Category: English

The soup I made for my beloved snake was stolen and drunk by my fiancée’s male assistant’s mother. The old lady vomited blood and died on the spot. The male assistant screamed like a madman, demanding that I pay with my life. My fiancée brutally skinned the snake I had raised for 20 years, splattering its blood all over my face: “Ethan’s mom dies from drinking a bit of your damn soup, and you resort to murder, you useless coward? This vile creature should have been skinned and cooked long ago. You deserve to be tortured for keeping it!” She forcefully made me drink a hundred bottles of pesticide. But I was immune to all poisons. Though blood poured from my eyes, nose and mouth, I just wouldn’t die. My fiancée flew into a rage and cut off my research funding. She even had my colleagues’ legs crippled and sent them to Africa to work in the mines. To save them, I ventured alone to Serpent Island. The horrific sight of me being devoured by venomous snakes was broadcast globally. When I was covered in bloody holes and nearly dead from the venom… My fiancée finally arrived leisurely by private jet, arm in arm with her male assistant: “For killing his mother, you should be chopped to pieces and fed to snakes! It’s only because Ethan begged me to spare you…” But she didn’t know that those who provoked me always ended up dead. As for the mystical bond linking our hearts, it was about time for it to backfire on her. 0

On Serpent Island, I had been tortured to the brink of death. Olivia kicked me contemptuously, her face full of disgust: “Lucas, stop pretending. Hurry up and beg Ethan for forgiveness! He’s kind enough to forgive you for poisoning his mother. What more do you want?” The venom had long since seeped into my bones. Every movement felt like a thousand arrows piercing my heart. I struggled to my feet, instantly drenched in cold sweat. Gritting my teeth, I said: “I’m not pretending! After being bitten by thousands of venomous snakes for three days and nights, it’s a miracle I’m not dead…” Olivia was momentarily stunned. Just as I foolishly hoped she might feel a shred of sympathy, She suddenly let out a light chuckle, her face utterly indifferent: “It’s good you’re not dead. We need to keep you alive so you can atone to Ethan!” At that moment, her bodyguard opened a tablet. On the screen were horrific images of my research colleagues toiling in African mines. Their legs had been crippled. They could only crawl painfully, dragging their useless lower limbs. Their backs were covered in bloody wounds from repeated whippings. Seeing my friends suffer such injustice because of me, My heart felt like it was being sliced to pieces. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Olivia’s eyes flashed with cruelty as she sneered: “If you had known they would be implicated, you shouldn’t have tried to murder Ethan’s mother! Everything today is the consequence of your own actions. It’s all because of your vicious heart!” My heart was in agony. No matter how many times I explained, she refused to believe I hadn’t poisoned anyone. Ethan was a boy she had rescued two years ago. At first, she found him weak and clingy. But later, she made him her personal assistant and often scolded me: “He’s just an innocent boy from the countryside. Stop bullying him all the time!” But it was clearly Ethan who deliberately provoked my beloved snake, then threw himself into her arms crying and slandering me. He even took advantage of Olivia’s favor to destroy the research results my team and I had worked on for years. But in Olivia’s eyes, I became the jealous one secretly bullying him. My voice choked with sobs, tinged with a hint of pleading: “Didn’t you promise me that if I survived three days on Serpent Island, you would let them go?” Before Olivia could respond, Ethan emerged from her arms, his face timid and scared: “Brother Lucas, they’re already crippled for life. At least mining gives them three meals a day. If we release them, who knows if they’ll starve to death.” I laughed bitterly, tears flowing uncontrollably. They were top researchers who could have made huge contributions to society. Now they could only eke out a miserable existence in dark mine shafts, like useless invalids. Seeing them like this was more painful than death! I gritted my teeth and spat out each word: “Olivia, don’t make me hate you.” Olivia’s expression flickered. She was about to speak. Ethan’s tears fell on cue, his voice full of grievance: “Brother Lucas, are you blaming me? Fine, it’s all my fault! I should have died from your poison like my mom, so I’ll never bother Sister Olivia again.” Olivia’s eyes filled with heartache as she wiped away his tears. Her gaze turned icy cold when she looked at me: “Lucas, I see you have no intention of repenting at all! Is this how you beg for mercy?” She dialed a number on her phone: “Cut their arms too! Tell them it’s because Lucas wouldn’t cooperate!” My blood surged in an instant. I coughed up mouthfuls of black blood, frantically begging: “No, please don’t— I’ll do anything you want, just let them go!” Ignoring the excruciating pain wracking my body, I crawled to her feet. A flash of satisfaction crossed Ethan’s eyes. He pretended to be considerate and spoke up: “Sister Olivia, doesn’t the company need a human test subject? It’s a critical time now. Why not let Brother Lucas try?” 0

Olivia’s expression turned hesitant: “But that drug is extremely dangerous. Being a test subject could kill him at any moment!” My pupils constricted in fear, but thinking of my colleagues still suffering, I quickly grabbed her pant leg: “Olivia, I’m willing…” Olivia violently shook off my hand, her eyes blazing with even more anger: “Lucas, if you had just apologized and admitted your mistake, I could have forgiven you easily. But you insist on being so stubborn. Don’t back out at the last minute. This concerns the entire company…” My voice was calm, but heavy with resolve: “I won’t regret it!” Because… if I died, you wouldn’t be able to live either, Olivia. And I needed to get away from here to save my friends. I was shackled with an electronic ankle monitor and forced onto the plane. In the spacious cabin, I could only kneel on the floor. Soon, the black blood oozing from my wounds stained the expensive carpet. Olivia sat comfortably in her seat, tenderly cradling Ethan in her arms. She gently fed him milk and cut his steak for him, like a doting girlfriend. The scene stabbed at my eyes, making them burn with pain. A fiery, twisting pain gripped my stomach. My mouth involuntarily filled with saliva. For three days and nights on Serpent Island, I had survived on dew and wild berries, constantly enduring snake bites. Just as I was about to pass out, Ethan suddenly covered his nose. He knocked over the glass of milk, whining pitifully: “Sister Olivia, it stinks so bad. I feel sick…” Olivia turned to glare at me, her eyes full of disgust: “Lucas, you know Ethan has severe eating disorders. How dare you come here all filthy? Are you deliberately trying to make us sick?” My eyes instantly welled up with tears. My voice was weak but filled with resentment: “You threw me onto Serpent Island with nothing, Starving and sleepless, in constant danger of death by snakebite. How can you expect me to be as clean and tidy as you?” Perhaps my gaze was too direct. Olivia turned away, but couldn’t help exploding in rage: “You’re still alive, aren’t you?! How dare you accuse me of being cruel? Think about the heinous, disgusting things you’ve done!” My heart was numb with pain. I said nothing more. Olivia prodded the floor with her high heel, her face haughty: “Lick up the spilled milk, then go kneel in the bathroom.” A few years ago, she had rescued my amnesiac self during riots in a foreign country. She then nursed me devotedly for months, never leaving my side. But now, for Ethan’s sake, she had forgotten all our shared history. I crawled over in humiliation, about to lower my head. Suddenly Olivia stood up and slapped me hard across the face: “Lucas, you’re lower than an animal!” But what was she so angry about? Wasn’t this all her doing? I staggered to my feet, ignoring her fury, and walked towards the bathroom. Ethan chose that moment to faint dramatically, collapsing weakly into her arms: “Sister Olivia, don’t be hard on Brother Lucas. It’s my fault. Just let me starve to death.” After that, Olivia was too busy fussing over Ethan to bother with me. Time passed. Suddenly, the plane hit turbulence. I was thrown to the floor unexpectedly. I saw Olivia clutching Ethan tightly, his clothes in disarray. She tenderly kissed his forehead, cooing softly: “Don’t be scared, Ethan. I’m here.” I clearly saw the challenge in Ethan’s eyes and the kiss marks on his collarbone. I curled up helplessly in the corner, my bloody nails digging deep into the armrest. Having survived riots abroad, I was extremely sensitive to changes in my surroundings. Olivia used to accommodate me by choosing other modes of transport, even if it took much longer. The plane stabilized after a moment. Olivia finally noticed me covered in filthy blood and snapped impatiently: “Get back in the bathroom and stay there. Don’t dirty Ethan’s eyes.” My gaze darkened in despair. I was about to stand up when everything went black and I collapsed. 0

In my hazy state, I seemed to return to my warm, familiar home. I thought I heard Olivia yelling at the doctor by my bedside: “Why isn’t he waking up yet? You’re all useless quacks!” The doctor explained awkwardly: “Mr. Ye may have an unusual constitution, but he’s still human. No one could endure that kind of torture…” There was a loud crash, like something being overturned. But as soon as I opened my eyes, Olivia’s slap left me dazed: “Lucas, why are you so hell-bent on killing yourself?! Pretending to be asleep, are you happy seeing me go crazy?” I was stunned, my whole body aching too much to speak. So she wasn’t happy to see me wake up after all. Just then, Ethan pushed open the door. He was carrying a bowl of porridge, his voice sickeningly fake: “Brother Lucas, you really shouldn’t pretend to be asleep if you don’t want to be a test subject. You know Sister Olivia was worried sick about you. What’s the point in scaring her like that?” Hearing this, Olivia’s chest heaved with anger. She shouted: “Lucas, you useless coward, always putting on an act! You’re going to be the test subject, and that’s final!” With that, she stormed out without a backward glance. Seeing this, Ethan’s face instantly twisted into a vicious sneer. He violently flung the hot porridge in my face. The scalding liquid made me cry out in pain. Gloating, he took out his phone and played a video. In the video, I was completely naked, my face contorted, writhing among countless snakes. My mind exploded. I lunged at him, roaring: “What is this?! Why does this exist?!” Ethan dodged easily, his smile cruel and malicious: “It’s a gift I prepared specially for you, of course~ Let everyone see how you get off with animals!” I knew it was AI-generated, but others wouldn’t know that! And was Olivia behind this too? As if reading my mind, Ethan let out a cold laugh: “That’s right, Sister Olivia knows! A piece of trash like you is only fit to be a lowly lab rat!” Rage boiled up inside me. I tackled Ethan to the ground, heedless of everything else. But he instantly changed his expression, shrieking in terror: “Sister Olivia, Brother Lucas has gone mad! I was just trying to take care of him, but he said he wants to scald himself to death so you’ll send me away!” Olivia rushed in and kicked me hard, sending me sprawling. I tried to explain: “I didn’t, it was Ethan who—” Before I could finish, she slapped me several times, grinding out each word: “You piece of trash, haven’t you had enough?! Can’t you just get along with Ethan?” My numb heart was torn apart once again. I wiped the filth from my face, my eyes dead and lifeless: “Olivia, you’ll regret this.” All I’ve suffered today will be repaid a hundredfold when the heart-linking curse activates. Olivia’s heart clenched suddenly, but she coldly ordered her bodyguards: “Cut their arms immediately!” Tears instantly poured from my eyes. I gritted my teeth so hard I tasted blood: “No, Olivia, don’t hurt them! It was Ethan who provoked me with that naked video of me, and he—” Olivia cut me off coldly: “Enough, Lucas. You’re forcing me to be cruel!” I wanted to argue more, but could only kowtow frantically. My forehead slammed against the floor repeatedly, soon bloody and bruised. But Olivia remained unmoved, her expression icy: “Even if you kowtow until you die, I won’t change my mind. If you don’t learn your lesson this time, who knows how you’ll hurt Ethan next.” My whole body shook with despair as I howled: “Then I’ll leave your world forever. Just let us go, please?” Olivia suddenly gripped my jaw, her eyes as fierce as a wild beast: “Don’t try to manipulate me. I won’t fall for your tricks. You’re not going anywhere!” With that, she flung me aside and left, pulling Ethan along. I was dragged straight to the lab by the bodyguards. They told the staff emotionlessly: “From today on, he’s the new test subject. Mr. Gu said not to hold back.” I struggled desperately, but mechanical arms clamped down on my limbs. Hundreds of needles pierced my veins. The icy drugs made me swell with pain. It felt like my eyeballs would burst. Every vein in my body throbbed wildly. I could barely breathe from the agony. Ethan walked in wearing a white lab coat. He pointed his phone camera at me, gloating: “Right now people are bidding online to buy your blood and eat your flesh. Wouldn’t it be fun if I auctioned off your organs like mystery boxes?” I shook violently with fury, snarling through clenched teeth: “You, you monster, rot in hell!” But Ethan just laughed wildly: “Hahaha, you piece of trash, you’re almost dead while I’m living the good life. I’ll send you off soon, then Sister Olivia will be all mine~” Ethan’s smile grew increasingly twisted and manic. But hearing Olivia’s footsteps, he quickly shoved some pills in my mouth, whining to her: “Brother Lucas is so mean, he just tried to bite me with his venomous fangs. Good thing I dodged in time.” He showed Olivia a non-existent wound. Olivia glared at me, grinding out each word: “I’ll have all his fangs pulled out. That way he can’t hurt you anymore.” Ethan happily kissed her cheek, looking smug: “Sister Olivia, you’re so good to me.” My heart felt like it was being stabbed. Tears flowed freely down my face. I thrashed violently, making muffled sounds: “No, Olivia…” Save me, please save me, this vicious woman wants to kill me!! Olivia gave me a long, deep look. Her voice was uncharacteristically gentle: “Lucas, when you learn to behave, And stop fighting with Ethan, I’ll let you go.” “No, Olivia don’t leave!” I shook like a dying fish, utterly despairing. But she didn’t look at me again. She left arm in arm with Ethan. Late that night, alarms suddenly blared through the lab. The mechanical arms restraining me abruptly released. I stumbled towards the exit, fighting my weakness. But the chaotic footsteps outside made my heart leap into my throat. Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. The cold barrel of a gun pressed against my forehead. A mocking voice rang out: “Well hello there, darling. Caught you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297135”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

For a decade, I drained every last dime I had, sacrificing everything to care for my wife who went insane after a car accident. When her fits hit, she’d throw anything she could get her hands on at me, leaving me bruised and bloody. Then, when she cleared up, she’d cling to me, sobbing uncontrollably. My friends all told me to divorce her, but I always remembered: she pushed me out of the way of that car. That’s how she hit her head and ended up like this. Until the day she accidentally hit me so hard, I was critically injured. My soul floated up to the ceiling. From there, I watched her carefully adjusting the collar of her childhood friend. “What are you crying for? He’s dead. Shouldn’t we be celebrating?” “But I feel for you, Victoria. You faked insanity for ten years just to drain all his money.” She leaned in, her lips finding his, her voice chilling. “Ten years of holding back. Finally, I don’t have to touch that loser anymore.” Turns out, that car accident was a setup, a perfectly orchestrated charade. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my wife was diagnosed with psychosis.

“Mrs. Wallace’s brain sustained a traumatic impact. While there’s no immediate danger to her life, her mental state might become unstable… alternating between lucidity and delusion.” The doctor handed me the diagnosis, sighing deeply. That’s when it hit me: I was reborn. “You should take her home for now, Mr. Wallace. A familiar environment can aid her recovery.” I barely heard the doctor’s advice. My eyes were fixed on Victoria, lying on the bed. Her eyelids fluttered slightly. She was faking sleep, clearly. In my previous life, I’d believed the doctor. I took her home. By day, I worked myself to the bone to earn money. By night, I endured her abuse and violent outbursts. Meanwhile, her childhood friend, Brandon Miller, used the excuse of “knowing a top psychiatrist” to take her out for “treatment” during the day. In reality, he drove my car, maxed out my credit cards, and squandered my money, living it up and getting intimate behind my back. This time around, you think I’m taking you home? Dream on! I walked to the bedside, leaned over, and subtly moved my hand to her inner thigh. Then, I twisted with all my might! “AHHHH!” A piercing scream ripped through the quiet hospital room. Victoria shot up from the bed, pointing at me and yelling, “Julian Wallace! Are you f*cking insane?!” I wasn’t insane. But this time, I was going to make you truly mad! I yelled towards the door, “Help! Doctor! Nurse! My wife is having a breakdown! She’s out of control!” Nurses and doctors rushed in immediately. What they saw was Victoria, face contorted in a terrifying snarl, lunging off the bed to attack me. I was backed against the wall, my face a perfect mask of horror and helplessness, my eyes welling up with tears. “Quick! Restraints!” Dr. Evans barked, making an instant decision. Victoria must have forgotten her “insane” persona because she struggled furiously, roaring at the nurses: “Get lost! I’m not crazy! He’s the crazy one!” I wiped my eyes, gently holding her bound hand. “Don’t worry, darling. Even if you’re crazy, I’ll never divorce you.” My voice was choked up, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear clearly. Victoria’s face instantly shifted from red to green. She glared at me, her eyes overflowing with pure venom. The other patients and their families in the room looked at me with sympathy and admiration. “That young man is such a good husband. His wife is like this, and he’s still standing by her.” “Yeah, talk about rotten luck, getting stuck with something like this.” Meeting their gazes, I spoke to the doctor in a sorrowful tone. “Doctor, for her safety, and for mine, please contact the best psychiatric hospital immediately. I need to transfer her.” “What?!” Victoria’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Julian Wallace! You wouldn’t dare!” She thrashed her body wildly, the restraints digging into her skin, turning it red. “I’m not sick! I’m not crazy! You cruel husband!” I ignored her roars, simply giving Dr. Evans a look of pity and helplessness. “Doctor, you see? She’s already speaking nonsense, experiencing paranoid delusions. I’m clearly her husband, but she doesn’t even recognize me anymore.” “Please, hurry and get this arranged. I absolutely must get my wife into the best psychiatric hospital and get her cured!” Dr. Evans sighed, stepping back, and sympathetically reassured me, “Don’t worry, Mr. Wallace. The psychiatric hospital staff will be here shortly.” At those words, I saw Victoria’s face fill with terror! Every single one of her desperate arguments only served as ironclad proof of her severe condition. “Julian Wallace, you bastard, how dare you pull this on me? I’ll kill you!” She was furious, trying to lunge at me, but she collapsed under the doctor’s sedative. Watching her gradually quiet down, wanting to kill me but utterly powerless, I curled my lips. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll make sure they cure you.”

The transfer to the psychiatric hospital went smoothly. I chose Blackwood Mental Health Facility for Victoria – the most secure center in the city. And I specifically upgraded her to the VIP package: 24-hour surveillance, double-layered security doors, and tranquilizer shots twice a day. As I finished signing, ready to leave, Brandon Miller rushed over. He grabbed my arm, his face a mix of anxiety and disbelief. “Julian, I heard about the accident,” “But I never thought it would be this serious! How could you send Victoria to a place like this?” I gently pulled my arm free, subtly stepping back to create distance between us. “I had no choice. The doctor said she has strong violent tendencies. It’s too dangerous to keep her at home.” I sighed, then my tone shifted, and I looked at him curiously. “But how did you find out I was here? I don’t think I had time to notify anyone.” Brandon’s face stiffened slightly, then he explained, “I… I was worried about Victoria, so I called all her old friends. That’s how I found out.” What a perfect excuse. “Oh, I see.” I nodded, a grateful smile on my face. “That was very thoughtful of you. Speaking of which, I was just about to look for an expert to consult. Didn’t you say you had a friend who’s a psychiatrist?” Brandon’s eyes lit up. He quickly said, “Yes, yes! I have a friend who’s an authority in the field! Julian, don’t worry, I’ll make sure he uses the best possible treatment plan for Victoria!” “That’s fantastic!” I feigned delight, and right there, in front of Dr. Evans, the facility’s lead physician, I peppered him with questions: “Mr. Miller, you’re truly so kind. Could you tell me which hospital your expert friend works at?” “And could I perhaps see his medical license and professional qualifications? After all, with Victoria’s condition, I wouldn’t dare trust just any quack without proper credentials.” Brandon’s face instantly turned beet red, and he stammered for a long time, unable to get a single word out. I didn’t give him a chance to breathe. I immediately turned, apologizing to Dr. Evans. “Dr. Evans, I’m so sorry. My friend here is just a little too enthusiastic.” “From now on, Victoria’s condition is entirely in your capable hands.” “Also, to avoid any unnecessary trouble, from now on, besides myself, anyone claiming to be her friend, relative, or an expert coming to visit, please make sure to verify their identity with me first.” “We wouldn’t want any medical mishaps, would we? We’d all be in deep trouble.” Dr. Evans nodded gravely. “Mr. Wallace, rest assured, we have strict visitation policies. There will be no mistakes.” Brandon stood aside, his face pale, looking like he’d been choked. His plan to collude from the inside was thoroughly blocked by me from the very first step. Back home, I dug out all of Victoria’s bank cards and dialed the bank’s customer service. “Hello, I’d like to report all bank cards under my name and my wife Victoria Wallace’s name as lost. Yes, all of them. Immediately. Right now.” “Reason? Oh, my wife is mentally unstable. I suspect she’s given her cards and PINs to outsiders. For the security of our funds, please freeze all accounts immediately.” In my last life, they spent money like water, living lavishly with the funds from these very cards. This time, I’d like to see how well you two can live it up without my money. Sure enough, within three days, that despicable pair was driven to desperate measures. The miniature listening device I’d planted in Brandon’s car relayed their furious conversation. I leisurely steeped my tea, listening in. “…That b*tch! Julian Wallace, that scumbag!” Brandon’s voice was sharp and shrill. “He shut down all the cards! I tried to withdraw cash, and it said the account was frozen!” From the other end of the line, Victoria’s voice came through, seething with suppressed rage, tinged with a hint of undetectable panic. “Brandon, we can’t wait any longer!” “If we wait any longer, those nurses and doctors will truly drive me insane here! They give me shots every day!” “What do we do then? We have no money now, and we can’t even see you! All those shady friends are starting to avoid me!” Brandon’s voice began to crack with tears. “I understand, Victoria. Just wait. I’ll find a way to get you out first. We’ll settle the score with that bastard Julian later!”

Brandon somehow got his hands on a set of orderly clothes and bribed a new cleaning staff member, planning to coordinate an inside job to sneak Victoria out. I decided to play along. That night, I deliberately called Dr. Evans, telling him I’d had a nightmare that something happened to Victoria, and I felt uneasy, asking him to patrol more often. Dr. Evans reassured me that everything was fine but still promised to keep a closer eye out. At midnight, Brandon, disguised as an orderly, pushed a cart piled high with dirty bedsheets and quietly slipped into Victoria’s room. Victoria had already changed into her clothes and was hiding at the very bottom of the cart. Everything went smoothly. They successfully bypassed the first checkpoint and reached the back gate of the facility. Outside the back gate, the bribed cleaning staff member was waiting. However, just as Victoria was climbing out of the cart— “What are you doing?!” A sharp shout, accompanied by several powerful flashlight beams, exposed them. It was Dr. Evans with the security team, who happened to be passing by on rounds. Victoria and Brandon were caught red-handed. This escape attempt had severe consequences. Victoria was deemed an “extremely dangerous individual” and transferred to the deepest part of the facility’s intensive care unit. There, the windows were only palm-sized, and the door was a quadruple-locked iron door. Her daily activity range was limited to that ten-square-meter room. She was completely imprisoned. But what I didn’t expect was that she could still call Brandon. “Brandon, we have no other way.” Through the listening device, Victoria’s voice was cold and desperate. “Only if Julian dies can I get out, can we get the money, and can all of this end.” “I’ll find an opportunity to tell the doctor my condition has improved and request to see him.” “We’ll arrange to meet at Crimson Lake outside of town. It’s secluded and deserted at night.” “Then, I’ll push him into the water, hold him down, and say he committed suicide by jumping into the lake because he couldn’t take it anymore. And I… because of my ‘condition,’ couldn’t save him.” “Okay, let’s do it!” Brandon’s voice held a desperate, make-or-break ruthlessness. “Victoria, this is our last chance.” Listening to the conversation through my headphones, the smile on my lips deepened. When all of a person’s escape routes are blocked, the evil of human nature is unleashed without reservation. The time I’d been waiting for had arrived! A few days later, I received a call from Dr. Evans. He said Victoria’s condition had stabilized significantly lately; she no longer argued and could even engage in simple conversations. Victoria herself had strongly requested to see me, suggesting we meet by Crimson Lake, where we used to have dates. “Mr. Wallace, after our assessment, we believe this could be a good sign, perhaps helpful for her recovery.” “We’ll have two orderlies accompany her to ensure safety.” “Then… alright.” I reluctantly agreed. “For her to get better, I’m willing to try one more time.” Friday, at dusk. I parked my car in a small grove of trees some distance away, turned off the engine, and waited quietly. A few minutes later, a white facility transport van slowly pulled up. The doors opened, and Victoria, along with two orderlies, stepped out. Victoria told the orderlies, “Sirs, could you please wait for me in the car for a moment? I want to speak with my husband alone. It won’t be more than ten minutes.” The orderlies exchanged glances and nodded. After all, this had been pre-arranged. Victoria took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and walked step by step toward the man by the lake, who was wearing a beige trench coat. That trench coat was my favorite and most frequently worn piece of clothing. Splash! Water splattered everywhere. The man didn’t even have time to react before he was swallowed by the icy lake water. He choked on several mouthfuls, struggling desperately in the water, flailing and shouting, “Victoria! It’s me!” However, Victoria couldn’t hear what he was yelling, or rather, she simply didn’t care. She jumped into the water without hesitation, pressing his head down with all her might, pushing him under again and again. “Die! Die! Julian Wallace, you bastard! You ruined everything for me!” She roared maniacally, having completely lost her mind. The man’s struggles grew weaker and weaker. Finally, the last string of bubbles disappeared from the surface of the water. Victoria gasped for air, a satisfied, twisted smile spreading across her face. She had succeeded! She had killed Julian Wallace. Freedom and wealth were beckoning to her. Just then, a voice, tinged with a hint of curiosity, drifted from the darkness behind her. “Darling, what are you doing?” Victoria’s body stiffened abruptly, the smile on her face freezing instantly. Slowly, inch by excruciating inch, she turned her head.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297151”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

The Boy Who Loved Me Most in the World is Dead Ethan was a police officer. He was stabbed seven times while trying to save a girl from domestic violence. Afterwards, the girl tearfully claimed that Ethan had molested her, which is why her boyfriend stabbed him. The culprit was released without charges due to an insanity plea. As I looked at their faces, I suddenly smiled. An insanity plea, huh? What a coincidence. I have one of those too. 0 Ethan was dead. When the nurse told me this news, she watched my face carefully. But I showed no expression, just fiddling with the doll in my hands. “What does that mean?” I asked. She said it meant Ethan would never come visit me again. I paused, then smiled and said, “That’s good.” I had grown tired of Ethan anyway. Tired of how handsome he looked in his police uniform, making me feel even more sickly and ugly in comparison. Tired. Tired of him always cooking delicious meals, making me gain weight. And tired of him always holding his guitar, singing off-key songs to me. It’s better if he never comes again. Someone like me with mental illness shouldn’t be loved by anyone anyway. On the days without Ethan, I ate alone, listened to music alone, took walks alone. But for some reason, my chest always hurt terribly, so much that I couldn’t sleep. So one night I snuck into the director’s office. He was busy kissing a nurse and got startled. But I didn’t care. I pointed at my heart and said, “I feel awful. Fix me quickly.” After hearing my symptoms, the director sighed and said: “I’ll take you to see Ethan one last time.” 0

Ethan lay in a small room at the funeral home. He was the most handsome person I’d ever seen. Back in school he was the campus heartthrob. Girls were always posting his photos on the confession wall. But now he didn’t look so good. His arms and legs were broken, like snapped tree branches. His face His face was covered in bruises, his chest caved in. The staff on duty were whispering next door: “So sad…he wasn’t even on duty. He was just passing by when he saw that rich kid beating his girlfriend.” “Everyone else was too scared to get close. Officer Ethan was the only one who rushed over. And now he’s dead. What a shame.” “I heard he was at the mall to buy an engagement ring…when they took him to the hospital he was barely breathing, kept calling out a name. Rachel or something.” It’s Rachel, I thought to myself. Ethan had helped me choose that name. He said he hoped my future would be full of sunshine, always bright and clear. For some reason, my heart started hurache again. I nudged Ethan. “Hey, I don’t like this name anymore. Help me think of a new one.” He lay there with his eyes closed, not responding. I kissed his lips gently. So cold. No response. So this is what death is like. Suddenly I started screaming hysterically, banging my head against the wall. The staff next door were terrified. They wanted to rush in but were frozen by my heart-wrenching cries. By the time they finally gathered the courage to open the door, I was already gone. 0

Two miles away at a private hospital. I stood in the shadows of the hallway, silently watching the direction of a patient room. The girl staying there was named Olivia. If it weren’t for protecting her, Ethan wouldn’t have been stabbed seven times by that crazed attacker. At this moment, Olivia was crying to a group of reporters. “Lucas didn’t mean to do it, we were just m “That police officer went too far. He pretended to break up the fight, but actually actually took the chance to grope me.” “Lucas told him to stop but he got even worse, so Lucas…I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. Lucas never meant to hurt anyone, he just loves me too much.” … Olivia’s testimony was quickly corroborated by several alleged eyewitnesses: “That cop really did take the chance to grab the girl’s hand and touch her chest.” “We were all stunned. Who would’ve thought a police officer would do something like that?” “The cop definitely threw the first punch. The other guy only pulled out the knife when he got desperate. I saw it clearly, no mistake.” People had been skeptical of the girl’s story at first, but now with witnesses it became much more believable. And conveniently, the security cameras at the scene had malfunctioned that day. Public opinion quickly turned angry: “How is it possible the the cameras just happened to break that day?” “I bet the police are just too ashamed to release the footage.” “You had such a scumbag in your ranks and you’re trying to save face?” … I closed my phone and lay down on the bed. In my mind I saw Ethan on the day he changed his college application to the police academy. In the sunlight, the young man in a white shirt looked at me with a serious expression. “Rachel, justice has always been absent in your life.” “So…I want to try to become that justice for you.” What a fool he was. He had always been trying his hardest to transform me, a lunatic, into a warm and happy normal person. “Looks like it’s a good thing he didn’t succeed,” I said with a smile to Ethan in the photo. I took off my hospital gown and threw it in the trash as I walked out of the room. Outside was an endless sea of darkness. Perfect. They had extinguished the only light in my life. Little did they know, darkness was my home turf. 0

I climbed into the director’s office. He was shamelessly making out with a nurse in the dark. I turned on the lights and stared at them expressionlessly. The The nurse let out a scream. The director frantically covered himself with a blanket. “Y-y-you…are you crazy?” he stammered. I looked at him puzzled. “If I wasn’t crazy, why would I be in a mental hospital?” I sat down in the leather chair in the center of the office and propped my feet up on the desk. “Get me a new identity.” The director flew into a rage. “What do you think you’re doing?! Giving me orders! You want to rebel?!” I reached out and opened the venetian blinds. Outside was a camcorder, its red recording it recorded. It was a gift Ethan had bought me with his first month’s salary as a cop. High definition even in the dark. I had left it outside when I climbed in through the window. “The movies they show in the activity room have been so boring lately,” I said, waving the camcorder. “Should I give everyone this to watch instead?” The fat on the director’s face trembled. “What…what kind of identity do you want?” I thought for a moment, then turned to the nurse. “What was your name again?” There were dozens of nurses here, but I remembered hers as the prettiest. The nurse stammered, “R-Rachel.” “Nice name,” I said. “I’ll take it.” 0

“Rachel, with six years of nursing experience at Southside Psychiatric Center.” With this identity, I stood before Lucas. Thanks to that insanity plea, he had escaped criminal charges. The price was that he needed to stay at a psychiatric facility for a few months to lay low. The moment he saw me, Lucas smiled. “What a pretty new toy. I like it.” Before me, Lucas had already driven away over a dozen caretakers. One of them was found covered in blood and is still in the ICU. So even with sky-high pay, no one dared to come take care of this violent maniac anymore. But I was different. “I’m not here to be your toy,” I said softly. Before I finished speaking, a glass cup flew straight at my head. It shattered, blood immediately flowing downehead. Lucas lounged on the bed, smiling at me. He was waiting for my reaction. The previous caretakers had either screamed, broken down, or gotten angry. But I did none of those things. I just stuck out my tongue and licked the blood that had dripped to my lips. Lucas stopped smiling. His world had always been full of sheep. But now, one wolf had finally encountered another wolf in the wilderness. It must be quite a novel experience for him. I walked towards Lucas step by step, sat down, and stared intently into his eyes. “Do you enjoy seeing others in pain?” I asked softly. This was the psychological mechanism of sadists. Seeing others suffer gave them intense pleasure. “Too bad, I can’t feel pain. Torturing me won’t do any good.” “You can’t feel pain?” Lucas asked in a low voice. “Don’t believe me?” I picked up a glass ashtray and placed it in Lucas’s hand. “If you don’t believe it.” Glass items weren’t allowed in psychiatric facilities. But Lucas, the only son of Starlight Group’s chairman, was naturally above all rules. He held the ashtray in his hand, staring into my eyes, not moving. My gaze was too calm, like a still water surface with no ripples. A person can’t get any sense of accomplishment from repeatedly striking a calm water surface. This made him lose interest. But that’s okay, I can help you find some fun. Looking into Lucas’s eyes, I spoke softly: “Although I can’t feel pain, if you want to see suffering, I still have a way to help you achieve that.” I have very abnormal eyes. Normal people would be scared of them. But lunatics are drawn to them.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297167”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

I was born with color blindness. A fortune teller once said I had a dark aura that needed to be balanced by someone with strong positive energy. My dad, worried about my future, found seven guys who were said to have exceptionally bright auras. But among them all, my eyes were drawn to Marcus Sinclair— Because in my black and white world, he was the only one in color. I chose him. But on our wedding night, he switched the boxes containing my medication. I usually relied on color to distinguish my pills, and as a result, I accidentally swallowed an overdose of sleeping pills, collapsing in convulsions. Over the phone, he laughed coldly: “Lily Foster, Natalie is in the hospital because of you. It’s time you taste the bitterness of despair.” As the clock ticked away, I counted down my final moments. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I was supposed to choose a husband. This time, I dug my nails into my palm, refusing to look at Marcus Sinclair who stood in the most prominent position. As my gaze swept across the corner, I suddenly remembered that in my previous life, after I died, only that quiet man had come to collect my body. I raised my hand and pointed directly at him: “I choose him.”

“Lily, do you think changing men will make me care?” Marcus sneered, turning away nonchalantly. “I’ve told you before, I’ll never marry you. If you really like someone else… go ahead and marry them.” Jason Shen, standing nearby, frowned at Marcus’s words and quietly lowered his eyes. Natalie immediately came over and tugged at my arm. “Lily, Marcus is leaving. Why aren’t you chasing after him?” She blinked, feigning concern. “If he gets really angry, you’ll have to beg him to forgive you in a few days.” I shook off her hand and laughed coldly. “Why should I chase after him?” How ridiculous. They had lived in my family’s house since childhood, relying on us for food, clothing, and shelter. Now they expect me, the actual owner, to beg them? In my previous life, I was brainwashed by them, believing that ‘the only color in my world must be my destiny.’ This time, I won’t make the same mistake! “Dad, I want to marry Jason.” My father frowned deeply. “Lily, marriage isn’t a game. This concerns your lifelong happiness!” “Did you have a fight with Marcus?” he probed. “Didn’t you used to like him the most?” Like? That so-called love nearly cost me my life. How could I dare to like him again? I forced a smile. “Dad, people change.” My dad exchanged a glance with the fortune teller, who immediately spread out his tools and began to make a show of divination. After a while, he shook his head dramatically. “Mr. Foster, I’ve carefully calculated. This Mr. Shen has a very unusual aura. He’s not compatible with Miss Lily at all!” “In my opinion, Mr. Sinclair still has the strongest positive energy. Even if they don’t get married, as long as he stays close to Miss Lily, it will keep her safe.” Hearing this, my dad’s face showed hesitation. I directly exposed their trick: “If you say we don’t need to get married, then why not just give him a job to stay in the house? Wouldn’t that work the same?” “Well…” The fortune teller was suddenly at a loss for words, mumbling incoherently. My dad pondered for a moment before finally relenting: “Lily, tomorrow is the anniversary of your mother’s passing. I’ll be away for three days to pay my respects. Take these three days to think it over. Whatever decision you make, I’ll support you.” I nodded gratefully, watching as my dad left. My mom died from complications during my birth. Since then, my dad has poured all the love he had for my mom into me. He took me to see countless specialists, but none could cure my color blindness. Later, when he heard that Marcus could let me see colors, my dad was overjoyed and gave him countless privileges. Who could have imagined that this kindness would eventually become the death warrant for me? In my previous life, when my dad saw my final fate, he must have been heartbroken too. “Lily, quick, think about what gift to send to make up with Marcus!” “How about a yacht?” “A mansion might be more practical.” The group chatted animatedly, completely disregarding my opinions. I folded my arms and coldly watched them. “Who said I was going to apologize?”

Everyone burst into laughter. “Lily, stop being stubborn. If Marcus really ignores you, you’ll end up crying again.” Ignoring my protests, they forcibly pushed me into a car, insisting on taking me to the mansion where Marcus lived. These people were so eager because in my previous life, every time I went to apologize to Marcus, they would tag along and reap considerable benefits. When Marcus saw me, he showed no surprise, just arrogantly turned his face away. The freshly picked flower in his hand was alluringly beautiful, like a bottle of enticing poison, tempting me to come closer. “Give me back the keys to the mansion.” “…What did you say?” I calmly repeated myself, shocking everyone present. “Lily, have you gone mad?!” “Marcus, don’t take it to heart. Lily didn’t mean it. Lily, apologize quickly!” Everyone panicked as if Marcus was the true owner of the Foster family. Marcus slowly walked up to me: “Lily, I’ll give you one last chance.” “No need.” “Fine, I’ll give them back to you.” He took out the keys but let them slip from his fingers just as I was about to catch them. The keys fell into the drain with a ‘clink’. “You!” I knelt on the ground, desperately reaching for the keys. Although the water flow wasn’t strong, the keys always seemed just out of reach. Mocking laughter erupted around me: “Come on, Miss Foster, try harder. If the keys wash away, you won’t be able to apologize.” “Hah, I thought she had really changed, but look at her now, scrambling for Marcus’s keys like a dog.” The keys quickly blended into the dark drain. As I fumbled around, my nostrils filled with the stench of decaying leaves. Finally, I felt the keys. But Natalie immediately pulled Marcus back. “Marcus, be careful, don’t get dirty.” Suppressing my anger, I used the keys to open the mansion’s front door, only to be shocked speechless by the sight before me— “Who told you to touch anything here?!” This was the ancestral home my grandmother had left me. Every piece of furniture was her life’s work. But now, all those old items that carried memories were gone. Marcus carelessly adjusted his cuffs. “Last year, you gave me this house as a birthday gift. Don’t you remember?” “I gave you the right to use it!” I gripped the doorknob tightly. “This is a heritage site. Unauthorized alterations are illegal.” He sneered, “You want to take back something you’ve given away? Miss Foster, you never cease to amaze me.” Natalie, standing to the side, suddenly chuckled softly. “Marcus, Miss Foster probably doesn’t know that all the old furniture has been sent to storage.” She added, feigning thoughtfulness, “We’ve just put them away temporarily~” “We?” I coldly looked at her. “Since when did Miss Sullivan become the mistress of this place?” Natalie’s eyes immediately welled up with tears as she shrank behind Marcus. “I was just… trying to explain…” Marcus immediately shielded her and raised his hand, slapping me hard across the face. “Apologize to Natalie!” Everyone present was stunned. No one expected Marcus to actually hit me. “Never!” Marcus laughed in extreme anger. “Fine! Since Miss Foster values her pride so much, I’ll grant your wish!” Marcus roughly pushed me into the unfinished walk-in closet and locked the door with a click. A blinding whiteness greeted my eyes. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all a stark white. When I was eight, I was once kidnapped. The kidnappers locked me in a room just like this for three days and three nights. Marcus knew this incident better than anyone, yet now he deliberately used my greatest fear to punish me. “Open the door! Marcus!” I pounded desperately on the door, cold sweat already beading on my forehead, but the door didn’t budge. Laughter filtered through from outside: “The young miss sure has a temper.” “Only you can put up with her, Marcus.” “Let her cool off in there for a while. It’ll do her good.” Marcus’s voice penetrated the door, each word cutting deep: “She’s nothing but a lapdog. If it weren’t for Mr. Foster’s sake, who would bother entertaining her?” Even though I knew this man had never loved me, hearing such an evaluation firsthand still felt like my heart was being ripped open. I had offered my sincere feelings for so many years. Even the most ordinary friend would show some respect and affection. But Marcus insisted on trampling my dignity and grinding it into the mud. My breathing began to shake uncontrollably. The air in the confined space felt terrifyingly thin. The heavy smell of paint mixed with the acrid scent of disinfectant churned in my lungs. I opened my mouth wide, desperately gasping for air, but it was as futile as a fish out of water. Drip, drip. Whether it was real water or an auditory hallucination brought on by impending breakdown, the walls before me began to twist and writhe, like countless pale hands reaching out to grab me. Just before I lost consciousness completely, I was roughly dragged out of the room by my arm. “Stop pretending! Natalie is about to go to the press conference. You’re the brand manager, don’t think you can slack off!” I struggled to lift my head and saw several men in suits surrounding Natalie like stars around the moon. The dress she wore made my pupils constrict— “How dare you let her wear my gown?!” That was the wedding dress my grandmother had specially customized for me. Every stitch carried her blessings. “It’s just a dress,” one of the men scoffed dismissively. “Take it off!” I struggled to rush over. Suddenly, Natalie burst into tears. “I’m sorry… It’s all my fault… I’ll take it off right away…” She forcefully tore open the collar. The men immediately surrounded her, hastily covering her with their jackets. My precious wedding gown was carelessly trampled underfoot. The exquisite embroidery was ruined beyond recognition, and the inlaid jewels scattered across the floor. Natalie looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “Are you satisfied now, Miss Foster?” Marcus grabbed a fistful of my hair, his voice ice-cold. “Apologize!” Security guards rushed in at the commotion. “What’s going o—” Before they could finish, Marcus slowly turned, his gaze piercingly cold. “You want to interfere?” The guards’ eyes darted between Marcus and me. Finally, one pressed his radio. “Report, all normal in the villa area.” Then they quickly left. Marcus released my hair and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Lily, you’d better behave. Otherwise… I can’t guarantee what might happen next.” I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms. “Marcus, do you really think you’re above the law?” He straightened up with a light chuckle. “I wouldn’t say above the law, but dealing with you… is well within my means.” The press conference staff came to hurry them along. Only then did Marcus temporarily let me go, leading Natalie towards the venue. Marcus quickly got Natalie a new gown and was coaxing her in a low voice. I looked down at my simple white T-shirt and suddenly felt the irony acutely. How could I have been so blind in my previous life? Just as I was about to take my seat, Marcus suddenly pushed me aside. “Natalie, you sit here.” I suppressed my anger. “If she sits here, where am I supposed to sit?” “What?” He raised an eyebrow mockingly. “Don’t tell me you still think this is your reserved seat?” With that, he kicked over a low stool. “Sit if you want, or get lost if you don’t.” He couldn’t resist adding a final jab. “If it weren’t for your dad’s influence, do you think you’d even qualify to be at an event like this?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297184”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

In the first year of the apocalypse, Liam grew tired of me. He began favoring my sister, Rowan, his combat partner. Everyone in the team silently agreed they were the perfect match, leaving me feeling like an outcast. Before the apocalypse, I was his light, his savior. After, I became nothing but a dead weight, dragging our team down. Later, after he and my sister finally confessed their feelings during a battle, he allowed the rest of the team to bully me. To save the one he truly loved, he even pushed me into the arms of another man. Until, I truly fell for someone else. He suddenly remembered me, the girl who took him in, battered and broken, back when we first met. **1** I huddled with the Normals, curled up in a corner in the dead of night. I quickly ducked my head, took a stealthy bite of the last cookie, holding it in my mouth to muffle any sound. My stomach churned with acid, protesting the long hours of hunger. The cookie was a little moldy. I’d secretly stashed it away earlier when we were scavenging for supplies. It was the second year of the apocalypse. We still hadn’t reached the Northern Base, and our team had grown from five to twelve members. Seven Ability Users and five Normals. I was one of the Normals, never having awakened an ability. Not far away, a group held up lights, studying a map. Their voices drifted faintly. “Newport City has fallen. We’ll have to skirt around it, cutting through the mountains to reach the town on the other side. Fewer zombies there. Rowan, what do you think?” A cool, detached female voice replied, “Hmm. That works.” I looked up when I heard his voice. The man holding the lamp had messy hair, but his eyes held a surprising gentleness. “We should reach the Northern Base in about a month. I heard order is slowly being restored there.” Liam and I hadn’t spoken in a long time, even though he was my boyfriend. I finished the last crumb of my cookie, my gaze falling on the woman in leather, exuding an icy coolness. Thank goodness, only a month left. Once we reach the Northern Base, everything will be fine. I’d heard even Normals could live decent lives there. Then, I could finally end things. My fingers instinctively brushed against the zombie crystal core I’d secretly stashed in my pocket. They said if a Normal swallowed a pure crystal, there was a chance they’d awaken an ability. Ability Users could absorb it to grow stronger, but for a Normal, it meant a gruesome, explosive death. Yet, holding it, a fragile spark of hope flickered within me. While the Ability User squad cleared out the zombies outside, our Normal squad searched the convenience store for any remaining supplies. I wore a pack nearly half my height and climbed through a small window into a convenience store. It looked like it had already been picked clean. Only a few daily necessities and some dried peanuts were left. I stuffed everything into my bag, then my sharp eyes spotted a box of coconut candies under the table. I crouched down and tucked them into my sleeve. It was deep summer outside, but thick winter clothing enveloped my skeletal frame. I slowed my breathing, trying to minimize my presence. I handed over everything I found to Hank, the man in charge of supplies. Hank’s gaze lingered on me, laced with ill intent. That predatory look had been following me for a long time now. He took my bag, his clammy fingers brushing my hand. Hank grinned. “Elara, you’re dressed so heavily, but your hands are still freezing.” I pulled my hand back and scurried behind Liam, linking my arm through his. Liam frowned, looking at me, but I just tilted my head back and gave him a sweet, innocent smile, pretending not to notice his stiff posture. Rowan glanced at us, her eyes flashing with a hint of mockery as she saw our linked arms. “Before the apocalypse, she relied on her parents. After, she relies on men…” I pressed my lips together, offering no defense. She seemed to find it uninteresting, turning away, her neat ponytail whipping through the air. Liam watched her disappear into the vehicle, then turned to me, his gaze laced with clear disapproval. “Elara, you know your sister gets upset when she sees you. Why do you always have to appear in front of her?” The impatience in his eyes was almost palpable. I stared, stunned, biting my lip, trying to look lost and helpless. “I’m sorry, but I was scared. Hank just touched me.” Liam’s expression became uncomfortable, but he didn’t pull his hand away. This was the man I’d been with since high school. I’d found him in a dark, damp alley. Ribs showed through his emaciated frame, covered in wounds, passed out in dirty water. Pity compelled me to rescue him. I scrounged and saved every penny to get him treated, even shared my meager meals daily when he had nothing to eat. Back then, Liam’s mother had passed away, and his father was an alcoholic who beat him senseless when drunk. He only managed to stay in school because his grades were exceptional, earning him a scholarship. Slowly, the dark, brooding boy I knew began to heal, his eyes and heart holding only me. We naturally fell in love. He even gave up a scholarship opportunity to attend the same university as me. But on our wedding day, the apocalypse hit. A guest mutated, tearing into another, plunging the reception into utter chaos. My parents, in a desperate act to save us, locked Rowan and me behind an iron gate. They used their own bodies as a shield, buying us precious moments to escape. Then, right before our eyes, they turned, becoming mindless zombies. Rowan was my older sister, three years my senior, and she’d despised me since we were kids. From childhood, I was sickly; a simple cold could nearly kill me. Until I was thirteen, I was practically on medication every day. While other kids chased and played, I could only watch from indoors. Even when my health improved, my parents still worried endlessly about me. I was always so docile and well-behaved, they never spoke a harsh word to me. Rowan always believed my presence stole her parents’ love, feeling they played favorites. During her teenage years, she was as prickly as a hedgehog, and we argued constantly, every other day. She later went to a university far from home and only returned when I was about to get married. That day, her hatred seemed to climax. She grabbed my arm, relentlessly questioning, “Why you, Elara? Why aren’t you dead? If you hadn’t gotten married, none of this would’ve happened! Mom and Dad wouldn’t be dead! You’re a curse, a jinx! They gave you all their love, and even in their last moments, they told me to take care of you! Why, Elara? Why don’t you just die?!” In our small team, Rowan and Liam were the first to awaken their abilities. Ability Users were physically superior to Normals in every way, their strength and endurance far exceeding ours. Rowan had ice powers, Liam awakened fire powers. The other two were Liam’s college roommates, who awakened water and wood abilities respectively. With the apocalypse came earthquakes and floods, ravaging human homes. Nearly all water sources were contaminated, and cities plunged into darkness. Later, we heard there was a survivor’s base up north, so our group set off on the journey. Initially, everyone was friendly to me, but that changed when they realized I hadn’t awakened an ability. Resentment started to fester within the team. If I hadn’t been Liam’s girlfriend and Rowan’s sister, they would have said something. But instead, their occasional impatience and disgust revealed their inner disdain. They probably forgot that, in the beginning, before they awakened their abilities, when buildings were being destroyed by thousands of zombies, it was *me* who squeezed into collapsed ruins to find food. When their abilities were slow to improve, I was also the first to discover that some zombies had crystal cores in their heads. I watched as, over this past year, Liam’s heart was slowly, undeniably, turning towards Rowan. Her ice, his fire – a devastating combination that made quick work of any zombie horde. They were the most in-sync partners, a truly formidable duo. Maybe he felt a kinship with Rowan, a shared sense of tragedy. The more he learned about her past, comparing it to my own carefree nature, the more he seemed to ache for her strength and independence. During food shortages, I even overheard them debating whether to abandon me. They were combat partners, fighting side-by-side. I was nothing but a dead weight, dragging them down. Other Normals, even without abilities, could manage against zombies in groups. But I was weak, frail. I was only useful for my small size, able to squeeze into tight spots to find food. Nothing more than a burden. Later, Hank and his group joined. Hank was a Strength Ability User, and the man with him, George, had a rare healing ability. When did I realize he no longer loved me? Perhaps it was his silence when others mocked me. Or perhaps it was the day I went to get into the car, and my usual seat was piled high with a large duffel bag, packed with all the food I’d found. And Liam’s hesitant eyes when he looked at me. “This car is for Ability Users only. Elara, I’m the leader. I can’t show you favoritism just because you’re my girlfriend. Can you understand that, Elara?” I nodded and went to the back, to the minivan with the rest of the Normals. The Normals in the team were all like me. Any food we found had to be given to the Ability Users. Normals were given only tiny portions of water and food each day, just enough to sustain life. Everyone in the van was silent, eyes closed, conserving energy. That’s when everyone knew: Liam didn’t consider me special anymore. If I hadn’t been Liam’s girlfriend, Hank would have made his move on me long ago. And Liam seemed oblivious to Hank’s blatant, predatory gaze. He just dismissed it, telling me I was overthinking things. “Liam, we’re almost at the Northern Base.” I whispered, lowering my eyes. He paused, as if he hadn’t understood my meaning. I sighed internally. Once we reached the Northern Base, no one would have to pretend anymore. We’d all be free. **2** After a day of rest, the team set off on foot into the mountains. Newport City had long since become a zombie-infested ruin. We planned to enter through a small town at the foot of the mountains. I followed the team. This area used to be a tourist attraction, with man-made paths, so the mountain trail wasn’t too treacherous. The mountain forest was strangely quiet. Behind me, a Normal collapsed. The prolonged hunger had made it impossible for him to keep walking, but everyone else simply ignored him, as if he didn’t exist, continuing forward. I followed, the weight of my backpack reminding me that supplies were low. As I passed him, two coconut candies tumbled from my sleeve. When I looked up after doing that, my eyes met Rowan’s cold gaze. “I think someone needs to carry the pack.” I kept my head down and walked forward, pretending not to hear her. But then the strap of my backpack was yanked. “I said, someone needs to carry it. Are you deaf?!” The people in front stopped. All eyes were on Rowan and me. Rowan suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked up my thick winter sleeve. A bag of coconut candies and two compressed biscuits fell out. “Because someone’s being selfish and hoarding food.” “In the apocalypse, the first to die are the bleeding hearts. You’re damn lucky you’ve made it this far.” Her tone was mocking, her eyes filled with disdain. She picked up the biscuits from the ground and threw them at the collapsed Normal. “Eat up and hurry along.” Then she glared at me. “Don’t let me find anything else missing from the bag.” “I understand,” I mumbled, not a hint of embarrassment for being caught hoarding food. Most of the supplies in the apocalypse had already been scavenged. The majority of the food in our team’s possession was found by me, tucked away in dangerous, narrow crevices. I had to face the constant threat of zombies while navigating crumbling, precarious buildings. And since I found most of our team’s food, I didn’t feel I owed them anything, even if I hadn’t awakened an ability. The supplies they rationed to Normals were pitifully small. What I hid, I believed, was rightfully mine. But I said nothing. Speaking up would only make them think I was ungrateful. The team stopped at a mountain lodge halfway up the slope. Night had fallen. The place seemed to have been ransacked already; anything useful was gone. I set down my heavy pack. Clearly, they had no intention of sharing food with the Normals tonight. I went upstairs, searching every room, trying to find some forgotten scrap of food, but found nothing. No one noticed me. I quickly popped the last coconut candy I’d hidden in my chest into my mouth, then went downstairs and curled up in a corner to try and sleep. A group not far away seemed to be discussing something. Finally, they all left. They returned in the middle of the night. Liam was carrying Rowan, his face etched with worry. She was pale, leaning against him, her entire shoulder soaked with blood. I could vaguely see the raw flesh underneath. If she didn’t get treatment soon, Rowan would turn into a mindless zombie. The two groups seemed to be arguing, the atmosphere tense and volatile. I hid behind the crowd, vaguely understanding what had happened. Rowan had sensed a high-tier zombie in these mountains. Everyone else’s abilities had been leveling up, but hers had stagnated for too long. She was fiercely competitive, incapable of accepting that she was standing still. After sensing the high-tier zombie, she was desperate to get its crystal core. To get this crystal, everyone in the team had taken hits, but Rowan was clearly the most gravely wounded. Hank and George, the healing ability user behind him, along with a Lightning Ability User, stood opposite Liam. Liam’s eyes were bloodshot, and a fiery ball gathered in his palm, ready to strike at any second. “Make your man save Rowan! Besides this Fourth-Tier crystal, I’ll give you anything you want, *anything*.” “Anything I want?” Hank’s ill-intentioned gaze fell on me, then he grinned. “I want you to break up with Elara.” Liam turned and looked at me, standing outside the circle. My lips trembled, and my face instantly went pale. If I lost my status as an Ability User’s girlfriend, as a Normal without an awakened power, my fate was easy to imagine. Hank’s voice continued, “Anyone with eyes can see you’re Elara’s boyfriend, yet you’re obviously into Rowan too. We only have a few women in this team, and you’re hogging the two prettiest ones. That’s not fair, is it? Let go of Elara, and I promise to treat her well. Besides, she’s just a Normal, no ability — being with me would be her goddamn good fortune.” They laughed and debated, nobody caring about what I wanted. They simply decided my future with ease. Liam turned back to me. I instinctively grabbed his hand, tears welling in my eyes. “No, Liam, I don’t want to break up.” Only a month left until the Northern Base! Just one month! Liam looked down at me. He carefully put Rowan down, then gripped my hand and pulled me away. “Liam, you promised you wouldn’t leave me.” I flung myself into his arms, my tears blurring my vision. “Liam, Liam, don’t break up…” I pleaded in a low voice. Breaking up would send a dangerous signal to everyone else. Then, I’d just be a slab of meat on the chopping block, to be devoured not just by Hank, but by the other Ability Users in the team too. In the apocalypse, order had crumbled, and humanity’s depravity was on full display. I’d seen what happened to other Normals, both men and women, who hadn’t awakened abilities. The weak weren’t their kin; they were just resources, to be traded or consumed. I didn’t want to become that. We were so close, just one more month. “Elara, I’m sorry…” Liam’s expression was cold, devoid of the pity he once held for me. “Elara, your sister, she’s always had such a hard life. She was neglected since she was a child, always so strong-willed. I always thought I only felt a comradeship for her, but today, seeing her on the verge of death, I can’t lie to myself anymore. I’ve fallen for her.” “Do you know what will happen to me if we break up?” He fell silent, then spoke, “Hank is a Fourth-Tier Strength user, just as powerful as me. For you, he’s a decent option.” He analyzed it calmly, his eyes devoid of the tenderness they once held. The man who, in the early days of the apocalypse, had shielded me with his body, nearly dying at the hands of the Infected, now looked like a demon. “Besides, Elara, she’s your sister. When did you become so selfish? Do you know when I started to fall for your sister? She pretends not to care about the Normals, but when facing zombies, she’s always the first to charge in. But you? You only think of yourself, even when your own sister’s life hangs in the balance.” As he spoke, a cruel sneer twisted his lips. Rowan’s ‘tough exterior, soft heart’ act was only for others. We were sisters, yet she hated me so fiercely. As a child, she could have softened her tone a little to mend her relationship with our parents, but she always chose the sharpest thorns to face our family. When she insisted on going to a university far from home, our parents, unable to stop her, agonized over it, their hair turning gray with worry. The expenses there were huge. They sent her a hefty sum every month, even selling our family home and downsizing to afford it. No one ever owed her anything. All this way, because of Liam and Rowan’s subtle dislike for me, I had been isolated by everyone. Despite there being so many Normals in the team, I was the only one they routinely mocked and called useless. I wiped my tears, looking at the man before me, knowing it was hopeless. I turned and walked towards the door, a faint glow of dawn visible in the sky, illuminating a path through the mountains. Liam’s voice drifted from behind me, eerily quiet. “There are still some zombies in the mountains. We’ve been here so long, they’ve probably caught our scent. They should be nearby. If you think you can get down the mountain safely by yourself, then go ahead.” “Elara, how did you become so selfish?” I turned back to him. He seemed certain I wouldn’t dare go alone. Liam’s gaze was a mixture of disappointment and relief—as if he was finally seeing me for who I truly was, and was glad of it. To ensure safety, everyone stayed together. I huddled with the Normals, curled up in a corner, knees drawn to my chest. It was an excruciatingly uncomfortable position, but I’d grown used to it. An hour later, everyone rested in place. Sunlight streamed into the room, dimly illuminating the scene. A pair of hands pulled me up. I screamed, but a hand clamped over my mouth and nose. The room was silent. I struggled, kicking over a table and chairs in the living room. I saw the sofa where Liam had been sleeping shift, then settle back into stillness. The man’s foul stench filled my nostrils. His hands, like steel clamps, cinched my waist, dragging me into a room. Everyone else pretended to be oblivious. I gritted my teeth, fumbling for the small knife in my pocket. With a swift movement, I sliced open my palm, drawing blood. When everyone else awakened their abilities, even a tiny scratch on me would draw countless zombies. Born frail, then cursed by the apocalypse, even the ability I’d instinctively awakened was a useless, dangerous curse that seemed intent on killing me. I closed my eyes. If no one wanted me alive, then let everyone die. The hand covering my mouth and nose loosened. He started tearing at my clothes. The blade in my palm sank halfway into my flesh, and blood dripped onto the bedsheets. Outside the window, pale, decaying zombies smashed through the window, lunging into the room and shattering the quiet. Hank scrambled to his feet. I lay limp on the bed, my thick winter coat ripped open, revealing the short-sleeved top underneath. Liam pushed open the door, practically unable to look me in the eyes. They finished off the zombies. Hank pried open a zombie head, found no crystal core, then spat in disgust and left the room, his interest gone. Liam looked back at me. After a long moment, he closed the door. I looked at the scattered zombie corpses on the floor, walked over, and slowly reached out my hand. Just as it was about to touch the rotting flesh, I yanked it back. I couldn’t die. After all the mockery, scorn, and bullying in the apocalypse, enduring so much—wasn’t it all just to survive? **3** The next day, the team continued their trek. The mountain path stretched endlessly, growing steeper and more treacherous the further we went. Besides a few zombies in hiking gear, there were no other signs of life.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297200”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

I woke up and found myself the heroine of a brutal romance novel. The day I slashed my wrists, the male lead was picking up his idealized first love, Genevieve, who had just returned from overseas. He sneered, “Didn’t you say you’d put up with anything just to marry me? Can’t even handle something this trivial?” Genevieve purred, “He loves me. If you hadn’t threatened his mother’s life, he would never have been with you. It’s time to return what was mine.” His mother, Patricia, whose life I’d saved, coldly added, “Here’s your money back. Can you please just let my son go? It’s better for everyone if you two divorce.” But I wouldn’t leave him. Because he was about to die. I woke up lying in a bathtub. Blood was everywhere. My phone was on speaker, and Julian’s angry voice blasted from it: “I’m home. Where the hell are you? Is it fun constantly creating drama like this?” I hung up, dialed 911, and the next time I woke, I was in a hospital room. The doctor said, “Another five minutes, and we wouldn’t have been able to save you. Luckily, your will to live is strong.” “Yeah, I know.” I had transmigrated into a dark romance novel. The original heroine, Maya, had desperately loved Julian, but he never returned her feelings. His constant emotional abuse had left her with severe depression and strong suicidal tendencies. Tonight, Julian was throwing a lavish welcome-home party for his idealized first love, Genevieve. Maya, pushed to her breaking point, had felt she couldn’t take it anymore and called him to come home. He was the one who had ignored her desperate plea for help. Her life was supposed to end today. But not anymore. “Your phone kept ringing. The caller ID said ‘Husband.’ We notified your family, and he’s on his way.” “Doesn’t matter. How’s the baby?” Maya had been pregnant when she tried to kill herself. “The fetal heartbeat almost stopped, but fortunately, the baby’s will to live is as strong as yours. For now, it’s out of danger. The detailed report will be ready soon.” “Thank you.” A while later, Julian, impeccably dressed in a suit, pushed open the door. He took one look at my bandaged wrist and scowled, his handsome brows furrowed. “Playing this game again? Maya, you try to kill yourself every other day. Why aren’t you dead yet?” “You’re not dead, so I’m not in a hurry,” I calmly looked at him. “I’ll be sending you off first, Julian.” In the original novel, after Maya lost both her and the baby, Julian seemed to suddenly fall in love with her. He was filled with belated regret. All that belated, overflowing affection. A year later, Julian died of stomach cancer. A year. Not long. I could wait. Julian had never heard such venomous words from Maya. He froze for a second. “I just went to a reunion with an old friend. Is it really that big of a deal?” His “old friend” was his idealized first love, Genevieve. Of course, I didn’t care. “The desire to kill someone can’t be hidden. Whatever you do, I want you dead. It has little to do with who you meet or what you do.” Julian shook his head in disbelief. “Maya, are you crazy? Constantly talking about dying, but don’t drag others into it.” “What kind of talk is that? She’s a depression patient. And you keep saying ‘die.’ How is that any different from attempted murder?” The doctor scolded him, then softly said to me, “Here’s the report. The baby is fine. You two are incredibly lucky. Mother and child are both safe.” “You’re pregnant?” Julian was stunned, then his face turned cold. “I told you I didn’t want kids. I always used protection. What did you do to the condoms?” “The best birth control is not to do it at all. Don’t you know that basic fact? Or are you saying I deliberately forced myself on you? If so, go call the police. Accuse me of marital rape.” Maya had always been a gentle, quiet woman. This was the first time Julian had seen her so sharp-tongued. He was so furious he could barely speak. “…You’re being unreasonable.” “Men who are terrible at arguing are boring. They’re useless beyond a pretty face, just annoying.” I pulled the covers over me and went to sleep, wondering what Maya ever saw in him. Julian stared at my back. His phone rang, and I faintly heard Genevieve’s voice: “…Julian, I’m drunk. I don’t know how to get to the hotel…” Julian glanced at me. “It’s not a good time tonight.” “It is. Go on, get lost,” I interjected. Julian was supposed to be with Genevieve tonight anyway. And Maya was supposed to bleed out, slowly. “Haven’t you made enough of a scene?” Julian’s voice was always laced with annoyance when he spoke to me. “You’re truly impossible to please. When I clung to you, you found me disgusting. Now that I don’t want to see you, you stick to me like superglue. What, have you fallen for me?” Julian glared at me, then stormed out, slamming the door. A moment later, he brought in a bedside chair, set it next to me, and lay down without a word.

I stayed in the hospital for a while, and Julian remained stone-faced during his visits. One day, I went for a psychological therapy session. My attending physician, Dr. Alex Thorne, spoke with me for a bit, then asked me to undergo a full battery of organic lesion tests and a new psychological evaluation. He looked at my reports as if he’d witnessed a medical miracle. “Your depression… it’s completely cured. Both your psychological assessment and test results are perfectly healthy.” “Depression often begins when a patient becomes overly fixated on a single goal, leading to narrowed focus, accumulated frustrations, and eventually self-attack and self-loathing. I used to love Julian, and my eyes were only on him. When he didn’t love me back, I felt worthless. Now that I’ve let go, my life force has naturally begun to flow again.” Dr. Thorne smiled and shook my hand. “Congratulations. I say that as a friend.” Dr. Thorne was the only one who truly cared about Maya. He had witnessed how this poor woman had sunk deep into the mire of love. All her efforts had been for naught. The most sincere emotions, had brought nothing but pain. “So, what are you going to do now? Divorce him?” “No,” I curled my lips into a smile. “He is a CEO, after all.” When he dies, the company will be mine. Why would I divorce him?

The day I returned home, Julian said he was busy and didn’t come to pick me up. Instead, I received a text from an unknown number. It was a picture of Julian. His eyes were slightly glazed, and he smiled gently at the camera, two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his sculpted collarbone. Maya had never seen him look like that. But I was completely unfazed. I forwarded it to my lawyer, asking him to archive it. I had just stepped inside when I heard the lock click open again. It wasn’t Julian who entered, but his idealized first love, Genevieve. “All these years, his door code has remained my birthday, Maya. What makes you think you can compete with me?” She looked at me with the arrogant disdain of someone who felt deeply cherished. “Does playing doorman for us make you happy?” Genevieve never expected me to hit back: “Genevieve, if I hadn’t gone abroad to study five years ago, none of this would have happened. You see, the moment I came back, Julian couldn’t wait to see me. If you had any self-awareness, you’d pack your bags and leave immediately.” I dropped two lemon slices into a glass of warm water. “If I recall correctly, Ms. Genevieve, you went to New York? That’s not exactly far, a 25-hour flight. Why did it end up like a parting of the ways for eternity, forcing you to break up?” “Five years, 1800 days, 43,800 hours. He wouldn’t even spend 25 hours on you, never once visited you in America. How dare you believe he loves you? Were you being manipulated by him?” Genevieve froze for a second. “Julian couldn’t afford a plane ticket back then! If he had money, would he have let you leverage his mom’s life to force him to marry you?” “So you knew Julian was a guy who couldn’t even afford a twenty-five hundred dollar plane ticket five years ago? A man who clawed his way up from nothing?” I turned, holding my glass. “Now that he’s the CEO of Sterling Group, you’re telling me to get lost? Heh, you’re trying to commit grand theft in broad daylight!” As soon as the words left my mouth, police sirens wailed outside. Genevieve frowned. “You called the cops?” I raised my glass to her. “Any normal person calls the police when they’re being robbed. Just so you know.” As she was being led away by the police, she was still yelling, “Let’s see what charge you can pin on me!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297216”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #玄幻Fantasy

That day, when they drugged me with the most potent aphrodisiac, I bought every single antidote on the market, desperately trying to delay the inevitable. It wasn’t until I heard the breathless moans and cries from next door, echoing nine times over, that I finally allowed myself to pass out, knowing I was safe. In my previous life, to cure Julian Hayes’s hereditary fertility disorder, the Hayes family had sought out eighteen women, each said to possess a rare, innate allure, capable of facilitating a cure. They were all fed the most potent aphrodisiacs. Whoever could conceive a child with Julian would become the Lady of the Hayes family. I was a siren of unparalleled allure, my very essence radiating irresistible charm, chosen at first glance. That night, Julian, also drugged, his eyes blazing, tormented me again and again. A month later, I was pregnant with the Hayes family heir. But Julian suddenly threw me into a squalid alleyway, ignoring my pleas, ordering the men there to take turns humiliating me. “Serena is already pregnant with my child! If you hadn’t interfered, she would be my wife!” “You filthy whore, used by everyone, you think you’re fit to be Lady Hayes? You like men so much? Today, you’ll get more than enough!” I was trapped in that squalid alleyway, my body wasting away until my insides ruptured, and I died a gruesome death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I was drugged. This time, no matter how their love burned or their hatred raged, it had nothing to do with me.

Just as I was about to shove a handful of antidotes into my mouth, the doctor’s grip tightened like a vise on my wrist. “Miss Anya, if you keep taking these, you’ll die!” Remembering the tragedy of my previous life, I gritted my teeth, yanked my hand free, and swallowed the pills. The liquid burned my throat, my stomach churned, threatening to spill its contents, but I managed to regain a sliver of clarity. The next second, the door burst open. Several men in black suits stormed in. Before I could even struggle, they forcibly carried me away. The doctor desperately tried to stop them, but his voice faded into the distance. A bucket of ice water splashed over me, jolting me awake. I opened my eyes to find myself thrown into a secret room. The air was thick with the sweet, cloying scent of aphrodisiacs. Women lay sprawled on the floor, faces flushed, clothes disheveled. Their faces were crimson, contorted in helpless agony. Before I could react, a bowl of aphrodisiac, ten times the normal concentration, was forcefully poured down my throat. The next second, my body erupted. My lower abdomen burned, and a fiery desire surged through every limb, making me want to throw myself onto the nearest man. I tried to scream, but when I opened my mouth, I spewed out a mouthful of blood. Blood mixed with saliva splattered onto the floor. I heard the women around me screaming, wailing: “Please let me go! I can’t take it anymore!” “Didn’t Anya already sleep with Julian Hayes?! Why are you still doing this to us?!” I bit down hard on my tongue, just barely keeping control, and pulled out the last antidote hidden in my pocket, swallowing it whole. The violent clash of chemicals instantly made me vomit blood. Nosebleeds and tears streamed down my face simultaneously. My stomach felt like it was tearing apart, and I writhed on the floor in agony. My cries startled the other women. Their swollen, bloodshot eyes stared at me in disbelief: “Why is Anya here? Who’s in the CEO’s room, then?” My nails dug deep into my thigh, and I forced myself to shout: “Call a doctor! People are going to die like this!” Just then, Serena, in a red dress, walked over, leaning on Julian Hayes. Her face was flushed, a look of satisfied bliss on her features. Julian’s gaze swept over the women writhing in pain, their clothes torn, and his face instantly darkened. Serena covered her mouth, feigning horror: “Oh my god, what happened to them? Who gave them such a strong dose? That’s too cruel.” Before I could speak, Julian kicked me hard. “You shameless whore! To steal Serena’s place, you actually went after all these women! Do you think doing this will make you a Hayes family wife?” A gush of blood surged up, and my teeth mixed with bloody foam fell onto the floor. The pain made my vision go black. “Julian… it wasn’t me, it was her…” Before I could finish, Julian kicked me again, heavily, right in my lower abdomen. I curled up in pain, cold sweat instantly drenching my clothes. He looked down at me, his voice like ice: “You think you’re the boss just because you were raised as Julian’s childhood fiancée? Do you really think I don’t know about all your little tricks against Serena?” He straightened up, his eyes cold, and embraced Serena as he walked out the door. “Since you made these women suffer so much, you can personally take care of them!” The door clicked shut, locking us inside, like a death knell isolating us from the outside world. The air was hot and suffocating. I lay sprawled on the floor, my limbs still trembling, but I heard rustling sounds nearby. The women, their eyes vacant, faces flushed, moved like a pack of wild animals. Their bodies were covered in scratches and tearing wounds, yet they seemed to feel no pain, lunging at me like mad. As I tried to move, my hair was yanked back hard. “It’s all you! You turned us into this!” Sharp nails dug into my shoulder. I didn’t even have the strength to struggle. Someone tore at my clothes, someone else clawed at my back, leaving bleeding welts that stung fiercely. I tried to scream, but before I could open my mouth, someone forced my head down and slammed it against the wall. “Thud——” My forehead hit hard. My vision went black for a moment, and blood streamed down my face, into my mouth. With a sharp rip, someone picked up a broken piece of porcelain and slashed it hard across my leg. My skin tore open instantly, and agonizing pain shot through my bones. I was on the verge of passing out. “Drink! Drink all the dregs! You put us through this, why should you be clear-headed?!” They forcefully pinched my chin, shoving the bowl of leftover sludge—mixed with dust, medicine, and vomit—into my mouth, choking me until snot and tears streamed down my face. I nearly suffocated. I was pressed onto the ground, convulsing all over, my consciousness slowly scattering. When the women finally collapsed from exhaustion, I too lay motionless on the floor. After a long time, the door finally opened. A cold draft swept in. Julian Hayes’s leather shoes stepped through my blood, approaching step by step. I lay on the floor, uttering low, hoarse whimpers of pain. Julian looked down at me, his voice cold: “This is the first time, consider it punishment for you making Serena lose her position as Lady Hayes. If you dare to bully Serena again, I’ll make your life a living hell!” My body trembled. I looked at him, my face covered in blood. So, I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. I hadn’t even done anything, yet he claimed I had harmed Serena. Julian said coldly: “Anya, you betrayed me first, you’ve already lost the right to stand by my side. Only a kind girl like Serena deserves to be Lady Hayes.” I trembled, blood oozing from my lips every time I spoke. “I didn’t betray you, and I didn’t harm her, nor did I want to disturb you two. I took so many antidotes precisely because I didn’t want you to be drawn to my aura. Why, why are you still doing this to me?” His expression froze for a moment, but the next second, the light in his eyes turned into bone-deep disgust. “Stop acting, Anya.” “If you truly didn’t want to touch me, would you have given yourself and those women ten times the dose of the aphrodisiac? If not to seduce me, then what was it for?” “You just want to climb up, to snatch the Lady Hayes position. I’ve seen this act too many times before!” I grabbed his pant leg, begging for a moment’s reprieve. But he scoffed coldly, pulled his foot away, and kicked me hard, sending me tumbling into the stained medicine and vomit. My head hit the tiled floor with a heavy thud, and a streak of blood flowed from the corner of my eye. “Want to prove you weren’t trying to compete with Serena? Fine, go find my mom right now and tell her you want to break off the engagement.” “Then, be a good Hayes family servant. If you dare to harbor any improper thoughts again, I’ll immediately send you and your entire village to mine in Africa! Do you hear me?”

My vision blurred, whether from sweat or tears, I couldn’t tell. “Julian… your Hayes family’s hereditary fertility disorder… your father came to our village, knelt in the rain for three days and three nights, before my parents finally agreed to let me go. That’s how I came to your family…” My voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, yet I stubbornly uttered the question: “Now, how dare you… threaten my entire village?” Julian scoffed as if he’d heard a joke, looking down at me with cold disdain: “You dare bring that up? That ‘siren bloodline’ of yours, it was all a scam from beginning to end.” “If it weren’t for the stories you spun, do you think an unsophisticated village girl like you, not even fit for inspection, could enter my home? Serena, she made me a normal man, and now she’s pregnant with my child. What are you, anyway?” He finished speaking, then turned, wrapped an arm around Serena’s waist, and left without a backward glance. “Serena is the wife I want, no one can shake her position!” I lay on the floor, covered in blood. The aphrodisiac’s effects still hadn’t worn off, my body felt like it was on fire, convulsing and burning in waves. Mrs. Hayes rushed over. When she saw me in this state, her face turned pale: “Quick! Take her to the hospital, she’s fading fast!” After consulting, the doctors looked grim: “This type of aphrodisiac… can only be detoxified through intimacy. Otherwise, the only option is a complete blood transfusion, but the hospital’s blood supply is currently insufficient. If Miss Anya’s condition isn’t treated immediately, she might literally explode from within.” “What do you mean, ‘explode from within’?!” Mrs. Hayes almost screamed. A bodyguard explained: “This is a new formula brought back from overseas, there’s no antidote. It can only be counteracted by a man… otherwise, the blood throughout her body will burn her internal organs.” “Absurd! This is insane. His father worked so hard to bring this daughter-in-law home, how can he treat her so badly!” Mrs. Hayes panicked and immediately called Julian, but he didn’t answer even after a dozen calls. I lay there on an IV drip, feeling cold all over. Finally, on the third sedative injection, the call connected. Mrs. Hayes roared: “Are you insane?! Anya is the daughter-in-law your father brought home! If you don’t come back and help her, she’ll die!” “I’m warning you, she is the daughter-in-law the Hayes family has acknowledged! Come back immediately!” A soft chuckle came from the other end of the line. Julian’s voice was utterly chilling: “She’s got some nerve, even going to you? Fine, I’ll handle it.” The moment he hung up, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. Mrs. Hayes grasped my hand: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll see justice for you. I’ll make him marry you, and treat you well.” But I gently closed my eyes, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Auntie, when you came to the village, you said that once the Hayes family had a child, you would let me go back.” “Now, Serena is pregnant… I’m no longer useful. Can you… let me go?” Mrs. Hayes froze, then her face darkened. She quietly instructed a bodyguard: “Go investigate.” Then, she gently patted my hand, but her voice was soft and gentle: “The Hayes family’s children have always come from your village for generations. Your family has blessed the Hayes. We brought you into our home, hoping you would live a stable and happy life. Those other women were just extra insurance.” “Julian used to follow you around every day, calling you ‘Sister Anya,’ always thinking of you for anything good. Later, he begged to get engaged to you. He liked you for over ten years, how did he suddenly become like this…?” As I listened, tears finally streamed down my face. When he was twenty, Julian booked out the entire city’s fireworks display to propose to me. The night I said yes, he held me and cried all night. The boy who once swore to cherish me forever, threatening to be torn into a thousand pieces if he ever betrayed me, had now, for another woman, personally pushed me into a living hell. My voice was hoarse, almost inaudible: “Auntie… please, let me go…” Mrs. Hayes looked at me, silent for a long time, then finally sighed and nodded. “My dear child, I know you’ve been wronged. I will send you back safely, exactly as you came. Julian wronged you, I will retrieve his assets for you.” “You are a good child I watched grow up. Even if you’re not my biological daughter, I treat you as my own.” Before leaving, Mrs. Hayes gently stroked my hair: “My dear child, hold on. I’ll find a solution.” After she left, only a young assistant remained with me. I lay on the hospital bed, the drug’s effects still lingering. My body felt scorched, my internal organs twisted and ached, my blood boiling in my veins. I bit down on the blanket to stifle my cries, but a low moan still escaped my throat. My fingertips trembled from the pain. The young assistant paced nervously. Just as my consciousness wavered and I was about to pass out, the door opened. I struggled to lift my eyes. Entering were five bodyguards in black suits. “Miss Anya,” the leader said coldly, “Mr. Hayes said there are two antidotes here.” “One, is us.” My mind exploded with a loud buzz. I instinctively tried to prop myself up, but the moment I moved, agonizing pain surged through me, and I nearly collapsed back onto the bed. “What does Julian Hayes take me for?!” My voice was hoarse beyond recognition, yet every word was clear.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297055”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

On the eve of our wedding, I discovered a message my fiancé had sent to his ex-girlfriend. “Sophie, we missed our chance after all.” I confronted him with his phone, giving him two choices. Either delete it, or cancel the wedding. He ultimately chose the former, but didn’t smile once on our wedding day. Even later during the delivery, there wasn’t a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Until he received a phone call and suddenly stood up. “Ethan, my parents are forcing me to marry a 50-year-old pig. Please help me…” His grip loosened, leaving only his retreating back. My weak voice called out from behind: “Ethan, if you take one step out that door, our child will never call you dad.” He paused, but still left. That day, I had an emotional breakdown. The delivery was difficult and I nearly died. 0 The baby was eventually born. I didn’t die either, but lost several liters of blood. Family members crowded around the newborn, while I stared at the empty doorway. Ethan never came back. At that moment I regretted it, regretted giving him two choices back then. First, because I couldn’t let go of our years together. Second, because I was already pregnant then. So I took a gamble, betting he would forget her and have a change of heart. At first I thought I had won, since he deleted all her contact information in front of me. But with each passing day, I felt my odds of winning slipping away. On our wedding day, he was distracted and even put the ring on backwards. Later, he smiled less and stopped sharing his daily life with me. Waking up at midnight, his side of the bed was always cold. His texts always said he was too busy. He’d rather sleep on the couch in his office two miles away than come home and breathe the same air as me. I should have understood earlier. Once when he finally came home after two weeks, I grabbed his hand and said seriously: “If you don’t want this anymore, we can divorce. I can raise the child on my own.” Even though I was the one suggesting separation, my voice trembled badly. I was afraid, afraid he would easily say okay. But he just fell silent for a while, then patted my head: “Don’t overthink things, I’m just a bit tired.” “You’re also anxious because of the pregnancy. It’ll be better after these few months.” Then he picked up his bag and left again. He stayed home for less than three minutes. Watching his resolute back, my stomach churned violently. I hugged the toilet and vomited for a long time, until tears rolled down my face. Now, looking at the empty doorway. I suddenly felt relieved. I finally saw clearly, it wasn’t too late for everything. Ethan came back the next day. Behind him was a petite girl in a wedding dress. He let go of the girl’s hand, leaving her to the side. Then he went to the incubator, using his finger to tease the little baby inside. When he turned his head, he met my cold face, and the smile froze on his lips. He walked up to me, gripping my hand tightly: “About yesterday, I was too impulsive, but don’t misunderstand my relationship with Sophie.” He beckoned, and the girl obediently came over, reciting to me as if reading from a script: “I only know Ethan in this city, and only he could help me.” “I’m sorry, sister-in-law. I didn’t know you were in labor, otherwise I would have rather married that pig than…” “Don’t talk nonsense.” Ethan instinctively interrupted. “You deserve better.” Watching their back-and-forth, I smiled self-mockingly. Before I could speak, my father rushed in with a thermos and slapped him. “You dare come back? Yesterday you abandoned my daughter, causing her difficult labor and massive blood loss. If anything had happened to her, our family would never forgive you!” Ethan frowned, his gaze towards me turning cold. “But she’s fine now, isn’t she?” “Besides, I’ve already apologized.” The implication was that he had already given me a way out. I and my family shouldn’t embarrass him. Especially in front of his ex-girlfriend. I had imagined Ethan’s reaction when he came back – remorseful confession or material compensation. But I never expected this. He showed not a shred of remorse towards me. Whether I almost died from blood loss didn’t matter at all. After Ethan said this, I asked him to leave. He nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. “I’ll come see the child in a few days. I’m busy these days.” I didn’t say anything, just turned to look at the happy family of three in the next bed. Ethan followed my gaze, panic flashing across his cold face. But I didn’t say anything, just softly hummed and turned away. He breathed a sigh of relief, taking Sophie’s hand as he strode out. The moment they stepped out, the baby burst into loud cries. I cradled him in my arms, gently rocking. “Baby doesn’t like daddy either, right?” “Since we don’t like him, let’s not see him again, okay?”

Ethan never came until the day I was discharged. He only sent his assistant midway to deliver some care products. When he came, he was also carrying a bunch of luxury shopping bags filled with women’s clothes and dresses. “Did you come to deliver these to me on your way?” The assistant hesitated, but still nodded. “Then please continue on your way and throw them in the trash.” He threw away the things, and also relayed my words verbatim. My phone immediately lit up with a bunch of chat records between him and Sophie. The records were all transfer receipts, indicating he was just shopping for her. But he forgot that Sophie was the girl who had stayed with him through his early poverty-stricken entrepreneurial days. He also forgot that the phone number he had deleted in front of me years ago rang promptly on the day I gave birth. How hard they must have worked to put on act after act for me. Carrying bags big and small back home, a woman threw herself into my arms. “Ethan, you’re five minutes late from work today, I missed you so much.” Seeing the girl’s face instantly turn red, her whole body awkward in front of me. I smiled and ignored her, but she didn’t even dare enter the door anymore. The pouring rain outside drenched her, until the returning man hurriedly shielded her in his arms. Those broad shoulders were full of a sense of security. From the upstairs window, I traced the man’s silhouette, once having been moved by it too. Soon after, the door was flung open violently. I lowered my head to fiddle with the baby’s fingers, not even raising my head: “Are you here to question me? There are cameras in the house, I don’t want to waste energy explaining.” A light chuckle came from above, as Ethan produced a cake from behind his back. “I know you’re not that heartless.” “Honey, did you forget today is your birthday?” I finally looked up, surprised at the cake in front of me. Complicated emotions welled up inside. Until at the dining table, he suddenly spoke: “Sophie has nowhere to go recently, she’s staying at our house for a while.” I finally understood what drug was in the cake. Seeing I didn’t speak, he added: “She’s very attentive, she can also help you take care of the child, share some of the burden.” At that moment, I suddenly didn’t want to ask anymore. Didn’t want to ask why he, worth millions, wouldn’t buy her a new house. Didn’t want to ask why she needed to help when we already had three nannies. “I see.” I put down my chopsticks and turned to go upstairs. As he said, Sophie tried very hard to help me. Every morning she would bring me a warm glass of milk. But I didn’t drink a single sip, and though Ethan said nothing on the surface, I could see the disappointment in his eyes. This disappointed gaze filled every moment of life, after all, since Sophie moved in, he came home every day. Sophie taught him how to mix formula and control water temperature. He learned very seriously, his eyes full of joy when she approved. I stepped forward to take it, but Ethan immediately snatched it back. “Olivia, go rest. We’ve got this.” “You’re a pampered lady, how would you know how to do these things? Sophie is different from you, she’s helped her mom with chores since childhood, she’s more efficient than you.” The servants all stared at me pointedly, seeming to worry I would get angry. I forcefully suppressed the violent heaving in my chest, trying to keep my tone calm: “Ethan, I am his mother.” He froze, then handed the bottle back to me. I took it, but Sophie bumped into me, spilling the scalding milk onto the child. The tiny arm instantly turned red, erupting in earth-shattering cries. I hurriedly stepped forward with a cloth to wipe it, but was directly pushed away by him. His voice filled with warning: “Get out.” He carefully picked up the child, while Sophie took ointment to apply on the baby. The happy family of three, while I was like a nanny who had made a mistake. I ran out crying with red eyes, Ethan only glanced before lowering his head. Afterwards, the nursery was either occupied by the two of them, or guarded by the nanny. “Mr. Gu instructed to let Madam stay away.” I stepped back a few paces, smiling as I returned to my room. Then smashed everything I could smash.

Ethan rushed home upon hearing the news, staring blankly at the mess on the floor. “Olivia, what are you throwing a tantrum about again? The baby is still sleeping, don’t scare him.” At that moment, the long-suppressed emotions finally erupted. I suddenly rushed over, grabbing Ethan’s collar. “Throwing a tantrum? Bringing another woman home and flirting with her right under my nose, who’s really gone crazy!” “Ethan, that’s the child I painstakingly gave birth to, who could care for him more than me!” Surprise flashed in Ethan’s eyes, he had never seen me like this before. Never seen me angry, much less cry. Even on the eve of our wedding when I saw that message, I had only reddened eyes. The air fell silent, until a cry came from the child. I let go of his collar, messily wiping the tears from the corners of my eyes. He sighed, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe away my tears. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have treated you like this.” I yanked away the handkerchief, unceremoniously throwing it to the ground. Then I shoved him away, diving straight into bed, covering my face as I cried until I couldn’t breathe. He sighed, gently patting my back through the blanket. “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I was wrong.” “I was just worried about the child, I didn’t mean anything else.” After a long while, I lifted the covers, the light in my eyes mostly scattered. I looked at my now-flat belly and asked him: “Ethan, if I hadn’t been pregnant back then, would you still have chosen me?” He froze, then sighed again, somewhat helplessly: “Olivia, stop clinging to things from the past.” No answer was the best answer. His answer was that without the child, he would never have chosen me. Olivia, why bother humiliating yourself further at this point. I pushed away his hand at my waist, telling him to get out. He froze, then smiled, not coming home that night. Early the next morning, he and Sophie entered the house one after another. I sat at the dining table, pushing a divorce agreement in front of him. The man and woman opposite both froze. “Sophie, go upstairs first, I need to speak to my wife alone.” After she obediently went upstairs, Ethan looked at me, his gaze complex. “Olivia, I’ve already coaxed you, you’ve vented your anger, why are you still throwing a tantrum?” I sneered, just as he had laughed at me yesterday. Ethan frowned. Then he sighed helplessly. “It’s because of Sophie, right? I understand.” “Since you can’t accept her, I’ll send her away.” He compromised, but I didn’t miss the unwillingness in his eyes. I understood his reason for resisting divorce – not because he loved me, but because of that prenuptial agreement. When I married him, I was a famous socialite in high society, while he was just a small business owner whose company had recently gone public. To prevent him from coveting assets, my father had specially drawn up a prenuptial agreement biased in my favor. According to the agreement, if I unilaterally filed for divorce, all property would belong to me. Faced with such an unequal treaty, Ethan had signed without hesitation. At the time I thought it was because he loved me deeply. Now I realize it was just because he was certain I would never leave him. Thinking of this, I picked up the pen and unhesitatingly signed my name. Ethan’s pupils flashed violently. “Sign it, be quick about it.” In the end he still picked up the pen, signing his own name. The once flowing signature was now crooked from hesitation. With the documents signed, he grabbed my hand. “There’s still a three-month waiting period, do I still have a chance?” I pulled my hand away, not answering. That night I drank bottle after bottle with a friend. “If you want to cry, just cry.” She gently patted my head, but I immediately shook my head. “Can’t cry.” “Finally ending a terrible relationship, I should be happy.” “Cheers.” Maybe I was too drunk, I didn’t notice a tear had already slid down the corner of my eye. That night I sat on the doorstep for a long time, only going in after the alcohol had worn off. I didn’t want him to see me so heartbroken, still for his sake. A man walked out from behind, draping his jacket over my shoulders. “I’ve already sent her away.” The wind blew past us, but still couldn’t stir up a single word.

Waking up in the morning, he was tightly hugging my waist, his long-absent breath tickling my neck. I shifted an inch towards the edge of the bed, and he followed an inch. Ethan really wanted to win me back, he was proving it with actions. He turned down a lot of work, making time to accompany me and the child. In the nursery, he shook a little bell to soothe the crying baby. “Baby, say dad, come on.” Mentioning the word dad, he deliberately turned his head to look at me leaning against the doorway. But the moment our eyes met, I coldly turned away without a glance. The bell sound behind me stopped. Ethan thought I was angry, but I was just afraid. Afraid of indulging in this sweetness again, afraid of falling back into this terrible marriage. Until late at night I heard him on the phone with his secretary by the window. “How’s the project going? It needs to be fast.” That moment I finally woke up, Ethan was proud. His concessions were rarely for love, mostly for profit. So all his kindness now was just because he couldn’t bear to part with these hard-earned achievements. From that day on, all his gentleness seemed laughable to me. I was determined not to give him another chance, but he still refused to give up. Until one day, Sophie burst in again. She had only a few scraps of cloth left on her body, her neck covered in red marks, her skin full of bruises. Ethan immediately dropped the milk bottle and rushed out, taking her into his arms. The usually gentle girl now seemed to have gone mad, pounding his chest. “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t dumped me for your career back then, how could I have ended up like this!” “They… they were angry I ran away from the marriage, they found a group of people to humiliate me… I, I don’t want to live anymore!” Saying this, she shoved him away, crashing into the doorpost, blood flowing freely. Ethan frantically picked her up and rushed towards the door. As he stepped over the threshold, I reminded him: “Do you know what you’ll lose if you leave?” Wife, child, and years of hard work. But Ethan didn’t pause for even a step this time, going straight to the car. I stood in the wind and rain, feeling like the biggest joke in the world. From that day on, Ethan stayed by her side day and night. Three months flew by, and I sent him a time, reminding him to go get the divorce certificate. The message quickly showed as read, but there was no reply. Later, he only hurried over when the civil affairs bureau was about to close. After not seeing him for days, he looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. I looked at the two divorce certificates in my hand, finally feeling relieved. When I looked up at Ethan, he was lowering his eyes, clearly depressed. The sky suddenly began pouring rain, I turned back to look at him: “Did you bring an umbrella? I’ll walk you out?” We were husband and wife after all, might as well part on good terms. But Ethan shook his head, his gaze fixed on a woman running towards him in the distance. Sophie held her slightly swollen belly, her eyes full of smugness. They walked arm in arm back into the civil affairs bureau. Only after their silhouettes had completely disappeared did I turn back to find the umbrella above my head had somehow tilted off course. I took off my soaked outer coat and called my father, asking him to arrange for me to go abroad to clear my head. Soon WeChat pushed a contact who said he would take me traveling the world. Before boarding the plane, a message from Ethan popped up on my phone. [I’m sorry, but I owe her too much.] After reading this, I blocked him. Hugging the child tightly in my arms, I looked out the window at my freedom.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297071”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

After finally getting the ice-cold heartthrob I’d chased for ages to say yes, I discovered he had a major problem. I thought he was just too tired from work, so I gently reassured him it was fine. That was until I saw the floating comments: [He just doesn’t feel anything for the side character! With the heroine, he can go seven rounds a night!] Looking at Asher, who was feigning remorse, I quietly pulled the blanket over myself. The very next day, I broke up with him. He clung to me, losing control, when he saw another guy with his arm around me. “Just give me another chance, please…” he choked, begging. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. I’m a fast learner, you know.” I lay in bed, staring blankly at the messages from Asher. [Quinn, can we meet?] [We need to sort out any issues right away.] [I want to explain everything in person.] Seeing I didn’t reply, he added another line. [Baby, I don’t want to break up.] Honestly, after reading his words, I wavered a little. But the moment I thought about what happened yesterday, I decisively blocked and deleted him everywhere. Asher, my ex-boyfriend. Rich, handsome, and usually treated me so well. There was just one thing that bothered me. He couldn’t perform. Yesterday was our one-year anniversary. We had a few drinks, sparks were flying, and we checked into a hotel. The instant the hotel room door clicked shut, my back hit the cold mirror. Asher’s hot breath, mixed with the smell of alcohol, caressed my neck: “Ready to try this?” “Asher…” I reached out to push him away, but my fingertips barely grazed his rapidly rising and falling chest before my hands were caught and pinned above my head. His eyelashes trembled as he kissed me, but his lips were cold. He kissed me fiercely and haphazardly, as if trying to prove something, pulling me toward the bed. The dull thud of his belt buckle hitting the carpet made me shiver. He buried his face in my shoulder, breathing heavily, his fingers freezing the moment they touched the edge of my lace. In the darkness, I distinctly heard his Adam’s apple bob. Cold sweat dripped from his tense jawline into the small hollow of my collarbone. I chuckled, thinking he was nervous. “Don’t move.” His voice was hoarse as he pressed down on my hand trying to reach for the light, his fingertips trembling. I reached out to touch his abs. His breathing hitched, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he turned his head: “Quinn, stop messing around.” I playfully bit his earlobe, chuckling, “What’s with the act? Your heart’s about to explode.” The next second, he flipped me over, pinning me against the headboard, and yanked his tie to bind my hands: “You asked for it.” But his kisses stopped abruptly at my collarbone. His body was taut like a drawn bow, yet he made no further move. Suddenly, lines of comments floated before my eyes. [Side character, run! The male lead is a jerk, his body can only be loyal to the heroine!] [Don’t be soft, girl, he’ll only drain your life force to empower the heroine!] [You’re just a catalyst! All your current sweetness is just to boost the male and female leads’ relationship!] I blinked in disbelief, my blood instantly freezing. Before, I never understood why I, Quinn Miller, a girl from a well-off family, cherished by my whole family, had to chase Asher for so long before he finally agreed to be with me. Now I understood. I was just the side character in a novel, and Asher was the male lead. He could only belong to the heroine. Asher was still stubbornly nibbling my earlobe. But his body, which should have been burning, grew colder and colder, and even his kisses became mechanical touches. I watched his feigned remorse and suddenly pushed him away, grabbing the bedsheet to wrap myself. Asher knelt by the bed, his tie askew around his neck. He looked down at his limp hands: “How could this happen?” “You should go.” I heard my own hollow voice. I snatched my jacket and rushed for the door, but he hugged me tightly from behind. Warm liquid dripped onto my neck, indistinguishable whether it was sweat or tears: “Just ten more minutes… just ten minutes…” He buried his face in my hair, sobbing. I quietly pushed him away: “Asher, let’s break up.” 3 I curled up in the bathtub, hot water lapping at my chin. Honestly, after breaking up with Asher, I was still a little sad. After all, he was the guy I’d chased for so long. I couldn’t help but feel a little regret. The comments floated in the mist above the water, like a bucket of ice water extinguishing my last bit of hesitation. [Side character, run! The male lead is waiting for you downstairs!] [Don’t waver, stay as far away from that jerk as possible!] [I’m so worried, I’m terrified she’ll get back together with the male lead!] It had been three days. Ever since I pushed Asher away in that hotel room, these bizarre words had haunted me. At first, I thought I was going crazy, until the comments mentioned Willow’s name. My phone vibrated wildly against the tiles. “Quinn, I’m downstairs.” Asher’s voice, raspy from the night wind, was barely recognizable, “Let me see you, just for a second.” I gripped the edge of the tub, hesitating whether to go downstairs. The comments suddenly erupted: [He’s in the rain! He’s in the rain!] [Side character, hurry and take him an umbrella! It’s what the plot demands!] [The one above is crazy? The heroine is having a fever at the art studio right now, the male lead should be going to give her medicine!] How laughable. My life, which had been smooth sailing for twenty-four years, was just a mere stepping stone in someone else’s story. [Side character, don’t go down. You can’t force true love.] Yes, you can’t force true love… I chased Asher for so long, thinking that after all the hardship, happiness would follow once we were together. But his heart was with Willow. I spoke: “Asher, we’re already broken up.” A wave of cheers from the comments. [Side character has awoken!] [That’s great, I was so worried!] [It’s okay, side character. Bye bye, boy. The next one’s gonna be a keeper!] The sound of fabric rubbing together came from the other end of the line. Asher roared: “Quinn, come out! Let’s talk this through face to face!” I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and walked to the balcony. Through the curtain of rain, I saw him slumped on the ground, his captivating eyes, which once mesmerized me, now bloodshot. I leaned on the railing and chuckled softly, “Asher, don’t make me look down on you.” 4 After that, I never saw Asher again. Today, I was having dinner at a restaurant. The couple at the next table had already finished their cream of mushroom soup, but my table still only had a glass of lemon water. I firmly turned off my phone screen, my fingertips tapping restlessly on the tablecloth. “Is table 23’s steak not ready yet?” A figure in a black and white uniform scurried out from the kitchen, her ponytail swaying gently as she jogged. Willow’s hands trembled as she held the tray, sauce drizzling onto the carpet along the edge of the plate. I frowned, about to speak, when the porcelain plate suddenly slipped, scraping against the table corner, and all the dark red sauce spilled onto my cream-colored skirt. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!” She dropped to her knees, vigorously wiping my dress with a wet napkin, “I didn’t mean it, please don’t report me…” I recoiled my leg as if shocked by electricity, her knuckles white as she clutched the napkin. “Get up first.” I reached out to help her, not understanding why she reacted so strongly when I hadn’t even said anything. Willow suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Ms. Miller, why do you have to make things so hard for me?” she looked up, her face swollen from crying, “I really didn’t mean it.” Blood rushed to my temples. “CCTV.” I spoke as calmly as possible, “Check the footage.” “Ms. Miller, please, I don’t want to lose my job.” Willow covered her mouth and began to sob. People around us started to whisper. Someone raised their phone to record. The back of my neck tingled. I could feel countless eyes glued to my spine. “These young girls nowadays are something else,” a middle-aged woman’s voice, lowered, came from behind me, “Dressed so nicely, what’s the big deal about bullying a server?” “Mom, keep your voice down,” a young girl quickly interrupted, “What if the server is the one with the problem…?” “What problem could she have? Didn’t you see her kneeling?” a man in a floral shirt across the diagonal deliberately raised his voice, “Rich people love to put on airs. A little sauce and they want to check CCTV, think this is a TV show?” I clutched my soaked skirt, my nails almost digging into my palms. The heroine’s aura was truly a terrifying thing. Willow’s crying intensified, and she shuffled forward on her knees, trying to grab my hand: “Ms. Miller, I’ll pay for your dry cleaning, I’ll give you this month’s salary…” [Original plot alert! The male lead should rush in to protect his white lotus heroine!] [Classic scene: Dominant CEO scolds the villainous side character!] [Warning! High-stakes scene ahead! Asher is about to scold Quinn!] “Quinn would never make things difficult for anyone.” A familiar cedarwood scent wafted from behind me. Asher pulled me into his embrace. His sharp suit looked out of place amid the mess on the floor. I thought Asher and I would never see each other again. I never imagined that at such a vulnerable moment, he would be the one to speak up for me. Willow’s sobs caught in her throat, and her entire body suddenly began to tremble. “Mr. Thompson, I…” Asher’s gaze fell on the stain on my skirt. He took off his suit jacket and tied it around my waist: “Good girl, go change in my car.” His movements as he shook out the suit were anxious; I’d never seen him like this. [OMG, the plot’s broken! Why is the male lead with the side character?!] [The heroine is crying so miserably, and the male lead is ignoring her??] [Ahhhh, he put his jacket on the side character! In the original, he clearly put it on the heroine!] “No need,” I brushed away his outstretched hand, ready to leave quickly, “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Thompson.” The male lead and the heroine had met; as the side character, I should gracefully disappear. Just as I was about to slip away, Asher grabbed my hand, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Quinn, don’t be like this.” Willow suddenly lunged forward and hugged his leg, her tears soaking his expensive suit pants: “Ms. Miller, it was my clumsiness, please don’t take it out on Mr. Thompson!” Amidst the commotion of the crowd, Asher froze like an ice sculpture. I looked at his hand hanging by his side, clenched tightly into a fist. Willow was still whimpering something, but her voice sounded as if it were behind a curtain of water. [Heroine, don’t kneel! Your main love interest is OOC!] [Help, the male lead’s fists are so tight, is he fighting against the original plot’s will?] [Side character, run! This love triangle showdown is going to break the timeline!] Asher suddenly grabbed my wrist, his body temperature alarmingly hot. “Come with me.” Seeing my reluctance, he added: “Just ten minutes.” 5 Asher’s fingers felt like they were digging into my wrist bone. He pulled me through the restaurant’s back door, and the damp, rainy air hit my face. “Ten minutes,” he repeated the number as he pushed me into the passenger seat, “You’ll at least listen for these ten minutes.” [OMG, is the male lead crazy?! This is kidnapping!] [Help, his grip is so strong, the side character’s wrist is already bruised!] [In the original, the male lead saved the heroine here. The plot’s so off, it’s unrecognizable!] The car air freshener was the citrus scent we’d picked out together, but now it stung my eyes. He held the steering wheel with one hand, his other hand gripping the gear stick tightly, knuckles white: “That night… I checked, it’s PTSD. I’m already in therapy…” “It has nothing to do with that.” I cut him off, my nails digging into my palms. In the rearview mirror, Willow was chasing after us, her slender figure swaying in the rain. He suddenly leaned over, grabbed my shoulders, and his cedarwood scent mixed with his trembling breath pressed down: “Then why break up? Last week you still said you wanted to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights with me…” “Asher!” I violently pushed him away, the seat leather making a shrill scraping sound, “Do I have to spell it out? I don’t love you anymore, I don’t love you. Don’t you get it?” [Awakening value MAX! Queen behavior, sis!] [The male lead’s shocked expression is so satisfying!] [Let him taste what it’s like to be dumped too!] Asher’s pupils constricted abruptly, as if seared by my words. The dome light cast fragmented shadows beneath his eyelashes, and I saw his Adam’s apple bob painfully: “You’re lying.” “Quinn, you’re playing me, aren’t you?” I fumbled for the car door handle, the coolness of the metal creeping up my fingertips: “Just say I found you… lacking.” “Don’t say that word!” He suddenly slammed his fist on the steering wheel in a fit of rage, the horn blaring, “You know I’m trying! I have my third desensitization therapy next week, the doctor said…” “But I don’t want to wait anymore. Asher, I’m a normal person, I have needs. You trembled like I was poison every time you touched me…” “It just disgusts me.” He froze completely, his pale face slowly turning to me: “So that’s what you think.” In the blue light of the dashboard, he unbuttoned two shirt buttons, revealing the faint red scratch marks I’d just left below his collarbone. Intimate, yet heartbreaking. “Want to try now?” He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest, his heartbeat like a trapped beast pounding against my palm, “Right here, I’ll show you I’m not some useless piece of trash…” “You’re insane!” I yanked my hand back as if shocked, my back hitting the car door. A mechanical alarm suddenly blared, sharp enough to pierce my eardrums. [Warning! Timeline Correction Protocol Initiated!] I curled up in pain, my vision blurring. Asher’s alarmed face swayed in the distorted light: “Quinn? What’s wrong? I’ll take you to the hospital…” “Don’t touch me!” I slapped away his outstretched hand, my nails drawing blood on his knuckles, “Asher, we’re over. From now on, you go your way, I’ll go mine.” His hand, frozen mid-air, slowly clenched into a fist: “What if I refuse to let you go?” The sound of rain suddenly grew heavier. My head throbbed. I knew the will of this world was closing its net. “Asher, we ended a long time ago.” 6 I moved, and my best friend, Chloe, invited me for coffee that weekend. She pushed the coffee cup toward me, the bottom clinking against the glass table: “That godforsaken part of town north of here doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop. You might as well become a nun!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297087”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

My best friend and I were transported to a tribe of shapeshifters. She became the substitute for the aloof Raptor Priest’s idealized love, While I ended up as the devoted pet of a possessive Snake King with two formidable appendages. We used our modern knowledge to greatly improve the tribe’s infrastructure. But the tribe’s holy woman branded us as heretics and brutally murdered us. Beheaded and torn apart, our bodies were left in pieces. When I opened my eyes again, I immediately grabbed my backpack and knocked on my friend’s door, “Ready to die?” “Let’s die together.” After our demise, both our husbands went mad. 0 When the Raptor Priest returned, Lily and I were figuring out what to do with our last box of supplies. She carefully sorted through the items at the bottom of the box. From small bottles of hot sauce to folding tents, everything was precious. Over the years, we had unknowingly accumulated a small warehouse through our efforts to modernize the tribe. She crouched on the ground, examining each item with interest. As I stood beside her, I felt both envious and proud. Suddenly, an urgent announcement came from outside: “The High Priest has returned to the tribe!” Lily jumped up in an instant. Without hesitation, she shoved me along with the packages under the bed: “Hide well and don’t make a sound!” Her strength was frightening. She handed me a three-kilogram pot as if it weighed nothing more than a feather. “If that priestess makes a move first, use this to bash her!” Just as she finished speaking, the door was kicked open with a loud bang by the Raptor Priest. Although “priest” was a civilized title, the man before us was still very much a predator. His height nearly blocked out the light from outside, his body covered in sleek muscles. One look down from him was enough to make one’s heart tremble. Lily, who had just been engrossed in sorting supplies, now raised her head with tears in her eyes, looking so helpless she seemed about to shatter: “Why didn’t you send word of your return so I could welcome you properly?…” She choked back a sob, her voice filled with resentment. The Raptor Priest’s gaze shifted, his voice like a crack in a glacier: “Where have you hidden Sophia?” “Sophia is missing?!” Lily’s face was full of shock, not looking like an act at all. “How many times have I told you, she is the holy woman guided by the gods. My intimate rituals with her are destined by fate.” His patience was like thin ice. Before he finished speaking, his eyes had already turned gloomy, making one’s scalp tingle: “You meet her in private once, and she vanishes without a trace. Now you’re still trying to put on an act for me?” “I really don’t know. She called me over, saying she wanted to talk…” Lily’s voice trembled softly as she reached out to grasp the hem of the Raptor Priest’s robe, only to be coldly shaken off. The force was too strong, instantly leaving a red mark on Lily’s wrist. She shivered, tears streaming down her face. Seeing the mark, the priest paused for a moment before turning to leave: “Without my orders, don’t take half a step out of this room!” After he spoke, the hem of his robe disappeared through the doorway. Lily was left wailing and pleading: “My lord, please stay… don’t go…” Her sorrowful voice lingered in the air as I stared wide-eyed from under the bed. Lily’s acting skills had improved. As soon as the man’s figure turned out of sight, Lily immediately locked the door, wiped her face, and said: “You can come out now. The show has begun.” “Sophia’s started making trouble. After messing with the priest, it’ll be your snake’s turn.” “I think so too.” I crawled out and looked back at the spoils of war scattered on the floor. Lily and I exchanged glances, and I cleared my throat: “Ready to die?” Lily nodded without hesitation: “We must die to teach those men a lesson.” 0

Lily and I were both transported to this world. Her identity here was the substitute for Callum’s idealized love – the holy priestess Sophia. In this savage tribe of shapeshifters, the priest held an exalted position blessed with divine power. Callum was handsome and revered by everyone in the tribe. Unfortunately, his heart was always fixated on the priestess Sophia. No matter how beautiful, a cold butt that can’t be warmed is useless. As expected of best friends, my situation was even worse than hers. When we first arrived, not understanding the situation, a row of naked men knelt before us begging to be chosen. I just had to pick the most dangerous-looking one. With a low, icy voice and a dangerous aura. Everyone in the tribe feared the Snake King’s venom, and even more so his ruthless cruelty. It wasn’t until the man was in bed that I realized how powerful those two appendages of his were. To protect myself, I became the Snake King Liam’s devoted pet. As long as he was happy, I suffered a little less. In our previous life, Lily and I relied on our modern knowledge to greatly improve the tribe. We built bridges and roads, constructed houses and wove cloth, and even dug a simple well. But while our men were away, Sophia needed only one word to turn us into sacrificial offerings on the altar. The two of us were tied to pillars, watching helplessly as Sophia, wearing a pristine white robe and an angelic smile, raised a dagger to my face. Slice by slice, slice by slice. My blood stained the altar red. I was beheaded, my body torn to pieces. With a final burst of flame, Sophia burned our very souls. “What did she actually talk to you about?” “How would I know? I never went to meet her.” Lily gritted her teeth. “Living a second time, I’m not that stupid.” I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “Callum may be cold, but even if Sophia causes trouble, he’ll just be distant for a few days. At worst, he might send you away.” I laughed coldly, though my heart was pounding: “But that snake of mine…” Lily shuddered along with me: “Your psycho snake is truly terrifying. He might really flay you alive.” “It’s not just ‘might’.” I trembled, recalling the rumors about the Snake King: Apparently, to extract information, Liam once cut off a prisoner’s ears and then skinned the shapeshifter alive. The screams echoed endlessly, scaring the enemy into fleeing in all directions. It became a legend that established his reputation. Unfortunately, such a “god of death” had never stayed for me. His heart and eyes were also fixed on the woman who had doomed Lily and me — Sophia. Thinking about having to die, I also needed to plan my escape luggage. As soon as I entered the door, I was grabbed by the waist and pinned against the wall in a dizzying motion. A voice that made my heart race sounded: “Where have you been?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297103”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance