Category: English

A deadly heatwave swept across the city. My husband, ever so compassionate toward the single mother and her child next door, took all the purified water I had carefully stockpiled and gave it to them. When I confronted him, anger burning in my chest, he exploded, stomping his foot like a child throwing a tantrum. “The taps still run, don’t they? Stop being so delicate! Are you really going to fight a kid over water?” Days later, the water supply was cut off. The neighbors, grateful only to him, offered him water but left me out in the scorching heat. Desperate and parched, I ventured out to find water, only to collapse from heatstroke and dehydration. My husband and the neighbor thrived. They used the very supplies I had hoarded, surviving together and eventually building a new life together. But fate had other plans. I woke up right before the heat wave hit. This time, my husband was once again dismissive of my preparations. I smiled sweetly, nodding as if he’d delivered the wisdom of the century. “You’re absolutely right, dear.” But in my heart, I vowed that this time, I wouldn’t lift a finger. Let him see how long they could survive without me.

“Severe heatwaves will continue sweeping the nation over the next two weeks. Residents are urged to stay alert, avoid going outdoors, and take precautions against heatstroke!” The familiar news alert sent chills down my spine. In my last life, I had collapsed from heatstroke and dehydration, left to die under the relentless sun. The memory of my skin burning came rushing back. I shuddered, trying to shake off the haunting images as I wolfed down ten popsicles in a desperate attempt to cool my body and mind. Then my phone rang. My husband, Liam Carter, barked at me before I could even say hello. “Jane! What’s your problem with Clara and her daughter now? Are you seriously picking on a kid who doesn’t even have a dad? How petty can you be?” His relentless accusations, devoid of logic or fairness, momentarily stunned me. No matter the situation, Liam always prioritized the mother-daughter duo next door. He was a doctor, and years ago, a friend had died of a heart attack while he stood helplessly by. Guilt-ridden, he had spent every day since trying to “make up” for it. That was how Clara and her daughter ended up living next door on his dime. Leaky pipes, clogged drains, a crying child… big or small, he was always at their beck and call. In my past life, I had taken the looming heatwave seriously. I had asked Liam to come with me to stockpile food and water. But when the time came, he brushed me off, saying he needed to spend time with their daughter, Mia. “You’re overreacting,” he had said, dismissing my concerns as paranoia. Frustrated, I texted Clara, asking her to let me have my husband for just one day. But my message only made her cry. Liam, ever the knight in shining armor, called me moments later to tear me apart over the phone. Left with no other choice, I went to the supermarket alone, battling the crowds of desperate shoppers for supplies. My arms were bruised and scratched by the time I hauled cartloads of goods back home. But before I could catch my breath, Liam had already ordered workers to deliver everything to the house next door. “Clara and her daughter are too frail to go out shopping,” he explained. “Think of this as a good deed; it’s good karma for you.” When the extreme heat made stepping outside unbearable, he didn’t hesitate to give our last five gallons of purified water to the neighbors. I confronted him, furious. “What about me? Do I not matter to you at all?” He scoffed, rolling his eyes, “There’s still water in the pipes, isn’t there? What are you, royalty? Fighting with a child over water, how selfish can you be?” By the sixth day of the heatwave, the pipes ran dry. When I went to Clara for help, she hesitated, biting her lip. “Jane, I’d really love to help, but we’re running low on supplies, too. It’s not that I’m being selfish, but Liam has done so much for us over the years…” I didn’t let her finish. “Don’t you dare! Those supplies are mine! I bought them!” But Liam didn’t care. He praised her for her “kindness” while berating me for being difficult. “Stop making things hard for her. If you need water, go figure it out yourself!” It was as if they’d both forgotten who had stockpiled the supplies in the first place. Without me, neither of them would have survived. Unable to argue or fight my way through, I left to search for water on my own, only to collapse and die in the suffocating heat. But this time? I wouldn’t be their scapegoat again. I decided to take care of myself. “Liam, you’re absolutely right,” I said sweetly, cutting into his tirade. He seemed pleased with my compliance. “Good. Mia has no dad, so I need to look after them. Don’t make things harder than they need to be.” I nodded along, keeping my tone docile. “Of course, I understand.” The moment I hung up, I wasted no time calling a real estate agent. If he wanted to play hero, fine. But I wouldn’t let him drag me down with him.

Extreme weather lays bare the true nature of people. I urged the real estate agent to quickly secure a villa in the suburbs, assuring them that price was no object. First, a pricier residence meant better security and more refined neighbors, an essential filter against potential threats when living alone. Second, the suburban location promised fewer people and better greenery, a perfect haven from the heat. The agent was efficient. The villa’s owner had settled overseas, ensuring no disturbances to my carefully planned month of survival. With the property secured, I wasted no time. I headed straight to the supermarket to stock up. In my last life, I had died of dehydration. This time, watching barrels of water delivered to the villa, I felt the weight in my chest finally ease. Truckloads of instant food, grains, oils, and meat soon followed, filling every corner of the house. Thankfully, the villa came equipped with large freezers, making food storage much easier. At the time, most people dismissed the importance of fruits and vegetables, deeming them too perishable. When they saw me loading cart after cart with fresh produce, their reactions ranged from scoffs to outright laughter. But I knew better. I turned the vegetables into pickles or froze them in the massive freezers. No one foresaw how vital these would become. Soon, fruits and vegetables would be the last viable source of vitamin C. The relentless heat would wither crops in the fields, leaving nothing but rot in its wake. For six long months, even after temperatures normalized, fresh produce would remain an impossible luxury. Many who survived the heatwave would later succumb to scurvy and its devastating complications, like brain hemorrhages. But food wasn’t my only priority. I also bought out the bulk of the city’s stock of blankets, down coats, hand warmers, candles, lighters, and matches. On top of that, I hauled in charcoal and firewood. While most people assumed that surviving the heatwave meant the worst was over, I knew better. Extreme weather was rarely an isolated event. It often signaled the arrival of other calamities. After my death in my previous life, my lingering spirit had watched as the city erupted in joyous celebration when the heatwave finally ended. But their relief was premature. Nobody saw what was coming next. Without warning, a week of utter darkness descended upon the earth. A once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon caused by geomagnetic disruptions kept the sun from rising. The darkness was suffocating, and the cold was unbearable. But it wasn’t the cold that broke people. It was the endless, maddening blackness that unleashed the ugliest parts of human nature. The city’s electricity grid, already strained from the heatwave, collapsed under the demand for heating. Solar panels and batteries were an option, but their limited capacity rendered them almost useless. Instead, the simplicity of candles and firewood proved far more reliable. I also stocked up on essential medicines from the pharmacy. To avoid drawing attention, I hired different drivers to deliver each truckload of supplies. It had been only two days since I began my preparations. Then, as if he’d suddenly remembered my existence, Liam called from next door, where he was happily playing surrogate father to Clara and Mia. “Jane, are you out partying so much you’ve forgotten your way home? Tomorrow’s going to hit 117°F! You’d better get out there and stock up on food and water for Clara and Mia before it’s too late!”

I found it laughable. Liam, who had spent the past two days practically living at Clara’s house, had the audacity to accuse me of neglecting my own home. Enjoying the bliss of playing husband and father to his “adopted” family, it seemed he had finally realized the looming danger of the heatwave. “Jane! Are you listening? Where are you? Go stock up on food and water before Clara and Mia starve!” His exasperated tone practically dripped through the phone. “Why can’t you be more like Clara? She knows how to take care of a family!” The irony wasn’t lost on me. Clara certainly knew how to “care” for a family, just never her own. And Liam had outdone himself with his double standards. When I prepared for the heatwave last time, I was “overreacting.” When I didn’t buy anything, I was “irresponsible.” It seemed that no matter what I did, I’d always be the villain in his eyes. A walking scapegoat for all his problems. He had probably despised me for long. After all, my existence prevented him from living with Clara and Mia. If that was the case, why not live life on my own terms? I didn’t bother arguing. “Didn’t you see my message? I’m out of town on business and can’t get away. Besides, the stores are almost emptied by now. Why don’t you and Clara try a few more places? You might get lucky.” I figured this would be my last act of kindness. After all, we had been married for years. Tomorrow, the temperature was set to soar to 124°F, hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement. For safety reasons, stores would close, and people would barricade themselves indoors. But Liam couldn’t care less. He was still preoccupied with doting on his “goddaughter.” “It’s Mia’s first Children’s Day since her father passed,” he said stubbornly. “Clara and I promised to spend it with her. If you can’t handle a simple task like this, don’t bother coming home!” “Oh, so I’m still your wife when you need a servant?” I thought. I rolled my eyes, hung up, and unwrapped a popsicle. Let him make his choice. Playtime or survival? I wasn’t about to save someone so determined to dig his own grave. The first day of the heatwave arrived, and the government announced a halt to work and school. Strangely, some people saw this as a cause for celebration. Under the searing sun, they danced and partied in the streets. It didn’t take long for the first person to collapse. Then, the second. And the third. Panic spread. People began to realize this wasn’t something worth celebrating. Animals lay dead on the streets, their bodies bloated and scorched. The stench of decay filled the air, forcing people indoors. By the second day, whispers of prayer and chants for salvation began to echo in the silence. Meanwhile, I sat in the guest room of my well-stocked villa, savoring delicious food with the AC on full blast while watching the surveillance footage. Then, I found out that Clara and Mia had already moved into my house.

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It was 11 PM and my wife Natalia hadn’t returned home yet. When I called, she hesitated, claiming to be caught up in a company gathering and couldn’t leave. I didn’t confront her. Instead, I quietly watched as she, the woman I had dated for four years and married for five, entered a bar hand-in-hand with another man. “I’ll probably be a few more hours. Don’t wait up for me; go to sleep,” she said in a rush and hung up. This was her eleventh late return this month, and it was the last chance I was willing to give her. At 4 AM, Natalia came home. She immediately rushed to the bathroom to shower. The clothes she carelessly threw on the sofa were missing the stockings she had worn out. I sighed, picked up the clothes to wash, and went to the kitchen to make some sobering soup. “You’re the best, Gerold!” she exclaimed suddenly, embracing me from behind. Her voice was still sweet. “Staying up late to make soup for me? Aww, you’ll spoil me.” My usual warmth was gone; I pushed her away coldly. “Have some soup first. You have stomach problems, and without this, you’ll have trouble sleeping tonight.” Natalia smiled, settling down like an obedient cat, sipping the soup bit by bit while muttering, “Work has been so hectic recently, always either overtime or gatherings. Looks like I won’t get a break this weekend either, it’s killing me…” I remembered she had said the same last week. When I worried about her irregular meals and brought her lunch, I discovered she never stayed late at work. Her empty desk held only a photo frame that included a picture of her and Jason. Her colleague told me the frame hadn’t been changed in years. “If you’re tired of hiding it, just stop.” “Hiding what?” Natalia’s eyes widened in an instant. “Your thing with Jason. It must be exhausting to lie every day, drinking late into the night, then having to scheme around me. It’s really not necessary.” As I spoke, I poured the soup into a prepared dish, pointing out each ingredient, instructing her to remember how to make it. “Next time you drink, you might need to learn to make it yourself.” “Gerold, stop it!” “Are you saying you won’t make soup for me anymore? You don’t want me anymore?” Natalia clung to my arm, her eyes beginning to redden. Years of marriage had me holding back my anger. “You cheated on me, and I failed to win your heart even after nine long years. I think that’s enough.” “What are you talking about? I’m not that kind of woman!” Natalia released my arm and glared at me furiously. “Haven’t I explained it to you? Jason and I are just friends. He recently came back from abroad, with no place or job settled, so I met with him a few times to help. “Can’t you just man up? Stop being so irrationally jealous. It’s really unbecoming!” She frowned in disgust. The last time I caught her lying about a date with Jason, she had used a similar excuse. But if it was just a friendship, why the repeated lies? Why were her returns home getting later and later? I sighed, no longer able to tolerate it. “Then let’s get a divorce. Go find your classy Jason!” Her childhood friend for many years was nothing but a jobless leech, living off his parents and spending his nights at bars and clubs. Yet inexplicably, she was drawn to him.

“Divorce? “Gerold, you can’t just act like a jealous prick! Just because I come home late, you throw around the word divorce? That just makes me dislike you more!” Natalia grabbed the soup bowl and smashed it on the floor. “And I’m your wife, not your pet. I don’t need your permission to see people! “Instead of watching me like a hawk every day, you should spend some time improving yourself!” She yelled and then stormed into the bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her. The heart I thought could no longer ache twisted painfully once more. For nine years, I cooked for her because of her poor stomach. Every holiday, I never forgot to give her gifts. Whatever she wanted, I went out of my way to provide. Yet none of that could replace the photo of her childhood sweetheart on her desk at work. “Enough is enough,” I sighed deeply and began to pack my bags. [Gerold, it’s been so long. Why haven’t you come to make up with me?] [No matter how mad I was, you never left me alone for more than 10 minutes. Do you really not want me anymore?] I could visualize her tear-stained, pitiful face from the texts on my phone. I remembered the weekend last month when she lied about working overtime. I saw her at a 24-hour bar, nestled in Jason’s arms, their embrace too intimate for just friends. At that moment, I felt insane with jealousy as I grabbed Jason by the collar to confront him. Natalia frantically pushed me away, protecting Jason. “He’s just a good friend! Let’s talk about it when we get back. Don’t embarrass Jason right here!” Her determination to defend Jason mirrored the way I had always defended her. Later, she left with Jason, leaving me stranded, a husband watching his wife walk away with another man. It felt like a cruel joke. That incident had planted the idea of divorce in my mind. But when I brought it up, Natalia locked herself in the bedroom, crying. She claimed I was the one she loved most. She didn’t want to upset me, which was why she hid her meetings with an old friend. Then, she said she had stomach pains from drinking. After nine years of love, her tears shattered my resolve. I chose to believe her one more time. But there would not be a second. “Gerold, you know I can’t sleep. Why didn’t you come to coax me? “Nothing happened between Jason and me, I swear. From now on, I won’t hide our meetings to avoid your suspicions. “My stomach hurts again. I didn’t drink much of the soup. Could you make me another bowl, please?” When Natalia came to me with tears in her eyes, I was writing her a note. It listed her favorite recipes, her menstrual cycle schedule, where the stomach medicine was kept, and the dosage she needed… She had never paid attention to these details, accustomed to my constant care. “Didn’t I already tell you how to make the soup?” I handed her the note. “From now on… you’ll need to learn to take care of yourself.”

Natalia froze in place, not reaching for the note I placed on the table. I stood up, grabbed my suitcase, and started to leave. Only then did she react, lightly tugging at me, her eyes brimming with tears. “You’ve packed your bags already? You really don’t want me anymore? You want a divorce?” Her tears began to fall. In the past, her crying would instantly soften my heart. But this time, I simply said calmly, “Yes, Natalia, I gave you chances. But now, I’ve had enough.” I pushed her hand away without a second thought. “Are you never done, Gerold?! How many times do I have to tell you? Jason is my best friend. I haven’t betrayed you, or done anything inappropriate!” Natalia suddenly burst out yelling, “I might have been closer to him, and yes, we had something in the past, but that’s all it was! “If I really couldn’t let go of him, why wouldn’t I just divorce you and be with Jason?” She pushed me in frustration. I hadn’t yet cleared the broken pieces of the bowl from earlier, and a shard pierced through my shoe and deep into my foot. Blood began to seep out, reflecting my tall but frail figure. For nine years, I prioritized Natalia above all else. I worked tirelessly to provide a better life for her, taking on all household duties after long hours at work. Gradually, my back began to stoop from the strain. “Perhaps it’s because you’re used to being taken care of. You see me more as a caretaker than a partner…” I couldn’t think of any other reason. “It’s not that, Gerold, it’s not. “I chose to be with you because of love. I can’t bear to leave you…” Natalia’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke, kneeling to inspect the wound on my foot, a flicker of pain crossing her eyes. “Gerold, I’ll get the first aid kit to bandage that up.” She stood to rush to the living room and just opened the cabinet when her phone rang. She instantly forgot about my injury and ran to the bathroom to answer the call. The voice on the other end was loud enough for me to hear. It was Jason, and he was drunk. “Do you have any money left, Natalia? I missed you so much I couldn’t sleep, so I went to the bar for a few drinks. But I drank too much, and now I’m short on cash…” As Jason’s voice faded, Natalia rushed out of the bathroom, urgency in her eyes as she hurried to the foyer to change her shoes. Opening the door, she remembered me for a moment, casting a casual glance back. “Gerold, can you bandage it yourself for now? I have an emergency. I need to go out; it’s important.” I couldn’t help but smirk bitterly. “Go ahead, and remember to make some food when you get back. You’ve been drinking all night without sleep; your stomach must be…” She didn’t have the patience to let me finish and rushed off toward Jason. It was clear who mattered more to her. The blood from my foot spread further, forming the shape of a flower. It seemed to serve as a memorial to our marriage that had now thoroughly perished. Goodbye. Natalia. I pushed the suitcase, waving farewell to the home we had shared for five years, leaving without a backward glance.

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## Winning $5 million in the lottery was supposed to be a turning point for our family. My husband, Ryan, promised to buy me a beautiful new house—a symbol of our success and a fresh start. But on the very day we moved in, his first love waltzed through the door, clutching her son, tears streaming down her face. She claimed her husband had recently passed away and that she had nowhere else to go. Before I could even react, Ryan’s face filled with pity, and he ushered her and her son into the house without so much as a second thought. And not just anywhere—he moved her into the master bedroom. Yes, our bedroom. Now there were three of us in the house, except one of us happened to be the woman Ryan dated for seven years. When I lost my temper, yelling and demanding an explanation, Ryan didn’t apologize. Instead, he turned on me, full of righteous indignation. “Emily, how could you be so cruel? You know her husband just died! She’s a widow with a child. You want me to throw them out on the street? When did you become so heartless?” Even Ryan’s mom, who had always acted like the sweet, doting grandma, suddenly revealed her true colors. “Look at all those rich men with four or five wives,” she said with a smug smile. “My son’s a millionaire now—it’s only natural he’d take in another woman. And since she was here first, it’s perfectly fair to let you be the second wife. You should consider yourself lucky!” I looked at Ryan, hoping he’d at least argue against his mother’s outrageous claims, but instead, he nodded quietly in agreement. That was it. I picked up my phone and called my lawyer. Ryan assumed I was giving in. He even had the audacity to walk around the house with his ex, Michelle, gleefully showing her the villa as if they were a happy couple buying their dream home. But what Ryan forgot—what Michelle didn’t know—was that the $5 million was my lottery win. And I’d rather donate every last cent to charity than let him spend a dime on his mistress.

I had just hung up the phone with my lawyer when Ryan appeared behind me, his tone full of forced patience, as if I were the one being unreasonable. “Emily, listen,” he began, his voice dripping with condescension. “If I hadn’t been picking you up from work that day years ago, I wouldn’t have missed Michelle’s wedding. She wouldn’t have ended up marrying that jerk, and maybe he wouldn’t have died so young. Now she’s a widow, and she has a kid to take care of. If I don’t help them, who will?” I turned to look at him, stunned by his twisted reasoning. “And moving her into our bedroom? What’s the plan, Ryan—should the three of us all sleep together now? Or would a hotel not work for her? Does she have to live here just to make me uncomfortable?” Ryan’s face darkened with irritation. “Emily, why are you being so irrational? Michelle and I are history, you know that. If her husband hadn’t died suddenly, she wouldn’t even be here. She’s out of options—I’m just doing what any decent person would. Why are you so obsessed with targeting her?” Targeting her? That was rich. Michelle and Ryan had been high school sweethearts, dating all the way through college for seven years until their relationship fell apart because of long-distance jobs. Two months after their breakup, she married an older, wealthy businessman. When I met Ryan, he was drowning his sorrows in a bar, heartbroken and bitter over Michelle’s betrayal. He seemed like a loyal, devoted man, so much so that I actually felt bad for him. We reconnected a few weeks later at work, and I took it as a sign—fate, even. I added him on social media, and over time, we became close. Eventually, he moved on from Michelle and fell for me. We had a whirlwind romance, and just months later, we got married. I still remember our wedding day vividly. Ryan stood in front of all our family and friends, holding my hands as he said I was the one who had saved him, the love of his life, and the reason he believed in happiness again. But now, here he was, willing to make me cry just so Michelle and her son could live in our home. I clutched my chest, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “So, you’re really insisting on letting Michelle move in?” I asked, my voice calm but cold. Ryan hesitated for a moment, then clenched his jaw and said, “It’s not like I’m making her my wife, Emily. Why are you blowing this out of proportion? Her son calls me Uncle Ryan—I have a responsibility to them. And now that we’ve won the lottery, I’m the only one who can give Michelle the life she deserves.” I stared at him, my heart sinking further with every word. “She’s a widow, Emily,” he continued, completely blind to how hurt I was. “How can I leave her out there, alone, struggling to raise her child? And it’s not like we can’t afford it. Michelle even said she’d handle all the housework—cleaning, cooking, taking care of our daughter. What else do you want?” It was clear to me now. Ryan had already decided how this new arrangement would work. He’d play the role of the generous provider, Michelle would be the homemaker, and I—his actual wife—was apparently just a bystander in my own marriage. I remained silent, unable to find the words to express how betrayed I felt. Seeing me hesitate, Ryan’s tone grew sharper, more aggressive. “You know her husband just died!” he snapped. “And you still want to throw her onto the streets? When did you become so cruel, Emily? When did you turn into such a heartless, selfish woman?” I lifted my head to meet his gaze, expecting to see regret or even shame in his eyes. But there was none. Instead, he looked at me with anger and disgust, as if I were the one in the wrong. In that moment, something inside me broke. I felt nothing but emptiness. “Fine,” I said quietly, my voice void of emotion. “She can stay as long as she wants.” Ryan blinked, caught off guard by my sudden change in tone. Then, a triumphant smirk spread across his face. “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he said, his voice dripping with condescension. “If you’d just been reasonable from the start, we wouldn’t have had to argue. Now come help Michelle bring in her bags.” I shook my head and looked him dead in the eye. “Congratulations, Ryan. I hope you and Michelle have a long and happy life together. I’ll be heading back to my parents’ house for now.” His smile disappeared in an instant. He stepped forward, blocking my path, his face dark with anger. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he demanded. “It means,” I said evenly, “that I’m done. With you. With this marriage. With all of it.” I reached for my four-year-old daughter’s hand and started toward the stairs, but before I could make it, Ryan’s mother stormed into the room, her face twisted with fury. “You’re not taking my granddaughter anywhere!” she shrieked. “What will people say if you walk out on my son? Do you want to ruin his reputation? You’ll stay right here where you belong!” I let out a bitter laugh, meeting her glare with one of my own. “Oh, I see,” I said sarcastically. “You want me to stay so I can play maid to your son’s mistress? How thoughtful of you.”

Ryan’s mom stared at me with utter disdain, her voice dripping with mockery. “Who are you calling a mistress? Watch your mouth! If we’re going by who came first, you’re the other woman!” She crossed her arms smugly and continued, “Look at all those casino tycoons with four or five wives. My son’s rich now—what’s so wrong with him taking care of another woman? Michelle’s prettier and better suited to represent the family in public anyway. Why don’t you just stay home, do the chores, and serve us?” Her audacity left me speechless for a moment, then I laughed. “All this over $5 million? You’re comparing yourselves to billionaires? What are you even bringing to the table—your half-baked ideas and your underdeveloped brain?” I laughed louder than I should have, but I didn’t care. “Ah, yes, you’re ugly, but at least you’ve got delusions of grandeur!” That was all it took for Ryan’s mom to lose it. She jabbed her finger in my face, her voice shrill and furious. “How dare you talk to me like that? No manners at all! You’ve been in this new house for weeks, and you still don’t know how to cook! You have no respect for the family. My son must have been cursed in his past life to end up with someone like you!” Ryan, of course, silently took her side, stepping closer to her with a cold glare aimed at me. Like mother, like son. The same rotten attitude. I crossed my arms, my gaze icy as I stood my ground. “Didn’t your new bride promise to handle all the housework? Let her do it!” Michelle must have overheard me, because she immediately appeared in the doorway, tears welling up in her eyes. She let out a pitiful sob and bolted for the kitchen, as if I’d just shattered her fragile world. Seeing this, Ryan instantly panicked. “Can’t you all just stop? I only let Michelle stay here temporarily to help her out! Emily, why do you have to act so jealous and petty? You’re the one I married, and we even have a child together! Do you really think I’d ever go back to her?” He paused, then added with a sneer, “If I couldn’t let her go, do you really think you’d be the one having my kid?” His words hit me like a slap in the face. My chest tightened, and I had to fight the sting of tears. “Fine,” I said, my voice trembling but firm. “Let her settle in as much as she wants. I’m leaving.” Ryan’s mom’s face twisted with fury. “You ungrateful brat! Michelle just moved in yesterday, and her son’s already calling me grandma. She even massaged my legs and shoulders to show her respect. And look at your daughter—what a mute little thing! She can’t even speak properly!” Her words nearly pushed me over the edge. My daughter was not mute. When she was little, Ryan’s mom had taken her out shopping and lost her. I searched for an entire day and night before finally finding her curled up, unconscious, in a filthy dumpster. The police later reviewed the security footage and discovered that my daughter had cleverly hidden there to escape a trafficker who had been trying to snatch her. The trauma left her unable to speak for months. Ryan’s mom had been wracked with guilt back then, spoiling my daughter endlessly to make up for what had happened. She even tore into the neighbor’s kid once for making a silly face at her. But now? Now she was willing to turn on us the moment some “new grandson” came along. I looked at Ryan and his mother, both radiating open disdain for me, and I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “Sure, sure,” I said. “Anyone who wants to play the doting grandparent or obedient child can go ahead. It’s got nothing to do with me.” Ryan, sensing that I was softening, tried a different approach. His voice dropped, sounding almost reasonable now. “Emily, think about this. If you take our daughter and go back to your parents’ house, people are going to start talking. They’ll say I’m abusive or cheating on you. Is that what you want? For your husband’s reputation to be ruined? Does that make you happy?” I stared at him, a cold smile curling at the edges of my lips. “Cheating? Ryan, weren’t you already doing that? Why pretend otherwise?” But I didn’t say it out loud. I knew his game too well. Every time I called Michelle what she really was—a mistress—Ryan and his mother would suddenly act like paragons of virtue, scolding me for being “petty” and “unreasonable.” Ryan sighed, pulling out his phone. A moment later, he transferred $10,000 into my account, his tone softening as he handed me his “apology.” “I shouldn’t have said those things earlier,” he said. “I got carried away. But isn’t this what you wanted? Some extra spending money? There, you’ve got it now. Be satisfied and don’t push your luck.” He frowned and added, “And tone down your jealousy, Emily. Next time, I won’t be so forgiving.” Ah, the classic Ryan move: insult me, then throw some money at me and expect everything to be fine. This was how he dealt with every argument—cut me down, then act like the bigger person once he’d tossed me a small bribe. For years, I let it slide. I told myself it wasn’t worth fighting over. But after we got married and had a child, his behavior only got worse, his disrespect more blatant. Now? Now I realized I should’ve stood my ground the first time he crossed the line. Because people like Ryan don’t change—they just keep testing how much you’re willing to tolerate. And I was finally done tolerating him.

Ignoring Ryan completely, I picked up my daughter and headed downstairs. But as I reached the door, Michelle appeared out of nowhere, blocking my path. She had somehow changed into a maid costume—yes, a literal maid costume—that hugged her curves in all the right places. She stood in front of me with a broom in hand, a smug look on her face as if she owned the house. The floor around her? Spotless. Naturally, Ryan’s mom was beyond impressed. She clapped her hands and beamed. “Now this is what a real woman looks like! Michelle is not only beautiful but hardworking too. Not like some people who don’t even know how to use a mop!” Michelle gave Ryan a shy, flirtatious smile and said softly, “Oh, I just have a little thing about cleanliness. I like to keep the house spotless, especially since I want the people I care about to feel happy and comfortable here.” I stared at her, completely unbothered, and shoved her to the side. “Move.” Because honestly, some people kneel so much, they forget how to stand up. Ryan’s mom’s face twisted with anger, her disapproval written all over her. “Emily! Look at Michelle—she’s been cleaning all morning, sweating her heart out to make your house look nice. You should be thanking her for helping you, not insulting her. Honestly, you’re a disgrace to women everywhere!” I snorted, unable to hold back a laugh. “Thank her? For what? She’s been living here rent-free, eating food she didn’t pay for, and now she wants a gold medal for sweeping the floor? Are you out of your mind, or do you just think I’ve lost mine?” The words were barely out of my mouth when Michelle’s big crocodile tears started to fall. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause trouble,” she whimpered, her voice trembling as she looked at Ryan with watery eyes. “Ryan, maybe I should just leave. I don’t want to ruin your marriage or make your wife misunderstand me.” Ryan’s face immediately darkened, his anger bubbling to the surface. “That’s enough, Emily!” he roared. I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “Enough? Are you kidding me? I didn’t invite her here to clean or play house! If she wants to leave, she knows where the door is!” Suddenly, Ryan’s father stormed into the room, snatched the broom out of Michelle’s hands, and threw it to the ground. “Enough with the yelling!” he bellowed. The room fell into an awkward silence, but the tension was suffocating. Michelle, Ryan, and Ryan’s mom stood in a neat little line, their expressions united in their disdain for me, the outsider. Funny, wasn’t it? From the moment Michelle showed up, Ryan’s mom had been throwing snide remarks my way. Ryan had been shouting at me as if I was the problem. And now that I raised my voice for once, that’s when my father-in-law decided to step in and play referee. When we got married, I didn’t ask for a dowry. I even brought a car and a house as part of my dowry. Back then, Ryan’s parents promised me that if their son ever mistreated me, they’d make sure to keep him in line. They told me to treat their home as my own, to do whatever made me happy. But looking at them now, their loyalty was clear. This wasn’t my family—it was theirs. I might as well have been a stranger in their perfect little picture. I let out a bitter laugh and turned to leave, intending to drop my daughter off somewhere safe before dealing with this circus. But before I could take another step, Michelle suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me, blocking my path once again. “Please, Emily,” she begged, her voice trembling. “Don’t blame Ryan or his mom. This is all my fault. If I wasn’t so desperate, I never would’ve come here. I’ll leave right now. I’ll take my son and sleep under a bridge if I have to. I don’t want to be the reason your family is falling apart.” Her words might have sounded self-sacrificing, but her body betrayed her. Instead of leaving, she stumbled to her feet and leaned into Ryan, practically collapsing into his arms. Ryan didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as if she were the most fragile thing in the world. “Emily,” he said, his voice dripping with disappointment, “I can’t believe you. Michelle and her son are only staying here temporarily. How can you, as a mother yourself, be so heartless? Do you really want to throw them out onto the streets? If you’re angry, take it out on me, not on a single mom who’s already been through so much!” Michelle, now nestled comfortably in Ryan’s embrace, tilted her head ever so slightly, just enough to give me a smug, triumphant smile. Ryan’s father chimed in, his tone exasperated. “All this arguing is ridiculous! It’s the first day in the new house, and you’re already making a scene. You’re going to scare away the good fortune!” I looked at the three of them—Michelle, Ryan, and my in-laws—all standing together like a united front. And I couldn’t help but wonder: if I hadn’t scratched off that $5 million lottery ticket, if I hadn’t brought this money into their lives, would they still have the nerve to act so smug, so self-satisfied? Would they still stand there, so confident and secure, as if the world owed them everything?

I gave my father-in-law my sweetest, most obedient smile and nodded. “You’re absolutely right, Dad. I don’t want to argue in front of the kids. But since there’s already a new ‘wife’ in the house, I think I’ll take my daughter and spend a few days with my family.” Michelle’s eyes lit up with satisfaction, though she quickly replaced her smug expression with a faux-concerned look. “Emily, you can’t leave! If you go, how will I ever manage to take care of Ryan all by myself?” Ryan frowned, clearly annoyed with me. “What kind of game are you playing now? Don’t you hear your kid’s stomach growling? Go make dinner instead of running off and trying to piss me off!” I rolled my eyes, picked up my daughter, and walked straight to the new car I had just bought. As I opened the door, Michelle turned to Ryan, feigning helplessness. “Ryan, what if she doesn’t come back? Emily loves you so much—how are you just letting her leave like this?” Ryan let out a cold laugh, brushing off her dramatics. “Don’t worry. She’ll come crawling back in less than three days. She’s got nowhere else to go, especially after cutting ties with her family for me.” I couldn’t help but scoff inwardly at how ridiculous he sounded. This was the same man who used to stay by my bedside for hours when I had the flu, worried sick about me. Now? He knew full well I might not even have a place to go, and yet he was standing here, willing to let me walk out the door just so he could keep his ex-girlfriend in the house. This wasn’t love. It was a test—a blatant, shameless test of how much humiliation I’d take before I finally broke. If I stayed, it wouldn’t stop here. Someday, they’d expect me to take care of the mistress, her child, and maybe even the baby she’d eventually have with Ryan. No thanks. When it comes to toxic men, the only solution is to run. I got my daughter settled in the passenger seat, grabbed my suitcase, and started loading it into the trunk. Michelle, of course, couldn’t resist one last jab as she stood in the doorway, pretending to care. “Emily, don’t take this too far. Just apologize to Ryan, and everything will go back to normal. Why embarrass yourself by running back to your parents?” Ryan stood next to her, arms crossed, looking smug. “Emily, think this through. If you grab that suitcase and leave now, you might not even be able to get into your parents’ house. You and the kid might end up wandering the streets. Don’t come crying to me when that happens.” I ignored both of them, not wasting a single word on their nonsense. Michelle, seeing my determined expression, smirked to herself and turned to go back inside, clearly pleased with how things were unfolding. I finished packing, climbed into the driver’s seat, and started the car. But just as I was about to pull out of the driveway, Ryan stepped in front of my car, slamming his hand on the window. His face was dark, his voice low and threatening. “Emily, if you leave now, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll regret this.” I let out a cold laugh, slammed the door shut, and drove off, finally leaving him in my rearview mirror. A second later, I heard his phone buzz. Ryan glanced down at the screen, and his expression changed instantly. His eyes widened in panic as he ran toward my car, pounding on the window. “Emily! Wait! Where’s the lottery money? Which account did you transfer it to?”

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My mother is the chairwoman of Grayson Financial Group, a financial powerhouse. My uncle is a renowned financial tycoon both domestically and internationally. My grandfather was among the first generation of entrepreneurs in the country. However, my father lavishes all his affection on the family’s adopted son. He allows Alaric Greyson to usurp my identity, steal my fiancée, and goes out of his way to suppress me. On the day of Alaric’s 18th birthday celebration, he intercepted me and sneered: “How dare a lowly adopted son like you show up at my coming-of-age party?” “You’re an embarrassment. I think I need to teach you some manners!” He colluded with the servants to break my legs, blind my eyes, and throw me into the freezing pool behind the mansion. In my previous life, to gain my father’s love, I never exposed Alaric’s true identity. I allowed them to bully me, which eventually led to my tragic death. Now, I’ve been reborn. Looking at the smug Alaric, I kicked him to the ground and coldly looked down at him: “Who do you think you are, you piece of trash, to dare speak to me like that?” … The air in the banquet hall seemed to freeze. No one could believe I would do such a thing. With a cold expression, I ordered Sophie Harris, the nanny wearing an apron, to restore the banquet venue to its original state. Unexpectedly, Sophie disregarded my order. Instead, she helped Alaric up with a look of concern and scolded me harshly: “Young Master, today is the Young Master’s 18th birthday celebration. You’re causing too much trouble.” “I’ll report this to the Master later and let him deal with you.” Hearing this, I pulled over a chair and sat down in the center of the hall, smirking coldly: “Young Master? Aren’t I supposed to be the eldest young master of the Grayson family? When did I become the younger one?” Hearing my words, Sophie’s eyes unconsciously darted away, but her tone remained contemptuous: “You’re the Grayson family’s adopted son. What else would you be if not the younger master?” In my previous life, Sophie, as the Grayson family’s nanny, always helped Alaric bully me behind the scenes. She deceived my mother, making her increasingly disappointed in me. In the end, she even helped my father and Alaric set the fire that burned me alive, and she was the one who laughed the most gleefully. Hearing her words, I let out a cold laugh. “Adopted son? Me?” “Who else if not you?” Sophie said hatefully. “You’re just an adopted son jealous of Young Master Alaric’s status. You’re always targeting him. He’s generous enough not to hold it against you. Don’t tell me you’ve really forgotten your place?” I stared at her coldly. Everyone in the Grayson family knew who the real young master was and who was the fake one! Thinking this, I shot Sophie an icy glare. “You’re just a nanny working for the Grayson family. How dare you be so presumptuous in front of me?” “You’re fired!” Hearing this, Sophie remained unfazed and sneered: “Fire me? An adopted son like you doesn’t have that authority.” “Have you asked the Young Master? Have you asked the Master?” At this moment, Alaric, who had been helped up from the ground, angrily shouted: “James Grayson, how dare you cause trouble at my birthday party! I’ll tell father about this and make you pay!” “Are the rest of you all dead? Why are you just watching him act crazy? Quickly, take him away!” I looked at Alaric’s furious expression and smiled lightly. My father had married into the Grayson family, so I took my mother’s surname. I was the Grayson family’s eldest son and my mother’s only child. When I was sixteen, my father brought home a child, saying he was the orphaned son of his late elder brother and wanted to adopt him. But my mother said whether to adopt him or not depended on my opinion. At that time, after hearing my father’s words, I felt sorry for the boy and called him “brother.” So Alaric Sullivan changed his name to Alaric Greyson and became the Grayson family’s adopted son. From then on, my father showered Alaric with affection, giving him all his love. He even helped Alaric suppress me, causing Alaric to become increasingly arrogant in front of me. Now that I’ve been reborn, I finally understand. I am the true heir of the Grayson family. Why should I be bullied by Alaric, the real adopted son? At this moment, the other servants also reacted, intending to take me away. I looked at the mockery in Alaric’s eyes and the contemptuous expression on Sophie’s face beside him. I smirked coldly and swept my gaze across the room: “I am the eldest young master of the Grayson family. Who dares to touch me? Aren’t you afraid my mother will hold you accountable later?” The servants who were about to lay hands on me immediately stopped, looking at Alaric with difficulty. Hearing this, Alaric’s face turned pale and then flushed with anger. He threatened: “James Grayson, have you lost your mind? Everyone here knows you’re the adopted son of our Grayson family.” “And you dare to bring up mother? She’s out of state now negotiating a very important project. If you delay her because of this, you’ll be the Grayson family’s sinner!” Sophie’s face turned vicious as she pretended to be grieved: “Young Master, please stop making trouble. You’re clearly the Grayson family’s adopted son.” “Besides, the one in charge of the family now is the Master. If you keep causing trouble, when the Master gets angry, the situation might become uncontrollable.” The other guests at the party began to chime in: “That’s right, Alaric is clearly the noble eldest young master of the Grayson family!” “I can’t believe the Grayson family’s adopted son would dare to disrupt the eldest young master’s coming-of-age ceremony. This is outrageous!” Hearing this, I clenched my fists tightly, but my expression remained calm as I instructed an attendant at the party: “Since they mention father, why don’t you go ask him?” “Alaric is telling everyone that I’m the adopted son. Ask him if that’s true or not.” The attendant hesitated, and I understood what he wanted to say. Everyone in the Grayson household knew that my father doted on Alaric. In contrast, he was very cold towards me. If he found out I was causing trouble at Alaric’s birthday party, He would definitely fly into a rage and might even punish me in front of everyone. Seeing the attendant’s hesitant expression, I smiled calmly, “Go on, don’t think too much about it.” Only then did the attendant reluctantly go upstairs. Alaric smirked triumphantly, “James Grayson, once father arrives, this farce will be over.” Sophie also sneered from the side: “Young Master, you clearly know how much the Master dotes on the eldest young master. Why are you insisting on bringing trouble upon yourself?” To this, I remained coldly silent. In my previous life, the father who had raised me since childhood allowed Alaric to take everything from me. In the end, he even coldly helped Alaric set the fire that burned me alive. They scattered my ashes into the sea. Yet they told my mother I had committed suicide, causing her to weep bitterly and fall ill. Now that I’ve been reborn from the flames, I’ll make them taste the pain of scorching skin and the hatred of burning bones! 2 After a series of reprimands, the attendant came out of my father’s room with spittle on his face. He looked at me apologetically and said: “The Master said he’s changing clothes and will come down soon for the Young Master’s birthday party. He also said… he also said the younger master shouldn’t cause trouble.” I wasn’t surprised by this result. And the attendant’s words were certainly sugarcoated for my father’s sake. His original words were probably telling me to get lost. After all, in my father’s eyes, I could never compare to Alaric. He would always side with Alaric. Hearing this, Sophie immediately said in a sarcastic tone: “Young Master, I advised you earlier but you wouldn’t listen. Now that the Master has spoken, it’s too late for the Young Master to regret it.” Alaric’s face lit up with joy as he said smugly: “James Grayson, look at what you’ve done. You just had to bring this on yourself. Now the show’s over. Someone come and take him away!” I frowned and smirked, about to say something when I saw a woman in a grand white gown walk in. My gaze froze. This was Megan Williams, the daughter of the Williams family, whom my mother had arranged for me to marry as part of a powerful alliance. The people around exclaimed: “It’s the Young Master’s fiancée!” “The Young Master’s fiancée is so beautiful, and her family background is impressive too. They’re truly a perfect match!” After Megan entered the banquet hall, she went straight to Alaric’s side and took his arm, her eyes full of tenderness. When she looked at me, however, her expression was full of disgust: “James Grayson, why are you at Alaric’s birthday party? You’re just an adopted son of the Grayson family. You even lied to me before, saying you were the eldest young master!” “If Alaric hadn’t told me the truth, I might have been fooled by you. That would have made the marriage alliance between our families a joke!” At this, I shook my head and chuckled lightly. When the two families first arranged the marriage, it was the Williams family who eagerly sought an alliance with us Graysons. I had reluctantly agreed. I never expected that after meeting Alaric, Megan would be deceived by his sweet talk, believing he was the true Grayson heir, and treat me with such disdain. However, those who still had doubts about my identity seemed to fully believe it after seeing her actions. After all, what fiancée would mistake her own betrothed? Seeing this, Alaric’s eyes grew even more smug. He provocatively placed his hand on Megan’s waist and looked at me mockingly. “James Grayson, what do you have to say now?” Megan looked at me with disgust: “I came here today for two reasons. First, to attend Alaric’s birthday party, and second, to tell you, the adopted son of the Grayson family.” “The person I love will always be your big brother! Stop harassing me in the future, understand? When we meet, you should address me as sister-in-law!” She wants me to call her sister-in-law? I haven’t forgotten the scene from my previous life when she found out Alaric was the real adopted son. She knelt before my mother, crying desperately that she loved me. Hearing this, I chuckled lightly, “Alright, sister-in-law. Your big brother wishes you both the best. I hope you two will be inseparable.” Megan’s eyes narrowed as she said coldly: “Sister-in-law? You keep saying Alaric is the adopted son and that you’re the real young master. Do you have any proof?” I spread my hands, displaying my whole body, then pointed at Alaric and smiled, “Isn’t it obvious?” I stood there simply, and even though I was being denounced by everyone, I still had an air of natural nobility, clearly a son of privilege. In contrast, Alaric, despite having the upper hand, still had a shifty gaze and hunched posture. Even wearing an expensive tailored suit, he gave off the impression of a nouveau riche. “Besides, you want proof, don’t you? I wonder if this jade pendant is enough evidence?” With this comparison, people immediately exclaimed: “It’s true! James Grayson’s bearing is clearly that of someone extraordinary.” “Could that jade pendant be the one-of-a-kind natural imperial green jade that Mrs. Grayson gave to her child? Could Alaric really be the adopted son?” Hearing this, Alaric’s face stiffened. He trembled and said, “If I were the Grayson family’s adopted son, why would father tell you to get lost? That jade pendant of yours is clearly a fake, a forgery!” Sophie also said with a dark expression: “That’s right! The real jade pendant is with Young Master Alaric. I just saw it. Yours is a forgery! Besides, the Master has already spoken. I don’t know how you still have the face to stay here.” “James Grayson, no matter how well you act, you’re still a fake,” Megan paused, her voice full of contempt. “A mere jade pendant proves nothing. Even if it’s real, you might have stolen it.” Hearing this, Alaric immediately brightened up. “That’s right! This pendant is either fake or you stole it from me!” The three of them spoke one after another, making those who still had doubts believe Alaric even more, and they all began to agree. Sophie smiled and quickly added: “You say you’re the Grayson family’s eldest young master? Look around, which servant here would call you Young Master?” Hearing this, I swept my gaze around the room. Wherever my eyes landed, the servants lowered their heads and remained silent. I knew they were afraid of being beaten or scolded if they said the wrong thing. Seeing this, Sophie immediately said harshly: “Today is the Young Master’s birthday party. Not only did you impersonate the Young Master’s identity, but you also caused trouble and disrupted everything, bringing shame to the Grayson family!” “If we don’t teach you a lesson, how can we face others? Someone come and seize him to be dealt with by the Master!” Hearing this, the servants moved to grab me, but I had been trained in martial arts since childhood. Even though they outnumbered me, they were no match for me and fell to the ground one after another. As for me, only the hem of my clothes was slightly dirty. “Is that all you’ve got? This jade pendant…” Before I could finish speaking, Alaric took advantage of my distraction and smashed a bottle of red wine on my head. Glass shards scattered everywhere, and the crimson wine slowly flowed down from the top of my head, soaking my clothes. I felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground. “You…” Alaric placed his foot, stained with red wine, on my face, gradually increasing the pressure. A contemptuous smile spread across his face: “You’re good at fighting? But what use is that?” “In terms of power and background, you’re nothing but an adopted son of the Grayson family. And you dare to steal my jade pendant? Hand it over!” Alaric directly snatched the jade pendant from my hand and fastened it to his own waist, looking at me smugly. Megan came over and spat on me. “Why did you have to do this? Coveting Alaric’s identity, now you’ve completely lost face.” Sophie also grinned maliciously as she picked up a glass of red wine and slowly poured it on my face. “Since you like talking nonsense so much, why don’t you drink some more wine?” I endured the pain and humiliation, clenching my fists and gritting my teeth. “When my mother returns, I’ll make you all pay!” My mother was originally out of town on business, but I had called her before the party. Now, she was on her way back home on a private jet and would arrive soon! Hearing this, Alaric ground his foot into my face even harder, then leaned close to my ear and mocked: “Who are you trying to scare? Your mother is out of town on business and knows nothing about this. Father is in charge of the house now.” “With how much father dotes on me, even if I killed you right now, he wouldn’t say anything. He’d even help me cover it up from your mother.” Hearing this, I could no longer suppress the anger in my heart and clenched my fists tightly! Because the words from Alaric’s mouth were exactly my fate in my previous life! Now, it was time for fate to be reversed! 3 Taking advantage of Alaric’s distraction, I flipped him onto the ground, reclaimed the jade pendant, and straddled him, raining down punches like a machine gun. My fists were filled with the resentment and hatred of being burned alive in my previous life! Sophie screamed and tried to help Alaric, but I threw her aside with one hand. Megan, trying to imitate Alaric, attempted to knock me out with a wine bottle, but ended up hitting Alaric in the face instead. The scene descended into chaos, with many people trying to restrain me. At this moment, my father’s angry roar came from behind me, “You beast, stop it!” Hearing this, I turned to look at him, rage surging within me. My knuckles turned white from how tightly I was clenching them. “Beast? Father, are you calling me that, or Alaric?” He walked over and slapped me hard across the face. “Of course I’m talking about you! You beast! How dare you hit Alaric? Do you have a death wish?” While I was stunned from the slap, he helped Alaric up with a concerned look. “Alaric, are you alright?” I suppressed the anger in my chest and got up, laughing sarcastically, “If I’m a beast, then what are you? An old beast?” Even though I knew he favored Alaric, I still wanted to ask him if he ever considered me his son at all! “Father, you have to stand up for me. James has gone crazy,” Alaric said tearfully, throwing himself into my father’s arms. My father looked at me with fury in his eyes. “You beast! Beating people in public, and your own family at that. You’ve completely disgraced the Grayson name!” I frowned coldly and said word by word: “What’s wrong with hitting him? This family’s name is Grayson, not Sullivan!” Hearing this, my father’s pupils constricted, and he slapped me again, shouting in rage: “How dare you! You’ve really gone too far!” “What? My surname is Sullivan. Are you trying to drive me out?” I smiled coldly without saying a word. At this moment, Sophie came over with a pitiful look: “Master, you must stand up for the Young Master. James not only disrupted Alaric’s birthday party but also got violent.” Megan also stepped forward to accuse me of lying: “That’s right, Uncle! He even tried to take advantage of me earlier, attempting to assault me!” “If it weren’t for Alaric, I might have been…” The other people around also chimed in: “That’s right! Master and Madam have been too kind to him! That’s why an adopted son like him has become so arrogant!” “Yes! We can’t stand by and watch anymore! Master, you must discipline him!” In an instant, I was accused by everyone, and even what was clearly white was painted black by them. Rumors and slander, like a giant spider web, engulfed me. My father looked at Alaric with concern, then glared at me angrily: “Did you hear that? Are you saying everyone is wrongly accusing you?” “Apologize to Alaric and the other guests right now!” I met my father’s furious gaze, feeling as if I was facing that raging fire again! Filled with anger, I pointed at Alaric and said, “He doesn’t deserve it!” “Doesn’t deserve it? Then do I deserve it?” My father laughed coldly. “I’m your father, and I’m ordering you to apologize to everyone! You must kneel and kowtow, especially to Alaric!” Upon hearing this, Alaric immediately pretended to be troubled: “Father, no matter what, he’s still my brother. Making him kneel and apologize in front of everyone would hurt his self-esteem too much.” I coldly watched his smug and mocking expression. The party guests seemed to ignore the contempt on his face and began praising Alaric, saying the young master of the Grayson family was truly benevolent, comparable to a great historical figure. Sophie laughed coldly, “Young Master, you’re too kind to this lowly adopted son. That’s why he dared to cause trouble and hurt people at your birthday party. Kneeling and apologizing is already a light punishment.” “That’s right!” My father’s voice grew colder. “If it weren’t for the fact that he still bears the Grayson name, I would have sent him to jail for this alone!” Beside him, Megan said coquettishly: “Alaric, you’re going to lead the Grayson family in the future. Remember, ‘the benevolent cannot command an army, the righteous cannot manage wealth.’” Only then did Alaric sigh: “James Grayson, you’ve really gone too far today. Big brother has no choice.” “But you don’t need to kneel to me. After all, even though you’re the family’s adopted son, we’re still family.” My father stared at me coldly, his gaze not like looking at a son, but at an enemy. “Did you hear that? When will you learn to be as sensible as Alaric?” “Kneel down and apologize now!” Hearing this, I frowned and laughed coldly, “What if I don’t kneel?” My father took a deep breath, “Since you don’t want to save face, then father will help you save face! Someone come! Force this beast to kowtow to everyone!” Some servants were shocked, “Master, this might kill him!” “Then let him die!” My father looked at me mercilessly. “What are you all standing around for? Do I have to do it myself?!” The servants looked at me maliciously. “Young Master, we have to obey the Master’s orders. Please forgive us!” They came over to force me to kneel before Alaric. I resisted with all my strength! My father picked up a stick and hit me hard on the back of my knees, making my body bend down! I looked up, seeing the mocking expressions of everyone watching the show, gritting my teeth, unwilling to lower my head! If I kowtowed to Alaric, I’d rather die! My father pressed down on my head, personally trying to force me to kowtow heavily to the ground! A furious shout rang out, “Who dares to touch my son!”

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When my younger brother announced his wedding, I requested two days off from work. My boss flatly denied my request. She sneered, “Why does your brother’s wedding matter to you? You’re not even dating anyone. Aren’t you embarrassed to attend?” Without another word, I logged into the system and submitted my leave request anyway. Her calls came flooding in soon after. “Who gave you permission to take time off?” “If you’re gone, who’s going to drive me to and from work tomorrow?” 0It was the end of the year—always a chaotic time at our branch, with everyone scrambling to meet their quotas. I had already hit mine early, so I figured asking for two days off for my brother’s wedding wouldn’t be a big deal. I approached my team leader, Julie Zhang, and politely made my request. I thought it’d be a simple matter, but she refused me without hesitation. “Why does your brother’s wedding matter to you? You’re not even married! Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to show up?” Julie has always been known for her sharp tongue and condescending attitude. Everyone on the team has dealt with it at some point. And sure, it was a busy time of year, with strict rules around taking time off. But her outright rejection felt personal. I took a deep breath, keeping my tone calm. “Julie, I’m his sister. I need to be there for him. I hope you can understand.” She glanced up from her phone, her expression darkening. “Do you even realize what quarter we’re in? This is the end of the year—the most critical time for our branch’s performance reviews! If everyone took time off like you, our entire team would be eating dirt next year. Can you handle that responsibility?” Sure, I could understand that taking leave during the busiest season wasn’t ideal. But wasn’t she being a little dramatic? What made it worse was that just the day before, she had approved our male colleague’s leave request without a second thought. “Why is it different for me?” I couldn’t help but ask. Julie scoffed, crossing her arms. “Are you seriously comparing yourself to him? He’s taking marriage leave. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime event! If you want time off, wait until you get married.” Her words were ridiculous. My brother’s wedding wasn’t some excuse—it was a legitimate reason to take leave. No matter how I tried to reason with her, she wouldn’t budge. And to make things worse, she piled extra work onto me over the next few days, assigning me customer follow-ups that were supposed to be her responsibility. I knew she was being petty, but I didn’t bother arguing. Instead, I followed the proper channels. I informed both her and our department manager of my plans, then submitted my leave request through the system. In the meantime, I kept up with all my tasks, ensuring there was no room for complaints about my performance. By Wednesday evening, our manager had approved my request, and it was on its way to HR for final processing. After finishing my daily report and posting it in the team chat, I packed up and left for the highway. Before crossing the toll gate, I checked the group chat one last time to confirm no one was looking for me. Then, I switched my phone to airplane mode. The drive required my full attention, and I focused on the GPS as I made my way home. By the time I exited the freeway, it was nearly midnight. When I turned my phone back on, I was greeted by over twenty missed calls and dozens of unread messages. Julie had sent me countless voice notes, each around sixty seconds long. I didn’t even bother opening the first one. Whatever she had to say, I knew it wouldn’t be good. Instead, I tucked my phone into my bag, stopped by a local diner, and treated myself to a warm bowl of noodle soup. When I finally got home, my phone buzzed with yet another incoming call. “Emma, what were you doing? Why didn’t you wait for me after work?” Julie’s voice was sharp and accusatory. I replied matter-of-factly, “Julie, I told you earlier this week—I’m attending a wedding this weekend.” That sent her into a full-blown tirade. “Who gave you permission to take leave?” “If you’re gone, who’s going to drive me to work tomorrow?” “Do you even want to get promoted? Where do you get the audacity to ignore your superior’s instructions?!” 0

Her barrage of yelling left me momentarily stunned. That’s when I remembered—Julie had been hitching rides in my car to and from work for almost six months now. We lived in the same neighborhood, and about a week after I started at the company, I realized my direct supervisor lived just across the hall. Out of politeness, I offered her a ride one morning. I didn’t think much of it at the time—but from that day on, she latched onto me like I was her personal driver. I’ve never been one to make a fuss, so I let it slide. After all, she was my boss, and it wasn’t exactly out of my way. But now, hearing her demand that I cancel my leave and prioritize her commute? It was like she genuinely believed I existed just to chauffeur her around. My dad, who had been sitting nearby, noticed my darkening expression and opened his mouth to speak. I quickly shot him a look, silently telling him to hold back. Instead, I grabbed my phone, took a screenshot of my approved leave request, and sent it to Julie with a calm message: “Julie, I’m not skipping work. My leave was approved by Mr. Reed. You can check the system if you don’t believe me.” Her reply came almost immediately, and it was just as aggressive as before. “Don’t try to pull rank on me with Mr. Reed. I’m your direct supervisor, and you report to me! I’ll say it one more time—get your ass back here now. This is your only chance.” “And tomorrow morning, at 8:30 sharp, I better see your car waiting for me. Do you understand?” Her entitlement was so absurd, I actually laughed. What a power trip. I took a moment to breathe deeply, trying to remind myself to stay calm. After all, I’d worked hard for over a year, and permanent employment was just within reach. A little patience now wouldn’t kill me. I forced myself to respond politely. “Julie, I’m sorry, but my car’s being used as the wedding car this weekend. I really can’t bring it back.” “You might need to grab a cab for the next two days. I apologize for the inconvenience.” Our neighborhood is well-connected, and it’s easy to hail a ride. Plus, the company provides a monthly transportation stipend for city commutes. It wasn’t like I was asking for the moon and stars. But my calm tone only seemed to fuel her rage. “What do you mean, I should take a cab?!” she snapped. “Emma, don’t let your little achievements go to your head. Do you even know your place?” “Let me make this clear—if I don’t approve your leave, you don’t get to take it. I don’t care if someone in your family died! You don’t just waltz out of here whenever you feel like it!” “And if you’re not back tomorrow, don’t bother showing up again. Just pack up your things and leave.” Her voice practically exploded through the phone, every word sharp and cutting. Does she think I’m some pushover? Even the most patient person has their limits, and mine had just been crossed. I was about to shoot back a response when, suddenly, she hung up. And then she blocked me. Blocked. Me. I stared at my phone in disbelief, anger simmering in my chest. My dad, who had been trying to remain calm, finally lost it. His thick eyebrows knitted together as he fumed. “Didn’t your mom say your boss was supposed to be a decent person? Listen to the way she talks! How could anyone treat their employee like this?” “And to think I let Old Xu help with their sales targets. She repays us by cursing at my daughter?” I gave him a wry smile and shrugged. “Guess you never really know someone. She seemed nice enough at first.” It was true. When I first started, Julie had been charming and approachable. But somewhere along the way, her true colors had come out. The more leniency I gave her, the more she pushed, taking advantage of my kindness. My dad grumbled under his breath and then asked, “Do you want me to help you find another job? You don’t have to put up with this.” I quickly shook my head. This was my mess to deal with. I’d let her walk all over me, and now I was paying the price. It was time to grow up. I couldn’t rely on my dad to fix all my problems forever. If I wanted to make it in this world, I’d have to learn how to stand my ground. 0

Over the next few days, Julie didn’t bother me again. It felt like the calm before the storm, and although I was uneasy, I managed to attend my brother’s wedding without further interruptions. On Monday morning, I returned to the office carrying a few bags of local treats for my colleagues. But something felt off. People who were usually warm and friendly with me now greeted me with strained smiles and avoided eye contact. One of my former classmates, now a colleague, pulled me aside into the stairwell. Once she made sure no one else was around, she leaned in and whispered, “Emma, I heard HR is planning to let you go after your probation ends. What’s going on?” Her concern was genuine, but her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “What? Why? I’ve been performing well—my metrics are some of the best on the team,” I said, bewildered. She sighed. “I don’t know the details, but word is spreading. You might want to brace yourself for the meeting.” I thanked her and returned to my desk, pretending like nothing had happened. It didn’t take long for my suspicions to be confirmed. As soon as our morning team meeting wrapped up, Julie called me out in front of everyone. “Emma,” she began, her tone sharp and authoritative, “you took two days off without my approval, which is a blatant violation of company policy.” I stood my ground, trying to keep my voice steady. “Julie, my leave was approved through the proper channels. It’s all documented in the system.” Her face darkened. “I don’t care what the system says. If I didn’t approve it, it doesn’t count! I’M your supervisor. My word is final.” “And since you’ve shown no remorse for your actions, there’s no need to discuss your permanent position anymore. Pack your things and leave.” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “Julie, if the system bypassed your approval, that’s an issue HR and IT need to address. It’s not something within my control.” The tension in the room was palpable. My coworkers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to react. One of the younger women tugged at my sleeve, silently pleading with me to back down. But I was done staying quiet. If Julie wasn’t going to show me respect, I had no reason to give her any either. Her anger boiled over as she slammed her hand on the table. “Don’t try to argue with me. If you have a problem, take it up with HR!” Before leaving, she turned to the rest of the team and delivered a pointed warning: “Let this be a lesson to all of you. Follow the rules, and don’t defy your superiors. Work hard now, and you’ll all get your promotions and raises next year.” Her words were empty promises—just more lies to keep people in line. She’d used the same tactic on me when I first joined the team, promising recognition that never came. Not long after, I got a message from HR’s representative, Lisa Wu, asking me to meet her in the conference room. When I walked in, Lisa started with some polite small talk before cutting to the chase. “Emma, I’ll be honest. You’ve done a decent job these past six months, but you’ve made some serious mistakes.” “Work isn’t just about hitting your targets. Building good relationships with your superiors is critical—especially with your direct manager.” “By taking leave without Julie’s approval, you’ve shown a lack of respect for her authority. And then, to make matters worse, you took her car for a personal event, forcing her to take public transportation.” For a moment, I was too stunned to respond. “Julie’s car?” I repeated, incredulous. She nodded, her tone turning accusatory. “Yes, Julie told us you’ve been borrowing her car for months. And then you even used it as a wedding car. That’s highly inappropriate, Emma.” It all clicked. Julie was spreading lies, claiming my new BMW was hers. No wonder she always made a show of calling me to fetch the car in front of our colleagues. She’d been laying the groundwork for this narrative all along. 0

I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of anger. Enough was enough. Without another word, I stood up, grabbed Lisa by the arm, and marched straight to Julie’s desk. Julie glanced up lazily, her expression indifferent. “I already told you—if you have a problem, take it up with HR. I’m busy.” I smiled coldly. “Oh, this involves you, Julie. We’re going to clear the air right now.” Her composure faltered for a split second, but she quickly recovered. “Fine,” she said, crossing her arms. “Say what you need to say.” I turned to face our team, my voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “Julie, I thought we were neighbors. I didn’t mind giving you rides because it was convenient, and you were my boss. I was trying to be polite.” “But for the past six months, you’ve treated me like your personal chauffeur, calling me at all hours and ordering me around. I let it slide because I didn’t want to make waves.” “But now you’re telling people my car is yours? How does that make any sense?” The room fell silent. My teammates stared, wide-eyed, while Julie’s face turned an alarming shade of red. Before she could respond, Lisa spoke up, trying to regain control of the situation. “Emma, that’s a serious accusation. You’re still just an intern. Do you really expect us to believe you can afford a car like that?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Why not? Does buying a car require permission from my title or age?” Julie coughed awkwardly, cutting Lisa off. She patted Lisa’s shoulder, feigning concern. “It’s fine, Lisa. Let’s not be too hard on her. The car is hers. I just didn’t correct people’s assumptions because I didn’t want Emma to face unnecessary scrutiny.” Her words were laced with fake pity, but I saw the smug glint in her eyes. She thought she’d outmaneuvered me. “After all,” she continued, “a young woman driving a luxury car… people might get the wrong idea. I didn’t want anyone accusing her of, say, being a—well, you know.” Her insinuation was clear, and it worked like a charm. Lisa’s expression shifted into one of disapproval. “I knew it,” Lisa muttered. “Emma’s family didn’t seem wealthy. I saw her dad in sandals at the branch once—doesn’t exactly scream ‘BMW owner.’” Julie smirked, satisfied as the gossip shifted away from her and onto me. 0

It felt like my stomach was on fire, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm. This was outright slander. Julie and Lisa were throwing baseless accusations at me, smearing my reputation with their lies. Anyone with less resolve might’ve broken down by now, sobbing as they packed up their desk and walked out the door. And seriously, who says you have to wear designer clothes to be wealthy? My dad—who spends his days in flip-flops and a tank top—is a low-key real estate mogul. If he ever found out someone had dismissed him as a nobody, he’d probably be so mad he’d cough up blood. But I wasn’t going to let them get away with this. Turning to Lisa, I let out a cold laugh. “What’s wrong, Lisa? Did Julie’s words replace whatever critical thinking skills you had? Whatever she says, you just blindly agree?” Everyone in the office knew Julie had a distant relative in corporate, which meant most people gave her a wide berth or went out of their way to stay on her good side. But Lisa was HR—her blatant bias was downright embarrassing. “You’re supposed to be HR,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Aren’t you supposed to think independently? Or are you just here to parrot Julie’s every word?” “And let’s be real for a second—whether I stay or leave isn’t up to either of you. That decision rests with Mr. Reed, not you two.” Lisa’s face turned beet red, and she stammered as she tried to come up with a response. Julie, meanwhile, looked like she was seconds away from exploding. Her eyes burned with anger, and her brow was so tightly furrowed I thought it might stay that way forever. “Emma,” she hissed, her voice dripping with venom, “after everything I’ve done to mentor you, this is how you repay me?” “I’m your direct supervisor. If I say you’re out, you’re out!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Mentor me? What a joke. I’d spent half a year as her unpaid chauffeur, bending over backward to accommodate her ridiculous demands. And now, instead of gratitude, she was paying me back with lies and insults. Before I could respond, the sound of a door opening cut through the tension. Mr. Reed, our department director, stepped out of his office. His expression was stern as he scanned the room. “What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice sharp. “This is an office, not a playground. If you’re not working, then what are you doing?” He turned his focus to Julie. “Come to my office. Now.” Julie shot me a venomous glare before following him inside, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. God only knows what kind of story she was about to spin in there. As I watched her disappear into the office, one of my coworkers—a former classmate—passed by with a water bottle in hand. She gave me a quick thumbs-up, clearly amused by the scene. I scratched my head awkwardly, letting out a dry laugh. Sure, maybe my approach wasn’t the most professional, but at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself. Still, I knew that things couldn’t go back to normal. Staying on Julie’s team after this would be a nightmare. As I mulled over my options, my phone buzzed. The caller ID showed it was Mr. Mitchell, one of my dad’s longtime business partners. I stepped into the stairwell to answer the call. “Emma,” Mr. Mitchell began, “just wanted to let you know—Julie’s been on my case again. She’s pushing me to deposit more money into your branch and trying to sell me a bunch of insurance policies.” I rolled my eyes. Julie was relentless, squeezing every client for all they were worth without any regard for their circumstances. An idea suddenly clicked in my mind. “I’m so sorry about that, Mr. Mitchell,” I said, my voice apologetic. He chuckled. “It’s not your fault, but honestly, it’s the end of the year, and I’ve got tight cash flow. I don’t think I can swing it.” “That’s okay,” I said, my tone light. “Go ahead and have your accountant withdraw the funds. Just do what works best for you.”

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After my son started college, I gave him two thousand dollars each month for his living expenses. Once he got a girlfriend, he started complaining to me, “Mom, how can I possibly have a girlfriend on such a small budget? If you want a grandchild, you’ll need to send another two thousand!” So, I downloaded every loan app available and took out loans in his name to fund his lavish college lifestyle. This is because in a previous life, I sacrificed everything for my son. After he graduated, he refused to get a job, insisting that he needed to focus on life’s major events first—getting married and having children. My husband and I scraped together a down payment at the height of the housing market. But he couldn’t keep up with the payments and started physically abusing us, saying, “If you hadn’t bought such an expensive house for me, I wouldn’t be under so much pressure!” “I can’t pay it back; you make the money to pay it off, or I’ll give this house back to you!” I ended up taking on three jobs, eventually working myself into the grave. This time around, I decided to ruin his credit first. Let’s see how he plans to buy a house now.

“Mom, I’m out of money again this month. Could you send me some more?” “Send a thousand—no, make that two thousand. The cafeteria food is terrible; I’ve had a stomach ache for three days. Eating out is expensive, but at least it doesn’t make me sick.” It’s only the 10th, and my son’s calling again. He’s a sophomore now. The initial living expense was two thousand dollars, but in less than a year, he claimed it wasn’t enough. It increased to three thousand, and even then, it doesn’t last ten days. In the past, I would have lectured him for ten minutes about being thrifty because earning money isn’t easy. But this time, I said nothing. I calmly replied, “Alright, hang on a moment; Mom will get the money and send it to you.” Then I went to the app store, downloaded over ten loan apps, entered my son’s ID, and borrowed five thousand dollars. I sent him two thousand. There was no response, just a cold receipt confirmation. I took out a journal and noted the first loan of the day. All this because in a previous life, I painstakingly supported my son through college. He was determined to marry, bringing home a pregnant Daphne, and asking for a thirty thousand dowry. Plus, a two-million-dollar house. We didn’t have that kind of money, but seeing the young girl’s tearful face and hearing my son’s pleading, I relented. We borrowed from every relative, scraping together one hundred twenty thousand, including the thirty thousand dowry. The rest went towards the house down payment. My son was so touched. “Thank you, Mom and Dad. I will be filial for this life. You can just relax at home, play with your grandchild, and enjoy life.” We didn’t dare to enjoy; we tirelessly paid off the relatives’ debts. Just as we were about to catch our breath, my son came crying again. “Mom, help me, the mortgage is too much. I have to support a family and can’t manage it.” “Can you bear to see your son, grandchild, and daughter-in-law homeless?” “Please, you and Dad support us for a few years. When inflation rises and salaries increase, the pressure will ease.” My husband and I went out again, financially supporting their little family. But after two years, not only did my son’s salary not increase, but the housing market crashed, and the job market tightened. A house similar to my son’s in his neighborhood was listed at eighty thousand and still didn’t sell. I worried about their pressure, considering selling our current large house and buying a smaller one. The difference would help pay off my son’s mortgage. But instead, he lashed out at us. “If it weren’t for you buying such an expensive house, I wouldn’t be under so much pressure!” “I can’t pay it; you go make money to repay it, or I’ll give this house back to you!” I took another job, but while washing dishes, everything went black, and I collapsed.

After my body fell, my coworkers found me, and the boss called an ambulance immediately. But I knew I was already gone. I watched my husband’s hair turn completely white overnight. He held my photo every day, not cooking or going to work, no matter how my son abused him. Meanwhile, my son was very busy. He first dragged my corpse, leaving it in front of the boss’s shop for two days. When the boss didn’t give in, he hung a banner, banging drums every day. I watched helplessly as my son walked away with the fifty thousand the boss scraped together. He used the money to eat and drink with his wife and son. No one remembered my body was still on the street. In the end, a young man informed my husband to claim it. After my husband arranged for my cremation, he banged his head on my tombstone and died. When I woke up again, it was my son’s sophomore year. He had just secretly started dating, doubling his living expenses. But at this point, we still had savings, and my husband and I hadn’t retired. We lived frugally but managed. Still, I wasn’t that heartless. I just wanted to ruin his credit so he couldn’t get a mortgage. After graduation, I wouldn’t care about his life or death. After graduation, I listed our house online. But three months before he graduated, he brought Daphne home. Daphne, with her slightly protruding belly, timidly looked at me. “Hello, Auntie~” Just then, my son came in with a big bag of baby supplies. “Mom, Dad, this is Daphne, your daughter-in-law.” “Come on, call Mom. This is Dad. Don’t worry, my parents are very kind.” Seeing she was about to speak, I interrupted, “Please don’t. You’re not married yet. People will say we’re rude and bullying you.” “Dear, have a seat. I’ll get you some fruit.” At the dining table, I noticed Daphne kept giving my son meaningful looks, occasionally dry heaving. I pretended not to notice until my son couldn’t hold it in. “Mom, I came back to get married. Daphne is already carrying your grandchild.” I rolled my eyes. Last time, this grandchild didn’t even call me Grandma before I died. Every time he saw me, he treated me like trash, kicking or spitting. I thought he was just a child, plus I was busy working. I thought it was because I wasn’t like other grandmas who took their grandkids out to play, so I didn’t care. Thinking back now, this Daphne, who left such a good first impression, might not be as simple as I thought. “You’ve always taught me to be responsible as a man. Please contact Daphne’s parents and set a date.” Yes, I taught him to be good to his wife and kids, and he did that. But I also taught him to be filial, yet he wouldn’t even claim my body. “When are you and Dad available? I’ll talk to Daphne’s parents.” “I’m available anytime. You two decide and let us know in advance.”

Daphne was anxious but too embarrassed to speak, constantly tugging on my son’s sleeve. My son glanced at me as I took a sip of tea. “Mom, about the dowry, Daphne says it’s quite high there.” I replied, “Oh~” “Look, if Daphne weren’t pregnant, I wouldn’t rely on you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll consider it a loan. Once I graduate and start working, I’ll pay you back.” I sighed, “Oh, Guanghui, let me tell you the truth. Your university expenses have left us with no savings.” His face changed instantly, “I barely spend anything each month! Are you making excuses not to pay?” “What kind of parents don’t prepare a house and car for their son, only care about their own pleasure!” “If I can’t get married, don’t expect me to care for you in your old age.” “Rot away in your hovel!!” I smiled inwardly. This is my good son, who immediately changes his face when his parents won’t slave for him. My husband couldn’t stand it, wanting to say something, but I held his hand. “Son, it’s not that we don’t care. We had saved fifty thousand for you.” “But look at how much you’ve spent in college these years? Your monthly expenses are around twenty thousand. Since sophomore year, for three whole years.” “There was also a time you said you broke your leg and needed surgery. I sent you fifty thousand. In total, it’s fifty-two thousand.” “Your bride price was spent by you. Where can we get more dowry money?” He was speechless, his face flushed, “If you don’t want to give it, just say so. Why make so many excuses! How could I spend over fifty thousand just going to college?” “I’ve never seen parents like you. If you don’t care, my son won’t recognize you. He won’t have such stingy grandparents. You’re unworthy!” “Daphne, let’s go! I can take care of you myself!” “You two can keep your lousy money and live by yourselves!” After saying this, he slammed the door and left. Only Daphne looked back repeatedly, pitifully glancing at me. After my son left, my husband was a bit resentful. “Wife, don’t we still have savings? Why are you doing this to our son?” “Besides, nowadays, parents have to prepare a house and dowry for their son.” “I’ve never encountered parents like you before. Since you don’t seem to care, don’t expect my son to acknowledge you in the future. He doesn’t need grandparents as stingy as you. You’re not worthy!” “Lydia, let’s go! I can take care of you by myself!” “Just live your life with your pitiful money!” With that, he slammed the door and left. Only Daphne looked back at me, filled with pity with each step. After our son left, my husband grumbled a bit. “Dear, don’t we still have some savings? Why are you making it difficult for our son?” “Besides, these days, it’s expected that parents prepare a house and a dowry for their son’s marriage.” “Now look what happened, he doesn’t acknowledge us anymore, and we won’t even get to hold our grandson in the future. When we get old and sick, who’s going to take care of us?” I glanced at my soft-hearted husband and questioned him back. “Do you think we can rely on a son like that to take care of us when we’re ill?” He didn’t respond, and after a moment, he sighed. “Forget it; it’s just the two of us, and it’s quite nice without all the drama.” Isn’t it truly a hassle? In my past life, he didn’t even claim my body. He only used me as a tool to make money. We raised him for over twenty years, and it turned out to be less worthwhile than raising a dog. Just to be safe, I transferred most of our money to an account that neither my son nor my husband knows about. On the street, I saw a young man selling balloons in the cold wind. I was momentarily stunned; his face looked exactly like the young man who claimed my body in the past life. Though it’s early spring now, the temperature is still low. He wore a thin black jacket. His face and nose were red from the cold. Because in my previous life, I wandered for a long time after dying, I knew he had no parents. At home, there was only an elderly grandmother, but she was not in good health and often fell ill. Therefore, he had to use all his time to work. In my spare time, I found his school, contacted his teacher, and quietly supported him. His name is Ezra, and he’s now a college sophomore. He has excellent grades, winning scholarships every year, and his tuition is waived. But due to his grandmother’s health, life is still tough. I knew Jude wouldn’t let things go easily, considering he hadn’t graduated yet; how could he support a wife and child? But I didn’t expect him to change his attitude so quickly. Within a week, he was inviting us to a hotel dinner on Sunday night. I refused, but my husband was too soft-hearted. After all, we raised the child ourselves. Parents can’t just stand by and do nothing when it comes to such significant life events. I couldn’t persuade him, so I had to attend, letting him see the true nature of our son. As soon as I entered, the strong smell of smoke hit me. A young man in his twenties with slicked-back hair had his feet on the table, holding a cigarette. A middle-aged woman with heavy makeup saw me but said nothing, speaking instead to the boy. “Sit up straight, people are here.” After a while, our son came in. A female voice rang out. “Let’s be clear, we want a dowry of 300,000, not a penny less.” “After all, we raised our daughter so well, we’re not giving her away for free. 300,000 isn’t much at all.” “She’s carrying your family’s first grandson.” “And there must be a house; my daughter won’t live with in-laws! You need to prepare a big house, at least 100 square meters.” “Otherwise, how can we visit our daughter in the future?”

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Both my sister and I are true heiresses, but our parents favor her, treating me like I’m invisible. My sister is eager to climb the social ladder, but she thinks the billionaire is too old for her. So, during a party, after drinking too much, she sneaks into the billionaire’s son’s bed and comes home with suggestive marks. Mom couldn’t stop smiling, thinking our family would soon have a daughter-in-law. Unexpectedly, the billionaire shows up at our door with his entourage, forcing my sister to marry the family’s driver, Mr. Lee, who is over fifty! Everyone in A City knows that Mr. Lee is a creep who enjoys tormenting women! Three days later, Mr. Lee’s wedding car was parked in front of our house. My sister held scissors to her neck, crying, “Mom and Dad! I’d rather die than marry that old man!” Mom, in tears, stopped her, then turned to me and ordered, “Nora, pretend to be your sister and marry him!” “Mom! I’m your daughter too! How can you ask me to marry that old man without a shred of compassion?” My smile faded, disbelief filling my eyes. But Mom ignored my protests: “You’re the older sister; what’s wrong with helping your sister?” My sister added fuel to the fire: “Exactly, sister, I’m too delicate to withstand mistreatment. You’ve been doing hard work at home since you were little, your physical strength is better than mine, so just endure the beatings and scoldings. But I’m different!” They were pushing me into the fire! I placed all my hope on Dad, who sat silently on the sofa. “Nora, please help her, she’s your sister after all.” These people were no longer my family; they were demons out to ruin my life. I instinctively stepped back: “No! I won’t go!” Seeing my firm stance, Dad’s expression turned fierce, and he signaled the relatives to tie me up. They forcibly dressed me in a wedding gown: “If you don’t drink the toast willingly, you’ll have to drink the penalty! It’s your blessing to take the fall for your sister!” As I was pushed into the car, an overwhelming sadness engulfed me. We were both born to the same parents, yet our fates were so different. Since childhood, I was the neglected and despised one. Mom and Dad cherished my sister like she was their treasure, afraid she’d fall or melt away. But they didn’t care about me. I had only two sets of clothes year-round, and I could only eat after my sister finished. Whenever my sister and I argued, my parents never asked who was right or wrong; they’d just slap me twice. I thought they were just a bit biased, but I never expected them to be so heartless as to marry me off to a perverted old man! The car swayed as it headed to the mansion, and my heart was equally unsettled. My sister’s plan to make an irreversible mistake was definitely flawed, or else the billionaire wouldn’t force her to marry an ugly, filthy driver. That driver, Asher, was said to have been with the billionaire for a long time, having a deep bond with him. They blindfolded me and pushed me into a dark room, where all my senses were heightened. I trembled, waiting for my groom to arrive.

Just as I was in utter despair, contemplating ending it all, the door suddenly opened. The light streaming in made me involuntarily close my eyes. When I opened them again, I was stunned to see a handsome man standing before me. Wasn’t Asher supposed to be a man in his fifties? How is he so good-looking! I heard that the billionaire once ordered him to acquire a real estate company, but the owner changed his mind at the last minute and demanded more money. He simply had the owner’s son kidnapped and sent a video back. The owner was so scared he cried while signing the papers. Since then, both political and business circles knew him as someone ruthless. Looking at the man in front of me, though handsome, but rumored to be a complete lunatic, I felt a chill. “Don’t recognize me? Celeste? Have you forgotten that night?” My expression changed. How does he know my sister’s name? Could it be that they… But how could a driver appear in the billionaire’s son’s room? That’s impossible. Oh well, it’s too late now. Since I’m here, I should just make the best of it. Besides, he is indeed handsome. With such a stunning man in front of me, how could I refuse? To protect myself, I gave him a shy, timid look: “Since we’re married, I’m now your wife…” I figured men like obedient wives. Unexpectedly, Asher’s expression remained unchanged, only raising an eyebrow slightly: “You don’t have to force yourself. I know my reputation isn’t great, I won’t go against your wishes, tonight you can sleep in the bed, I’ll sleep outside.”

Seeing him really about to leave, I panicked. Without a child, how can I ensure my safety? I quickly grabbed his wrist: “Wait! I meant what I said, anyway, neither of us has anyone who cares for us, so why not keep each other warm?” Saying that I wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands unconsciously caressing those enticing abs. There were rumors he lost his manhood after a wild night at the nightclub, my heart ached at the thought. Such a handsome man with issues, my life is so tough! He helplessly ruffled my hair: “Since you’re my wife, from now on I’ll protect you with my life if necessary.” I couldn’t listen to what he was saying anymore, just pulled him to bed with me. In the darkness, I felt his gaze lingering on me, thinking about something. But I was too exhausted, holding him, I quickly drifted into a deep sleep. When I opened my eyes again, he was gone. Only then did I have time to look around the room— It’s worthy of being the billionaire’s trusted aide. The luxurious decor was more extravagant than any wealthy home I had ever seen, as I marveled. Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and several servants carrying the latest clothes and jewelry appeared before me: “Madam, Mr. Asher has left, he asked us to take care of you.” My eyes widened, he, a driver, could afford such extravagance? The necklace in the box was a new model from this year’s show, worth over a million. The diamonds sparkled brilliantly. Simply dazzling. I trembled as I picked it up, still unable to believe it was real. Friends around me faced in-law relationships after marriage, but Asher was alone with no family. So I was in charge of everything in the mansion, and no one dared to contradict me. I have to admit, life was truly comfortable. Except… he was all show and no go, unable to have children. Everything was perfect. Except… sometimes he would hold me and call out: “Celeste.”

My expression darkened instantly, realizing that this fleeting happiness came from being my sister’s stand-in. Seeing my reaction, he gently shook me: “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” I forced a smile: “No, I just feel you’re too good to me, I don’t know how to repay you.” He seemed a bit helpless: “Silly, you’re my wife, it’s only right for me to be good to you, there’s no need for repayment.” I fell silent, wondering if he’d hate me if he knew it was all a lie? “Your birthday is coming up, I want to host a party, and let you meet my friends.” He placed a photo in front of me: “This is Oscar, in charge of the company’s construction department, and this is Ethan, responsible for economic trade relations.” Since childhood, my sister had prepared to marry into the billionaire’s family, not only researching the billionaire’s company information but also bringing me along to learn. When the billionaire was young and poor, he married his first wife, using her family’s resources to rise quickly. The first wife bore two sons and a daughter, but passed away due to illness. Afterwards, he married a second wife, who had another son and daughter. Since the eldest son passed away. Two opinions gradually emerged within the group. One was that the company’s establishment was inseparable from the first wife, and the second son should be the heir. Another voice said the third son was most capable and fit to lead. The people Asher just introduced me to were all supporters of the third son within the group. I pursed my lips, realizing this was not just a party, but an exchange of resources. I’ve never liked such occasions, but now as his wife, I should help share some of his burden. Clutching his hand, I smiled slightly: “Okay.”

“I’ve long heard the Lin family has two beauties, seeing Celeste today proves it’s true.” Miss Beatrix hugged me, sizing me up. Asher chuckled: “All thanks to your father for sending such a wonderful wife to my side.” Miss Beatrix laughed: “You better treat her well, or I won’t agree.” The table was filled with exquisite delicacies, guests exchanging glasses, chatting and laughing. I suddenly thought, maybe the billionaire had his reasons for wanting my sister to marry him. How did my sister manage to sneak into the second young master’s bed so smoothly? Could it be the billionaire suspected this was a tactic by the third young master to ruin the second young master’s reputation, and used this method to test the truth? As everyone drank to the end, the third young master sighed, “Yesterday I took some documents to Dad’s study and heard him scolding my second brother again.” “What did that spendthrift do this time?” Ethan was curious. “You’d better treat her right, or I won’t agree.” The table was laden with a variety of delicious dishes. The guests, who clearly had a lot of prestige, were happily clinking their glasses and engaging in lively conversation. I suddenly thought perhaps the billionaire had his own reasons for marrying my sister off to him. Why did my sister manage to get into the Second Young Master’s bed so easily back then? Could it be that the billionaire suspected this was a scheme by the Third Young Master to tarnish the Second Young Master’s reputation and used this method to uncover the truth? As the evening wore on, the Third Young Master sighed, “Yesterday, I took some documents to Dad’s study and overheard him scolding my second brother again.” “What did that troublemaker do this time?” Oscar asked with curiosity. “A few days ago, Second Brother showed interest in a new college student. But she wasn’t interested, and he used unsavory methods to force her. Afterward, the girl posted about it on social media and then took her own life. It’s causing quite an uproar now.” The Third Young Master sighed helplessly. I was a bit taken aback. I had always known the Second Young Master was arrogant, but I hadn’t realized he was so indifferent to human life. I exchanged a glance with Asher and tactfully changed the subject. After returning home, I pressed Asher: “What’s really going on here?” Asher didn’t respond immediately. He took off his suit jacket, revealing his well-toned chest. “Celeste, do you regret marrying me?” I didn’t know why he asked, but I shook my head. “Being with you makes me truly happy.” He looked into my eyes. “Really?” “I’m willing to spend the rest of my life with you,” I said, courageously expressing my feelings. Asher’s expression shifted slightly. I watched as he removed the last piece of clothing. “Are you sure?” My heart raced. “I am.” In his surprised gaze, I decisively shed my robe, revealing my hidden beauty. Desire flared up instantly, and he showered me with kisses. I moved with him, and I knew from this moment, we were truly husband and wife. In the rush of excitement, I fainted. The overwhelming emotions almost consumed me. The next morning, sunlight touched my face as I woke up, rubbing my aching body. As I looked up, Asher was sitting at the edge, his gaze probing. “Celeste, why are you still a virgin?” It was then I noticed the red on the sheets, evidence of my first night. My nerves instantly went on alert, and I couldn’t help but tremble. I had completely forgotten about this! Everyone believed Celeste had been with the Second Young Master, yet here I was, still a virgin. It was suspicious. My mind raced. “You were too rough last night. I bled, and now you’re asking me…” He’s not naive. He wouldn’t be easily fooled. Staring into my eyes, he seemed to want to say something but just smiled. “Since you’re with me, the past doesn’t matter.” He kissed my forehead and left the room. “Ma’am, the sir mentioned transferring the mansion to your name.” “Ma’am, the sir wants you to handle the transfer of his assets.” “Ma’am, this is the latest designer handbag, sent over for you to choose from.” Since we crossed that final line, our relationship has become more stable. He wants to give me everything. I sat on the large apartment’s sofa, swirling a wine glass as I looked down at the bustling scene below. I suddenly remembered the days living at home. A biased dad, a foolish mom, a spoiled sister. And I was the only normal one in the family. I had to give in to Celeste in everything. No matter how much I gave, I could never earn my parents’ love. Even when my sister caused trouble, I had to pay with my life to clean up after her. Thinking back, it scared me. If Asher really was the violent man people said he was, my life would have ended. The next day, in spring, I was out shopping with the servants. I spotted a new handbag and was about to pay when I noticed the servant’s hesitant look. “What’s the matter?” I asked, puzzled. “Ma’am, your mother called saying your sister is getting married in a few days and hopes you can come back to help,” she cautiously checked my reaction. After all, since my marriage, I hadn’t been in contact with my family, and everyone knew we didn’t get along. Sure enough, my expression didn’t change, but I snapped the straw in my hand. “That’s good news. Who’s my lucky brother-in-law?” I asked calmly. The servant thought for a moment. “Your sister is lucky. The Second Young Master personally came to propose. Her future seems promising.” The Second Young Master? I was puzzled. The Second Young Master’s position in the corporation is precarious. Why would a vain father still agree to marry my sister off to him? Thinking about my sister getting into bed with the Second Young Master and then being forced to marry Asher, I suddenly felt that there was a big secret hidden in all of this.

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My fiancé of sixteen years, who was my childhood sweetheart, was getting married. At the wedding, my fiancé ran away hand in hand with his secretary, wearing the wedding attire I had personally designed and handcrafted. In my moment of heartbreak, my fiancé’s brother dragged me to the registry office and directly registered our marriage. When I returned to the wedding venue, all the decorations I had spent two months overseeing were torn down, with flowers scattered all over the ground. My childhood sweetheart fiancé was holding his secretary, having a wild party with all the guests. “Look, I won the bet! That dog came back!” “So gullible, Jack, your family’s dog is really fun to play with.” My fiancé’s brother beside me also excitedly went forward to share with everyone: “I just casually tricked her, and she got this fake marriage certificate with me.” I stared blankly at the stage, where two men were happily laughing around that female secretary! Under the guidance of my childhood sweetheart and their secretary, I became a clown for everyone’s amusement. I dialed that number on my phone: “Mr. Wilson, about the marriage you mentioned before, I agree.”

“No problem, I’ll prepare for the wedding right away.” The message was instantly replied to, a treatment I hadn’t received from Jack and Tom in a long time since that secretary appeared. A phone call came through. I opened my mouth, wanting to say there’s no need to go to so much trouble, just getting the certificate would be fine. After all, we weren’t that familiar. Before I could speak, I heard his next sentence. “Emily, I’m very happy.” I panicked and nervously hung up the phone. The next second, I was pushed from behind and nearly fell. Turning around, it was Tom, with the secretary Olivia standing next to him, intimately holding his arm. “Sister Emily, you know I’m against marriage, I was just curious about what getting married feels like. I didn’t expect Jack and Tom to… I’m sorry.” I remained silent, but my phone was suddenly knocked out of my hand by Tom. “Are you deaf? Is this how the Parker family taught you? Olivia is pure-hearted, how can you be so petty, not even responding?” My fiancé Jack quickly walked in front of me, shielding Olivia behind him. The three of them looked so harmonious, while I, the fiancée, seemed like the third party ruining someone else’s relationship. The guests below whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with contempt and mockery towards me. “Look at her, she really thought she was going to be the bride today? This is a party specially prepared by the two Parker young masters for Olivia!” “I heard after the older brother ran away from the wedding, she wanted to marry the younger brother. Young Master Tom really spoils her, even willing to accept such a woman…” The guests were all friends of the Parker family, but at this moment, their eyes were full of malice and ridicule. And my two childhood sweethearts were now completely focused on Olivia, having long forgotten about me. I looked around and found that the romantic scenes I had carefully arranged were now completely destroyed. All the flower arrangements I had specially prepared were thrown on the ground, shattered into petals and trampled under everyone’s feet. Fallen into mud. Even this farce was planned to please Olivia and make her happy. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. Olivia seemed to notice my abnormality, her eyes instantly reddened, and she lowered her head, saying softly: “Sister Emily, I’m sorry, I suggested they give you a surprise, I didn’t expect it to turn out like this…” “I really didn’t know this wedding dress was yours, I just thought it was so beautiful. It’s all my fault, don’t blame others.” Jack tightly held Olivia’s hand and glared at me: “Can’t you be less petty? You’re a wedding dress designer, what haven’t you seen?” Hearing this, Tom became even more furious. He grabbed my wrist and threw me in front of Olivia: “Emily Wilson! Olivia is still a child, how can you treat her like this? Why are you pretending to be pitiful? Apologize now!” Enduring the pain, I steadied myself and slowly raised my hand to take off the ring I had designed myself. Jack’s face instantly turned extremely ugly. He instinctively covered his own hand—where he originally wore the handmade wedding ring I had crafted for him, now replaced with a matching ring with Olivia. I calmly spoke: “You’re right, today should be enjoyed properly.” They looked at me in surprise, seemingly unable to believe I would compromise so easily. After all, in the past, I would always argue with them endlessly about Olivia’s matters. But this time, I wouldn’t make a fuss anymore. I decisively threw the ring into the air. “Let’s break up.” Jack’s face instantly darkened. I smiled slightly: “The engagement is canceled, you’re single, aren’t you?” Tom finally couldn’t hold back, his brows tightly knitted: “Are you crazy? It’s one thing not to accept Olivia’s surprise, but for a major life event like marriage, you actually want to marry someone outside of our Parker family? Who else would want you besides our family?” My heart ached again, but I maintained a smile on my face. I smiled slightly, tore the fake marriage certificate to pieces, then threw it at Tom: “Don’t you want to satisfy Olivia? Then you should experience it properly.” Tom’s eyes widened, and he grabbed my wrist tightly: “How dare you—?!” The pain came through clearly, but I was already numb. I calmly responded: “What don’t I dare to do?” Tom’s face turned ashen with anger, and he threw the pieces back at me: “Enough! Emily Wilson!” Jack frowned and walked in front of me, his voice tinged with impatience: “Our wedding is about to start. If you dare to embarrass yourself in front of so many people again, I’ll cancel the wedding!”

Hearing this, I laughed. In the past, I might have begged pitifully for their forgiveness. My parents’ sacrifice left me without the protection of close family, and my grandfather developed a dislike for me, refusing to take on the responsibility of raising me. After that, I was adopted by the Parker family. From a young age, I tasted the flavor of living under someone else’s roof, feeling insecure and lacking self-esteem. When facing my childhood sweethearts, I always habitually lowered my head first, regardless of who was right or wrong. They were extremely sympathetic towards me, vowing not to let me suffer even the slightest grievance. As time passed, Jack, who had a gentler personality, and I developed feelings for each other and confirmed our mutual affection. When Tom found out at the time, he was furious but gradually accepted it. However, life is unpredictable. After Mrs. Parker divorced Mr. Parker, I also became a redundant existence, forgotten in a corner. The wedding I had been looking forward to with all my heart ultimately became a laughable joke, and I became a laughingstock along with it. The guests below whispered among themselves, with bursts of mocking laughter. “Dump this gold-digger, let her know what she really is!” My two childhood sweethearts held their heads high, waiting for my submission, with no warmth in their eyes. I laughed sarcastically: “Then I wish the three of you a long and happy life together, with children soon.” There was a sudden silence below. Tom, furious, reached out and grabbed my arm. The force was so strong it felt like he wanted to crush my bones. “Emily Wilson, what do you mean? Why are you still slandering Olivia? I didn’t realize you were so vicious!” But they all knew, didn’t they? This was originally the wedding I had poured my heart and soul into creating. Why did they have to speak ill of me for someone else’s sake? Why did things change? Why did they abandon me again? I was in extreme pain from being choked, looking at him with reddened eyes, but he suddenly froze. I took the opportunity to break free from his restraint and strode towards the exit. Tom instinctively wanted to stop me, but was halted by Jack’s calm voice. “Let her go! She’s just an orphan with no one to rely on, what can she amount to without the Parker family!” Tom’s footsteps faltered, and he cursed at me loudly. “I think raising you was worse than raising a dog for the Parker family!” I silently shed a tear, listening to his curses fade away, finally disappearing into the clamor of the banquet hall. Opening my phone, I saw a new message. “I’m waiting for you at the entrance of the banquet hall. Call me if you can’t find the car.” I walked towards the car by the roadside, where Ryan Wilson was sitting. Before he could exchange pleasantries, I spoke up. “Let’s go get our marriage certificate.” He opened his eyes wide in surprise: “Now?” I nodded. The moment I got the marriage certificate, I felt a bit dazed. Who would have thought that I’d marry a man I barely knew? Ryan Wilson was someone I met by chance during a business trip to discuss a project, and later found out he was also from North City. Since we’re already married, let me use the remaining week to make a clean break with the past. I returned home and started packing, calculating the money the Parker family had spent on raising me over the years. But the debt I calculated was something I couldn’t bear alone. With a nervous heart, I called Ryan Wilson, who transferred the money to me without hesitation. I felt really bad about it and wanted to express my gratitude. “Then design two of the most unique and luxurious wedding outfits in the world for us! I just bought a few sapphires, they’re all for you to use. Wait for you to come home.” Home… Do I have a home now? Ryan’s laughter was hearty and joyful, and a strange feeling of being moved welled up in my heart. From the moment we first met, he had been full of praise for my abilities. After our marriage of convenience, he went to great lengths to provide me with resources, allowing me to access more excellent resources and high-level clients. I could feel that he wanted to give me all the best resources, to see me grow to the highest level. The Parker family, on the other hand, had given all the best resources to Olivia, leaving me with only scraps. They even put Olivia’s name on my designs. Thinking of this, my smile gradually faded. Jack was right, I indeed couldn’t leave them in the past. But now, everything is different. It turns out that true love is not about constraining a person, but giving them freedom and support. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized the sapphires Ryan casually mentioned buying were actually top-tier gems from auctions. Each one was priceless. I couldn’t help but gasp.

It wasn’t until two nights later that I heard faint noises outside the door in my drowsy state. “I told you she couldn’t leave us. After speaking so decisively, she still obediently came back, didn’t she?” I struggled to get up, only to find Jack had snatched away the draft under my hand. “Our wedding is about to be held, what’s the use of doing this now?” Of course, it’s not for him and me. I silently snatched back the draft. He frowned slightly and changed his tone. “Olivia did it for you too. To apologize, she redesigned a new wedding dress for you. You should thank her. We’re getting married officially next week anyway, so don’t be angry, okay?” It’s always like this. Whether it’s our anniversary for the three of us, or my birthday. They always bring Olivia along, turning my main event into something unrecognizable, making her the most dazzling female lead on the scene. Just like now, they abandoned me alone for two days for Olivia’s sake, without even asking about me once. I was too tired to even lift my head as I perfunctorily responded. Only then did Jack breathe a sigh of relief, and Tom, who had been hiding outside the door, reluctantly walked in. “Emily, we were wrong earlier today. The Parker family will always welcome you.” I nodded faintly, and only then did Jack take out the gift box, breathing a sigh of relief. The lid of the gift box slowly opened, revealing a worn wedding dress with mud stains on it. They held the gift box as if it were a hot potato, instantly becoming flustered. I laughed, my gaze full of sarcasm.

Tom lowered his head and casually said: “Maybe someone put it in the wrong place, the boxes look similar, I made a mistake.” Jack chimed in from the side: “Some clients are just careless, you know…” The “client” they referred to was undoubtedly Olivia. Ever since she appeared, the passenger seat became her exclusive spot, while all traces of me were completely erased. However, my mindset had changed now, and I was unmoved by their explanations. Tom and Jack looked slightly uneasy: “Emily, have you calmed down?” I was about to speak when they quickly added: “If you have any issues, take them out on us, don’t make things difficult for Olivia.” “It’s nothing. In the future, I won’t make things difficult for you anymore.” The two of them exchanged glances, surprised by my unusual compliance. At this moment, my phone rang, and they made an excuse to leave. “Aren’t you going to give me the gift?” I asked softly. They looked embarrassed, dropped the gift box, and hurriedly left: “Open it yourself, there’s medicine in the first aid kit!” As the front door closed, the clock struck midnight. I knew that another birthday had passed, spent alone. “You forgot, today is my birthday,” I murmured to myself. I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow and went to the cemetery alone. My parents’ death anniversary is also my birthday. Every time I remember this, it feels like a knife twisting in my heart. On that birthday, I insisted on going mountain climbing, but we encountered a mudslide. It was my dad and mom who pushed me out with their lives. Ryan had always comforted me: “They sacrificed themselves to save you because they loved you more than themselves. What you should do most is to let them see that you are very happy.” This was the first time I had heard such words. In the past, everyone had been accusing me. Outside the cemetery, I encountered Tom and Jack, who were actually digging at my parents’ grave! I was shocked and rushed forward: “What are you doing!” They looked guilty for a moment, then became righteously indignant: “Olivia’s little rabbit died, the feng shui is good here, we want to change the location.” “This is my parents’ grave!” I shouted angrily. Olivia appeared, “You crazy woman! I won’t let you hurt them!” She tried to push me, but I blocked her with my hand. She fell to the ground. I tightly hugged the urn containing my parents’ ashes, tears falling. They had received so much care from my parents in the past, and now, for the sake of a pet, they wanted to dig up my parents’ grave! Seeing my tear-stained face, Tom looked a bit dazed. Jack was the first to crouch down, trying to comfort me: “The dead can’t come back to life, Emily…” I raised my hand, about to slap him. However, Olivia suddenly lunged forward, blocking the blow, then fell to the ground. “It’s okay, Jack, as long as you’re alright. I just hope Sister Emily can forgive me…” She knelt in front of me with a sob, apologizing. But I knew I had clearly held back, just lightly brushing her cheek! The next second, their sympathy for me turned into anger. Tom pressed my head, forcing me down towards the muddy ground. Jack also pressed down on my leg, forcing me to kneel in front of the overturned urn. “You caused your parents’ death, and now you want to kill Olivia too? You’re so vicious, your parents must have died because of your bad luck!” I struggled hard but to no avail. These words were like sharp blades, deeply wounding my heart. Behind them, Olivia gave me a smug smile. Then, she picked up the urn and smashed it hard on the ground! Jack froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said: “I’ll have someone clean up your parents’ ashes! The most important thing now is to fix your temper!” I screamed, trying to break free from their restraint, but was firmly held by their bodyguards. In my moment of despair, Ryan’s figure suddenly appeared at the other exit. Hope flashed in my eyes as I called out loudly for help.

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As I lay weakened, I mustered just enough strength to whisper to my stepmother, “Grandpa left me a hundred million dollars. The money… the money is hidden… it’s…” Before I could finish the sentence, I drew my last breath. My stepmother burst into tears, clutching my lifeless hand. She turned to the doctor, desperation in her eyes. “You heard him, didn’t you? Bring him back! Save him, and I’ll give you half!” The doctor straightened up, his expression suddenly fierce. He spread his arms wide, as if summoning the heavens themselves, and bellowed, “Let the darkness be shattered by thunder!” A deafening crack split the sky, and a bolt of lightning struck my body with terrifying force, reducing it to a smoldering, blackened husk. Now a ghost, I stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with a calm, amused smile. I tilted my head, gave them a little nod, and said softly, “Thanks for that.” I’d known about my stepmother’s plan to harm me for a while. She wanted to make it look like an accident—how cliché. Don’t ask me how I found out. Let’s just say… I have a little something extra. You see, I have this ability. My soul can leave my body whenever I want. As long as my body’s intact, I can return to it within two hours, no problem. So, when I learned my stepmother was plotting my end, I wasn’t scared. In fact, I was thrilled. I was so sick of pretending to get along with her. It was exhausting. So why not let her think she succeeded? I’d fake my end, slip away, and take my dad’s inheritance with me. Then I’d move abroad, leaving her with nothing but her scheming self. And just like that, my dad wouldn’t have to worry about us tearing each other apart anymore. Perfect plan, right? Except… what the hell is this doctor doing? Did he just burn my body? I watched in stunned silence as my once-gorgeous, perfectly-curvy physique went up in smoke. My stepmother was just as shocked. Her jaw dropped, and for once, she forgot to put on her fake tears. “Wait… is she charred?” The doctor scratched his head awkwardly. “Uh, yeah… sorry about that. I just learned this technique. Guess I got a little overexcited when I heard about the fifty-million-dollar reward.” I was speechless.

I stared at my burned, unrecognizable body and wanted to cry. My beautiful, flawless body—gone, just like that. Regret hit me like a freight train. But what could I do? What’s done is done. The only option now was to find a new body. Preferably someone about to gone. If I could time it right, I could slip in and take over their body just as their soul left. Even someone who’d been gone for a little while could work, as long as they weren’t… you know… rotting. Where do you find people like that? The hospital, obviously. I headed to the operating room and watched as the doctors performed surgery. Blood was everywhere—raw, messy, chaotic. When I heard one of them say, “The patient’s losing too much blood. They won’t make it,” I couldn’t help but grin. But just as I was about to celebrate, I felt someone glaring at me. I turned and saw a woman, her face streaked with tears, staring at me like I’d just kicked her puppy. “I can’t believe you’d be this happy about my end,” she said, her voice trembling. I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Well… I wouldn’t put it that way.” Her eyes widened. “Wait. You… you can see me?” “Of course I can. We’re both gone, aren’t we? Well, you’re actually gone. I’m just borrowing a body so I can come back to life.” She blinked. “Wait, are you some kind of… supernatural being?” I nodded. “Yep. So, how about this—you let me use your body. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of it.” She hesitated, clearly torn. But before she could answer, the doctors’ urgent voices made the decision for her. “The pregnant woman’s heart has stopped! The baby’s still inside!” “Get the baby out now! Prepare for an emergency C-section!” The woman’s expression changed instantly. She looked at me, practically begging. “Fine! Take it! Just save my baby!” So, I slipped into her body. The moment I did, the nurse gasped. “The mother’s heart is beating again!” But then the pain hit me. It was unbearable. My whole body felt like it was being ripped apart. I couldn’t take it—I scrambled out of her body, gasping. “The mother’s heart has stopped again!” The woman turned to me, frantic. She rolled up her sleeves and shoved me back in. “The mother’s heart is beating again!” the nurse shouted. And there I was, writhing in agony, screaming, “IT HURTS! IT HURTS! OH MY GOD, IT HURTS!”

“Childbirth is the most painful thing ever. I swear, I’m never having kids in this lifetime.” I turned to Amanda and asked, “Wait… didn’t they give you any painkillers?” “Nope, no anesthesia.” “What?” “I don’t know why. The doctor just… didn’t give me any.” Her words immediately reminded me of a novel I’d read once. In the story, the heroine needed surgery, but the evil mistress of the domineering CEO bribed the doctor to skip the anesthesia. The poor protagonist ended up in so much pain that she literally gone on the operating table. Sweat broke out on my forehead. I squinted at her. “Your name… it’s not Amanda, is it?” Her big, innocent eyes blinked up at me. “How did you know?” “…Just a lucky guess.” I still remember bawling my eyes out while reading that novel. The heroine eventually came back to life and ended up with the CEO, but not before I sent the author a dozen angry messages. Amanda clutched my sleeve, her voice trembling. “Please, I’m begging you. Help me. I don’t want my baby to grow up without a mother.” I didn’t want that either… but what could I do? I wasn’t exactly in a position to promise miracles.

The moment Amanda’s soul left her body, they showed up. Thick fog rolled into the hospital room, and two figures stepped through the door. Both wore tall, old-fashioned hats. One was tall and wiry, the other short and round. Their hats had ominous phrases written on them: “Fortune Upon Sight” and “Peace Under Heaven.” I smiled and waved from my spot on the hospital bed. “Oh, Mr. White! Long time no see.” White Ghost froze mid-step, his polite smile faltering. “Melissa… you’re gone. Again?” “Well, you know how it is,” I said with a shrug. “Anyway, I just borrowed Amanda’s body for a bit. Feel free to take her now.” Black Ghost scowled. “Melissa, this isn’t how it works. Amanda’s time hasn’t come yet—her fate isn’t finished!” White Ghost sighed, his tone resigned. “You can use her body if you must, but Amanda has some unresolved attachments. You’ll have to deal with those first.” Unresolved attachments? Oh, please. It wasn’t hard to guess. A cheating husband, a homewrecker, and a baby too young to fend for itself. Classic tragic heroine stuff. I nodded knowingly. “Got it, got it. Don’t worry—I’ll make sure her scumbag husband and that mistress don’t get to live happily ever after.” White Ghost barked, “No! That’s not what I meant! You’ve already tampered with her fate, so now you’ll have to follow her destiny to its end.” I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, absolutely not.” “There’s no room for negotiation,” Black Ghost snapped. I casually inspected my nails—still flawless from before I gone. “Think about it. If I take over Amanda’s life, that means I’d have to… ugh… date her scumbag husband. Marry him. Sleep with him. You do realize what your boss would say if he found out, right?” I gave them both a pointed look. They froze, their mouths snapping shut. They were stubborn, sure, but so was I. Amanda tugged at my sleeve, her voice breaking. “Please… save my baby. I’m begging you.” “Oh, you hear that?” I said, gesturing to her. “She wants me to save her baby. You wouldn’t want me to ignore a mother’s last wish, would you?” White Ghost’s already pale face somehow turned even paler. “Melissa!” I waved cheerfully as they stormed off, their dark figures disappearing into the mist. “Don’t worry!” I called after them. “I’ll make sure her baby’s taken care of. I’ll deal with the mistress too. And as for that scumbag husband—he won’t even recognize himself when I’m done with him. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Bye-bye now!”

The pain was excruciating, but I forced myself to crawl back into Amanda’s body. The nurse barely blinked. She was so numb to the chaos that she just muttered, “The patient’s heartbeat has returned. Again.” Meanwhile, the doctor pulled the baby out of me and announced, “It’s a boy! The mother is hemorrhaging. Vital signs are dropping fast. Prep for emergency procedures!” I snapped my eyes open, grabbed his wrist, and rasped, “No need for all that. Just stitch me up, and we’ll call it a day.” The doctor froze, staring at me like I was some kind of zombie. “Bring me the baby,” I said. But the nurse holding the baby? She acted like she hadn’t heard me and started walking toward the door. Oh, hell no. Did she really think I didn’t know what was about to happen? That baby was about to be swapped out with the male lead’s mistress’s child. Do they think I’m stupid? I leaned up and shouted, “Hey! You with the baby! I’m giving you three seconds to bring him back, or I’ll drag myself out of this bed and end you.” The nurse hesitated for a moment. Then, as if she’d made her peace with the devil, she bolted for the door. “Oh, so you don’t believe me?” I growled. Adrenaline kicked in, and I shoved the doctor aside, swung my legs off the bed, and staggered toward her. Blood was pouring from my stomach, my insides threatening to spill out, but I didn’t care. I grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her backward. Smack! One slap. Smack! Another slap. I leaned in close, my lips curling into a twisted smile. “Do you believe me now? Or do I need to strangle you with my intestines to convince you?” The entire room froze. Everyone stared at me like I was some kind of demon. Then the chaos erupted. “Quick! Quick! The patient’s gone berserk!” It took five or six people to grab me and wrestle me back onto the bed. I pointed at the nurse, my voice cold. “I’ve got your face memorized. If anything happens to my baby, you won’t last a day in this hospital.” The doctor, hands trembling, started stitching me up. I glared at him. “Can you stop shaking? What are you so scared of? Just stitch it properly. If I end up with some hideous scar that looks like a squiggly caterpillar, I swear, you’ll regret it.” His hands shook even more. “Honestly, with nerves like that, how did you even have the guts to take a bribe to skip my anesthesia?” The needle slipped out of his hand and landed in my open wound. I smiled. “What’s wrong? Did I strike a nerve?”

After they wheeled me out of the operating room, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Even before I saw him, I knew who it was. And then he appeared. The male lead. Of course, he looked exactly like a walking cliché: the sharp jawline, piercing hawk-like eyes, high nose bridge, and lips so thin they practically screamed, “I’m better than you.” For years, I’d wondered what these so-called “brooding, evil CEOs” looked like in real life. Now I knew. And to my horror, it was George. My half-brother. The realization hit me like a truck. George. My tyrannical, self-absorbed, melodramatic half-brother. He strode over to my bed with that arrogant swagger of his, leaned down slightly, and said, “Amanda, this child belongs to the Lewis family. I’ll give you five million dollars. Take it, and I don’t ever want to see you again.” I stared at him, speechless. This was the same George who, back when I was still Melissa, couldn’t go five minutes without being absolutely insufferable. If I asked him to do something simple, like pass me a cup, he’d respond with, “Woman, how dare you order me around?” And if I tried reasoning with him? Forget it. The only way to shut him up was to beat some sense into him. Every time I’d smack him, he’d mutter, “Don’t underestimate a poor young man!” It was a disease. A serious one. And hitting him seemed to be the only treatment. But every time I knocked some sense into him, our dear stepmother would go ballistic. “You’ll regret this one day!” she’d scream. “George will make you pay back everything you’ve done to him, tenfold!” Meanwhile, George would stand behind her, muttering things like, “A hundredfold.” …Yeah. He’s always been like this. And now I’m supposed to believe this guy is the male lead of some tragic love story? The thought alone made me want to throw up. George wasn’t done being dramatic. “Amanda, I’m giving you one month. Get out of my sight.” Ignoring him, I grabbed the nearest doctor. “Where’s my baby?” The doctor, drenched in sweat, stammered, “W-where’s her baby?” The nurse holding the baby froze, her face blank with confusion. “Her baby? Uh… where’s her baby?” My patience snapped. My voice was ice. “You have ten minutes. Bring me my child.” The doctor practically tripped over himself as he ran out of the room, shouting, “Bring her baby! Now!” George glared at me, his face dark with anger. “Amanda, don’t push your luck!” I casually stuck a finger in my ear and yawned. “Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Can we do this in my room? You’re so loud, you’re probably scaring the other patients.”

I waved George over, motioning for him to come closer. “Hey, come here for a second.” He frowned, already looking irritated. “Woman, are you ordering me around?” Before he could finish, I sat up and grabbed him by the ear, yanking him down to my level. “Yeah, I am. And what about it? George, can you, for once in your life, act like a decent person? Your mother didn’t raise you through blood, sweat, and tears just so you could grow up to bully women, did she?” He winced and hissed in pain, bending awkwardly to avoid my grip. “What the hell are you talking about?! Do you even know what you’re doing? Don’t forget, your parents are still under my control! Your Taylor family depends on me!” I pinched his cheeks, forcing his face into a ridiculous pout. “Oh, so now you’re threatening me? Want me to shove your head in a toilet right now and see if that changes your tone?” His eyes widened, and for a second, pure terror flashed across his face. That threat? It struck a nerve. And why wouldn’t it? It wasn’t just a threat—it was a memory. Yeah, I’ve done it before. And clearly, he hadn’t forgotten. His voice cracked, and he stammered, “Y-you’re not Amanda… Amanda wouldn’t talk to me like this!” I smirked. “Oh? If I’m not Amanda, and then who am I? Look at me, George. Do you even know what I’ve been through today? Let me spell it out for you: I was on the operating table, bleeding out, and the doctor didn’t even give me anesthesia.” His confusion deepened. “Why not?” “Why not?” I sneered. “Because of your mistress, that little angel of yours who couldn’t possibly do anything wrong. George, I’m letting this one go, but if anything like this happens again, I’ll drag my body straight to your doorstep and make sure you regret it.” George staggered out of the room, his face pale and his cheek sporting a bright red handprint—five fingers, perfectly clear. The moment he stepped outside, a woman in a pristine white dress stopped him in his tracks. Emily. Amanda’s saintly little cousin. George’s so-called ture love. The pure, delicate flower who somehow managed to stay above it all, untouched by the dirt she caused. She was the root of everything. The conflicts between the male and female leads, Amanda losing her baby, Amanda’s tragic outcome during surgery—it all traced back to her. I still remember reading the novel and nearly throwing my phone across the room every time she appeared. I wanted nothing more than to jump into the story and strangle her myself. Well, looks like I finally got my chance. When the nurse handed me the baby, I didn’t even need to look twice—I knew right away this wasn’t my child. Don’t ask how I knew. I just did. Call it intuition. Call it a sixth sense. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. I sighed and leaned back. “Let’s just cut to the chase. Get a paternity test.”

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The CEO, well-known in the entertainment industry, is said to have a significant love interest abroad, and rumors suggest that the painting in the group’s lobby is her creation. “Honestly, the painting is mediocre and should have been replaced ages ago,” I remarked offhandedly, sparking widespread ridicule online. A fellow female guest on the show openly questioned my taste. “It’s surprising that you’re a Media Studies student who studied abroad, yet you seem to lack taste and make such bold comments.” I typed out a question mark slowly. Wait, is the painting I did at 13 really that impressive? — “Ms. Hazel, are you okay?” The producer assigned to me for the show eyed me cautiously. She was worried I might not handle the flood of online criticism and might leave the show. After all, this online reality show initially invited eight Media Academy students to intern at an entertainment company. They were competing for the sole position available. The budget was minimal, and they hadn’t expected it to gain traction. Now it’s trending at the top. I relaxed in a beanbag chair, taking calls and shrugging off the situation. Most of the trending topics were criticisms aimed at me. “Who knew such an arrogant person existed? Who does she think she is?” “Doesn’t she know who Ezra Carter is? How dare she say something like that?” “Replying to the poster: Haven’t you seen her resume? She just returned from studying abroad. She probably thinks she’s amazing now and dares to comment freely!” There were even people who didn’t know the backstory asking what had happened. Ezra Carter’s fans swiftly posted two video comparisons. One was from an early interview with Ezra Carter, where he was asked why the company lobby features a large painting. He wore a black suit and white shirt, looking cool and indifferent. But when answering the question, his expression turned serious and solemn. “This is a piece I cherish deeply, and it holds significant meaning for me.” The other video was a segment from the online reality show. The production team introduced us to several major entertainment companies in the country. With a small budget, they could only leverage the popularity of these large companies. When mentioning the country’s leading Carter Entertainment Group— Everyone was amazed by the giant painting hanging from the 10-meter-high ceiling of the star-rated lobby. And I, an unknown amateur, regretfully shook my head, seemingly unimpressed, commenting that the painting was average. Seeing these two video comparisons, all the bystanders had a unified thought— Wow, girl, who are you to act so cocky? Daring to criticize Mr. Wesley’s taste? — So, even before the show aired, it went viral. I hadn’t even done anything yet and was already drowning in criticism. On the phone, my assistant handling the painting ownership in the country pulled my attention back. “I’ll bring all the documents for the paintings under your name for you to sign if you visit Carter Entertainment Group.” “Including those bought by Mr. Wesley, you still need to authorize them, as it’s part of the process.” I agreed absentmindedly, hanging up. I turned my gaze back to the producer. “Producer, do you honestly think that painting is that good?” I asked incredulously. The way the entire internet criticized me made it seem like I was dismissing Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night.’ The producer hesitantly chose her words. “Well, how should I put it? It is Mr. Wesley’s beloved painting. You might not know this abroad, but Mr. Wesley is the top eligible bachelor in entertainment. Not only is he handsome, but he also invests and does a lot of charity!” “I believe Mr. Wesley’s taste is impeccable,” she said with admiration. “Look at the painting, the dark tone with large white feathers, and the bleeding heart at the center—” “Isn’t it romantic! It’s the representation of Mr. Wesley’s inner self! Both dark and light, devil and angel.” “But his heart is as sincere as a child’s.” I was dumbfounded. Wasn’t this just a realistic piece I painted at 13 after witnessing a chicken being slaughtered at home, leaving me with a psychological shadow? Yet it’s interpreted like this?! — Perhaps my stare was too shocked, as the producer awkwardly composed herself and returned to the main topic. “The director thinks we should capitalize on the current buzz with you and Phoebe Taylor. We should record and broadcast simultaneously to capture this wave of attention.” Besides me, the current hot topic online was Phoebe Taylor. Because after my “disrespectful” comment on the painting, she stood up to challenge me. “The most important thing is to be humble, especially since we’re also going to intern at Carter Entertainment Group. At least show some respect,” Phoebe said, tall and with tightly furrowed brows. “Which eye of yours saw me being disrespectful? Can’t a painting be criticized?” Her hostility towards me was baffling. All participants in this job experience show were amateurs, never having been on a show, and were somewhat timid in front of the camera. The remaining guests exchanged glances, watching the tension between us. Who knew our conflict would be so intense? “Don’t you know this is the most cherished painting of Carter Entertainment’s CEO? By saying that, you’re implying Mr. Wesley has bad taste,” she retorted without backing down. “Who are you to him to speak for him like this?” I countered. I intended to mock her, but Phoebe blushed and fell silent upon hearing my words. Oh? Is there really something going on? Wesley Carter and I grew up together, and I know everything about him, even if a mosquito flies by. Where did this woman come from? — Open conflicts like these are rare in the entertainment industry, especially with Phoebe hinting at an ambiguous relationship with Carter Entertainment’s CEO. The show’s director immediately saw this as a goldmine and quickly released a teaser. Sure enough, the buzz skyrocketed. There’s no way to back out now. I joined this show only because Wesley Carter had to make an urgent trip abroad for a business deal. According to the original plan, this small segment would be recorded within a week. I thought it would be boring, so when a talent scout approached me at the airport, I agreed immediately. Little did I know it would cause such a big misunderstanding. Due to high online discussion, the production team fully embraced the hype. Today’s recording session was directly changed to a visit to Carter Entertainment. After a few days without shooting, when we met again, Phoebe was surrounded like a star. I boarded the bus for departure, and as soon as she saw me, her voice grew louder. “I just can’t stand some people who arrogantly judge others, thinking they’re something special because they studied Media Studies abroad!” “Better than coming from a no-name school, right?” I retorted. She was the least educated among us. I wasn’t one to take insults lying down, plus her hinting at a relationship with Wesley Carter annoyed me. The bus staff immediately started whispering: “Seems like Hazel Wood has a bit of a temper, and she was really arrogant when she judged that painting.” “Maybe she’s just a spoiled rich girl. Haven’t you noticed she’s wearing all designer clothes?” “Even if her family is wealthy, she shouldn’t be so rude!” I ignored the chatter, finding a seat to sit alone. Phoebe, flushed from my retort, was defended by another amateur guest, Adeline. “Phoebe was kindly reminding you. Don’t forget Chinese humility just because you went abroad.” “How am I not humble? That painting is—” I turned to say it was mine, but Phoebe cut me off. “Forget it, Adeline, don’t bother. I don’t want to cause trouble for Brother Ezra.” What? Brother Ezra? Not just me, everyone caught that title. I kept silent, watching her with interest. I wanted to see what she was up to. “I actually didn’t want to say this.” Under the persistent questioning of everyone, Phoebe blushed. “We’ve known each other since we were very young. He’s helped me a lot over the years, and I’m very grateful to him.” “So when someone insults him, I couldn’t help but defend him.” She glanced at me as if I forced her to get angry. Adeline echoed, “Known each other since childhood… really?” She seemed to remember something, “Could it be, are you the childhood sweetheart of Mr. Wesley?!” Wesley Carter has only ever acknowledged a childhood sweetheart. It’s rumored that the painting in the lobby was also created by this childhood sweetheart. But no one knows what she looks like. Phoebe neither denied nor confirmed it, simply tucking her hair behind her ear. Isn’t that as good as admitting it? Well, why don’t you just say you’re me! I couldn’t help but mock, “Does Wesley Carter even know you? Do you know which elementary, middle, and high school he went to?” “Do you know?” Phoebe smirked, “Or are all your actions just to get his attention?” Phoebe’s words were like a bombshell, and the crew immediately started discussing. “Isn’t Mr. Wesley rumored to be marrying his childhood sweetheart?” This isn’t just an assumption, right? Fine, why don’t you just claim to be me and be done with it? I couldn’t help but mock, “Does Wesley Carter even know you? Do you know which schools he attended in elementary, middle, and high school?” Phoebe Taylor shot back with a sardonic smile, “Do you know? Or maybe everything you’ve done was just to get his attention?” Phoebe’s words were like a spark, igniting a flurry of discussion among the staff present. “Isn’t there a rumor that Mr. Wesley is going to marry his childhood sweetheart?” “The show hit the jackpot! Let’s get this clip out immediately!” “We’re going to make a fortune! This is definitely going viral!” The director was so thrilled he couldn’t contain his excitement, his grin almost splitting his face. “Phoebe, we’re visiting Carter Entertainment Group today. Could you help us out? If we could film a show there, it would be amazing—” Phoebe seemed a bit hesitant. “I’m not sure if Brother Ezra is around today. The company has its procedures, so the chances aren’t high. I’ll try my best.” Her words were carefully crafted, leaving no room for misunderstanding. “Oh, you’re such a great help! Truly a blessing!” The director exuberantly shook Phoebe’s hand. After getting off the bus, the group headed straight to the reception desk at Carter Entertainment Group, all eyes eagerly on Phoebe Taylor. Hoping she could somehow get the production team access to film directly at Carter. She cleared her throat and stepped forward under everyone’s watchful gaze. I stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching her with a cool detachment. As expected, the receptionist denied her request. “We have a specific department for such matters. If you want to apply, you’ll need to contact our event planning department.” Phoebe was refused on the spot, her embarrassment evident. The nearby producer began to whisper. “Didn’t she claim to be Wesley Carter’s childhood sweetheart? Why wouldn’t the receptionist show her some respect?” “Maybe the receptionist doesn’t recognize her?” Phoebe cleared her throat, snapping at the receptionist with a touch of arrogance, “I don’t blame you for not understanding! Where’s your supervisor? Get them here!” Adeline tried to smooth things over beside her, “They really can’t read the room. Do they think we’re just an ordinary production team?” Phoebe managed to regain some composure, smiling as she attempted to reclaim her dignity. Ms. Cao, the reception supervisor, came out and listened to the receptionist’s report. Afterward, she turned to Phoebe and said, “I’m sorry, but we can’t help you with this. I can refer you to our event planning department…” Ms. Cao’s gaze met mine as I stood behind her. She abruptly stopped mid-sentence, “Miss…” She swallowed the rest of her words before she could exclaim. Following my request, my relationship with Wesley Carter was kept well-hidden from the public. If she let it slip, she’d really be risking her job. “One moment.” She immediately reported to her superiors with her headset. I figured she was unsure why I came with a group and was likely contacting Wesley Carter’s assistant. Ms. Cao hung up and gave a professional smile, “I’ve reported it. Mr. Wesley’s assistant will come to meet you soon, and you can discuss the details with him.” The crowd’s view of Phoebe instantly shifted to admiration. “Phoebe! You really do know Mr. Wesley!” Adeline exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and joy, holding Phoebe’s hand with excitement. Even Phoebe seemed surprised but steadied herself, managing a pleased smile. “So he really remembers me…” she murmured. Yeah right, I rolled my eyes. I’m not curious anymore about what kind of person she is. I’m more interested in seeing how she’ll cover up her lies in the end! Everyone started fawning over Phoebe. “Phoebe, there’s a rumor that the painting in the lobby was done by Mr. Wesley’s childhood sweetheart. Was it really you?” Phoebe smugly twirled her hair, “You said it’s a rumor, so of course, it’s not true.” They all realized they’d just learned a piece of gossip unknown to others. We might even get to shoot the show at Carter! Phoebe singlehandedly occupied two cameras for filming. I chuckled coldly, “It’s better to be honest. If someone exposes you have no connection with Wesley Carter, that lie’s gonna be huge.” Phoebe gritted her teeth. At this point, there was no way she’d admit it. “If you’re jealous, just say so. Apologize to me, and I’ll let your comments about the painting slide.” I suppressed the urge to slap her, shaking my head speechlessly. Remy, Wesley Carter’s assistant, came running over to us, out of breath. Seeing such a large group, and my stern face, he was unsure what was going on. He spoke as if to everyone but was really addressing me, “Mr. Wesley has returned from his overseas trip early, but it’ll be a bit longer. Why don’t we wait in his office?” Wesley Carter came back early? I hadn’t had a chance to react before I heard the staff’s excited chatter. The director was incredulous, “Is Mr. Wesley inviting us? What an honor!” “Going to his office? Oh my gosh, am I dreaming?” “Phoebe Taylor really is Mr. Wesley’s childhood sweetheart!” Everyone looked at Phoebe with even more admiration, practically ready to worship her. Phoebe herself was surprised it was so easy. She hesitated, “Wouldn’t it be too much of a bother?” “What, scared?” I mocked. “Or are you worried your lies will be exposed when you see Wesley Carter?” “Of course not!” she snapped back. “Why would I be scared? Besides, isn’t everyone getting to go to his office because of me?” I raised an eyebrow, “Good, I hope you stay bold until the end. Don’t cry and beg when you’re proven wrong.” “You should worry about yourself! Don’t you know how many people online are criticizing you?” “Then please, show them the way up.” I turned to Remy with a cold smile. The group made their way to Wesley Carter’s office on the top floor. As soon as they entered, they were all stunned by the office’s luxury. The office was filled with large paintings, more mature in style than the one in the lobby. I casually sat on the sofa, familiar with the place, while the others marveled at the luxurious office. Suddenly, a producer let out a short shriek, “Our video from Carter is already online! In just one minute, it has over ten thousand views!” Everyone was instantly excited. Carter Entertainment Group’s popularity was indeed impressive! “Everyone’s asking what Phoebe’s relationship with Mr. Wesley is. Phoebe, you have to give our show the exclusive!” “The comments are all praising Phoebe and criticizing Hazel Wood for being rude and jealous.” “She totally deserves it, she brought it on herself!” Phoebe basked in the compliments from the producers, casting a smug look at me. “You all sit tight, Mr. Wesley will be here soon.” The assistant glanced at my expression, not stopping the group’s activities. Once he left, a producer snuck a photo of Wesley Carter’s office and posted it online. Comments flooded in from Wesley Carter’s fans. “Is this really Wesley Carter’s office? The production team is amazing!” “Phoebe’s connection? Is she really Wesley Carter’s childhood sweetheart?” “Seems like it. Wesley Carter has never let anyone into his office before.” A staff member found a photo of Wesley Carter as a child with a girl on his desk. “Hey, come look! A photo of Mr. Wesley as a kid with a girl!” Everyone crowded around. I glanced at it, surprised he kept our childhood photo on his desk. Back then, I was taller than him, one arm around him like a boss, making a peace sign with the other. Wesley looked at me with something like admiration. That day, I had just fought off some boys who teased him for being girly, earning his full admiration. I smiled, feeling nostalgic. The director exclaimed, “Celeste! This photo you sent of your childhood looks just like the girl in this picture! Is this you as a kid?” My smile froze. Could this get any more ridiculous? The production team quickly pulled up a childhood photo of Celeste and zoomed in. As a kid, I was always out playing, darker and smaller, with some resemblance to Phoebe Taylor. The place erupted again. “Mr. Wesley has a photo with Phoebe Taylor on his desk?” “This can’t be fake; they must know each other!” The guests immediately praised her, “Celeste was cute as a kid too!” “What’s cute about that,” I snorted. “Besides, is this even you?” “If it’s not me, is it you?” Phoebe’s face darkened, “Hazel Wood, you’ve been mocking me non-stop. Do you really think I don’t have a temper?” I smirked sarcastically, “I just can’t stand liars barking around like dogs, pretending to be something they’re not.” At this point, a producer defended Phoebe, unable to tolerate my words. “They’re definitely involved. There’s no way this is fake!” The guests quickly chimed in with praise, “Celeste was really pretty as a child too!” “Pretty? What’s so pretty about it?” I sneered. “Besides, is that even you?” “If it’s not me, then is it you?” Phoebe Taylor’s expression soured. “Hazel Wood, you’ve been mocking me non-stop. Do you really think I won’t get upset?” I gave a sardonic smile. “I just can’t stand liars barking like dogs, pretending to be people.” At this point, a producer couldn’t ignore my remarks and came to Phoebe Taylor’s defense. “Hazel, last time you critiqued a painting, we thought it might be deliberate, but this time? You’re clearly doing it on purpose.”

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