Category: English

During a live stream, someone sent me a hundred expensive gifts. Their only request was to watch me eat in person. When they arrived, I realized they weren’t alone. There was also a handsome guy with a pale face and an extremely thin build. The beautiful lady took out a thick red envelope. “If you can get him to take just one bite, this $1,500 is yours.” I didn’t know severe anorexia existed in this world. I methodically ate all the food on the table. Finally, I licked my lips and looked longingly at the steak in front of him. “I… I’m still hungry. If you’re not going to eat it, can I have it…?” His pupils trembled, and his bony hand pressed down on the plate. He even picked up the bowl and took a few sips of mushroom soup. The lady beside him watched with tears in her eyes. But I only stared at his unfinished bowl. “Um, are you not going to finish that? Can I drink it?” He looked at the table full of empty dishes. Silently, he moved a little to the side. The beautiful lady tried to help me out, “Bella, are you still hungry?” I scratched my head and nodded sheepishly. “Well, the portions here are a bit small. Each plate only has this much.” She looked at the dozen or so empty plates on the table and quietly ordered another table full of food. My eyes lit up. This place is so delicious, the mushroom soup is to die for. Soon I finished everything again. The handsome guy saw me constantly eyeing his bowl with desire. He couldn’t help but take a few more sips. I wiped my mouth and started eating the fruit platter. Zach finally couldn’t help but ask. “You can still eat fruit?” I looked at him curiously. “Fruit is so delicious, why wouldn’t I be able to eat it?” He reached out and put a slice of honeydew in his mouth. I felt a pang of regret in my eyes. Unconsciously, I pulled the fruit platter closer to myself. The beautiful lady’s eyes were full of excitement. She grabbed my hand. “Bella, I’m begging you, please eat with my son every day.” “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll cover all the food expenses. You just need to be there.” “$15,000, how about $15,000 a month?” It turned out the handsome guy had anorexia, and it was so severe he needed IV fluids. I looked at her in surprise. Was there really such a good job? Seeing I didn’t respond, she said, “Is that too little? $30,000 then.” Zach suddenly let out a light snort. “Mom, let’s go. If we don’t leave soon, she’ll have nowhere to purge!” I stared at him blankly. You can insult my character, But don’t insult my eating habits. If there weren’t four eyes watching me, I’d be a bit embarrassed. I could still eat another table full. Food is so precious, I never waste it.

Don’t be fooled by my ordinary appearance as a small-time mukbang streamer. But I never purge. “Eat More Today” is my online username. My real name is Bella Tang. But I’ve never felt full since I was little. So be careful when choosing names, okay? It’s not that my family was poor. They say I cried day and night when I was a newborn. My mom almost went crazy. Until my grandma came to visit and made me a full bottle of milk. I only stopped crying after drinking it all. My mom was puzzled why my formula intake was over ten times the feeding guidelines. It’s like I was literally starving for a month. They say my first word was “eat food”. My mom always says, There’s nothing in the house I haven’t tried to chew on, except the toilet. Everyone in the family eats from bowls. But I use a pot. Because it’s too tiring to keep going back for more food each meal. All the buffet restaurants in my hometown have circulated my photo to their staff. As soon as I show up, they pay me to go eat at their competitors! My parents even took me to the hospital, but the doctor said I was very healthy. He said some people are just born with big appetites and good digestion. During my teenage years, I tried to eat less like other girls. But by afternoon, I would feel dizzy. By the next meal, I couldn’t pretend anymore. The bowls of rice I ate could stack up half a meter high. My classmates were stunned by how much I could eat. They said I was born to be a mukbang streamer. It turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. My mom always worried I wouldn’t earn enough to feed myself after getting a job. But I do, I do. After all, how can eating not be included when your job is to eat? After graduation, I couldn’t find a job, so I started livestreaming my daily meals. Somehow people started treating me as a mukbang streamer. In reality, I was just eating normally. Although my stream doesn’t have as many viewers as the big streamers, it’s steady. Many fans say they’ve never seen a streamer who broadcasts three meals a day like me. More punctual than an alarm clock. And I chew slowly and enjoyably. They praise me for making eating look so delicious! Of course, I always eat on time, sleep early and wake up early, never picky about food, and enjoy every bite. Many people treat me as their virtual dining companion. I picked up the red envelope Mrs. Quinn gave me. “Thank you so much! I need to go digest now!” Her eyes lit up with curiosity, “Digest?” Zach had an “I knew it” look on his face, “Eating so much and still so thin, heh.” I patted him. “You eat too little. Your stomach is empty. Otherwise, we could go together.” Mrs. Quinn looked excited. “Why don’t I come along? Can I see the secrets of this industry?” I was a bit confused. Don’t rich people know how to digest after meals?

I led them along the street and started walking. Clapping my hands in front and behind while walking. “Walk a hundred steps after meals, hey, live to ninety-nine, hey!” Then raising and lowering my arms, crossing to pat my shoulders. “Rotate to balance yin and yang, boost yang and strengthen the body!” Then snapping my fingers with both hands. “Snap snap, worries go away, hey!” Half an hour later, I closed my eyes contentedly. Mrs. Quinn’s pupils were shaking. “This is what you meant by digesting…?” Zach’s expression was like he’d seen a ghost, his lips pressed tightly together. I nodded. “Don’t you know how to digest after meals?” “I do this set of after-meal walking exercises every day.” Mrs. Quinn suddenly jumped up. She quickly pressed another envelope into my hand. “Good, good, good. Here’s $1,500. Please eat with him for a month first.” “I’ll also arrange for a chef to come. You can have food made according to your requests.” Look at that, I have to brag to my mom. People who know how to eat always have good luck! $30,000 a month! Mrs. Quinn insisted on sending me home. The next day, she sent Zach to live across from me. “I thought about it. Going to my place might make you uncomfortable. Sending him to you is more convenient.” “His nickname is Big Strong. He’s a year younger than you.” She left without looking back after saying that. That’s when I realized they had bought the apartment across from me overnight. They really are wealthy… When will I become one of the rich people in this world! I looked at Zach, whose thin legs looked like ostrich legs. “Big Strong?” He slammed the door shut with a bang. Then opened it a crack, speaking haughtily. “My name is Zach.” Oh well, I told you to be careful when choosing names! Diligent eater, he doesn’t eat! “Okay, Big Strong!”

The next morning, I prepared breakfast. Then I knocked on Zach’s door. Seeing the table full of food I had prepared, Each dish in colorful plates, His handsome face looked as pretty as my plates. What’s that phrase? A feast for the eyes. I had Zach sit at the other end of the long table. Then I set up my phone on a stand and started the livestream. My regular viewers know my streams are very quiet. I only say a few words. “Hello everyone, it’s breakfast time! Here are today’s delicious dishes.” “Bella is going to start eating.” Then I focus on enjoying the food. I first took a bite of the yam, hawthorn and date cake. The sweet and sour taste really opens up the appetite. Zach sat across from me. As I kept chewing and chewing, He couldn’t help but pick up a piece of cake too. Then he drank some porridge just like me. I watched him slowly and robotically mimic my movements. I couldn’t help but share. “Big Strong, I pickled the side dishes myself. They’re super fragrant!” Suddenly comments started flooding the stream. “Is the streamer eating breakfast with someone else today? So last night…??” “Wah, my little cabbage has found a pig.” “Who is it? Which pig dares to go after my soft and tender bun!” I laughed and explained. “My little brother is visiting. I’ll be eating with him for a while. He won’t be on camera. The stream content won’t change!” “Oh it’s her brother. The streamer is so cute, her brother hehe, let us see him too.” “I just like watching the streamer, don’t distract us.” “It’s her brother, that’s fine then. As long as it’s not a pig going after a cabbage.” “Too bad my son is only in first grade, otherwise streamer you should wait for him.” The comments often make me laugh. After I finished eating everything, I ended the stream. “All done, bye bye, see you at lunch!” As I was cleaning up the dishes, Zach stood in front of me with narrowed eyes, his voice rising. “Little brother?” Though thin, he had a large frame and broad shoulders, completely blocking the kitchen entrance. “Little brother Big Strong, what’s wrong?” I pushed him aside. As I expected, no chest muscles. Disappointing. “You…” He moved away from the door, changing the subject. “Other people do product promotions all day. Do you earn enough to cover how much you eat?” I opened my phone to show him the viewer count. Now I have over a thousand people watching me eat every day. Although I never promote products or make big money, I can at least break even. He really knows how to hit where it hurts. I gave him a long look. He let out a light snort and raised his head, not saying anything more. I started doing my post-meal exercises. “Big Strong, join me! When you eat food you made yourself, it feels different.” I went up to him to teach him the movements. His fingers were so long, like a hand model’s. I couldn’t help but pinch them! He pulled back slightly, his ears turning suspiciously red. “What… what are you doing?” “I’m teaching you! You have to do it like this, pound your tiger’s mouth to strengthen your spleen and stomach.” He acted annoyed. But following my one-two-three-four rhythm, his hands also moved a bit. Like a 90-year-old grandma doing the tango in a wheelchair – 10 beats behind! Just then, a voice suddenly came from the door. The door opened with an angry shout. A bouquet of roses was thrown to the ground.

“Bella Tang, what are you doing?” “Is this the wild man who sent you 100 expensive gifts and is now your top fan?” “You’ve even brought him home?” I was stunned by the scolding. Yes. Besides having a talent for eating since I was little, People always said I was slow to react and not very smart at other times. My ex-boyfriend Chris rushed up to Zach, trying to grab his collar. A flash of darkness passed through Zach’s eyes. I quickly blocked him. With Big Strong’s small frame, He might get flipped over if Chris grabbed him. “Chris, what are you doing at my place?” Chris glared. “Bella Tang, I’m your boyfriend!” “You’re talking nonsense. We broke up long ago. How did you get in?” Chris stuck out his neck. “We may have broken up but we can get back together. I’ve taken the initiative to come find you. Let’s make up.” “Did you move on so quickly? And with someone like this? Like this…” ?? He looked Zach up and down with disgust. Deliberately rolling up his sleeve. Showing off a bit of his bicep. “This skinny dog! Bella Tang, have you gone blind?” His words were inappropriate. Big Strong may be thin, but his face is whiter than a girl’s, with slightly messy bangs. A high nose bridge, and lips that look… Like peach-flavored mochi, very delicious. I shook my head. Gosh, what am I thinking? I used to think Chris was handsome enough, but comparing them side by side, tsk tsk, better not compare. “What nonsense are you spouting?” “We broke up long ago. If you dare come again, I’ll… I’ll call the police to arrest you!” Chris stormed out, slamming the door. “Bella Tang? Are you sure?” “I gave you a chance!” “Who else could put up with how much you eat!” I kicked the flowers at him. My hand shook as I closed the door. I frowned, how did Chris have a key to my place? I turned to see Zach striding into his apartment across the hall. As he closed the door, he left a crack, revealing a mocking eye. “Ex-boyfriend? Your taste really is bad!” “I suggest you change your lock.”

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I woke up as a lioness, with three little cubs already nestled in my belly. To raise my kids, I hid the fact that I was married and a mom, then joined a pride. The pride was migrating, and I was utterly exhausted, rushing through the night, clutching my cubs in my jaws. I clung to the group like a lifeline, terrified of falling behind. The Lion King looked like he had something to say, then finally blurted, “You’re moving so fast, aren’t you afraid of losing your cubs?” I prayed the cubs wouldn’t be born too soon. At least not during the dry season. But fate had other plans. I gave birth on the scorching sand, under a blazing sun. Three fluffy little cubs crawled around. All I could see was dry, yellow earth. It hadn’t rained for five months. “Mom, brother scratched me!” “I didn’t scratch her! I just touched her. The rock was hot on my paw, so I shifted.” My cubs bickering was a common occurrence. I lay on the ground, my paws acting as cushions. “Mommy, there’s a mommy over there too.” What was this kid talking about? I followed his gaze and saw a musk ox leading her calf across the plains. “Oh my god, such a big ox! Run, kids!” I shot up instantly, snatched the smallest cub in my jaws, and bolted. I huffed and puffed, charging forward, my cubs struggling to keep up. The more I thought about it, the more something felt off. I slowly started to slow down. I smacked myself on the head. I’m a lion now! I should be hunting that musk ox! By the time I regretted it and looked back, the musk ox mom had already led her calf to safety.

My head was spinning from hunger. My cubs were also wobbly on their feet, lacking milk. The vast, scorching grassland stretched endlessly under the blazing sun. A sudden wave of dread washed over me. If we continued to starve, it would only take one day and night for this land to claim us. I had no choice but to learn to hunt like the lions I’d seen in animal documentaries. I gritted my teeth, enduring the hunger, and trekked dozens of miles. Finally, I caught two voles. They were barely a snack, but at least I had milk now. I rushed back without stopping, eager to feed my cubs, but then I saw three fluffy heads peeking out from behind a dune. “Mommy, look! So many lions.” Kai, the second cub, looked envious. “If we follow them, we’ll definitely get enough to eat.” “Don’t say that!” Finn, the eldest, gave him a small swat with his paw. “We won’t starve with Mom, either.” *Rumble…* Finn’s little belly inconveniently growled. I stood on the dune, gazing into the distance. Across the wide plains, a massive pride was slowly moving. Behind them, the boundless land stretched, and an orange sunset hung in the distant sky. I knew deep down that my cubs had no chance of survival with just me. I clenched my paw and slammed it against the ground. I’m going all in!

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In the final stages of cancer, my only chance at life-saving chemotherapy was bought out by Frank and given to Rachel, who was in the early stages. I gave up on the doctor’s life-saving plan and swallowed strong pain-blocking medication. The price was organ failure and death in 3 days. During these 3 days, I gave up everything. When I handed over all my hard-earned assets to Rachel, my parents smiled with satisfaction. When Frank presented the divorce papers and I signed without hesitation, he sighed and said I was very understanding. When I pushed Lily to call Rachel “mom”, she excitedly said mom was the best. Even when I gave all my properties and assets to Rachel, they didn’t notice anything wrong. They just looked at me with contentment and said, “Our sensible Chloe has finally come back.” But I’m also curious, will they remember me after I die? Under the doctor’s pitying gaze, I swallowed the pain-blocking medication. I had 3 days left to live. After taking the medicine, I went to Rachel’s hospital room. Inside, Dad was peeling an orange for Rachel while Mom chatted with her. When they saw me enter, the smiles on my parents’ faces instantly turned cold. “What, done pretending to be sick and here to pick on Rachel again? Chloe, I’m warning you, don’t you dare bully Rachel while we’re here!” Dad glared at me, his tone icy. “Our Wilson family has always had strict discipline. I don’t know where you learned such bad behavior, being jealous of Rachel and even trying to steal her treatment opportunity,” Mom scolded, pointing at me. “If I had known, I never should have given birth to you!” In a corner hidden from my parents’ view, Rachel smiled at me, her eyes full of provocation. I lowered my gaze. I had heard these words from my parents countless times before. In the past, I would have argued with them and exposed Rachel’s true nature in front of everyone, even though my parents never believed a word I said. But now I was tired, too exhausted to fight anymore. “Well, it’s good you’re here. I have something to discuss with you,” Dad spoke up. I smiled faintly. “Dad, I have something to tell you too.” “Doesn’t Rachel want my store business and company? I’ve thought it over – she can have it all!” Dad was stunned for a moment. Mom also looked at me in surprise. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about this today? You agree?” I forced a smile. No wonder they were shocked and kept confirming. Rachel had wanted my hard-earned businesses for a long time. My parents had said all kinds of things, good and bad, trying to get me to hand over my life’s work to Rachel. But I had always refused. Now that I was dying anyway, these things meant nothing to me. Seeing I looked serious, Mom finally smiled in relief and stepped forward to pat my head. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Rachel has always been more talented than you, even when you were in school. Although she’s sick now, her financial management skills are better than yours,” Mom said. “We’ll feel much more at ease if you let her take over your stores and company.” I forced another smile and handed the transfer documents to Rachel. After seeing Rachel sign, my parents happily held my hands, calling me a good child over and over. I felt a hint of bitter irony in my heart. How laughable – only when I gave in to Rachel would Mom smile at me. But I was also curious – if Mom discovered Rachel’s true nature after I died, would she and Dad regret it? That evening, I returned home to find my husband Frank and daughter Lily cooking in the kitchen. Perhaps because of my late-stage cancer, I closed the door softly. The father-daughter pair seemed not to notice, laughing as they cooked together. Frank turned around with a plate of food and saw me. His smile froze for a moment before returning to normal. “Chloe, when did you get back? I didn’t hear you come in.” I silently looked at the dish in Frank’s hands – stir-fried vegetables, Rachel’s favorite. The presentation rivaled that of a professional chef. How ironic. I was about to die, and only now did I learn that Frank, my husband of 5 years, could cook. In the past, he always complained about my cooking. Under Frank’s influence, Lily gradually started criticizing me too. I had worked so hard for this family, but in the end, I didn’t earn an ounce of respect. In the past, I might have started screaming hysterically by now. But now I just calmly walked past them and sat on the couch, sorting through the things in my bag. Seeing my silence, Frank hesitated for a moment. He put the dish on the table and walked over. “Chloe, there’s something I want to discuss with you today.” Frank rubbed his nose awkwardly, hesitating before continuing: “It’s about your sister Rachel.” My heart sank. A bad feeling suddenly washed over me. Frank’s next words left me stunned: “After Rachel finishes her cancer treatment, she’s been feeling very depressed. So your parents suggested I marry Rachel to cheer her up.” My ears were ringing. It took a long time before I found my voice again. “So… you agreed?” Frank sighed. “Chloe, even though Rachel isn’t your biological sister, she’s still family after your parents adopted her. It’s just to cheer her up. Once Rachel is discharged, I’ll still be your husband and Lily’s father.” Before I could speak, Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Mom. Aunt Rachel has been so sad lately. You need to understand!” I silently looked at the father and daughter in front of me. This was the man I had loved for years. This was the child I had raised with such difficulty. I had never done anything wrong. I had given my all to my family, husband, and child. I could face them with a clear conscience. In the end, this was how they repaid me – with betrayal. But it didn’t matter now. If Rachel wanted everything, I would give it all to her. I didn’t want any of it anymore. I raised my head to look at Frank. “Alright, I agree.” Frank’s eyes flashed with surprise. “Really?”

He quickly took out divorce papers from a drawer and placed them on the table. I smirked inwardly. Oh Frank, you can’t even bother to hide your impatience? I picked up the pen and quickly signed my name. After signing, Frank’s face was full of relief. His expression was solemn yet affectionate. “Chloe, once Rachel is discharged, we’ll remarry. Don’t worry, I’ll never let you down!” Frank finished speaking and signed the divorce papers as well. After signing, he looked at me and sighed. “Chloe, you’ve become much more sensible than before. I’ve made mistakes in the past too. I was wrong. After Rachel gets better, I’ll never let you worry about anything again!” “That’s right, Mom!” Lily chimed in like a little adult. “Mom is so good to Aunt Rachel. I’m proud of you!” Looking at them, my heart turned to ashes. Before this, I had held out one last shred of hope for Frank and Lily. But now… Forget it. I had no expectations left, except for death. I stood up, intending to go back to my room to rest. A wave of intense dizziness hit me. I couldn’t help but faint. In the last moment before everything went black, I saw Frank’s worried face. I was jolted awake by a wave of cold. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself still lying on the floor. Frank and Lily were looking at me with disappointed expressions. “Dad, I told you Mom was faking again!” Lily said. “Mom, can you stop being so childish? You’re really holding us up from going to visit Aunt Rachel at the hospital!” Faking? Frank also spoke up with disappointment: “Chloe, can you stop making a scene? I already told you, even though we’re divorced, you’re still the one I love. There’s no need to use such childish tricks to test me!” After hearing Frank’s words, I finally understood. The pain-blocking medication I had taken would suppress all symptoms for these 3 days. During this time, I would look like a normal, healthy person. But the side effects were severe. After 3 days, I would die from organ failure. It seemed the medication was working quite well. I forced myself to stand up. “It’s probably just low blood sugar. I’m fine. I’ll go to the hospital with you. There are some transfer documents Rachel still needs to sign.” Frank nodded. There was no surprise on his face. My parents must have told him in advance. At the hospital, Rachel was watching TV in her room. “Chloe, you’re here!” Rachel’s face was still very pale, but her spirits seemed much better. However, I didn’t miss the smugness and arrogance in her eyes. “Chloe, thank you for trusting me to manage your businesses. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Chloe. With Rachel managing your stores and company, you can stay home and collect dividends every day. How nice!” Mom said with a smile. I took out the remaining documents from my bag. “In that case, I’ll let her manage all my assets too. That way I won’t have to worry about anything in the future.” Everyone in the room froze. “Chloe, are you serious? You want to give Rachel all your assets?” Frank grabbed my arm, his eyes full of shock. This time it was my turn to be confused. In the past, they had always sided with Rachel. Whatever Rachel wanted, they gave her. If I refused, they would berate me endlessly. How come now that I was giving Rachel everything, they suddenly didn’t understand? Dad was the first to recover. His eyes were full of approval. “This child has finally come to her senses! Our efforts in raising you weren’t wasted!” “Chloe, it’s good that you’ve learned to accept your sister now,” Mom added. “From now on, you two can live well together. Even when we’re old, we can rest easy!” Rest easy? Dad, Mom, you’ve been fooled by Rachel’s act for too many years. Do you really believe Rachel will manage everything well? My head started spinning again. My nose felt itchy. When I touched it, I realized it was a nosebleed. “Chloe, why are you getting a nosebleed? The weather isn’t even dry,” Mom asked. I paused as I wiped the blood. In the end, I couldn’t help but look at them and speak: “Dad, Mom, if I really died from illness one day, would you regret it?” But Mom’s expression didn’t even change. She just smiled and glanced at me. “Your face looks so healthy, how could you possibly die from illness? Don’t say such unlucky things!” “Yes, Rachel is different. We need to make sure she gets proper nutrition once she recovers!” Dad said, looking at Rachel with concern. “I agree!” Lily chimed in. “Mom looks so healthy. Aunt Rachel is the one we’re most worried about!” The last glimmer of hope in my heart disappeared completely. I had nothing left to look forward to… I lowered my head to look at Lily and smiled as I spoke: “Lily, didn’t you always want Rachel to be your real mom? I agree now. Rachel is your mom now. Why don’t you call her ‘Mom’?”

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In the dead of night, my husband held me close and suddenly remarked with emotion: “You look so beautiful with your hair down like this.” His eyes were full of affection, but I felt as if I’d plunged into an icy abyss. Because I always sleep with my hair down every night. A week later, I went for a prenatal checkup and ran into a woman. Her high ponytail and the necklace she wore caught my eye. It was identical to the one Zachary had given me on our anniversary. “Honey?” Zachary suddenly filled my field of vision. “It’s our turn, shall we go in?” I shifted my gaze to his face. His expression was normal, as if he hadn’t noticed that woman at all. Nor had he realized that the necklace around her neck was the same as the one he’d given me not long ago. I nodded and turned around. He stepped ahead to open the door for me. Unexpectedly, as soon as I sat down, his phone rang. “It’s a work call, might be important. I’ll step out to take it.” Zachary had recently joined the board of directors at the company’s branch office, but today was Monday, and there was an unmissable executive meeting at headquarters that he had to attend. However, to accompany me for the checkup, he had still managed to take time off. All these years, he had always put my needs first. When I saw freshly made mooncakes online from thousands of miles away and craved them, he flew across the country to buy them for me that very day. When I had insomnia and couldn’t sleep, he changed his flight while on a business trip to rush back and keep me company. In all our time together, he had never made me shed a single tear. We were known among our friends as the model couple, but I knew that this was all thanks to his tolerance and compromise. He cared about me too much and was too good to me, consistently for seven years. So much so that even now, I could clearly catch the fleeting nervousness on his face as he looked down at his phone. “We’re past the danger period now, everything looks good.” I walked out of the examination room clutching the results. The woman was no longer outside. Zachary came over to meet me. “Finished so quickly?” I instinctively took a step back. Zachary never wore cologne; he knew I didn’t like the smell. But now, there was suddenly a faint sweet scent on him.

Zachary seemed to notice my reaction. He stopped where he was without coming closer, and asked about my test results. “Is everything okay? That’s great.” “Pregnancy is so tough, once the baby is born, I’ll take some time off and we’ll go on a trip together.” “Your appetite hasn’t been great lately, I’ll make you something fresh for dinner tonight.” On the way home, he chattered away. I responded to each comment. The car stopped at a red light. Zachary gripped the steering wheel, his fingers unconsciously fidgeting. “Honey, I might need to go on a business trip soon.” I turned my head to look at him. His hand suddenly tightened on the wheel, and he forced a smile. “To Africa. Once I’m done with work, I’ll look for some local folk art pieces for you.” As an antique restoration expert, those things naturally appealed to me. Zachary knew this – he had always been intimately familiar with my likes, dislikes and habits. So, it was actually quite strange that he had given me such a flashy necklace for Valentine’s Day. And it turned out to be identical to someone else’s. “When are you leaving?” “In two days, probably.” My phone buzzed. I looked up amid the sound of car horns. The light had suddenly turned green. The summer heat was intense. A fly crashed into the windshield, its abdominal patterns swirling and tangled. My stomach churned for no apparent reason. “Honey, are you alright? Do you want to go to the hospital?” The car pulled over to the side of the road. Zachary shielded me from the sun with his body while gently patting my back. He stared at me with concern, his face full of genuine worry. “I’ll tell the project lead to send someone else. I’ll stay home with you.” I looked up and smiled. “Go ahead, work is more important.” He pressed his lips together without saying more, and pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket to hand to me. The texture was soft, with a sweet scent. “We ran out of the usual ones. I bought these at the convenience store when I stepped out to take the call. Didn’t realize they were scented.”

I asked Zachary to drop me off at my studio. I was feeling better, and it was time to continue working on the white porcelain bowl I had taken on recently. No one was allowed in my workspace, so Zachary waited outside. “I’ll come pick you up after work then.” The cicadas buzzed incessantly in the summer heat. I stood by the window watching his car drive away, my fingers sliding across my phone screen to dial Henry Zhang’s number. He was my mother’s former student who had joined the company with my father’s help, and later became Zachary’s assistant. Personnel changes were strictly regulated in government-invested companies, and there hadn’t been any new hires around Zachary recently. “There’s a new project bidding in Africa, and management arranged for him to lead the team.” After hanging up, I opened the summary of medical records sent by my friend at the hospital. That woman from today was completely ordinary, with no connection to Zachary whatsoever. In fact, she didn’t even seem to be Zachary’s type. I looked down at my belly. I’d heard that due to hormonal changes, pregnant women tend to become sensitive and suspicious. Was I overthinking things? To be fair, Zachary had been beyond reproach towards me. Last year, I took on a job that required a rare restoration material. He cancelled his work to accompany me on a trek through the mountains to find it. On the way, there was a landslide with mud and rocks pouring down. His first reaction was to hold me in his arms, using his body as a shield to protect me. Zachary was an only child from an average family who had lost his father early on. His mother really hoped he could have a child to carry on the family line. After we got married, when he brought it up to me, I casually replied, “Have you seen how difficult childbirth is?” He actually went and researched all kinds of information, learning about the risks of childbirth, and even specially experienced simulated labor pain. After that, he never mentioned children again. I don’t know how he persuaded his mother, but when I accompanied him home, no one brought up the subject to me either. Until that accident. That day, when he woke up in the hospital, I stroked the scars on his back and suddenly made up my mind to have a child with him. Zachary was silent for a long time, then held me tightly in his arms. He hugged me very close, but I couldn’t see the expression on his face.

After finishing gluing the entire bowl back together, I received a message from Zachary. He had to work overtime unexpectedly. The sun was setting outside, and the aging process couldn’t be completed in a short time either. My mother had once taught me that care and love in a marriage should be reciprocal, not just one person giving unilaterally. I ordered some of Zachary’s favorite dishes from our usual private kitchen restaurant and called a car to head to his office. On the way, I habitually opened my social media app. The homepage recommended a set of photos. I never follow celebrity gossip and didn’t recognize the actress in the photos. But the jewelry brand she was wearing looked familiar. It turned out that the necklace Zachary gave me was from a line she endorsed. As if possessed, I started searching for information about her. Former model, stage name Mia, started playing minor roles four years ago. Her resources suddenly improved last year, leading to her rise in popularity. The clouds merged with the setting sun, melting into gold. I opened the car window, letting in the cool evening breeze. It was on an evening like this last year when Zachary joined the board of directors and gained real power. My father opened a treasured bottle of wine to celebrate for him.

I called Neo. He was the client who commissioned the white porcelain bowl, and also the editor-in-chief of a well-known fashion magazine. Mia’s status wasn’t high enough to deal with him directly, but a top actress from her agency had recently been featured in his magazine. “She should have just finished filming a new drama recently. I heard she’s planning to vacation in Kenya in a few days.” “Why are you suddenly interested in celebrity gossip? Oh – she’s going to the same place as your husband.” The car stopped in front of Zachary’s company. I looked up. The office of the vice chairman was on the third floor in the center, now completely dark. Zachary, who claimed to be working overtime, was nowhere to be seen. “Where was she filming before?” Neo mentioned an obscure city name. I happened to have heard of it. Not long ago, Zachary went on a business trip there and brought me back an underglaze painted porcelain vase.

I found Mia’s latest gossip news. During a livestream to promote her drama, netizens noticed ambiguous red marks on her neck. CP fans went wild, while someone who seemed to be a solo fan of the male lead argued in the comments. [Have you all forgotten? Last year she was photographed going home with a man late at night.] My phone screen suddenly went black, reflecting my face in the dark glass. Like a cockroach lurking in a dark corner. Zachary’s call came in. “Honey, you’re not at the studio anymore?” The work tasks were urgent and heavy, but he couldn’t bear to keep me waiting, so he rushed over to pick me up as soon as he got off work. At that time, I was already on my way here, just missing him. The food delivered from the restaurant was still warm. Zachary made two more appetizers for me and a pot of borscht. “Honey, I’ve been thinking, you need someone by your side right now. I won’t go to Africa after all.” I lowered my head to drink the soup, but it felt like something was suddenly stuck in my throat. Half an hour ago, I had just asked Neo to arrange an interview with Mia. For this, she cancelled her travel plans to Kenya.

After dinner, while Zachary went to cut some fruit, I turned on the TV. Soon after, he came out carrying a fruit platter, looking somewhat guilty. “Honey, Director Liu just called—” A sweet female voice came from the TV. Almost at the same moment, Zachary turned his head. Mia’s face appeared on the screen. “What’s wrong?” He seemed mesmerized, not moving for a long time until I spoke up. “I know this actress.” He sat down next to me, casually slipping his phone into his pocket. “She was my junior in middle school. I didn’t expect her to become an actress later. Last year when she saw news about me, she even reached out asking for help.” “What kind of help?” “Networking. She didn’t have any background and was struggling in the industry.” He handed me a piece of peach. “Don’t worry, I didn’t agree. I know that Dad put in a lot of effort to get me to this position. I won’t let him down.” “I didn’t tell you because I was too busy at the time, and we only chatted briefly. I didn’t think much of it at all. I’m sorry, honey.” His tone was natural and open as he explained his relationship with Mia. In contrast, I was the one hiding and probing, like a petty person who couldn’t be brought into the light. “Lena.” He suddenly called my name. “I finally managed to marry you. Everything I have today is hard-earned. I cherish it very much.” He hugged me, his heart pressed close to my cheek. I smelled the familiar clean scent again, which was reassuring. That night, while Zachary was in the shower, I sat on the bed scrolling through my phone. A few years ago, I had registered an account on a social media platform where I occasionally posted about my daily life as an antique restorer, as well as some of my paintings. I had gradually accumulated tens of thousands of followers, and every time I opened the app, there were quite a few private messages. About an hour ago, one of my longtime followers had sent me a message. [Lena, I’m so upset. I’m sick, but my boyfriend stood me up to go be with another woman.] I suddenly turned my head to look at Zachary’s phone charging on the nightstand.

In the kitchen, Zachary took a phone call. When he came out with the fruit, he had actually wanted to tell me he needed to go back to work. In the end, I didn’t ask what made him choose to stay home instead. Similarly, I didn’t touch his phone either. Zachary knew better than anyone that I couldn’t tolerate even a speck of sand in my eye. If he had really done something he couldn’t let me know about, he wouldn’t leave any traces in plain sight. I don’t like to drag things out – it’s either all or nothing for me. “Honey, I want to go to Zen Cloud Temple on Saturday.” Zachary didn’t have to work on weekends, so he happily agreed. I got up early, leaving before sunrise. As the car passed through the highway toll booth, I received a message from Neo. He had already taken Zachary’s car keys and was on his way to Mia’s house. On the day we arranged the interview, Neo had suggested going to her home first to shoot some behind-the-scenes material, as I had requested. He was an expert in this field and easily convinced Mia. The ancient temple stood amidst layered mountains. I climbed the steps one by one. As the clouds parted and the mist cleared, Buddhist scriptures chanted, and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s statue looked solemn yet compassionate. The fortune slip fell to the ground. — Young love of wine and flowers, unlike the old feelings. “Do you want to draw another one?” Zachary bent down to help me up. I turned around. Dark clouds obscured the sun above, as if a heavy rain was coming. A few minutes ago, Neo had driven Zachary’s car out of Mia’s neighborhood. Whether going in or out, he wasn’t stopped once while driving Zachary’s car.

I contacted the fan who had commented on Mia’s Weibo post before. The original post containing photos of Mia and the mysterious man going home late at night could no longer be found. But based on the information she provided, I tracked down the gossip account that had posted it. They refused to disclose any information, saying they couldn’t afford to offend the person involved. What kind of person would have such great influence? Before I could figure it out, I saw my own name trending on social media.

I do antique restoration work and have indeed made a small name for myself in the industry. I’ve also dabbled a bit in the antiques and painting circles, but I’m really not connected to entertainment gossip at all. Several trending topics on Weibo in a row were clearly targeting me specifically. The gossip accounts not only released my information and social media accounts, but also directly attacked my family. My family had made their fortune through antique research generations ago, but my father’s generation had switched to real estate and no longer dealt with those items. The poster persisted, saying my family’s assets were questionable, and even the fairness of my mother’s position as a university professor was debatable. There was no real evidence, but their ability to set the tone and stir up emotions was strong. In the blink of an eye, my account was flooded. Amidst a sea of insults, there were even some unconventional voices accusing my family of using money and power to coerce aspiring youth, disregarding law and morality. I had a good idea who they were referring to, and found the whole thing rather absurd. After carefully screenshotting and saving the content, poster information, and comments, I prepared to call my parents to give them a heads up. When I returned to the main page, the posts that had been at the top suddenly dropped to the bottom. I wasn’t sure if Zachary would protect me, but I was certain he couldn’t do something like this. I sounded out my parents, then contacted a few well-connected friends, but they were all clueless. In the end, it was my childhood friend Sophia who provided me with a clue. “Are you still in touch with Gabriel Hughes?” Those three words were like pulling a trigger, setting off an underground explosion as memories came flooding back. Ah, Gabriel Hughes. If it was him, he certainly had that kind of power.

Zachary had a work dinner tonight. Worried that my pregnancy nausea would make me dislike the food our housekeeper Mrs. Wang cooked, he specially got off work early to come home and prepare dinner for me. “I asked Henry to come along to help me fend off some of the drinks.” Henry’s car was parked outside waiting. While Zachary was busy in the kitchen, I invited Henry to come in and sit for a while. “Who would have thought? The boss is so stern and decisive at work, but at home he puts on an apron. It’s only for you, sister-in-law.” “This tea has such a unique flavor. Is it another one you brought back from your travels, sister-in-law?” I smiled without answering, and poured him another cup. Every time Zachary went on a business trip, he would bring me gifts. Sometimes luxury items, other times local specialties. The time before last, he brought me back a tea set and some locally produced tea leaves. It was also that time when he first went out of contact late at night. I was so angry I immediately scheduled an abortion for the next day, and even considered divorce. Zachary rushed back overnight and brought Henry as a witness. He said that during those few hours they were unreachable, they had been forced to drink a lot and both passed out, not realizing their phones had died. “So—” I took a sip of tea, sweet with a hint of bitterness and endless aftertaste. “You’ve never had this tea before.” After Zachary and Henry left, I set out as well. I drove Zachary’s car straight to Mia’s neighborhood. As Neo had said, the parking gate lifted automatically, and the security guard at the entrance smiled and welcomed me home. I parked the car under a tree. My phone vibrated with a message from Zachary. [Honey, I’ve arrived.] He also sent a photo of the dinner party and the location. I didn’t open it, because a minute later, he got out of a car and headed straight for Mia’s villa. I watched as he lightly pressed his fingertip to the door lock. The fingerprint was recognized successfully, and he pulled the door open to enter. Dark clouds gradually gathered, and the air felt humid and oppressive. By the time I caught my breath, I was already standing at Mia’s front door. The smart lock looked incredibly familiar – it was the exact same model we used at home. I instinctively entered our home password – the date Zachary and I got together. The door opened.

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Five years after we broke up, I heard Julian Albright was getting married. So, I finally felt safe enough to come home. But the moment I landed, he had me pinned against the airport wall. “Fake news. Just bait to lure you back.” “But I’m already married!” I declared, flashing my diamond ring, trying to sound tougher than I felt. He stared at the ring, then let out a low chuckle. “Then we’ll just live as three.” My jaw dropped. *What?!* Julian was getting married. When I heard the news, I was so happy I couldn’t sleep a wink. I booked a flight and was back the very next day. “Ugh, I’m finally back home!” The moment I landed, I called my best friend, practically wailing, “This foreign food was killing me! I’ve been dreaming of spicy crawfish, BBQ, hotpot, snail noodles, malatang, and bubble tea…” Just as I was excitedly telling Chloe, “This time, I’m reclaiming all my favorite foods!” a hand suddenly wrapped around mine. The next thing I knew, I was slammed against the wall. My phone clattered to the floor. I stared at the man in front of me, a head taller, radiating a cold, aristocratic aura. His bone structure was impeccable, his face so stunning it was almost ethereal. My mind went blank. Then, Chloe’s anxious voice came through the fallen phone. “Aria, stop rattling off food names! The news about Julian getting married… it’s fake! Run!” Me: … *Why didn’t you tell me before I walked into this?!*

I wanted to run, but Julian’s grip was shockingly strong. He wasn’t even using much force, yet I couldn’t break free. So, I just hunkered down, head bowed like a scared little bird, not daring to speak. I secretly peeked around, looking for an escape route. After all, when we broke up, Julian had sworn he’d kill me if he ever saw me again. I’d just managed to come back home! I hadn’t even had a bite of the food I’d been dreaming about for five years. I really didn’t want to die! “Nothing you want to say to me?” Seeing my silence, Julian gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. I was trapped, staring into Julian’s deep, beautiful eyes, now shimmering with unshed tears. My heart clenched, and my throat was thick with bitterness. I fought back the urge to cry, forcing the tears back, then turned my face away. My voice was cold and hard. “No.” With that, I struggled again, trying to push him away. “No?” Julian tightened his hold on me, his voice hoarse, with an almost imperceptible catch in it. “You truly are heartless.” Before I could react, he grabbed my jaw and kissed me, completely ignoring the people passing by. The moment our lips met, my eyes widened in shock. Julian’s kiss wasn’t gentle at all. It was punishing, almost vengeful, and I couldn’t break free. My tongue felt numb from the sheer intensity. In a fit of anger, I suddenly spotted someone in the distance pulling out their phone, about to record us. Almost instinctively, I bit Julian. He was unprepared, and his lip bled slightly. He looked momentarily stunned. That’s when I pushed him away and slapped him across the face. “Are you insane?!” I glared at Julian, reminding him, “You’re about to get married!” I’d put a good amount of force into that slap. Julian’s head snapped to the side. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, touched his bruised face, then pressed his bitten lip. He let out a low, soft chuckle. “It was just fake news to get you back.” I was completely dumbfounded. *Fake news?! So what was all this for? Had I just walked straight into his trap?!* I was too shocked to notice the flicker of twisted satisfaction and pleasure in his eyes after I’d slapped him. Then, Julian took my hand, kissed my palm tenderly, and asked if I was hurt. Me: *What?!* I’d slapped *him*, and he was asking if *my hand* hurt?! Something felt very wrong here! But I couldn’t think about that. My mind was consumed with avoiding a repeat of what happened five years ago. In a flash, I saw the diamond ring on my left hand. I collected myself and spoke again. “But I’m married.” The air instantly froze. Julian lowered his gaze, staring intently at the diamond ring on my finger, silent. Just as a chill ran down my spine under his intense gaze, Julian suddenly let out a low chuckle. “Then we’ll just live as three,” he said calmly, as if stating a perfectly reasonable solution. I was so startled I almost bit my tongue. “Are you out of your mind?!” *What did he mean, “live as three”?! Did he even know what he was saying?!* Still reeling from the shock, Julian effortlessly scooped me up into his arms.

Julian tossed me into the back seat of his Maybach and told the driver to drive. “Julian, this is illegal detainment!” My heart pounded faster as I watched him tell the driver to raise the privacy partition. Ignoring the fact the car was moving, I fumbled with the door handle, ready to jump out and run. But Julian was too quick. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. The car screeched to a halt. The sudden stop sent my body lunging forward, almost hitting the partition, but Julian swiftly caught me, pulling me back into his arms. “Are you trying to kill yourself?!” Julian held me tight, his arms trembling slightly, clearly shaken. His warm, familiar embrace made me momentarily lose myself. Memories flooded back, but immediately followed by the words of Julian’s mother. I closed my eyes, suppressing all the emotions welling up. Taking a deep breath, I pushed Julian away with all my might and sat in the furthest corner from him. Then, I deliberately twisted the knife. “Don’t hold me so tight. My husband will get jealous!” With that, I deliberately displayed the diamond ring on my finger. Julian’s eyes flashed with a momentary ruthlessness when he saw the ring, but it was so fleeting, I thought I’d imagined it. “Where’s he from?” Julian took a cold beer from the car fridge, opened it, and chugged it down, as if making idle conversation. “What?” I hadn’t registered the question at first. “I asked where your husband is from.” Julian crushed the beer can in his hand as he spoke. “Oh, right.” I caught on, thought for a moment, and said, “He’s French.” “Hmm, good. How old is he?” Julian casually pulled off the beaded bracelet from his wrist, fiddling with it as he asked, seemingly offhand. “Twenty-nine.” I replied, a little absentmindedly. *Was I imagining things earlier? I swear I saw a lot of scars on Julian’s wrist.* “Is he in good shape? How tall is he, how much does he weigh?” Julian pressed on. My thoughts were pulled back. “He’s in great shape. Six feet tall, and… about 165 pounds.” I was still a bit distracted and didn’t notice the increased urgency in Julian’s tone. “How did you two meet?” Julian followed up instantly. I racked my brain, paused for a few seconds, and continued to spin my tale. “He lost his wallet, and I lent him some cash, and then…” I hadn’t finished speaking when Julian cut me off. “Who else is in his family?” “…He has a mom and dad, and a younger sister…” My answers were starting to falter. Julian’s intense interrogation was making me incredibly nervous. He asked me seven or eight more questions: What does he like to eat? Where was your first date? What movie did you watch on your first date? Where do you usually like to hang out? What are his hobbies, what’s his favorite position, and so on. His questions were getting increasingly tricky. As I grew more and more anxious, Julian asked, “How old is he?” “Twenty-eight!” I blurted out. “And his height and weight?” Julian’s voice was rapid-fire. “Six-one! One-forty pounds!” The words tumbled out. As they did, I saw Julian’s fingers, which had been fiddling with his bracelet, still. He chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm, sounds like he’s in great shape.” My mind raced. Wait, something wasn’t right. What was going on?! **截断点** As I struggled to figure it out, Julian gently took my hand, slipped off my ring, and with lightning speed, replaced it with a cushion-cut pink diamond—it looked like it was easily over ten carats.

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When I woke up in the hospital, I suddenly realized I could see a number floating above everyone’s head. The number above my best friend Tiffany’s head was 206. My boyfriend Jason’s number was 34. After a passionate night with Jason when I returned home from the hospital, his number changed to 33. I realized the numbers represented how many times a person had had sex. Just as I was thinking this superpower wasn’t very useful, I attended Jason’s grandfather’s birthday party. Jason took my drunk friend Tiffany upstairs to rest. When they came back down, their numbers had changed to 205 and 32. I turned my head and saw Jason’s uncle Ethan coming down the stairs. The number above his head was… 1683. “Aria, are you okay?” Jason instinctively tried to cover up the red mark Tiffany had “accidentally” left on his neck. I glanced coldly at the “32” floating above his head, my eyes filled with disdain. They say men hit their sexual peak at 25, but it seems Jason was determined to prove that wrong. “It’s nothing,” I replied dismissively, turning my gaze to the glowing four-digit number above Ethan’s head. My interest was piqued. “How old is your uncle?” “He’ll be thirty after his next birthday.” Ah, thirty years old. The prime of his life, it seems. Noticing my odd expression, Jason wrapped his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, trying to appease me: “My uncle’s having a birthday party next week. Want to come?” “Sure,” I replied without hesitation. Jason glanced at Ethan, who stood a short distance away in an impeccable suit. With his sharp features, Ethan was the type to command attention wherever he went. Jason let out a small huff, jealousy evident in his eyes. “Aria, you’re not interested in my uncle, are you?” “Of course not. I can barely handle you, let alone anyone else,” I said, pinching Jason’s cheek and wriggling out of his embrace. I started walking towards Ethan. Jason was about to follow when Tiffany, who had just come downstairs, suddenly twisted her ankle. With a cry of surprise, Jason immediately turned to play the hero. I grabbed a drink and approached Ethan. “Uncle Ethan?” Ethan turned, frowning slightly when he saw me. “I’m Jason’s girlfriend, Aria.” “Aria?” Ethan’s deep, pleasant voice repeated my name. My heart fluttered as I heard him ask, “Which Aria?” “The one meaning ‘song’,” I replied with a smile, gazing into his eyes. Suddenly, a waiter appeared behind me and bumped into me. I stumbled forward, falling against Ethan’s chest. He politely steadied me by the shoulders, but the drink in my hand spilled all over him. “I’m so sorry, Uncle Ethan!” I exclaimed in panic, grabbing his wrist. “Let me help you clean up!” Somehow, Ethan found himself being pulled by me to the empty bathroom. I frantically dabbed at his clothes with paper towels, my face flushed bright red. “I’m so sorry, Uncle Ethan. I’m such a klutz. Is there any way to fix this?” I bent over to wipe his clothes, looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes. He looked down at me, our positions incredibly intimate as we stood there, until he finally cleared his throat. “There are spare suits upstairs. I can just change.” Ethan turned to leave but suddenly heard a soft sob from behind him. “I’m so useless. Jason will be so angry with me… Uncle Ethan, please don’t tell him, okay?” Ethan turned back to look at me, confused. “It’s just clothes.” I leaned against the edge of the sink, looking at him with teary eyes. “But I can tell Jason doesn’t like me as much anymore. He and Tiffany…” I bit my lip in shame, my lips trembling. Ethan sighed lightly, remembering Jason’s irresponsible behavior. “I won’t tell him.” My face lit up with a smile. “Thank you, Uncle Ethan!” Ethan’s expression froze for a moment. He said nothing more and left the bathroom. Only after he was gone did the smile slowly fade from my face.

After returning home, while Jason was in the shower, I grabbed his phone and quickly found Ethan’s contact information. I searched for the number on my own phone and sent a friend request. I was about to turn off Jason’s phone and put it back when it suddenly lit up with a new message. “You were so sweet today. Make sure to hide the gift I left for you well – don’t let Aria see it.” It was a message from Tiffany. I raised an eyebrow, putting the phone down without reacting. The next morning, Jason had already left for work by the time I woke up. He was interning at his family’s company, with Ethan as his direct supervisor. He didn’t dare be even a minute late. I had the day off from the hospital, so after getting up I went to the supermarket to buy groceries. I spent the morning cooking and prepared two lunch boxes. Then I drove to Jason’s office. Before leaving, I took a photo of the lunch boxes and sent it to Tiffany. “Tiffany, I spent all morning making lunch for Jason. What do you think?” Tiffany replied quickly. “That lucky guy! He must be over the moon!” I smirked, closed my phone, and drove off to the office. One of those lunch boxes was indeed for Jason, but it wasn’t made specially for him. On the contrary, I needed Tiffany to help distract Jason, my little stumbling block. Sure enough, when I arrived at the office, Jason’s desk was empty. His computer was still warm – he’d left recently. A helpful coworker nearby said, “Aria, Jason often goes to play games in Mr. Jiang’s office. Why don’t you check if he’s there?” Perfect. I smiled and nodded, then knocked on Ethan’s office door. “Come in.” Ethan didn’t look up until he sensed the person at the door seemed hesitant. Then he raised his head to look at me. “Aria?” “Uncle Ethan.” I called out timidly, glancing around the office. “Is Jason not here?” So she’s looking for Jason. Ethan lowered his eyes nonchalantly. “No.” “Can I wait for him here?” I asked carefully. “You may.” I entered the office with the lunch boxes. “Uncle Ethan, have you eaten yet?” Ethan continued writing, giving a soft “Mm” in response. “I made lunch. I prepared a portion for you too, to apologize for my rudeness yesterday.” I placed one of the lunch boxes on the desk and turned to look at Ethan. “Do you have any foods you don’t eat, Uncle Ethan? I cut the carrots into little dog shapes. They’re really cute.” Ethan put away his documents and moved to sit on the couch. I opened the lunch box and pushed it in front of him. “Try some.” Ethan took a few bites. Seeing me staring at him expectantly, he had no choice but to comment, “It tastes good.” “Thank you, Uncle Ethan. I’m glad you like it.” My gaze met his eyes. His eyes were very dark, with slightly downturned outer corners. As I looked at him, I glanced at the number above his head in my peripheral vision. It was still steadfastly at 1683. My heart began to pound like a drum. “Uncle Ethan, your eyes are so beautiful.”

Just as I finished speaking, the office door suddenly opened and Jason walked in. “Uncle Ethan…” Jason’s voice abruptly stopped. I quickly averted my gaze, lowering my head in embarrassment as my ears slowly turned red. “Aria, why are you here?” The strange atmosphere made Jason sense something was off. His tone was somewhat accusatory. “Why didn’t you wait for me outside?” “I told her to come in and wait for you,” Ethan said, putting down the lunch box and turning to look at Jason with a cold expression. “Where were you during work hours?” “I… I went to the bathroom,” Jason mumbled vaguely. He looked at the half-eaten lunch box on Ethan’s desk, and that inexplicable anger inside him rose up. For once, he gave his uncle a cold look. “Uncle Ethan, you ate my lunch.” “No, yours is right here.” I took out the other lunch box and handed it to Jason. Jason opened it and saw that his carrots were cut into heart shapes, while Ethan’s were just dog shapes. He let out a satisfied little huff. “Aria, let’s not disturb Uncle Ethan’s lunch.” With that, Jason took my hand and led me out of Ethan’s office. After we left, Ethan picked up his chopsticks again and looked down at the little dog-shaped carrots in the lunch box. The more he looked, the more annoyed he felt. He ended up throwing them in the trash. Outside the office, Tiffany came to greet us. “Jason, you’re so lucky! Why don’t I ever get to eat Aria’s homemade lunches?” Tiffany said teasingly. I coldly observed the number 204 above Tiffany’s head and the 31 above Jason’s, inwardly sneering. At some point, Tiffany had started calling Jason by his first name instead of “that guy.” Now I realized I’d noticed too late – they’d been hooking up for a while. Tiffany had gotten her job at the company through my recommendation. It seems I’d invited the wolf into our home. “The lunch isn’t a big deal. Soon enough, you might be eating at our wedding,” I said happily, looking at Jason. Jason’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Aria, you’ve agreed to marry me?” “We’ll see how you behave,” I said lightly. “I have to get back to the hospital for work, so I can’t stay for lunch. Tiffany can keep you company.” With that, I turned and left, ignoring Jason’s elated expression and Tiffany’s pale face behind me. The show was just beginning. I couldn’t bear to end it so quickly. That evening, Jason came home two hours later than usual. I sat on the couch reviewing some medical files while waiting for him. I heard him open the door. “Honey, I’m exhausted…” Jason looked refreshed but acted worn out as he collapsed into my arms, hugging me and mumbling complaints. I gently stroked his hair, glancing at the number above his head out of the corner of my eye.

It seems Tiffany was even more impatient than I’d imagined. I looked down at Jason’s handsome, sunny face and the dark circles slowly forming under his eyes. With a mix of pity and mockery, I lightly caressed his cheek before pushing him away. “Did you work overtime today?” “Yeah,” Jason lied smoothly. “Uncle Ethan gave me so many tasks. I’m exhausted, baby. Give me a kiss…” I ruthlessly pushed away his approaching face and stood up to turn off my computer. Jason’s eyes filled with hurt. “Aren’t we getting married soon? Why are you being so cold, honey? Don’t tell me you can resist my perfect body when it’s right in front of you?” “How could I?” I answered absent-mindedly. “Of course we’ll get married, but have you proposed yet?” Jason’s eyes immediately lit up again. “I will! Of course I will!” I smiled and patted his cheek lightly. “Wash up before you come to bed.” Then I got up and went to the bedroom to sleep. … Jason moved quickly. He was the type to wag his tail and beg for praise after doing even a small good deed. Although he hadn’t told me the date of the proposal, I’d already guessed based on his behavior. Of course, I shouldn’t be the only one who knew about this. While out shopping, I “accidentally” told Tiffany about Jason’s upcoming proposal. “He’s so silly, preparing everything in secret and thinking I don’t know anything. But there are so many holes in his plan.” I smiled happily, pulling Tiffany close and “sincerely” sharing my joy with her. “Tiffany, I feel like he’s the one for me. You can see how much Jason loves me, right?” “Right,” Tiffany nodded absent-mindedly, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. On the day of the proposal, Jason tricked me into going to the venue under the pretense of meeting friends. I carefully chose a white dress and opened my chat with Ethan, which so far only contained greetings. “Uncle Ethan, I think Jason is going to propose to me today. I’m so happy!” Ethan didn’t reply, but that didn’t stop me from sharing my joy. I sent him photos of the decorated venue, along with a smiling emoji. As I expected, I waited until after 8 PM but Jason never showed up. His phone was turned off. Heartbroken, I sat alone at the venue drinking a lot of alcohol. As I was preparing to leave, I accidentally twisted my ankle. Crying, I called Jason. He finally answered. “I’m so sorry, Aria. I had an urgent matter come up and couldn’t make it. I promise I’ll make it up to you when I’m done!” “Jason, I’ve twisted my ankle… I can’t move…” Flashes of lightning crossed the summer night sky, and the rain started pouring down unexpectedly. “Aria, find somewhere to take shelter from the rain. I’ll send someone to pick you up!!” The call was hurriedly ended. I stared at the black screen of my phone, my expression gradually turning cold. After sitting in the rain for a long time, headlights finally flashed nearby. A car stopped not far away, and Ethan got out with an umbrella, stopping in front of me to shield me from the rain. “Jason asked me to take you home.” “Uncle Ethan…” I started crying pitifully. “It hurts so much…” Ethan frowned and bent down to check my ankle. The rain was getting heavier, so he had no choice but to pick me up and carry me to a nearby hotel to get a room first. In the air-conditioned elevator, our two rain-soaked bodies were pressed tightly together. Ethan’s burning body temperature enveloped me, and my face turned red and hot. I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or desire affecting me. After entering the room, Ethan set me down on the couch and got a towel to dry my hair. My head softly leaned against his waist, and I was almost falling over on the couch. He bent down and caught me in one smooth motion. I opened my eyes and looked at him hazily. His face was very close to mine, so close that I could hear his breathing. “Uncle Ethan, thank you…” I drowsily moved closer. “I like you so much…” My cold lips slowly pressed against his. They were so hot and soft. My fingers trembled as I involuntarily grasped his hand. Ethan’s previously restrained hand somehow relaxed, interlacing our fingers… In the heat of the moment, his hand unconsciously gripped my waist tightly. I cried out in pain. “Honey, be gentle…” Ethan’s eyes darkened, his voice hoarse: “What did you call me?”

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The day the cruise ship sank, raging fire and thick smoke billowed. Everyone fought frantically for the last lifeboat spot. I clung to the railing, my knuckles white, but Seraphina, right beside me, acted as if I wasn’t even there. She frantically searched through the crowd for my younger brother, Caleb Stone. Finally, she shielded him in her arms and pushed him onto the lifeboat. When she looked back at me, the tenderness in her eyes vanished. “Caleb isn’t mentally stable; he can’t handle this.” “But I’m your therapist. I know your willpower—it’s incredibly strong.” She promised, “Once he’s settled, I’ll be right back for you.” But even as the ship exploded, and I was dragged into the icy waves, my mind fading, before I completely sank, her figure never appeared. Years later, we met again. Seraphina looked at the child I was holding, her eyes blazing red as she gripped my wrist. “I told you to wait for me! How dare you have a child with another woman?!” Seven years later, I stepped onto the ferry heading for that very ocean again. The sea air tasted salty and raw, whipping up waves that crashed against the hull with a dull thud, an echo of that sinking ship’s final wail seven years ago. I stood on the deck, my son Leo’s hand in mine. This time, it wasn’t for sightseeing, but for a formal farewell to the past. I was back, a new man. “Daddy, the ocean is so big!” Leo looked up, his small face beaming with excitement, pointing at the distant seagulls. I ruffled his hair, smiling, the gloom in my heart lifting a little with his cheerful laughter. But that calm was shattered by a disbelieving female voice. “Liam Stone?” My body froze. The voice seemed to come from a century away, blurry and distant. I hadn’t seen Seraphina in seven years. Instinctively, I pulled Leo closer, turning to duck into the cabin. But Seraphina was faster. She lunged forward, gripping my wrist in an iron vice. I looked up, meeting those familiar eyes. Once, they held so much tenderness. Now, only raw fury burned there. Her gaze dropped to Leo beside me, her pupils instantly shrinking. “A child?” Her voice trembled. “I told you to wait for me. Is this how you waited?” “How dare you have a child with another woman?!” She shrieked, drawing the stares of curious passengers around us. Leo, terrified by her distorted face, went pale. He clung to my leg, whimpering, “Daddy, I’m scared…” My heart ached. I pulled my son protectively into my arms and coldly yanked my wrist free. “Ms. Blackwood, please show some respect. We’re long past having any relationship.” “No relationship?” Her bloodshot eyes were filled with mockery. “Liam Stone, is your heart made of stone? I searched for you for seven years! Seven years! You hid away, had a kid with some other woman, and now you’re telling me we have no relationship?” Before she could finish, a tall, slender figure rushed forward and tightly hooked an arm around hers. It was my dear brother, Caleb Stone. He looked at me, a flicker of venom flashing in his eyes. “Bro, it’s really you! We all thought you…” He choked up mid-sentence, his eyes welling with tears at just the right moment. “It’s so wonderful you’re alive!” “We took this ferry because Sera wanted to come mourn you. We searched for you for seven years, we thought you were already…” He put on a performance of genuine emotion, then his tone shifted. His gaze lingered on me ambiguously, and he spoke with clear insinuation: “Bro, where have you been all these years? When the ship went down, did you get stranded on some deserted island all alone, with some wild woman…?” He didn’t finish, but his scornful look said everything he left unsaid. Seraphina’s face darkened further at his words. She looked at me as if I were something vile. “I kept myself pure for you for seven years, and you debased yourself like this!” She pointed at the ocean, her face contorted in anguish. “I came here every year, hoping to find a trace of you! But where were you? Living it up somewhere else!”

Her twisted version of events made me laugh, a bitter, angry sound. She was the one who pushed me into the abyss, and now she dared to question me, playing the victim. How dare she? Seeing my cold silence, her emotions flared even more. She reached out, ready to grab me. “Tell me, who is that woman?!” I dodged her, wanting nothing more than to get my son away from this toxic scene. Just then, her gaze locked onto the red string on my wrist. Instantly, her expression softened, a triumphant smile touching her lips. She smiled, a smile of absolute certainty. “I knew it,” her voice softened. “You still care for me. You kept this red string.” A wave of pure disgust welled up inside me. She thought I’d spent seven years, wearing her love token, yearning for her return. But she didn’t know the one she gave me had snapped and vanished the moment I plunged into the freezing depths, just like my dying heart. This red string on my wrist was given to me by someone else. A woman who reached out to me when I was lost in the depths of despair. Seeing my silence, Seraphina’s smile widened. She confidently reached out to touch the red string, but I sidestepped, avoiding her hand. Her hand froze in mid-air, her face coloring slightly, but she quickly plastered on that facade of deep affection. “Liam, I know you’re still angry with me. But I had no choice back then.” She glanced at Caleb, who looked somewhat helpless beside her. “Caleb… you know, he can’t be without me.” Caleb immediately lowered his head, trembling slightly, playing his part. “Bro, don’t blame Sera. It’s all my fault… If it wasn’t to save me, you wouldn’t have…” I was too tired to argue with them. I just wanted to leave with my son. “Leo’s feeling a bit seasick. I need to take him to rest.” My voice was ice cold. “Bro, now that we’ve found you, how can you not come home with us? Mom and Dad have missed you for seven years, they’ve cried their eyes out, practically blind from weeping!” Caleb immediately grabbed me, putting on a show of being a dutiful son. “Can you really bear to let them keep grieving?” He brought up our parents, and I couldn’t refuse. After all, they were my parents. Even if they’d caused me endless pain, the ties of blood were still impossible to sever. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Seeing this, Seraphina immediately tried to eagerly help with my luggage, but I coldly refused her. Her expression faltered. Caleb seized the moment, hooking his arm through hers, and mouthed silently to me: *See? She’s still mine.* I just found it pathetic. What he wanted, I had long since stopped caring about. The plane landed in Coast City. Back in that familiar yet strange home, my parents were overjoyed to see me, tears streaming down their faces. They hugged me, repeatedly checking if I was truly safe and sound. “It’s good you’re back, so good you’re back, my son…” My mother sobbed, breathless. This long-lost warmth made me waver for a moment, as if all those neglected years were just a nightmare. However, a single sentence from Caleb instantly slammed me back to reality. “Mom, Dad, look, big brother didn’t just come back himself, he brought a kid too.” He pushed Leo forward with a beaming smile, his tone innocent yet utterly venomous: “Big brother is really something, surviving alone overseas, must’ve been tough, huh? I hear things are pretty open over there… easy to accidentally become a dad, with such a big kid at such a young age.” The air instantly froze. The surprise and affection on my parents’ faces froze, replaced by pure disgust in their eyes when they looked at me. They believed him. Just like before. They didn’t hesitate to believe Caleb’s most vicious slander against me. Leo couldn’t understand the adults’ complicated expressions. He only knew these were the grandparents he’d learned about in his books. He looked up with his innocent little face, opening his arms and babbling sweetly, “Grandpa, Grandma, hug.” The child’s pure smile seemed to melt the ice in my parents’ hearts. They hesitated for a moment, then bent down and picked up Leo. Caleb saw this and shot me a venomous glare.

That evening, after I settled Leo to sleep, Caleb pushed open the door and walked in. The facade he wore during the day was gone, replaced by raw, naked jealousy. “Liam Stone, why didn’t you just die out there? Why did you have to come back?!” He hissed, his face twisted in a snarl. “To steal Sera from me, to steal Mom and Dad’s affection?!” I watched him calmly, like he was nothing more than a petulant clown. “I didn’t come back to fight you for anything. This home, too, take it all if you want. I don’t care.” “You don’t care?” He cackled shrilly, “If you don’t care, then why is Sera still obsessed with you? If you don’t care, what’s with that red string on your wrist? Don’t think I don’t know, Sera knitted that for you herself!” I said calmly, “The old me would have fought you. Because I thought those were the only life rafts I had.” “But now I understand. Something that’s already rotten, no matter how tightly you cling to it, will only drag you down with it.” My calmness completely enraged him. “Don’t act so high and mighty! Liam Stone, don’t forget, everything you have today, I gave you! If it weren’t for me, you’d have died in the hands of traffickers!” His words were like a sharp knife, brutally tearing open my already scarred wound. Bleeding profusely. When I was seven, he and I were both kidnapped. On the run, the traffickers caught up to us. I desperately clung to the trafficker’s leg, biting off a chunk of flesh with all my might, screaming for him to run, to go find Mom and Dad to save me. I thought he was going for help. In that dark, foul-smelling cellar, I was tortured beyond recognition, praying day and night for someone to save me. I waited for a long, long time. It wasn’t until the traffickers snatched another little girl in a pretty dress, and her family used immense power to track them down, that I was incidentally rescued. Only when I got home did I realize Caleb hadn’t gone for help at all. He told Mom and Dad that I’d wandered off by myself, being too playful. When I confronted him, he cried, saying he was too scared, too scared to speak. And my parents just held their trembling son, then turned around and blamed me: “Your brother is scared stiff. You’re back safe and sound, isn’t that enough? Why are you still holding this against him? Ultimately, wasn’t it your own fault for running off that you got kidnapped in the first place!” From that day on, nightmares plagued me every night—the traffickers’ gruesome faces, my helpless screams. I developed severe PTSD. Mom and Dad finally felt a flicker of guilt towards me. But just then, Caleb claimed he was also sick, that he had nightmares every night too. And so, all their care and affection were once again poured onto him. While I became the gloomy, paranoid, unlikable son. Until Seraphina appeared. She was my therapist. She patiently listened to all my pain, gently guiding me out of the darkness. I clung to her like a drowning man to a straw, falling in love with her. But that salvation soured the day Caleb started seeing her for therapy too. She started calling me paranoid and suspicious, saying I was jealous of my brother, claiming I was just seeking sympathy. Later, we had a huge fight because Caleb deliberately harmed my pet dog, and we got into a car accident. I instinctively shielded her, but ended up with a leg injury, walking with a slight limp. She embraced me, full of guilt, promising she would treat me well from then on. I believed her. It wasn’t until that burning cruise ship, when she chose Caleb without hesitation, leaving me alone in a despairing inferno, that I truly woke up. A person rotten to the core could never bloom into a flower facing the sun. I looked at the hysterical Caleb before me, my eyes ice cold. “You’re right. Everything I am, everything I’ve become, is thanks to you.” I said, every word dripping with ice, “So, what you owe me? I’ll collect it all back. Every single cent, with interest!” He was stunned by the cold in my eyes, frozen in place. Finally, with a bravado that quickly faded into fear, he spat, “You just wait,” and stormed out.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed beside me. Leo was gone. My heart clenched. A wave of immense panic instantly seized me. I burst out of the room, searching frantically through the house. “Leo! Leo, where are you?!” In the living room, Caleb was leisurely sipping coffee. Seeing my distraught appearance, a triumphant, cold smirk played on his lips. “Bro, what are you looking for so early? Did your little bastard son go missing?” I lunged forward, grabbing his collar, my eyes blazing red. “Where did you take Leo?!” “I don’t know.” He blinked innocently, but the defiance in his eyes was crystal clear. “Maybe he missed his wild woman mom and ran off to find her? After all, a bastard child is always starved for love.” “Caleb!” I shrieked hysterically. “I’ll kill you!” Just then, the front door swung open, and Seraphina walked in. What she saw was me, tearing at Caleb like a madman. While Caleb wore a look of utter grievance, his eyes rimmed red. “Liam Stone! What madness are you on about now?!” Seraphina rushed over, shoving me away forcefully, pulling Caleb protectively into her arms, her face filled with concern. “Why do you always have to target Caleb like this? What has he ever done to deserve this from you?!” I stumbled backward from her shove, hitting the wall. A searing pain shot through my leg. But at that moment, I couldn’t care less. My hands shaking, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. The call was answered almost instantly. A calm female voice came through. “Liam, what’s wrong?” “Anya…” My voice choked, I could barely speak. “Leo… Leo’s gone!” “Don’t be afraid.” The voice on the other end instantly turned utterly calm. “Stay right where you are. I’m on my way. Tell me the address.” I hung up, feeling as if all my strength had drained away, collapsing to the floor. Seraphina looked at me, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain. “Keep acting. Go on, keep it up.” She sneered, “Liam Stone, your tactics are still so pathetic. To provoke me, you not only got a child, but now you’ve got a woman pretending to be your wife?” “What, did you rent that kid? Is the lease up today, so now you’re claiming he’s missing?” Caleb burst into an exaggerated laugh, echoing, “Yeah, bro, your acting is totally fake. Sera, don’t fall for it. He just wants to make you jealous, he wants you back.” Seeing the nauseating faces of the couple before me, pure rage consumed me. “If anything happens to Leo,” I lifted my head, glaring at both of them with burning hatred, “I’ll make your lives a living hell!” Seraphina scoffed, about to launch another taunt, when the front door burst open with a loud bang. A group of bodyguards in black suits streamed in, quickly securing the entire living room. Immediately after, a figure walked in, silhouetted against the light. She walked straight to me, took off her coat and draped it over me, then gently helped me up from the cold floor and pulled me into her embrace. Then, she lifted her eyes, her sharp gaze sweeping over Seraphina and Caleb, who stood frozen. Her thin lips parted, her voice chilling. “When my husband wants to make someone’s life a living hell, does he need to put on an act?” The entire living room fell into a deathly silence. The mockery on Seraphina’s face instantly froze, her whole body rigid with shock.

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The day after my sister Olivia gave birth to her child, she was ready to quit her job to focus on taking care of her family. I advised her to return to work after her maternity leave, telling her that financial independence gives women strength and confidence. But during her first week back at work, her husband Jack fell in love with Alice, the single mother living next door, and insisted on getting a divorce. Jack blamed Olivia for not knowing how to take care of their child or how to comfort her husband, calling her a useless trophy wife. Even their baby rejected Olivia, only drinking Alice’s breast milk. Olivia blamed everything on me. In her fury, she broke into my house and threw me into the swimming pool to drown me while I was unconscious from sleeping pills. When I opened my eyes again after death, I had somehow returned to the past – specifically, to the day I advised her not to quit her job. It was as if I had been given a second chance at life, a chance to change the course of events. The house was a mess. Olivia sat dejectedly on the sofa, sighing. When she saw me come in, she finally smiled: “Thank God, Lydia, come help me quickly! Since having the baby, the housework has been growing like weeds. It’s driving me crazy!” Meanwhile, her husband Jack was sitting in a chair, leisurely enjoying his breakfast. He was still complaining: “It’s just some trivial housework. How hard can it be? Do you have to whine about it every day?” Their baby was lying on the floor, wailing loudly and persistently demanding his mother’s embrace. If this were before, I swear I would have helped her without hesitation. But now, with the knowledge of what was to come, I just stood calmly in place, pretending not to hear what she said. “Lydia! Why are you just standing there like an idiot? The dirty dishes in the kitchen are calling your name. Can’t you hear them?” Olivia complained to me in frustration. But I remained standing in place: “Sis, isn’t this the life you love? How could I possibly interfere with your plans and interests?” Olivia was shocked that I would treat her this way. She stared at me with reddened eyes: “I’m your own sister! It’s bad enough that you won’t help me, but how can you say such hurtful things!” “If you came here just to laugh at my misery, then get out!” Jack put down the newspaper in his hand and spoke up in displeasure: “I never imagined you were this kind of person, just standing there like a statue to gloat over your sister’s suffering.” So he was aware of Olivia’s pain. Yet he chose to do nothing and was now scolding me instead. How hypocritical! I looked at Olivia’s face: “I hurt myself rock climbing yesterday. The doctor advised me not to do any housework. Sorry sis, you’ll have to handle this on your own.” I took out the fake medical report I had prepared in advance. With this proof, she couldn’t keep demanding that I help with the chores. Olivia put down the broom in her hand. “Why didn’t you say so earlier, silly girl! Of course your sister cares about you! In that case, come back and help me tomorrow instead.” I couldn’t help but smile. If she truly cared about me, she wouldn’t have killed me in my previous life. I looked at her face. After all, this was the sister who had loved me when we were young. I still couldn’t help but speak up: “Sis, family and career don’t have to conflict. Maybe you could find a job first to gain some financial…” “Lydia! Is this how you help your sister? Taking care of the family is her job!” Jack angrily stood up and interrupted me. The baby on the floor also started crying loudly: “I don’t want mommy to leave! Mommy has to stay home with me!” This chaotic environment was giving me a headache! But Olivia smiled happily: “See, Lydia? They both need me so much!” “I can understand your cold-heartedness. Sometimes you’re just jealous of my happiness.” Seeing her satisfied smile, I felt a chill run through my body. I made an excuse to leave this hellhole. But halfway out, I realized I had left my purse behind. When I returned to the doorway, I was shocked to find Jack passionately kissing Alice next door. The two were inseparable. And my nephew Tommy was hugging Alice’s leg: “Mommy! You’re my real mommy! That other woman is just our free nanny!” This scene completely stunned me!

“What are you doing?!” I rushed over to pull them apart. Jack saw me but showed no guilt. Instead, he became furious: “You again! You’re nothing but a troublemaker!” Little Tommy grabbed my wrist and bit down hard: “Troublemaker! I’ll bite you to death! How dare you ruin my daddy’s fun!” I was so angry. I kicked open the door and rushed to Olivia. I recounted everything I had just witnessed. But not only did my sister not believe me, she questioned me instead: “Lydia! Why are you telling such lies?! How could you slander my husband and son like this?!” I stomped my foot in frustration: “I swear, every word I said is true!” “Lydia! Do you really have to destroy my family? My son and I love my wife so much!” Jack walked in and pushed me aside, pulling Olivia into his arms. He kissed her forehead: “My little angel, you are the light of my life. How could I ever betray you?” Olivia smiled sweetly: “See, Lydia? He loves me so much. My family is so happy. Why are you always so determined to ruin everything?” This scene made me want to vomit! He was kissing another woman just seconds ago! “Mommy! I don’t like Aunt Lydia! Please don’t let her come to our house anymore!” Tommy whined. Tommy was Olivia’s puppet master. She immediately pointed a broom at me: “Lydia! Get out! We don’t need you here!” I was so angry I saw red: “Fine! I don’t want to stay here either!” After leaving, I still couldn’t bear to let Olivia be deceived. I spent a lot of money to obtain the security camera footage from that day. I sent it to Olivia. Olivia was furious. She had a huge fight with Jack at home, even smashing all the furniture. She called me crying late that night: “Lydia! Can you come pick me up? I don’t want to stay in this house for another minute!” I was so happy that Olivia had finally come to her senses. On that stormy night, I drove for two hours to finally reach Olivia’s house. I will never forget! The moment I knocked on the door with my soaking wet body! Olivia was actually cuddling in Jack’s arms, acting coy! I stood there and shouted: “Sis! How can you be so intimate with him?!” Olivia heard my voice and looked displeased: “Lydia! This is your brother-in-law!” “I admit we had a misunderstanding earlier, but he’s explained everything to me! We’ve made up. Aren’t you happy for me?” Oh God! I had driven at top speed on the road, nearly getting into an accident. All to rescue her from this hell. But now she said she wasn’t leaving! “No! Sis! Have you forgotten he kissed another woman?” I still wanted to save her. But she frowned and lectured me: “He was just helping blow a bug out of her eye! Your brother-in-law is such a kind person!” I wanted to say more, but she pushed me out the door: “Thank you for your concern! But it’s late now, we need to rest! Please don’t disturb us!” I was actually locked out! Alice happened to be taking out the trash. When she saw me, Alice smirked smugly: “Idiot!” On that rainy night, my heart was completely broken.

A few days later, I received a call from Olivia: “Lydia! There was a thief in the house! I’m so scared right now!” “All my money was stolen! I really need you!” My tone was cold: “Don’t you have your beloved husband? Why are you calling me?” Olivia sobbed: “He’s been working overtime for many days. I don’t want to trouble him further.” “Please, all my money and jewelry are gone! I feel like dying!” When I drove over, she was sitting on the steps outside crying. Seeing me, her eyes lit up with joy: “Thank God! Lydia! You finally came!” “I was wrong last time. I’ve been wanting to apologize to you. Please forgive me!” I didn’t accept her apology. Instead, I went inside to check. There were no signs of anything being ransacked. “Are you sure there was a thief? Why is everything still perfectly in place?” Olivia became more anxious: “If there was no thief, then where did all my money and jewelry go? That was all my savings!” Looking at her face, a bold idea formed in my mind! “Maybe… your husband took the money!” Olivia immediately shook her head: “It definitely wasn’t him! He would never steal my money!” I suggested Olivia call him. At that moment, Alice came out of her house. I was shocked to see Olivia’s necklace around her neck! I grabbed her wrist and shouted at Olivia: “Sis! I found the thief who stole your things!” Olivia angrily slapped Alice. The two quickly got into a physical fight. A kind neighbor called the police. Jack arrived with the officers. Alice’s face was covered in marks left by Olivia. She was crying pitifully. Olivia threw herself into Jack’s arms: “Darling! I’ve been so wronged… Ah!!” Jack actually slapped Olivia! “You crazy woman! What have you done?! How could you treat our neighbor like this?!” Jack pushed her away and rushed to check Alice’s injuries. Olivia sat helplessly on the ground, crying loudly: “Why did you hit me?! She’s a thief! She stole my necklace!” Jack was furious: “I gave that to her voluntarily! You’re so stupid!” “She helps take care of our child when we’re not home. Doesn’t she deserve some thanks?” Olivia’s face turned red: “Darling! I didn’t know that was the truth!” Jack was still yelling at her. Olivia suddenly pointed at me: “It’s all Lydia’s fault! She tricked me into thinking Alice was a thief, that’s why I hit her! Blame Lydia!” I stared at her in disbelief: “Sis! How can you push all the responsibility onto me?!” “He clearly stole your things and gave them to Alice! How can you not understand something so simple?!” Olivia ignored my explanation. She started throwing things at me: “You deliberately made me fight with someone else to make my husband hate me! How can you be so vicious?!” “Get out! I don’t have a sister like you!” Between me and her husband, she chose that man again! “Don’t regret this!” I turned to leave. Behind me, she was still explaining to him: “Please, darling, I’ll never see her again! I can’t live without your love!”

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Zachary Shaw insisted I take care of his adopted sister Lily when she caught a cold. I refused, so he threw our son Alex out on the street to force me to comply. After I moved in, Alex and I were crammed into the attic, overrun with rats and mosquitoes. Zachary meticulously listed Lily’s preferences to me: “Lily doesn’t eat cilantro, so don’t put any in her food. Cut hard foods into small pieces – her stomach is sensitive.” “Don’t give her anything spicy, cold, or sour when she has a cold. She’s good at using me as an excuse to trick people, so be careful.” I silently noted it all down, agreeing to leave once Lily recovered. He halfheartedly agreed, but then turned around and bet Lily how long I would last. “This obedient dog will come running back as soon as I call.” Little did he know, when I said I was leaving, I meant never coming back. 0 “Zachary, I’m leaving once she’s better,” I said firmly. Zachary seemed taken aback for a moment. After a pause, he replied impatiently, “No one’s stopping you. Just don’t bother Lily.” He took Lily upstairs, leaving Alex and me busy in the kitchen. Perhaps as punishment, at lunch Zachary made me feed Lily. I carefully followed her preferences, alternating between spoonfuls of rice and soup. “Waaah Zach, it’s so hot!” Lily cried, ducking into Zachary’s arms. Before I could react, the bowl of soup was thrown at me. “Aria Montgomery, you knew the soup was scalding hot but still fed it to Lily. Are you trying to kill her?” Zachary snapped. I didn’t explain, but Zachary acted strangely. “Give this bowl of soup to Alex,” he ordered. He personally ladled out a bowl and handed it to our son. Before it could cool, Zachary had someone force it down Alex’s throat. I watched Alex’s face turn red, suddenly remembering the soup contained shrimp. “Zachary, stop! Alex is allergic to shrimp!” I cried. He acted like he couldn’t hear me, forcing bowl after bowl until Alex collapsed on the table, struggling to breathe. I tried to take Alex to the hospital, but Zachary had his men hold me back. “Make another batch of soup for Lily. You can leave once it’s cooled down.” I knew I couldn’t resist. Otherwise, my son’s life would be in Zachary’s hands. I obediently made four dishes and a soup, frantically fanning it to cool it faster. Lily waved her hand dismissively, complaining that dust had fallen in the soup. Over and over, I made batch after batch. She was finally satisfied and let me go. I grabbed Alex and called an Uber outside, telling the driver to get to the hospital as fast as possible. But we were still too late. Alex’s esophagus was severely damaged and required hospitalization. Before I could get Alex settled, Zachary called demanding I return. When I refused, he sent men to forcibly bring me back from the hospital. “Lily says she wasted the soup you made, so she specially made a new batch. Don’t be ungrateful.” I glanced at the still-steaming soup in the kitchen. “What do you mean?” Lily pulled me into the kitchen with fake sincerity. “Sis, I was careless earlier and Alex ended up in the hospital because of me. To make up for it, I made you a special batch. You absolutely can’t say Lily’s cooking is bad.” She stuck out her tongue playfully, giving me no chance to refuse. As soon as I touched the edge of the bowl, my hand jerked back. Lily immediately put on a pitiful act, blocking Zachary’s view. Then she pushed the bowl to the floor. “Ow! It hurts, Zach…” Before I could react, Zachary shoved me to the ground. “Aria Montgomery, what did you do to Lily?” I didn’t see any injuries on Lily, if only Zachary had looked closer. But he didn’t. My palm was embedded with shards, instantly staining the tiles red. I looked up to see Zachary already carrying Lily upstairs. Nestled in his arms, Lily flashed a smug smile. 0

Back in my room, I bandaged my hand, listening to Zachary’s voice in the hallway. “Our Lily is the best, isn’t she? Just put on some medicine and you’ll be all better. Be good, okay?” “I promise, tomorrow I’ll bring you everything you like.” In seven years of marriage, Zachary had never been so deferential. In the past when I was hurt or had cramps, he either ignored me or accused me of overreacting. My heart felt like it was being repeatedly squeezed, aching to the core. A phone call interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID. As soon as Sophia heard my voice, she nearly cried with relief. “Aria, why did you take so long to answer? Don’t you know how worried I was?” I glossed over recent events, making an excuse that I was going to Paris to see her in three days. Sophia seemed to suddenly realize something, about to ask if I was being mistreated. The next second, Zachary barged in with a bottle of medicine. I quickly hung up. He tossed the items on the bed, his tone hostile: “I brought you medicine. Bandage yourself up quickly and go clean. Don’t hurt Lily.” I didn’t take it, just staring blankly at the bottle. Clearly Zachary had just opened it to apply medicine on Lily. But he forgot I’m allergic to erythromycin. Last time he carelessly applied it on me without checking, causing an allergic reaction that put me in the hospital. That night Zachary never came home. It was a neighbor who noticed something was wrong and called for help. The next day I saw on Lily’s social media that she and Zachary were embracing and passionately kissing amidst cheers from a crowd. “What are you doing? Does it hurt that much? Let me…” I deftly avoided his outstretched hand. He awkwardly froze mid-air, his low voice tinged with displeasure. “Aria Montgomery, you’ve had your tantrum. I’m giving you a way out, so don’t be stubborn.” “You’re a grown woman but can’t control your temper. Who are you trying to impress with that sour face?” But I wasn’t throwing a tantrum or losing my temper. “I heard you say three days earlier…” he began. I cut him off: “Sophia said she’s coming to see me in three days. It won’t interfere with you accompanying Lily.” Noticing my aloofness, a complex emotion flashed in Zachary’s eyes. I ignored him, suddenly remembering Alex left at the hospital. But I stood up too quickly, aggravating my wound. I couldn’t help but hiss in pain. Zachary pushed me back onto the bed, finally showing a hint of reluctance. “I’ve already arranged for someone to look after Alex. He can be discharged in a few days.” In the past, I would have just taken this as something he should do. But now it’s different. “Thank you,” I said softly. Zachary froze for a moment when he heard those two words, his expression a bit unnatural. “It’s fine, you can go now. Lily will be looking for you soon.” As he finished speaking, Lily appeared in the doorway wearing an ill-fitting dress. It was the custom-made dress Zachary had specially ordered for me when we got married. Afraid of dirtying it, I never wore it again after the wedding. Zachary’s face stiffened, his tone turning reproachful. “This was custom-made for Aria. Why are you wearing it?” Lily looked utterly dejected, reaching back to grab the zipper. But she couldn’t reach it. Her face instantly flushed red, tears welling up in her eyes. “Zach, don’t you remember? This is what you brought when you came to see me last time. You even said once I wore it, I’d be the lady of the Shaw family.” Ignoring my presence, Zachary wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry Lily, it’s my fault. If you like it, I’ll have a hundred made for you.” Seeing Lily beam with joy, Zachary pulled her close and showered her with kisses. Then he took her back to the bedroom. The vows of the past were still fresh in my mind. But today I realized one person’s heart could be divided between two. 0

Before my hand had healed, I was rushing back and forth to the hospital. Seeing the bandage on my hand, Alex gently blew on it to make it feel better. My heart melted and I could no longer hold back my tears. Hot tears fell on Alex’s face as he looked up and said softly: “Mommy, please don’t leave me, okay?” My heart skipped a beat as I pulled him into my arms. “Mommy’s not leaving you. It’s just that if you stay with me, life will be very difficult from now on…” “I only want Mommy.” Hearing my son’s answer, a weight lifted from my heart. After a week of staying at the hospital, Alex was finally discharged and allowed to go home. During this time, I stayed with Alex while also arranging plans with Sophia. I sent Zachary a message. Lily’s cold was better and no longer needed my care. A minute after sending it, Zachary called. “Aria Montgomery, I order you to be here in 30 minutes. Otherwise I won’t hesitate to repeat what happened to Alex last time.” Remembering Alex’s flushed face, my heart trembled. “I’ve already made myself clear, Zachary. You promised to let me leave once Lily recovered.” He scoffed, his tone harsh: “Who says Lily is better? Until the doctor declares her fully recovered, you’re not going anywhere without my permission.” He added “I’ve already sent security to pick you up” before abruptly hanging up. I clearly heard Lily’s coquettish voice in the background. In the past, Zachary hated anyone interrupting his phone calls. When he had conference calls, I was never allowed to enter the room. Even if I had just showered and was freezing cold. When he chatted with friends, I wasn’t allowed to make a sound. Even if I was injured and needed his care. But now because of Lily, he had truly become someone I didn’t recognize. The memories flashed by in an instant. Alex and I got out of the car to see Zachary directing the servants to busily prepare. Seeing me, he tossed what he was holding to me. It was a guest list and menu. “Tomorrow is Lily’s birthday. I promised her a big celebration. Invite everyone on that list.” “Also, Lily says your cooking is good. You’ll make all the food tomorrow.” He commanded me like he would a servant. But after we married, even when my mother-in-law ordered me, Zachary would stand in front to protect me. Never letting me step foot in the kitchen. How laughable that he had forgotten his past promises, yet still presumed to have me handle everything alone. “Zachary, I refuse. This is not my responsibility and you have no right to order me around.” I turned to leave with Alex, but was stopped by security. “Sorry ma’am, you can’t leave without Mr. Shaw’s permission.” I calmly looked up at the guards blocking my way. They were all hired by me back when I worried about Zachary’s safety. I never imagined they would now only listen to him. “Fine, I’ll stay,” I paused for a second before stating my condition: “But after Lily’s birthday tomorrow, I’m leaving.” Zachary’s expression darkened slightly. After a long moment, he spoke: “I agree. But to prevent you from leaving on your own, I’ll look after our son for now.” With that, the guards took Alex away, completely ignoring my protests. “Aria Montgomery, you’d better not pull any tricks at Lily’s birthday.” “Be sensible and handle everything properly. Stop thinking about leaving. If Lily’s in a good mood, I might even give you some money to leave.” I said nothing, staring intently in the direction the guards had taken Alex. Zachary wasn’t wrong. With Alex here, I couldn’t leave either. I just never expected that this meeting today would be our final goodbye.

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The day I was acknowledged by the wealthy family, I had a three-year-old child by my side. Sophia, the adopted daughter, covered her mouth and laughed, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years, huh? You even had a bastard child. How dare you come back to the Sullivan family?” My ex-fiancé, Mark Foster, immediately darkened his face and turned to Mr. Foster Sr., saying, “I absolutely refuse to marry a woman with such a questionable background.” I lowered my head, gently stroking my child’s soft hair, and nodded obediently, “Alright.” After all, this child belonged to his uncle. In the tea room of the Foster family mansion, Mr. Foster Sr. sat in the main seat with a grim expression. Mark’s mother, Linda Foster, who had slept her way to her current position, was crying in a shrill voice, “Mr. Foster, Mark is your only grandson. How can he marry a woman with a bastard child? What will people say?” She glanced at me sideways, her words full of insinuation, “Some people will do anything to climb the social ladder.” My mother laughed coldly, “Mrs. Foster, didn’t you also rely on an ‘accidental’ pregnancy to enter this family? How ironic that you’re now calling others impure.” Linda’s face instantly turned ashen. Mark suddenly slammed the table, throwing a disgusted look at me, “I’ll release a statement tomorrow to break off the engagement.” I lowered my eyes to hide my smile. That suits me just fine. Mr. Foster Sr. frowned deeply, his gaze moving back and forth between me and my child. But my little one wasn’t shy. He looked up with his small face and chirped sweetly, “Hello, Grandpa!” Mr. Foster Sr. was taken aback, his stern expression cracking slightly, “This child… seems quite clever.” Seeing this, Linda immediately shrieked, “Mr. Foster, don’t be fooled! Who knows where this bastard child came from…” Before Linda could finish, my mother had already slammed her teacup onto the saucer with a loud “clang”. “Mrs. Foster, mind your words. You have no right to comment on my family’s bloodline.” Linda’s face alternated between red and white, “What do you mean? Are you saying this child is…” “Enough!” Mr. Foster Sr. suddenly roared, his dragon-headed cane striking the marble floor with a startling sound. The tea room instantly fell silent, with only my child shrinking into my arms uneasily. I gently patted his back, feeling his tiny body trembling slightly. “All of you, shut up!” Mr. Foster Sr. sighed, “This matter ends here! Everyone get out!” My mother laughed coldly, standing up gracefully, “Perfect, we Sullivans don’t want to stay any longer either.” She gave me a look, “Olivia, let’s go.” The little one seemed to sense my mood and touched my face with his soft little hand, “Mommy, don’t be angry. Little Bean will protect you.” I didn’t look back, just held my child tighter. My mother’s hand holding mine trembled slightly, her eyes almost overflowing with guilt. She had originally intended to use this arranged marriage to let me return to the Sullivan family properly, to reclaim everything that belonged to the true daughter. After all, the engagement with the Foster family was originally meant for me. But she hadn’t expected that this carefully arranged meeting would turn into a scene where my dignity was trampled. Linda’s acerbic mockery and Mark’s disgusted looks all stabbed at her heart like knives. Her voice choked, “Olivia, it’s Mom’s fault…” I shook my head, gripping her hand back. This humiliation was never our fault.

By the time we returned to the Sullivan mansion, it was already dark. The hall was brightly lit, with my father sitting on the sofa reviewing documents. Sophia was leaning against him, smiling coyly. Seeing us enter, a flash of mockery crossed her eyes as she deliberately raised her voice, “Dad, sister has come back with her child.” My father looked up, his gaze falling on the child in my arms, his brow instantly furrowing, “You have the nerve to come back?” Before I could speak, Sophia was already covering her mouth and laughing lightly, “Sister, you’ve certainly had an exciting life out there. Having a child out of wedlock, bringing back a little bastard, how scandalous if word gets out.” “Sophia!” my mother rebuked sharply, “Watch your mouth!” But my father raised his hand to stop my mother, his eyes coldly fixed on me, “Whose child is this exactly?” I took a deep breath, my nails almost digging into my palms. Those memories I had deliberately buried came flooding back. Three years ago, on that rainy night, I found Ethan Foster covered in blood. I sent him to the hospital and cared for him day and night. Ethan had lost all his memories due to the car accident. I took care of him, accompanied him through rehabilitation. He always liked to hold my hand in the warm afternoon sun, saying softly, “Olivia, when I’m better, let’s get married.” His palm was warm and dry, his gaze so focused as if I was the only person left in the world. Later, as he gradually recovered, we lived in a small house by the sea. He would brew coffee in the early morning and gently kiss my forehead. He would also hold me in his arms during thunderstorms, saying “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” At that time, he was so gentle, unlike the cold young master of the Foster family, but just an ordinary man who loved me deeply. But later… His memory returned. One morning, when I woke up, the bed beside me was already empty. A check was left on the table, the amount so large it hurt my eyes. He also left a note, saying he would come back for me. I hated him for leaving without a word, so I burned the note and left that place. After leaving, I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t want to abandon this little life, so I chose to give birth. Three years later, the Sullivan family found me. “Can’t say it?” My father sneered, “You’ve completely disgraced the Sullivan family!” “Disgrace?” My mother suddenly stood up, her voice shaking, “When you brought Sophia home back then, didn’t you feel disgraced? Now you dare to blame Olivia?” My father’s face turned ashen, “How can that be the same? Sophia is my biological daughter!” “And what about Olivia?” My mother’s eyes were red, “Isn’t she your flesh and blood? Your favoritism should have a limit!” Sophia pretended to mediate from the side, “Auntie, don’t be angry. Dad is just worried about sister’s reputation…” “No need for your fake kindness!” My mother pushed her away. Sophia staggered a few steps, deliberately falling to the ground, tears instantly welling up, “Dad, I was just trying to calm Auntie down, but she pushed me…” My father flew into a rage, raising his hand to strike my mother. I rushed forward to shield her, but suddenly heard my child burst into tears. “Mommy… I’m scared…” he tightly hugged my leg, his little face covered in tears. At that moment, my heart felt like it was torn in two. I crouched down and hugged him, my voice trembling, “Little Bean, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here.” My father’s hand froze in mid-air, finally dropping heavily. He rubbed his brow wearily, “Go back to your room, don’t stand here annoying me!” My mother still wanted to argue, but I held her back and shook my head. As I carried my child upstairs, Sophia’s triumphant gaze stabbed into my back like knives. Closing the door, my child nestled against my shoulder, sobbing softly, “Mommy, why doesn’t Grandpa like us?” I bit my lip hard, tears finally falling. Why? I wanted to know why too. Why did Ethan leave without a word? Why did my father only have eyes for Sophia? Why did my child have to bear all this malice? Outside the window, thunder rumbled, and raindrops slammed against the glass. I held my child tightly, as if I could shield him from all the storms of the world this way.

Early the next morning, there was a commotion downstairs. Followed by Sophia’s exaggerated giggles. “Mark, why did you suddenly come?” Sophia’s voice was sickeningly sweet, “Did you miss me?” Mark’s voice carried impatience, “Where’s your sister?” My heart suddenly sank. What was he doing here? The door was suddenly pushed open. Mark stood at the doorway with a gloomy face, Sophia hanging on his arm with a malicious smile. “Sister, Mark has something to say to you.” Mark coldly swept a glance at the child in my arms, frowning in disgust, “Olivia Sullivan, I’m warning you, don’t think you can cling to the Foster family just because you have a bastard child.” My fingers unconsciously tightened, and my child whimpered softly in his sleep. “I’m not…” My voice was barely audible. “Not?” Mark sneered, “Then why did you choose this time to return to the Sullivan family? What, can’t afford to raise the child anymore? Want me to pay for the bastard’s milk powder?” Sophia added fuel to the fire from the side, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years? Raising a fatherless child…” “Enough!” I suddenly looked up, “Who gave you permission to call my child a bastard?” Mark seemed to be angered by my reaction. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, “Olivia Sullivan, stop playing the victim! If it weren’t for the relationship between our families, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you in the first place!” His grip was shockingly strong, causing a sharp pain in my wrist. My child was startled awake. Seeing the scene before him, he immediately burst into tears. “Mommy! Don’t bully Mommy!” He reached out his little hands, trying to push Mark away. Mark shoved the child away. His small body hit the wall with a dull thud. “Little Bean!” I broke free from Mark’s grip and rushed to hug my child. A red mark had appeared on his forehead, and he was crying uncontrollably. “Mark Foster! He’s just a child!” I shouted hoarsely, tears blurring my vision. Sophia laughed gleefully from the side, “Oh my, Mark, this child is quite protective, just as shameless as his mother.” Mark looked down at us coldly, his gaze icy, “Olivia Sullivan, I’ll make a public statement tomorrow to break off the engagement. If you dare to cause any trouble…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the threat was clear. I held my child tightly, feeling my heart shatter into pieces. Why? Why treat us like this? What wrong had my child done? He’s just an innocent child… Mark turned to leave, Sophia shot me a triumphant look and followed, clinging to his arm. “By the way,” Mark stopped at the door, not looking back, “Uncle asked me to tell you, stop dreaming. The Foster family will never acknowledge this bastard.” Those words were like a knife, stabbing deep into my heart. Ethan… This child is his own flesh and blood. The door slammed shut. I could no longer hold myself up, sliding to the floor with my child in my arms. My child’s little hands frantically wiped away my tears, “Mommy, don’t cry. Little Bean will blow the pain away…” I held him tightly in my arms, my tears soaking his collar. The man who had promised me a home three years ago now wouldn’t even acknowledge his own child. All those gentle whispers, those passionate promises, turned out to be nothing but a joke. “Mommy, why doesn’t Daddy want us?” my child suddenly asked softly, his voice filled with confusion and hurt. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain almost unbearable. How could I answer? Outside the window, the rain grew heavier, thunder rumbling. I hugged my child tightly. In the Sullivan house, apart from my mother who truly cared for me, it was just me and my child depending on each other. “Little Bean, don’t be afraid,” I said softly, my voice trembling terribly, “Mommy will never leave you.”

The day the invitation to the Foster family banquet arrived at the Sullivan house, my mother slammed it on the coffee table in front of my father. “Olivia must go,” she said, her nails almost digging into the leather sofa. “My daughter is not some dirty secret to be hidden away.” My father frowned, looking at the child in my arms. Sophia immediately chimed in with her sweet voice, “Auntie, won’t it be more embarrassing if sister brings the child?” “Shut up!” my mother snapped, then turned to my father, her eyes red, “Sullivan, search your conscience. What exactly has Olivia done wrong? Is it her fault she was abandoned? Is it her fault she’s raising a child alone?” My father remained silent for a long time, finally turning his face away, “Do as you please.” I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. My child seemed to sense my emotions, his little hand clutching tightly at the hem of my clothes, his big eyes full of unease. On the night of the banquet, my mother chose a dark green velvet gown for me. As she styled my hair, her fingers trembled slightly, “Olivia, hold your head high tonight. You’ve done nothing wrong.” I looked at myself in the mirror, forcing a smile onto my pale face. My child, dressed in a little suit, lay on my lap looking up at me, “Mommy, are we going to see Daddy?” My heart suddenly clenched. “Little Bean,” I knelt down to adjust his bow tie, my voice barely audible, “If… if Daddy doesn’t recognize us, don’t be sad, okay?” He nodded innocently, but in his clear eyes, I saw my own reflection full of nervousness and anxiety. The Foster family mansion was brightly lit. As soon as we stepped into the banquet hall, I heard a familiar deep voice coming from the direction of the balcony. “She’s nothing but a gold digger,” Ethan’s voice was full of contempt. “Bringing a child of unknown origin, thinking she can latch onto the Foster family. How laughable.” I froze in place, my blood instantly turning to ice. My mother angrily wanted to rush over, but I held her wrist tightly, shaking my head. “I heard the child looks like someone from the Foster family?” someone asked curiously. Ethan let out a cold laugh, “I’ve seen this trick many times. Mark was right to break off the engagement. Who knows how many men she’s been with…” His words suddenly stopped. Because I had walked out from behind a Roman column, holding my child’s hand. Under the crystal chandelier, Ethan’s wine glass shattered on the marble floor. He stared at me intently, his pupils contracting violently, cracks appearing for the first time on that usually composed face.

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