Category: English

On our seventh wedding anniversary, I joyfully prepared a table full of my husband’s favorite dishes. But he brought his first love back home. Our five-year-old daughter clung to her hand, nestling close. “Aunt Hazel, you’re so wonderful! My mom only stays home to wash clothes and cook. You’re like a fairy who can do anything.” “Aunt Hazel, can you be my mom?” My heart wrenched, and I staggered backward, shocked by my daughter’s words. My husband didn’t correct her; he just smiled at them. Then he glanced at me standing in the corner with impatience, saying, “Why do you always have that sour look? Our daughter is young and doesn’t understand, but shouldn’t you know better? Go set the table for our guest!” I quietly set the table, trying to muster a smile. “I’m not hungry. You all go ahead.” That night, I saw my husband’s latest Snapchat post. In the picture, he and that woman were holding our daughter, looking blissfully happy. The caption read: “After all the twists and turns, I’m grateful to have you, to have you both. How fortunate.” With tears in my eyes, I liked the post, then opened our chat. “Let’s get a divorce. I’ll let you be.”

The next morning, I returned home to collect my bank card and left the divorce papers on the coffee table. Passing through the living room, I saw the mess they left from last night’s meal. Hazel was sleeping in our bedroom, Sierra clinging tightly to her as if afraid she’d disappear. Declan was sleeping at the edge of the bed. I let out a dry laugh, unable to stop my tears. I took a photo of the three of them with my phone. Declan, a light sleeper, stirred at the sound of the camera shutter. Seeing me ready to leave with my suitcase, he stopped me. “Where are you going with a suitcase so early?” I smiled faintly, “Making room for you all.” Declan was annoyed. “Why are you acting crazy again?” “Hazel just returned from abroad and has nowhere to stay, so I brought her home for a bit. Do you have to be so petty?” I laughed inwardly, realizing the last bit of hope I had for him was gone. “Isn’t City A big enough for hotels?” Declan avoided my gaze. “It was so late, a woman staying at a hotel alone isn’t safe!” “Dad, Mom, why are you fighting again? Can you keep it down? Don’t wake Aunt Hazel!” Our daughter, who was holding onto Hazel, woke up and shouted at me impatiently, covering her ears protectively. Looking at the daughter I carried for ten months, my heart was torn apart, bleeding painfully. Even for a simple cold, I would get up in the middle of the night to take her to the hospital. When she had a fever, I stayed up all night caring for her, making her favorite yogurt melts. I worked tirelessly for days, collapsing from exhaustion for three days before recovering. When did she start hating me like Declan did? Was it when she inadvertently said, “Why can’t my mom make money? She just cooks and washes clothes like a lazy parasite.” But I graduated from a prestigious university, got recruited by a Fortune 500 finance company in my freshman year. In my sophomore year, Declan, then a freshman, pursued me. He wore a gray tracksuit, his eyes enchanting. He held a bouquet of roses under the girls’ dormitory, offering it to me: “Senior, I like you.” “This bouquet is for you. Once you agree to be my girlfriend, I’ll save up to buy you all kinds of flowers, everything you like, and shower you with love, making you the envy of your friends.” His love was pure and intense. I had never dated before and was drawn to him. I accepted his confession, growing to love him more deeply. Gradually, I learned he pursued me because… When I painted, I resembled his ex-girlfriend from the side. But I thought, hearts are made of flesh. If I loved him well, he would be moved. Seven years passed. He said he wanted to focus on his career, so I submitted my resignation to my boss, who had also experienced a memorable love. They agreed to give me a few years to think it over. But I had to create a new plan for their company and launch a business video account, gaining a million followers within three days to avoid paying a penalty. I worked tirelessly for days and succeeded. Thus, I became a dutiful wife. He came home later and later, growing more distant. Initially, he’d give me a reluctant smile. Eventually, only Sierra got a warm smile. Later, he’d stare at his phone late into the night, his smile unwavering. I couldn’t hold it anymore and asked who he was chatting with so late. I caught a glimpse of the note, a heart emoji, and the word “baby.” The other person sent a photo in a sexy nightgown with barely visible text: “When I return, we’ll go to a hotel. You can do whatever you want. Until then, you better behave and keep your bullets safe!” My mind exploded. My blood froze. I thought of his ex-girlfriend who went abroad. He immediately put away his phone with a dark look: “Nora, you eat what I earn, live in what I earn. When have you ever appreciated my hard work?” I trembled, my mind a mess, silently taking his dirty clothes to wash. As I thought of the past, my eyes reddened. The bitterness pressing on my heart began to clear. Some things aren’t sweet when forced. I asked our daughter, “Do you want her to be your mom?” Sierra puffed her chest, looking at me disdainfully: “Yes! Aunt Hazel is so beautiful and buys me lots of dolls and snacks. She’s better than you in every way!” “But if she becomes your mom, I won’t be around anymore.” I still held a tiny bit of hope. After all, she’s my daughter. I’ve cared for her so long, she must choose me. Sierra didn’t care, clinging tightly to Hazel. “As long as I have Aunt Hazel, I don’t need you!” My heart shattered completely. Declan frowned. “Nora, don’t make trouble! You only have the hundred dollars I gave you for groceries. You’ll be back begging for forgiveness within a day. Why bother?” I looked at him, took out the hundred dollars, and tossed it at him: “Declan, Sierra, I don’t need you.” I smiled at them, grabbing my suitcase and walking out the door.

The moment I left, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. It was like the weight on my heart for seven years had vanished. I contacted friends I hadn’t seen in seven years and planned a night out at a bar to start my new life. They all sighed. “We thought you found true love back then, but who knew he was like that!” “Seven whole years, not letting you meet us, saying we’d lead you astray?” “Ridiculous, we went shopping, got facials, did Pilates, how is that bad?” “He made you a full-time housewife!” “Companies lined up to hire you, and he shamelessly said he wanted to develop his career?” “Now he only makes twenty thousand a month! What career is that? Seven years ago, companies offered you the same!” They were indignant for me and relieved I finally escaped the nightmare. After parting with them, I left City A, rented an apartment for myself. I texted Declan, urging him to sign the divorce papers. He didn’t reply but was more active on Snapchat. All posts were with Hazel. Candlelit dinners, strolls, role-playing at home. My daughter sat eating roasted sweet potatoes, her small face beaming with happiness. At that moment, I realized… Love and indifference were so obvious. The romance I longed for was meaningless to Hazel. I blocked Declan on Snapchat and messaged him: “This is adultery, violating morality and the law.” The chat showed typing, then stopped. After a while, he sent: “Realized you need money? Admit you’re wrong, come back and cook for me, Hazel, and our daughter, and I’ll forgive you, like nothing happened.” I laughed out loud. He really thought I was just throwing a tantrum. He thought I couldn’t live without him. Even if he was with his ex, I’d endure it. I replied: “Declan, you seem to forget it’s me who doesn’t want you and Sierra.” No reply came. I had to work from home to care for our daughter and him, turning down stable job offers. I managed to earn three million dollars, planning to surprise them, but it proved to be my own fantasy. I thought he’d be happy to hug me, saying, “You’re amazing, honey.” I feel like I can’t live without him for the rest of my life. Even if he reconnects with his ex, I can endure it. I responded, “Declan, you seem to have forgotten something. I’m the one who didn’t want you and Sierra anymore.” There was no reply. I had to become a stay-at-home wife to care for our daughter and him, so I turned down several full-time job offers and chose to work from home instead. I managed to earn three million dollars, hoping to surprise them, but it turned out I was only fooling myself. I imagined that when he saw the three million, he’d joyfully hug me and say, “You’re amazing, honey.” He’d suggest taking time off work so we could all go on a trip. Even if his ex messaged him, I could pretend it never happened. But… My eyes stung as I mocked my own foolishness. A stone remains a stone; it can’t be warmed. To maintain my routine and stay connected with society, I put on the career suit I had once taken off and started applying to larger financial companies. My resume showed a seven-year gap, and although I graduated from a prestigious university, they were hesitant. However, once they saw my previous work experience, they quickly signed me, fearing I might change my mind. When I returned to my rented place, I saw a familiar Audi parked outside. Declan was there, holding Sierra’s hand, and he didn’t look pleased.

Upon seeing me, he arrogantly declared, “Nora, Genevieve advised me to bring you back home. She said you’re penniless, sulking outside, borrowing money everywhere. You have no job, and in the end, I’ll have to repay all these loans you’ve taken!” I laughed. Yes, in Declan’s eyes, I’m indeed a freeloader waiting for death! How could I have money to rent a place? How could I live without him? Declan frowned, “Why are you laughing? I’ve been generous enough to come and get you. Don’t be ungrateful.” Sierra, unwillingly, added, “Mom, don’t be so unreasonable. Don’t make things difficult for Genevieve!” A pang hit my heart. “Genevieve?” Declan’s gaze shifted, looking slightly uneasy. Sierra pouted, “Why that expression? You’re so lousy, and you won’t let me find someone better to be my mom?” If I had any lingering feelings for my daughter, they disappeared completely now. I didn’t respond to her; I just told Declan, “Sign the divorce papers quickly and stop bothering me.” “What do you mean by bothering!” He was so angry he approached me and slapped me across the face. “Slap!” The sharp sound echoed, and I didn’t react. The employment offer letter I was holding fell to the ground. The name of a top 100 financial company in the country shone brightly. Declan’s gaze fell on it. My head was still buzzing. He picked up the offer letter from the ground, glanced at it several times, then threw it at me. “Nora, I thought you were just incompetent, a parasite at home, and that was it!” “Now you’re even forging job offer letters from top companies?” “Even if you want to prove to me you’re not a parasite, you don’t need to go this far to match up to even a strand of Genevieve’s hair!” He sneered, giving me an ultimatum: “I’m telling you, if you don’t come home, then our home is never yours again!” I shook myself out of it and glared coldly at him. This reaction made Declan feel a bit guilty. After all, I used to be obedient, as loyal as a dog. When he hit me, I just thought of it as marital fun. He steadied himself, “What kind of expression is that? Do you want to hit me? Dare you!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295623”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

The moment I caught Sophia cheating, my world shattered. I thought she might have had her reasons, but it turned out I was just the fool. Later, Sophia realized she had married a monster. She cried, clinging to my legs: “Leo, can we start over?” I looked at her coldly: “Miss Sophia, please have some self-respect. My fiancée wouldn’t like this.” I had been working overtime for a month, all for today’s proposal to my girlfriend, Sophia. Just back from a business trip, I rushed to the store, picked up the pre-ordered flowers and cake, and eagerly pushed open the door. What greeted me was clothes scattered on the floor and intermittent… moans. “Am I better than that loser boyfriend of yours?” “You’re so bad, babe…” My mind went blank. My feet felt like lead, rooting me to the spot. The flowers and cake dropped from my hands without me realizing it. My body suddenly felt hot, blood rushing to my head. I kicked open the bedroom door. The two people engaged in passionate activity on the bed froze. The man reacted first, quickly pulling the blanket to cover his obese body. Sophia was left exposed, her body covered in marks that stung my eyes. Gritting my teeth, I punched the man in the face. As he fell back, I straddled him, venting my anger with my fists. Sophia panicked, trying to pull my arm while yelling, “Leo, stop it! Don’t you dare hit him!” “Please stop, I’m begging you!” “Are you crazy? I’m calling the police!” The man’s face was swollen from my beating. I finally stopped, my eyes bloodshot as I turned to Sophia: “Come out with me.” Sophia hurriedly checked the man’s breathing, relieved to find him still alive. She then followed me to the living room, arms crossed. She sat with her legs crossed, glaring at me angrily: “Since you’ve caught us, I’ll be honest. That man is Nathan, my new boyfriend. Leo, let’s break up.” Suppressing my anger, I asked, “How am I inferior to him?” Sophia didn’t even look up, admiring the sparkling diamond ring on her left hand: “Two years and eleven months, Leo. I don’t want to live in poverty with you anymore.” “You’re poor, he’s rich. That alone is enough for me to choose him without hesitation.” My heart ached. These years, Sophia indeed hadn’t lived very comfortably with me, but I had given her all my monthly salary, offering her everything I had. I softened, pleading with her: “Sophia, do you have some difficulties? Is it just about money? If you tell me, I’m willing to help. I can even overlook this incident.” Time ticked by. After a moment of silence, Sophia finally spoke: “Leo, I’ll be honest with you. Before I was with you, I was already working as a hostess at a club.” “You were good to me, that’s why I chose to be with you. I tried to adapt, but later I realized this wasn’t the life I wanted.” “Those clothes, bags, and jewelry in the room that I told you were fake, they’re all real. And you could never afford these for me.” “Over these years, I’ve been with many men, but none of them wanted to marry me.” She waved her hand, showing me the sparkling diamond ring, “See this? Such a big diamond ring, you could never afford in your lifetime.” As Sophia’s lips moved, my vision blurred. The image of Sophia before me and the memory of the girl I knew rapidly separated. I could hardly recognize her anymore. Sophia and I met in a university club. At that time, I was the vice president of the Astronomy Club, and Sophia joined with her roommate. Back then, Sophia always liked to stick around me, asking all sorts of whimsical questions. I was happy to answer, and gradually we fell for each other. We were like any other college couple, eating together in the cafeteria, walking around the track, cramming in the library together… The campus held so many sweet memories for us. After graduation, I successfully joined a tech company. Sophia said she was socially anxious and didn’t want to enter society too early. I felt for her, so I worked day and night, finally completing a project and getting a bonus. I bought an engagement ring and hid it in her favorite bag. Snapping back to reality, Sophia said coldly: “Leo, for the sake of our years together, just let me go, okay?”

My throat tightened as I grabbed Sophia’s hand: “Are you sure about this?” Before she could answer, there was a rustling sound from the bedroom. Nathan had woken up. Hearing the noise, Sophia turned her head, looking annoyed. She pried my fingers off her hand one by one. The bedroom door opened, and two burly men appeared outside. Nathan, covering his face, looked at me hatefully: “It’s this punk. Beat him to a pulp!” The two men charged at me without a word. At first, I could fend them off, but their assault was too fierce. In a moment of distraction, one of them landed a punch right on my face. I covered my nose, trying to get up, but my head was spinning. I could only lie on the ground as they rained blows on me. Sophia, frightened, cried loudly, hiding behind Nathan and tugging at his sleeve, not daring to look at me. Finally, they pinned my shoulders down, immobilizing me. Nathan walked over, stepping on my right cheek and grinding his foot: “You poor little punk, you dare to mess with me? You must be tired of living.” My mouth was full of blood. I glared at Nathan hatefully but couldn’t utter a word. Nathan was in a good mood. Sophia brought over a first aid kit, tenderly treating his wounds. He looked at me smugly, smiling: “Sophia, you still haven’t answered my question from earlier. Who’s better, me or him?” Sophia smiled flatteringly: “Babe, he never even touched me.” Nathan sneered. Pleased by Sophia’s words, he casually wrapped his arm around her slender waist: “Hurry up and pack your things. We’re leaving.” Sophia nodded obediently and went to the bedroom to pack. Nathan sat on the sofa, smoking and admiring my miserable state: “All these years, you never dared to touch her, and now she’s pregnant with my child. Isn’t that ironic?” “It’s the 21st century, and you’re still playing the pure love game. How outdated.” “To be honest, if she wasn’t pregnant, I wouldn’t want a used goods like her.” “Only you would treat her like a treasure.” … Our rented apartment wasn’t big. Nathan didn’t care that Sophia could hear him packing in the bedroom. To humiliate me, he said all sorts of nasty things. Soon, Sophia finished packing. Dragging her suitcase and carrying her favorite bag, she gave me one last look before swaying her hips and leaving with Nathan. Only after their silhouettes disappeared from sight did the two men release me. I turned over, staring blankly at the ceiling. Countless memories flashed by. Over the years, we had sweet moments and arguments, but I never thought of separating from Sophia. Tears mixed with blood streamed down my face. As night fell, I slowly got up, wiped away my tears, took out my phone, and dialed a number. The call was quickly answered. I bit my lip: “Grandpa, I lost.”

Grandpa is the chairman of Lin Group. In his early years, he caught the wave of private business boom and accumulated a fortune. Since I was little, Grandpa had been very strict with me. He concealed my true identity and didn’t allow me any special privileges. But he also loved me dearly and always respected my decisions. Only on the matter of Sophia did he stand against me for the first time. The day I confirmed my relationship with Sophia, Grandpa called me back home. Grandpa handed me a stack of documents, detailing Sophia’s life experiences and some photos of her entering and exiting clubs. At that time, I was blinded by love. I believed Grandpa was investigating her because of her poor family background, even smearing her name. I had a big fight with Grandpa. I shouted at Grandpa: “All these years, when have I ever disobeyed you? Just this once, I want to make my own choice.” “Sophia isn’t that kind of person. She’s pure and ambitious. It’s normal for young people to go out and have fun occasionally. Even you can’t smear her reputation.” I still remember Grandpa’s disappointed look. He shook his head: “Fine, some paths you have to walk yourself to understand.” “Let’s do this. For the next three years, you can’t tell Sophia about your real family situation. I’ll also stop your cards. For these three years, you’ll be self-reliant. If after three years, your relationship is still as sweet as it is now, I’ll agree to her marrying into the Lin family. Leo, do you dare to take this bet?” I knew this was the compromise Grandpa made out of helplessness. At that time, I firmly believed Sophia and I could make it to the end. I confidently told Grandpa: “Grandpa, in three years, I’ll bring back your granddaughter-in-law.” And so I left. For three years, I didn’t call Grandpa again, only sending greetings during holidays. Grandpa quickly answered the call. He didn’t ask anything, just sighed: “Child, come home. Grandpa is waiting for you.” His voice had aged considerably. Tears welled up again as I thought about how I had argued with Grandpa over Sophia three years ago. I was filled with regret. After returning to the Lin family, I obediently stayed in bed for a month to recover. One day, my phone buzzed. I received a message from my college roommate, Daniel: “Sophia is getting married today. Are you okay?” Hearing the news of her marriage, my heart still rippled a bit: “Yeah, I hope she can be happy.” Daniel quickly replied: “Happy? I don’t think that’s possible. I know this Nathan. He’s nominally the young master of the Chen family, but behind the scenes, the Chen family has long given up on this playboy. He’s nothing but a gambling addict. I’m afraid Sophia’s days ahead won’t be easy.” The Chen family had only started to emerge in recent years. I hadn’t stepped into that circle for these three years, so I indeed hadn’t heard of Nathan. But Sophia had been with me for three years. I couldn’t bear to watch her jump into the fire. After much thought, I decided to go to her wedding venue. At least she had the right to know what kind of person she was about to marry. I asked for the address and rushed to the wedding venue. Luckily, the wedding hadn’t started yet. There was still time. Sophia was sitting alone in the makeup room. Seeing me push the door open, she panicked and quickly locked the door: “What are you doing here? I’m warning you, today is my wedding day. I won’t allow you to cause trouble.” I pressed my lips together: “I’m not here to cause trouble. Just two sentences, and I’ll leave.” At that moment, footsteps were heard outside. She anxiously pushed me behind the curtain, lowering her voice: “Don’t make a sound. If my husband knows you’re here, he’ll be upset.” I grew anxious: “Do you know who you’re marrying? Nathan is…” “Enough, don’t say anymore.” Sophia lost her patience and interrupted me. “Of course I know what kind of person my own husband is. Leo, your clingy behavior is really disgusting.” There was a knock on the door. The lock was turned from the outside but didn’t open. Nathan irritably banged on the door: “Sophia, why did you lock the door? Open up quickly.” Sophia gave me one last warning look, forcefully pulled the curtain to conceal me, and ran to open the door: “Honey, I was just fixing my dress. I was afraid someone might see, so I locked the door.” Through the gap, I saw Nathan grin mischievously and grab Sophia’s bottom before they left the room. Listening to their fading footsteps, I clenched my fists. Disgusting, is it? Sophia, your fate is in your own hands now…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295463”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

To make me his wife, Alex ignored his mother’s obstruction and all the criticism from their social circle. He knelt outside his father’s study for three days and three nights, finally moving his father. After our marriage, we were loving and harmonious, envied by many. However, beneath that happy facade, undercurrents were surging. My battle with his childhood sweetheart lasted for a full eight years. During those eight years, I miscarried twice, while the childhood sweetheart was gradually neglected. The struggle between us was so intense it nearly became a fight to the death. But just after Alex took over the family business, he proposed divorce to me and held a grand wedding with another woman – my previously unknown stepsister, Olivia. While I ended up dying miserably in a mental hospital, his childhood sweetheart was pushed off a high-rise by the two of them. My sister Olivia replaced my position, and their glory and happiness seemed to last forever. It wasn’t until the last moment of my life that I suddenly realized that Alex and I were not the perfect match everyone praised us to be. He and Olivia were destined for each other, a truly “perfect couple.”

When I opened my eyes again, it was at the moment my body was about to fall into the cold water. “Miss, be careful!” The waiter’s alarmed cry broke the tense atmosphere. In that split second, I had no time to think. I instinctively grabbed the man next to me, pulling him down with me. “You…” I was about to speak when I suddenly realized that this was none other than the dream man of those noble young ladies – the eldest son of the Moore family, Ethan. We fell together into the flower pond. I held onto him tightly, our bodies entangled in the water. After being rescued, I still clung tightly to his waist. I hadn’t forgotten that I was wearing a strapless dress, which had slipped down during the struggle in the water. I could only use his body to cover myself. He didn’t push me away, his eyes full of surprise. I forced myself to stay calm, looking around at the giant crystal chandelier and the men and women in suits and dresses mingling with drinks in hand. Unbelievably, I seemed to have returned to Mrs. Moore’s birthday party from that year. At that time, my stepsister had led me to the pool and pushed me towards the deep end with her own hands. In my past life, I was saved by Alex after falling into the water. We fell in love at first sight. Mrs. Moore left the party in anger. Her original intention was to use the party to let her son get to know Emily Thompson, the daughter of the Thompson family. But I had cut in, becoming a thorn in her side. After I married Alex, she humiliated me even more, calling me a shameless woman who seduced men. In the end, she often invited Emily to visit our home. For eight years after the marriage, Emily and I fought openly and covertly, both ending up hurt. Instead, it was my cunning and treacherous stepsister who reaped the benefits. But now that I’m living a second life, everything can still be changed. Starting from this moment of falling into the water, I will rewrite my destiny. I whispered softly to Ethan: “I’m sorry.” He could have stayed out of this, but was dragged in by me for no reason. The crowd gathered more and more. I covered my face and cried, while Alex and my stepsister stood among them, their faces terrifyingly dark.

I noticed the exchange of glances between them. At that moment, I suddenly realized how foolish I had been in my previous life. Olivia’s mother, Rachel, was originally my mother’s best friend, but she had an affair with my father while my mother was pregnant. Rachel was skilled in bed, captivating my father completely. In comparison, my mother came from a noble family. My father often complained that she was too reserved and not fun enough, so he became even more blatant about mentioning Rachel, putting her on a pedestal. As a result, the Young family became the talk of the town. My father lost face completely and became even more disgusted with my mother and me. But my mother was kind-hearted. Despite her resentment towards Rachel, she never did anything to harm the innocent child. Olivia was clever and likable from a young age, winning people’s hearts. My mother, worried that Olivia’s illegitimate status would make her a target of bullying at school, asked me to treat her like a real sister. My grandfather repeatedly and firmly demanded that my father cut ties with Rachel, while Olivia knelt at the threshold with tears in her eyes, begging my mother for mercy. In the end, the incident was left unresolved. Rachel remained as a mistress outside, while Olivia stayed with my mother, living with me. Before my wedding to Alex, Olivia knelt at my feet, begging to go with me, even if just as a maid to take care of me. We never expected that all of this was an elaborately set trap.

Like father, like daughter. Olivia took this crooked path even further. She had been secretly involved with Alex for a long time. Because the difference in status was too great for her to enter the Moore family’s door, she used me as a stepping stone. When I often lost my rationality due to mental issues, she would appear all dressed up, throwing down a divorce agreement and a stack of money at my feet, as if dismissing a beggar. “Sister dear, I kindly asked for mercy on your behalf and even left you some cremation money. You should thank me.” I looked at her coldly. That smug look of hers was exactly like her mother’s, as if cut from the same mold. We were too naive, forgetting that some people are rotten to the core. I couldn’t die like this. If I left, my mother would have no one to rely on. “I want to see Alex!” “Hehe, I really don’t understand why you insist on living. Don’t you know? Your mother, our Mrs. Young, has long since died of illness.” Her face was twisted, her words sharp, with a mix of pity and mockery. I suddenly looked up, grabbing her throat, “What nonsense are you talking?” My eyes were almost bulging with blood. The servants rushed forward to pull me away. The butler slapped me without a word. My hair was disheveled, and half of my face swelled up. She wasn’t satisfied and slapped me hard again. “You think your grandfather’s gone, those useless uncles of yours could still protect your mother?” She grabbed my hair, forcing me to look at her. I knew all about my father’s little tricks. As soon as my grandfather passed away, he couldn’t wait to bring Rachel home, quickly taking control of the family affairs. But I never imagined he could be so heartless towards my mother. Back then, he was just a penniless college student. It was my mother who took a liking to him at first glance. My mother threatened to go on a hunger strike, and my grandfather had no choice but to let his precious daughter marry him. She nurtured him carefully and gave him connections and resources, which finally allowed him to become the chairman of the Young Group. After I married Alex, the messages my father sent became like death warrants, not caring about my well-being, but forcing me to humble myself to seek benefits for him. In the end, as the Young Group gradually grew stronger, he married his mistress and his daughter became Mrs. Moore. What about me? What about my mother? We were just stepping stones for this couple to climb up.

The anger in my heart was like a flood about to burst its banks. At this critical moment, my mother arrived just in time, wrapping a scarf around me and helping me up, shielding me. Mrs. Moore was usually kind and didn’t show me any bad attitude. She just asked the waiter to carefully help Ethan leave. Mrs. Moore’s face was long with mockery, as if blaming me for ruining her party just to climb the social ladder. Back home, my father stormed in, not caring about my weak condition, and immediately started scolding me. “You little brat, have you gotten too bold? How dare you go after the Moore family’s son? Do you really think you can turn from a sparrow into a phoenix?” He paced back and forth in the room, unable to contain his anger. My mother stood up to try to persuade him to leave, but he pushed her away violently, nearly causing her to fall. After my father left, my mother sat by my bed, holding my hand tightly, tears glistening in her eyes. The news of me falling into the water and being saved by Ethan spread quickly in our circle. Everyone was waiting to see me embarrass myself. A daughter of a small group wanting to marry into the Moore family was simply a daydream. Since falling into the water, Ethan had been running a high fever and was bedridden. I sat on the bed, full of guilt. It was my fault he got hurt. This was not my intention at all. The guilty should be punished. Involving an innocent person made me restless and unable to eat or sleep. Fortunately, three days later, Ethan’s fever broke and he gradually regained consciousness. I, who had never believed in Buddha before, silently said “Amitabha” in my heart. That day, my father suddenly summoned me to the front hall. “Quick, this is Aunt Lin.” My father’s words pulled me out of my daze. I suddenly looked up and saw the elegant and dignified Mrs. Moore sitting in the hall. She pulled me to her side, held my hand, and looked me over carefully, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. “Let’s set the wedding date for the middle of next month. It’s an auspicious day.” I was stunned and didn’t react. After she left, my father talked to me all night in the study, repeatedly instructing me to think of the family. So, I became engaged to Ethan just like that. According to Mrs. Moore, as soon as he woke up, he knelt before his parents and begged to marry me. Logically, given my family’s status, it would be impossible to connect with the Moore family. But when the Moore couple saw their son struggle back from the brink of death, they were moved to tears and agreed on the spot. Mrs. Moore even calculated mine and Ethan’s birth dates, saying we were a match made in heaven, and that he woke up because of the good luck I brought. I didn’t believe in these things. It was clearly me who almost harmed him.

After dragging on for a few more days, the Thompson family’s precious daughter cried at home, refusing to marry Alex no matter what, saying she just wanted to stay at home with her parents. The Thompson family had always doted on this daughter. Since she was unwilling, they simply decided not to marry her off and directly rejected Mrs. Moore’s suggestion for the two to spend more time together. This really angered Mrs. Moore. She smashed a bunch of precious treasures in her rage. I was puzzled. Everyone knew Emily had liked Alex since childhood. Mrs. Moore had been grooming her as a future daughter-in-law from early on. Why did she suddenly change her mind? I heard that Emily accidentally hit her head on a table corner and was unconscious for several days. When she woke up, she seemed like a completely different person, avoiding Alex like the plague. I couldn’t help but have a bold thought: could it be that she had also been reborn? I needed to find an opportunity to meet her and verify my idea. Coincidentally, she seemed to have the same intention. So we met in the Thompson family’s small garden. As soon as I saw her, I knew that the person standing in front of me was no longer the same Emily. We had fought for eight years, and I knew her thoughts better than my own. “You’ve come back too.” She looked at me, her eyes no longer filled with jealousy and hatred, only tranquility. I silently handed her the high-grade spring tea in my hand, without saying a word. She gently rotated the teacup in her hand, “There’s something you should know. Your child wasn’t harmed by me. It was Alex and your dear sister who did it together.” The teapot I had just picked up crashed to the ground with a loud bang. I had gone mentally unstable because I had been pregnant twice, but both ended in miscarriage. At that time, I had some suspicions, but the pain of losing a child was too heavy, leaving me no time to investigate. I only knew to blindly seek revenge. Although Emily loved to compete for attention, she wasn’t essentially bad, just a spoiled young lady. “Your child was actually poisoned by that bitch Olivia.” “What you don’t know is that after you, I was also pushed off a building by them, smashed to pieces. They even spread rumors saying I committed suicide out of guilt for causing your miscarriage.” Killing two birds with one stone, using my child to get rid of both of us. After Emily’s death, the Thompson family gradually declined. Alex’s father had long been wary of the Thompson family and simply crushed them completely. “You still need to enter the Moore family. Soon, I’ll make her go down to accompany you,” I said. In this life, I won’t fight alone anymore.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295479”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring

When the apocalypse struck, the world changed drastically. My best friend Lily and I became rare female survivors among humans. After being captured, I was chosen by the Fire Zombie King, who had awakened fire abilities. Within a year, I gave birth to a gifted little Zombie Prince. As time passed, our territory expanded, and the Fire Zombie King became a powerful ruler. I became the most revered woman in the post-apocalyptic world. Lily, on the other hand, ended up with the Water Zombie King, who had awakened water abilities. It wasn’t long before other Zombie Kings killed him and seized his territory. She became a captive again, suffering greatly as she was passed between several zombie groups. In the end, I rescued her. But instead of being grateful, she became insanely jealous and pushed me off a high-rise building. I pulled her down with me as we fell to our deaths. When I was reborn, I found myself back on the day when the survivors were being divided as spoils of war. Lily eagerly threw herself at the Fire Zombie King, whose face was covered in flame-like tattoos. Seeing her malicious smile, I couldn’t help but grin as well. Finally, I could escape that hellhole, and there was even a fool jumping right into it! …

The sound of zombies growling filled my ears as I suddenly woke up, realizing I had been reborn to the day we were captured by the zombie horde. At that moment, Lily ran past me quickly, heading towards the tall Zombie King covered in flame-like tattoos from head to toe. “Choose me, Fire Zombie King! I can bear your children!” she exclaimed. I was stunned. She really dared to say that despite their height difference being nearly double! In my previous life, she was terrified of the Zombie King who was twice her height. When the Fire Zombie King looked our way, she didn’t hesitate to push me forward. This time, she wasn’t afraid of getting in bed with him? She even dared to throw herself at him! Meeting her malicious gaze, I suddenly realized that she must have been reborn too, just like me. Back then, after Lily went with the Water Zombie King, it wasn’t long before his group was devoured by other Zombie Kings. She was passed between several zombie groups, treated as a plaything by the Zombie Kings, and tortured until she was barely recognizable. In the end, I saved her. I never expected that she would become insanely jealous behind my back and push me off a high-rise building when I wasn’t paying attention. After being reborn, she wanted to seize the initiative, thinking that if she snagged the Fire Zombie King, she could become the most revered woman in the post-apocalyptic world. I laughed inwardly. Did she really think being a Zombie Queen was that easy? The Fire Zombie King seemed interested in her forwardness. He picked her up with one hand and placed her on his shoulder. “I’ll take this one,” he said. Lily used to be a dancer, so her figure and face were indeed attractive. I just wondered if her body could handle what was coming. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she looked at me with a smug expression. She mouthed, “This good life was meant to be mine all along. Now it’s time for me to take it back.” Leaving aside her confidence, I really had no intention of competing with her. She only saw the glamorous side of my life, not knowing how difficult it was behind the scenes. I smiled at her slightly. If she wanted to jump into the fire pit, I’d let her have this “good life”! We used to be best friends, and after the apocalypse hit, this airhead relied on me to survive until now. I never said anything, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t know about her little tricks behind my back. She would secretly skimp on my food and push me to the front when zombies attacked. Her excuse was that I knew martial arts and could protect myself better. In the post-apocalyptic world, we had lost all our relatives and only had each other, which is why I always tolerated her behavior. Under my protection, she enjoyed the benefits while secretly envying and scheming against me. Now she even wanted to steal my chance at survival and let me die in her place. She even gestured towards the Water Zombie King, saying, “I have a friend, Chloe. She’s healthy and can bear children. Water Zombie King, choose her!” Her eyes were filled with urgency, as if she couldn’t wait for me to experience all the suffering she had endured.

The moment she pushed me off that building in my previous life, any friendship between us ceased to exist. I rolled my eyes and, before the Water Zombie King could speak, I chose his second-in-command. “Can I go with your deputy?” I asked. The Water Zombie King was simple-minded and physically strong, not particularly attractive – more like a chunk of iron. But he valued brotherhood and wouldn’t compete with his subordinates for women. He just asked me innocently, “Oh? Why choose him over me?” Pretending to be scared, I carefully replied, “Because… your deputy’s size matches mine better.” Hearing this, the Water Zombie King burst into laughter. “Too big for you to handle, huh? Haha, alright then, you can go with my second-in-command!” Well, of course! Mismatched sizes would be torture – I knew that from experience! The deputy in the Water Zombie King’s group was a newly recruited wandering powerhouse who had made great contributions in the recent raid on another zombie group. His physique hadn’t expanded too much due to the zombie transformation. He was only slightly taller than a normal human, not quite two meters tall. His appearance was also close to human, except for the purple-gold patterns covering his face, which weren’t too frightening. The more human-like appearance a zombie had after transformation, the more humanity they retained, and the higher their intelligence. I had studied these elite zombies in the groups before. His abilities were no less than those of other Zombie Kings. If he hadn’t been schemed against and injured, pursued to death by other zombie groups, he would have had the chance to become a ruler in his own right. I’d had enough of the life of being a plaything and barely surviving. Men couldn’t be relied upon, and zombie men even less so. This time, I wanted to forge a new path for myself. Those zombies who retained part of their humanity understood and all chuckled softly. The deputy’s face darkened. After all, no man would feel proud about being chosen because he was smaller. He was rough with me, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. His sharp claws even tore the skin on my thigh. After smelling the blood, he perversely stuck out his tongue and licked it, the sensation ice-cold. I suppressed my nausea and tried to calm myself down. I had endured worse things before; this was nothing. Lily looked at me with contempt and mockery in her eyes, as if she was looking at a dead person. Well, from her perspective, the deputy I chose now wasn’t even as good as the Water Zombie King she had initially ended up with. She probably thought I couldn’t escape the fate of becoming a captive again and suffering the same tragic end as she had. Too bad, I wouldn’t be as stupid as her. With her walnut-sized brain, what could she think of besides relying on others to survive? This city originally had four Zombie Kings, but after today, only three remained. Now it was divided into three parts, occupied by three Zombie Kings. The remaining survivors were also divided into three groups, with men and women separated. The men became blood bags and food, while the women became playthings and tools for reproduction. After turning into zombies, their fertility rate greatly decreased, making surviving human women highly prized. It had been over a year since the apocalypse began, and there were very few women left among the survivors. The deputy was very displeased with me because of that twisted comment about his size. I didn’t know how he would deal with me. Their base was a former five-star hotel, now occupied by the Water Zombie King as his stronghold. I was thrown onto a soft bed. It had been so long since I’d slept on such a comfortable bed that I almost dozed off. The man – no, the male zombie – with purple tattoos on his face pressed down on me aggressively. “You said our sizes match, right? Let’s test that out and see just how well we match!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295495”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #励志Inspiring #校园School #重生Reborn

My childhood friend said he was under too much pressure from studying for his graduate school entrance exam. He coaxed me into having sex with him. After that, he became insatiable and entangled with me for an entire year. I found him too straightforward, so I laughed softly and said, “When pursuing a girl, remember to send flowers.” He kissed me repeatedly and murmured in agreement. Until the day the most beautiful girl in our department confessed to him, my childhood friend asked to meet me. “Help me choose a bouquet later. You girls have similar tastes.” “I’m sure Sophia will like whatever you pick.” Turns out, he knew that a confession should start with a bouquet of flowers. When I heard Jack say he accepted Sophia’s confession, the air around me seemed to freeze. Whenever he mentioned Sophia, he couldn’t hide the smile on his face. I’ve known him for many years, but this was the first time I’d seen this expression. I mumbled my responses, afraid that if I said too much, he would notice the strange tone in my voice. “Emily, are you about to cry?” he asked teasingly, deliberately raising his voice. My hands trembled slightly as I clutched the hem of my shirt. Jack knew me very well. He could even capture my emotions from the slightest facial expression. In front of him, I couldn’t lie. But I still tried to be stubborn this time. “I’m just tired from all the stress lately.” “That’s perfect then. Come with me to the flower shop to choose a bouquet. It’ll help you relax.” Hearing him say “relax” still touched a nerve in my heart. Every time Jack coaxed me into spending the night, he would use this as an excuse. He couldn’t hide the joy in his voice: “You’re both girls, so I’m sure Sophia will like whatever you pick.” Sophia was the most beautiful girl in our department, pretty and pursued by many. But I never knew Jack was interested in her too. So what was I… “Jack, what about me?” I asked, biting my lip. He was silent for a few seconds, his face darkening. When he spoke, his expression was serious: “Emily, don’t tell me you took this seriously.” “You’re a friend I grew up with. Wasn’t this just about mutual benefits?” His tone was calm, but his words cut deep. I had taught him to give flowers when dating a girl. In the past, he always forgot. It turns out, those who truly care don’t need to be taught. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, smiling mischievously: “You’ve lived in my house for so many years, people see you as my sister.” “Who could accept being with their own sister? If I did that, would I even be human?” These words were like a bucket of ice water, leaving me feeling cold. I stared at the ground, not letting my tears fall. “The exam is coming up soon. I need to do more practice questions.” With that, I hurriedly returned to my dorm.

I thought Jack saw me as his girlfriend. We rode Ferris wheels together, watched sunsets together. He took me to Norway to see the Northern Lights. He would also passionately kiss me at the moment the sun rose. Saying all sorts of romantic vows. Jack said I was his sister. But every time he took me out overnight, in the heat of the moment, he would call me “wife.” It turns out, in Jack’s eyes, this was just a game. From beginning to end, I was the only one who fell for it. The sound of the phone interrupted my thoughts. “Emily, have you been crying?” Aunt Sarah noticed something was off. I immediately snapped out of my memories. My reflection in the mirror showed a tear-stained face. I quickly wiped it clean. “I’m just under a lot of pressure lately and caught a bit of a cold.” She finally relaxed: “Remember to take your medicine. If you’re really not feeling well, have that Jack boy take you to the hospital.” I agreed to everything she said. Mentioning Jack, Aunt Sarah seemed to remember something: “Oh, Emily, have you told him about going abroad after your exams next month? He’s not going to be reluctant to let you go again, is he?” The year my parents passed away, Aunt Sarah had planned to take me abroad. It was Jack who tugged at my clothes, begging me to stay. He said they had many rooms in their house, and I could live in any of them. His home would be my home. He was willing to be my family. I was moved by those words and refused Aunt Sarah’s offer. Now, considering my future, Aunt Sarah once again invited me to go abroad and develop my career with her. I had planned to tell Jack about this today. I had even written a full page of thoughts a week ago. Planning to give it to him today along with my decision. “Don’t worry, Aunt Sarah. We’ve all grown up now. We won’t be as stubborn as we were when we were kids.” “What about you, Emily? Will you miss him?” Every time I chat with Aunt Sarah, I always end up mentioning Jack without realizing it. How could she not see through the signs of a young girl’s first love? Aunt Sarah has been developing her career abroad for many years, and our relatives have always kept their distance from me as an orphan. Once I leave this time, I probably won’t come back. Thinking that time can wash away everything, I felt more at peace: “I’ve already contacted a famous art teacher abroad. Apart from studying, I’ll be able to keep you company.”

While I was doing practice questions, my roommate suddenly exclaimed, “Emily, quick, look at the campus social media!” Before I could react, the content on her phone was already in front of my eyes. In the video, Jack was kneeling on one knee with a bouquet of flowers: “How could I let a girl confess first? Sophia, will you be my girlfriend?” He looked nervous and shy, causing the people around to scream, calling him a true romantic. But just last night, he had used the excuse of dinner to ask me out, pinning me against the hotel door for a deep kiss. Promising to send me flowers. Now it seems, all of that was just empty promises after he was satisfied. “Sigh, I thought Jack liked you before,” my roommate pulled her chair next to mine, looking regretful. “He always called you whenever he went out, prepared gifts for you on holidays and birthdays. Now you’re telling me I was wrong about their relationship?” I forced a smile, holding back the tears that were about to fall. My fingertips dug into my palms. If my flesh hurt, maybe my heart wouldn’t hurt as much. In the evening, while buying food at the cafeteria, I happened to run into the couple holding hands. I instinctively lowered my head, wanting to get away from them quickly. “Emily, why are you running so fast?” Jack grabbed my collar, pulling me back. “Why didn’t you reply to the message I sent you this afternoon? I was just about to look for you.” He looked particularly handsome today, even his hair was impeccably styled. When he looked at the girl beside him, his eyes were full of light. “This is my girlfriend, Sophia. Call her sister-in-law.” Over the years, I had grown used to him introducing me to others as his sister without blood ties. But I couldn’t bring myself to call her “sister-in-law.” Seeing no reaction from me, Jack suddenly raised his hand to pinch my face: “What are you spacing out for? Are you not giving your brother face?” Our eyes met, and he saw the humiliated tears in mine. Jack’s hand froze. The look he gave me was a bit flustered. Before, when a classmate from another class confessed to me, I didn’t know how to respond. Jack had just returned from playing basketball and saw the scene. He put his hand on my neck and pinched my face. What did he say back then? “What are you spacing out for, Emily? Do you need me to reject him for you?” The boy asked him what right he had to decide for me, what business was it of his. “What business? He chuckled lowly, “We live together.” “I have quite a few photos of Emily drooling in her sleep on my phone. Want to see?” The night after chasing that boy away, Jack used the excuse of reviewing lessons. He pressed me onto the bed and kissed me all night. He pinched the necklace on my neck, warning me in my ear, “Emily, we grew up together.” “I won’t allow you to be distracted from me.”

“It’s okay, Jack. We’re all classmates. If she can’t say it, let it be,” Sophia tugged at his sleeve. Jack finally returned to normal, letting out a long breath: “I was too hasty. We’ll wait for her to say it in the future.” I pursed my lips, tightening my grip on the lunch box. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first.” In my heart, I thought silently. Jack, there won’t be a future. Sophia’s voice came from behind: “Come sing karaoke with us later. It’s Jack’s treat. You’re his sister, it wouldn’t be right if you didn’t come, right?” I thought Sophia invited me to learn more about Jack. I didn’t expect my thoughts to be so simple. Jack was chatting with others, and Sophia sat down next to me. From the moment we entered the private room, she had been very enthusiastic towards me. “Emily, I heard you and Jack are childhood friends. You two make such a good-looking pair, why didn’t you consider getting together?” She even linked arms with me, making it impossible for me to avoid the topic. “Jack has always seen me as a sister. He wouldn’t be with his sister.” I wanted to dispel Sophia’s concerns, after all, they had just gotten together and lacked a sense of security based on trust. But she persisted, her tone somewhat provocative: “Are you saying you have unrequited love for my boyfriend?” “Ah, no…” I opened my mouth, but didn’t know how to refute for a moment. “Jack, that necklace on your neck looks pretty nice.” Jack had already sat down next to Sophia, handing her a piece of fruit. “Oh, this is something my parents got from a temple when I was little. They said it could bring protection.” “You like it?” Sophia stopped his motion as he was about to take it off, nestling coquettishly in his arms: “I just thought Emily’s necklace looked like a couple’s set with yours. But never mind, she must wear it every day because she likes it…” Jack looked at me, his gaze sweeping across my neck. “Emily, give me your necklace.” Without waiting for my reaction, he reached out to take it off. “We’re all family now. Since Sophia likes it, consider it your welcoming gift to her.” I instinctively leaned back, avoiding his hand that was about to touch me. He was stunned for a moment, but his eyes quickly filled with anger: “Are you being disobedient? Don’t forget, this belongs to our family. I have the right to take it back.” The noise around us suddenly stopped. Everyone turned their gaze towards me. “Jack, what are you saying? That necklace was from when Emily had a high fever for three days, and you cried and begged your parents to take you to the temple to get it for her.” The person speaking was a friend who grew up with us. Jack seemed to suddenly realize something and instinctively withdrew his hand. “I just thought we’ve all grown up now and don’t need its protection to be okay. Never mind… I was wrong. If you like it, keep it.” “No need. I’ll give it back to you now,” I pulled off the protection necklace from my neck. “Now I don’t owe you anything anymore.” He stared at the necklace in his hand, frozen in place.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295512”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

My sister and my boyfriend never got along. She didn’t believe that the charming and flirtatious heir would ever settle down for me. Even after my boyfriend proposed, she still tried to stop us from being together. To convince her, I registered a new account to test my boyfriend. Evan’s attitude was as cold as ice, always ignoring my messages. Just as I was secretly feeling pleased, I received a voice message from Evan. He said, “I’ve told you, except for you and your sister, I’m not interested in other women. “Grace, you’re so unsatisfied. Who will fulfill your needs if I get married?” Grace was my sister’s name. Hearing these voice messages, I felt like my entire body had frozen in an instant. In a panic, I pinched my thigh to confirm if this was just a nightmare. Amid the intense pounding of my heart, the harsh reality hit me. Evan and my sister were involved. And I was just a substitute for my sister. But… how could this be? Hadn’t they always disliked each other? My sister always said that Evan, apart from his prestigious family background, was just an utterly useless playboy. Evan, on the other hand, thought my sister was a meddling busybody. Every time we argued, she would try to convince me to break up. My phone suddenly rang with a call, pulling me out of my thoughts. I blankly rejected the call. Evan: [Why didn’t you pick up the phone?] [You’re not crying, are you?] [Come to the Nightshade Villa. I’ll satisfy you properly tonight.] [Don’t worry. Marriage is just a formality.] [Everything Mia has, you won’t miss out on.] [That includes me.] I stared blankly at the screen, a buzzing sound in my ears, feeling as if my body had frozen. Tears uncontrollably streamed down my face. Through my blurry vision, I couldn’t help but recall the first time I took my sister to that villa. Without me guiding her, she easily found the bathroom and the facial cleanser in the storage cabinet. When I checked her phone, I found that she had already connected to the Wi-Fi. She said she had accidentally entered my social account password. Evan’s corgi was incredibly affectionate towards her. She said it might be because it picked up my scent. But the dog totally ignored me, even when I offered a frisbee or a bone. Yet, it wagged its tail happily at my sister, whom it had just met. And at my sister’s house, there were limited edition bags, high couture dresses, and jewelry, just like mine. Some of them were things Evan had asked me to pass on under the guise of trying to please my sister. The rest, my sister said, were gifts from her suitors. I eagerly asked her about them, but she stammered and dodged the question. I thought she was shy, but it turned out she was hiding something. I also remembered when we went shopping and they bickered for my attention in front of me. Several times, the tense atmosphere was suddenly broken by laughter. I naively thought they were making up, happy that their relationship was improving. This pair of shameless lovers had been treating me as just a part of their game, playing me for a fool. I cried until my eyes were swollen and my head dizzy. Grabbing the car keys, I sped towards the Nightshade Villa. Nightshade Villa was Evan’s private club, and now it was hosting the groomsmen’s gathering. Evan was there. To my surprise, my sister was there, too. I stood outside the wall, watching them at the outdoor bar. Evan seemed to be drunk, his handsome face flushed red. He drunkenly held my sister’s neck, whispering in her ear. My sister frowned in disdain but mischievously pulled his tie. The surrounding men teased them with suggestive jeering. Evan, however, playfully swept his bangs back and purposely leaned back, flashing a mischievous grin, having succeeded in his prank.

My sister gasped and collapsed onto his lap. Evan wrapped his arms around her slender waist, kissing her lips under the dim lights of the outdoor bar. The crowd erupted into cheers and whistles. Some people opened champagne to celebrate, while others raised their phones to take pictures. Others laughed and teased, “Evan, you’re marrying Mia the day after tomorrow. Is it really appropriate to get intimate with her sister today?” “Haha, don’t tell anyone. Even if Evan takes care of Grace here tonight, Mia won’t find out.” “This is the Evan I know! Before, you were so obedient to Mia, always acting so devoted and faithful. Turns out it was all just an act? I really thought you’d changed!” Evan finally ended the passionate kiss. He was drunk, exuding a touch of arrogance. He said, “The one I’ve always loved is Grace, from the beginning to the end. But who’s to blame when Grace, this flirtatious woman, refuses to settle down for me?” Evan let out a light laugh, then kissed my sister on the cheek. “Guess I’ll have to settle for second best and be with her little sister. “Mia might not be as wild as Grace in bed, but as far as body and looks go, she’s not bad at all, tsk…” Evan helped my sister stand up and leaned her against the bar to rest. Someone handed him a coat, and he draped it over her shoulders. Someone asked, “Evan, are you going home tonight?” My sister looked up at him, her eyes dazed. Evan bent down, affectionately pinching her cheek. “Mia cares about her sister the most. I’m always second. Now that her sister is so upset, I naturally have to comfort her first.” He waved his hand behind him. “John, send Mia a message saying I’m drunk and won’t be coming back tonight. I’ll pick her up for rehearsal tomorrow.” As tears blurred my vision, my phone vibrated. John had sent a message. John: [Ms. Jones, Mr. Taylor is drunk and won’t be coming back tonight. Please rest early. He’ll come to pick you up for rehearsal tomorrow.]

I stood there for a long time, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Since we were little, my sister and I had always depended on each other. After our parents passed away, we were fostered by our uncle. My cousin constantly bullied me, and my aunt turned a blind eye. I was too scared to fight back, but my sister stood up for me. I didn’t dare to strike, but she was the one to teach them a lesson. In terms of academics, I was smarter than my sister. She didn’t like studying much, so in her senior year of high school, I stayed up every night to help her review, breaking down the material and explaining it to her. I painted a picture of a bright future for her, and we both ended up getting into university in this city. When we graduated, I found out my boyfriend was cheating. Without saying a word, my sister rushed to the hotel and beat up the cheating couple. Later, we shared a bedroom in a rented apartment, both uncertain about the future. Every night, we squeezed into one bed, promising each other that we’d take care of one another once we became successful. “We can’t forget our roots. “I’ll leave you the biggest room when I make it.” Since childhood, I’ve always considered her the most important person in my life. Maybe love for family always has its conditions, but I believed she would love me forever. So, witnessing her betrayal, I didn’t even dare to confront her. The one who once fought for me against the other woman had now become the mistress of my fiancé. My wholehearted trust was met with ruthless betrayal. I left the outdoor bar, the cold moon hanging high in the sky, the night air biting with chill. I remembered the first time I met Evan. At twenty-five, I had become the most renowned jewelry designer in Hamscent. At an international auction, after working nonstop for three days and nights, I nearly collapsed in front of the display booth. It was Evan who caught me just in time. Dressed in a suit, he was impossible to look away from. His gentle gaze made my heart race. Later, I heard he was the heir of a prestigious family and notorious for his flirtations, so I deliberately kept my distance. But to win me over, he gave up all his bad habits and pursued me relentlessly for a whole year. That year, during Christmas, I went back to my rural hometown to visit my seriously ill grandmother. Due to poor signal in the mountains, I couldn’t be reached. Worried that I might be in danger, he drove through mountains to find me. Seeing him in the heavy snow, wearing only a thin shirt, anxiously asking the villagers at the village entrance about my whereabouts, I knew then that I was meant to be with him for the rest of my life. During three years of dating, he always pampered me like it was the beginning. He would fix my hair at jewelry exhibitions, remember every vital day and surprise me, and carefully prepare before introducing me to his family. On every occasion, he proudly introduced me, “This is my fiancée, Mia, the youngest jewelry design master in Hamscent. “Her works have won numerous international awards, and even the royal family has appointed her to design their wedding jewelry. If you want to book her now, you’ll have to wait until next year. “Actually, you’ll have to wait until the year after next! “Because next year, we’re having a grand wedding. We’ll definitely invite everyone!” The love he gave me was perfect, but there was a fatal flaw, making everything fragile and easy to shatter. I went to the hotel alone and cried my heart out.

I kept telling myself that this was just betrayal, just being deceived. The wedding hadn’t happened yet. There was still time. I could run far away, leave this painful place, and stay away from these two. But why should I leave? They were the ones who were wrong. They would pay the price! And I should reflect on my lack of sharp judgment, not on my sincere efforts. I was not at fault. I was fine. The next day, during the wedding rehearsal, I returned to the apartment early. When Evan came to pick me up, I had already adjusted myself. But he still noticed my swollen eyes. “Why are your eyes so red?” He bent down and gently kissed my eyelids. I forced back my disgust and said, “I miss my parents.” Evan smiled, squatting down to help me change my shoes. “Your parents must be happy for you up in heaven.” I stared at the top of Evan’s head, my mind filled with a thousand thoughts. I thought, “Since you can’t be faithful, why choose me? Don’t you know that betrayal is the one thing I can’t stand? When you were having an affair with my sister, did you ever think about how much it would hurt me, how hopeless I would feel when I found out?” I held back those thoughts. Evan always boasted to the others that he would give me the most luxurious wedding the city had ever seen. I was going to turn this grand wedding into a ridiculous farce with my own hands. And Evan would be the saddest clown of all. The rehearsal went on until evening. Before leaving, I asked Evan and my sister to wait for me in the parking lot. I called in the wedding planner. This million-dollar wedding would be led by me and executed by her. After speaking with her, she looked troubled, as if she had something to say but didn’t know how. I acted as though I didn’t see. I knew my request was unreasonable. Such last-minute changes would bring a huge workload. But I had handled many high-society weddings and had dealt with more willful brides than me. Now that it was my turn to be the bride, why couldn’t I be willful just once? The driver was gone when I got into the car. Evan was sitting in the front seat, and my sister was in the back. The silence in the air was suffocating. I looked at my sister’s flushed face and sneered. Every time I saw this scene before, I thought they were just arguing, but it turns out they were sneaking around behind my back… I was really such a fool. I sat in the back seat, tired, and closed my eyes. “Where’s the driver?” Evan answered, “He went to the restroom. I’ll call him right away.” I gave a slight nod. Evan turned around, offering me a cup. The fragrance of coffee wafted through the air. “Are you tired?” he asked softly. Then he turned to my sister, commanding, “Grace, sit in the front.” “No need.” I opened my eyes, grabbed my sister’s hand, and turned to smile at her. I continued, “I still have so much to say to my sister.” Evan frowned, clearly displeased. “What is it that I can’t hear?” I smiled even more deeply, “It’s just some trivial talk, nothing important. If you overhear it, you’ll probably accuse my sister of trying to stir up trouble.” Evan snorted, “Grace, no matter how much you object, your sister and I are getting married now. You need to show me some respect in the future.” My sister seemed to sense something was wrong and didn’t retort like usual. Her expression froze, and she looked at me nervously. Free Point

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295528”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #狼人Werewolf

## When my father suddenly passed away, he left behind a house, a car, and some cash. To everyone’s surprise, my usually petty and sharp-tongued stepmother only asked for the car and cash, leaving the most valuable asset—the house—to me, my grandfather, and my younger sister. The three of us were completely baffled. It wasn’t until the inheritance paperwork was finalized that I accidentally overheard her inner thoughts. “Don’t think you’ve scored with that big house. The apocalypse is coming, and the freezing cold will kill you all soon enough!” 0“I don’t need the house. It’s too big for just me and Xuxu.” “I’ll take the car and the cash. After this, we go our separate ways.” Her words caught everyone off guard. My grandfather, my sister, and I all froze in place. My father had only been diagnosed with terminal cancer a month earlier. The disease came so quickly that none of us had time to process it before he passed away. During his final days, we called my stepmother countless times, begging her to come back and visit him one last time. But she refused, saying her son, Andy, was preparing for an important middle school entrance exam. She wouldn’t even spare a day to say goodbye to my dad. She didn’t show up for the funeral either. Instead, she took her son on what she called an “educational summer camp”—which was really just a fancy vacation. But now, with everything settled, here she was, suddenly reappearing to claim her share of the inheritance. We braced ourselves for a fight. After all, knowing her personality, even something as small as us having an extra glass of milk would set her off for days. Why was she suddenly acting so… reasonable? Grandpa’s face reflected his confusion. His eyes darted between my stepmother and the documents on the table. She looked radiant, dressed in expensive clothes and wearing jewelry that sparkled under the light. She didn’t look like someone grieving, not even a little. Still, Grandpa spoke again, cautiously. “Ruby, are you sure about this? My son may be gone, but I won’t let you be treated unfairly.” “Whatever’s yours will be yours. We won’t take a penny that doesn’t belong to us.” Ruby waved him off impatiently. “Stop rambling. I just want the car and the cash. I even brought the lawyer with me.” She pulled out a pre-prepared inheritance agreement, signed her name in bold strokes, and shoved it across the table. Grandpa and I exchanged wary glances. We carefully read through the document, checking every word for hidden clauses. To our surprise, it was exactly as she said—she only wanted the car and the cash. The only additional condition was that, after the division, she would have no further ties with our family. No ties? Fine by us. She never treated Grandpa, my sister, or me well while my dad was alive. Now that he was gone, cutting ties sounded like a relief. I signed the document on behalf of the family, pressing my fingerprint onto the paper. Ruby’s face lit up with joy as she grabbed the agreement. “Great! I’ll get the car transferred this afternoon. From now on, we’re done—no more connections, not even a little!” She strutted out of the house, practically skipping. And true to her word, she transferred the car into her name that very afternoon. Though the three of us—Grandpa, my sister, and I—were still puzzled by her behavior, we went ahead and transferred the house into my name. But as fate would have it, we ran into Ruby again as we were leaving the notary office. She was driving my dad’s old, beat-up Jetta, looking smug as ever. “Big house, huh? Sure, it’s nice—if you live long enough to enjoy it.” “Good luck!” she shouted, laughing as she drove off. The car’s exhaust sputtered as it sped away, but amid the fading engine noise, I suddenly heard her voice again, sharp and venomous: “Don’t think you’ve won just because you got the house. I’ve been through this before—I know what’s coming! In a few days, the apocalypse will hit, and the freezing cold will kill you all!” 0

For a brief moment, my mind went completely blank. Instinctively, I asked Grandpa and my sister if they had heard what my stepmother just said. They both shook their heads. “She just said, ‘Good luck,’ didn’t she?” “Come on, big sis,” my sister chimed in. “Ruby might be a bit harsh, but don’t take it to heart.” “We’ve got this big house now! Worst case, we can rent it out, move back to the countryside, and live off the rent. It’ll cover our expenses just fine.” She was trying to comfort me, but I shook my head. No. I was absolutely certain I had heard her voice—word for word. I opened Ruby’s social media account and saw her latest post. She had already checked in at the train station. The picture showed her holding two train tickets to Furnace Ridge. The caption was short but chilling: “Who knew you couldn’t fly to Furnace Ridge? Oh well, doesn’t matter. The deep freeze is coming soon—can’t wait to see all you smug city folk freeze to death!” My stomach dropped. Furnace Ridge was one of the hottest places in the country. This year’s summer heatwave had been insane, with surface temperatures there reaching over 140°F. Going to Furnace Ridge in this heat was practically a death wish. But knowing Ruby the way I did, she was far too selfish and self-preserving to risk her life like that—unless… Unless what I’d overheard from her earlier was true. Ruby had really been reincarnated, and in just a few days, the world would be plunged into an apocalyptic deep freeze. I told Grandpa and my sister about my theory, but they both thought I’d been reading too much sci-fi. “There’s no such thing as doomsday,” Grandpa said. “That’s just something people make up for movies and books.” “And how could there be freezing weather when it’s this hot outside?” “Exactly!” my sister chimed in. “Honestly, if it did get cold, it’d probably feel kind of nice after all this heat.” I stayed quiet. She was too young to grasp how terrifying extreme cold could be. A sudden drop in temperature could freeze everything in minutes. A polar vortex could bring temperatures as low as -100°F, turning people, animals, and even buildings into ice sculptures. I couldn’t take any chances. I immediately went online to look for any signs of unusual weather patterns. The results made my blood run cold. • “Reports of Extreme Weather Unsettle Residents: Sudden Temperature Swings Leave Experts Puzzled.” • “City Sees Wild Temperature Shifts—Four Seasons in a Single Day?” • “Man Found Dead on the Streets Overnight—Hypothermia or Something More Sinister?” Each headline made my heart race faster. The more I read, the more convinced I became: Ruby was telling the truth. I couldn’t gamble with my family’s lives. Meanwhile, Ruby’s location updated again—she was now near Furnace Ridge. Her new social media post read: “What’s the point of having a fancy house if it can’t keep you alive? A safe shelter is the only luxury that matters!” My sister was furious. “She’s insane! She’s the one who chose what she wanted from the inheritance. Who’s she throwing shade at now?” But her anger only strengthened my resolve. What I’d overheard from Ruby couldn’t be dismissed as a coincidence. “Better safe than sorry,” I said firmly. “Grandpa, Emily, we need to prepare.” They exchanged uncertain glances but eventually nodded. Ruby’s cryptic, spiteful posts were enough to convince them. “You’re right,” Grandpa said. “It’s better to be ready than regret it later.” 0

We knew one thing for certain: a deep freeze was coming. But how long it would last and when it would arrive—no one could say. “Should we move to Furnace Ridge too?” Emily suggested. I shook my head. Even if Ruby claimed to be reborn, I wasn’t going to blindly trust her judgment. Furnace Ridge might be scorching during the day, but it was still a desert—the temperature would plummet at night. It might not survive an extreme freeze either. Besides, Ruby took all the cash from the inheritance. We didn’t have the money to relocate. “Then let’s sell the house,” Emily said. “A place this big has to be worth a lot, right?” I sighed. “We don’t have time. Selling a house isn’t something you can do overnight.” “And even if we could sell it, what if the freeze hits before we find somewhere else to go?” Grandpa suddenly chimed in, his expression thoughtful. “There’s still the old house back in Cedar Hollow. It’s not much, but it’s got a yard and a fireplace. Back when I worked in the city to put your dad through school, your grandma refused to leave that house. She always said it was the most comfortable place to live.” My eyes lit up. Of course! The old house was partially underground, making it naturally insulated. With a few upgrades, it could be the perfect refuge from the cold. Grandpa brought out his savings, and Emily and I pooled together our college funds and any leftover birthday money. Altogether, we scraped together about $30,000. Armed with that money, we headed straight to the nearest stores. First, we bought construction materials to reinforce the house. Then we got heating supplies—firewood, thermal blankets, and portable heaters. Whatever money was left went toward food, medicine, and emergency supplies. It took us three days to gather everything. We loaded it all into rented trucks and started the trip back to Cedar Hollow. Before we left, Emily hesitated at the door of the big house, reluctant to leave. “Are you sure we shouldn’t rent it out?” she asked. “No,” I replied firmly. The house wasn’t in a great location, so we wouldn’t get much rent for it anyway. Plus, renting it out would only draw Ruby’s attention. I didn’t know why she harbored so much hostility toward us, but I wasn’t about to risk provoking her further. Over the next few days, Ruby kept posting updates from Furnace Ridge. Each one was more smug and self-assured than the last. I couldn’t fathom where she got the confidence to think Furnace Ridge would protect her from the coming freeze. But if the apocalypse really was on the horizon, no amount of gloating would save her. Even if she became the self-proclaimed “Queen of Furnace Ridge,” survival wasn’t guaranteed for anyone. 0

We returned to the countryside with several truckloads of supplies. There weren’t many families left in the village—just a handful of elderly folks scattered about, aside from my grandma. That was actually a good thing. With so few people around, we didn’t have to worry about drawing too much attention or causing trouble. Grandpa explained my theory to Grandma. I thought she’d dismiss it outright, but to my surprise, her reaction was even more intense than ours. “I’ve been having dreams,” she said, her voice trembling. “In them, the world is frozen solid. There’s no food to be found. Chickens, ducks, sheep—all frozen stiff in the fields. People, too—dead everywhere, frozen like statues.” “I wanted to call you kids about it, but I was afraid you’d think I’m just some old woman losing her mind. But now… it seems like the heavens really don’t want to let us live,” she said, wiping tears from her face. I reached out to comfort her. “It won’t be like that, Grandma. Look, we brought so many supplies back with us. As long as we all work together, we’ll get through this.” I had assumed our old house wasn’t very big, but to my surprise, it turned out that our family had once been quite well-off. The property was made up of a series of interconnected underground homes—earth shelters—with over a dozen rooms in total. No wonder Grandpa had insisted on buying construction materials first. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to make full use of all the space. Under the guise of “renovating the old family home,” Grandpa hired some workers to help us. Thick, tempered glass was installed to seal off every entrance and window, insulating the entire structure. Inside, we added several layers of thermal insulation to keep the cold out. Meanwhile, my sister, Grandma, and I carried in the supplies and organized everything by category. As we filled the rooms, three of the underground shelters were packed floor to ceiling with food, firewood, and emergency items. Seeing all that gave us a deep sense of comfort and reassurance. Grandma had an idea as well. “Since the extra rooms are just sitting empty, why don’t we bring in the chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep from the backyard? And don’t forget the straw and feed, too. If we run out of food, these animals will at least give us another option.” My sister and I got to work. All the land animals were brought into the underground shelters. As for the fish Grandma had been raising… well, they wouldn’t survive the extreme cold anyway, so we gave them to the remaining families in the village. In return, they sent us fresh eggs as thanks. With everything ready, Grandpa sent the workers away. All that was left to do was wait for the freezing weather to arrive. That night, the four of us—completely exhausted—lay in the courtyard, looking up at the hazy sky through the tempered glass roof. None of us could put into words the mix of feelings in our hearts. While we had been working tirelessly, Ruby, my stepmother, had been living in luxury. With the $200,000 in cash she took from the inheritance, she had rented a massive home in the desert. She hired locals to cater to her every need, from cooking to cleaning. She even had someone feeding her meals. It was like she was living the life of royalty. Her social media was full of boastful videos, accompanied by snide, passive-aggressive captions. We were too busy with our preparations to pay her any attention, which seemed to infuriate her. Eventually, she couldn’t hold back and called Grandpa directly to vent her frustration. “You old fool! What are you so proud of? Just because your son got into some fancy college? He still ended up working himself to death for me!” “And even after he’s gone, I’m the one holding all the cash!” “You never respected me when I was in your house. You even tried to meddle in my son’s education! How’s that big house treating you now?!” “By tomorrow, you’ll all be crying and begging me to come save you! But let me tell you, even if you all get on your knees, I won’t lift a finger to help!” 0

Her words were cruel, but I didn’t let her finish. I hung up the phone. People like her weren’t worth engaging with. What mattered more was that night, just as Ruby had predicted, the temperature plummeted. In June, snow began to fall. By morning, the entire world outside had been transformed into a frozen wasteland. We quickly retreated into the underground shelters, sealing the doors and windows tightly. Thankfully, we had chosen tempered glass when upgrading the house. The snow piled up on top of it, but instead of causing damage, it acted as an extra layer of insulation, helping to keep the cold out. Inside, with the fire burning steadily, we were warm and safe. Grandma, however, couldn’t sit still. She went out to the barn, killed a chicken, and brought it back inside with a bowl of its blood. “Unbelievable,” she said, holding up the bowl. “I was only outside for a minute, and this chicken’s blood froze solid before I even got back. I’d guess it’s at least -10°F or -20°F out there.” “More like worse than that!” my sister said, clutching her tablet. She pointed to a news report on the screen. “The news says it’s already -76°F outside.” “Once it gets below -76°F, regular thermometers can’t even measure the temperature anymore. Do you think it’s actually -80°F or even colder out there, sis?” I didn’t know. Looking at the snowdrifts outside—piled higher than a person—it was hard to believe anything could survive out there. Even with the warmth of the fire, the thought of what lay beyond our walls sent chills down my spine. There’s a myth that Medusa could turn people to stone with a single glance. This weather, I thought, could do the same—except it would turn people into ice sculptures instead. “Look at this,” Grandpa said suddenly, handing me his phone. It was a message from Ruby in the family group chat. Apparently, boasting on social media wasn’t enough for her anymore. She had started showing off in the family chat too. The photos she sent showed her lounging in the desert, wearing summer clothes and even lying barefoot in the sand. The caption read: “Is it really that cold? I think the temperature is perfect.” This didn’t make sense. Even if Furnace Ridge was warmer than most places, it shouldn’t be warm enough for sand baths during a deep freeze. For a moment, I wondered if the snow had somehow avoided Furnace Ridge entirely. Then I remembered Ruby’s earlier warnings and felt a strange sense of unease. I immediately opened a search engine and typed “Furnace Ridge.” Within seconds, my screen was flooded with news articles. The most prominent headline read: “The World Becomes a Frozen Wasteland, But Furnace Ridge Remains Untouched!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295544”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic

My wife’s childhood friend passed away, but she showed no reaction when she found out. She continued to follow the doctor’s advice and went to the hospital for prenatal checkups, while I accompanied her and prepared things for the baby’s arrival. Just when I thought our family of two would become a happy family of three after the child’s birth, my wife threw our newborn daughter into a fire. She gripped a kitchen knife in her hand and vengefully stabbed me in the abdomen. “This is all your fault!” “He’s loved me since we were kids. What’s wrong with him wanting to be with me?” “If your lab hadn’t had an accident, I wouldn’t have stayed at the company with you and missed his last phone call before he died!” “I don’t want a child with your blood running through her veins. She deserves to die, just like you!” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the lab accident. As I regained consciousness, I saw thick smoke rising in the distance. I realized I had returned to the day of the lab accident. Just like in my previous life, cries for help echoed beneath the billowing smoke. “Help! Is anyone there? Save us!” “I’m going to burn to death! Someone, please!” Hearing these desperate pleas, I quickly pulled out my phone to call 911. But just as the call connected, someone snatched the phone from behind. I turned around in surprise to see Lily glaring at me resentfully. Yet her words contradicted her expression: “Please hurry to the bridge downtown! Someone’s about to jump! You must save him, he’s the most important person to me!” “Don’t worry, ma’am. We’ll make sure he’s safe,” the operator assured her. Once she confirmed emergency services were on their way, Lily threw the phone to the ground. “This time, I won’t let Noah leave me!” she hissed venomously. “Jack, you and your company can just disappear!” Hearing her curse, I realized she had also been reborn. I watched her turn to leave, my fists clenching slowly. But seeing the fire growing more intense, I pushed aside my conflicted emotions. I picked up the phone and quickly dialed 911 again. “Sir, don’t worry. We’ll be there right away!” After hanging up, I didn’t just stand by waiting for help. I connected a fire hose to a nearby hydrant and, without any protective gear, charged into the building. The thick smoke stung my eyes and made me cough uncontrollably. But human lives were at stake! I pushed through the discomfort, dragging the hose towards the heart of the flames. The scorching heat singed my hair. Embers landed on my shoulders, searing my skin. Gritting my teeth, I continued aiming the hose at the fire before me. In my previous life, without Lily’s interference, everyone in the lab building had been rescued. This time, I was determined to save them all again! When I finally heard the sirens of the fire trucks, my tense nerves instantly relaxed. I inhaled a lungful of smoke, choking as I gasped for air. Then everything went black. The next time I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed. The doctor examining me let out a sigh of relief when he saw me awake. “Mr. Wilson, you’ve been unconscious for days. Thank goodness you’re finally awake!” The balding doctor complained, “Mr. Wilson, we tried calling your wife using your phone, but couldn’t reach her. We couldn’t even get anyone to sign your critical condition notice!” “The other patients admitted with you have all been discharged, leaving just you here without even paying the hospital fees.” “Luckily, we’re a hospital with a conscience. Otherwise, after saving your life, we might have just sent you out!” I forced a smile and repeatedly thanked him: “Thank you so much! I’ll pay the hospital fees as soon as I regain some strength.” The doctor nodded: “You should contact your wife quickly so she can come take care of you.” Hearing this, I felt a bitter laugh rising in my heart. My wife had already thrown herself into another man’s arms. How could she possibly spare a thought for me? Looking at the empty hospital room, I struggled to sit up. I found my phone in the bedside drawer and checked the messages I’d received during my coma. When I opened my social media, I saw a photo Lily had posted three days ago of two people embracing. The caption read: “Thank heaven for giving me a chance to be with the one I love again!” The man’s back in the photo was unmistakably Noah, who had committed suicide in my previous life. My lawfully wedded wife, indifferent to me, was caring for another man while pregnant with my child!

When words fail, all you can do is laugh bitterly! The laughter erupting from my throat made my entire body ache! Oh Lily, what a wonderful wife you are! I placed the phone on my stomach, trying to calm myself, when I received several payment notification messages. Each of these notifications showed amounts of tens of thousands of dollars. As I was puzzling over the source of these charges, I happened to see a new post from Lily. The photo showed several luxury brand shopping bags and two intertwined hands. The caption read: “So happy to buy clothes for the man I love!” Seeing this photo, a surge of anger instantly welled up from the depths of my heart. I found Lily’s number in my contacts and immediately called her. But after several attempts, she kept hanging up. Five minutes later, she finally answered impatiently: “Jack, make it quick! I’m not in the mood to talk to you!” Suppressing my anger, I asked, “Did you just use my credit card?” Lily replied defiantly, “Yes, I used your credit card. So what?” “As your wife, am I not allowed to spend your money?” I laughed coldly, “Oh, so you still remember you’re my wife! What kind of wife acts like you do?” “Not taking care of her husband lying in a hospital bed, but instead caring for another man!” I demanded, “Did you spend two hundred thousand dollars on luxury goods for Noah?” Lily’s self-righteous voice came through the phone: “So what if I did? You owe him this!” “He died because of you in the last life. Spending some of your money on him now is only right!” Hearing this, I retorted, “That was his choice to jump off the bridge. It had nothing to do with me!” Lily shouted angrily, “How can you say it had nothing to do with you? If I hadn’t been pregnant with your child, he wouldn’t have gotten jealous and climbed onto that bridge to kill himself!” “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t forced your way into my life, I wouldn’t have married you, and Noah wouldn’t have committed suicide in the previous life!” Lily’s words became increasingly irrational. She seemed to have forgotten that she was the one who had actively applied for a job at the company. She was the one who eagerly brought coffee to my office every day. She was the one who deliberately got me drunk and wouldn’t let me leave when I was intoxicated, taking off all her clothes and clinging to me. She was also the one who, wearing a wedding dress and holding a bouquet, proposed to me in front of all the company employees. And she was the one who arranged for her childhood sweetheart to work at the company. Now, the words coming out of her mouth made it sound like I had forced her! Back then, believing Lily’s words, I had entrusted most of the company’s business to Noah, helping him quickly establish himself in the company. Noah became overconfident. Without any training, he entered the research lab on his own! Noah’s actions completely disregarded the lab’s management protocols. Using his limited knowledge of experiments, he mixed two chemicals together. Seeing the flames ignite in the test tube, he boasted about his knowledge on social media. After leaving the lab, he completely failed to extinguish the growing flames. This negligence led to the massive fire! Fearing I would hold him accountable, he staged a suicide attempt. In my previous life, worried that knowing the truth would upset the pregnant Lily and affect our unborn child, I didn’t tell her the truth. Unexpectedly, she resented me for this. She narcissistically believed Noah had climbed onto the bridge to commit suicide because he wanted to be with her. She even threw our newborn child into a fire and stabbed me to death with a kitchen knife! Two lives lost for nothing! Looking back now, I realize how foolish I was!

I said coldly, “Lily, I’m giving you until nightfall to return all the money you spent on Noah to my bank account. Otherwise, I’m going to the police.” “Two hundred thousand dollars is no small sum. The police will definitely investigate.” Lily’s voice carried a hint of anger: “Jack, are you threatening me?” “Well, let me tell you now, it’s right for me to spend your money on Noah, and I absolutely won’t pay you back!” “Then you’ll face the consequences,” I said, and hung up the phone. What little strength I had left my body after that call. My eyelids closed, and I immediately fell into a deep sleep. When I regained consciousness, the sky outside had turned dark. Hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor, rapidly approaching my hospital room. I had just sat up in bed when the door was suddenly kicked open from outside. Lily stormed up to me, her face full of rage: “Jack, I’m not paying you back! I want to see what you can do about it!” Noah, dressed in luxury brands from head to toe, hid behind Lily, secretly gauging my expression. These two held hands tightly right in front of me. “Lily, you’re right. I can’t do anything to you, but I’m a man of my word.” “If you don’t return the money, I’m calling the police right now!” I pulled out my phone, about to dial those three numbers. Seeing this, Lily quickly snatched my phone away. She shouted, “Jack, have you gone crazy?” “It’s just two hundred thousand dollars! You have so much money, what’s wrong with spending some on Noah?” “He was just rescued from the bridge. Why can’t we spend some money to comfort his wounded heart?” I laughed coldly, “Did I force him to attempt suicide?” “What does his sudden desire to end his life have to do with me?” “Why should I spend money on someone who’s constantly trying to cheat on me?” Lily looked at me with a sad expression: “Noah just wants to be with me. He has no ill intentions!” “How can you be so heartless? I was blind to have fallen for you back then!” Hearing these words, the last bit of lingering affection I had for Lily vanished into thin air. I said icily, “Since you regret it so much, let’s get a divorce!” A wife whose entire heart belongs to another man isn’t worth keeping anyway! Seeing the serious expression on my face, Lily was shocked. She cried out in disbelief, “Jack, have you gone mad?” “Don’t forget, I’m still carrying your child!” “If you push me too far, don’t you believe I’ll abort this baby right now?” My expression changed: “Are you threatening me?” “It’s not like you haven’t done something like this before.” Rather than having the child burned alive after birth, it would be better for her to disappear from this world before she can feel pain. Lily caught the deeper meaning in my words. Her expression changed, and she pulled Noah, preparing to leave my hospital room. I called out to Lily’s retreating back: “Wait.” Lily raised an eyebrow triumphantly: “What? Are you going to apologize for what you just said?” “You wish,” I replied. “I wanted to tell you, for the sake of our marriage, if you don’t return the money you spent within three days, I really will go to the police.” Lily glared at me angrily and slammed the door shut. Three days later, the money Lily had spent on Noah still hadn’t been returned to my account. Instead, a news story appeared across major media outlets: “Irresponsible Chemical Company CEO’s Mismanagement Leads to Lab Fire.” The comment section below was filled with tens of thousands of comments and shares, all condemning me as a corporate manager. There was even a social media account fabricating false information, claiming that I often forced employees to work overtime and produce substandard products. It misled the public into believing that this fire was caused by my careless placement of chemical reagents. They even posted photos of company documents, making their posts seem more credible. Suddenly, all major mainstream media were full of criticism against me.

Just as I was pondering who could have fabricated these false news stories, my phone suddenly received a call from an unknown number. Noah’s smug voice came through: “Jack, I assume you’ve seen the news online by now.” “If you want the news taken down, you can’t pursue the money Lily spent on me anymore.” “Moreover, you need to transfer all your shares to me and obey my every command!” I said sternly, “You’re dreaming!” Noah arrogantly replied, “Fine! Since you don’t agree, I’ll destroy the company you’ve built over years!” “When you come begging me for mercy later, it’ll be too late!” Noah threatened viciously. “Don’t worry, I’ll never beg a scumbag like you for mercy!” After I hung up the phone, suddenly many reporters flooded into the room. They pointed their intimidating cameras directly at my face. These reporters, with righteous expressions, held their microphones up to me: “Mr. Wilson, is the information circulating online true?” “Are you prepared to face legal consequences for the aftermath of this fire?” All the reporters before me were asking about the false information online. Lily stood behind them, satisfied with the uncomfortable look on my face. The cacophony of voices made my barely recovered body feel short of breath again. Suddenly, a young woman carrying a bouquet of flowers walked into the hospital room. Her face flushed red as she shouted, “The lab fire had nothing to do with the boss!” “If he hadn’t rushed in to save me, I would have died in there!” She looked at me with reddened eyes and handed me the bouquet she was holding. “Boss, thank you for saving my life.” The girl’s words instantly silenced the hospital room.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295560”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #校园School #励志Inspiring

In the fifth year after my suicide, Samuel got himself another woman. Everyone said that she was somewhat like me, both in personality and appearance. But I didn’t think so. I wouldn’t tie Samuel’s tie, and I certainly wouldn’t celebrate his birthday. I only knew how to make his life difficult. Seeing him be upset, I felt happy. Everyone in Lyrendale knew that Samuel hated me. My mother was a high-end masseuse before moving into the Everett Manor. His mother, on the other hand, was the daughter of the Hawke Group’s CEO. He was born into wealth and nobility, completely different from me. From the moment he laid eyes on me, he gritted his teeth and wanted to destroy me. I couldn’t care less about adult matters, but I didn’t owe him anything. In return, I often went out of my way to oppose him. He was bad with words, unable to retort to me, and bound by gentlemanly etiquette, unable to lay a hand on me. So, he would simply grit his teeth and storm off. We continued arguing. My mother and his father passed away. I lost my last support. Finally, he tore off his mask. As soon as I irritated him, he locked me in a small dark room. How could a street kid like me be afraid of the dark? I would shout insults at him through the door, calling him every name under the sun. Maybe he really was angry this time. He pinned me to the door and tore my white dress apart. I struggled to get up from the floor and slapped him hard. He grabbed my wrist, glaring at me with fury. “You’re just like your mother, cheap.” I didn’t cry, nor did my face show any emotion. I stood there, looking down at him. “Samuel, do you think you’re so noble? You’re just a bastard. Bah!” Samuel wasn’t actually a legitimate child of the Everett family. He was the product of his mother’s affair with another man. He didn’t know how I knew. His anger flared, and he grabbed my neck, his eyes bloodshot. “If you say another word, I’ll strangle you.” I could hardly breathe, my face turning red from lack of oxygen. I wasn’t scared at all. In fact, I almost wished he wouldn’t let go. The veins on my neck stood out, and I smiled, my grin was strange. “A bastard…” From behind the door, the sound of things falling and muffled groans echoed. The butler and the servants were used to it, no one paid attention. When the moon was high in the sky, Samuel finally slammed the door and left. I licked my lips. There was a strong, metallic taste of blood. It was Samuel’s. I dragged myself up and barefooted, walked back to my room. The butler was already waiting by my door. She was in her fifties, looking quite kind, but she was completely loyal to Samuel. Such a waste. She handed me a pill and some water. Without even looking at it, I popped the pill into my mouth and swallowed it dry. Her gaze flickered slightly. Holding the water cup, she left. The next day was the Everett Group’s banquet, and both Samuel and I had to attend. My body ached all over. I had slept the whole day and still couldn’t get out of bed. Samuel never knocks. He kicked open my door and leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. “If you don’t want me to go after your friends, get downstairs in thirty minutes.” I threw a pillow at him. “Get lost.” He dodged, casting me a cold look. “Twenty-nine minutes left.”

I eventually got into the car with him. The Everett Group was one of the top corporations in Lyrendale, with businesses spanning tourism, education, real estate, and more. Samuel was very clever, and ruthless when needed, but also skilled at winning people over. As the first heir, he had already entered the company when his father was still alive, eventually becoming the vice president and, naturally, the CEO. Tonight was about promoting his newly launched entertainment company. We entered the venue one after the other. Samuel wore a black suit and gold-framed glasses, standing on stage looking every bit the model businessman, giving a speech. Below, a crowd of well-dressed celebrities and wealthy heirs ogled him like lovesick fans. I felt nauseous, rolled my eyes, and walked toward the outskirts of the venue. The banquet was held at a large estate, which supposedly housed some exotic animals you could only find in a zoo. I wandered for quite a while but still couldn’t find them. “Ms. Parker, are you lost?” I looked up to see a man in a dark green suit looking at me curiously. He was really pale, paler than me. I raised an eyebrow and gave him a faint smile. “Do you know me?” “You’re Mr. Everett’s stepsister. No one in Lyrendale doesn’t know you.” “Are you married?” He was caught off guard, clearly nervous. “No.” I folded my arms, casually walked up to him, and stared at him with a sincere expression. “Marry me. Be my husband. What do you say?” His face instantly turned red, and I bit my lip, holding back my laughter. This guy was amusing. He was pretending to be all pure now. Samuel hated me, yet there were plenty of people rushing to marry me. After all, I was his stepsister and a small shareholder in the Everett Group. I reached out and touched his burning red cheek, continuing my playful invitation. “How about we get a marriage certificate tomorrow? Then I’ll move into your place.” “Sophia!” How boring. Samuel had arrived. The bodyguards behind him escorted the man in the green suit away. Samuel glared at me with disdain and disgust. “Are you that desperate? That’s the second son of the Grayson family, a useless coward. You like him?” I couldn’t be bothered to speak to him. Just as I was about to leave, he grabbed my arm and jerked me toward him with force. His grip was strong enough that I stumbled, almost falling. I broke free, glaring at him. Then I laughed and wrapped my hands around his neck, gazing at him mischievously. “Samuel, are you jealous?” He was instantly enraged. He grabbed my chin tightly, his strength so intense that I thought my bones might crack. “You’re despicable.” That’s all he ever said. It had become so repetitive it was like background noise. Later that night, he locked me in the small dark room again. In the darkness, he couldn’t see my gloomy expression, nor could he see how fragile my heart was. I left several bite marks on his shoulder, and I guess they were painful, because the next day, when I saw him raise his arm, he winced. I was pleased and grabbed my bag, ready to go out and have some fun. The world was small. I bumped into that man again. He was sitting in a booth, holding a woman in his arms and feeding her alcohol. The woman looked like a good girl, someone who wasn’t from our kind of world. I sat down casually, smiling brightly at him. “Hubby, didn’t we agree to get our marriage certificate today? Why didn’t you show up?” The whole room went silent. Lucas was so shocked that he dropped his wine glass, shattering it across the floor into pieces. “Ms. Parker, you… You’re…” I nodded, acting casual. “Yes, we’ll hold a wedding soon. Everyone’s invited, including you, Miss.” The woman bolted, and later I found out that she was a student Lucas had tricked into coming. She was only nineteen, and when I found out, I made sure someone beat him up. He didn’t get out of bed for a month. As Samuel found out, his face was expressionless as he watched me. “You even hit your own husband?” “What’s wrong? Jealous? Do you want to get hit, too?” He puffed out his chest and scowled, calling me despicable again. I raised my hand and poured a glass of water over his head. “My mother was properly married into your father’s family. Got it? If you keep insulting me, I’ll cut out your tongue.”

The newly established entertainment company under the Everett Group produced a dark horse. A young actress in her twenties. Her name I didn’t catch, but she was quite good-looking. My friend said she kind of resembled me. I nearly choked on my coffee at the thought. “Well, that was fine until you said that. You might have ruined her future.” “You and Samuel are still at odds, huh?” “When have we ever reconciled?” She sighed, clearly helpless. That evening, the butler told me Samuel wouldn’t be back for dinner. I was thrilled and ate two large bowls of food, still not satisfied before heading upstairs. In the middle of the night, Samuel stumbled into my room. He must have been drunk. I could smell the alcohol on him. Annoyed, I pulled the blanket tighter and told him to get lost. After a while, when no sound came from beside me, I turned around to find he had actually left. It was strange. He actually followed what I said. The next day, the butler informed me Samuel was sick, with a high fever. I was focused on painting my nails. “Get a doctor if he’s sick. What do you want me to do about it? I’m not a doctor.” I wasn’t concerned about his well-being. I still went out to find some fun. A week later, he returned from the hospital. They say people look a little more haggard after getting sick, but he didn’t look any different. His complexion was still perfect, his gaze still cold. He saw me painting and scoffed, “You have no artistic talent in your genes, so stop pretending to be sophisticated. It’s just a waste of time.” “You’re right, I am wasting time. Who told the bar to be closed during the day?” “You go to bars often?” This time, it was my turn to scoff. I put down my brush and turned to look at him. “Aren’t you the one who sends people to follow me every day? How come you didn’t know I go to bars? Your employees are terrible. You should fire them.” He was holding a cup of coffee, but with the other hand, he pulled out his phone and actually fired someone. I continued painting, satisfied. That evening, I wore a very revealing dress and went to the most chaotic bar, the kind where you could find all sorts of shady characters. I found the most conspicuous spot and sat down. It didn’t take long before a thug came over to strike up a conversation. His outfit was hard to describe, but I didn’t mind. I happily drank with him, one cup after another. Then, I dizzily stumbled into his arms. He happily held me, one arm around me while he pulled out some loose change to pay. Afterward, he led me to a small alley behind the bar. My feet slipped, and I nearly fell a few times, but he kept lifting me up. “Handsome… Where are we going?” “Of course, to the next round.” I grinned foolishly and cheered, “Next round, yay!” He put me against a wall. My vision blurred, and I looked up at him. He started undressing, but clearly, the quality wasn’t great. His zipper got stuck, and he was so impatient that he tore it open. I winced as if feeling sorry for him. “Your clothes are broken.” “Clothes are nothing compared to you. It’s fine!” He lunged at me. I stared at the streetlight above, my mind calm. Suddenly, the man stopped moving. I instinctively glanced to the side. My heart sank. Samuel strode over, his bodyguards pulling the unconscious man away. I sat against the wall, watching him. “You really know how to ruin my fun.” My self-destructive demeanor infuriated him. He violently yanked me up, and I struggled, hitting him with my hands and feet. “Let go! Damn it, let me go!” My hair had come undone, and the straps of my dress were nearly falling off, exposing a large part of my shoulder. Samuel took off his suit jacket and draped it over me, his gaze sharp. “You’re the daughter of the Everett Group. Don’t be like your mother!” I slapped him across the face. “Samuel, didn’t I tell you never to mention my mother again?” I slapped him with all my strength, and his head jerked to the side. He touched the side of his face where I had slapped him and suddenly smiled. Then, with a quick motion, he slapped me back. My balance faltered, and I stumbled backward, crashing into a trash can before falling to the ground. How the hell did this bastard grow up? He really had some strength. He hit me so hard that I couldn’t get back up.

The next time I woke up again, I was in the hospital. After asking the nurse, I found out that I had been unconscious for three days. No wonder I was so hungry. Samuel, with dark circles under his eyes, pushed open the door and walked in, looking a bit haggard. Just seeing him annoyed me, so I turned my head, not wanting to pay him any attention. After all, I was a patient now, and I’d lose in a fight. He stood by the bed, staring at my back. “Did you do this on purpose? “Sophia, was this intentional? Say something! “If you don’t speak up, I’ll have someone dig up your mother’s ashes and scatter them.” I shot up, pointing at his nose, cursing him as everything from calling him inhumane to worse came out. He wasn’t angry, still asking if it was on purpose. What the hell was he talking about? “You’re pregnant. Two months along.” I wasn’t surprised at all. I slowly replied, “You know? I bet you’re happy now. You’re going to be an uncle.” His expression was awkward and carried an element that was hard to decipher. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” I sighed, didn’t say anything, and lay back down, pretending I wanted to rest. Samuel sat down on the sofa. He said coldly, “I’ve fired those old servants and replaced them with new ones. You’ll stay there from now on, and you’re not allowed to leave.” I sat up again, holding back the urge to curse him. “Are you out of your mind? Since when can you arrange my life? You really think you’re the uncle now?” “You know exactly who I am to him.” He stared at me deeply, still full of disdain and contempt. The day I was discharged from the hospital, Samuel came to pick me up himself. I shoved his hand away when he tried to open the car door for me and got in from the other side. At the manor, just like he said, there wasn’t a single familiar face left, including the butler. He had also stationed a few bodyguards around the house. I cursed him incessantly, feeling like a prisoner. As time passed, the actress who looked like me officially announced she was dating Samuel. Watching the smiling girl on TV made me feel sorry for her. Samuel, that bastard, really? Later, Samuel had to stay abroad because of the company’s overseas branch issues. I was so happy that I could dance. That night, I couldn’t sleep, so I threw on a coat and decided to go outside to watch the stars. It was deep into the night, and as I slipped and thought I was about to fall on the lawn, a strong arm suddenly caught me. In the darkness, his eyes were so bright. He didn’t look that old, with a fresh and innocent face. I adjusted my clothes and looked him over. “Who are you? I didn’t see you during the day.” “Ms. Parker, my name is Ethan James. I’m on the night shift.” I really didn’t expect bodyguards to have different shifts. “Do night shifts pay more?” Ethan shook his head, looking sincere. “I’m not sure, actually.” He was much more interesting than the day shift bodyguards, at least he could talk like a normal person and didn’t look at me like I owed him money. After that, I started chatting with him from time to time. One day, we were talking happily when Samuel’s call came in. He used my mom to threaten me to pick up the phone. I suppressed my disgust and answered the call. Samuel seemed to be holding back his anger. “I found out, you didn’t take the medicine, did you?” I instinctively didn’t want Ethan to hear this, so I moved a little further away. “What medicine are you talking about?” “Sophia! You know exactly what I mean.” I looked up at the bright moon. It was just as bright as the first night I stayed in the manor. I smiled lightly, “Mr. Everett, don’t you think it’s a bit too late to realize this?” Samuel must have been furious. He was always the one scheming against others. Who dared to scheme against him? “Let’s make a deal. You let me go, and I’ll never appear in front of you again. You can stay the high and mighty, untouchable Mr. Everett.” “What if I don’t agree?” “Well, I think many media outlets might be very interested in Mr. Everett’s personal life.” “Sophia, you really are disgusting!”

Disgusting? I just wanted to leave. Was my mother disgusting? She just wanted to earn a living. I was only seven years old at that time. My mother was still working as a masseuse. It wasn’t exactly a clean profession, but she made a living with her hands. Samuel’s father came and happened to see my mother. He said my mother resembled his first love, and whether my mother agreed or not, he forcefully brought her into his manor. My father came looking for her, he died in a car accident on the way back. I became a child without a father, unable to find my mother, and wandered the streets every day. Later, my mother agreed to all of his father’s demands, on the condition that I be brought over. His father, happy, immediately sent someone to find me and bring me to my mother. I lay on a lounge chair, looking at the stars, not knowing which star was my father or my mother. The night wind was so cold, and I began to cry. Ethan stood beside me and said nothing, handing me a handkerchief. I looked at the handkerchief and let out a laugh. I thought, “What era is this, and there are still people using handkerchiefs? Ridiculous.” I held the handkerchief and wiped away my tears, suddenly remembering that my mother used to like using handkerchiefs, too. She said it was convenient and clean. I looked up at Ethan. He was still the same, not looking at me, standing upright, his appearance youthful. Samuel had been gone for more than a month. One day, the butler took me to the hospital for an examination. I asked Ethan to come along, and he hesitated, seemingly thinking it wasn’t in line with the schedule. I gave him a look. “Come on, I’m the employer. You should listen to me, not the schedule.” He thought for a moment and then followed me into the car. Honestly, I hadn’t seen such a silly person in a long time. The results of the examination were normal, and during the process, I received a call from a friend. She asked me to go out and have fun, and I lied, saying I was abroad. She scolded me for not being a good friend because I went out to have fun without inviting her. I didn’t know how to explain, so I hung up in a hurry. I hadn’t been out for a long time, and the world outside seemed so much more exciting. There was a café next to the hospital, and despite the butler’s objections, I went in for a cup of coffee. Coincidentally, I ran into Samuel’s girlfriend. She must have recognized me, and when she saw me, she smiled brightly and walked toward me. “Ms. Parker, I didn’t expect to see you here.” I was very thin, and with the loose clothes I was wearing, no one could tell I was pregnant. I nodded at her, not wanting to engage in any conversation. She seemed oblivious to my attitude and followed me, Ethan blocking her. She looked at me in confusion, looking a bit pitiful. “Ms. Parker, may I have a word with you?” I reluctantly let her sit across from me. She really talked a lot, and I was dizzy from listening. I got up to go to the bathroom to calm down, and when I came back, she looked a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Ms. Parker. Have I talked too much?” I politely shook my head. Her face looked pale, and she seemed quite nervous. “I thought you might find me annoying.” I drank my coffee in one go, stood up, and excused myself. Getting into the car, I felt a dull pain in my lower abdomen. At first, it was just a simple ache, but soon it felt like something heavy was pressing down on me, pulling my whole body downward. It hurt so much that I started to sweat cold beads on my forehead. “Ethan…” He didn’t respond. I thought, “Right, he’s a bodyguard, how could he sit with me?” The driver in front was also separated from me by a soundproof curtain. I curled up in the seat like a shrimp and then rolled onto the floor. I held my abdomen, my hand trembling uncontrollably, the pain so intense that I couldn’t utter a single word. Then I realized something sticky was constantly coming out from my body. I touched it, and it was blood. A lot… of blood. I never knew I could bleed this much, nor did I know how much longer I had left. Would I die like this? Maybe that would be for the best. I’d already had enough of life.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295576”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring

During the first month of our relationship, my girlfriend was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her therapy sessions cost ten thousand dollars each month. I sacrificed my rest, working tirelessly washing cars and delivering takeout, just to support her in battling her illness. But then, while working a car wash job that paid a thousand dollars, I saw the door of a Ferrari open. My girlfriend, who was supposed to be at therapy, stepped out, looking shocked when our eyes met. “Donna? What are you doing here?” I took a step back, staring at the red Ferrari in front of me, feeling disoriented. Despite the bright lights of the store, it was as if I had been plunged into darkness. I’d never even touched a luxury car like this before. “Dan, please listen to me,” Donna said, grabbing my hand anxiously. “I left late this afternoon… I took an Uber because I wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time.” Normally, when she pleaded like this, I’d relent. But not now. I looked at her outfit. The purple silk dress she wore looked expensive, like it was made just for her. I glanced at the nearby red Ferrari and smirked inwardly. Who uses a luxury car for Uber rides? Unable to muster the strength to argue, I looked at Donna, my hands falling to my sides helplessly. “Is this amusing to you, Donna? A young lady who spends a thousand dollars on a car wash, pretending to be poor around me, and won’t even buy a pack of sanitary pads?” My chest tightened, a wave of bitterness washed over me as memories surfaced, causing my heart to ache. “You really fooled me. A thousand dollars! I have to wash eighty-five cars and work an entire week to earn that much.” The most absurd part was that before work, I had prepared a surprise for Donna. I had just received my paycheck last night and bought a silver ring with tiny diamonds because every time we passed the jewelry store, she’d gaze at it longingly. I never imagined that the cost of washing her car would surpass the price of that ring.

Donna often curled up in my arms at night, saying I was the only one who truly loved her, even more than her own parents. In countless nights, exhausted from working tirelessly to pay for her medical bills, those words kept me going. But now, as I look back, my struggle to save up ten thousand dollars, standing on blistered feet at the car wash, seems laughable. After all, the Donna before me was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, with the scarf around her neck alone costing over ten thousand dollars. “I worked so hard to earn money so your condition could improve sooner. I even ended up in the hospital from exhaustion. Didn’t you know that?” Tears blurred my vision. Donna’s indifferent expression began to crack, her eyes shimmering with tears. “I’m sorry,” she said. On my birthday, she gave me a handwritten letter. Under the dim light, tears of emotion blurred my eyes. Reading her words, I promised myself to cherish her for life. But now, seeing the Ferrari in front of me, I felt drained of all strength, and I dropped the pressure washer. I took off my gloves, threw them at her, and headed for the door. Donna caught up to me, pulling me back. “Dan, I’ll make it up to you, don’t be mad. This is all my fault…” Before she could finish, the car door opened again, and someone stepped out. The air filled with the smell of tobacco, and a voice slowly became clear. “Donna, what’s going on? Why are you talking so much with a car washer?”

Donna froze, her expression stiffening. We turned to see a man in a white shirt, smoking, leaning against the car door. Donna hurried over to him, “Brother, why are you out here? I’m almost done, go back inside…” But the man didn’t seem to care. He pulled Donna aside, holding a cigarette between two fingers, and walked toward me. His thin lips curled into a mocking smile, asking, “Car washer, do you remember who I am?” I rubbed my eyes, taking a long time to connect the person in front of me with the face in my memory. “Jessica?” “Oh, you remember. I thought you’d forgotten.” Jessica’s almond eyes curved, and he naturally pulled Donna into his arms. His smile was exactly the same as it was a year ago. I met Jessica last year while delivering takeout to make ends meet. He was one of my customers. Because I was five minutes late, he poured a whole bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall on me. Jessica observed my expression, as if confirming my memory. He placed a large hand on Donna’s shoulder, pretending to be surprised. “Donna, you went too far. I just complained about an annoying delivery guy, and you actually dealt with him for me. Amazing…” Jessica glanced at me and couldn’t help but laugh. “Playing with this fake noble Dan is just like playing with a dog.” Donna’s expression was unnatural. I covered my eyes, holding back tears. My rough palm rubbed against my eyelids, and my heart felt as if it were being cut. Those moments I thought were genuine were just seasoning for their wealthy couple’s relationship. Hardworking ordinary people like me were like stray cats and dogs to them, ignored and kicked aside when they were in a bad mood. So I didn’t want to stay any longer. I wiped the tears spilling from my eyes and turned to leave. Jessica suddenly raised his voice, asking me, “Dan, do you know why Donna told you she has bipolar disorder?”

I abruptly halted, uncertain of what he intended to say. A heavy silence hung behind me, followed by an eruption of deafening laughter. The voice, however, clung to me like a ghostly whisper around my neck. “It’s because I told her your only sister died by suicide due to bipolar disorder. The moment Donna says she has bipolar, you become a fool and obey her every word. And guess what, hahaha, you really worked yourself to the bone for her!” A surge of heat flooded my mind, my blood boiling and rushing to my head. By the time I regained my senses, I was already striding towards Jessica, repeatedly swinging my fist at his face. If I could forgive this, I might as well become a saint. My chest heaved as I grasped Jessica’s collar: “Playing poor, huh? Pretending to be sick, huh? Enjoy mocking other people’s wounds, huh? No wonder your parents cheated, no wonder your dad doesn’t care and your mom doesn’t love you, you scumbag. Today, I’m going to beat you until your own mother can’t recognize you!” During the year I spent with Donna, whether our feelings were genuine or not, we shared our pasts. So, I knew their social circle was emotionally detached, with parents mostly preoccupied with their own lives, leading to psychological issues in these young people. I understood their pain and knew where to hit where it hurt the most. Before they could react, I slapped Jessica several times. The moment Jessica mentioned my sister Rachel with a smirk, the rational thread in my mind snapped. She was the last piece of purity in my heart, and I wouldn’t allow anyone to tarnish it. Seeing Jessica about to fight back, Donna ran over, crying, and pulled me away. He gasped for air, spitting out blood. “You’re a lunatic car washer daring to hit me! You’re really insane! Donna, call Rose and have her bring people over to handle this…” Jessica’s expression was vicious, but Donna clung to his arm, pleading, “No… Blame me, I’m the one who owes him too much.” She fumbled to pick up her bag and searched through it. After a while, she found a card and handed it to me with her head down. “The password is the day we got together. I put some money in there—it’s a small compensation for you.” I clenched my fists, my words as sharp as knives: “Hope you two lock yourselves away.” With that, I took the card from her hand and walked away.

The card had $1.2 million. I withdrew the cash and went to another bank next door, eventually securing a decent annual interest rate. I put $200,000 on WhatsApp, and $1 million in the bank. In this 30-square-meter one-bedroom apartment, Donna’s things were everywhere. Although this place wasn’t small, it was quite remote. If it weren’t for Donna, I wouldn’t have rented it. Initially, I didn’t want to move in so soon with Donna, whom I had just started dating a month ago. But because she claimed to have bipolar disorder and feared being alone, I let my guard down. Even now, I can’t distinguish whether my feelings for her were out of love or guilt after learning she had the same illness as my sister. Maybe I thought by doing this, I could finally untie the knot in my heart. Speaking of which, she had a lot of stuff—couple mugs, matching outfits, and couple pillows, all bought by me. But seeing them everywhere was truly annoying, so I decided to pack them all into trash bags. I stared at the trash bags in the corner, my gaze slowly overtaken by the blackness, and gradually relaxed as I fell asleep. I dreamt of that afternoon again. I was coming home from work when I heard police and ambulance sirens. The sharp wails almost burst my eardrums. I stood among the crowd, watching my sister being carried onto a stretcher. The red dress she wore was as bright as blood, staining her pale wrists red. Her face was as white as jasmine, her long eyelashes drooping, just like when she used to wait for me to come home but fell asleep. But this time, she would never open her eyes again, never run over and sweetly say that her brother was finally home. A week later, I walked, step by step, towards my sister’s new home, holding an urn. My sister, she wouldn’t be coming back.

Tears soaked my pillow. I woke up crying, staring into a pair of glowing eyes in the dark. “Who are you?!” I screamed, turning on the bedside lamp, and the woman instinctively covered her face. It was Donna, still wearing a mask, holding the trash bag tightly in her arms. I rubbed my eyes, regretting not changing the password for the rented room. The couple mugs, pillows, and clothes I packed into the trash bag that afternoon were still there, hugged by her. “What are you doing with those?” Donna clutched the bag tighter, silently lowering her head. “Every piece here is a memory of ours. I can’t let go…” “Even worthless things catch your eye?” Sitting up in bed, I looked around for anything important. Now that we had broken up, I could just move out. Donna held the bag, fingers lightly stroking it, her voice filled with grievance and disappointment: “Dan, I know you don’t believe anything I say, but I truly only have you in my heart… No one has ever loved me as wholeheartedly as you do. I can’t live without you.” I shook my head, chuckling bitterly. The events of the afternoon played out like a cruel joke. “Enough, did you love me so much that you flaunted your affection with Jessica in front of me? Should I be cheering you on?” “Jessica wanted to drive to your place! I couldn’t stop him… And even if I was with him, I just made a mistake anyone could make. Can’t you forgive me a little?” Her words were laughable, and as I laughed, tears fell. The year I loved her most, I worked 13-hour days and could only afford one meal a day. Life’s abyss chewed me up until only bones remained. Thinking I could help her cure her bipolar disorder was sweet in my heart. “I can’t tolerate your deceit. The moment the lie was exposed, you became a thorn in my heart. Pulling it out will only make it bleed. But Donna, did you ever think that by using my sister’s situation to get close to me, you trapped yourself too?” “What are you talking about?” I didn’t respond, silently opening the door and waiting for her to leave. Her face turned pale, as if stung by my indifference. She clutched the bag tighter and walked towards the door. “Don’t joke about bipolar anymore. Your so-called joke might make it harder for real patients to face their condition.” Like Rachel’s tragedy, it would happen again. After a while, Donna nodded lightly. Then she pointed to the jewelry box on the nightstand, still remembering that ring. “Can I have this?” “Jessica will buy you a better one.” “I only want the one you gave me. Dan, we were so happy before. Do you really not want me anymore?” Her voice was soft, with a hint of desperation. I heard her muffled sobs, saw her trembling shoulders. I never imagined that Donna, the young heiress, would one day ask for my help. Knowing her pride and seeing her defeat didn’t bring me any joy. I just stood there silently. Understanding my refusal, she quietly took the ring before leaving. Donna’s eyes turned red as she looked at me. “Love me one more time, okay?” “No.”

After Donna left, I poured myself a glass of water. I took a few sips, and my mind started to wander. I kept refreshing my phone screen, flipping between different apps, but nothing seemed to make sense. Then, I noticed a flood of red notifications on my account. When I clicked to check, I discovered a slew of direct messages: “Loser, if you’re being ridiculous, go get help. Why are you bothering someone else’s girlfriend?” I frowned and clicked on the links. Someone had posted photos of me with Donna online, showing me delivering breakfast and gifts to her. Donna’s face was blurred, but mine was clearly visible. The post accused me of harassing the wealthy CEO Jessica’s girlfriend and demanded a public apology. As I scrolled down, my hand holding the glass began to tremble slightly. There were hundreds of comments criticizing me. “This guy looks decent but does such shameless things. Appearances can be deceiving.” “Don’t you see? He’s obviously trying to latch onto a rich girl to avoid struggling for years. But going after Jessica’s girlfriend is like hitting a brick wall.” A wave of dizziness hit me, and the cup slipped from my hand. The ceramic shattered on the floor, breaking into several pieces. I crouched down, desperately trying to piece it back together, but it wouldn’t return to its original form. This cup was a birthday gift from Rachel, the year she passed away, and she had made it herself. Rachel and I were twins. When we were ten, our parents died in a car accident, leaving us with only twenty thousand dollars. No relatives wanted to take us in; we were like unwanted burdens, tossed around in disdain. So, after graduating junior high, I started working to support my sister, eventually helping her attend a prestigious university. The cup had a white and blue gradient, and the little stars on it were crafted by Rachel’s hands. “Bro, I made this cup for you with my own money. Do you like it? My brother is so handsome, this fresh color suits you best! I will work hard to become successful and buy more and better things for my brother. I won’t be a kid who worries you anymore!” Her eyes sparkled, and I pinched her chubby cheeks, nodding with affection. Rachel, it’s alright. With your brother, you can always be a kid. At the bottom of the broken cup, there was some writing. After piecing it together, I found the number “907.” When Rachel gave it to me two years ago, there was no writing on the bottom. She must have added it later. I held the ceramic pieces, thinking for a moment, and then my gaze fell on the corner where my sister’s suitcase was. I slid the numbers, and with a click, the lock opened. Inside the suitcase, there were only four items: a pair of white ballet shoes, a photo of her practicing ballet, a journal, and a cell phone she used before. I gently touched the cover of the journal with Rachel’s name on it, picked it up, and opened it carefully. Starting from the beginning, the earlier entries were just daily records, including which boys confessed to her at school. Rachel was born with curly chestnut hair, a small, doll-like face. She even received an offer from a director. But perhaps because our parents left us so early, even with all the admiration she received from others, she never dared to face it directly and only opened her heart in her journal. After starting university, Rachel, who had practiced ballet since childhood, was recommended by the school to participate in major competitions. Each spin and jump on stage made her shine like a star. I smiled as I read the entries, but my smile froze when I saw a particular line. Because my sister mentioned Jessica’s name.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295592”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn