me.” “I left your allowance in the living room. Be careful with it.” “If it’s an emergency, I can temporarily transfer you five bucks, but you need to submit a request three days in advance. I’ll only approve it if the reason is reasonable.” At first, I didn’t realize the importance of that last sentence. Not until I followed my mom’s instructions and found a stack of cash on the coffee table in the living room. All crisp dollar bills. One… two… Exactly thirty bills. I almost admired my mom for specially going to the bank to get this stack of five-dollar bills. I quietly asked in the group chat, “150 dollars, for how many days of living expenses?” My mom instantly replied, “Days? That’s for the whole month, of course.” My head was spinning with questions. “That little? Do you want me to get a summer job to support myself?” But my mom kept on lecturing. “No summer jobs! It’s so humiliating, people will think we’re abusing you.” “Five dollars a day isn’t enough? When I was your age, I was already working to support a whole family. Not like you, always begging for money from your parents and being so greedy.” “Do you know how hard your dad and I work out there?” “When you’re not home, we’re practically living on ramen and tap water. Not like you, so extravagant, complaining about five bucks a day.” I stared at my phone, fuming. Because I’d just seen my brother’s latest Ins post: a photo dump of their trip to a fancy resort town. They were staying in a grand hotel, dining at restaurants where meals cost hundreds of dollars per person. Even the sunglasses my brother casually bought while shopping had a price tag of $1399 on the receipt. … I sent a text, cutting off her lecture. “You guys are willing to spend tens of thousands on a trip, but you only give me five bucks a day? Can’t you increase my allowance a little?” My mom didn’t text back. She called directly and started yelling the moment I answered, “You little brat, you dare complain? You should be grateful you even got anything! It’s perfectly fine if I don’t give you a dime. You’re twenty-two, still shamelessly begging for money and full of complaints!” She rattled on and on, not giving me a chance to speak. Until she finished with, “From now on, your allowance is three bucks a day. You’re so stubborn, you won’t starve to death anyway. When I get back, I expect to see you’ve saved sixty dollars, or I’ll beat you black and blue.” … She hung up without letting me say a single word. I stood there, seething. I turned around and saw the family photo on the table: my dad, my brother, and my mom, all hugging sweetly. I picked up my phone and dialed. “Please help me deposit a million dollars into an investment account. I don’t need it right now.” I had originally brought a sum of money back to give them a surprise. But they… They don’t deserve it.

Unknown to my parents, I’d already had two years of work experience, and my game studio had been running for almost a year. While other college students were enjoying their university life, I’d been washing dishes and tutoring since freshman year. That’s because my parents, in an era where the average living expense was fifteen hundred dollars, only gave me five hundred a month. I still remember what my mom said when she gave me my first allowance in freshman year: “You’re grown up now, you need to learn to be filial to your family. You can’t spend all this money at once; you have to buy gifts for your family on holidays.” Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays… Eventually, even for Halloween or Easter, she’d demand I buy things for home. If a gift was under two hundred dollars, I’d get chewed out something fierce. So I had no choice but to work part-time. That’s how I met Lucas Scott, an upperclassman from my department. Lucas was two years my senior but had already inherited his family’s major corporation, becoming a famous young CEO in City A. Initially, I worked as his assistant at his company. Later, a project I tried developing myself caught the eye of the higher-ups. After winning a few hundred thousand dollars in prize money, I quit directly to start my own business. When my studio created its first game, Lucas and I also made our relationship official. I had originally planned to tell my parents about my company today and bring Lucas home tomorrow. But now— Forget it. I’d rather go back to the studio and work more. Lucas and I had been out enjoying ourselves quite a bit this past month. On the same day I went back home from City A to get my stuff, my parents also returned. The moment my mom walked in, she started yelling, “Harper, get out here and help me unpack!” I slowly walked to the living room and saw they were loaded with shopping bags. “Bought so much? Did your tour group rip you off with all this?” My dad immediately rolled his eyes. “You don’t know squat! This is thousand-year-old ginseng! Even the richest CEO’s wife can’t get this quality. It was only 6,888 dollars. How is that being ripped off?” Besides the ginseng root, I also saw lingzhi mushrooms, silk blankets, frozen seafood, and more. “Right, right, I’m just ignorant. You guys know best.” “You little brat, what’s with that attitude?” My mom glared at me, then walked up to me and held out her hand. “Where’s the rest of your allowance? The sixty dollars?” I shrugged. “Spent it all.” “How can you be so wasteful with money? What expenses could you possibly have at home? You didn’t save a single cent of the hundred and fifty!” My mom kept criticizing, but I just silently pulled out a water bill receipt and put it in front of her. Exactly one hundred and fifty. I thought she’d stop there, but I didn’t expect her to retort, “Who told you to be so nosy?” Me: ? “Is paying the water bill your job? Since you love paying so much, from now on, the electricity and water bills will be deducted from your allowance.” “Also, you’re graduating next year. It’s time to prepare for marriage.” I told her with a straight face, “I’m definitely working after I graduate. I’m not in a hurry to get married.” Who knew she’d just shove a photo at me? “This is a guy your Aunt Carol introduced. His name is Chester Blackwood. His family is very well-off. You’ll meet him in a few days.” Looking at the photo of the greasy, heavy-set guy with a puffy face, I clenched my fists. “This guy’s at least forty, isn’t he? Are you insane to set me up with him?” My mom glared at me, then slapped me hard. “He’s only thirty-one!” “You little brat, watch your tone! I raised you all these years, not for you to defy me!”

I emphasized it many times, “I have a boyfriend. Don’t set me up on blind dates.” But the next morning, as soon as I woke up, I saw a living room full of people. Chester, the guy from the photo, was wearing a wrinkled white shirt, grinning foolishly in my direction. “Is this my wife? She’s so pretty!” I practically shrieked, “Mom!” “What are you screaming for?” My mom walked up beside me. “What good-for-nothing boyfriend did you find in college? Chester’s family owns a factory, two houses, and he’s their only child. Won’t all their assets be yours?” Before I could say anything, my brother eagerly called out, “Brother-in-law! I just saw a new skin in my game, can you buy it for me?” “Of course, no problem!” A whole noisy crowd swarmed me, touching my waist and even my butt. They had absolutely no respect, constantly talking about me having babies and how many sons I’d deliver. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I rushed back into my room and slammed the door shut, ignoring the chatter outside, and buried my head in my phone, texting Lucas. “I’m going back to City A. Can you help me tidy up my place?” Once I heard the people outside gradually disperse, I came out of my room again. I still stressed to my mom, “I haven’t even graduated college yet. Don’t even think about selling me off for some ‘marriage payment.’ I won’t ever obey you.” “You little brat, why are you so arrogant? If it weren’t for your dad and me, would you even be in this world? You ungrateful wretch!” My brother was casually playing his game nearby and blurted out, “Sis, just go with it. This brother-in-law is so generous, he just bought me two thousand dollars worth of skins.” “Exactly, what’s so bad about getting married early?” “Harper, you wasted so much money going to college. We’re setting you up for life, and you’re so ungrateful.” I nodded, trying to calm my anger. “Fine, there’s no talking to you.” I turned and pulled my suitcase. “I have something I need to go back to school for. We can talk about this later.” But before I could take two steps, my dad grabbed my suitcase. “You’re not going anywhere! I already promised Chester you’d go out with him. If you run off now, how am I supposed to explain?” I turned to my dad. “You mean you want me to go out alone with Chester?” I sighed. “What if he abuses me?” My mom immediately chimed in, “That would be wonderful!” She looked smug. “If you can get pregnant with Chester’s baby early, you can become a rich lady sooner, and our family’s living conditions will improve too.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298451”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller