Category: English

After my brother passed away, My pregnant sister-in-law developed an unsettling obsession: secretly filming couples on dates. She didn’t stop there—she blackmailed them for money and even spread the videos online. When one furious victim showed up at our house with a knife, demanding answers, She pointed to her pregnant belly and forced my mom to choose. And my mom? She decided that “two lives were more valuable than one.” “Your sister-in-law is carrying my grandchild. Be understanding, okay?” Then she shoved me out the door to face the knife-wielding man. I was stabbed to death. But when I opened my eyes again, I was back in the past. This time, I stole my mom’s line And shoved her out the door instead. Bang. Bang. The violent pounding on the door jolted me awake. I sat up in bed, wide-eyed, frantically feeling my stomach. No wounds. No blood. No pain. I was alive. I had been reborn! In my last life, after my brother passed away from an illness, my sister-in-law, Caroline, completely lost it. Pregnant and unbalanced, she developed a strange hobby. She loved spying on couples, secretly recording their intimate moments, and saving the videos to watch later. I was disgusted by her behavior, but I never imagined she’d take it further. She started blackmailing the people in the videos, demanding money. And when one couple refused to pay, she retaliated by sharing the footage online. Furious, the man in the video showed up at our house with a knife, demanding justice. My mom, ever the “family protector,” said something I’d never forget: “Your sister-in-law is carrying my grandson. Two lives are at stake. You’ll understand, won’t you?” Then she shoved me out the door. I was stabbed to death. Now, as the man outside screamed and pounded on the door, memories of my last life flooded back. “Get out here, you filthy woman! Come out NOW!” Caroline, just like before, clutched her belly and leaned against the wall, tears brimming in her eyes. She stared at my mom, shaking her head in silent fear. My mom immediately turned to look at me. I felt a chill run down my spine. Here we go again. But this time, I wasn’t going to wait for her to make the first move. As soon as she turned back toward Caroline, I stood up and cut her off, stealing the words she was about to say. “Caroline is carrying your precious grandson. Two lives are more important than one.” “Mom, I understand.” Ignoring her stunned expression, I walked to the storage room and grabbed a shovel. This time, she didn’t push me toward the door. She grabbed my arm instead. For a brief moment, hope flickered in my chest. Had my rebirth changed her heart? But then she turned to Caroline, her voice full of urgency. “Caroline, go hide in the bedroom! Hurry before you get scared.” And then, without missing a beat, she shoved me lightly toward the door. “Go on, sweetheart. Mom will never forget your sacrifice.” The pain I felt in that moment was worse than death. I turned back around, grabbed her wrist, and shoved the shovel into her hands. Then I threw the door open and pushed her out with all my strength. “You want the shovel? Here—it’s all yours. Let’s see how you handle this.” This time, we’re switching roles. Let’s make the game a little more interesting.

I slammed the door shut and locked it, pressing my ear against it to catch every sound from the other side. First, I heard my mom cursing. Then, the screams started. After a while, the man’s screams joined hers. My mom was fighting back. That’s when Caroline burst out of the bedroom, her face pale with fear. She pointed at me and shrieked, “Why are you still here? Why didn’t you go out there?” I smirked. “Why wouldn’t it be me?” I crossed my arms and sneered. “After all, my mom isn’t pregnant. Just one life. Seems like a fair trade, don’t you think?” Caroline’s eyes widened, and she shot back in a shrill voice, “You heartless monster! What if your mom dies out there? Go save her! Go now!” Oh, right. My mom owns three very expensive houses. If she dies, how would Caroline ever get her hands on them? I smiled coldly. “You’re right. You should have a chance to prove yourself.” Before she could react, I shoved her toward the door. But instead of going out to help, she spun on her heel and bolted back into the bedroom. “I’m pregnant with your mom’s grandson, and you expect me to go out there?” she screeched. See? The whip only stings when it cracks on your own back. Outside, the noise died down. All I could hear now was my mom’s faint cries for help. Peeking through the peephole, I saw her lying on the ground, covered in blood. But the man was gone. I sighed, taking a moment to compose myself before slowly opening the door. “Mom? Oh no, Mom! What happened to you?” I walked over, feigning panic. “Are you… are you dying?” She only had two or three shallow cuts, none of them life-threatening. Honestly, she got off easy. But as I stood over her, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. Why had I given her the shovel to defend herself? Wouldn’t it have been better if the curtain had closed on this little drama for good? Caroline suddenly charged out of the bedroom, her inner drama queen fully activated. She wailed hysterically, throwing herself to the ground next to my mom as though she might faint from grief. “Call 911!” my mom groaned, her face twisted in pain. I pulled out my phone—not to call for help, but to snap photos. “Hold on,” I said, snapping a few shots. “Gotta document this for evidence.” “You little brat!” my mom hissed through gritted teeth. “You ungrateful, heartless—” I stopped what I was doing and gave her a sidelong glance. “Really? You’re still complaining? It’s just a couple of scratches. Don’t be so dramatic.” “You…” Her face turned red, and she gasped for air before her eyes rolled back, and she passed out. In my last life, I was shoved out that door without warning. I was stabbed dozens of times and left to die, bleeding out as I clawed at the door for help. And what was my mom doing then? She was inside the house, making soup for Caroline. So forgive me if I wasn’t exactly moved by her fainting spell now.

I called the police first. Then, I called for an ambulance. The apartment complex was clogged with traffic, so the ambulance took its sweet time getting there. That suited me just fine. Let her suffer a little longer. Caroline, meanwhile, panicked completely. She hovered over my mom, pressing on her bleeding wounds, muttering, “It’s fine, it’s fine. You’ll be okay.” “Relax,” I said with an eye roll. “She’s not gonna die.” Caroline shot me a look of disbelief. “She’s your mother! How can you be so cruel?” I laughed. “You want her so bad? She’s all yours. Congratulations.” Then, I grabbed a bag of sunflower seeds, plopped down on the couch, and waited for the police and paramedics to arrive. My mom eventually made it to the hospital. She had lost a lot of blood but didn’t have any serious injuries. When the doctor asked about her medical history, I quickly spoke up. “She’s allergic to anesthesia,” I said with a straight face. “You’ll need to stitch her up without it.” Caroline glared at me, suspicious. I turned to her and smirked. “You should start thinking about what you’re going to tell the police.” Caroline puffed out her chest, smug as ever. “Why should I care? I’m pregnant. What can they possibly do to me?” I gave her a long, unimpressed look. “Sure, keep hiding behind that belly. We’ll see how long that lasts.” Moments later, the sound of my mom’s screams echoed through the hospital as they stitched her wounds. Pressed down onto the hospital bed, her face contorted in agony, her mouth wide open as she howled. I watched through the window, feeling nothing but satisfaction. The man who attacked her was quickly caught, and the police came to the hospital to take Caroline in for questioning. As soon as my mom was wheeled out of the emergency room, I delivered the news with a big smile. “They’re taking Caroline in to make a statement,” I said cheerfully. My mom’s face drained of color. “She… she can’t get a record! What about my grandson? What if he wants to work for the government someday?” I shrugged, my voice ice-cold. “Guess that’s not an option anymore.” Her panic was instant. She tried to jump out of bed, but her freshly stitched wounds tore open, sending blood gushing everywhere. “Ahhh!” she screamed, writhing in pain. She reached out to me, desperation etched on her face. “Help me! Emily, help me up!” I turned away. “I’ll go get the doctor.” I left the room, taking my time as I strolled down the hall. When I returned with the doctor, we found her collapsed by the door, her bloodied hands leaving streaks on the floor as she tried to crawl out. I couldn’t help but smirk and give her a thumbs-up. “Wow, Mom,” I said. “You really are something else.”

Because Caroline violated people’s privacy by secretly filming and distributing obscene videos, she was sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention and fined $5,00. When my mom heard about it, she threw a fit, insisting on leaving the hospital to check on Caroline. “It’s raining out there! What if she gets cold?” “The food in jail is awful and has no nutrition! How is she supposed to survive?” “This is all your fault, you ungrateful brat! Why did you push me out the door?” “My poor, sweet Caroline. She’s suffering because of you!” I turned around and tossed the takeout box I had been holding straight into the trash. She didn’t deserve it. My mom was bedridden, powerless to do anything herself, but Caroline’s “hobby” had become the talk of the town. In her twisted logic, she blamed me for everything—claiming that I had ruined her precious unborn grandson’s reputation before he even had a chance to be born. And to “restore” that reputation? She did something unthinkable. She used my name to write a fake confession and posted it all over social media. “Dear friends and family, I’m Emily Watts, and I’m here to confess my sins. It was me who secretly filmed those videos, not my sister-in-law. She only took the blame to protect me. I’ve let my mom down. I’ve let my family down. Most of all, I’ve let my unborn nephew down. Please don’t blame Caroline. Blame me.” She followed it up with ten similar posts, tagging every family member and friend she could think of. Then she forwarded it to group chats, ensuring maximum exposure. My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Call after call came in, all asking the same thing: “Is it true?” Furious, I stormed into her hospital room, fists clenched, demanding an explanation. Her response? Calm. Matter-of-fact. “Our family’s future depends on my grandson. As his aunt, this is the least you can do.” When Caroline was released from detention, my mom insisted on checking herself out of the hospital to take care of her. Honestly, Caroline should count herself lucky. Having a mother-in-law like mine is like winning the lottery—if the lottery rewarded you with blind devotion and endless enabling. The moment Caroline stepped through the door, she burst into tears, sobbing about the “horrors” of jail. My mom, of course, was right there with her, dabbing at her own tears like they were the stars of a tragic soap opera. “Don’t cry, sweetheart,” my mom cooed. “Your suffering is over now.” The sight of the two of them together made me want to throw up. Caroline, through her crocodile tears, began spinning a new story. “Mom, I don’t need the houses anymore. Just give them to Emily. If I keep them, she’ll keep causing trouble for me and the baby. Who knows what she’ll do next?” She sniffled dramatically. “I’m scared, Mom. What if she hurts us? What if she hurts the baby?” Her little act worked. My mom’s face twisted with rage. “She dares to touch my grandson? I’ll kill her first!” Hearing this, I decided to play along. I walked out of the kitchen, head lowered, pretending to be remorseful. “Mom, Caroline, I’m so sorry. I was wrong. I’ll never do anything to upset you again.” Caroline shot me a triumphant, venomous glare. But I wasn’t done yet. The drama died down for a while, but it didn’t take long for Caroline to go back to her old habits. This time, she secretly filmed someone having an affair and used the footage to blackmail them. The woman in the video paid her off to keep things quiet, but the man wasn’t as forgiving. One evening, on my way back from the store, someone grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth and nose. I was dragged into a dark alley. “Not bad,” the man sneered. “Didn’t realize you’d be this hot.” I struggled with all my strength, but he slapped me hard across the face. My head buzzed, my cheek stinging from the impact. “Stop fighting, you little bitch,” he growled. “Like spying on people, huh? Let me give you a show you’ll never forget.” Something inside me snapped. I stopped struggling and went limp. Then, slowly, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Fine,” I whispered. “But don’t you think we should go somewhere more private?” My sudden compliance caught him off guard. He froze, his grip loosening ever so slightly. Taking advantage of his hesitation, I stood up, removed my coat, and smiled coldly. “Do you know why I secretly film people?” I asked, my voice calm, almost conversational. “Because I have a condition. It’s the only thing that makes me feel alive.” The man’s face twisted in disgust. Swearing under his breath, he yanked up his pants and stormed off. As soon as he disappeared, I pulled out a tissue, carefully wrapped the skin and hairs I’d scratched from his neck, and headed straight for the police station. The alley was too dark to identify him, but the DNA evidence would be enough to track him down. That night, a kind police officer drove me home. It was nearly midnight when we arrived. My mom opened the door, her face sour as she started to scold me. “You ungrateful brat! Took you long enough to—” Her words died in her throat the moment she saw the officer behind me. Fear flickered in her eyes, but she quickly replaced it with fake concern. “Oh, Emily! What happened to you? Why didn’t you call me? I was so worried!” But as soon as the officer left, her mask slipped. “You got assaulted buying groceries?” she sneered. “Honestly, you deserve it. Serves you right.” Caroline, sitting at the table, smirked at me. “Come on, Emily,” she said mockingly. “Join us for a midnight snack.” My mom shot her a look of exaggerated concern. “She doesn’t deserve to sit with us. Caroline, sweetheart, you eat. Don’t let my grandson go hungry.” I stood there in the living room, silently watching them, hatred burning in my eyes. Caroline wanted the houses. My mom wanted her grandson. Fine. If this is what they wanted most, then that’s exactly what I’d destroy.

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During a social gathering with friends, my husband’s former classmate sat on his lap and shared a drink. I didn’t think much of it. After all, if my husband were to like someone, it certainly wouldn’t be her. He often complained to me: “I can’t fathom how she got into college with her intellect!” “Every time, I have to fix her mistakes. She never knows anything and is as clueless as a pig.” Everyone knew he disliked her. Yet later, when her parents pressured her into marriage, he was moved to tears and spent a fortune to secure her freedom. Jasper Grey found himself entangled with a former classmate, who insisted he was the only one she would marry. Adeline Blake was the classmate in question. They were paired up for a graduation project. At the time, Jasper and I weren’t married, but we were already living together. Initially, Jasper complained to me daily, criticizing Adeline for her lack of intelligence. “I can’t believe she got into college. She can’t even manage basic calculations!” “Every time, I have to clean up her mess. She never knows the answer to the professor’s questions and is as clueless as a pig.” “I can’t take it anymore. If she holds back our team again, I’ll ask the professor to replace her!” … He complained incessantly but never replaced her. After graduation, I married Jasper, and he became the CEO of Grey Enterprises. However, Adeline’s name kept cropping up between us. One day, after returning from a class reunion, I could tell Jasper was upset. When he’s in a bad mood, his brows furrow slightly, and there’s a hint of irritation in his eyes. While he was showering, I secretly looked at his phone. The pinned message was from Adeline. I didn’t open it, but I saw her message saying, “Upperclassman, after graduation, I’m going back home to get married.” My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t understand why Adeline needed to inform Jasper of her post-graduation plans or whom she was marrying. Especially after their reunion. That night, as Jasper lay beside me, his hands wandered. I wasn’t in the mood, so I couldn’t help but ask about Adeline. “Isn’t she your classmate? Why does she need to inform you if she’s going back home to get married?” I thought Jasper would immediately clarify to prevent any misunderstanding. But he suddenly sat up and looked at me with angry eyes, “Did you check my phone?” His outburst caught me off guard. The man who was so tender moments ago was now full of anger. I was bewildered and looked at him helplessly. Realizing his overreaction, Jasper quickly tried to soothe me, “I’m sorry, honey. I was in a bad mood today and took it out on you. Please don’t be upset.” He gently consoled me while explaining, “Adeline isn’t very bright. I didn’t even talk to her today, and she sent me that message. Who knows what she means?” Afraid I wouldn’t believe him, he showed me his chat history with Adeline. Their last conversation was six months ago. “She’s incredibly dense, can’t get anything right. Going back home to get married is good; at least she won’t be a nuisance to others.” He spoke with undisguised disdain, but it felt like a thorn in my heart that I couldn’t touch or remove. I didn’t know when, but Jasper’s attitude toward Adeline had subtly changed. In the first year after graduation, Jasper attended a friend’s gathering, and I didn’t hear from him until midnight. Just as I was debating whether to call him, I saw a friend’s social media post. In the photo, Jasper was sitting on a sofa with Adeline on his lap. They were linking arms, sharing a drink. Honestly, Adeline wasn’t particularly attractive—skinny and small, appearing malnourished. Among Jasper’s female classmates, she was unremarkable. To be honest, I agreed to Jasper’s pursuit because of his looks. There’s a saying online: even if you don’t consider family background, think about your kids’ genes. Plus, Jasper was outstanding and a good choice. And among the girls who pursued Jasper, they were either rich and beautiful or high-valued beauties. Yet he didn’t choose any of them, so why would he be interested in someone as unremarkable as Adeline? So when I saw that picture, I wasn’t too rattled. Before the gathering, Jasper had specifically told me Adeline would be there. He assured me he wouldn’t speak more than a word to her. So seeing that photo, I instinctively thought it was Adeline clinging to him. Because when I went to find Jasper, I had encountered Adeline a few times. She wore a worn-out white T-shirt, ill-fitting jeans, no makeup, and up close, you could see freckles on her face. Among a group of young, beautiful, vibrant female college students, she didn’t stand out. And Adeline would always avoid eye contact when she saw me. Due to Adeline’s calculation error, the whole team had to start over. She was teary-eyed, quietly apologizing to everyone, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Back then, as the team leader, Jasper threw the data sheet at her face, “What’s wrong with you? Can’t handle the basics? If you can do it, do it. If not, leave!” Adeline was crying but bit her lip to hold back her sobs. She was so ordinary, so plain, even hard to spot in a crowd. So initially, I felt no threat from her. I thought Jasper truly disliked her. But how did things change in just a year? He even irrationally spent a million on her.

I asked a friend to investigate the situation. It turned out Adeline’s parents favored her brother over her. To gather a dowry for her brother, they pressured Adeline to return home and marry right after graduation. Initially, Adeline refused to go back, but her parents somehow found out where she worked and caused a scene at her company. They introduced her to an older divorced man, whose ex-wife left because he was abusive. When Adeline refused to return, they physically assaulted her and even forced her boss to fire her. Jasper’s upperclasswoman, who worked at the same company as Adeline, informed him of the situation. Jasper dropped his company business, not only saving Adeline but also transferring a million to her parents. The condition was that they wouldn’t bother her anymore. When I received the notification of the transfer, I was shocked. Before I could message Jasper, he texted me first. “Honey, something urgent came up. I’ll explain when I get home tonight.” I thought there was an issue at work, so I rushed to the office. But when the elevator doors opened, I saw Jasper carrying Adeline like a princess, walking towards his office. My legs felt like lead, unable to move. I watched as Jasper laid Adeline on the sofa and gently kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone bully you.” He tenderly wiped the blood off her face with his jacket. I stood there for a long time, unable to process what I was seeing. I never imagined infidelity would happen to me, especially with someone I didn’t even consider a threat. It’s not that a “Cinderella” doesn’t deserve love. But she shouldn’t use her vulnerability as a way to intrude on my marriage. I laughed at myself. So this was his urgent matter. On the way home, I held back the sting in my eyes. My heart thudded with resentment with every beat. At home, I saw the freshly pressed suit I had prepared for Jasper still hanging. Suddenly, I felt so ridiculous. I tore the suit from the hanger, cut it to pieces with scissors, and threw it in the trash. If he likes trash, let him stay in the trash. After all, trash and the trash can are a perfect match!

Jasper didn’t come back until midnight. I didn’t greet him at the door like usual. And the first thing he did after coming home was head to the bathroom to wash up. I saw his phone light up with a message from Lydia Bennett. I felt the name was familiar. I recalled she was also part of the graduation project group. I listened to the running water from the bathroom, picked up his phone, and entered the password. But when I saw the chat with Lydia, my breath caught. The room was silent, except for the water and my heavy heartbeat. “Adeline is a good girl. When we worked on the research together, I could see she liked you.” “Seeing you married, she hid her feelings. She planned to go back home to not disturb you, or she wouldn’t have gotten tangled up with her parents.” “She sacrificed so much for you. I don’t believe you can’t feel her love.” “Treasure the one in front of you. If you miss out, you’ll regret it forever.” Jasper’s reply was simple. Just one word: “Okay.” The only sounds in the room were the running water from the bathroom and the echo of my pounding heartbeat. “Adeline Blake is a good girl. When we did research together, it was clear she had feelings for you.” “She saw you get married and kept her feelings hidden. If she wasn’t afraid of interfering, she wouldn’t be planning to go back home, nor would she be tangled up with her parents.” “She’s sacrificed so much for you. I can’t believe you haven’t felt her love.” “Treasure the person in front of you, or you’ll regret it for a lifetime.” Here was Jasper Grey’s response. A simple “okay.” But it shattered all my fantasies about love. With every moment he allowed Adeline Blake into his life, my heart broke a bit more. I switched off my phone and pretended nothing had happened by marking Lydia Bennett’s last message as unread. I opened the drawer, signed my name on the divorce papers. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I wanted to be happy. In this relationship, I had given and tried. But the door to happiness never opened for me. When Jasper Grey finished his shower, I lay on the bed pretending to sleep. In the darkness, I heard him pick up his phone. A few minutes later, he lay down beside me. Once, he would cling to me at night, holding me like an octopus. During a business trip, he once messaged me at three in the morning. “Without you by my side, I can’t sleep.” Now, as I listened to his steady breathing behind me, my heart slowly turned cold. I finally understood what it meant to break down in the early hours, while someone else sleeps soundly till dawn. The next day, Jasper Grey left for work early. As I was about to leave, I received a friend request from Lydia Bennett. “Let’s meet.” At the meeting place, Lydia Bennett eyed me with hostility. “You’ve heard about Adeline Blake, right?” “Honestly, I support Adeline being with Jasper Grey.” “She doesn’t have your background or looks, but she loves Jasper Grey. She’s willing to give up her future to comfort him when he’s sad.” “Unlike you, who graduated and became a rich wife, spending your days arranging flowers and sipping tea. Do you even know how much pressure Jasper Grey is under? Do you care about his feelings?” Hearing this, I wondered if I misheard. “So that’s why you encourage someone to be a mistress?” “Adeline knows Jasper Grey is married but still goes after him. That’s not love she’s missing; it’s a slap.” “You know Jasper Grey has a family, yet you urge him to cheat. What’s wrong, are you lacking both sense and morals?” Lydia’s face turned a mix of colors, trying to argue, “Jasper Grey isn’t happy with you. He likes Adeline. If you were smart, you’d let go and stop deceiving yourself.” Just then, the server brought a freshly brewed coffee. I grabbed a cup and splashed it in Lydia’s face. Coffee dripped from her head, still steaming. She covered her face, screaming, “Willa Grey, are you crazy!” I didn’t hold back, even throwing the cup at her head. “If you dare disgust me again, next time it won’t be coffee; it’ll be acid!” Under the server’s surprised gaze, I left calmly. Later, I found out Lydia is Adeline’s cousin, so no wonder she supported her. When I first got together with Jasper Grey, my parents warned me to reconsider because of his background, but I was determined to be with him. After marriage, I stepped back to support Jasper Grey’s career, watching him rise step by step. Even friends said without me, Jasper Grey would still be working for someone else. I suddenly remembered his words when he confessed to me, promising word by word. “Willa, I promise you, I will work twice as hard to give you the life you want. I’ll be good to you forever and never let you down.” He said it and did it. But now, he says he’s unhappy with me. I didn’t even need to guess the truth in Lydia’s words. If Jasper Grey didn’t complain to her, how would she know? If he hadn’t prompted Lydia, how would she have come to me? Thinking this, my heart ached intensely. I messaged the board, stating I would take over company matters starting tomorrow. I also contacted a lawyer to divide assets between Jasper and me. In the evening, Jasper Grey made a full dinner waiting for me. When I came in, he warmly took my bag. “Why are you home so late today, honey?” Though he smiled, I sensed something was off. When a man suddenly becomes enthusiastic, he must be guilty of something. Sure enough, during dinner, I got a text from the HR Department. “The deputy GM recruited this girl as an assistant. Did you know about this?” I opened the resume he sent. Adeline Blake’s ID photo was glaring at the top. I glanced at Jasper Grey, who was serving me food, and laughed at myself. I initially wanted to part peacefully, but I changed my mind. I told HR to approve Adeline Blake as Jasper Grey’s assistant. The next day at the company, I saw Adeline being guided through the business by a supervisor. Seeing me, she greeted me warmly, “Madam Grey.” I glanced at her. Unlike before, her arrogance and provocation were undisguised. “Ms. Blake, since you joined the company, you should follow the rules and focus on your duties. Keep your little thoughts in check.” I deliberately put on a stern face to warn her. Sure enough, Adeline’s gaze changed. Seeing no one around, she dared to speak up, “Sis, you’re old. You can’t compete with me for Jasper.” “Be smart and step down from the CEO’s wife position.” Her provocations were blatant, no longer the weak, scared girl she pretended to be. I couldn’t help but admire her acting skills. I raised an eyebrow, “Well, I’ll be waiting then.” Don’t let me down. She didn’t know that the CEO of Grey Enterprises wasn’t Jasper Grey. It was me, Willa Grey. Grey Enterprises is my family’s business, but I wasn’t interested in running it. After marriage, when Jasper was struggling to find a job, I suggested he take over the company. At first, he refused, “I’m a man. I want to earn a good life for you with my own efforts.” Until later, even my dad saw his abilities and approved of him. Only then did he replace me in handling the business. Because we both have the surname Grey, people thought Jasper Grey owned Grey Enterprises. Like Adeline, the fool. When Jasper saw me at the company, his face changed, forcing a smile, “Why are you at the office, honey?” I shrugged, “Bored at home, thought I’d come to the office to kill time.” While talking to me, his eyes kept darting to Adeline at her desk. I patted him lightly, “The new assistant is nice.” Hearing this, Jasper’s smile instantly faded, and I stopped teasing him, heading back to my office. That night at home, Jasper hid in the bathroom for half an hour. When I was wondering, I heard him lowering his voice, “Don’t worry, I’ll come get you!” The next second, he slammed the glass door open, the frame hitting the wall loudly. He stormed over, grabbed my wrist, and demanded angrily. “Is this fun for you? She’s just a young girl. Why are you picking on her?” “I told you she’s my upperclasswoman, why take it out on an innocent person?” I was bewildered, not knowing what happened. Jasper barely contained his anger, threw my hand aside, dressed, and stormed out, “If anything happens to her, we’re done!” The door slammed shut. I was baffled by Jasper’s outburst, feeling resentful. I opened my phone, and the first social media post was from Adeline Blake.

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On the day I planned to propose, my girlfriend, Evelyn Johnson, stood me up for the 99th time to hang out with Andrew Langley, her newly hired assistant. I didn’t make a scene. I just wanted an explanation when I found her. But I accidentally overheard their conversation. “Ms. Johnson, aren’t you worried Christopher might get jealous and leave you since we’ve been spending so much time together?” Evelyn sneered, “Christopher Clark? That loser has no money and no family connections! Even his job came from me. He couldn’t survive without me. Like I told you, he’s just a plaything. You didn’t actually think I was going to marry him, did you?” I smiled coolly, tossed the engagement ring I’d prepared into the trash, and posted on Instagram: [Feeling down. Does anyone want to hang out? Limited time offer.] Everyone thought I was just acting jealous and sulking. Little did they know that after being rejected 99 times, I could finally go back to being the carefree heir to my family fortune. When Evelyn called, I was lounging in a luxury suite at the high-end spa, the steam rising so thick I could barely keep my eyes open. I answered lazily, “What’s up?” “What’s the deal with that Instagram post you made this afternoon?” Through the phone, Evelyn’s voice was icy, maintaining her usual air of superiority. It was her typical tone when dealing with me. I always thought Evelyn was just that kind of person, serious and cold as an iceberg. So I acted like a lowly servant, carefully replying to her messages and taking care not to upset her. But then Andrew joined the company as Evelyn’s assistant, and every time he handed her documents, her eyes would soften, and she’d break into the warmest smile. That was when I realized that Evelyn wasn’t incapable of smiling. She just didn’t smile at me. Just then, I heard the sweet voice of the staff member, “Good afternoon, sir.” I answered with a smile, “Let’s begin. Don’t hold back, I can take it.” Evelyn noticed something off about the background noise and paused before saying disapprovingly, “Christopher, you never used to go to places like this.” My life used to revolve around three places—my home, the office, and Evelyn. Not only did I handle all the housework, but I also took care of Evelyn’s every need. Evelyn said she loved my cooking, so I’d whip up something different for her every night after work. She raved about the pastries from that bakery downtown, so I’d wake up at the crack of dawn and drive three hours round trip so that she could have them before work. One evening, after Evelyn came home from a work dinner, I excitedly presented her with a steaming bowl of oatmeal. “Have some. It’ll be good for your stomach,” I said. But she just scoffed. “You’re such a loser! Can you stop fussing around the kitchen all day? It’s embarrassing! And for God’s sake, get a life! Stop hovering around me like a fly. It’s annoying!” Remembering this, I let out a small laugh and said casually, “Work’s been tiring, thought I’d treat myself. What’s it to you?” Evelyn seemed taken aback by my response. She paused, then let out a snort. “You slack off at work all day. What’s so tiring about that?” She seemed to have forgotten that when the company was just starting, it was me who hustled at every social event, securing deals, even to the point of passing out at the table and ending up in the hospital. Back then, lying in the hospital bed, Evelyn held my hand and comforted me. “I’ll remember all the hard work you’ve put in,” she said. “Once the company takes off, I’ll give you a cushy job. You can kick back and do whatever you want!” And now, after just one day of me not showing up at work, she couldn’t stand it. Evelyn continued her lecture, “Christopher, you’re really out of line! Not only did you skip work for no reason, but you actually went to a hot spring during work hours! Why can’t you learn a thing or two from Andrew? He may be new to the company, but he’s eager to learn and make progress. He just recently closed a major deal that brought the company a five million dollar profit!” I scoffed, “Are you sure that it was Andrew who closed that deal?” The deal Evelyn was referring to was the one I had worked tirelessly on, formulating plans and pulling three all-nighters in a row to satisfy the investors. Just when we were about to sign the contract, Evelyn suddenly approached me. “Christopher, Andrew is new to the company and needs to establish himself. Do you think you could let him participate in this project and mentor him a bit?” I agreed. But then, Evelyn turned around and gave Andrew all the credit. Feeling indignant, I went to her, demanding an explanation. Evelyn was surprisingly righteous. “Andrew is new and needs this deal to gain a foothold while you are a veteran employee. You need to understand the spirit of sacrifice and dedication.” I was speechless. The difference between being loved and not being loved couldn’t be more obvious. Thinking of this, I chuckled, “Since you think Andrew is doing such a great job, then from now on, let him handle all the work.” “Christopher, what do you mean by that?” Even though we were on the phone, I could picture Evelyn’s icy expression. But now, I didn’t care anymore. “I mean, I quit.” After calmly stating that, I hung up the phone. I was tired. I didn’t want to play this game anymore. After a moment of hesitation, I hesitantly pressed the number that had been gathering dust for three years. The call quickly connected. “You punk, I thought you were going to ghost me for the rest of your life.” My eyes welled up when I heard the familiar voice. “Dad.” Three years ago, I nearly broke ties with Thomas just to be with Evelyn. I refused the arranged marriage my family had set up for me. Thomas warned me back then. He said Evelyn had a cold, detached look about her, that she wasn’t reliable. But I was convinced she was my true love. I even made a bet with Thomas. “If Evelyn rejects me 99 times, I’ll agree to the arranged marriage.” Back then, I was so sure of myself. Who could reject me 99 times? Looking back now, I was such a clown. “Dad, I agree to the arranged marriage.”

“So, the prodigal son finally comes to his senses?” Thomas said, surprised. “I used to think that with enough time and sincerity, I could melt even the coldest heart,” I replied with a sigh. “Guess I was just naive.” Thomas clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “I told you, Evelyn was never the right one for you. But did you listen? No, you had to hit rock bottom first. When have I ever steered you wrong?” I gave a wry smile and said nothing. The truth was, no one needed unsolicited advice—some lessons you just had to learn the hard way. After a moment, Thomas’ tone softened. “I’m glad you’ve finally come around. I’ll arrange for you to meet some suitable matches right away.” “And come home more often,” he added. “Your mother misses you terribly. She blames me, says I’ve been too hard on you.” “Okay,” I agreed. After a pause, Thomas said, “While you’re at it, why don’t you quit that job of yours? I’ll shut down those projects anyway.” “What projects?” I asked, confused. “You cocky little punk,” Thomas said with a laugh. “You really thought you were such a hotshot, closing all those big deals over a few drinks? Without me pulling strings behind the scenes, that tiny company of yours would’ve gone belly up ages ago.” I froze for a moment. Then it hit me. All these years, I’d thought everything I’d built was through my efforts, but it turned out he’d been helping me all along. That night, I never made it home. I had forgotten all about the endless housework, the trivial work tasks, and even Evelyn. I felt so light, and for once, I had a good night’s sleep, dreamless and deep. When I opened my eyes again, it was already eleven. I got dressed and leisurely made my way to the company. Right at the entrance, I bumped into Evelyn, who was waiting for the elevator. Evelyn frowned at me and scolded, “What are you doing here so late? Your bonus for this month is canceled!” I walked in nonchalantly. “Whatever, it’s peanuts anyway.” Evelyn mistook my indifference for acceptance. Her eyes glinted with mockery. “Weren’t you all high and mighty on the phone yesterday? Talking about quitting, staying out all night… and now you have the nerve to show up for work? Probably blew all your cash, huh?” Evelyn had that smug look on her face like she knew everything like I couldn’t survive without her. She held her head high, arrogant as a swan. I knew she was waiting for me to grovel and apologize. But I just smiled faintly and handed her the resignation letter I had prepared. “Ms. Johnson, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I’m not here to work. I’m here to resign.” Evelyn was clearly caught off guard by my outburst. Her expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief. “Christopher, what the hell has gotten into you?” she asked, her voice sharp. I shrugged nonchalantly. “Ms. Johnson, you always tell us that the company doesn’t keep dead weight around. Since you seem to think I’m just skating by and not pulling my weight, I don’t have the nerve to stay here any longer.” “Besides,” I continued, my voice dripping with sarcasm, “you clearly think Andrew is way more capable than me. I should just quit now and let him take over, right?” As if on cue, Andrew appeared, clutching a stack of files to his chest. He’d obviously heard the whole exchange. His eyes welled up with tears. “Christopher,” he whimpered, “are you fighting with Ms. Johnson because you’re jealous of me?” “Everything I do is for the company,” he went on, his voice cracking with emotion. “I just want to help Ms. Johnson!” “It’s all my fault,” he sobbed. “I didn’t know my place. I’ve made you both misunderstand. Ms. Johnson, maybe you should just fire me!” His performance was so over-the-top, so blatantly fake, that anyone could see through it—anyone except Evelyn. Her eyes softened with sympathy. “Don’t blame yourself, Andrew,” she soothed. “You’re doing a great job.” She then turned her icy gaze back to me. “Look at Andrew,” she said, her voice filled with disdain. “He’s so mature and dedicated. And then there’s you, always jealous, always goofing off. You’re so immature.” I saw Andrew peek out from behind Evelyn and shoot me a smug look, like a dog marking his territory. In the past, this would have driven me crazy with jealousy. But now, I just watched the whole charade with detached amusement. They were like two clowns putting on a show for my entertainment. Andrew then pulled a contract from his pocket. “Ms. Johnson,” he said, “I need you to sign this. I’ve been working on it for three days straight.” “Of course,” Evelyn replied, taking the contract without a second thought. She was about to sign when I spoke up. “There’s something wrong with that contract,” I said, frowning. “You shouldn’t sign it.”

For old times’ sake, I pointed this out. I said, “I’ve reviewed this contract before. The collaborating party’s qualifications are highly questionable. They’re a walking red flag. If we rush into this and invest, we could very well lose everything.” I paused, a bit surprised. “Andrew’s in charge of this, right? Didn’t he do any due diligence?” Andrew’s eyes immediately welled up. “Christopher, if you have something against me, just say it to my face! You don’t have to slander me like this!” Evelyn’s heart shattered at the sight of Andrew on the verge of tears. “Oh, don’t cry! I believe you!” she exclaimed. Turning to me, she angrily demanded, “Andrew’s been burning the midnight oil over this contract for three days straight! I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He’s dedicated to this company. Why would he lie to me?” “But you,” she continued, her voice rising, “you keep giving Andrew a hard time! You’re using your seniority to bully a newcomer. How can you live with yourself? Apologize to Andrew right now!” At this, Andrew wiped a tear from his eye and tugged on Evelyn’s sleeve. “Ms. Johnson, please don’t blame Christopher. I’m sure he’s just anxious, that’s all. Don’t be mad. It’s okay. I can take it.” Evelyn immediately softened and comforted him. She not only signed the contract on the spot but also encouraged him with a promise. “After this project is finished,” she declared, “I’ll reward you with a car, so you don’t have to squeeze onto the bus every day.” I shook my head and walked away. Since Evelyn doted on Andrew so much, she would just have to deal with the consequences. Seeing no hint of an apology from me, Evelyn was taken aback. Before, I would have been groveling for her forgiveness. What had gotten into me? She gritted her teeth and yelled, “Fine! Get out! And don’t come back!” As I stepped into the elevator, I heard Andrew whisper, “Ms. Johnson, Christopher just acted on impulse. You should go after him and talk him down.” Evelyn’s voice was cold. “Talk him down? He has no skills and no family background. Which company would want him after he leaves me? He’ll be crawling back in a few days!” I smirked. Evelyn, the Christopher who only had eyes for you was gone forever. The next day, Charlie Watson, the head of the family branch company, asked to meet me at a downtown restaurant. I came prepared, having developed unique insights in many fields. After our conversation, Charlie was astonished. “Mr. Clark, with such talent, why would you be content to stay in a small company?” I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Guess I had water in my brain back then. It’s all dried up now.” Charlie chuckled and wisely dropped the subject of my past. Instead, he pulled out a hefty stack of documents and handed them to me. “Sir Clark is planning to hold an investment conference at the branch office. The news has already been leaked, and you, young heir, will be in charge of the details.” I understood. It was my dad paving the way for me. “Alright, compile all the names and send them to me.” When Andrew and I emerged from the private room, we unexpectedly bumped into two familiar faces in the lobby. Evelyn and Andrew were sitting together, chatting and laughing, looking every bit like a happy couple. Evelyn noticed me, and her expression turned a bit awkward. Before I could say anything, she started explaining as if she had a guilty conscience. “Don’t get me wrong. We were just talking about the collaboration with the Clark Group next month.” I gave her a slight smile. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. It’s work, I understand.” Andrew seized the opportunity to chime in, “Ms. Johnson has been working day and night for this collaboration with the Clark Group. She’s practically exhausted herself. That’s why I booked this nourishing meal here, to help Ms. Johnson take care of her health.” Evelyn’s affection for Andrew grew even stronger upon hearing this. “Andrew, you’re so thoughtful, unlike some people who bail at crucial moments and break my heart.” Andrew leaned into Evelyn’s embrace. “Of course, didn’t I promise to be Ms. Johnson’s most obedient kitten? Meow!” Andrew even deliberately imitated a cat’s meow. His intentionally high-pitched voice made my skin crawl and even made me feel a little nauseous. But Evelyn ate it up, stroking Andrew’s hair indulgently. “Good boy, what a clingy kitten.”

Evelyn still thought I was here to beg her to take me back. Her eyes were full of scorn. “I thought you had more backbone than this. Coming crawling back so soon? Well, even if you get down on your knees and apologize, I won’t forgive you. You’ve disappointed me too much.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve got it all wrong. I’m here on business.” Evelyn frowned. “You? On business? Christopher, I know what you’re capable of. What decent company would hire you? You’re probably being scammed!” She looked Charlie up and down, then sneered, “Dressed up all fancy, but probably works for some fly-by-night operation.” Charlie was about to fire back on my behalf, but I stopped him. “It’s not worth getting riled up over someone like her. See you at the investment conference. Oh, and by the way, we’re officially over!” I smiled and waved at Evelyn, ignoring her sour expression, and turned to leave. With Charlie’s help, I quickly and smoothly took over the branch office. When I looked over the list of companies attending the investment promotion conference, I was surprised to see Evelyn’s company on it. “Boss, should we kick this company off the list?” Charlie still remembered what happened at the restaurant last time. I shook my head. “Let’s do things by the book.” I was curious to see what kind of proposal Evelyn and Andrew could come up with. The next day, the investment promotion conference went smoothly. When I arrived, the conference hall was already packed with people. Just as I was scanning the crowd for Charlie, Evelyn appeared in front of me with Andrew in tow. Andrew was decked out in a suit, looking like a preened canary. “Christopher?” Evelyn’s expression was a mixture of surprise and disdain when she saw me. “Your rinky-dink company is attending the investment promotion conference, too?” I didn’t say anything. I just smiled politely and pointed in a direction. “Those responsible for the investment proposals, please register over there.” My attitude brought a flicker of annoyance to Evelyn’s face. “Christopher, we’re all here for the conference. What are you trying to pull?” She paused, then frowned. “Also… why are all your things gone from the house?” “We broke up. Of course, I took my things.” Actually, I had thrown all that stuff away ages ago. Keeping it would have been bad luck. “You’re really breaking up with me?” Evelyn asked, her voice a mix of surprise and disbelief. Every time they fought in the past, I’d storm off for a few days before crawling back to her. But this time, my cold and resolute demeanor was utterly foreign to her. It was as if something precious was slipping through her fingers. For the first time, Evelyn’s tone softened. “Chris, don’t be like this. I know I’ve been distant lately, but it’s all because of work. Once I land this deal with the Clark Group, I’ll take you to travel. We’ll soak up the sun, just the two of us. Come home with me, okay?” I didn’t know why she was suddenly trying to appease me, but it didn’t matter anymore. There was no going back. “That’s not necessary. I can go there myself.” My icy tone clearly annoyed Evelyn. “Christopher, why are you being so harsh? I’ve already tried to make peace. What more do you want? With your attitude, who else besides me would even bother with you?” I sneered. Even now, she still acted all high and mighty. “Evelyn, it’s a shame, but today, your arrogance will have to bow down to me.” Evelyn scoffed, “Bow down to you? As if! Do you think you’re the head honcho of the Clark Group’s investor conference or something?” Right on cue, Charlie took the stage amidst a wave of anticipation. “I hereby announce the commencement of the Clark Group’s investor conference! Now, let’s welcome Mr. Christopher Clark, the head of the conference, to the stage!”

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My cousin secretly gave birth to a daughter and then switched her baby with mine. I knew all along, yet I raised her daughter in luxury, treating her as if she were the most precious jewel in the world. Years later, that daughter became the Crown Princess, soaring to unimaginable heights of power and prestige. On the day of the royal wedding, my cousin arrived at the palace gates, dragging along my real daughter—who had long been sold into a life of misery as a courtesan in a seedy brothel. With a smug, triumphant sneer, my cousin declared, “I am the true mother of the Crown Princess, while you’re nothing but the lowly birth mother of this girl. Don’t even think of claiming what isn’t yours!” I had been waiting for this moment for years. Without a flicker of surprise or anger, I smiled graciously and nodded. “Then let’s switch them back,” I said calmly. “Dear cousin, I’ve tailored two dresses myself. Hurry and bring Kara out to try them on.” It was the first day of spring, and my cousin Nora showed up at my home uninvited. She waltzed in as if she owned the place, making herself comfortable in my sitting room without so much as an invitation. She wasted no time calling for my daughter, Kara, as though she had every right to summon her. But I knew why she acted so boldly. She wasn’t just here for a casual visit—she was here for her daughter. Kara, the cherished young lady of my household, was not my biological daughter. Sixteen years ago, Nora, who had been staying at my home, secretly gave birth to an illegitimate child after an affair with a man she refused to name. To cover her shame, she switched her baby with mine. The wet nurse who witnessed the swap immediately came to me with the truth. But instead of exposing Nora’s treachery, I gave the nurse a generous sum of silver and sent her off to live out her days in peace. I kept the secret to myself, biding my time. Now, here Nora was, playing the role of a doting cousin, dragging along a lame servant girl named Skylar. Nora claimed Skylar had been raised by her since childhood, but one look at the girl’s face told me the truth. Skylar’s features mirrored my own—she was the child Nora had stolen from me. Within moments, Kara came fluttering into the room like a butterfly, dressed in the new gown Nora had brought for her. “Mother, look, look! Isn’t it beautiful? I love this dress so much!” Kara exclaimed, twirling in delight as she ran to my side, her voice full of laughter. But Nora wasn’t satisfied. She reached out and grabbed Kara’s arm, gently pulling her toward her. “Oh my, Kara, you truly are stunning,” Nora said, her voice dripping with faux affection. “This dress suits you so much better than anything your mother has ever given you,” she added, shooting me a smug glance. Then, with a sly smile, she leaned closer to Kara and asked, “Kara, wouldn’t you like to call me your mother instead?” Kara, still a child at heart, giggled innocently and replied, “No way! My mother isn’t you!” Her playful response was like a dagger to Nora’s pride. The room’s lighthearted atmosphere abruptly shattered with a sharp, resounding “SMACK.” Nora had raised her hand and slapped Skylar across the face without warning. The poor girl staggered from the blow, her cheek swelling almost instantly. Tears welled in her eyes, but she bit them back, dropped to her knees, and begged for mercy. Nora smiled coldly and turned to us as if nothing had happened. “This wretched girl doesn’t know her place. I caught her staring at Kara’s dress, and I had to teach her a lesson before she starts getting ideas.” Skylar’s tears fell silently, dripping onto the floor. All she had done was glance at Kara’s gown, a fleeting look of admiration that had earned her a brutal slap. The injustice of her life was plain to see. Among all the maids and servants in my household, Skylar was treated as the lowest of the low. Nora gave her nothing but scraps to eat, scraps so foul even beggars would turn their noses up at them. Her clothes and shoes were tattered hand-me-downs, and whenever Nora was in a bad mood, Skylar bore the brunt of her anger, enduring beatings that left her bruised and battered. Now, with her true nature revealed, Nora’s cruel temper frightened Kara. My daughter clung to my side, her earlier excitement replaced with unease. Seeing Kara lean into me only fueled Nora’s jealousy. Her resentment flared, and her malice erupted in full force. She pulled a silver hairpin from her head, its sharp end glinting in the light, and without hesitation, drove it into Skylar’s crippled leg. “You worthless brat!” Nora hissed through gritted teeth. “You dare humiliate me in front of my cousin? You’ve been nothing but a disgrace since the day you were born!”

Blood gushed out in rivulets, but Nora didn’t care. Instead, she drove the hairpin deeper into Skylar’s thigh, twisting it cruelly. “That’s what you get for disobeying me, you worthless little wretch!” she spat, her voice full of venom. Skylar lay motionless on the floor, silent tears streaming down her face. She seemed completely numb to the pain, as if she’d long since grown used to Nora’s abuse. Her leg, already crippled, had likely lost all feeling—making it an easy target for Nora’s sadistic outbursts. The other servants stood around watching, their faces blank, as though this was just another performance for their entertainment. Kara and I were no strangers to Nora’s violent tantrums, but my husband, Brandon, walked into the room mid-scene and froze, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. “What’s going on here? Cousin, why are you punishing a servant in front of my wife?” At the sight of Brandon, Nora’s demeanor changed instantly. The wild, vicious expression vanished, replaced by a damsel-in-distress act. She stood up slowly, tucking the bloodied hairpin into her sleeve with practiced ease. “Brother-in-law,” she said, her voice suddenly soft and trembling, “this little maid dared to have impure thoughts about my dear cousin. I had no choice but to discipline her in front of my elder sister.” Her eyes darted between Brandon and me, as if trying to shift the blame onto me, implying I had demanded the punishment. Brandon frowned, clearly uneasy. He glanced at me, his disapproval evident, then turned back to Nora. “Skylar is just a young girl, about the same age as Kara,” he said. “There’s no need to be so harsh. Please, let her go.” Kara, ever the innocent and straightforward child, couldn’t stand to hear Nora twist the truth. She pointed a finger at Nora and shouted, “It wasn’t my mother! It was her! She slapped Skylar for no reason!” The more Kara defended me, the darker Nora’s expression became. Her eyes burned with jealousy and resentment as she glared at me. I smiled back at her, almost daring her to lose her composure. Then, with deliberate calm, I waved the matter aside. “It’s just a servant,” I said lightly, “no need to let something so trivial disturb the harmony of our family.” Brandon clearly wasn’t satisfied with my response, but he respected my position as the lady of the household too much to argue. Instead, he ordered the maids to take Skylar away and tend to her injuries. But Nora wasn’t about to let Skylar out of her grasp so easily. With a sweet, fake smile, she said, “Oh, there’s no need to trouble anyone. Skylar is my servant, and I’ll take responsibility for her care.” Before anyone could object, Nora yanked Skylar up by her arm, forcing the injured girl to stand on her damaged leg, and dragged her toward the door. Kara, ever soft-hearted, couldn’t bear to see Skylar in such a pitiful state. She tugged on my sleeve and looked up at me with pleading eyes. “Mother, can I send Skylar some medicine? She’s hurt so badly!” Sixteen years of raising Kara had taught me to read her thoughts as easily as an open book. With a faint smile, I nodded. “Go ahead,” I said. “And take the golden ointment from my cabinet. It’ll help her wounds heal faster.” Kara’s face lit up, and she dashed off eagerly, the kindhearted girl that I’d raised. Brandon, meanwhile, wasn’t quite done chastising me, but before he could get another word out, Kara returned, her expression crestfallen. “What happened?” I asked. Kara’s hands were empty, and there was no sign of the golden ointment. She lowered her head, her voice quiet and filled with frustration. “Mother,” she muttered, “Aunt Nora wouldn’t let me give Skylar the medicine… She said it might get my new dress dirty.” “And the ointment?” Kara hesitated, her face twisting with anger. “She threw it away,” she said finally. “She said Skylar is just a worthless servant and doesn’t deserve something so nice.”

Nora’s hostility toward me was always subtle but unmistakable, woven into the smallest details of her behavior. And yet, she played her part so convincingly that my husband, Brandon, never seemed to notice. In fact, Brandon often spoke highly of her in my presence. “A woman’s reputation is her most fragile possession,” he’d say. After today’s incident, with blood spilled and tempers flaring, he worried that rumors might spread from my household, tarnishing Nora’s name. “She’s an unmarried woman, after all,” he added. “If people start talking, she might feel compelled to throw herself into the river just to prove her innocence.” By the end of his little speech, Brandon even suggested that I bring her a small gift to smooth things over. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity. But I went anyway. I was curious to see what new tricks Nora had up her sleeve—and what fresh misery she’d devised for Skylar. Nora’s quarters were always eerily quiet, save for the faint sounds of Skylar’s muffled sobs and the occasional sharp crack of a whip. But today, the courtyard was silent. Too silent. When I entered, Nora was alone, sitting in front of her mirror, leisurely fixing her hair. A gleaming silver hairpin—a new addition—sparkled atop her head. I glanced around, but the timid, battered maid who usually hovered in the shadows was nowhere to be seen. “Skylar? Where is she?” I asked casually. Nora didn’t even bother to turn around. “Oh, her?” she said with a smirk, running the comb through her hair. “After what she did yesterday—humiliating both you and Kara in front of everyone—I sold her off to a brothel.” She paused, then plucked the silver hairpin from her hair and held it up for me to admire. “This? Bought it with the money I got for her.” Her words were laced with malice, her eyes gleaming as she glanced at me, waiting for my reaction. “And tonight,” she added with a cruel laugh, “they’ll be auctioning off her virginity. I wonder what kind of man will claim her…” Her voice trailed off, her smile venomous. She was watching me closely, no doubt hoping to see some flicker of anger or pain. After all, she knew the truth—Skylar was my daughter. But I smiled back at her, calm as ever. “Well,” I said lightly, “she’s just a lowly servant. Whoever ends up with her will be doing her a favor.” My indifference clearly threw her off. Nora’s smirk faltered, disappointment flickering across her face. But then something dawned on her, and her expression shifted to one of panic. Kara hadn’t come with me. Her voice wavered as she asked, “Where’s Kara?” She stood abruptly, her composure cracking. “What have you done with Kara? Where is she?”

Most days, Nora stuck to Kara like glue, hovering over her like an overzealous nanny. She was terrified Kara might get into trouble, behave improperly, or—God forbid—fall for some no-good man. After all, Kara was the high-born daughter of the family, and Nora had switched daughters years ago with the sole intention of ensuring her child would rise to greatness. So when Kara was nowhere to be found, Nora’s panic was palpable, as if I might have spirited her precious daughter away to harm her in secret. I couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Kara was selected by the Queen Mother to marry the Crown Prince. Right now, she’s at the palace, being taught court etiquette by the royal governess.” “What? Kara is going to be the Crown Princess?!” Nora nearly leapt out of her chair, her hairbrush clattering to the vanity. I struggled to suppress my laughter as I watched her comical reaction. Seeing that I didn’t respond further, she quickly composed herself. Her anger melted into barely contained excitement as her eyes gleamed with ambition. “My dear cousin,” she said sweetly, “Kara is really going to be the Crown Princess? Can I go see how she’s doing with her lessons?” I raised a brow, feigning indifference, though I was a bit surprised. For someone whose daughter was about to ascend to unimaginable power, Nora was certainly playing it cool—for now. “Would I lie to you?” I said, smiling faintly. “Yes, Kara is going to be the Crown Princess. And if you want to see her, you’re welcome to visit anytime.” Nora didn’t need a second invitation. She abandoned her makeup, grabbed her coat, and rushed out the door to the palace. Once there, she wasted no time ingratiating herself, staring intently at the royal governess as if trying to burn every detail of Kara’s lessons into her memory. The governess, sensing something off, finally turned to Nora and asked, “Is there something you need, ma’am?” With a self-satisfied smile, Nora replied, “Oh, no, I’m just here to thank you. Please take good care of Kara. I raised her myself, you know. She’s like my own flesh and blood, and I know she’ll make a fine Crown Princess.” The governess snorted, giving Nora a scornful look. “I thought for a moment you were her real mother. But now I see you’re just another busybody. And who are you, anyway? Some old maid pushing thirty and still unmarried? What right do you have to speak here?” Nora’s face darkened instantly, her temper flaring. “How dare you insult me, you miserable servant! You’ll regret this!” But the governess was unimpressed. Rolling her eyes, she shot back, “Regret what? You’re just her cousin, pretending to be someone important. I have nothing to fear from you.” When it was time to bring Kara home, Nora clung to her hand like a long-lost mother, tears glistening in her eyes. “Kara, I heard you’re marrying the Crown Prince next month,” she said dramatically, “and I have something equally important to announce. Let’s make it a double celebration!” Kara, oblivious to the undercurrent of meaning, politely pulled her hand away. “Thank you, Aunt Nora. I’ll look forward to hearing your news,” she said, her tone distant but polite. I stood back, silently amused. Nora was barely holding back her big “reveal.” I almost hoped her grand announcement wouldn’t turn out to be a complete disaster. Almost. The day of the royal wedding finally arrived. It was a grand occasion, celebrated throughout the kingdom. The palace was packed with visitors—nobles, officials, foreign dignitaries, and emissaries from neighboring countries. Amid the splendor and joy of the event, Nora made her entrance. And, as expected, she didn’t come alone. Trailing behind her was a woman so disheveled and broken she barely looked human. She was dressed in tattered clothes, her face hollow and bruised, her steps unsteady. It didn’t take long for the whispers to spread through the crowd. The room fell silent as Nora paraded through, the spectacle impossible to ignore. Her intentions were clear: she wasn’t here to celebrate. She was here to cause a scene. Stopping in front of me, Nora raised her voice for all to hear. “Dear cousin,” she said with mock regret, “I hate to ruin such a joyous occasion, but I simply couldn’t hold this in any longer.” She gestured to the broken woman beside her. “This woman here… is your daughter—a common prostitute from the streets. And the Crown Princess? She’s my daughter, my flesh and blood. We’ve been separated for so many years, but today, it’s time to set things right. You ought to return her to me.”

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After my first love passed away, it was Zack who helped me move on with his eight years of secret love and two years of companionship. But when we finally got together, he became discontented. He had a one-night stand with a woman who had a crush on him, and she got pregnant. He forced me to have an abortion. “As long as you accept that child, we’ll be even.” “Julia, I just saw my former self in her. In your eyes, was I also that pitiful and lowly?” Zack and I had another argument about the baby. Early in the morning, I was in the study organizing some files when Zack, already dressed, suddenly spoke up. “When are you free?” “Why?” I asked, distracted. “We need to go get the procedure done as soon as possible,” he said. My attention was focused on the contract in front of me, and it took me a moment to register what he meant. “What procedure?” Zack’s gaze dropped to my stomach. I froze, the documents still in my hand. For a moment, we were both silent. After a long pause, I turned to look at him. “Zack, are you trying to divorce me?” He was taken aback and quickly shook his head. “How could that be possible? Why would I want to divorce you?” “Then why are you insisting I terminate this pregnancy?” I didn’t understand. I had discovered I was pregnant about two weeks ago. After working on two cases back-to-back, I had fainted in the conference room. My boss was terrified, thinking I’d had a heart attack from overwork. But when they checked, they found out I was pregnant. It was good news. I was thrilled. I thought Zack would be just as happy as I was. But after hearing the news, he fell silent. That night he tossed and turned, and for the next three days, he seemed distracted. On the fourth day, he said to me, “The timing isn’t right. We can have another one later. This one… let’s just forget about it!” He wanted me to terminate the pregnancy, to abort our baby. We had a huge fight and parted on bad terms. I moved out of our house and stayed in a hotel for a week. During that week, I refused to see Zack and rejected all his calls. Later, he came to find me, looking dejected. “Julia, is it that you’ll never look back at me unless I give in? You can’t be that cruel to me!” Cruel? I had long since lost the ability to be cruel to Zack. I naturally went back home with him. We glossed over the issue of the baby. I thought I’d wait until things calmed down and find a good time to talk to him properly. But before I could bring it up, he mentioned it again.

My accusation made Zack frown in frustration. “Didn’t I already tell you? The timing isn’t right! Why do you insist on having this baby now? We can have children later, but not this one!” Zack’s words felt like heavy stones pressing down on my heart. I let out a long sigh. “During that week I stayed at the hotel, I thought about many possibilities – maybe your company was in trouble, or there was something wrong with your health. I even took your medical report to see a specialist. Zack, I can’t understand. We’re legally married, we don’t have any relationship problems, I’m pregnant – isn’t having this baby the natural thing to do? The timing isn’t right? That reason doesn’t convince me!” Zack fell silent again. Just when I thought this conversation was going to end without resolution, he said, “I’ll take you to meet someone.”

On the way, neither of us spoke. I was a bit angry. I knew Zack was definitely hiding something from me. He didn’t want to tell me. But this secret was related to why he didn’t want our baby. Now, he was probably going to reveal this secret to me. I thought, no matter what his reason was, I was truly angry this time. He had hurt me. I wouldn’t forgive him so easily. But at the same time, no matter what his reason was, he was my love, and I would get through this with him. That’s what I really thought. I was prepared to weather this storm with him. But later I realized how foolish I had been. The car drove across half the city before stopping. I looked in the direction Zack was pointing. It was a flower shop. The shop owner, wearing a loose dress, was smiling as she saw off a customer. After the customer left, she tiredly pressed her hand against her back. She was pregnant, her belly quite large – she looked like she was almost due. “Do you recognize her?” Zack asked. I hesitated and shook my head. She looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn’t place her. “Think harder,” he said. I frowned at Zack. “Who is she? And what does she have to do with us?” Zack looked into the distance, his expression blank. “Tessa. Our high school classmate.” I thought for a while before finally digging up the memory of this person. In our three years of high school, there was a very special girl – short hair, outgoing, played the piano. She participated in the school’s arts festival every year. Her appearance was already blurry in my memory. But I vividly remembered how she played the piano like she was waging war. I also remembered that she had done something very bold once – publicly confessing her love for Zack over the school’s broadcast system. I suddenly turned my head to look at Zack. “She liked you!” Zack didn’t deny it. “I thought it was just a youthful impulse. But when I met her again a year ago, she told me she still liked me!” My breath caught for a moment, and my hands on my knees slowly tightened. “What are you trying to say?” Zack met my gaze. “Thirteen years! I loved you for thirteen years, and she loved me for thirteen years. Do you know? I saw my own reflection in her – pitiful and lowly.” “So?” Zack laughed bitterly. “Sometimes I can’t help but wonder, do you really like me? Do you like me more, or…” Zack didn’t say the name, but we both knew he meant Finn. My first love. Who died from heart disease. Zack had used his eight years of secret love and two years of companionship to help me let down my guard. I thought he understood me. But now, after three years of marriage, he was still hung up on this question. “Zack, what exactly are you trying to say?” The sadness on his face disappeared, replaced by a blank expression as he looked at me. “I don’t care anymore, even if you can never let him go in your heart, even if I’m always second to him. Julia, as long as you accept the child in Tessa’s belly, we’ll be even, and we can start over!” “What did you say?” For a moment, I thought I must have misheard. “The child in Tessa’s belly is yours? Zack, are you telling me you cheated on me?” “I didn’t!” Zack rubbed his forehead tiredly, “I just gave her a child!” My face turned cold. I got out of the car, slammed the door, and started to walk away. “Julia!” Zack caught up with me, grabbing my hand tightly. “I know you can’t accept this right away, but you can think about it. I just hope we can be together more equally, instead of me always being the one to give in!” My whole body tensed up, and I gritted out each word. “Let go of me!” “Zack, you disgust me!” Zack’s grip suddenly loosened. “What did you say?” “I said, you disgust me!” He laughed abruptly. “Disgust? You say I disgust you?” “So you’re just like everyone else, thinking I’m your lapdog, is that it?” “I’ve been devoted to you for ten years, and you finally took pity on me and married me. But even now, you still haven’t let go of him in your heart.” “You know what? I’m a laughingstock in other people’s eyes!”

Zack’s emotions were getting more and more intense. But my heart was growing colder. When Finn passed away, it was Zack who stayed by my side. He told me he had secretly loved me for eight years. “From the start of high school until now, eight years, I’ve only ever liked you.” I rejected him, not wanting to use him to heal my own pain. He said it was okay. “Even if you don’t like me, it doesn’t matter, just let me be by your side. Otherwise, I’ll worry about you.” Later, I accepted him. He was so excited he almost cried. “Even if you don’t like me as much right now, it’s okay. We have a lifetime, and I believe we’ll be together forever!” Everything seemed to be going as he wished. But at some point, he started harboring all this resentment and grievance. The tenderness and love of the past became indistinguishable from falsehood. It made me shudder!

“Zack, is that you? You came to see me?” Tessa’s voice suddenly appeared. She waddled across the street, running towards us as fast as her pregnant body would allow. Zack frowned slightly and let go of me. He stepped forward to steady Tessa. “What’s the rush? Take it easy!” Tessa stuck out her tongue playfully, happily grabbing Zack’s arm. “I wanted to see you as soon as possible! Why didn’t you call me when you came? If I hadn’t seen you…” “Tessa!” “Hmm?” “I brought Julia to see you!” The smile froze on Tessa’s face. She hurriedly let go of Zack’s hand and looked at me nervously. “J-J-Julia, long time no see!” The scene before me was too absurd. I didn’t want to stay a second longer. But Tessa hurriedly came forward, trying to grab me. I quickly stepped back. “Don’t touch me. Who’s responsible if you trip or bump into something?” Zack came between us, his tone flat as he spoke to me. “I know you’re not that kind of person!” I let out a scornful laugh and nodded. “I always thought you knew that too.” Zack was stunned for a moment, about to say something, when Tessa interrupted. She bowed deeply to me, her face pale. “Julia, it’s all my fault! I only wanted to keep this baby, I didn’t mean to disturb your lives. But there’s a problem with my health, and I might not be able to see this child grow up! But don’t worry, after I give birth, I’ll leave. I won’t affect your lives!” Zack also looked at me. “Think about it carefully. You don’t need to give me an answer right away!” “No need!” I looked back at him, “I can give you my answer right now.” “Zack, I will terminate the pregnancy!” “And then, we’re getting divorced!”

Sarah probably never imagined that the first big thing she’d do after her own divorce would be to accompany me to get an abortion. I moved out of the house. At first, Zack didn’t agree. My mention of divorce enraged him. He almost smashed half the house. “Julia, how can you say those two words so easily? After all these years, what do I mean to you?” “You don’t understand, of course you don’t understand. All along, it’s been me following behind you. Have you ever looked back at me even once?” “She waited for me for thirteen years, just wanting something to remember me by. I couldn’t refuse.” “When I see her, it’s like seeing myself.” “You think I really want that child? Julia, I just wanted you to prove to me that you love me!” I stared at Zack for a long time, feeling more and more unfamiliar with him, more and more repulsed. “No need to prove anything. Just assume I never loved you!” I said sarcastically to Sarah, “When you divorced Jack, I thought Jack was a jerk. But now I realize, at least he was more straightforward than Zack. When he was wrong, he admitted it, didn’t make excuses, and agreed to divorce quickly!” But what about Zack? In the days since I left, I had been constantly mulling over his words. For a while, I even entered his mindset and thought maybe he wasn’t wrong. He had done so much for me over the years. His kindness to me was obvious to everyone. Even his mother couldn’t help but joke, “My son was born just for you. If he gave me even a fraction of the love he gives you, I’d be over the moon.” Many people envied me, saying Zack and I ending up together was hard-won. So I did cherish it. Was I not doing enough? Or did I do something wrong? Why did Zack harbor so much resentment and dissatisfaction? Sarah held my hand, her face full of disapproval. “Wrong is wrong, right is right. It doesn’t matter who’s responsible. If he insists it’s because of you, that’s his own problem.” I smiled bitterly and lowered my head. In my career so far, I’ve handled at least 80 divorce cases, if not 100. I was always able to rationally counsel others. I was always able to accurately analyze the true motivations behind a person’s actions. I told women not to be manipulated. I thought I had seen it all and could remain calm no matter what situation arose. But when it happened to me, I realized I was just as confused as anyone else in my position. When I was wheeled out of the operating room, there were quite a few people outside. Sarah stood with her back to me, blocking Jack and Zack. Seeing me, Zack’s gaze was panicked, his smile forced. “Julia, I’ve come to take you home!” Sarah shifted, blocking him. “Mr. Zhou, will you leave on your own, or do I need to call someone to escort you out? Jack should know I have some connections.” “Sarah…” “Don’t call me that!” she said, “Birds of a feather really do flock together.” In the end, Jack pulled Zack away. Before leaving, Zack stared at me intently: “The divorce is not up to you alone.” I didn’t say anything, curling up on the hospital bed. My lower abdomen felt empty, even a bit cold. Waves of dull pain stimulated my nerves. It wasn’t an intense pain, but it made my whole body tremble. I could only burrow deeper into the blanket. This baby – I hadn’t even had time to fully process its existence before I terminated the pregnancy myself. But it was the best choice. For me, I couldn’t let an unformed child burden my entire life for the sake of so-called maternal love. For the child, why should it bear the bitter fruit of my failed marriage with Zack? It was the most rational decision. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t sad. I thought, let me be weak for just one more night. When the sun rises tomorrow morning, I’ll be that unbreakable Julia again. Sarah took me back to her place, saying she wanted to take care of me herself. She asked me what I planned to do next. “Get divorced, of course. But first I need to find out the truth!” I didn’t believe a word Zack said!

For investigating this kind of thing, I had my own channels. But actually, I only needed to clarify one thing – whether Tessa had gotten pregnant through artificial insemination. I found someone to help me check her medical records at the hospital. That afternoon, he gave me the answer. Tessa had conceived naturally. Zack’s lie fell apart on its own. He had cheated. I was mentally prepared for this answer. I also thought it wouldn’t affect me at all. But when I got out of bed to get some water, my legs gave out and I fell onto the floor mat. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I smiled bitterly and shook my head: “In the past, when I encountered women who had been betrayed by their husbands, I always watched coldly as they went crazy, cried, became hysterical. I thought I would handle it better than them!” Sarah hugged me, patting my back rhythmically. “If you want to cry, then cry. What’s the big deal? When you’re hurt, you’re allowed to be upset. There’s no rule against that!” I don’t know if it was Sarah’s words, or her actions, or the warmth from her body. At that moment, the emotions I had been suppressing for days finally burst out. Tears gushed forth, and my voice went from choked sobs to wails. I cried until I was shaking, curled up on the floor, and finally passed out. “What do you plan to do next?” “Wait.” “Wait for what?” Wait for Tessa’s child to be born. This child would be key to how I approach the divorce case. I couldn’t find evidence of Zack’s affair. For nearly a year, he hadn’t given me any reason to suspect, and now it would be even harder to investigate. But that’s okay. Once we have the paternity test, his betrayal will be proven. However, as a formality, I still need to ask Zack one question first: “Do you agree to a private mediation for our divorce?”

This was the first time I agreed to meet Zack after staying at Sarah’s house for a week. He looked a bit dazed, as if he hadn’t clearly heard what I was asking, and just stared at me intently. He said: “You were lying to me, weren’t you?” “Lying about what?” “You didn’t actually terminate the pregnancy, you were lying to me!” Zack’s words made my heart clench. “Is it necessary? Do you need the doctor to perform the surgery in front of you to believe it? Or do you want me to go back into the operating room? In your heart, is it the child who committed an unforgivable sin, or is it me who’s guilty of a heinous crime?” My words made Zack’s face gradually fill with pain. “So you just terminated our child so easily? No arguing, no crying, not even telling me! Julia, you’re so heartless! If it was Finn’s child, would you have done the same?” These words instantly enraged me. But my professional sensitivity made me catch the implication in the next second. “Zack, do you regret it? You forced me to terminate the pregnancy, and now you regret it?” Zack stood up abruptly, his face deathly pale. He said: “I won’t divorce you!” Very well, it seems private mediation is not an option. If that’s the case, there’s no need to waste time. I recuperated at Sarah’s house for half a month, and after the hospital cleared me at the follow-up, I went back to work. I had originally wanted to move out. She wouldn’t let me, saying two people keep each other company. “Let’s be divorce buddies, helping each other get through this tough time!” I thought about it and agreed it wasn’t a bad idea. I moved my things out of Zack’s place. He wasn’t supposed to be there that day, but he suddenly rushed back. He didn’t say a word the whole time. He just stood there with a cold expression, watching me bustle in and out, and finally leave. Sarah didn’t understand: “What does he mean by that?” I laughed lightly: “He wants reconciliation, but he’s not willing to lower his head. Because I haven’t pushed forward with the divorce, he thinks I’m just throwing a tantrum. At a time like this, he has to hold out – whoever gives in first loses. He might even feel a bit wronged. That’s probably what’s going on in his mind!” I didn’t expect Zack to have a sudden epiphany, cry his eyes out, or be devastated. People like that are too rare. More often, it’s resentment plus hostility. That’s reality. After taking care of everything, I went abroad again. I came back half a year later, with a promotion and a raise. During the time I was abroad for the second time, Zack sent me an email with just three words: [I’m sorry!] I replied: [If you’ve already done something to be sorry for, don’t bother saying sorry!]

Tessa went into labor two days before her due date. She was admitted to the hospital in the morning and gave birth to a big, healthy boy at 7:20 PM. Almost the entire Zhou family had shown up. When I arrived, the scene was quite heartwarming. Zack was holding the baby, his expression a mix of tenderness and melancholy. Tessa lay in the hospital bed, her eyes full of joy. If it weren’t for my appearance, this would have been the picture of a happy family of three. Zack’s mother was the first to notice me. She looked a bit awkward. “Julia, you’re here! Come, come see the baby. He’ll be calling you ‘Mom’ in the future too!” I burst out laughing. “I’ll have to decline that, thanks!” Zack seemed a bit dazed. He took a couple of steps forward with the baby, then stepped back and put the child down. “You came.” “Yes, I need you to cooperate with something.” “What is it?” I pointed at the uniformed staff behind me. “We need to do a paternity test for you and the child. Please cooperate.” Zack’s expression faded, and he looked at me with deep, dark eyes.

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I deleted my family vlog channel. My best friend Amy Wilson came to confront me: “Are you crazy? Do you know how much that channel is worth?!” I blocked her and started a new life alone with my children. In my previous life, I had made a career out of sharing our family life. A pair of adorable twins attracted millions of followers. Amy exposed that my children were born through surrogacy, even though I lived in New York where it’s legal. Internet users called me a hypocrite and even attacked my children offline. I posted photos of myself pregnant and medical records, but they accused me of faking them. My children died in a car accident due to the extreme behavior of some internet users. Unable to bear the cyberbullying, I jumped from my apartment. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I posted the first video of the twins. “All done! The babies did so well!” I hugged the twins and saved the newly recorded video for editing. Suddenly, I shuddered. Looking at the familiar surroundings and the lively babies in my arms, I realized I had been reborn to the day I posted the first video of the twins. After calming down, I immediately withdrew the video I had just posted. Then I searched for Amy’s social media accounts. Information related to Amy quickly popped up. The first result wasn’t her account, but an official video about the ethical concerns of surrogacy. Her comment was the top one: [I’ll take the lead in resolutely opposing surrogacy.] Amy had attracted quite a few followers due to her frequent interactions with me, and was now considered a minor influencer. I clicked on her account. Her latest video had just been posted. With a dark background and somber music: — What should you do if your best friend does something unethical? Followers were asking what had happened, but she didn’t reply. Instead, she liked a comment speculating that it had something to do with me. [As we all know, Amy’s best friend is a famous vlogger. This vlogger’s recent videos have low engagement. Could she be up to something behind the scenes?] The ambiguous words and comments guiding public opinion were exactly the same as what I had experienced in my previous life. My account’s follower engagement dropped sharply, and brand partnerships were suspended. In my previous life, I had quickly pivoted to editing the twins’ daily life videos, rapidly becoming an annual top vlogger with millions of followers. But at the same time, I fell into a whirlpool of public opinion. Followers no longer commented “Cute babies, auntie loves you” or “So adorable, I want to steal them.” Only attacks remained: [Looking at your old videos, I thought you were a good mother. I never expected you to be such a person in private. Disgusting!] Searching for keywords, I found Amy’s apology video. She looked dejected with red-rimmed eyes, choking up as she began: “First, I want to apologize to my followers who like me. I’m sorry.” “I’ve been wallowing in regret lately, even falling into depression. I don’t deserve your love.” “Thankfully, my team has been by my side, showing me various educational videos. Now, I’ve decided to stand up and expose the filth behind the beautiful videos.” “My best friend Lily Harrison, due to health issues, couldn’t get pregnant. A year ago, she spent $200,000 on surrogacy for a pair of twins.” Amy posted various pieces of evidence, including chat logs between “me” and the surrogacy agency, payment records, and the entire process of “me” visiting the surrogate mother while pretending to be pregnant myself. I was furious. To prove that the children were born to me, I also published photos from throughout my pregnancy, as well as prenatal check-up records. But it was useless. Internet users found traces of photoshopping in my photos and wrote long posts analyzing from various angles how I didn’t have time to have children. If I wasn’t certain that the children came from my own womb, I would have doubted whether I had really used a surrogate. Internet users began to cyberbully me: [You prepared these photos long ago, didn’t you? Too bad that everything leaves traces. Photoshop can’t hide the truth.] [Boycott surrogacy.] [LOL, you asked for it.] [Everyone, let’s report her account. We can’t allow this kind of vlogger to continue deceiving people.] Even Amy’s company issued a statement saying they had notarized the evidence and handed it over to the police. Justice might be late, but it would never be absent. My husband Jack also chose this moment to file for divorce, saying he couldn’t accept what I had done and had been living in regret since the children were born. This undoubtedly nailed me to the pillar of shame. I couldn’t defend myself. My videos were reported by countless internet users, and former brand partners demanded compensation for the negative publicity online. The children were even expelled from kindergarten to avoid harassment from overzealous internet users. They died in a car accident while fleeing. My psychological defenses completely collapsed, and I jumped from my apartment. When I opened my eyes again, I had unexpectedly returned to where it all began. The children hadn’t been exposed yet, and my account hadn’t reached the influence it had in my previous life. There was still a chance to change everything.

I searched online for all information related to Amy and finally found her alternate account. She liked to share her daily life but never showed her face. If I hadn’t seen the personalized wine glass I gave her in a video, I would never have imagined this was her account. A romance influencer selling a sweet love story. Every video was a carefully scripted scene, promoting her daily life with her boyfriend. The boyfriend never appeared on camera. All the videos were just Amy’s one-sided narration, accompanied by chat screenshots and altered voice recordings. The lifestyle she revealed in the videos was exceptionally luxurious, and the filming locations were completely unfamiliar. Just as I was starting to doubt whether I had found the wrong account, I suddenly discovered a fleeting figure in one video. I paused countless times and saw that in the corner, half of a hand was exposed, wearing a top-tier diamond-encrusted men’s watch. Jack, my husband, had the same watch! It turned out that they had been involved long before I knew anything about it. No wonder he was so quick to file for divorce after I got into trouble, coordinating with Amy’s company’s statement. No wonder Amy could so easily take over my million-follower account after my death. But thinking about the children’s tragic deaths, I had no energy to care about Jack’s infidelity. I started to think. Jack was my legal husband, living under the same roof. He indeed had the opportunity to tamper with my photos and pregnancy records. I immediately gathered the photos taken during my pregnancy and the prenatal check-up records and went to the notary office to have them notarized. Ensuring that all the materials provided were verified as valid. Then I rushed home before Jack, pretending nothing had happened. To be on the safe side, I decided to post videos as usual. After much consideration, I finally came up with a new angle: a full-time housewife pranking her husband who rarely comes home. I called Jack to confirm when he’d be home, then set up traps according to online tutorials and pointed a camera at the front door. The moment Jack opened the door, dirty mop water mixed with various kitchen garbage poured down from above. “Lily Harrison, what are you—” “Surprise!” I ran to the living room laughing, hinting at the camera that was filming. He had to swallow his anger. I ran in front of the camera: “Husband’s first day coming home late, prank successful!” But my gaze unconsciously followed Jack. Seeing him carefully wiping his men’s watch, my mood inevitably sank. This should be safe now, right? To prevent accidents, I didn’t immediately post the video. Instead, I used a burner account to comment under Amy’s videos: [Sister, have you been feeling down lately? Don’t worry, no matter what happens, we’re here for you!] [Feel free to speak up, we fans will definitely help you get justice!!] She quickly replied: [Thank you, baby. I encountered some unpleasant things in life, but it’s been handled.] Sure enough, she was laying the groundwork for her future false exposé. I kept using burner accounts to express concern for her, encouraging her to speak out about the bad things. Other fans also chimed in, pushing the video to another peak of popularity. This time, I won’t post daily videos of the twins. I want to see how she’ll wrap this up. I quickly finished editing the prank video and logged into the backend of my account to post it. Just as I finished writing the caption, a notification suddenly popped up on my phone. I clicked to take a look and immediately turned pale.

Amy had updated. She specifically shared my concerned comment and simultaneously posted a video. She also added in the comments: [I originally wanted to deal with the negative emotions myself, but the love from my fan babies gave me courage. I decided to be brave and stand up against misconduct. Otherwise, when the truth comes out in the future, I, as someone who knew, would become an accomplice. My fan babies would be disappointed in me, which is the last thing I want to see.] I unconsciously swallowed, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. I clicked on her video. Unlike the real-name exposé in my previous life, she didn’t name names or present evidence. Instead, she started by telling a story, recounting the entire process of “me” being unable to conceive and desperately seeking a surrogate mother. Meanwhile, my main account, which I hadn’t updated, also posted a video. The content was the daily life of the twin babies that I had deleted. What’s going on? I looked at the content on the account in horror, unable to understand. This video had clearly been deleted, and my account had always been managed by myself. Even Jack didn’t know the password. Who posted the twins’ content? Have I been reborn once, only to be unable to change anything, forced to watch myself be cyberbullied and repeat the tragic ending of my previous life? Soon, Amy’s exposé hit the trending topics. Surrogacy was a hot topic recently, and internet users were disgusted by it. They left comments under the video: [Can someone decode this? Who is she talking about?] [I hate surrogacy the most!] [Who else could it be? Someone who could make Amy so conflicted must be a close friend. Think about who has twins, and that’s who it is.] A string of replies all contributed to uncovering the truth. Amy quickly replied to the latest comment: [Baby, you guessed right. The person is a very good friend of mine. I care about her a lot, and I don’t want to see her like this, nor do I want her to be cyberbullied. So… please don’t ask anymore.] She didn’t name names, but she gave internet users a direction to speculate. Various clues eventually converged on me. The comment section of the twins’ video completely collapsed. The door of the study was opened. Jack walked in angrily with a tablet, which was playing Amy’s latest exposé video: “What are you and Amy up to?!” “I didn’t agree when you said you wanted to run a video account before. Later, I only let you play around because the data wasn’t bad.” “What’s going on now? Is the traffic not good, so you’re using your own children for hype?” “Do you know how much criticism the babies will face outside because of what you two are doing? And how much money will my company lose because of you?” He threw the tablet in front of me and opened WeChat, sending me a file package: “Here are the clarification materials my assistant prepared. Post them immediately to eliminate the negative impact as soon as possible.” Having been through this once, I understood Jack’s intention. All the photos in the file package he prepared had been photoshopped. Sure enough, Jack’s company account posted a statement. Jack admitted that we hadn’t had children for a long time after getting married, and between the lines, he was saying that he felt ashamed for listening to my manipulation to use methods to have the two children. He didn’t directly say it was surrogacy. But this kind of ambiguous description, at this timing, would only make internet users think in one direction. Amy even commented under his post: [Since Jack has spoken up, I won’t hide it anymore.] Then on her own account, she posted all the prepared evidence. Their back-and-forth coordination completely nailed me. Fans who had spoken up for me deleted their comments one after another. The online public opinion once again formed the one-sided situation of my previous life. Some internet users even dug up my burner account and found the comments I had left urging Amy to tell the truth. [Damn, seemingly concerned but actually warning her? What were you planning to do? If Amy dared to reveal anything, you’d use your husband’s family’s power to suppress her?] [But you didn’t expect it, did you? Our Amy has evidence against you, and your husband doesn’t approve of you either, so he won’t help you!] I didn’t use the file package Jack gave me to clarify. Instead, I planned to publish my own notarized evidence. But when I finished editing the content and was about to post it, my account was banned. I contacted customer service in the backend and tried every way to call the platform’s executives. The only response I got was: “We’re very sorry, Ms. Harrison, but due to the massive negative impact you’ve caused, according to network security regulations, the platform has the right to ban your account.” I asked when it could be unbanned. The answer I got was that it would never be possible! I wasn’t convinced and kept calling until an executive finally told me impatiently: “Ms. Harrison, if you want to unban the account, why don’t you ask your family?” I couldn’t help but laugh. In my previous life, Amy had easily taken over my account and used it to secure multiple brand deals, helping Jack’s company get through the financial crisis. They did this because they wanted to make money using my account while getting rid of me at the same time. I stared at the account backend on the screen, unconsciously moving the mouse to [Delete Account] and clicked. Without this account, let’s see what you plan to do next.

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My grandmother’s death was a storm, ignited by Ella’s venom. The day of her memorial, a day that should have been for mourning, was instead marked by chaos—the same day as Alpha Ethan’s wedding. He, consumed by pride and blinded by Ella’s manipulation, accused me of faking my grief, of trying to ruin their ceremony. In a surge of fury, I took my grandmother’s casket and left. Days later, the truth clawed its way to the surface, and Ethan, finally awake from his delusions, was swallowed whole by regret. And as for Ryan, the mate who had been bound to me only because of Ella—he too was forced to face the punishment that was long overdue. I was jolted awake by the sharp ring of my phone. The hospital’s number flashed on the screen. “Alice,” the voice on the other end was tight, trembling. “It’s your grandmother… her condition has worsened. You need to come immediately.” My grandmother… no. She was the only family I had left,. I dashed out the door. Where is Ryan? As I barreled into the hospital, my chest heaving with urgency, I noticed it immediately. The emptiness in the air where his presence should have been. I pulled my phone from my pocket, panic clawing at my insides. With trembling fingers, I unlocked it, praying for something—anything—from him. My eyes locked onto the message that blinked back at me, its words slicing through me like a blade. “I’m sorry, Alice. I couldn’t be there. We’ll need to postpone the wedding. Something came up with the pack.” For years, I had trusted his every word. His role as Beta to the Crescent Moon Pack demanded sacrifices, and I had accepted them with unwavering loyalty. I knew what it meant to be with someone bound by duty—a wolf’s promise to his Alpha was sacred. Alpha Ethan had stolen my heart before I even understood love. We were bound by a legacy, a promise that I foolishly believed could never be broken. But it wasn’t fate that tore us apart—it was her. Ella, the manipulative vixen who had wormed her way into Ethan’s life, stolen his heart, his loyalty, and now, my new mate, Ryan. The woman whose engagement now claimed the venue meant for my wedding. The hall that should have been draped in moonlit silks and scented with lavender, my favorite, was instead bathed in golden lights and laughter for her. The guests who had once RSVPed to witness my vows had seamlessly redirected their allegiances, joining the celebration in her honor. And Ryan was now nothing more than Ella’s lapdog. The way his gaze lingered when Ella entered the room. The way his wolf’s energy shifted, restless and alert, when she was near. I had been blind, clinging to his promises while he drifted further into her orbit. The call from the doctor broke me. Nana was gone. I ran to her side, but it was too late. The warmth in her hands had faded, her last words a plea I couldn’t fulfill. “Don’t cry, child,” she had said only days ago, her voice weak but steady. “Just let me see you in your wedding dress.” I had failed her. When I returned home, the house felt emptier than ever—until I noticed Ryan’s scent. It clung to the air, heavy with pine and musk. He was waiting for me, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim living room light. He stood with a bottle in his hands, his expression caught between guilt and something unreadable. “Alice,” he murmured, stepping closer. “I brought you something.” The scent of the forest clung to him, familiar but distant, like the echo of a memory. “What is it?” I asked, my voice colder than I intended. His lips quirked into a tentative smile as he held the bottle out to me. It was glass, filled with a dark amber liquid that shimmered faintly under the light. “Wolf’s Mead,” he said softly. “For the ceremony. It’s tradition, isn’t it? I thought we could drink it together when we—” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “When we stand under an altar that was supposed to be mine but was draped in lights for Ella instead?” Ryan froze, his wolf’s energy flickering as the words sank in. I stepped back. “This? This is her favorite, isn’t it? She’s the one who told you about this tradition. You never cared about it before.” His silence was louder than any excuse. “You’ve been chasing her all along, haven’t you?” My voice grew stronger, fueled by anger and the sting of betrayal. “Every time you came home smelling like her, every time you smiled at her name… Did you even fight for me? Or was I just the consolation prize?” His wolf stirred, a low growl vibrating in his chest, but I didn’t flinch. “ Ryan. We’re over.” I turned toward the door, grabbing my suitcase, but his hand shot out, gripping my arm. His touch was warm, electric, the pull of the mate bond still strong despite the betrayal. “Don’t do this,” he growled, his voice thick with desperation. “You’re mine, Alice. You’re my mate.” I met his gaze, the glow of his wolf’s eyes clashing with my resolve. “I was yours,” I said softly. “But you gave me away.”

He sensed my mood before I could mask it, his tone softening like the wind before a storm. “Alice, are you still upset about the wedding delay? Don’t worry. I’ve already dealt with it. This time, nothing will interfere.” He stepped closer, the faint scent of pine and frost curling around me—a scent that had once brought comfort but now felt suffocating. “I’ll explain to your grandmother personally,” he added, guilt flashing briefly in his silvered eyes before being replaced by a practiced calm. I let out a bitter laugh, as cold and sharp as the winter winds in the mountains. “Don’t bother. The wedding’s off. You don’t need to meet my grandmother—she wouldn’t want your explanations anyway.” His composure cracked for the briefest moment, irritation flickering in his eyes like a predator cornered. “Alice, you’re overreacting. The wedding has been three months in the making. Invitations have been sent to every pack. Do you realize the dishonor you’re bringing to me?” “Dishonor?” I echoed, my voice laced with ice. “Was it honor that kept you running off on ‘urgent pack matters’? Or was it her?” His lips parted, but before he could spew another lie, his phone buzzed. He glanced down, and as if pulled by instinct, his lips curved into a smile that sliced through me like a silver blade. “I’ll make it up to you,” he murmured before disappearing into the night, his figure melting into the shadows like smoke. The scent of Ella lingered faintly in the air. Only she could summon him with a single message. Once, I might have believed his excuses. Now, the truth gleamed brighter than the full moon rising above us. He didn’t even bother hiding it anymore. After he left, I gathered every gift he’d given me over the past hundred days. Trinkets meant to placate me. Tokens for a love that had long since decayed. I intended to return them all. The next morning, as I was about to leave, the seamstress called. “Miss Alice, your custom wedding dress has arrived. When can you come for the fitting?” I steadied my voice against the tide of emotions threatening to drown me. “Cancel it. The wedding’s off.” The woman hesitated. “This dress was a moonlit commission. The deposit alone was fifty million. If you wish to cancel, you’ll need to come in person to sign the forms.” Reluctantly, I went to the boutique. As I signed the cancellation forms, another dress caught my eye. It gleamed like frost under moonlight, adorned with rare starsteel threads and enchanted diamonds that pulsed faintly with lunar energy. “That’s…” My words faltered as two assistants wheeled it out with reverence. Their whispered chatter pierced through me like claws. “Ella is so lucky,” one said with an envious sigh. “This dress is the most exquisite piece we’ve ever seen! It’s commissioned by an Alpha and an Ryan together.1 billion can’t even cover its magic enhancements.” “Imagine two dominant wolves competing to spoil her,” another added. “What kind of blessing must she have to deserve that?” My grip tightened around the pen, my claws threatening to pierce the paper. When I arrived at Ryan’s office, the box of returned gifts felt heavier with every step. The receptionists greeted me with bright smiles. “Mrs. Stone,” they chirped. “You’re so lucky! Ryan took a month off to prepare for your wedding!” “Did you hear?” one whispered loudly. “He even bought a lunar relic necklace at auction for ten billion. It’s probably for the wedding.” Their voices dripped with envy, but their words struck like daggers. Every detail they spoke of wasn’t mine. The wedding plans, the jewelry, the grand gestures—they were all for someone else. The elevator doors slid open, and her voice spilled out before I saw her. Ella, leaning against Ryan, her arm looped through his. “Ryan, this necklace is ridiculous. I can’t even move my neck with all this weight!” He smirked, brushing a lock of hair from her face. “Didn’t you say you wanted Ethan to feel threatened? Consider it a success.” I stepped into the room, the air thick with their shared intimacy. Ryan’s expression shifted when he noticed me, his gaze hardening like steel. “Why are you here?” he demanded. “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from the office? You’re disrupting my employees.” His eyes fell on the box in my hands. “What’s that? Trash? Security, throw it out.” Before I could speak, the guards seized the box and dumped it into the bin. I stared, my breath catching as the truth sank in—everything he’d given me was counterfeit. Cheap imitations. Worthless lies. Ethan’s voice broke the silence. “Ryan, your mate is standing here, and you’re holding mine. Care to explain?” Ella stepped back, tears welling in her eyes as she turned to me. “Alice, I know you and Ethan have a history, but you accepted Ryan’s proposal. Why can’t you let Ethan go?” Ryan’s glare deepened. “This is your fault,” he growled. “You knew Ella’s insecurities, yet you reached out to Ethan. Was it to humiliate me?” The contempt in his voice cut deeper than any claw. Ethan’s words were the final blow. “I never loved Alice,” he said coldly. “Not before. Not now. Not ever.” Ella’s tears spilled over, but the triumph in her eyes was unmistakable. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed before fleeing. Ethan followed without hesitation, leaving me in the suffocating silence of Ryan’s disdain. Ryan turned to me, his gaze devoid of warmth. “You’ve embarrassed me enough. Leave. Now.” For the first time, my voice didn’t falter. “No, Ryan. You leave.

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The company demanded our team work overtime to meet a deadline, causing everyone to forget to clock out. I went to HR, who told me to talk to the boss. I went to the boss, who told me to “learn my lesson.” Seriously? The company makes money, the client gets their project on time. And I, just a lowly worker, pull an all-nighter, damage my health, and lose my monthly attendance bonus? Am I some kind of doormat? I quit! I hate working on projects for Indian clients. The Indians messed up the timeline, demanding our security platform – originally scheduled to launch in two weeks – go live 10 days early. In just 5 days, we have to complete performance optimization, bug fixes, security audits, OS compatibility testing, comprehensive testing, gather user feedback and make improvements. I’m exhausted. I feel like jumping out the office window. At 3 AM, to meet the deadline, all 12 members of the “Cloud Shadow Intelligent Security Defense Platform” project team are still working in the office. Everyone knows we’re on a tight schedule, so no one has gone home. As the project lead, I’m truly grateful for everyone’s dedication. But little did we know, our conscientiousness in staying to work overtime without leaving the office even once would backfire. It caused our entire team to be marked as leaving early the previous day for not clocking out, and absent today for not clocking in. When Emma came to me with the attendance records, I thought it was a minor issue that could be easily fixed by talking to HR. After all, the office security footage would prove we all stayed in the office working overtime. Even the usual slackers cut down on their bathroom breaks. I immediately grabbed my phone and headed to HR, planning to sort it out and get some fresh air. My fingers were practically turning to stone from coding for so long. Entering the HR office, I found three women chatting away. One was showing off her new manicure, another complaining about her mischievous kid, and the third laughing hysterically at some TV show. I felt a pang of envy. When would I get to enjoy such a relaxed workday, gossiping during office hours? Seeing me, the happy atmosphere in the office instantly evaporated. The three women froze, clearly not expecting anyone to come to HR so early. They silently returned to their desks. I wondered if I’d come at a bad time and ruined their fun. The woman closest to the door, with an elaborate updo and full makeup, was the manicure lady. She rolled her eyes, glanced at me, and asked coldly: “What do you want?” I showed her my attendance record: “Can you remove these early departure and absence records? Our project team got notified yesterday that we need to launch the platform 10 days early. Everyone stayed late last night, so we didn’t…” “Hold on,” Manicure Lady raised her left hand, her right hand tapping away at the keyboard. My unfinished sentence got stuck in my throat. I could only wait silently. Manicure Lady’s brow furrowed, then relaxed, then looked suspicious: “Tsk, what’s going on with your team? 12 people, all without clock-outs yesterday, and all absent this morning.” When asking for a favor, you have to be polite: “We were working overtime yesterday and forgot to clock out. We even slept in the office. If no one had reminded me this morning, I wouldn’t have realized we missed clocking in twice.” Manicure Lady kept staring at her computer screen, clicking her mouse incessantly: “Ugh, so annoying.” She suddenly slammed her mouse on the desk, leaned back in her chair, looking very irritated: “I can’t remove this. There’s not even a leave request. How am I supposed to fix it?” I stood there stunned, not expecting such an attitude from Manicure Lady. Lack of sleep, plus all the coffee I’d been drinking like water these past two days, made my temper flare up quickly. Before I knew it, I slammed my hand on Manicure Lady’s desk, pointing at her nose: “What’s with your attitude? Who are you giving attitude to?” The three HR women looked at me in horror. Looking at the three of them, I suddenly regretted my outburst. Our company’s HR department was nicknamed the “Wives Club” because it was staffed by the wives or female relatives of company executives. I’d gotten bold today and actually yelled at the Wives Club. The HR ladies were used to throwing their weight around, but Manicure Lady clearly hadn’t expected me to be so forceful. She deflated a bit. She muttered: “Why are you getting angry? If it can’t be fixed, it can’t be fixed. If you’ve got a problem, go talk to the boss.” I grabbed my phone and practically ran out of the HR office. Oh no, I’m in trouble now. Who knows which executive’s wife Manicure Lady is. But after leaving the office, I calmed down. What am I afraid of? I’m a tech backbone of the company, doing real work and making money for them. Surely no brain-dead executive would fire me, right?

The more I thought about it, the more I felt I could still hang on at the company. After all, the value I create for the company is much higher than the Wives Club. But I’ll probably face some trouble. If they don’t teach me a lesson, where would those self-important executives put their faces? I sighed, resigning myself to my bad luck. This society was never fair. If my husband outranked their husbands, I bet Manicure Lady wouldn’t have dared use that attitude with me. The boss’s office was on the top floor. I’d been there once before for a project report, but rarely had the chance to go to the executive level. Outside the boss’s office was a slightly smaller office for his secretary. As I was about to knock, the secretary’s door opened a crack. A woman in a gray suit poked her head out, asking coldly: “Who are you?” I recognized this secretary – she was often seen following the boss. I couldn’t afford to offend her. I quickly replied: “I’m Rachel, the project lead. I’m here to see the boss about removing some absence records.” Understanding my purpose, the secretary frowned slightly: “For such a small matter, you should just go to HR. Why bother the boss?” I explained: “HR said they can’t remove it without a leave slip.” The secretary’s frown deepened. After a few seconds of silence: “The boss isn’t in the office now. He usually comes in around 3 PM.” What? The boss doesn’t come in until 3 PM? I almost blurted out in surprise but managed to hold it in. After thanking her, I prepared to come back at 3 PM and turned to leave. “Wait,” the secretary called out, “Come register and I’ll make an appointment for you.” “Huh? Do I need an appointment even though I’m an internal employee?” I must have looked very foolish, as I really don’t interact with upper management. I couldn’t believe our crappy company required appointments just to see the boss. The secretary gave me an annoyed look: “Of course. The boss arrives at 3 PM and leaves promptly at 5:30 PM, not a second later. Even directors and managers can’t always get on his schedule. How could a team lead like you not need an appointment?” As she spoke, the secretary tapped on her tablet: “I’ve scheduled you for 5:20 PM. You only have 5 minutes. When time’s up, you have to leave whether you’ve finished or not.” I nodded numbly, indicating I understood. This boss puts on airs like an ancient emperor. If I didn’t need this money to live, I would have quit long ago! Let whoever wants to serve him do it. Is it easy for us working folks to earn money? As soon as I got back to the office, everyone crowded around asking if I’d gotten the absence records removed. I told them we didn’t have leave slips, so it couldn’t be removed. As soon as I finished speaking, Emma exploded. She’s a young girl who just graduated and joined our company 6 months ago. Emma shouted: “That’s ridiculous! We pulled an all-nighter to meet the deadline, and end up with absence records. We might as well have let the project be delayed. It’s not like it’s coming out of my pocket anyway.” Emma started packing up her things: “Since I’m marked absent anyway, why should I stay at this crappy company? I’m going home to sleep!” Several others also looked like they were thinking of packing up and going home. I tried to calm everyone down: “I’ll definitely get the boss to approve removing everyone’s absence records this afternoon!” After much persuasion, Emma finally put down her half-packed bag and sat in her chair sulking. Olivia is a middle-aged woman like me, with elderly parents and young kids to support. She never thinks about her own feelings, only money! After I promised to talk to the boss about removing the absence records, Olivia was still worried: “You must explain it well to the boss this afternoon. The monthly perfect attendance bonus is $300, and the year-end bonus is also tied to this. Without perfect attendance, we could lose thousands of dollars.” I reassured Olivia: “Don’t worry, the boss should have that much perspective.”

At 5:10 PM, I was waiting outside the boss’s office 10 minutes early. Time ticked by second by second. The wall clock soon showed 5:25 PM. I got anxious. Why hasn’t the previous person come out yet? I asked the secretary. Without looking up, she replied: “Mr. Davis is discussing a project with the boss. If you want to listen in, you can go in.” How could I dare? A big boss and an operations director. I’m just a nobody. I could only wait patiently. Soon the minute hand reached 35. Voices came from the door. The boss and Mr. Davis walked out chatting and laughing. I hurriedly stepped forward. Respectfully: “Hello, boss. Hello, Mr. Davis.” Mr. Davis’s face flashed with displeasure. He still wanted to chat more with the boss, but I’d interrupted. After saying goodbye to the boss, Mr. Davis left. The boss didn’t linger either, heading straight for his private elevator. I followed behind the boss like a tail: “Boss, I’m Rachel, the project lead for the Cloud Shadow Intelligent Security Defense Platform. Our project was originally due in two weeks but suddenly needs to be completed in 5 days.” Seeing we were just steps from the elevator, I sped up: “The team members have all been working overtime. Last night no one went home, causing us to miss clocking out last night and in this morning. Because we don’t have leave slips, it can’t be removed. HR said we need your approval.” I finished in one breath, feeling a bit short of air. But I’d finally seen the boss. With just one word from him, our absence records could be removed. We reached the private elevator. The secretary had already pressed the button, and the elevator was quietly waiting. The boss walked in and turned to look at me: “Rules are rules. If I make an exception for you today, what about when others ask me tomorrow? Do I help them or not?” The boss looked at his secretary: “Sarah, just handle these things yourself in the future.” The secretary nodded in acknowledgment. I was about to say more, begging the boss to be lenient, when the elevator doors slowly closed in front of me. The secretary left without lingering, turning back towards her office. I was left alone, staring at the closed elevator doors, feeling lost. Everyone on the project team sacrifices their time for money, staying late at the office. But what’s the result? The company’s project is successfully delivered, money goes into the boss’s pocket. Employees work diligently for a month, then lose the $300 perfect attendance bonus at month-end, and thousands in year-end bonus. Even someone like me with a thick skin is thinking of quitting. How am I supposed to face the people on the project team? I’d made such confident promises this morning, only to have reality slap me in the face. I don’t remember how I got back to the project office. In the blink of an eye, I was surrounded by everyone. “Rachel, did the boss agree?” Olivia asked anxiously. Looking at everyone’s expectant faces, I didn’t know how to answer. I just shook my head. This simple gesture seemed to drain all my energy. The hopeful looks in everyone’s eyes instantly dimmed. Olivia’s eyes reddened with urgency: “How can this be? Why didn’t the boss agree? Rachel, did you not explain it clearly?” Looking at Olivia, I suddenly felt we were all so pitiful. We do the work, but don’t get a share when it comes to the money. This world is truly absurd. I smiled self-mockingly, feeling I’d learned another important lesson. “I explained it clearly to the boss. He said ‘rules are rules’ and told the secretary to handle these things herself in the future, not to bother him.” Olivia’s hand resting on the desk was shaking. The color drained from her face at my words: “Why? How can this be?” Seeing Olivia like this, Emma, who had been holding back, finally exploded. She pulled over a chair, stood on the desk, and waved her arms: “Look at this everyone! We give our all to the company, and the company treats employees like slaves! How can they bully us like this?” Suddenly, Emma turned to look at me, her eyes red: “I’m going home today. Whoever wants to work this crappy job can work it. Don’t try to stop me!” For some reason, I also felt the urge to follow Emma, abandon the project, and go home for a good sleep.

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## After five years of marriage to my husband, I finally got pregnant with our child. Overjoyed, I went to share the news with him, only for him to respond coldly: “Having Ethan as my child is enough for me.” It wasn’t until I discovered that my husband had been sending flowers to his ex-wife every Valentine’s Day that it finally hit me: He had never truly moved on from her. All he ever wanted was to have a child with the person he actually loved. Without hesitation, I scheduled an appointment to terminate the pregnancy and handed him a printed copy of the divorce papers. “This relationship? I’ll be the one to walk away.” When I brought home the pregnancy test results, my husband was in the kitchen helping his stepson bake a cake. “Claire, come over here! Look at the fruit Ethan cut himself—isn’t it great?” The way he looked at his stepson was full of tenderness. He was, without a doubt, a wonderful father. For five years, I had often wondered if my husband would treat our child with the same love and care he showered on Ethan if I ever got pregnant. “Babe, I’ve got some great news to share!” He smiled at me, his face lighting up. “Look at how happy you are! What’s going on?” I walked quickly to his side, holding the test results up like a trophy. “Zach, I’m pregnant! Once the baby’s born, Ethan won’t have to play with his toys by himself anymore!” But suddenly, his expression darkened. His voice turned cold. “Having Ethan is enough for me.” Ethan, overhearing this, threw a tantrum. He grabbed the finished cake and smashed it onto the floor. Frosting splattered everywhere. “Dad! If she has a baby, I’m leaving! I’ll go live with Mom! She already told me that if she has a baby, you won’t love me anymore!” Tears streamed down his face as he cried uncontrollably. My husband immediately hugged him, trying to calm him down. “Ethan, I promised your mom you’d be my only child, okay? Don’t cry.” Ethan sniffled and finally stopped crying but turned to glare at me with resentment. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. After five years of marriage, had my husband never considered having a child with me? Sensing my disappointment, my husband sighed. “Claire, I’m just not ready to have another child yet. Can you give me some time?” I quietly went to the bedroom to manage my emotions. On the nightstand sat a model airplane my husband had built for Ethan and a scarf he had hand-knit for him. I couldn’t quite describe how I felt. I collapsed onto the bed, resting my hand on my stomach. He only wanted Ethan. But what about our child? Feeling overwhelmed, I ended up taking an afternoon nap for the first time in years. When I woke up, my husband was sitting by the bed with a jewelry box in his hands. “Claire, I’m sorry about earlier. While you were sleeping, I went out and bought you something—a necklace. Let me put it on for you.” He opened the box, revealing a delicate gold necklace. He swept my hair to the side and fastened it around my neck. “Claire, your health has always been fragile, and I’m worried about the risks of you having a baby. I didn’t mean what I said earlier—I wasn’t thinking clearly. And as for what my ex-wife said, I don’t care about that. Ethan’s just a kid; I’m more concerned about how he’s feeling.” Seeing that I was still upset, he added, “Claire, my ex-wife left me when I was at my lowest, but you stayed. You’ve been with me through it all, and you’re the one I love most. Don’t overthink this, okay?” I thought back to the year I met him. He couldn’t even scrape together $300 and had to move from place to place with his son, struggling to make ends meet. After we got married, I sold my dowry to help him start his business. Over time, he earned more and more money and treated me like a queen. He even made an effort to bring Ethan and me closer, knowing his son might feel uneasy about me being in their lives.

I caved. Since my husband had taken the initiative to explain things, I decided there was no point in holding a grudge. Just as I was about to say something, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then stepped out onto the balcony to take the call. For some reason, I could sense that something was off. When he returned, his tone had changed. “Claire, let’s keep the baby. It’s our child, after all. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of so you can have a safe pregnancy.” I nodded slightly, but something about his sudden change of heart didn’t sit right with me. That evening, Zach cooked dinner himself. He even took a picture of the ultrasound report and posted it on Facebook with a caption about how excited he was. But that very post brought his mother to our door. “I was wondering why Ethan’s been so upset lately. Turns out, it’s because *you*—this little homewrecker—managed to get yourself pregnant with Zach’s child! You’re manipulative, aren’t you? Trying to use a baby to tie him down, huh?” Her words were like daggers, sharp and unrelenting. She had never liked me. When Zach and I got married, he didn’t have much money, and my parents had asked him to contribute at least a little financially to the wedding. That small request had become a source of endless criticism from her. She had clung to that grudge, accusing me of making things unnecessarily difficult for Zach, and she loved to remind me that, in her day, no one asked for dowries. Now, she had found the perfect excuse to berate me again. “I only recognize Ethan as my grandchild! When Zach married his ex-wife, Jessica, they didn’t spend a dime on the wedding!” To make her point even clearer, she didn’t hesitate to bring up Zach’s ex-wife, Jessica, just to spite me. I turned to Zach for help, desperation in my eyes. He sighed and said, “Mom, Jessica and I have been over for years. Can we not do this?” His mother’s eyes widened in disbelief. “But you still love her, don’t you?” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t help but wonder—did Zach still have feelings for his ex-wife? I tried to silence that thought, reminding myself to trust my husband. But the sound of a chair being kicked over snapped me out of it. “Enough, Mom!” Zach’s voice boomed, startling her into silence. “I said not to bring this up anymore! And don’t mention Jessica in front of Claire again—it’ll just upset her.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated, then gently helped me back to the bedroom to rest. Lying there, I chastised myself internally. Zach had done so much to protect me—how could I let myself doubt him like that? The next day, I woke up to the smell of food. It was already 11 a.m., and Zach was setting the last dish on the table. “Wait, is that bell peppers?” I asked, surprised. “I thought you hated them? Why’d you cook them today?” Before he could answer, the doorbell rang. Zach’s mother hurried to open the door. It was Ethan and Jessica, his ex-wife. His mother’s face lit up as she ushered them in. “Jessica, come in! You know, Zach still thinks about you. Look! He even made bell peppers for you—just like he used to. Go ahead, try them and see if they still taste the same!” Zach froze, panic flashing across his face. He leaned in close to whisper to me, “Claire, I made them for Ethan.” He reached out as if he wanted to hold me but stopped himself halfway, withdrawing his hand with an apologetic look. “Ethan’s here. I don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.” The three of them looked like a picture-perfect family, while I, the one who was supposed to be his wife, felt like an outsider. Jessica’s gaze drifted to my stomach. After a pause, she said, “Once your wife has the baby, I’ll take Ethan to live with me. You’ll have your own child, so there’s no need for you to worry about mine anymore.” Her words seemed like an attempt to draw a clear line between her and Zach, but I could tell she was testing him, waiting to see how he would react. Zach didn’t respond. Instead, he quietly placed a piece of beef on my plate. But I’m allergic to beef. Jessica gave him a long, searching look before saying, “Zach, do you even know what you really want?”

My husband’s sharp gaze swept over Jessica, but she just laughed unabashedly. “It’s time you figured it out,” she said, grabbing her bag. “I’ve got things to do. Ethan can stay with you for a few days.” With that, she walked out the door. My husband’s eyes lingered on her retreating figure for a moment before he quickly looked down, avoiding my gaze. Ethan stared at him, wide-eyed. “Dad, Mom says you love her the most. So why are you with Aunt Claire?” My husband frowned, his voice curt. “You’re too young to understand.” Under the table, he squeezed my hand, signaling me to stay calm. His mother snorted. “Your dad’s just trying to upset your mom, that’s all!” I could tell she said it to get under my skin, and honestly, it worked. My mind was already spinning. “I have work to do,” Zach said, setting his fork down and getting up to leave. But Ethan clung to his sleeve, his voice trembling. “Dad, I hate you! Mom’s always crying because of you!” My usually gentle husband suddenly snapped, shouting, “Go study! If you don’t finish by eleven, don’t even think about going to bed!” Ethan froze for a moment before bursting into tears, but Zach didn’t flinch. After that day, Zach started treating me better than ever. To the point where, if I’d asked for the stars, he might have tried to pluck them from the sky for me. When I was about six weeks pregnant, Zach suddenly threw on a jacket late at night, getting ready to leave. I handed him a thicker coat. “It’s cold outside. Are you heading back to the office this late?” He hesitated for a moment, then placed his hands firmly on my shoulders, looking serious. “Jessica has a high fever. You know her family isn’t around, so I…” “Go ahead,” I said, cutting him off, my face expressionless. He seemed anxious, worried I might be upset. “I’ll be back soon. I don’t have feelings for her anymore. I’m just taking her to the hospital because she’s Ethan’s mom.” I pushed him gently toward the door, slipping the car keys into his hand. The next morning, he called me from the hospital, asking if I could bring Ethan over to see his mom. I didn’t hesitate. I woke Ethan up, got him dressed, and took him to the hospital. “Claire, you haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Zach asked when we arrived. “I’ll go grab breakfast for all of us. Wait here.” As soon as he left, Jessica pointed to the phone Zach had accidentally left on the nightstand. “Zach and I have always loved each other,” she said, her tone dripping with smugness. “If you open our chat history, you’ll see exactly what I mean.” Her words were like a lure, and against my better judgment, I picked up his phone and unlocked it. The first thing I saw was a recurring order: every Valentine’s Day, Zach had been sending Jessica flowers. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel angry. Instead, I felt a strange sense of relief. Ethan, oblivious to my emotions, laughed and pointed at me. “Mom, look! Aunt Claire’s eyes are red!” The hospital was twenty kilometers from home. I didn’t take a cab or a bus. I walked the entire way, letting the cold wind clear my head. When I got home, I calmly drafted a divorce agreement, printed it out, and scheduled an appointment for a termination. Later that evening, Zach came home carrying a bag of hot food. “Claire, why’d you leave? You haven’t eaten yet. Come sit down.” His mother, who had been lingering nearby, rolled her eyes at me and said mockingly, “What’s next? Do you need my son to spoon-feed you too?” Zach’s face hardened. “Mom, can you stop being so rude to Claire?” But I wasn’t in the mood to watch him play the role of the perfect husband anymore. I handed him the divorce papers. “I’m done. This marriage is over. I’ll take the house and the car—as compensation. You don’t love me, so let’s not pretend anymore. I’ll terminate the pregnancy. There’s no point in bringing this child into the world.”

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### On the day of the company’s IPO, the CEO—my fiancé—was supposed to make our relationship official. I thought this would finally be the moment I got the recognition I deserved. But during her big speech, right in front of the entire company, she called someone else on stage. Her real love. A man who had only been with the company for three months. Standing side by side, their fingers intertwined, Jason—her smug, ever-present shadow—looked right at me from the stage and raised an eyebrow, a cruel smirk curling at his lips. “I didn’t plan to make our relationship public so soon,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “But… someone around me has been so eager for me to make things official. So, here we are.” My girfriend turned to him, her face glowing with affection. She didn’t deny it. She didn’t call out his lie. If anything, her eyes were filled with love, like she couldn’t care less about how humiliating this was—for me. And then, as if that weren’t enough, she announced that she was giving my shares—the ones I’d worked years to earn—to her “true love.” “Without you, this company wouldn’t exist,” she said, her voice dripping with gratitude as she handed over everything I had built. “I hope, Jason, that from now on, you’ll lead our team to even greater success!” The two of them stood there, playing their perfect little act, while the crowd below erupted into applause, cheering them on like they were the perfect couple. And me? I just sat there, quiet, unmoving. I didn’t argue. I didn’t cry. I simply watched. Let them celebrate. Let them enjoy their moment. Because I want to see how they plan to “achieve greater success” without me—this company’s biggest investor and the one who built it from the ground up. Let’s see how far they get without me. 0

When Penelope handed over the stock transfer documents to Jason, I was completely stunned. For a moment, my ears rang so loudly I thought I was dreaming. But as the applause erupted around me, I realized this was all too real. “Wait, what’s going on? Wasn’t Evan supposed to be her fiancé? How did it suddenly become Jason?” “Jason’s only been with the company for what, three months? And now he’s hit the jackpot? Man, he’s set for life now!” “Exactly. Poor Evan, though. Years of blood, sweat, and tears, and he walks away with nothing.” The applause died down, replaced by hushed whispers rippling through the crowd. But none of them made any effort to hide their gossip from me—the person they were clearly talking about. I knew what they were doing. They wanted to humiliate me, to curry favor with the new shareholder. Jason, ever the opportunist, wasted no time. He looked over at me, tugging on Penelope’s sleeve like a child begging for attention. “Evan, are you… upset with Penelope’s decision? Or maybe you’re not happy about me getting the shares?” His voice was dripping with fake humility, like he was trying to play the victim. “I know I haven’t been with the company long, so it’s understandable if you’re not impressed with me. But I’ll work hard to earn your respect. I just hope you can be genuinely happy for me today.” Jason’s little monologue left me speechless. I hadn’t said a word. I was just sitting there quietly, and yet he was acting like I was the villain in his story. It was almost laughable. “Which eye of yours saw me not being happy for you?” I finally asked, my tone calm and sharp. “Evan, what’s with your attitude?” Penelope cut in coldly, her voice laced with irritation. “Jason was just being considerate, and this is how you respond? Don’t forget—he’s your superior now.” Her words hit me harder than I expected, but it wasn’t the first time she’d sided with him. “Superior? A guy who can’t even get basic data right? I’d rather not.” “Shut up!” Penelope snapped, her voice icy. “The last time there was a mistake, it was you who handed Jason the wrong files. He only made an error because of you! Stop blaming others for your carelessness. Why don’t you try taking responsibility for once?” I stared at her silently, the woman I had loved for five years. Her face was the same, but her words… they cut deeper than any knife ever could. In the two months Jason had been with the company, he’d made countless mistakes—three major ones that cost us contracts, and more minor errors than I could count. Every time, Penelope somehow found a way to shift the blame onto me. And now, she was still convinced Jason was some sort of genius. That I wasn’t even worthy of being in the same room as him. Jason, of course, played his part perfectly. He tugged on Penelope’s hand, his voice trembling with fake guilt. “Penelope, please don’t fight with him because of me. I’m just a newbie—if Evan’s upset, it’s my fault. I don’t want to cause trouble.” Penelope’s expression softened immediately. She turned to me, her tone sharp but smug. “Evan’s upset? He’s the one who’s caused the company millions in losses because of his constant mistakes. He should be grateful I’m even letting him keep his position.” She crossed her arms, her voice dripping with condescension. “If he can’t handle it, he’s free to leave. Though let’s be honest—there’s no other company that would offer him the kind of salary and role I’ve given him here.” Her words made me laugh. She really thought this company’s success was all because of her? She didn’t know—or maybe she’d forgotten—that this company only went public because of my connections. Because of my money. And now that she’d gotten what she wanted, she thought she could just toss me aside and take all the credit? I stood up slowly. Jason immediately went pale, his face tightening as though he thought I was about to hit him. Penelope’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why do you both look so nervous?” I said, my voice light but mocking. “If Jason’s so talented, it doesn’t make sense for him to stay in a subordinate role. How about we switch? He can have my position as CEO.” The room fell dead silent. Everyone stared at me, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief. After all, everyone here knew the truth: this company had been built from the ground up by me. I had sacrificed years of my life, pouring everything I had into turning Penelope’s dream into a reality. When the company was nothing but a tiny startup, I was the one working late nights, making every decision, finding every investor. I did it all because I wanted to be her foundation, her support. And now that the company was thriving, everyone assumed Penelope would finally recognize my efforts. That this would be the moment she lifted me up beside her. But instead, she wanted me to hand over everything I’d built. I thought back to the night before the IPO. Penelope had curled up in my arms, talking excitedly about our future. About how we’d finally be able to live openly as a couple. I had stayed awake the whole night, unable to contain my excitement. But when the big day came, the future she had promised wasn’t mine. It was Jason’s. I finally understood: it wasn’t that Penelope didn’t like public displays of affection or grand romantic gestures. She just didn’t like me. The realization was bitter, but it was freeing too. “Fine,” I said simply, brushing past them. Penelope froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had expected me to fight, to cling to what little dignity I had left. Instead, I walked out of the room without looking back. Just as I stepped outside, a sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up to the curb. The driver got out, bowing slightly as he opened the door for me. “Young Master,” he said respectfully, “your father asked me to remind you—it’s time to stop playing around. You need to come home and take over the family fortune.” I smirked, stepping into the car without a second glance at the company behind me. Let’s see how far Penelope and Jason get without me. 0

I’m the only son of the world’s richest man—a name that people can only dream of being associated with. The first time I met Penelope was at the hospital. Her mother had been in a car accident and was in the middle of a messy legal battle with a trust fund kid. As her mom’s attending physician, I got to know Penelope over time. There was something about her resilience, her unshakable determination, that drew me in. But in the end, her mother didn’t make it. Since then, Penelope had harbored a deep distrust of anyone with wealth and privilege. When I decided to pursue her, I made the choice to hide my identity. Later, when Penelope told me she wanted to start her own business, I didn’t hesitate—I quit my job at the hospital and turned down my father’s invitation to return home and take over the family empire. I followed her into the unknown, ready to help her chase her dreams. For five years, my entire life revolved around her. I thought those five years of effort would finally pay off. I thought I’d finally get to hold the hand of the woman I loved, openly and proudly. But when it mattered most, Penelope let me go. “Sir, we’ve arrived.” The driver’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. After stepping out of the car, I told Uncle Ming to head back. “Once I’ve dealt with everything here, I’ll come home,” I said firmly. When I got back home, the first thing I saw was the cake. It was still sitting on the dining table, completely melted. I had bought it to celebrate tonight—what was supposed to be the night we made our relationship public. Now, it just felt like a slap in the face. Fury bubbled up inside me. Before I realized it, I was flipping the table, smashing the cold, untouched food and the ruined cake to the floor. I didn’t stop there. I started packing my things, determined to leave this house filled with memories of her. Just as I opened the closet, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Jason. I opened it to find a photo. In the picture, Penelope was lying on white bedsheets, completely naked. Her face was flushed, and there were unmistakable marks on her neck. My grip on the phone tightened as rage coursed through me. Before Jason could delete it, I saved the photo and took a screenshot. Right on cue, the next message came: “Oops, sorry, Evan. Sent it to the wrong person. Hope you don’t take it the wrong way.” I let out a bitter laugh. He wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. Ever since Jason joined the company, he’d been sending me photos of him and Penelope. At first, it was little things—a picture of them holding hands, an arm around her shoulders. But this? This was a whole new level. If this had been a few months ago, I probably would’ve stormed into the hotel and demanded answers from Penelope. But now? I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t reply to Jason’s message. What was the point? I was leaving tomorrow, and it wasn’t like we’d ever cross paths again. Without a second thought, I blocked him and deleted the entire conversation. I booked the earliest flight out for the next afternoon. After packing, I grabbed my suitcase and checked into a hotel near the airport. As soon as I settled into my room, my phone started ringing. It was Penelope. I ignored the first call. And the second. And the third. But by the time she called for the fifth or sixth time, I caved. Out of some leftover sense of loyalty—or maybe just pity—I finally answered. “Evan,” she snapped the moment I picked up. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Her tone was sharp, accusatory. “The shares? That was my decision. Jason had nothing to do with it. If you had a problem, you should’ve said something then and there instead of acting like a petty coward afterward!” I stayed silent, letting her rant. “Acting all gracious in front of the employees—who were you trying to fool? And now you’re throwing a fit over a single photo? What are you, a child? Listen to me carefully: you’d better apologize to Jason. If you don’t, don’t blame me for ignoring you from now on!” Her words were so absurd, I actually laughed. A single photo? She really believed Jason’s lies without a second thought. “Apologize?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Penelope, if anyone’s going to be apologizing, it’s you. Do it now, and maybe you’ll lose a little less in the end.” “Are you delusional?” she screamed. “You’re out of your mind! Fine, don’t apologize. But let’s see if you’re still so smug when you show up at the office tomorrow!” She hung up before I could respond. I didn’t care. What she didn’t know was that my resignation letter had already been sent to HR. By the time she showed up at work tomorrow, it would be sitting on her desk. And as for her company? I wasn’t going back. 0

The next morning, I was jolted awake by Penelope’s incessant calls. “Evan, why aren’t you at work yet?” In the past, whenever we fought, I’d always wait for her at the office, staying late until she cooled off and finally came back. And when she did, I’d apologize first, find ways to cheer her up, and pretend like nothing ever happened. “Are you still mad about yesterday? It’s just some shares, Evan. I’m the majority shareholder—do you really think I’d shortchange you? You’re with me, aren’t you?” Her tone was casual, as if she thought she could brush the whole thing under the rug. “The company is at a critical stage right now. You think it’s just about wining and dining people to secure deals? Jason’s uncle is well-connected—he’s a high-ranking official in the Department of Land Development. Someone like him won’t help us out of kindness alone. I need leverage to keep him on our side.” I knew about Jason’s uncle. For someone like Penelope—who always wanted a piece of every pie—he was the perfect connection. What surprised me, though, was that she was actually explaining herself to me. Maybe a part of me would’ve understood her logic before. But after everything she’d done, I couldn’t justify her sleeping her way to resources. “Evan, we’ve come so far together. Can’t you try to understand my position?” Her voice softened, something I rarely heard from her. After all, I was always the one who gave in first. Before I could respond, I heard her office door open on the other end of the line. There was a pause, followed by the sharp edge of her anger. “Evan, you’re resigning? Who gave you permission to leave? I’m not approving your resignation! Where are you right now? Get back here immediately!” “I’m not coming back,” I said coolly. “If you think Jason is such a valuable asset, then stick with him.” “Evan, what is that supposed to mean? Tell me where you are right now!” Her voice grew more frantic, but then I heard the familiar ding of an elevator in the background. “Penelope, where are you rushing off to?” Jason’s voice. “Track all flights and train schedules immediately,” Penelope barked. “Evan’s trying to quit. We need to stop him.” Jason hesitated for a moment, then smoothly took her phone from her hand. “Evan,” he said, his tone calm and measured, “is this about me? Are you leaving because of me?” He sounded so sincere, but I knew better. “I know you don’t like me,” he continued. “You’ve never approved of me getting the shares, and if it bothers you that much, I’ll give them all back. I just don’t want you making rash decisions.” “You’ve been with the company for years. Now that we’ve gone public, how will it look to the employees if you quit? You’ll cause unnecessary speculation and damage Penelope’s reputation.” Penelope’s voice cut him off sharply. “This has nothing to do with you, Jason. Stay out of it. Evan, I’ll handle this myself. You need to stay right where you are. This company can survive without anyone—but not without you.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Just as I was about to hang up, Penelope spoke again. “Evan, Jason just apologized to you. What more do you want?” “Apologized?” I scoffed. “And one little apology is supposed to justify taking what’s rightfully mine?” “Yours?” she snapped. “This company belongs to me. I can give shares to whoever I want. What’s yours, exactly? Jason was right—you’ve been sitting in your position as CEO for years, resenting me, haven’t you? Were you planning to push me aside and take over as chairman?” “Wouldn’t I deserve it?” I shot back. “Do you think you’d be where you are today without me?” “Evan, that’s enough,” Jason interjected, faking a sympathetic tone. “Sure, you’ve worked hard, but let’s not forget that Penelope’s leadership is what made this company thrive. You were just following her vision.” “Jason, stop wasting your breath on someone like him,” Penelope said coldly. “People like Evan are never satisfied, no matter how much you give them.” She took a deep breath and continued, her voice icy. “Fine. You want to leave? Go ahead. I approve your resignation. Get out of my sight and don’t ever let me see you again.” I could hear the faint smirk in Jason’s voice as he added, “Are you sure that’s wise? Evan has been by your side for so long.” “Don’t worry,” Penelope replied dismissively. “I know Evan better than anyone. He’ll come crawling back. He’s just throwing a tantrum because he doesn’t like my decisions. Give it three days—he’ll be begging me to take him back.” That was the moment I realized Penelope had always known how much I loved her. She’d always known I couldn’t let her go. And yet, she still chose to hurt me over and over again. For the first time, I felt nothing for her. No anger. No sadness. Just… nothing. The call abruptly ended with a sharp beep. But just before the line went dead, I heard someone in the background frantically say, “Penelope, we have a problem! Several of our major investors just pulled out. Multiple projects are on hold, and we’re looking at an estimated loss of $300 million!”

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